Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Where was the killer?

007n7 slowly peeked over the side of the wall, c00lgui at the ready. A cold bead of sweat rolled slowly down his face.

He looked around hurriedly. Grass, trees, more white walls randomly placed, little cabins of the same colour— all was normal. 07 hid back behind the wall, preparing for a teleport.

“Peek-a-boo!”

A red figure suddenly emerged in front of 07, sword in hand. 

He seemed to be full of playfulness and whimsy. 

His skin was pulled taut over his ribs, face a grotesque grin, text engraved into his torso.

This red figure 07 knew all too well, despite his distortion into monstrosity. But it really couldn’t be. Please. Pleasedon’tletitbe—

The exploiter’s eyes widened as his own baby son pulled him up into a chokehold.

c00lkidd smiled wide, his yellowed teeth sharp enough to shred open his father’s heart, as his grip tightened on 07’s neck.

“It’s so nice to see you, dad!”

.. / -- .. ... ... / -.-- .- / - --- --- --..-- / -.- .. -.. .-.-.-

7n7 wakes up, still tired, being no stranger to the lethargy that remains even after a few hours of rest.

Still dressed in his usual attire—blue sweater, his iconic burger hat, glasses, khaki jeans, and dress shoes—he turns himself around from his side until he was lying on his back. He hadn’t changed before he collapsed into bed that day. 007n7 inhales sharply, sweat still clouding his vision. A hand comes up to scrub his vision clear, while the other grabs his glasses on the bedside table. He puts them on.

Blinking rapidly, his eyes refocusing, 7n7 sighs. His cabin ceiling is plain, simple wood with an old fashioned lamp hanging from the centre. There’s a switch on the lamp. One of the old-timey ones, where you have to pull the rope to light it up and pull it again to shut it off. The light was on, the way 07 liked it; it staved off the horrors for a little longer when he tried to sleep at night.

The Spectre, the entity presiding over their realm, liked to make sure that they were all well-rested in the comfort of their rooms so that it could have its fair share of entertainment the next day.  As much rest as they could get, even though everyone seemed to be consistently plagued by night terrors of loved ones, blood, and the pounding of the chest as death hummed its familiar tune. 

The days would fly past with death after death after death. And without any new people getting forsaken, it seems everyone in the cabin had fallen into the routine that hell had forced upon them.  

He looks back at his early days, when he would try desperately to live by summoning clones to block attacks, teleporting as soon as he heard the killer, and messing with his rudimentary-version c00lGUI to find any way to survive. 7n7 smiles to himself, remembering the first time he had summoned a clone. The sheer exhilaration he had felt, just from creating a copy of himself, right after moving past the Spectre’s blockades in his c00lgui. 

He had almost felt like his college self again; snarky, egotistical, and loud, like he owned the world. With gui in hand, 7n7 had tricked the killer so many times that they just avoided chasing him. Oftentimes, he was the last man standing. 7n7 felt guilty about that. 

He did nothing about it.

That was still much too scary.

07 thinks of his son.

It had been c00lkidd again today.

He had grown horns, gnarly and twisted. There were claws engulfed in flame that left burn scars wherever someone was attacked. His form was becoming more monstrous, more terrifying. c00lkidd’s eyes didn’t hold the same childlike wonder as they used to. 07 ran from him.

7n7 had noticed the deterioration of c00lkidd’s humanity as well as his mental state. Recently, in the rounds against c00lkidd, he was squeezed to death. He preferred it to the earlier, more brutal methods. As fire engulfed him, at the very least, he was in his son’s arms. While the pain from the fire hurt, it was more bearable than not being able to hold his kid. The others seem to pity him. At this point though, being burned felt normal. His ribs crushed in the warm embrace of his son, the finality in the blazing warmth, beautiful in its simplicity and reminder of what once was. 

07 flips onto his side, shutting his eyes in a futile attempt to sleep. C00lkidd's murderous image appears in front of him, ingrained into his eyelids. 

007n7 opens his eyes, not willing to linger for a second longer.

Next to his bed is a simple bedside table. Wooden, like the rest of the cabin, but holding 07’s most important possession. His wallet, a basic leather pouch, holds printed-out photos of him and c00lkidd. He treasures them like gold. 07 almost wants to reach for it again, to brush his fingers across the tangible paper and look once more at his son’s innocent face, lest he forgets, but resists the urge. He has to sleep, after all. Thinking about the past would only make it harder. 

But really, what was the point, when the past will appear in his dreams anyways? What was the point in trying anything, if there wasn’t a deadline for how much he could try anymore? God , he hated revival. He would die, permanently, for an easy, dreamless sleep. 

He did die for his son, though, so the fact that he’s willing to die for something as simple as a dreamless sleep made it seem like he’s lowering his standards. Sad. 

It seemed as though 7n7 was not getting any sleep tonight. 

He swings himself around into a sitting position with his shins dangling off the bed. Immediately, a searing pain rushes to his head. He quickly collapses backwards into the bed. 

Damn anaemia. 

Staring at the ceiling, the dull lantern swinging from a chain, 7n7 wishes he could die again. He thinks of shaking hands connected to scarred arms, grasping tightly on cold metal, slowly snaking towards his chin. Maybe he wouldn’t be in this situation right now, if he had just been a better person. Maybe he and c00lkidd and Noli would still be alive and kicking.

07 sighs. That chance is over now. Even though the lingering wish remained, what was the point?

In his head, he can see a vague vision of himself. He’s wearing glasses, still having that smug goatee, and looking overall just… much younger, much more egotistical. That’s always him, inside. Whenever he does something or others do something, he will still present as a snarky little voice in 07’s head.

007n7 grins cockily at his present self.

BANG!

What was that? Where did that come from? Did Builderman explode another sentry prototype? Did Taph’s excavation bomb go off accidentally? 

 ̶0̶7̶ ̶i̶g̶n̶o̶r̶e̶d̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶f̶a̶c̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶i̶t̶ ̶s̶o̶u̶n̶d̶e̶d̶ ̶l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶a̶ ̶g̶u̶n̶s̶h̶o̶t̶.̶ ̶H̶̶̶e̶̶̶ ̶̶̶i̶̶̶g̶̶̶n̶̶̶o̶̶̶r̶̶̶e̶̶̶d̶̶̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶t̶r̶e̶m̶b̶l̶e̶ ̶i̶t̶ ̶b̶r̶o̶u̶g̶h̶t̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶h̶a̶n̶d̶.

He needs to know. Someone could be hurt— after all, pain was worse than death here, 07 rationalized. 

7n7 sits up quickly, ignoring the sudden nausea it brings him, pacing out of his room and into his lounge. He strolls with a purpose to the entrance. 07 pulls open the door to his cabin, stepping out, as he takes a breath of fresh air.

The lobby realm is split into the main house, their quarters, and some littered around cabins. There are people in them, but 07 and the other survivors had never really befriended any of them. Perhaps it was because they probably weren’t human— there was the same repeated dialogue, a lack of unique interactions, and really robotic movements that made them feel like 07’s own clones. 

The main house is the largest cabin, the centrepiece of the realm. It has two stories, large glass-pane windows, and is made out of logs piled together in a classic homey log cabin-in-the-woods style. A bulletin board lay at the front, full of posters from their past, a constant reminder of their unresolved grievances.

In front of the main house, though blocked by the trees, stood the individual quarters. It seems as though they were built to be miniature versions of the main house. The cabins are split down the middle, with four on each side of the house, entrances facing towards it. 

There was a long, winding dirt path connecting all of the structures, as they were quite distant from the house. Furthermore, little posted lamps lit up the road, gleaming a yellow light not dissimilar to the fake stars in the sky.

7n7’s cabin is on the right side of the main house. He’s the second farthest from it, and lived alone there. 

To his direct right, the room furthest from the main lobby, is Noob’s cabin. They stand there, chewing on their hair, wearing a bright blue shirt, dull green boxers, and white slippers. Their eye bags seem to protrude under the lamp outside their cabin. Noob has their hair in a simple ponytail with loose strands sticking out, yellow hair messy and uneven. With a nervous expression, Noob’s eyes dart around, before they step out the entrance. 07 looks at them and gave a small smile. Noob smiles back, albeit nervously, and gives a little wave.

To the left of 7n7 is Chance and Two Time’s cabin. 

Two Time stands there, dark eyes stark against pale skin, watching like a predator, searching, searching, while Chance—oh god, why was he still wearing his sunglasses— sticks his head out, looking back and forth. 

Two Time is donning a black cotton pyjama set with the Spawn logo sprinkled on it, their dark hair messy as ever. They grip tightly onto their dagger tightly, seemingly searching for danger. 

Chance, on the other hand, is wearing a gorgeous pink silk robe, draping down onto the ground. Their grey hair is down in long dreads, but the whole illusion is partially ruined by the fact that his hands held onto his gun and that he is still flipping that unique coin he seems to constantly carry around. Today, their luck is pretty good, are they're around 5 '10, just a little shorter than Two Time. 

Chance winks at 007n7 and Two Time just… doesn’t look at him. It’s awkward. 07 had messed with the Spawn cult once, and Two Time recognizes him from then. They don’t forgive him, and the stories from the other survivors don’t help 07’s case either.

Being hated sucks, but he deserves it.

The cabin farthest to the left, next to Chance and Two Time’s, is Taph’s. Taph is wearing a pink, fluffy onesie. It looks almost weightless to the touch, having the same consistency as the clouds in the sky. There’s little dog ears on the hood, wads of fabric in the tell-tale shape. 07’s almost sure that if he touches the material, he would feel the water vapour seeping through.

Chance is the one to break the silence, as well as the scoping of the (potential) battlefield. He sighs, lowering his gun and readjusting to a more comfortable posture. “We should probably meet up with the others.”

Two Time nods, sheathing their dagger in a convenient spot in their belt, and breaks out into a wide (and creepy) grin. “I agree! After all, the others might have been the ones who caused the explosion.” After a brief pause, they walk quickly down the stairs. They look at the others. 
“Aren’t you all coming?”

“👍!”

“S-sure! Let’s go.”

“Yeah, yeah— Two Time, where the fuck did you leave my damn hat ? I’m not going out without it.”

07 listens idly, before heading down the stairs. It’s cold. 7n7 can feel the tinge of ice on his skin, the uncanny loneliness from being in such a realm. He misses the warmth of the cabin already, though the cold is slightly alleviated because of his sweater.

The sky is currently pitch-black, with a few specks of light here and there. In the center lay the moon, which seems to always be staring at them. It’s in the shape of an eye.

07 is currently standing on the unpaved pathway. Surrounding him is the dull grass, blades swaying unnaturally as there was no wind. The cabins are surrounded by trees on three sides. However, there’s a singular pathway connecting all the cabins leaving into the distance. If they kept following the path forward, to the very end, they would find the others.

If he squints beyond the forest surrounding them, he can see the faint lights of the main cabin. Strange. Were they always on at this time?

Chance seems to have found his hat. Walking out with a sustained vigor, still in their (frankly beautiful) robe, he poses, tilting his hat a little, giving Two Time a flirty wink. They roll their eyes at him. Typical Chance.

They had just passed their fifth lamp, and were getting close to the diversion in the path where they could get to the main lobby. So, halfway to the other cabins. 

Just as 07 has this thought, however, the others emerge from the far distance. They seem to have had the same idea as Chance and Two Time.

Guest 1337 stands in front of most of the others. He shivers. Probably because he wasn’t wearing a shirt. The only thing that Guest is wearing is boxers. While 07 respects it, because damn that man has abs, Guest probably should’ve worn something before walking out.

Next to Guest stands Elliot. It seems that they’re having a spirited discussion— Elliot seems to be berating Guest for something. Guest seems to be apologetic about it. Elliot has his blonde hair tied up in a ponytail, as per usual, and wears a red t-shirt paired with dark gray sweatpants. He looks more exasperated than angry.

Behind Guest and Elliot, following close behind, is Shedletsky. The man is wearing his usual “Blame John!” shirt, but with only boxers underneath. He’s also wearing blue slippers with the Roblox logo on them. The wings surrounding his face are unkempt and messy.

Next to Shedletsky is Dusekkar. His pumpkin head is still on, and he still holds onto his handy staff. However, instead of his usual robes, he’s wearing- jeans? Either Dusekkar wore jeans and a shirt to sleep, or he had changed before coming out of the cabin. Or maybe he just hadn’t slept. But he still wears jeans, a far cry from his usual decorative attire and robes.

Behind them both, lingering slightly, stands Builderman. He’s noticeably shorter than all the others, at roughly 4’9, but is still noticeable from his hard hat. He wears relatively normal sleep clothes— a sleeping gown (basically an oversized shirt) with the Roblox logo on it. Builderman scratches his beard and yawns.

The others seem to have noticed their group approaching. Two Time, who had been walking at the front, waves stiffly in a big movement. They jog towards the other group before stopping in front of Elliot, seemingly to enquire about Guest’s lack of clothing.

07 walks slowly and awkwardly behind the others, even Noob, who seems to be actively terrified. As they get closer, 7n7 can begin to hear their conversation.

“So,” Elliot says, “I see this man walking out the door and he’s wearing nothing but boxers. The others had come out to, y’know, enquire about the second Big Bang or whatever, and he’s just! Naked!” Elliot sighs.

“Well, I didn’t really have a choice in that matter, because I-“

Elliot puts a finger over Guest’s mouth. “Shush. We’re getting to that. “ 

“Anyways, he then tells us that he only has one set of clothes and an extra pair of boxers. One! He just washes the set every day!” Elliot looks exasperated.  

“Yeah, it’s still in the wash.” Guest chimes in nervously, pushing Elliot’s hand aside.

“Apparently, he didn’t know about the stupid fucking closet!” Elliot gesticulates angrily. “Never mind that the day you spawn in there are holographic arrows pointing towards it in your sight, he just— thought they were a trap?”

The closet is a construct in the main lobby that just churns out free clothes based on what the owner wanted. It was pretty cool, and many of the survivors took some clothes to bring back to their own cabins.

Guest looks down sheepishly. It’s kinda cute. “It’s true. The arrows are still pointing in my vision. I had just died from an ambush though, so you can see why I was so hesitant to go.”

“However, there was no reason for you to not have gone after a few days or so. May I enquire why?” Two Time asks, hand on hip.

“It just never… really came to mind.”

Chance walks forward. “While it’s nice to know why our resident Guest is eye candy right now, (though he usually is too, wink wink,) don’t you guys think we should maybe check out the main cabin? I don’t think the lights are supposed to be on right now.”

Everyone mutters a consensus as they begin their stride towards the cabin.

The main cabin, standing tall, is still the variety of oak wood that 07 remembers. The first floor of the building has its lights on, but intriguingly, not the second level. Also, the front door’s slightly ajar. 

After a brief huddle outside the door, it’s decided that Shedletsky should go in. This is because he actually has something to defend himself with, isn’t basically naked, and is a tad bit more mentally stable than the others.

Two Time looks a bit disappointed at that, a hand twitching close to their dagger.

Sheddy winks. “If I don’t come out in ten minutes or so, wave my handkerchief and remember me fondly!”

He grins as he opens the door to the max width. After a couple seconds of surveying, his expression immediately dims, a darkness shrouding his face and his wings curling in around him. Shedletsky holds himself with the same grim nature he did when he was Telamon, and turns back at the others with a hardness in his eyes.

“Shit.” He says through clenched teeth. “I don’t think any of us thought this would happen.”

He stares directly at 07. 007n7 shudders. He’s still afraid of the glare admins give him.

“007n7. You go in first.”

007n7 looks around for a second and points to himself. “Me?” He mouths wordlessly, as Shedletsky nods, almost to himself. 

He repeats himself. “You go in first.”

7n7 swallows heavily, a cold bead of sweat running down his face.

He doesn’t know what he’s expecting. Has the past finally caught up to him? Was there some sort of divine punishment waiting in there? Would death finally come? As he walks up the stairs, he can feel his nerves tingling a little. He’s acutely aware of every hair standing upright, every synapse screaming for him to run. Why is Shedletsky so serious? What is in there? What had caused that bang, sounding like the gun that ended his own life? 07 pushes past Shedletsky.

At first, 007n7 doesn’t know what he’s seeing. The cabin is normal. Log walls, balcony, lantern, no noose, and a staircase on the side that leads upwards.

Was that..?

007n7 slowly walks forward, not daring to believe, not daring to hope. He closes his computer programme, the c00lgui, the only form of protection he had.

He strolls forward more hurriedly. Oak wood, couches, pillows, head mounted atop the fireplace— all was normal, except for one thing. A while bundle of blankets. 07 kneels down beside a bundle, a solitary tear running down his face.

It wakes up.

“..dad?”

A red figure lies in the bundle, small, scarred, with horns sticking from his head and a face just like the day he last saw it— except different. Wonderfully human.

His skin is pulled taut over his ribs, but that’s covered by text engraved into his now oversized T-shirt.

07 knew him— no, knows him all too well. He doesn’t dare to believe it. Last he saw him, he was monstrous and large, and 07 himself was crushed in a blaze of warmth— he had been running away from his baby, who he thought was a monster.

The exploiter’s eyes widen as he realizes it’s his son lying in the white blanket. 07’s eyes begin to well as he grabs onto his boy.

c00lkidd, startled by the touch, opens his eyes blearily. His mouth opens in shock or in daze, yellowed teeth still sharp but blunted somewhat. c00lkidd’s eyes fill with tears, and in a wail, he sits up to hug his dad. It feels wonderful. There’s no fire consuming him.

07 chokes on his own sobs, the corners of his mouth turning up into a small smile as tears fall onto c00lkidd’s face. Over c00lkidd’s crying, he mutters,

“ It’s so nice to see ya, kid .”

Chapter Text

A few hours after they find c00lkidd, Guest enters the room with two plates of what seems to be toast and scrambled eggs on top. He quiets his steps, noticing a sleeping c00lkidd nestled into 007n7’s neck, his tiny body splayed across 07’s lap, and his back cradled by 007n7. Gently, Guest sits down next to 007n7, on the side where c00lkidd rests, still holding the plate of toast and scrambled eggs. 

He gives c00lkidd a look that makes 007n7’s stomach feel vaguely fluttery. There’s cautiousness and suspicion, yet the fondness in his eyes is unmistakable. Only then, is 007n7 reminded of how lucky he truly is. 

c00lkidd is here. He’s with his dad. 

Guest is alone. With nobody but himself. 

He’s heard the great tales of what Guest had achieved and done, the people he’s met along the way, the experiences he’d gone through. He’s heard the pained sighs and the tired groan that Guest emits when he thinks that nobody else is around. 

Guest is better than him. He’s better in every single aspect to the point it annoys 007n7. 

And yet in the end, 007n7 is the one who’s “won”. While Guest still has to suffer through these seemingly endless rounds of hell just for a make-believe chance of being able to reunite with his family. 

A gentle bump of the plate is enough to jump 007n7 out of his thoughts in shock, who quickly recovers in fear of waking c00lkidd up. He looks at Guest in equal parts of panic and anger, before calming down to accept the plate of breakfast. 

He has to pick up the plate with one hand, as his other one is somewhat crushed by the weight of c00lkidd’s back and is beginning to feel slightly numb. He gestures politely for Guest to put the other plate on the sofa next to him, which he does. 

The eggs taste slightly bland and also look a little overcooked, a big contrast to Elliot’s cooking. “Thank you,” he says, swallowing before going to take another bite.

Guest looks tense, gripping his pants tightly. “I think…” He pauses, reconsidering his words. “I think you need to change the way you act.”

007n7 sets his toast down, placing his full attention on Guest. “... What do you mean by that?” He questions apprehensively.. 

“Okay, well…  I could’ve worded it better. But, what I’m saying is that… This can’t go on.” Guest answers, gesturing with his hands in an effort to convey his word properly. “Y’know, hiding around the map and using little mind games to trick the killer. Stuff like that won’t work anymore.”

‘Not with c00lkidd around.’

The silence between them is loud, deafening almost. 

“As much as having c00lkidd is a blessing, it also is a c–” 

“Well, what am I supposed to do about it?” 007n7 snaps angrily, looking down at the floor to avoid direct confrontation with Guest. “I’m not– I’m not like you or any of the sentinels. I can only do so much. I know. I know that I can’t keep going on like this. But what am I supposed to do?”

He’s tired. Why can’t this just be over?

“I can’t shoot a gun, or pull out a sword. And I sure as hell can’t punch someone.” His voice cracks and splinters like wood. He feels his breath become shorter and his voice become more wobbly. 

Suddenly, a warm hand settles on his free shoulder. 007n7’s head snaps up to the action so fast he thinks he heard a crack.

 “007n7,” Guest begins as he stands in front of 007n7 with his hand still resting on 07’s shoulder.

007n7’s gaze drops back down to the floor awkwardly. “I don’t expect you to pull some new move, or anything of the sort. I’m just saying, you have c00lkidd now. You have someone you need to protect. And I want to make sure you understand this.” Guest says resolutely.

“Not that I think you don’t know that you need to take care of c00lkidd of course, just that… When the time comes, I hope you won’t be afraid to do what’s right. To do what’s best for c00lkidd.”

Slowly, 07 lifts his head as a wild thump begins to resound in his chest. Guest continues his speech, “I believe– No, I know very well how it feels to not be given a chance. And I think you deserve to be given one.”

‘Ah, fuck. I’m so screwed.’ 07 thinks as the thumping begins to grow louder. 

Just like with Noli, eh? 

(Him and Noli would’ve never worked out either way, though. Not after what he made him do.

But, it’s also not as if him and Guest would ever work out either. Guest has a wife. A child. He has a real family. And 007n7 sure as hell doesn’t deserve someone like Guest, either.)

07 sees Guest preparing to exit the room, preparing to reconvene with the others. Before he leaves, 007n7 calls out to him again. “How do I know what’s… ‘the right thing to do’?” 

Guest contemplates the answer for a bit, opening the door but not exactly stepping out of the room. He turns around to face 007n7 again, this time with a bit of a cryptic smile on his face. “Just.. be strong.” He shrugs as the smile turns into a gentle grin, bright as the sun and just as pretty.

The door clicks shut, and with a sigh, 007n7 slumps back into the sofa, almost sinking into it.

[ping!]

007n7 jumps up in his seat, not expecting the notification that pops up in his vision. Despite the time that he’s been here (how long was it now? Months? Years?) he’s still scared every time the signal approaches. It’s random, and leads to the hell of this place.

[Round starts in ten minutes.]

Dread bubbles in 07’s stomach, because he really hopes that some loophole makes it so that c00lkidd doesn’t have to participate. He gently puts his hands on c00lkidd’s shoulders and shakes him awake. c00lkidd had been having a fitful sleep, full of mutters and furrowed brows, so he woke up fairly quickly. c00lkidd looks at his dad, and is about to say something, but shuts his mouth. He averts 07’s eyes.

7n7’s stomach spins, threatening to upheave, because why was his kid looking at him with such fear in his face? Why would the godforsaken Spectre do that to c00lkidd, hurt him so bad that he’s scared to look at his own dad?

Instead of puking like he intends, he pats c.k on the shoulder instead. “Do you see that notification in your vision? The one that says, “round starts in ten minutes?”

c00lkidd nods apprehensively.

Fuck.

“Okay, so, kid— when the round does start and you’re teleported away, stay with whoever you spawn with, okay?” c00lkidd nods again, more energetically this time. “Dad will come find you, so just follow them around and don’t get… tug.” His son smiles at him, but it’s a bit more strained than usual. 

007n7 swears that if he meets the Spectre one day, limits in his c00lgui damned, he will split all the studs in its body. It will fall apart and suffer, even if it’s not possible, because 07 will make it possible.

Okay. Now that that was sorted, 007n7 looks at the plate Guest had handed him. It was simple toast with scrambled eggs, but 7n7 knows that only Elliot could’ve cooked those eggs to this degree. The toast looked slightly charred, but still soft on the inside, and the scrambled eggs seemed soft and pillowy. He wonders why Elliot decided to cook this for them.

c00lkidd watches, eyes sparkling. He’s almost drooling.

“How hungry are you, kid?”

“I dunno… like, really..” he averts his eyes

It’s the first thing c00lkidd says to his dad, and it’s so c00lkidd that 07 nearly cries. There’s the no eye contact thing, because c00lkidd used to make eye contact constantly, and there’s also fear in his eyes, but it’s progress from five minutes ago!

“Here, kid, eat this— you have to do it quickly, though. We’ll be gone in five.”

c00lkidd needs no more prompting, eating the eggs on toast like it’s his lifeline. It gets on his face, but c00lkidd doesn’t seem to care. It pangs to 07 that c00lkidd’s had a nicely cooked meal less times than what he can count on his fingers. Most of the time 07 just fed him junk food and vegetables so he wouldn’t die.

Ironic how that turned out. A smug smile winks back at him.

When he gets back from this round, he’ll learn how to cook. There are cookbooks in the public bookshelves, courtesy of Elliot, so he should be able to whip something up, right?

c00lkidd finishes his meal just as the timer ticks down to zero. 007n7 watches him finish his meal, glad that his son is on a full stomach, before he feels a familiar sense of vertigo as a cutscene plays before his eyes.

Another hallucination, courtesy of the Spectre.

It’s John Doe this round. He’s wearing his usual outfit— yellow sweater with the red Roblox logo and his jeans, both ripped and torn with age. He smiles, creepily, and half his body is corrupted with code. 007n7 thinks about Jane Doe and the guilt she has to live with over her husband being turned into a monster.

At least c00lkidd could recognize his dad. 007n7 feels empathetic towards Jane for this, especially when she visits with tips to hide from her estranged husband.

When 007n7 is teleported into the game, he sadly doesn’t spawn with his son. Instead, it’s with Builderman and Elliot. This time, Elliot’s an alien. His skin is a brightish green with little antennae, and he wears his normal uniform but purple and space themed. Elliot doesn’t look at 07, his eyes cesspools of black. Builderman is somehow the windows error message. He’s the iconic blue and everything. His face is sideways and in a text emoticon. As an exploiter himself, he can appreciate the outfit.

007n7 still wears his normal clothing. Guess the Spectre thought 07’s dilemma was fascinating enough. The blue fabric remains comforting to the touch, but he feels out of place with the outlandishly dressed survivors. Their bright shades and shiny clothing contrasts heavily with his own soft and dull fabrics. Elliot begins to head off, nodding at Builderman and avoiding 07’s gaze with a pointed glare.

They’re all currently inside the little house in the corner of Pirate Bay. It’s a wide open space, with treasure chests inside, and ramps that lead to the greenery outside. 

He should really go find c00lkidd now. “So— so I’m just going to- gonna- head off over there and, uh, find my son. Yeah.” He gestures to somewhere vaguely behind him, and begins to head off.

“Wait.”

You're in trouble again- time for another ankle monitor! I wonder what you fucked up this time.

“I’ll come with you. He’ll be easier to find with the two of us.” Builderman’s monotone and glitchy voice is oddly soothing. He looks determined. There’s something about his gait that makes 7n7 nod— was it the fact that he was an admin, or the authority in his tone? They head off, out of the little cabin to find c00lkidd.

The map is beautiful– it’s a shame it was made for the twisted goals of the Spectre. Underneath the sombre sky, broken structures dot the landscape. The grass is overgrown, swaying gently in the wind, marred with burn marks and bloodstains of previous rounds. Some pirate skeletons lay in forgotten corners of the map, but are clearly fake constructs from the Spectre. 

In some distorted manner, it reminds 07 of himself. It used to be a vessel for crime and adrenaline. What remains is a cold shell, clinging onto that last bit of nostalgia. Either way, it was never loved by anyone other than those who used it.

He doesn’t voice these thoughts, of course, preferring to stay silent next to Builderman as they search for a hint of red on the landscape.

When they finally find c00lkidd, 007n7 doesn’t expect him to be with Shedletsky. 

They’re near the wrecked ship, c00lkidd gripping tightly onto Shedletsky’s shirt. Shedletsky looks dour, eyes alert as his right hand never lets go of the hem of his sword. 07 rushes up to c00lkidd, a huff of relief leaving his chest. c00lkidd rushes up to him, lip wobbling. 

Now all they need to do is survive.

In front of him and c00lkidd, he can’t help but notice Shedletsky and Builderman in the background. Usually, Shedletsky is full of big smiles and boisterous body language, unless the situation is serious. He would be much happier in a situation like this, especially with his closest confidant, especially with no danger. Instead, Shedletsky flashes a small smirk, before nodding curtly at Builderman. Builderman nods back, and they both look strangely pleased. 

Shedletsky’s manner suddenly brightens up again. “I’m gonna go jab Doe-Doe with my sword a couple times ‘til he gets really pissed at me.” With a bright grin, the admin waves as he disappears behind the structure, towards the loud shouts and fighting noises.

“Thank you, Builderman.” 07 grabs his son’s hand, and they walk off to the right, away from all the commotion.

It’s been around half an hour since 7n7 found c00lkidd, but they’ve been silent the entire time. 07’s not usually the one to initiate conversation– c00lkidd was always the more naturally extroverted one. He’s about to start something, albeit awkwardly, when he hears sniffles coming from his side.

“ I’m so sorry .” A quiet voice mutters beside him.

007n7 looks down to see his son with tears in his eyes, full of haunt and guilt.

“Why are you sorry?” The sky dims over both of them, whilst the clatter of fighting and corrupted code can be heard in the distance.

“I killed you, dad. Again and again and again — and even when I knew, I still- I still killed you— I should’ve not listened to him, dad! ”c00lkidd cries, fists trying to cease the downpour raging through his eyes. His voice quiets to a whisper. “ I’m a monster. ”

They’re both silent for a moment, because 07 had thought that about his son more than once. When 7n7 speaks up, his voice is stern; yet it still wavers, a gentle tremor present. 

“You’re not. It’s not your fault. He’s the monster here— he told you to do all of these things. And- and I’m still here, okay? I’m not dead.” yet. If death is ever possible.

c00lkidd nods slowly, but fat droplets still fall from his eyes. 007n7 crouches down onto his knees and looks his son in the eyes, meeting him at his level, before he pulls him into a tight hug, just like they’d do in the past when either of them had a bad day. It’s effective, as c00lkidd clings back, nudging his head into 07’s shoulder. The dampness it causes only makes 07 deepen the hug.

“Shh- it’s okay. Dad will always be here to protect you— I’ll always be here.” 007n7 swallows down his fear.

“Promise?” 

“I… I promise.” 7n7’s words leave a bitter taste in his mouth.

Why make a promise you know you can’t keep? 007n7, you’re no better than your old self.

After what could be a minute or an hour, they let go. 07 brushes the dirt off of his jeans, which leave stains on both knees, and c00lkidd’s sobbing has been replaced with quiet sniffles. 7n7 grabs onto c00lkidd’s hand, not wanting to let go ever again, and they head off to find generators.

Halfway through the second generator, a sudden explosion of spikes from the ground pierces father and son. 07 had been teaching c00lkidd how to fuse the wires together with the c00lgui when a sudden amalgamation of black spikes rose from the ground.

John Doe’s signature corruption leaves dark marks in their wounds. When they bleed, the blood isn’t just red; it’s stained with black pus oozing out of the wounds. The gooey stuff sticks to the clothes in stains. Laundry was always hell after a John Doe round.

07 pulls c00lkidd up and they run. c00lkidd seems to be in shock, arms tensing up, disgusted at the liquid sticking to his skin, but 07 is much too used to this fare. They dodge a sloppily thrown stab, and 7n7 uses his clone to absorb a digital footprint in their path. It also successfully distracts John for a little while.  Over by the wrecked ship structure, the others were having a rest— Builderman had built a dispenser, whilst Elliot kept himself busy making a new batch of pizza. Guest 1337 also sits near them, engaging in friendly conversation with Chance. 

With a glint of hope, 07 pulls c00lkidd over so they can be protected from harm. The others should distract John Doe enough that 007n7 can take c00lkidd and run, hide away in a forgotten little corner while the timer ticks down.

He sprints forward, but c00lkidd stops, slowing their ascent. By this time, the others notice them both, and begin to prepare for combat. Why, though? John Doe hadn’t reached them yet—

Behind him, he hears John Doe’s trudging footsteps, the nearing in of his breaths. A quick look behind him confirms that he’s closing in. They won’t make it over before John Doe catches up.

Both him and c00lkidd are one blow away from death. 

It’s not really a conscious decision when 07 blocks c00lkidd from John Doe’s attack.

With a quick step, he moves in front of c00lkidd, Guest’s words resounding in his ears. He needs to protect him, he’s the “someone that needs protecting,” and this is unfortunately the only thing he can do.

A sudden sharp pain sears through 007n7’s midriff. Directly through his solar plexus, he feels code and corruption stabbing through his torso. It’s fleshy, bloody, and dark, everything 07 hates. He chokes on his own saliva, coughing out his own blood mixed with traces of phlegm. The liquid trails down his chin and dews the grass, as some kind of twisted form of rain. Beneath him, the ground wobbles, grass swaying off the liquid life under wind he cannot feel. His legs lose sensation, and then his torso, and then his arms. He feels the wind of consciousness fading from his head, but he grounds himself, looking at his boy, his baby. 

c00lkidd stands there, shirt the same colour as the blood dripping onto the grass. It’s the same color as the frame of 07’s glasses, the color of the GUI, and so many other things that have factored in his life. 

Including the fire engulfing Noli. You thought they had disabled all the security measures around it, but apparently the void star was a security measure in itself. His college self stands there, a haunting figure against the quiet landscape.

He knows he will be back in the lobby, but he will miss his son all that time, and will wish upon the fake stars that he comes back safe and sound (both mentally and physically.) As the same fake stars twinkle in the sky, 07 feels himself stumble in blood-stained clothes which stick to his skin as John Doe’s corrupted arm is yanked out of his body. 

007n7 is going to die.

Nobody really got over the fear of dying, even though it kept happening. To shut your eyes for the final time is both a blessing and a curse— so foreign and so unknown that to become familiar to it is a travesty. He wishes he could’ve fulfilled his promise to c00lkidd, even for a bit longer.

“Sorry, kid- I’ll- I’ll see you later.”

He falls to the ground, not feeling the air brushing his skin as he tumbles forwards onto the grass. It’s wet with blood, staining further from 07’s own collapse. It contrasts spectacularly, almost beautiful in a stylistic way. Not a bad way to go. Above him is the sky, composed of pixels imitating beauty he wishes he could see again. Instead, he looks up towards his son, who has tears welling up in his eyes. 07 feels a stab of guilt, wishing his son could be spared from this view. 

007n7 closes his eyes, not for the final time, but at the worst time, as c00lkidd watches his own father die in front of him. No hallucinations, no effects from childhood delusion the Spectre enhanced. Just pure, unhindered death.

On the holographic UI in every survivor’s vision, 007n7’s icon turns red. The same colour as the boy standing in front of his corpse, the same colour as the fresh blood pooling on the ground.

Chapter Text

In his dreams, c00lkidd sees his dad stand up after being tug, and they go play another round. His dad would let c00lkidd play with the GUI, and everything would be fine.

In reality, however, dad bleeds. He lies on the ground, a hole burning through his tummy, as blood turns the grass red. Mr. John Doe stands behind his dad’s sleeping form, the same ol’ smile still plastered across his face. It’s wrong, it’s creepy, and c00lkidd can still see dad’s blood on the fun arm. He stares at c00lkidd and smiles deeper, and suddenly, c00lkidd doesn’t wanna play tag again. He wants the game to end, he wants dad to stand up and hug him and tell him that everything will be alright. 

But of course, that doesn’t happen. Mr. Doe lunges forward, no hesitation whatsoever, a hunger in his eyes. c00lkidd freezes, because he’s never been the runner. He’d always been the tagger, even at school. Nobody wanted to team with him.

His legs feel disconnected from his body, and he can feel the hairs standing like an army fleet on the back of his neck. He wants to cry, to sob, to fall to the ground and roll around, and most of all, he wants to run, but that doesn’t happen. Instead, c00lkidd freezes, because he’d never expected being a runner to be so scary. Is this why he was hit at and mocked and ran away from? 

Suddenly, Hat Guy grabs onto him. He uses his nerf gun (he’d never seen a nerf gun before, so this must be what it looks like) to stun Mr Doe, whose fun arm was inches away from c00lkidd’s face. There was water on c00lkidd’s cheek. Oh. He hadn’t even noticed he was crying. 

Hat Guy grabs onto c00lkidd’s hand and runs. c00lkidd holds his hand and runs away from his dad’s form and Mr Doe, who is somehow scarier now that he is a runner. He doesn’t know why he’s running, he can’t feel his legs, and the only thing he can hear is the faint buzzing in his ear and a sense of unease that something was wrong. Why was dad so still? Why was he bleeding out like that? 

The only thing could have been death, but that surely wouldn’t happen, because while c00lkidd was a monster, Mr Doe wasn’t. Not Mr Doe, who would always be smiling at c00lkidd no matter what tantrums he threw. Not 1x1, who was so kind to him, even though he pretended not to be, who would hold c00lkidd when his dad wasn’t there. Not Jason, who roasted marshmallows with him over the campfire. Not Uncle Noli, who told him stories of times before. The list could go on. They were all his friends, those forced into tagging. Was it killing now?  

While c00lkidd might have killed his dad in the past, surely his friends wouldn’t have.

Slowly, quietly, paired with the sounds of fighting, John Doe fades into the horizon. Away into the dark corner he’s pulled, into the back of the map, where he won’t be found until he is.

c00lkidd has no place to go, nowhere to root, so like a seed, he fades off into the wind.

Pirate Bay is awesome. Underneath the dark, stormy sky, broken buildings and ships dot the landscape. There’s a ruined pirate ship- and c00lkidd loves pirates. What’s not to love? There’s swashbuckling adventure, the breeze of wind in your face, and the excitement from winning. He loved pretending to be a pirate— and his dad would read the stories in a funny accent, one that c00lkidd wanted to imitate. The grass is overgrown, swaying gently in the wind, marred with scorch marks that blacken the grass and give it a comfortable texture. Crumbled buildings stand, a reminder of what was once there, and a really cool place to explore.

Even after all the ruin, it stands on its feet. Who cares if the crime is gone? The place still remains; the ruin just created a different environment that’s still just as amazing as the lively Pirate Bay. Pirate Bay feels welcome, feels calming, adventurous. It’s one of c00lkidd’s favorite maps. After all, it holds the coolest stuff he’s ever seen.

He almost tells Hat Guy his thoughts, but seeing the gun held by a holster at his side stops him. But what choice did he have, other than to tightly hold onto their hand? 

After all, if he messed up in front of Hat Guy, he’d see dad again. Maybe he’d come back like dad, only to be killed again.

After running across the map for a while in awkward silence, Hat Guy and c00lkidd come back to the second floor of the big, ruined house in Pirate Bay— where c00lkidd and his dad were attacked. Where most of it began. It’s shameful, standing there again in the same spot where Mister Doe attacked, where they were both so hurt.

The building is noticeably more dilapidated, ruined with the corrupted code seeping through the cracks. What remains of the walls are a yellowed cream colour, splintered and stained. There’s a hole out of the right hand wall— where he and dad jumped through to escape. He feels unsteady, connected to the building as the thin floor creaks and shakes. 

A familiar silhouette of a pizza worker sits there, messing around with the wires half-heartedly, whilst continuously glancing back at something. 

c00lkid balks, his skin paling at the sight of the man he’s hurt so many times before and steps back, preparing to run. If Elliot wants revenge, there’s not much that c00lkidd can do about it.  

Yet as Hat Guy pulls him closer, not letting go, he notices that Elliot’s skin is green, and there are little antennae on his head. His uniform glimmers blue, a soft shiny fabric, space themed— was that Saturn?— and his eyes jarring black voids. 

Wait a minute. He looks at Hat Guy. The similarities stick out to him. Green skin, little antennae, green fedora, green shiny suit, and eyes hidden by sunglasses. If the sunglasses were off, c00lkidd bet that Hat Guy would also have black voids for eyes. 

They were aliens! c00lkidd thought aliens were awesome— I mean, outer space was pretty cool in itself.

Next to the generator that Elliot is multitasking on stands a small pizza oven. It’s made of white bricks, with wooden lining and gray cement sticking the bricks together neatly. However, upon closer inspection, the holes in some bricks reveal that they’re hollow, allowing for easier portability as they're lighter to carry. The fire underneath seems to be gas powered, and Elliot keeps checking on it every few seconds. A delicious smell wafts from the pizza oven, cheesy and savory. c00lkidd really wants a slice, but he knows to wait.

(One time his dad didn’t microwave the frozen pizza enough, so it was raw on the inside. It tasted okay, but he really didn’t like the solid part inside the centre.)

Elliot notices they’re there. First, his face turns red at the sight of Hat Guy, and then he notices c00lkidd, and his eyes narrow. 

c00lkidd steps back, heart pounding in his ribs, ears ringing at him to run, when Elliot’s eyes suddenly jolt wide in shock and soften. They’re not hostile, not mean- not like when he burned down the pizza place. Elliot had looked like he was going to kill c00lkidd then, and it had scared c00lkidd very badly.

“Oh- no- c00lkidd, it’s okay, I’m not going to yell at you. The pizza should be around done, have a slice.”

He pulls the pizza out using a wooden spatula and carefully puts it into a pizza box. With a shuffle, c00lkidd hears the gentle sound of dough and wood making contact with paper. The heavenly scent is warm on c00lkidd’s face, like sunlight on a winter day without any wind.

c00lkidd looks at Elliot, astonishment in his face. “Really? I can have one?”

“Yeah. Go ahead.” Elliot nods back at him, before beginning another batch— he pulls all the ingredients out of a giant tote bag that is laid next to the generator.

c00lkidd pulls one gorgeous slice out of the box, the gooey cheese stretching, connecting the slice to the rest of the pizza. He pulls, and the beautiful, glorious strands snap, leaving a single slice in his hands. He hadn’t had hot pizza in ages— and it was Builder Brothers’ too, the best kind. 

The pizza is just plain cheese, and there is a lot of it. However, he could see the ketchup underneath, tomatoey and perfectly smooth. The dough, he noticed, had a thick crust and a crispy outer coating. 

When he takes a bite, he almost cries. It tastes just as splendid as he remembers- no, more splendid. The flavors contrast beautifully, and it tastes just as good as it looks. The sweet tang of the tomato pairs so well with the umami of the cheese that it’s not even funny. And if that wasn’t enough, the dough perfectly balances out the flavor, giving it a perfect chew.

When c00lkidd finishes savoring his pizza and starts caring about other things again, he looks up to Hat Guy and Elliot looking really bewildered at him.

“c00lkidd. Kid. I understand that you’re like- hungry, but, uh… you ate that pizza like it was your last meal. Did the Spectre… starve you or something?” Hat Guy asks, lowering his aggressively shiny green glasses to stare at him with one raised eyebrow. 

c00lkidd was right— his eyes ARE black pools.

c00lkidd hesitantly shakes his head. “He didn’t— he didn’t starve me.”

Chance asks, “Then what did he do?”

“Um.. he gave us some. rabbits, told us to cook them.”

“Seasoning?”

“Nope.”

“Oh damn. Well. That makes more sense.” They grimace.

With an appalled expression, Elliot pushes the pizza box towards c00lkidd, shakes his head, and begins to continue working on the generator.

When Elliot finishes fixing the generator, Hat Guy has just about finished shoving as much gunpowder as humanly possible into his gun. A puff of black smoke erupts from the barrel, sending Hat Guy into a coughing fit. c00lkidd wonders if that’s safe— no wonder Hat Guy’s gun had a tendency to explode. 

It had been nice, calm silence, save for the calamity between Mister Doe and the others in the background. c00lkidd had eaten the entire pizza. It was really good.

Elliot lifts his fingers to pull up the holographic UI in his vision, looking for the other hiders. When he opens the screen, he blanches, skin paling and fingers tensing.

c00lkidd and Hat Guy, sensing trouble, open the UI as well.

They all stop and stare at each other, fear evident in their faces— pupils shrunk, furrowed brows, and tense limbs.

Everyone except Chance, Elliot, and c00lkidd has died. On the screen, eight out of the eleven icons are red, tinted like blood.

c00lkidd can’t run as fast as the other two. After all, he’s still a kid. Despite the limitless energy he has, being stabbed does tire him out a bit. But he can’t afford to lag behind.


After finding out they were the only ones left with two hours still left on the clock, Elliot had dragged them off to look for the next generator. Apparently, he had told them that if they fixed the generators around the map, there would be less time for them to be in the round.. Also, the more generators they fixed, the pizza would be cooked better, as Elliot claimed it helped him to focus better.

Hat Guy had retorted by saying that it was “a load of bullsh—” before he was cut off by a jab to his abdomen. Then, Elliot had pointed at c00lkidd, as if it was somehow his fault. c00lkidd, not wanting to lose the new-found kindness from Elliot, decided to finish the word for them. 

He’s berated by Elliot for approximately ten minutes about how swearing is a foul thing to do (even though dad used to swear a lot, especially when c00lkidd was younger) whilst Hat Guy laughs maniacally in the background. They all end up causing so much commotion that John Doe appears and begins to chase them. 

So there they now run, half an hour left on the clock, slowly ticking down. Sadly, c00lkidd’s losing the fight— the other two are so ahead, so ready and capable, yet c00lkidd feels himself getting closer to Mister Doe every second.

In front of him, c00lkidd sees Hat Guy pull out his gun, flip it, and aim towards Mister Doe. His finger gently holds the trigger, about to push down, about to-

CLICK!

John Doe keeps chasing them. Nothing happens. Hat Guy pulls his dreads in frustration, messing with the barrel of the gun. All that gunpowder must’ve jammed the gun.  

Past the singular walls acting as an obstacle course or a maze for the hiders, the side of the ship is in plain sight. If he just runs a bit faster, he could loop around the ship and hide— after all, his small stature had to be good for something, right?

He pushes himself, because he needs to go faster, faster— and then he has an idea.

Pulling up the c00lgui (which he still somehow has), c00lkidd furiously begins typing in commands whilst running. It slows him down, sure, and he can almost feel Mister Doe reach him, but it’s just a straight line to the ship. He’s done this ability so many times before that it should be automatic, but apparently the GUI was wiped clean after he became a hider. 

[override_walkspeed +200/drift.]

With a dash, c00lkidd instantly traverses multiple studs, surpassing Elliot and Hat Guy as they watch him with surprise and knowing.

And he’s about to reach the pirate ship! It feels like he’s won a race, he’s finally beaten the game, and that nobody could catch up to him now. He slides, slides, and- wait, why was he still goi-

CRASH!

Ow.

c00lkidd blinks the pain out of his eyes, standing dazed in front of the wall. He feels sore, bruised— he hadn’t crashed into a wall for a long time, even as a tagger. It feels like he’s lost control of himself, but it’s stupid. Obviously since he’s smaller now, of course he would glide for longer.

By this time, Elliot and Hat Guy have already caught up. Elliot looks back for a split second, before sighing. 

“Split up.” Elliot demands, setting down his tote bag.

Hat Guy nods, grabs c00lkidd and runs away from the pirate ship, farther away from Mister Doe. On the other hand, Elliot runs away from the pirate ship— towards Mister Doe instead. c00lkidd is pulled away before he can object, and he sees Elliot weaving expertly in between stabs and spikes.

Hat Guy’s hand is warm, calloused, and full of silver rings. Noticeably, there’s a gold ring on the middle finger of his left hand. It doesn’t really look right, but c00lkidd can’t judge his fashion tastes. They pull him away, running as fast as his legs permit, so that c00lkidd can feel the chill of a breeze on his face. Their leather shoes make gentle crunching noises in the grass, and their hat & glasses reflect the shine of the moon and stars.

c00lkidd wants to protest, to drag and kick for leaving Elliot behind, which would confirm all of Elliot’s thoughts of c00lkidd as a monster, but Hat Guy still scares him. He’s nice to c00lkidd, sure, but what if he ends up seeing c00lkidd for what he truly is? Plus, he has that gun— c00lkidd shudders, thinking of cold metal piercing skin. It had hurt— but more of a dull ache, like he was in a dream.

So instead of yelling and kicking and scratching like he intends, he opens up the hider UI instead.

He watches the UI whilst he and Hat Guy run away.

___

Hat Guy is still looking for a place to hide with c00lkidd when Elliot’s icon turns red. c00lkidd almost opens his mouth to tell Hat Guy, but he doesn’t want them to be angry at c00lkidd. After all, who wouldn’t be? c00lkidd is a monster. He and Hat Guy aren’t friends, so it would make him mad. 

right?

The time on the clock ticks down slowly like water dripping out of a leaky faucet. The time on the clock goes by slower than a turtle’s crawl and slower than an engulfing fire. Every second is accompanied by strange noises— from creaks on floorboards to the sound of swishing grass. It’s never  Mister Doe, but soon it will be.

With three minutes left on the clock, they have a pretty good chance of surviving.  It’s nearly over.

And yet they both keep staying silent, treading quietly on the floorboards, tip-toeing on the grass. A few well-placed stabs could end either of them in a matter of seconds, so it’s important that they aren’t found.

With light steps, Hat Guy and c00lkidd reach the cabin in the corner of the map. It’s small and rotten, so c00lkidd doesn’t really see the point in hiding in there.

It’s elevated, right next to a wooden ramp leading up. Silently and warily, Hat Guy gestures towards the ramp. 

c00lkidd nods and follows behind them.

They both head up quickly. Hat Guy seems to know what he’s doing, until—

“wha- FUCK!”

A black corrupted circular mark stands at the top of the ramp— something they didn’t notice quick enough,  looking for a place to hide. Hat Guy’s foot where he stepped is being pulled down by the corrupted code, which crawls around his shoe, securing it. He doesn’t seem to be bothered about that, as he pulls his foot up in a strong motion.

c00lkidd watches, transfixed, as the mark slowly fades and rots into an abyss. It fades smaller and smaller until all that is left is a little dot and then— and then that’s gone too.

Hat Guy’s free, but he’s pulled his gun out from the holster and surveying his surroundings with wild, frantic movements. c00lkidd opens his mouth to say something, but then he realizes.

The code must’ve had tracking capabilities.

Within seconds, Mister Doe has reached them. He runs madly from the big house, coming towards them at alarming speeds.

The grass seems to move aside to accommodate him. It seems to create a path, a swishing and changing path, whilst the moon watches them and showers them with its light. 

Mister Doe looks tired, restless. It’s not often a round lasts this long. There are bags under his eyes, rough scratches and holes in his sweater, but he smiles all the same. His mouth, permanently in a grin, never moves.

Seeing Mister Doe, Hat Guy flips a coin, nods, aims, and pushes the trigger down hard.

Silence. Did the gun jam again?

BOOM!

Hat Guy’s gun explodes, turning into a glory of fire and shrapnel. 

The shrapnel seems to become bullets themselves, all digging into Hat Guy’s skin. He bleeds, tiny cuts leaving long red rivers, marking his body how they would mark a map. Soot covers his face, the black powder covering the sheen of his glasses and dirtying his dreadlocks. He coughs, a hacking, dirty thing. Beneath him, his legs crumple slightly, destroying his strong core.

c00lkidd knows what is going to happen. He squeezes his eyes shut, because he can’t move, because he’s powerless in the face of this game.

He’s powerless to save him. A monster could only make things worse.

Behind him, c00lgui opens, typing in a command.

[override_walkspeed +200/drift.]

Suddenly, there’s wind on the back of c00lkidds head, as he drifts away from Hat Guy and Mister Doe. He’s drifted towards the broken ship, but he doesn’t reach it— he stops around a third of the way there.

When he opens his eyes, Hat Guy collapses to the floor, blood leaking out of his mouth, spikes impaling his body. Soot still covers his face, and blood still trickles down, albeit slower. His movements, previously so full of life, so full of cockiness, cease to exist, and all that’s left is yet another victim for c00lkidd to add to his list.

c00lkidd can’t move. He’s stuck. He doesn’t want to move but he wants to and he wants to and wantstoandwantsto—

c00lkidd just wants to go home. He wants to see his dad again.

John Doe begins to lumber over to c00lkidd, code glinting menacingly under the moon, and c00lkidd needs to run but he can’t run because his legs are connected to roots that run deep into the ground, his legs are connected to branches that cut through the earth and suck its nutrients dry. His arms feel tense, statues unmoving, and he doesn’t want to be hit by Mister Doe, because then it would be just like school and c00lkidd wonders what he did to deserve school all over again.

Everyone else is gone. They all lost. The icons on his screen show that everyone was captured but him. He was the only one left, and the clock was ticking down, so if he ran, he could win!

And yet, he can’t move, feet rooted to the ground. He’s a tree, one that stays still, screaming when it’s chopped down yet being unable to do anything about it.

Mister Doe stands only three steps away now. If he lunged forward, c00lkidd would be caught like pasta on a fork. The spike would go through his body, just like Chicken Guy’s sword and Hat Guy’s bullets. Would it kill him, just like it killed his dad? 

Behind c00lkidd, c00lgui opens, automatically typing in a command.

[run programme: clone.exe

user ID: c00lkidd

selected clone: 007n7

parameters: protect user from being hit at all costs.]

Mister Doe stabs forwards, red code the same colour as his dad’s blood, spike smelling of rot and blood. 

It reminds him of the time he and his dad found a dead deer on the side of the road. Its stomach had a hole ripped into it, and pink tubes were coming out of it. It smelled the same, rot and blood and gross flesh, and c00lkidd wanted to run every time. 

He shuts his eyes, preparing for the blow, preparing to be turned into that deer on the sidewalk, preparing to be turned into his dad, but that doesn’t happen.

In his dreams, dad would wake up and protect him. They would run away from everything that would dare to hurt them and live a happy life.

Somehow, his dreams seem to be coming to fruition.

His dad stands before him, brown hair swaying. The burger on his head is tall, and the noob on it is still the same shade of yellow. His sweater is baggy, blue wool worn with age. c00lkidd knows that if dad turned around, he would see that funny picture show up again.

But John Doe’s arm still keeps going, aiming to kill.

c00lkidd watches, eyes widening, as his dad yet again gets skewered by John Doe’s arm. And he chokes out a sob, because he let it happen again. This was his fault, again. Dad came back just to save him and he messed it up again.

Except it’s not him— no, it can’t be. He’s not bleeding. There’s just a hole in his stomach.

His dad turns and smiles at him. 

“See ya later, kid,” 

His mouth melts into his skin. 

It drips, drips, drips, becoming shiny and plasticky, like glue sliding down onto the grass. Fire shoots up and engulfs him, just like his fire sword when he was being a monster playing tagger. His dad melts, catching Mister Doe off guard, and it’s another reminder of c00lkidd’s monstrous nature. Dad dying was always his fault. Of course it was— and now the proof is here, right in front of him.

All that’s left is a muddy puddle of plastic goop and scorch marks surrounding the grass. 

c00lkidd wants to throw up vile liquid, wants to throw up the scrambled eggs, the toast, the pizza; except he can’t, because he needs to run. He pushes his legs, snapping the roots holding him to the spot. He becomes a daffodil seed in a hurricane. He wants to live, wants to live so bad because his dad shouldn’t have died for nothing.

(Because c00lkidd is nothing. He’s nothing important, a monster better off dead anyways.)

So he runs. He sprints away, pushing as fast as his legs can, feeling the muscles stretch against his twiggy legs. He runs and he runs and he runs, not taking this chance for granted. Above him, the timer ticks down.

[10.]

c00lkidd feels the grass on his shoes, the sticky black pus against his clothes, and the ache in his eyes from the constant flow of tears.

[9.]

The sky is dark, stars shining bright in the eternal abyss. Yet, c00lkidd notices, they’re a lot more pixelated— they’re a lot more fake.

[8.]

He wonders what Hat Guy’s name is. Hat Guy’s cool. He really should ask Hat Guy what his name is.

[7.]

Mister Doe steps out of his stupor, and begins to trudge after c00lkidd.

[6.]

c00lkidd has already gotten an advantage, feet lightly stepping on the stairs, as he’s about to reach the wrecked ship.

[5.]

A roar sounds behind him as giant spikes begin rushing towards him. In a moment of lucidity, c00lkidd rushes to the side, narrowly dodging the amalgamations of code. 

[4.]

He reaches the ship, and hides behind it.

[3.]

Is it over yet?

[2.]

Is it over?

[1.]

Is it over?

[0.]

.

.

.

A sudden wave of nausea hits c00lkidd as he’s transported back to the lobby. He’s made it. He won.

There’s no trophy, no prize, but–

In front of him stands his dad, burger on his head, yet c00lkidd can’t look him in the eyes. Can’t look at them without being afraid that his eyes will burst into flames and then melt, melt into a plastic goop on the floor. Can’t look at them without thinking of a corpse, soulless, with a hole through its stomach.

Now that the roots in his legs are gone, now that there’s no longer any wind blowing him along, his legs tremble. He trembles, and before he knows it, there are tears running down his eyes, a lump in the back of his throat, and everything feels like it’s burning.

c00lkidd stands there and sobs his eyes out.