[center][sub][h1][img]https://i.ibb.co/C30FS18z/post-3-header.png[/img]
[b][color=black] I S S U E  # 3[/color]
[color=lightcyan]I S S U E  # 3[/color][/b][/h1][/sub]
[sub][h2][b][color=black] A L L  T I M E  L O W[/color]
[color=lightcyan]A L L  T I M E  L O W[/color][/b][/h2][/sub]
[sup][h3][b][color=black] P A R T  T H R E E[/color]
[color=lightcyan]P A R T  T H R E E[/color][/b][/h3][/sup][/center]
I sprint out of the room, leaving the battered and bruised bodies of Bobby and Billy behind. The hallway is dark save for a light at the end, the red glare of an exit sign. I race towards it as I hear more footsteps hammering down behind me. I look over my shoulder to see more of the jackal-headed orderlies running after me.

[b][color=#8F8F8F]R[/color][color=#ABABAB]ᴜ[/color][color=#C7C7C7]ɴ[/color][color=#E3E3E3]![/color][/b]

I gasp as I hear the voice but don't stop running. [color=lightcyan][b]"K-Khonshu?"[/b][/color]

[b][color=#8F8F8F]Y[/color][color=#919191]ᴇ[/color][color=#939393]ꜱ[/color][color=#959595],[/color] [color=#999999]ʏ[/color][color=#9B9B9B]ᴏ[/color][color=#9D9D9D]ᴜ[/color] [color=#A1A1A1]ꜰ[/color][color=#A3A3A3]ᴏ[/color][color=#A5A5A5]ᴏ[/color][color=#A7A7A7]ʟ[/color][color=#A9A9A9]![/color] [color=#ADADAD]D[/color][color=#AFAFAF]ᴏ[/color][color=#B1B1B1]ɴ[/color][color=#B3B3B3]'[/color][color=#B5B5B5]ᴛ[/color] [color=#B9B9B9]ꜱ[/color][color=#BBBBBB]ᴛ[/color][color=#BDBDBD]ᴏ[/color][color=#BFBFBF]ᴘ[/color][color=#C1C1C1]![/color] [color=#C5C5C5]C[/color][color=#C7C7C7]ʟ[/color][color=#C9C9C9]ɪ[/color][color=#CBCBCB]ᴍ[/color][color=#CDCDCD]ʙ[/color][color=#CFCFCF],[/color] [color=#D3D3D3]M[/color][color=#D5D5D5]ᴀ[/color][color=#D7D7D7]ʀ[/color][color=#D9D9D9]ᴄ[/color][color=#DBDBDB]![/color] [color=#DFDFDF]G[/color][color=#E1E1E1]ᴇ[/color][color=#E3E3E3]ᴛ[/color] [color=#E7E7E7]ᴛ[/color][color=#E9E9E9]ᴏ[/color] [color=#EDEDED]ᴛ[/color][color=#EFEFEF]ʜ[/color][color=#F1F1F1]ᴇ[/color] [color=#F5F5F5]ᴍ[/color][color=#F7F7F7]ᴏ[/color][color=#F9F9F9]ᴏ[/color][color=#FBFBFB]ɴ[/color][color=#FDFDFD]![/color][/b]

I don't stop. I throw myself through the exit door and slam it shut. I look around for anything to block the door with, finding a large shelf that I toss in front of it. After a moment, a bang sounds, someone trying in vain to push past the brace to open the door. But it holds strong. They're not getting through just yet. I sigh in relief.

[b][color=#8F8F8F]D[/color][color=#909090]ᴏ[/color][color=#919191]ɴ[/color][color=#929292]'[/color][color=#949494]ᴛ[/color] [color=#969696]ꜱ[/color][color=#989898]ᴛ[/color][color=#999999]ᴏ[/color][color=#9A9A9A]ᴘ[/color] [color=#9D9D9D]ɴ[/color][color=#9E9E9E]ᴏ[/color][color=#9F9F9F]ᴡ[/color][color=#A1A1A1].[/color] [color=#A3A3A3]T[/color][color=#A5A5A5]ʜ[/color][color=#A6A6A6]ᴇ[/color][color=#A7A7A7]ʏ[/color][color=#A9A9A9]'[/color][color=#AAAAAA]ʟ[/color][color=#ABABAB]ʟ[/color] [color=#AEAEAE]ʙ[/color][color=#AFAFAF]ʀ[/color][color=#B0B0B0]ᴇ[/color][color=#B2B2B2]ᴀ[/color][color=#B3B3B3]ᴋ[/color] [color=#B6B6B6]ᴛ[/color][color=#B7B7B7]ʜ[/color][color=#B8B8B8]ʀ[/color][color=#B9B9B9]ᴏ[/color][color=#BBBBBB]ᴜ[/color][color=#BCBCBC]ɢ[/color][color=#BDBDBD]ʜ[/color] [color=#C0C0C0]ᴇ[/color][color=#C1C1C1]ᴠ[/color][color=#C3C3C3]ᴇ[/color][color=#C4C4C4]ɴ[/color][color=#C5C5C5]ᴛ[/color][color=#C6C6C6]ᴜ[/color][color=#C8C8C8]ᴀ[/color][color=#C9C9C9]ʟ[/color][color=#CACACA]ʟ[/color][color=#CCCCCC]ʏ[/color][color=#CDCDCD].[/color] [color=#D0D0D0]I[/color] [color=#D2D2D2]ɴ[/color][color=#D4D4D4]ᴇ[/color][color=#D5D5D5]ᴇ[/color][color=#D6D6D6]ᴅ[/color] [color=#D9D9D9]ʏ[/color][color=#DADADA]ᴏ[/color][color=#DBDBDB]ᴜ[/color] [color=#DEDEDE]ᴛ[/color][color=#DFDFDF]ᴏ[/color] [color=#E2E2E2]ɢ[/color][color=#E3E3E3]ᴇ[/color][color=#E4E4E4]ᴛ[/color] [color=#E7E7E7]ᴛ[/color][color=#E8E8E8]ᴏ[/color] [color=#EBEBEB]ᴛ[/color][color=#ECECEC]ʜ[/color][color=#EEEEEE]ᴇ[/color] [color=#F0F0F0]ʀ[/color][color=#F1F1F1]ᴏ[/color][color=#F3F3F3]ᴏ[/color][color=#F4F4F4]ꜰ[/color][color=#F5F5F5],[/color] [color=#F8F8F8]M[/color][color=#F9F9F9]ᴀ[/color][color=#FBFBFB]ʀ[/color][color=#FCFCFC]ᴄ[/color][color=#FDFDFD].[/color][/b]

Immediately I move to start walking up the stairs, only to falter as I remember what Crawley said: that I need to go deeper. I look to my right at the stairs leading down. It seems to be sapping the light out of the room, leading into an abyss.

[b][color=#8F8F8F]W[/color][color=#929292]ʜ[/color][color=#969696]ᴀ[/color][color=#9A9A9A]ᴛ[/color] [color=#A1A1A1]ᴀ[/color][color=#A5A5A5]ʀ[/color][color=#A9A9A9]ᴇ[/color] [color=#B0B0B0]ʏ[/color][color=#B4B4B4]ᴏ[/color][color=#B8B8B8]ᴜ[/color] [color=#BFBFBF]ᴅ[/color][color=#C3C3C3]ᴏ[/color][color=#C6C6C6]ɪ[/color][color=#CACACA]ɴ[/color][color=#CECECE]ɢ[/color][color=#D2D2D2]?[/color] [color=#D9D9D9]G[/color][color=#DDDDDD]ᴇ[/color][color=#E1E1E1]ᴛ[/color] [color=#E8E8E8]ᴏ[/color][color=#ECECEC]ɴ[/color] [color=#F3F3F3]ɪ[/color][color=#F7F7F7]ᴛ[/color][color=#FBFBFB]![/color][/b]

[color=lightcyan][b]"Sorry old bird, but I trust Crawley a hell of a lot more than I trust you."[/b][/color] With those words, I turn to the staircase leading down, and begin my descent. Khonshu screeches in my ear indignantly, but I try my best to block him out. As I go down, I can hear his voice fading away, along with the banging on the door. It hits me after a moment that the staircase hasn't turned to wrap around itself, it's just continuing on down into a pit.

I try to wrap my cape tighter around myself when I find that it's not on me anymore. My hands, once wrapped with the scrap pieces of fabric, are instead covered by white leather gloves. I look down at myself and find I'm dressed in a fine suit, shining white in the black void. [color=lightcyan][b]"What the hell?"[/b][/color]

A loud [b][i]THUMP![/i][/b] sounds to my right and I find that I'm no longer in the void but rather back in the hospital. The lights are fully lit but no one else is around. I look at a door to my right that's slightly ajar and hear another thump from behind it. Cautiously, I open the door and step inside, finding a sarcophagus that's rocking back and forth.

[sup][sub][color=lightcoral][b]"C'mon, let me out! For God's sake let me out!"[/b][/color][/sub][/sup]

I recognize that voice, probably because it's my own. [color=lightcyan][b]"JAKE!"[/b][/color] I rush over to the coffin and force it open, grunting in exertion as I pull off the cover. A wave of relief washes over me as I see Jake beneath the cover. He looks up at me in awe. Wordlessly, I offer him a hand.

[color=lightcoral][b]"Marc?"[/b][/color] I nod. He grabs my hand and hauls himself out, groaning a bit. [color=lightcoral][b]"[i]Oy vey[/i], that sucked ass..."[/b][/color] I steady him as he steps out onto his own two feet. He looks at me for a moment, then gestures to my face. [color=lightcoral][b]"What's, uh... What's this?"[/b][/color]

[color=lightcyan][b]"Huh?"[/b][/color] I reach up and touch my face, finding that I'm wearing a mask. I take it off and look at it in my hands: white, featureless, with an embroidered crescent moon on the forehead. [color=lightcyan][b]"I... Have no idea, honestly."[/b][/color] I look back at Jake and find that he's holding back tears. [color=lightcyan][b]"You good, Ja-"[/b][/color] I'm caught off guard as he wraps his arms around me in a bear hug, holding me tight.

It's strange, being hugged by yourself, but it feels like a warm embrace from a loved one. He's like my brother, in a way. I wonder for a moment how long he's been wanting to do that. [color=lightcoral][b]"Had no damn clue how I was gettin' out of that one, Marc... Thought I was done for. Then you show up lookin' like a reject comic book character, more than usual I mean, craziest [abbr=Shit][i]drek[/i][/abbr] I've ever seen..."[/b][/color] He pulls away, looking me in the eyes with his hands still on my shoulders. His lips are quivering slightly but still held upwards in a grin. I smile and pat his arm. [color=lightcoral][b]"Where the [i]hell[/i] are we? And where's Steven?"[/b][/color]

[color=lightcyan][b]"I'm pretty sure that this is our mind... As for Steven, I don't know. I was lucky to find you."[/b][/color] I look around the room. It's completely empty save for the sarcophagus, just beige walls and white tiled floor. [color=lightcyan][b]"We should get out of here. We've got to find Steven."[/b][/color]

Jake nods, [color=lightcoral][b]"Don't gotta tell me twice."[/b][/color] I turn back to the door, only to find that it's no longer a steel door with a windowpane like you'd find in a hospital but rather a thick wooden door with a simple bronze knocker. On the right hand side of the doorpost, right at eye level, is a mezuzah. I look back to Jake and see he's just as confused as I am, putting his hands up in the air to show he doesn't understand either.

[color=lightcyan][b]"Alright... Let's see what's behind this door."[/b][/color] I turn the handle and push it open.

We step into a hallway, one that I recognize instantly as my heart sinks into my stomach. To my right is a set of stairs, the edges of each step chipped and the wood scuffed. Hanging on either of the walls are photos of a family, [i]my[/i] family: my father, my mother, my brother, and myself. Jake steps next to me and examines the photo as well. [color=lightcoral][b]"... If you wanna go, we can find a way outta here."[/b][/color]

[color=lightcyan][b]"... This isn't real. This is just our mind. And I think we need to confront whatever is here if we want to find Steven and get back to the real world."[/b][/color] I walk through the hall to the family room.  There I find myself and Randall sitting on the couch, Rand slowly pulling a Jenga piece out of a precarious tower. It collapses, the pieces flying all over the table and floor with a loud [b][i]CRASH![/i][/b]

[color=FFF842][b]"Oh no..."[/b][/color] Randall looks at the fallen tower with a quivering pout.

[color=lightcyan][b]"Hey, it's alright,"[/b][/color] my younger self says, wrapping an arm around his (our?) little brother. [color=lightcyan][b]"That's just the way the cookie crumbles sometimes."[/b][/color]

[color=fff842][b]"Do I have to pick it up?"[/b][/color] Randall asks, still upset.

[color=lightcyan][b]"Nah, I got it. You wanna play Uno instead?"[/b][/color] The younger me starts to pick up the pieces as Randall smiles.

[color=fff842][b]"Yeah! I'm gonna beat you this time!"[/b][/color] I wince slightly at Randall's volume. I know what's about to happen next. Jake places a hand on my shoulder and squeezes.

A booming voice calls out from upstairs, [color=Sienna][b]"What's with all the FUCKIN' SHOUTING!?"[/b][/color] Even as a grown man, the voice still makes me shudder. I turn to look at the stairs as the dull thumping of footsteps beat down on them, and see [i]him[/i]: Yitz Perlman. My father's loyal student of the Torah, a young man who was about ten years older than me and always babysat myself and Randall when my parents were out. That meant he took naps on the upstairs lounge's sofa and did bad things to us if we woke him up.

His eyes are full of sleep and his face is twisted into a scowl as he steps into the living room. [color=sienna][b]"I thought I told you little [i]fuckers[/i] that if you woke me up it'd be [i]bad fuckin' news[/i] for [i]both of you[/i]!"[/b][/color] He points an accusatory finger at Randall. [color=sienna][b]"You, fat boy, you the one that made that loud ass fuckin' noise and started yelling at the top of your fuckin' lungs?"[/b][/color]

Randall's lips quiver and his eyes fill with tears that he's trying hard to fight back. Young Marc shakes his head and stands up. [color=lightcyan][b]"No, it was me! I did it!"[/b][/color]

[color=sienna][b]"Oh, we playing fuckin' Spartacus around here? Fine. You're off the hook, lardass. Marc!"[/b][/color] His finger shifts to point at the boy. [color=sienna][b]"You're coming with me."[/b][/color] Young me freezes as he locks eyes with Yitz. [color=sienna][b]"I gotta tell you twice, retard? [i]COME ON[/i]!"[/b][/color] Like a well trained dog issued a command, he follows after Yitz.

Down into the basement.

I can feel my heart pounding, my blood pumping battery acid that burns my veins. My breathing is heavy and fast, too fast. Jake and I follow Yitz and myself down into the basement. Yitz stops halfway down and that causes my younger self to pause as well.

Then Yitz kicks him down the rest of the stairs.

I feel every bump, the edge of the wood cutting into my ribs and arms and legs and my head smashing into the concrete floor. Yitz cackles as he watches the fall. Then, he slams the door shut.

[color=lightcyan][b]"Yitz! Yitz, [i]please[/i]! I'm sorry!"[/b][/color] the boy cries out. He gets no response. The basement was only used for storage, rarely ever ventured into. Yitz took all the light bulbs out of the sockets so it was enveloped in complete darkness. Young Marc curls up into a ball on the floor, scrapes on across his body bleeding slowly. He sobs.

[color=lightgreen][b]"Hey, don't cry,"[/b][/color] a small voice says from the darkness. Marc looks up at the voice.

[color=lightcyan][b]"Huh? W-who's there?"[/b][/color]

[color=lightgreen][b]"I'm a friend. Bloody hell, he did a number on you, huh?"[/b][/color] A boy in a green sweater steps out from the darkness and sits down next to Marc. [color=lightgreen][b]"Right muppet that chav is. Thinks he can just push everyone around like he's king of the world. He'll get his one day."[/b][/color]

Marc sniffles. [color=lightcyan][b]"You think so?"[/b][/color]

The other boy smiles. [color=lightgreen][b]"I know so. We'll show him, together."[/b][/color]

[color=lightcyan][b]"Who are you?"[/b][/color]

[color=lightgreen][b]"Like I said, I'm a friend. Best friend you'll ever have. You can call me Steven. Steven Grant."[/b][/color] Steven extends a hand. Marc looks at it warily for a moment, then shakes it. [color=lightgreen][b]"We're going to be good friends."[/b][/color]

The boys fade away into mist. Darkness envelopes everything. I'm shaking. Tears are streaming down my face. Then I hear a banging sound, like the sarcophagus Jake was in being moved around. I look to my left and see another one before me, standing upright. I turn around to look behind me and find Jake standing there still, having stayed silent through that whole ordeal. [color=lightcoral][b]"That should be our boy right there,"[/b][/color] he says, and I nod.

Together, the two of us pry the sarcophagus lid off and throw it to the floor. Beneath it is Steven, taking in a shuddering breath. He looks at the two of us with the most relieved expression I've ever seen on his (my own) face. [color=lightgreen][b]"Oh thank God,"[/b][/color] he mumbles, before falling forward. Jake and I catch him and help him stay standing. 

[color=lightgreen][b]"Don't know how long I was in that damn casket. Thanks, lads."[/b][/color] He wraps his arms around the two of us and we all squeeze each other, the three of us breathing a collective sigh of relief. We part, Steven pulling back to look at the two of us as he keeps a hand on each of our shoulders. [color=lightgreen][b]"Good to see you two... Where in the [i]hell[/i] are we?"[/b][/color]

[color=lightcoral][b]"Long story short, Grant, we're in our own head."[/b][/color]

[color=lightgreen][b]"Come again, Jake?"[/b][/color]

[color=lightcoral][b]"Trapped in our mind. Forced to relive our traumas and all that [abbr=Good stuff][i]gut shtopn[/i][/abbr]. We're still tryin' to find a way out."[/b][/color]

I nod. [color=lightcyan][b]"We've probably got a ways to go, but at least now we're together."[/b][/color] I hear a door open behind me and the three of us all turn to look at it. In the void, a door frame has appeared, the door opening into blinding white light. I look at the two of them and we all nod together.

[color=lightcyan][b]"Let's go."[/b][/color]

We step into the light.