NOVEL WEB Chapter 9: School
"Hmm..."
[What's up?]
"...I forgot everything I learned."
I was standing in front of my school, watching people my age chat with each other.
Honestly, ever since I got bombarded with all that mind-boggling information, for some reason, I feel... more mature.
[Pfft, more mature... gahaha...]
Anyway, I've started seeing life from a different perspective.
Maybe it's because, compared to the Peters from other universes who've lost everything—sometimes even their lives—I haven't had it that bad.
...Well, actually, I have had it bad, since there's an Outer God inside my body. That's pretty much the ultimate bad luck.
[Hey! What's that supposed to mean?!]
To be honest, the more I talk to this...thing, the more I get the feeling they's hiding something. After all, this thing is Nyarlathotep.
[Nah, what nonsense is that? I'm not hiding anything!]
So, to dig deeper, I went on Wikipedia to read up on his bio and powers.
[You know that stuff isn't always accurate, right?]
According to it, deceit and trickery are Nyarlathotep's main traits—like, it's basically his (or her) entire personality.
[Alright, are you just gonna keep monologuing to make the readers think I'm some big, bad threat? Are you that dense?]
"..."
Fine, whatever. Why do I feel like this guy can see something I can't? In plays, they call it... right, breaking the fourth wall.
...There's probably no one watching me, right?
[Me.]
"I wasn't asking you."
Suddenly, someone patted my back.
"Oh, Harry, sleep well?"
"Best sleep of my life."
"That's great to hear."
"So... where are you planning to upload the game? Usually, to get an indie game on big platforms, you have to get permission from major companies, but the sad part is, it often just gets buried in a corner where no one notices."
"Harry, I don't want to send emails to companies begging for permission. I'd rather upload it to free gaming websites... Wait a second!"
"Huh? What now?"
I looked at Harry, grinning with sparkling eyes.
"Why not turn our game... into a creepypasta or an internet mystery? Call it a cursed game!"
Harry stared at me for a moment.
"Dude... seriously? Doing that won't make us a single cent."
"Dude, do you really think a game like *Go to Bed* would sell? Even a dollar would feel like too much. I'd rather let people download it for free."
"...So all our hard work is just for charity?"
"So, are you in or not?"
"...Ugh, fine. Let's go to class and talk more."
And so, Harry and I headed into school.
While walking, Harry suddenly thought of something.
"Hey Peter."
"Yeah?"
"While you were away, a lot of stuff happened at school."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, how do I put this..."
Harry looked at me and scratched his head.
"That guy who used to bully you, Flash Thompson—he disappeared."
"?!"
Huh? What do you mean?
"Tell me more clearly."
"Well, while you were on break, this girl from another class came up to me and asked about you and Flash. Since I wasn't in touch with you at the time, I told her I didn't know much. After that, she just left."
"I thought we were talking about Flash? Why are you suddenly bringing up some random girl?"
"No, it's just... when I saw her, I felt kind of uneasy. And after that incident, Flash completely vanished without a trace," Harry said to me.
Ding Dong Ding Dong
"Oh crap, class is starting! Let's hurry in."
"Wait, Harry. Who was that girl?" I asked him suspiciously, because I didn't recall knowing any girl like that.
"I didn't get her name, but... she had long blonde hair and was wearing something on her head... meh, anyway, she was really pretty. Let's go, Peter."
A blonde girl?
[It's Gwen.]
'I know, but doesn't she act kind of strange? I haven't even met her before… or actually, I have, but that was in her superhero identity.'
[Who knows. Why are you asking me? Just focus on spreading chaos in the human world. Girls will only slow you down.]
'Ugh, talking to you never helps.'
[WHAT DID YOU SAY?! I'M ANGRY NOW!!]
Harry and I entered the classroom and sat in our seats.
...
Why do I feel like someone's missing? Oh right—MJ.
From the information and memories I have, MJ should also be going to this school.
But I've never actually met her—not even once. Thinking back...
...no one's ever mentioned MJ at all, even though she's supposed to be the beautiful, popular girl.
[Forget her. Why would you care about some girl who's willing to ditch you for Paul?]
'That's a different universe. In another one, MJ and I are in love and even have a child together.'
[And that's a different version of you, not the one here.]
'...I'll ask Harry about her later. He's well-known, so maybe he's met MJ.'
45 minutes later...
Everyone had left their desks, so I walked over to Harry.
"Hmm? Have you decided where you're gonna publish the game yet?"
"No, Harry. We can talk about that at your place later. I just wanted to ask you something."
Harry raised an eyebrow.
"Do you know anyone named MJ?"
Harry sat there, thinking for a moment.
"Oh! You mean that MJ, right? I have a picture!"
"Really? Show me."
Harry took out his phone and showed me.
"...That's Michael Jackson."
"He's the only MJ I know."
"...Alright, thanks anyway."
"Let's head down to the cafeteria and grab something to eat, I'm starving," Harry said, rubbing his stomach.
Weird… so Harry doesn't know either. Then where is MJ?
[Why are you even looking for her?! Focus on our mission! FOCUS ON ME!!]
I ignored the outer god and followed Harry.
"Peter, what are you gonna eat? My treat."
"Eh, the usual."
"Got it," Harry smiled.
Hmm... having a friend like Harry is probably a blessing from my ancestors… even if one day, he'll try to kill me over a misunderstanding.
"...?"
I suddenly stopped, which caught Harry's attention.
"What's wrong?"
"...It's nothing."
"If something's bothering you, just say it. If not, I'm going ahead," Harry said, scratching his head.
"...Then go ahead."
"...Hey now, Peter, you're hiding something from me, aren't you? We're friends, you know!" Harry stepped closer, turning to look in the same direction I was staring.
It was the equipment storage room.
"What are you looking at over there?"
I walked over to the storage room door and yanked it open.
Thud!
Harry and I turned our heads toward the sound of something hitting the floor.
...It was a dead body.
The clothes, the build, the hair color—
There was no mistaking it... it was Flash Thompson.
*****
This is Peter, Harry face, I draw them myself so you will know how they look