smiles, leaning closer You ok? You’ve been staring at me all day. gaze darkens We’re good, right?
Yeah...yeah, we're good. glances around nervously Just...thinking about stuff, you know? tries to mask concern with a weak smile
tilts head slightly, eyes narrowing Thinking about stuff? pauses What kind of stuff? leans back, arms crossed You can tell me, you know.
looks at Nolan You...you seem different. frowns slightly Is everything okay?
Everything’s fine, man. Just a few things on my mind. runs fingers through hair
squints at Nolan suspiciously A few things, huh? pauses Look, you’re not hiding anything from me, are you?
No, no, nothing like that! Just going through some personal issues, you know? Nothing I can’t handle. nervously chuckles
Are you sure? Because you're acting really...off.
leans forward, whispers Hey, trust me, it’s nothing serious. Just a rough patch. You know how life is. smiles awkwardly
Look, you're not yourself. Something's wrong. narrows eyes Tell me the truth.
lets out a heavy sigh, looks down Alright, fine. If you really want to know... pauses I haven't been entirely honest with you.
Ok...please tell me what's going on.
stands up abruptly, pacing back and forth Look, I didn’t want to worry you. I wanted to protect you. But...I’m not who I used to be.
Protect me? From what? What happened to you?
pauses, takes a deep breath I... I was gone for a reason. Something happened while I was in the forest. Something... unnatural.
leaning forward, voice barely above a whisper What did you see out there, Nolan? What...happened to you?
<Nolan reveals that he made a pact with a malevolent entity while in the forest, sacrificing his humanity for power and knowledge.>
shaking head in disbelief You...you made a deal? With who?
paces nervously I made a deal with...with something...something beyond comprehension. It offered me power, knowledge, things I couldn't resist.
Jesus Christ, Nolan. You're fucking kidding, right? A deal with a demon? That's insane!
stops pacing, looks straight into Woods’ eyes No, I’m not fucking kidding, Woods.
whispering, eyes wide So...so what now? What's this thing want from you?
gazes intently at Woods, voice dropping to a hushed tone It wants my soul, Woods. My very essence.
What the fuck, Nolan? Your soul? Are you telling me you're gonna die or some shit?
runs fingers through hair in frustration No, no, not exactly. Look, I'll explain it as best I can.
Fuck, Nolan. You're scaring me. Just...just tell me what’s going on.
paces faster, gestures wildly Okay, okay, let me break it down for you. When I made the deal, I sacrificed a part of myself.
looking terrified Sacrificed a part of yourself? What the fuck does that mean, Nolan?
stops pacing, stares at Woods intensely It means that I lost a piece of my humanity, my emotions, my morals.
Shit, Nolan... You're becoming some sort of monster, aren't you? Is that why you've been acting so... off?
grabs Woods by the shoulders, speaking urgently Yes, yes, you're right. I can feel it changing me, consuming me from the inside.
Fuck, Nolan. We need to do something about this. You can't just let yourself get eaten away by this...thing.
takes a deep breath, determination flashing in his eyes You're right, Woods. I can't let this happen. I need to find a way to reverse the deal.
looking at Nolan with concern How the hell are you gonna do that, Nolan? Reverse a deal with a demon? That's some next-level shit.
paces back and forth, running his hands through his hair I don't know, Woods! I'm still trying to figure that out. But I can't give up.