What's the Point of Survivial?
He was in a dense forest, one Caine did not recognize. It was oddly dark, most of the light of the day wasn't able to reach beyond the leaves of the trees. As he scanned his eyes around, there didn't seem to be anything around. It first started with whispers, it sounded like Pomni? That was rather odd.
Caine slowly and carefully headed towards the sound. Once he got close enough he froze. It was an abstracted form of Pomni and its eyes stared at him. "Remember, I did tell you we'd all abstract one day! You now have nothing!" He saw the others, they looked abstracted too... even Ragatha and his parents.
"N-no, you all have been fine, I thought I f-fixed it. Ragatha... mom... dad... please." He started to step back.
"They tried to tell you what was wrong, but you don't listen." Whatever was that... thing using Pomni's voice had words that felt like being stabbed in the heart.
"P-please, I don't want to be alone."
"Find your precious Caines then!" The abstracted beast started to run towards him. He needed to run! Caine started to run for it. He passed by random Caines as he ran... they all... looked dead. It felt like his whole body was running hot as he continued to flee. There was a large gap ahead of him, he'd have to fly over the gap.
As he flew over it, he went into shock for a second seeing the Caine from the void fall apart, he even at one point reached out for help, as if he saw him. "J-just keep moving." He kept going until there was finally light. Caine finally slowed down and panted a bit.
"My back is fucking killing me from that chase." He stopped just outside of the tree line. Caine fully stood all the way up again. The two Caines ahead looked alive, but their health might be more uncertain. He touched his chest... his shirt was gone, the giant scar exposed. He felt deep discomfort, but these two might need him.
Caine approached cautiously, once he got closer, he saw who they were. It was unmistakable who they were. It was Pop and Mal. The voice whispered in his ear. "They haven't responded to you yet, what if they die just like void Caine? You are powerless."
His knees buckle as he collapses to the ground. "Or maybe, you just aren't worth their time." The voice paused. "All you tell them is hollow lies so they can survive, the real you, they can know with that scar. It shows what you say is meaningless. Your own sister almost killed you, but you want to give them hope?!" They laughed and the laughter was cold and unsympathetic.
"Leave me alone." Caine said as calmly as possible.
"If that is what you want, wish granted." The voice disappeared, and so did everything else. "Enjoy your fate."
He was in the box again, but he sat down. Caine wouldn't try to open it again. What was the point? There was no one out there that cared about him anymore. Caine eventually stopped dreaming for the night and woke up. He got up and called Kinger. "...I hate to do this last minute dad, but could you cover for me today?"
"I can, but is something wrong? You sound a little off Caine." Kinger spoke.
"Just... a really bad dream, you know I have those once in awhile."
"I know that you have them, and that's about it. You have never told me what actually happens in them."
"I don't want to say too much about them... but near the end I am always put back in the box, and I am actually okay with being stuck there."
There was silence for awhile, the phone made their small sounds during that pause. "...That's... the most terrible thing I could think of. You at the end want to stay in that box that used to torment you?"
"Caine I will cover for you, but we are having a emergency session tomorrow."
"But dad I will be fine!"
"You say that a lot, even when it won't be fine, that's why we need to talk about it."
"Alright, fine. Thanks for covering for me today dad."
"No problem." Kinger hung up and the room was silent again.
Caine put on music and doodled for awhile. He knew he could not handle silence right now.
@quiverfromjupiter , @lover-without-a-heart, @popcaine
Hope you three don't mind! I just had this idea stuck in my brain and had to get it out.
