I wake up Squid with some toasted Pop-Tarts in hand. They sit up and nibble on them and I ask how they're doing. I sit across from them in my desk chair.
"I'm really glad that's over," they say, "I see why they call them 'Wobblers'."
"Where'd you get them anyway?"
"The dark web. Don't worry, it's not like the movies. But after this incident, I'm definitely done with it."
"Well, I'm glad you're putting this behind you. We should get ready for school."
"Do you—remember what we talked about last night?"
"Of course I do. Do you?"
They pause, "It's fuzzy."
"Well, we... just talked about God."
"Oh. Right. I think I remember something like that."
"And um—you mentioned another thing."
"I told you I have cancer didn't I?"
They sigh, setting their Pop-Tarts down on their lap.
"Can you keep that between us," They ask, "I don't want Delilah freaking out. It'd just break her heart. And I don't see why Lucy needs to know right now either."
"Of course. Your secret is safe with me."
They smile and lay their hand on top of mine. Then my phone vibrates. I take it out of my pocket and read the screen.
"Well, I gotta go let Delilah in. She just texted me," I tell them.
"Yeah, yeah go do that."
I leave the room and wonder why that was so awkward. When I get downstairs and open the door, Delilah is standing there with her cyan-blue backpack and invites herself in.
"Are they upstairs?" She asks.
"Yeah. In my room," I say. I texted her what was going on last night before going to bed. I also told her about what Lucy did, and she told me she had a bone to pick with her.
I try to close the door but something stops me from doing so. When I look to see what's wrong there's a black military boot in between the door frame and the door. I know who it is, but I have to check to make sure. Maybe it's just a soldier seeking solitude from some secret war in the mountains of Colorado.
Of course, when I open the door, it's not a soldier. It's a red-haired, crimson-eyed woman with a spiked color around her throat and an upside-down silver cross necklace. She's wearing a black crop top with fish nets under it that cover her entire arms and hands. Her waist is surrounded by a tight black leather skirt and her legs are covered in more fishnets.
"Is that a new piercing?" I ask.
"It is!" she says, gesturing to her lower left lip which has a small black ring going through it now, "I did it myself. Thank you for noticing!"
She stands behind the threshold, looking around my house.
"Can I come in?" She asks.
"Now you're asking?"
"Right. About last night. I can get a little—well—dramatic with my beliefs. I'm a really emotional person. My emotions affect how I view the world and myself and vice versa. For as long as I can remember, I've heard and sometimes seen this thing that calls itself the Devil. It's told me to do and say as it does. So I do and say as it does. And sometimes I get a little lost in it. And I have to remind myself that that's not me. That I'm a person. I'm not sure if you understand or not."
"No—I—I completely understand. Throughout elementary, middle, and most of high school I struggled with knowing who I was besides this other man inside me. I wasn't really my own person. And honestly, I'm still not sure if I am."
"Our names don't really help."
We laugh.
"Yeah, that's tough," I say, "But we don't have to be them. I don't have to be a betrayer. You don't have to be a Devil. It's like we talked about when we first met."
"The only thing we have control of is right now."
"And right now Lucy, you can come into my house and support our friend Squid."
She smiles and enters my house. I then follow her upstairs and into my room. Delilah and Squid are talking before they both stop and glare at Lucy.
"Before anyone says anything," I start, "Lucy would like to say something."
Lucy looks at me and nods.
"I'm sorry about last night," Lucy says to them.
"What'd you do with the drugs," Delilah asks in a cold tone.
"In the ducts. Gone."
The room falls silent.
"If you wanna ask me ask me," Lucy says.
"Ask you about what?" Squid asks.
"I have achromasia. It's why I'm so pale and my eyes are red. My hair too. It's all natural actually."
"Wow that's really interesting," Delilah says in the most sarcastic of tones. I shoot her a look and she throws her hands up in protest.
"Thank you!" Lucy says. We all look at her and she's smiling like a child that was just given some candy.
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We all pile into my car and I start driving us to school. Delilah is in the passenger seat while Lucy is behind Delilah and Squid is behind me.
"Can I show you guys something?" Lucy asks.
"Sure," I say.
"Cool. Can I connect to your car speaker?"
I change the car radio to its Bluetooth setting and Lucy connects her phone to it. She then starts to play the first song Delilah sang to me.
"So while I was—um—really high I was working on Delilah's social media presence. Since a lot of people owe me for favors I did for them on YouTube, Twitter, TikTok, Facebook—"
"We get it you're the Devil," Delilah bellows.
"Right, well,'' Lucy continues, "I've gotten you some traction."
Then on the radio, Delilah's song fades into the background and a voice begins talking.
"That was Delilah Lor, a sixteen-year-old from the small mountain town of Hawkins and I personally can't stop listening to this song! Ambry, what do you think?"
"Well Christain, there's just something so raw and authentic about her performance. It's just, her and her guitar in someone's bedroom and she's singing her little heart out."
"I mean we have to talk about the lyrics right? They're haunting but relatable. Almost anyone listening can draw their own interpretation from it."
"And if you don't care about lyrics you'll definitely love her playing. I've never seen somebody this young play the guitar with such swagger..."
I watch Delilah's reaction and she's beet red with an ear-to-ear smile.
Lucy then stops that video and goes to Delilah's song 'Plague' on YouTube.
"Guess how many views you have Delilah," Lucy asks.
Delilah turns around and is giddy like a toddler.
"Oh God, Oh God, ugggghhhh—" Delilah's eyes roll around in her head "Just tell me!"
"One point nine million," Lucy says. Remember how I said I rarely cuss? Well, this is a time it seemed appropriate.
"Holy shit!" Squid and I say in unison.
"And here are some of the top comments," Lucy says "From Chug Jug Pickles: 'Every girl wants to be you and every guy wants to be with you.' Chinese Name says: 'Thanks for existing.' Secret Agent Randy Beans commented: 'The tiniest of birds sing the most beautiful of songs.' Marcus Jones, an actual normal name for once, commented, 'This song makes me miss people I've never met.' And of course, the very top comment with one thousand likes coming from Ally from Texas says, 'My mother told me when she found out she was pregnant with me she tried to kill herself. Luckily we survived. She committed suicide a year ago and this song reminded me of her. Thank you.'"
Delilah leans back in her seat and looks at me.
"You okay?" I ask her.
"Yeah—I'm—I just—I didn't expect someone to interpret it that way. I'm not upset. I could see how they interpreted it for themself that way. I wrote that song about something completely different, but somebody listened to it and found so much more beauty and emotion from it."
"Do you know what that means Delilah?" I ask.
"What?" she asks.
"That means it's good art," I say, "Good art makes you feel something. Good art allows you to interpret personal connection and meaning. That doesn't always have to be the case, but so far with the first two songs you've shown me, Delilah, your music can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people."
"I listened to your song, 'I Won't Leave'. It reminded me of my relationship with my Dad," Squid says.
"Yes! And for me, it reminded me of my relationship with Jesus!" I say.
"For me, it reminded me of my relationship with the Devil," Lucy says.
"Don't you see, Delilah? You're an artist! Just keep practicing your craft. The cosmos is the limit."
She smiles and looks out the window. I really hope this helps her see how beloved she is. I hope this shows her how needed and necessary her existence is. For all of us.
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There is a fire truck and four police cars in front of Hawkin's High when we arrive. One police cruiser blocks the road that leads into the parking lot. I stop in front of it and roll down my window as an officer makes his way to me.
"There was an anonymous threat. No school today," the officer tells us. We all look at each other in the car, then decide to head back to my place.
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We set our backpacks down on the floor and take our places around my room. Delilah takes the desk chair, while Squid and Lucy take my bed and I remain standing.
"What do we do now?" Delilah asks.
"I don't know," Squid says, staring at their phone, "We have a whole day to kill."
"I'd say we can do drugs but those are all gone," Lucy jokes.
"Wait," I start, "D. I think it's time."
"Time for what?" Delilah asks.
"Time for that thing," I express.
"Oh. You mean that thing," Delilah matches me.
"Yes. That thing," I start rubbing my hands together like doobies boozler.
Delilah leaves the room and then my house. I then see her crossing the street through my window.
"One: That was fucking cute. Two: What the fuck even was that?" Squid asks.
"Let's just say, it's time to put on your wizarding cap, Squid," I say, placing my hand on their shoulder.
"Is that an innuendo?" Lucy asks.
Squid thinks and I wish I had a picture of their face when they realize.
"We're gonna play Dungeons and Dragons," Squid tells Lucy.
"Isn't that game for people who live in basements and smell bad?" she asks.
"It can be for weirdos that have nothing better to do too," I retort, "Besides. I don't think Delilah will disappoint. If she's good at writing music she has to be good at writing campaigns."
Delilah enters the room spectacularly. Holding several pieces of paper, boxes, and miniatures.
"Everyone clear the room," she orders, setting everything down in the center of the room "I need time to prepare the story."
Squid and Lucy leave. I'm about to join them before Delilah grabs my wrist and hands me three character sheets with three pens.
"While you guys wait, show them how to make their character," she says. I don't think I've ever seen her this serious before. I think Lucy, Squid, and I are in for one hell of a journey.
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"So we can have any kind of backstory?" Lucy asks, sitting to my right at the dining room table and filling out her character sheet.
"And any race? From this website?" Squid asks, sitting to my left.
"Yes and yes," I say, "What are you thinking Squid?"
"I'ma be a wizard. Obviously."
"And you, Lucy?" I ask.
"Haven't gotten to the class yet. But I'm thinking of being a tiefling. 'To be greeted with stares and whispers, to suffer violence and insult on the street, to see mistrust and fear in every eye: This is the lot of the tiefling.' Sound familiar?"
I show her my middle finger and she just cocks her head to the side and smirks.
"What about you?" Squid asks.
"Me? Oh—I always play cleric. And I am going to be a goblin for my race."
We just nearly finish our character sheets when Squid gets a text from Delilah telling us to head upstairs.
One by one, we take our characters and head upstairs. Lucy enters first, swearing like a sailor. Then Squid, whistling. And finally me. I was expecting something amazing. But this far exceeds that. Laying in the center of my room is a large piece of paper with a vast continent drawn on it. I knew Delilah could draw, but I had no idea she was such a savant at it. The continent is shaped like a large brain that covers the top right seventy-five percent of the page. She's drawn the roads, mountains, names of different lands, and sea monsters swimming in the oceans below the continent. Delilah is sitting cross-legged at the top right of the map with a cassette in hand. Behind her are bags filled with figurines and dice. Several sketchbooks lay to her right with pencils and erasers lying on top of them.
"Welcome to my campaign," Delilah says, "Please have a seat."
Lucy sits on the left side of the islands, I sit in the middle, and Squid sits on the right.
"Okay, let's introduce our adventurers," Delilah says, "Let's start with Squid."
Squid grabs their character sheet and begins to speak:
"I'm Octopus or Oc for short, the most beloved human wizard of all the realms! I seek to spread positivity and love through all of my adventures and hopefully, one day end all wars."
Noble. Short. A wizard I'd like to have in my party.
"Next is Judas," Delilah says.
Everyone averts their attention to me and I clear my throat.
"I am Ziggs, the goblin cleric. I used to serve under Maglubiyet, a very... angry God. When I saw the opportunity, I ran away, and now I'm seeking the truth and meaning behind life and if a goblin-like me can serve a greater purpose."
"That was beautiful," Delilah says, "Lucy."
Lucy wastes no time by screaming, "YO BABY MY LIFE'S ABOUT THREE THINGS BABY! THREE SIMPLE THINGS! GETTIN' MONEY! GETTIN' PUSSY! AND TAX EVASION!"
All of us are staring at her. I don't want to laugh because I fear Delilah will scold me so I bite my lower lip.
"Oh, yeah, and I'm a tiefling rogue," Lucy says with casual bliss. And this is where I can't hold it anymore and start laughing. Squid joins me and even though Delilah tries to hide it she smiles a little.
"Okay," Delilah starts, "A tiefling rogue. A goblin cleric. And a human wizard. All seeking something. Some fame and a to make the world a better place. Some a greater purpose and deeper, spiritual, connection with the world around them. And some seeking plain old vanity."
"Fuck yeah!" Lucy says, sticking out her tongue and throwing up the Devil horns with her left hand
"Lucy," Delilah says, shifting her body towards her "What do you, a tiefling rogue, do on the daily?"
"Well let's see. First I'd find a city. Of course, I'd hide in plain site, and I'd listen for whose the richest in town. Once I get that info, I'd rob em' blind and make away with their money and go to the local brothel and get me some pussy."
"So Lucy the tiefling jumps from rooftop to rooftop, until she's onto the house she's going to rob. She examines her options and sees a sleeping guard at the doorway of the house and an open window on the top balcony."
Delilah reaches into a pouch behind her and pulls out an eight-sided die. She hands it to Lucy.
"What do I do with this?" Lucy asks.
"Skill check," I say.
"Since you're a rogue," Delilah explains, "Your main skills are dexterity and intelligence. You're gonna roll to evaluate the situation."
"Oh okay," Lucy says, rolling a perfect eight.
"Okay," Delilah says, "You examine your options and see that you can easily climb down into the window or go past the guard. Which way do you wish to proceed?"
"I climb down and kill the guard," Lucy asserts.
I want to say something but stop myself.
"With the nimbleness of a cat," Delilah describes, "You climb down from the roof and land with complete silence beside the sleeping guard. You pull out your dagger and prepare to strike..."
Delilah points at Lucy and she rolls—another perfect eight.
"You cover his mouth to muffle his scream as your dagger enters her chest. Blood jolts out of her heart and coats you and your dagger. Soon her body becomes motionless."
"I search his pockets and make sure no one's looking," Lucy says.
I'm unsure how I feel about this, but I'm glad Lucy's enjoying herself.
"You ease her lifeless body to the ground and check in every direction. No one saw you. You begin to search her pockets and find a sack filled with coins—"
"Yesssss," Lucy hisses.
"And a piece of paper. There's writing on it."
Delilah opens up one of her sketchbooks to a page with a strange symbol drawn in the center of it and words on the bottom of it.
Delilah begins to read the page: "For all who seek what they most desire, come to the Crimson Mountains to have your hunger quenched."
We continue to how I find the notice for the Crimson Mountains. I end up praying about what's my next step in the wilderness when Lucy stumbles upon me. Since I'm a cleric and charisma is one of my skills, I talk her into telling me what she's up to. She tells me she's going to the Crimson Mountains and I decide to join her. We're about to have Squid join the story when—
Then there's a knock at my door.
"Judas?" My mom's voice says, "The police are here for you."
Everyone's looking at me. Then the door opens and a police officer walks into the room.
"Judas Korver?" The officer asks.
"That's me," I say.
"You're under arrest for making a false bomb threat at Hawkin's High," the officer tells me.
She tells me to stand up and I have no choice but to obey. I put my hands behind my back and she begins to recite me my Miranda Rights. Delilah, Lucy, and Squid all watch in shock and I don't know what to say or do. And when the officer's done cuffing me, she escorts me down the stairs and out of my house. My mom is watching from the living room, her hand over her mouth.
School being canceled today is being pinned on me? I know for sure I didn't call in a bomb threat, so who's responsible for this?
When we get to the police car parked in the driveway, the officer puts me in the back seat and closes the door behind me. I watch as Delilah, Lucy, and Squid poor out of the house and observe me in the back seat of the cruiser.
I then look down at my right pocket and realize my phone is missing. When could that have happened?
Maybe I don't know my friends like I thought I did.
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