Delilah's head is resting on my chest as we lie naked in her bed. It's the weekend, and we decided I would spend the night with her. It's the afternoon now and we've been passing the day with long conversations and moments of teeth clashing and heavy breathing in between.
She lifts her head to meet my gaze like she knew I was watching her.
"What's up?" I ask.
"We never got to complete a campaign," she says, laying her hand on my abs.
"I don't see why we can't do something like that today. I'll just call Squid and Daniel and we can play."
"Oh—well—haven't you heard?"
"About?"
"Squid kinda hates Daniel now. Because of him pinning the bomb threat on you and everything."
"Oh. Yeah. That. I still haven't talked to Daniel about why he did that exactly. I imagine it had something to do with Stacy. I guess that's something I have to clear up today."
"Hm. Detective Judas is still not done with his work."
I laugh, "I'm a pretty awful detective."
"Right. You're way better in bed."
She pulls herself towards my face and lays her lips on mine. When she pulls away she asks, "You wanna take a shower?"
"Yeah. Better wash my stank off me."
We laugh, she gets out of bed first, taking my hand and guiding me to the bathroom connected to her room. She then gets the shower ready and we step inside, the water pouring on her back and past her head onto my chest. The water is perfect.
She starts to get her hair wet and I just watch. Observing the water cascade down her curving body.
She opens her eyes and smirks.
"You think this is just a show? You gotta get clean too," she orders, pulling me into the hot steaming water. She then grabs a bottle of body wash and a sponge and puts some soap on the sponge, wetting it. Once it's soapy, she applies it to my chest, scrubbing gently.
"So how are you gonna mend Squid and Daniel's relationship?" she asks, her other hand helping with the cleaning. Just a bit of her touch sends my skin into a frenzy. It makes me feel mad.
"I don't know. I think I just need to get Daniel to explain his side of the story..." I say as she eases her way down to my lower abdomen. She's starting to cross some dangerous territory.
Don't get a boner. Don't get a boner. Don't get a boner.
"You sure Squid will listen?" she asks, going lower.
"I uh—I don't know."
The sponge touches it. I can't hold it anymore. I can't fight it back.
"Turn around," she orders. I obey and she starts to wash my back.
"It's gonna be a challenge," she states, going to the small of my back, "You got any ideas?"
She reaches my ass and a lightbulb goes off in my head.
"This might go wrong," I start, "But if you get Daniel and I get Squid and we both don't tell them that they're gonna be there—"
"We could trick them into being in the same area. And we can facilitate a little intervention. Okay. Now turn around."
"I thought you already got my front," I say, turning around.
"I didn't clean everything," she says, getting down on her knees.
"Oh—okay then."
After thoroughly cleaning Delilah, I set off to Squid's to get them for the epic campaign we're going to embark on.
I pull up to Squid's house and ring their doorbell. A muscular, bald man in a red sweater and Kackies answers the door. He examines me up and down, his light grey eyes matching Squid's.
"Jordan! Your friend's here!" He shouts behind him. So Squid's real name is Jordan. The only thing that tells me is Squid's Dad isn't using their preferred name anymore. They've been having a hard time lately. I haven't been able to help in any way because of how distracted I've been.
Squid pops into the threshold with a pair of wide gold rim thin circular glasses brandished on their face. They're wearing a yellow sports bra and baggy green sweatpants. Squid's Dad walks then walks away from the door.
I never realized till now that Squid has freckles. Tiny, faint, beige dots that pecker their cheeks, chest, and tops of their shoulders. They must always cover them with clothes or make-up.
"I didn't know you wore glasses," I told them.
"I usually wear contacts."
We stand there for a moment. The two of us not saying a thing.
"I heard my old man say my real name," Squid says, "No doubt you heard that."
"I did."
"It's my Mom's name. She didn't make it through birth. They had to cut me out. Sorry—I didn't mean to get all dark on you."
"No—I—I'm sorry."
"I just—I feel like he blames me for her death. I don't know. Maybe this cancer is punishment for killing my Mom."
"God would never punish you for living. I'm not gonna pretend to know why you have cancer Squid. I know that we're lost and we're far from our homes. But there is a way through this. There's a long way to go. So united we stand and divided we fall, but things will get better. Of that I'm sure."
"I just hope they get better for everyone else. I don't see it getting better for me honestly."
"Look—how about we forget about all of this? Let's go play D and D with Delilah and just have a fun night together. We can order pizza. Talk about boys. Whatcha say?"
"That does sound fun... I'll go grab a hoodie."
I wait for Squid in my car and they come running out in a purple hoody and they dive into my passenger seat. I take off and start a course for Delilah's.
"I hope Daniel's not gonna be there," Squid says immediately, letting the air out of my tires.
"Why—um—why do you not like Daniel anymore?" I ask.
"Are you kidding? I never liked that arrogant douchebag. He's so full of himself. And he also framed you for the bomb threat, remember?"
"I'm sure he had a good reason."
"There's never a good reason to call a bomb threat! We always have a choice. And he chooses to hurt you. My friend. So fuck him."
Squid crosses their arms and turns to their right, their back facing me. My mind starts to run its course and I remember what Daniel told me in that coffee shop a few days ago.
"Do you guys have a history I should know about?" I ask. Squid spins around, the whites of their eyes showing.
"Who told you?" They demand.
"I just guessed. It was kinda obvious in the way you were acting."
They run their palms up and down their face and cry out.
"Yes—we hooked up a couple of times, okay?" Squid admits, "Freshman through Junior year. But he said he felt guilty about it and that he loved Stacy. So he called it off. And he treated me like a complete stranger ever since. And now he wants to join the Judas Club and frame my friend? Nah. Not cool."
I didn't realize how justified Squid's anger toward Daniel was. I just hope Delilah is getting Daniel's side of the story in all of this so we resolve this civilly.
"I'm sure Daniel had his reasons," I say.
"That doesn't justify any of it."
"That's not what I'm saying. I just think it's not so black and white. Cut him some slack. He's trying his best like the rest of us."
Squid seems to think about this as I continue to drive toward our destination.
We arrive at Delilah's house a few minutes later. Squid unbuckles and looks elated.
"Finally, I get to live my fantasy of being an unstoppable, creepy, old man," Squid says, getting out of the car.
"I'm excited too," I respond, locking my car behind me, "I've been itching for some nerd stuff."
I open the door and let Squid in first. I follow soon after and hear Delilah laughing in the dining room. Squid first enters the living area and becomes deflated like a balloon when they see Daniel sitting on a stool talking to a giggling Delilah. Delilah takes notice of us and they both turn to us.
"Hey Squid," Daniel says with a half-baked wave.
"Nope," Squid says, making a one-eighty with their body and heading for the front door. I dash in front of Squid to stop them.
"Wait, wait, wait, wait—waits—Squid—hold on a second," I plead.
"This wasn't a part of the deal, Judes," Squid says, "He shouldn't be here."
"I'm sorry," Daniel says. Squid and I both turn to him, "I'm sorry for calling the bomb threat on you Judas. If I didn't, Lucy said she would hurt Stacy. I—I didn't what to do. I couldn't bear to see Stacy harmed because of me. And Squid—I'm sorry I treated you like shit when we stopped getting together. We could've still been friends but I honestly felt ashamed of what I said. I felt like I used you. I thought it would be better if I acted like we never met."
"You made me feel like nothing!" Squid shouts, I'm not sure if I should reel it in but I think it's okay to let Squid go a little, "You made me feel alone! The way you left. It was like I was a mistake to you."
"You weren't," Daniel retorts, "I'm sorry. I was stupid. And immature. I'm sorry."
Silence falls upon us. Squid starts to laugh, which surprises both Delilah and me.
"I guess we were both pretty immature," Squid says, "C'mere you big idiot."
Squid starts to make their way to Daniel and he stands up to embrace Squid in his muscular arms. Both Delilah and I make eye contact and with the way she's gazing at me; It's like I'm made of gold or something.
"I'm still mad at you for what you did to Judes though," Squid says, pulling away and lightly socking Daniel in the right peck.
"That's fair," Daniel states.
"Alright everyone, let's make our way to my bedroom!" Delilah announces.
Delilah has set up her entire room for the campaign we're about to embark on. Squid, Daniel, and I are sitting on the floor on one side of a large piece of paper while Delilah is sitting on the other side. The paper itself has the same continent as last time drawn on it. Delilah's sketchbooks, guitar and the black box we used to record her songs are beside her. We're ready.
"Let's introduce the cast," Delilah starts, "Let's start with Daniel."
"I'm Borrak, The Devoruing," Daniel states, "A barbarian orc. I have an insatiable hunger... for love."
I laugh and Squid's palm meets their face, giggling.
"Jesus," Squid says.
"I'm just looking for someone who would love this orchish face," Daniel says, pretending to wipe away a fake tear.
"Alright," Delilah laughs, "Judas, you're next."
"I'm Ziggs, the cleric goblin," I announce. "Originally a creature born from anger and chaos, I separated myself from that on a search for the truth."
Daniel, Squid, and Delilah nod with a smile.
"Next, we have Squid," Delilah says.
"I'm Octopus," Squid declares, "Octo for short. I have a mysterious curse that I look to seek to break. A curse that doesn't seem to make sense. One that will kill me if I don't break it soon."
I'm staring at Squid more than I should and they pretend not to notice. I'm the only one in this room that knows the true meaning behind that.
"We're all searching for something," Delilah states, "From love to spiritual truth to a cure to a horrible curse. Word travels fast in the realm. Word of a tiefling that can grant miracles. Miracles of any kind. But not everything is as it seems. An informant has escaped the Crimson Mountains from which the tiefling resides and tells us of the horrors that will come if we do not stop her. We begin in the foothills of the Crimson Mountains, the three of you traveling on foot."
"How much do we know about this tiefling woman?" I ask.
"The informant was distraught," Delilah answers, "Only that she possesses immense power, and has the ability to see into the future."
"Great, we're going against a God," Daniel says.
"All Gods can fall," Squid retorts.
"Well hold on," I interject, "Let's not jump to conclusions. They say this Devil has granted miracles, right? That doesn't sound too bad to me, does it?"
"Ziggs—I appreciate the naivety," Daniel starts, "But no one gives out miracles for free. There's gotta be a catch."
"Well... I was born yesterday," I say, and everyone laughs.
"You hear a snapping of a twig in the tree line ahead of you, about fifty feet," Delilah tells us.
"Hell yeah! Our first fight!" Daniel exclaims.
"A single man bursts through the tree line, panicked and sweaty," Delilah says, not what we were expecting, "He spots you and begins to run towards you, yelling for your aid."
"What do we do?" Daniel asks.
"Is this a trap?" Squid asks.
"I think we should help him," I say.
"The man arrives at your feet," Delilah starts, "He begs for your help, saying that he's being chased by The Chosen."
"Who are The Chosen?" I ask.
"Soldiers chosen by the Goddess herself," Delilah says, imitating a man's voice, "I refused her gift and now they're after me—
An arrowhead travels through the forehead of the man and he falls to his knees, then to the ground lifeless."
"Oh shit!" Squid says.
"Three men with bows drawn emerge from the tree line," Delilah says.
"Finally someone to fuck up," Daniel says.
"Maybe we don't have to fight them," I say.
"The leader of the three notices Borrak and says to him," Delilah clears her throat, " 'We've awaited your arrival, False Shepered's, and we will stop you here!'—Role for initiative."
"Who's gonna be the designated roller?" Squid asks.
"I vote Judas!" Daniel says with his hand in the air.
"You guys really trust my luck?" I ask them.
"Like no other," Daniel says, laying a hand on my shoulder. I smile, take the D twenty out of Delilah's hand and roll it. It stops at eleven. Delilah then picks it up and rolls for The Chosen Archers. They get a nine. She then pulls out her drawing tablet and a stand and flips to a page with three archers in white leather armor ready to skewer us with their arrows. She sets the board up to face us.
"You guys get to go first," Delilah tells us, taking her guitar and beginning to play a fast-paced battle theme for us, looping it with the black box and playing over it to add her own inflections on it.
"Alright, I'll Bless everyone in the party for my move," I announce, rolling a die.
Everyone in the party gets a boost on their next attack. Squid ready's a fireball and Daniel begins to charge the archers. The lightning bolt flies, stunning two of the archers in place and dealing a considerable amount of damage. It's the archer's turn and he let's an arrow fly but Daniel dodges it. Daniel then arrives on top of them and demolishes them with one fell swoop. Combat is over.
"You... you will feed the machine too... one way or the other," one of the dying archers gurgle before dying.
"Feed the machine? What did he mean by that?" I ask the party.
"Beats me," Daniel says, I imagine him pulling his ax out of an archer's abdomen.
"Perhaps it has something to do with the Goddess," Squid says.
"You're probably right, Octo," I say, "We should continue deeper into the woods. Find wherever these Chosen came from."
We march deeper into the forests of The Crimson Mountains. Econuntering some wolves to fight but nothing out of the ordinary. Until Delilah tells us of a large mass of white-robed people heading in one direction into the woods, we decide to follow them, leading us to a large gathering of robbed people gathering around a stage. There's at least a thousand of them and only three of us.
Then there's a crackle of what sounds like lightning and the robbed men and woman bow on their hands and knees. Then the person we were looking for appears on stage; the tiefling herself.
She's covered from head to two in revealing black cloth. And she notices us not bowing.
It is I, Lucia, and look at you!" She announces, seemingly to us, "Cutting down the opposition like theirs nothing that can stop you."
She lifts her hand and Daniel's ax goes flying out of his hand and into hers.
"What the fuck?" Daniel says.
"This is a nice ax," Lucia says, "I'm gonna keep it."
"Give me my ax back!" Daniel demands.
"Hey! Am I talking to you?" Lucia asks, "Shut the fuck up! Or I'm gonna put an arrow through your head like I did to your friend in the foothills."
She was aware of that? She must be omnipotent in some way.
"You can't stop what's coming," Lucia continues, "One way or another, you're gonna feed the machine just like the rest of them. Now, whoever stops the outsiders first gets personally anointed by me."
The robed followers all stand up and turn toward us and we enter combat against a thousand angry followers.
They get the initiative, throwing themselves onto us.
"I don't have my ax!" Daniel says, throwing followers off of him.
"They're gonna overrun us!" I cry out, "I don't have anything for this."
"I have an idea," Squid says, "But it's gonna drain all my mana."
"Just do it or we're gonna lose all our characters!" I plead.
With Squid's turn, they cast 'Acid Wave', and it engulfs every follower with its mass; turning them all into a pile of bones.
All that's left is Lucia and us. Lucia takes a step down from the stage and tosses the ax down to Daniel.
"C'mon mother fucker, swing," Lucia orders, showing us her neck. She's giving us the initiative, "Swing, c'mon, chop my head off. C'mon! Chop my fucking head off!"
Daniel swings, and when the ax makes contact the world around us devolves into darkness. Soon enough, multiple Lucias with drawn weapons begin to charge us. I buff the team, Daniel begins to swing, and Squid starts shooting lightning bolts. But we're going to be overwhelmed soon, and since Squid depleted their massive clearing spell earlier, we're stuck having to deal with these illusions of the Devil the old-fashioned way.
"How many Devil's will you kill to get your way, hm?" Lucia's voice asks, "Hundred? Thousands? How many will have to die for you to get your way?"
"I'm out of mana," Squid tells us.
"I'm running low too," I tell the party.
"A genocide of misunderstood children," Lucia starts, "Spiritual and religious dogma tearing nations apart. Diseases for which there are no cures. People are becoming divided now more than ever—they will make Devils of you all!"
"Guys! I think I know what Lucia is trying to do!" I say.
"Besides kill us?" Daniel says.
"She's trying to use the machine to kill all life in the realm to spare them from the pains of the upcoming future—"
Squid starts to cough a heavy amount.
"You okay Squid?" Delilah asks.
"Yeah—I'm—" Squid continues to cough and Daniel puts a hand on their back. They don't stop coughing. I move across the game board and go to comfort Squid. Delilah does the same. Squid continues to cough, not getting a moment to breathe.
Then... Squid collapses onto the ground, motionless.
"Did they just pass out?" Delilah asks.
I lift Squid's face and see they're out cold.
"Daniel, help me get them on the bed," I order him. Daniel grabs Squid's legs and I hold Squid by their arms as we lay them in Delilah's bed.
"Are they okay?" Delilah asks, "Are they alive?"
"They're alive," I tell her, "Just sick."
"You knew about this?" Daniel asks. Both Daniel and Delilah are now watching me. I'm supposed to keep this a secret. But I knew a time would come where I couldn't hold it in for any longer.
"Where am I?" Squid asks, rubbing their eyes.
"You passed out from coughing. We put you in Delilah's bed," I tell them. They sit up and I tell them to take it easy.
"I guess the cat's out of the bag," Squid admits.
"I've never seen someone pass out from coughing before," Daniel says.
"Yeah, fluid in you're lungs will do that," Squid says, reaching into their right jacket pocket. They then pull out a small black teddy bear, about the size of their palm.
"My friend, her name was Mara, gave this to me before I moved to Colorado from LA," Squid says, "I originally gave it to her so she'd be reminded to always fight for her life. Before she joined The LA Witches, she gave it back to me."
"I've heard of The LA Witches," Daniels states, "They're one of the biggest crime syndicates in Los Angeles."
"They haven't been doing too well lately," Squid continues, "Mara's probably dead or incarcerated right now. I told her not to join up with them. But her mom had cancer and she needed a way to pay the bills... It's funny to think it all starts with that, you know?"
"What do you mean?" Delilah asks.
Squid takes a deep breath and tells them, "I have cancer. Lymphoma. The only one I told was Judas but I told him to keep it a secret."
"Oh—Oh my God, Squid," Delilah says, embracing Squid in their arms, "Are you okay—I—"
"I'm fine—really," Squid insists, "I mean—It's really scary but I just have to keep going through treatment. I have good insurance. I can afford the best care."
"I'm—I'm sorry you're going through this," Delilah states, "I mean—out of everyone in this room, you don't deserve to die, Squid. I mean—why would God let this happen? He could just wave it away—but doesn't. I don't get it."
There's a pause between us at this. I don't know what to say but Squid starts by saying, "I do know one thing. God can take what's going on in our lives—our works—no matter how awful they are and can use them for good. That I know."
I agree with Squid.
"It's often hinted at in religion that life is just the beginning," Daniel chimes in, "What we're experiencing in life is preparing us for what's next."
"No one ever said it was easy," Squid continues, "But they also didn't say it would be this hard. The four of us; we've gone through some shit. I think it's safe to say we're broken people. But who does God use throughout The Bible for the majority of his work?"
"Fucked up people like us," Delilah answers, "I'm starting to see times where God was in my past. I just wasn't able to pick up on it."
"Me too," Squid says, "I honestly think God has prepared me for something like this for a long time."
"You excited for the talent show?" Daniel asks Delilah.
"I'm nervous!" She admits, "I've never sung in front of a crowd that big before. The entire school plus more is gonna be there."
"You'll be great! You always kill it!" Daniel exclaims.
"I'll be backstage rooting for you," I say, "So I got your back, D. Have you decided on a song yet?"
"I have. The one you helped me write. She Picked Us."
"You sure it's good enough," I ask.
"Of course it is," she says, "But it's not about that. It's about singing the song that my boyfriend and I poured our hearts into. And also—I think it's my best song yet."
"Cool. I'm glad I can help," I say.
We help Delilah clean up and I take Squid home since they aren't feeling good. I contemplate the campaign the rest of the night and what Lucia said:
How many Devil's will you kill to get your way?
Since when did going to war against evil mean killing the thing we deem evil? What gives us that right to judge? Should we even call it "Going to war"? I'd rather call it healing evil instead. War is Hell. It always leads to the abyss.
Though, I know most must think I'm naive. Stupid. I guess we'll see. 156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGecErQdl3h
156Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnGmWxi0nNZ
