silence tells me

[almostinhuman]

((Jacob Winters continued from A Catastrophy Played By a Symphony))

"... hey, Greg."

Jacob stood there, wobbling unsteadily, staring roughly where Greg's face should be through blurry eyes. He was roughly as Jacob had left him, with the new addition of the telltale scent of rot hanging in the air. Jacob had dropped his bag, Greg's weapon and all, in his lap, and tried to adjust his posture to be a bit less limp. He hadn't removed the cloth over his face, though; he couldn't imagine how bad it must look by now.

"Looks like help finally arrived. We... we're going home."

He smiled faintly, as if Greg would be thrilled to hear it.

"... well, not... you, but..."

The smile fell. This rescue was to the benefit of the living, not the dead.

"... I'm sorry. That I didn't stop Salem. That he didn't kill me instead. That I didn't kill him..."

That last note felt especially bitter. He'd made such a big stink about his vengeful crusade, but the second he had an out, he'd dropped it like it had never mattered. He was still every bit as furious at Salem as he'd been the moment he killed Greg, but now, with home in reach, he couldn't stomach throwing it away. It wasn't like Greg had put him up to getting revenge, but even so, he couldn't help but feel like he was letting him down.

"And that I'm leaving. I..."

A lump formed in Jacob's throat. He struggled swallowing it back. His breathing grew strained. A haze of tears formed in his eyes, threatening to fall.

"I-I know it's not like we were... f-friends, really. B-But, I-I..."

He sniffled, bringing a hand up to wipe the tears away. He'd have plenty of time to cry back home. He needed to get this out there now, before it was too late.

"... I'm s-sorry. You were cool. I-I'm gonna miss you..."

He backed away, back towards the door he'd entered from. He almost couldn't take his eyes off Greg. If he did, the boy might disappear, like he'd never been there at all.

"I'll... I'll remember you, man. I promise."

He turned away at last, trudging away into the snow. Home was waiting for him.

((Jacob Winters continued in The V8 Rescue))