93 Chapter 93 (2/2)
”What the hell am I even supposed to do with that!”
Rue. Didn't say a word. The pixie looked down at the doll, and then back to James. Silently, she glided towards him, growing slightly larger as she did. The moment she reached his orb, she wrapped him in an embrace, continuing to remain quiet as she gently began to stroke the top of his orb. For a moment rage flashed through him, fueled not only by his hunger, but by his frustrations, and the whole bullshit of the situation before him. He raised his tentacles to push the pixie away but faltered.
”You're not alone in this James.” Rue cooed, using his real name. ”We will get through this.” His tentacles waivered, and instead of pushing the pixie away, he wrapped his tentacles around her, returning her embrace. Emotion rushed through him, grief, frustration, anger, exhaustion. He couldn't speak, he didn't have the words to express what he was feeling. Honestly, he had never let his emotions break out, he always kept them close to his heart. He needed to always seem okay, so that his parents wouldn't feel the need to leave their work, and care for him. He was strong, he was independent. But right then, he realized even so, he needed someone else in his life. Someone else to help share his burdens.
Was that why his parents insisted he be paired with Rue? Were he and Rue meant to help and support each other?
”I-” His voice broke as he fought against himself. ”I-” it cracked, and he knew if he had been in human form, he would be bawling his eyes out. ”I'm so sorry Rue.”
The pixie pushed his orb slowly away from herself and offered James a smile. ”For what? You haven't done anything wrong, dummy.”
James instinctively used a tentacle to wipe away a nonexistent tear, and looked up at the pixie. She was always so immature, so frustrating, hell, she was drunk. But he could tell there was a completely different side to her. A side that really cared, a side that was calm, and gently, and supportive. How had he missed that before?
”Thank you.” James whispered, turning back down to his mob, which was still standing there glancing around.
”But seriously, what are we going to do?” As he spoke, regaining his composure, the mob, a Jolly Dolly, looked up at James and Rue. The doll grabbed at its string behind its back and tugged at it.
”Come Play with Me.” The voice was that of a small girl, perhaps five years old. Sure, it may have been cute in a regular setting. But hearing that voice, in a dark, empty marshland, sent shivers down James's spine. Maybe, just maybe, he could make this work.
”I would say it is time for you to touch up on your inner Stephen King.” The pixie shot a look between James, and the creepy dolly. ”Or R.L. Stine, your choice.”
”I think I may be able to do just that.” Both were well known to James. How couldn't they be? The Stephen King stories were still be turned into movies, and there were even survival games in immersion based around his stories. James had never been more scared in his life than the time he decided to try The Shining Experience as part of an online challenge. And of course, R.L. Stine's Goosebumps had their own creepy and wacky universes in immersion.
Between his exposure to both, he figured he could make it work. Especially if he added in some of the newer online horror twists, he had seen played out. And, as he eyed the line up once more, perhaps he could even give homage to McStuffin. Now that his mental block was gone, his excitement returned tenfold. This was going to be good.