Rick watched through heavy lids, shadowed by brows the weight of lead. He gazed at the gnawing figure of a small monster, eating away at his third piece of jerky just thrown, his rations dwindling at a rapid pace for the purpose of satisfying the hunger of a beast. But alas, it was a sacrifice he had to make. For what else could he do, trapped in the cave as he was.

It had positioned itself by the cave’s entrance, far enough in for a taste of the fire’s warmth, but far enough out to catch him if he were to try anything. Its scales glimmering with the failing sunlight streaming in through the darkening cave. The crackling fire having dimmed, firewood sparkling with their last breaths of ember. Soon, there would be nothing but darkness in their world. Something that terrified Rick. New fuel would have to be fed to the gluttonous flames.

A task he’d soon complete, but first, he closed his eyes momentarily, a respite against his drowsiness. Within his dark new world, he felt Bob struggling against his weak grip, trying to get away. Something that, to him, made no sense. But when had Bob ever made sense, when had Bob ever needed to make sense, when had Bob gained the power to heal, performing the impossible, performing a miracle, a stupid miracle.

Rick’s mind churned questions upon questions, dark as it was, little else to do. Dark, darkness. Rick wondered why it was so dark. Realising that he hadn’t opened his eyes yet. Doing so, he noted Bob still struggling, but softer, and the monster still gnawing away at its piece of jerky, smaller than before. It's eyes bright red, like a sea of lava with dark lands raising to the sky in the middle, staring back at him, calculative, reasoning, scheming.

Rick shaked his head, clearing his mind, shaking away the bad thoughts. Thoughts that only lead him to an excessively tense state of mind, his body constantly flowing with the energy to flee, to escape. A state of being that put a strain on Rick's mind. From a bright sun to a dimming one, he had stayed in this state. If Rick wanted to have a chance at escape, a chance at anything, he’d need to stay focused, but calm. Keeping his energy, retaining it for what he assumed to be a chance to escape. A chance that, so far, had yet to appear.

Rick kept staring at the lying monster, eyes like molasses, like waddling through the sea, like carrying too much. Slowly noticing that it’d eaten about one third of the jerky he’d thrown, considerably quickly he noted. Wondering how that could be, for it hadn’t eaten that fast before.

Casting a quick glance down, he noted Bob having calmed down considerably within his grip, his other hand holding the axe rather flimsily. He shook his head for regained energy and took a firmer grip around the axe, spotting Bob turning upwards to see why Rick had moved. Giving him a wide smile and reaching up for a hug.

Rick didn’t reciprocate the hug, he had other things to consider. Looking back to the lying monster. The two in the unwinnable contest of stares. The two now capable of drawing a perfect image of each other’s eyes from nothing but memory.

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Rick blinked slowly as he continued staring. The flames licking away at the air in front of Ricks naked body. His bare bottom sore and stiff, cold and uncomfortable, a position well worn, a sacrifice easily made for strategic purposes.

As he blinked once more, he felt his eyelids sticking together like the hardest resin, like glue on a ship. Then found himself wondering, wondered why he’d need to open them. Why he even worried about anything. Why he couldn’t just, stay like this.

Feeling his head lolling forward dangerously, a burst of panic broke his trance, and he opened his eyes. Almost falling straight into the fire, he threw himself backwards and hit something hard. Pain like the worst fall thrust his mind into clear awakeness, sharp and poignant on the back of his head, rapidly blinking away the dots forming in his eyes.

Rubbing furiously on the hurt area, Rick tried unsuccessfully to curse the pain away. Time feeling like an endless glass of sand, slowly falling through a too small hole.

But eventually, the dots faded, and Rick regained his eyesight. Only to blink in confusion. For the fire that was once roaring, was now but a flickering ember, the barest dance of fire reaching upwards. Then beyond the fire, there was almost complete darkness, only breached by the dull colour of red fire painting the cave with light. The light reached the cave’s entrance, but barely. And within the confines of the cave, Rick spotted two figures, one running in circles around one still figure.

It was the monster and Bob. The monster staring at Rick with bared fangs, claws barely glimmering in the dim light. And Bob jogging around the still monster, flaying wildly with his arms, soundlessly laughing as he bumped into the monster several times.

Rick tossed himself upwards, standing tall as he loomed above the small, lingering fire. The monster following his eye with its head, a low growl bouncing around the cave in response. Bob stopping mid hop, turning to see Rick. Rick turning to see him, pushing his axe hand forward. An axe that was suddenly invisible in his hand.

One second, then two passed before Rick realized that he wasn’t holding an axe. Alarm blared within his mind, soundlessly screaming curses, hexes, shouts and pleads for mercy. Turning around wildly, he scanned the dim cave for his axe, spotting it quickly and practically diving for it.

A bruised knee later, he turned around close to the ground, searching the cave for his imminent attacker. An attacker that stood completely still besides a wobbling Bob that slowly made his way towards Rick.

Staring at the now silent monster, Rick blinked in quick hesitation. Mind working like trudging through thick jelly whilst trying to run away from a flying dragon, like trying to hold your breath whilst eating. Rick being overwhelmed, feeling his arms wobbly by his side, using the other to keep himself steady on the ground. His eyes spinning in circles, making it hard to see the monster.

Bob silently made it to Ricks arm, turning up to look at him, then giving the arm a hug. He smiled, a gentle smile, one Rick hadn’t seen before, then let go. Rick looked down on him, but found it hard to focus, his eyes growing hazy, feeling swollen. A tinge of hot pain started forming around the back of his head.

Rick wondered what that pain was about, but never got around to wonder much more as his arm slipped under him and he fell sideways onto the ground. No pain. A terrifying last thought before he fell into a deep slumber.