[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/UhJiGvP.png[/img][/center]

[i]Fire. There was fire everywhere. Everything in the room had been set ablaze. Where was he? It all seemed so familiar, as if he'd been here before but long ago. Despite the intense inferno around him, Robert was not afraid. In fact, everything felt as cold as ice. Walking over to a TV set, the boy leaned down to pick up a small toy truck that was sitting in front of it. Where had he seen this before?

"Where were you, Robert? We were a family. Why weren't you with us?" a voice asked.

Startled, Robert turned around to face the source of the voice where seven familiar figures stood. He knew them all for they were his friends and family.

The burning figure that was his mother asked again, "Why didn't you come with us when we told you to? We could have all escaped together."

His father spoke next, "But no, you just stood there and watched. Watched us burn. Watched us die."

Finally, his little sister, "You did this to us."

"No. No, it wasn't my fault. I was only a kid. You can't expect me to-"

"You murdered us!" they shouted in unison.

Next it was his old team's turn. Greyson spoke first, "I should have known you would have been a terrible leader. The only reason we survived our test was because of our fighting skill. You were holding us back."

"Now we're gone. You don't even know where we went. Have you even tried to find us? No, of course not. You only care about yourself," Daniel said.

Priscilla stood in silence as Robert waited for her to speak. In his head, he pleaded for her to stand up for him. She had his back right? As a single tear rolled down her cheek though, he knew that what was coming would be far from pleasant to hear. "I loved you, Robbie. I trusted you, not only as my leader, but as my lover. And you just threw me away. Forgot about me. You've probably already moved on to some other girl, too."

"No, I could never do that to you guys. I've tried to look into it. I've tried to find you guys, I just haven't found anything. I would never leave you behind. You're my team."

"So what does that make me?" Delta asked. "I was on your team wasn't I? But as soon as you saw me get pulled away, you had everyone retreat. You left me in that forest."

"I couldn't put everyone else's life in danger. I had to make a choi-"

"Well you chose wrong!"

Robert collapsed onto his knees, tucking his head into his chest. "It's not real. It's not real. It's not real. It's not real. It's not real," he repeated to himself as the people around began to decay around him, like a video of a rotting corpse being played in fast forward.

Then the noises stop. The accusations, the sound of burning wood, and the moaning of the dead all disappeared. Silence. Robert looked up to see he was no longer in his childhood home but in complete darkness. He couldn't see anything but his own body. Before he could wonder where he was now though, the silence broke. It was the sound of a child sobbing. A sound he knew well. And in the distance, a single lamppost stood over the huddled body of the crying child. Inching his way closer, Robert approached the child a placed a hand on the kid's red hair. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"Why does everyone around me always leave me? Why do I have to feel so alone?" the boy asked between sobs.

"I won't leave you. I promise."

"Really?" he asked, looking up to Robert who nodded in response. A sinister smile then formed on his face as he whispered the word, "Good." Suddenly, the boy burst into flames, lunging forward at Robert and sinking his teeth into the young hunter's neck.[/i]

Robert finally awoke from his nightmare, his body covered in sweat and his entire bed completely soaked through. No, this wasn't his bed. It wasn't even his room. Where was he? Everything was so white and clean. Was he not able to keep his promise? Was this heav-

The curtain next to Robert was suddenly pulled away, breaking his concentration as a nurse looked at him curiously. "Oh, you're awake already? After what you'd been through, we thought you'd be out of it for another few days. At least you won't miss Parent Day. I'm sure you're folks would love to see their little boy being so brave protecting the kingdom," she said, taking a look at his chart.

"Parent Day?"

"Oh yes, you were probably out of range when everyone was sent the message. A letter was sent to your home address, notifying your parent or guardians that they could come and visit tomorrow. Which reminds me, I was going through your files and noticed you had several blanks throughout, including an emergency contact for when something like this happens. Do you know how we could a hold of your family?"

"You... can't. I don't have one."

The nurse was quiet for a few moments as she realized what Robert meant. Placing his chart back, the nurse decided to move the conversation to other matters. "Well you suffered some pretty nasty wounds. Three broken ribs, moderate laceration to your head as well as severe laceration to your chest, which had become infected mind you. To top it all off, it took us about an hour to remove all of the shrapnel that covered your body. I'd say you're quite lucky to be alive."

"Yeah... lucky."

"Well I guess that'll be all for now. Please refrain from leaving this bed until one of the doctors clears you first," she said before finally leaving Robert alone again.