With a forceful kick, the tentacles finally released and receded into the wall. Biffle scrambled to his feet, glancing around for another strike. None came, so he landed his gaze on SSundee, who turned away from the wall as it finally sealed shut. SSundee paused when he saw Biffle.

"I assume you have something to say?" He said.

"What the hell happened?" Biffle demanded, taking a step forward, "What's going on?"

SSundee tilted his chin up, "It's our greatest weapon yet."

Biffle narrowed his eyes, "Do you even known what this is?"

"It will help us," SSundee promised, turning away, "It promised to bring Nico and Jerome back."

Biffle tilted his head and furrowed his eyebrows, "And you believed it?"

"We have a deal," SSundee responded, "I can kill it at any moment."

Biffle watched SSundee turn to the cave and start walking, so Biffle cautiously decided to follow. SSundee gave Biffle a half-glance, then stepped in front of him and stared him down, "You need to figure out where your loyalties lie, because I'm starting to suspect it's not here with me."

Biffle didn't answer. SSundee turned away, but Biffle stayed. His heart sank, and his body followed. He crumbled to his knees and rested his back against the cave wall. He pressed a hand to his face and inhaled slowly. With his exhale, he looked up at the sky. It has turned a deep grey-red, like the sky was full of smoke, despite the fact it was blue before the creature had appeared.

SSundee's words hung in the air like a cloud of fog. He didn't know where his loyalties lay. He knew they weren't here, yet nowhere else at the same time. It was torture sitting in the center of  the conflict, with no idea of where he belonged.

He spotted a figure to his right, so he snapped his head up and met eyes with a wispy figure. Biffle stared, starting to think he was going insane.

Jerome tilted his head at Biffle, "What are you doing?"

Biffle hesitated, then blurted out, "How are you here?"

Jerome gestured around at the tentacles, "The Tentacle Monster, as SSundee calls him."

"So, he wasn't lying when he said it'd bring you back?" Biffle asked softly, rising to his feet.

Jerome shook his head, "He wasn't. I talked to him myself and he promised."

"Are you not mad at SSundee?" Biffle asked again, "After everything?"

"He's trying to help," Jerome insisted, "He's trying to change."

"It doesn't seem like it," Biffle said quietly.

"He finds it hard to show, but he's trying," Jerome smiled softly.

Biffle nodded slowly. He turned away from Jerome to SSundee, who was inside of his house, pacing.

"Are you sure?" Biffle questioned, turning back to Jerome. 

Jerome nodded, "Just trust him, okay? For me."

Skeptically, Biffle nodded, "Okay. For you."

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Word Count: 455