Going Mental

Blackmail

"Sir, I know. Just give me some time-"

"MePhone 4, I've given you months. I expect your research and diagnoses to be finished in 5 days."

"...Sir, you know I need more time than that!"

"5 days, MePhone 4. No more, no less. If it isn't finished, well...you know what happens."

"..."

"I...won't let you down, Sir."

"Who is playing music?!" Taco hissed, covering her head with the blanket covering her body. "S-Sorry!" Balloon squeaked, closing his music box quickly.

"Be nice, Taco. It's just music." Fan stated, shuffling in his bed. "It's annoying." She groaned, slamming her hands down angrily. "I think it's nice!" Lightbulb squealed happily. "Lightbulb, it's late just go to sleep..." Paintbrush groaned loudly, rubbing their tired eyes. Lightbulb giggled. "How could I sleep? There's so much to do tomorrow!"

"Mr. MePhone told me he might let us go into the city tomorrow." Soap said happily. Gasps arose from the room, the only people ceasing to do it being Fan, Lightbulb, Balloon, and Paper. "He will?!" Yin-Yang exclaimed. It was hard to tell if Yin or Yang said it.

Soap nodded, though clearly nobody could see. "Yeah! He says if Toilet goes with us we might!" Papers shy voice was heard. "I thought he didn't like Toilet?" A few mumbles came from around the room. "He is sort of annoying." Nickel shrugged.

"That's rude!" Suitcase exclaimed loudly, "He is very nice! And fun!" "He gave me my music box..." Balloon whispered. "Well, the faster we sleep the sooner we might go out into the city." Soap smiled, the thought of the city made her happy, though it was dirty, it was still better than the stupid house they were in.

"Oh no." Lightbulb gasped. "I'll never sleep! Arg!" She sat up as she spoke, before flopping back down, groaning. Paintbrush laughed at her. "Well I'll be able to. Goodnight." They covered their eyes with a sleeping mask, and covered their head with their pillow.

Lightbulb groaned louder and longer. "This will be impossible!"

Lightbulb was out within minutes. The majority of the children were too.

Well, almost.

"Is anyone still awake?" Fan asked, blinking a few times. "Yep." A female voice replied. Must have been Soap, it sounded like her. There was no other reply but the sound of a music box started playing.

Balloon slept a bunk away from Paper, who was a light sleeper. He didn't want to risk waking him up, so he opened his music box. "Cool. Wanna go look around?" Fan asked quietly. "Sure." Soap replied. He heard shuffling, and began to get out of his bed, assuming it was Soap standing up. Balloon followed, as the three made their way to the door.

Fan slowly opened it, and the three quickly slid out, trying to stay quiet. They giggled once the door shut. "Where to first?" Balloon asked, raising an eyebrow. "Hmm...let's go eavesdrop on Mr. MePhone or Mr. MePad or Toilet!" Fan suggested. Balloon and Soap stared at him with confused looks on their faces. "Eaves...drops...?" Soap asked confused. "Um...it's sort of like listening without people knowing or wanting you to know. I learned that from the internet!" He held up his phone.

"Isn't that a little...mean?" Balloon asked nervously, fiddling with the music box that was in his hands. Fan shrugged, not really knowing the answer himself. "Probably not!" He guessed, before beginning down the hall. Soap followed after, and Balloon reluctantly did too.

Fan reached a corner, and began to turn, before gasping quietly and pushing the other two back. "What? What is it?" Soap exclaimed in a low whisper. "It's Toilet! Now shush!"

Fan peeked around the corner, and Balloon and Soap just listened. Toilet was humming the music to the music box whilst mopping, before his phone rang. Fan ducked down at the sound of the ringing, but slowly peeked back out.

Toilet reached back into his pocket, and answered the call, putting it on speaker and setting it on a side table near where he was mopping. He continued to mop for a moment. "Hello?" He greeted.

"Toilet." The voice replied. Toilet gasped and nearly dropped the mop. "Cobs...?" Toilet stared at the phone. "Adam told me everything. Everything's on the line for you." Toilet covered his mouth, and set the mop against the wall. "What do you want from me?"

"You know exactly want I want. Cooperate me or the word gets out, Toilet. It's that or lose everything."

Fan, Soap, and Balloon were standing in shock. "What is he talking about?! Who is Cobs?!" She whisper yelled. Fan shrugged, but kept listening. "I-I don't know what you want, Sir!" He exclaimed nervously picking the phone up. "What did you take before you left the orphanage? Oh, that's right...wasn't it the-"

"Okay! Okay okay! Just don't hurt anyone!" Toilets voice lowered saying the last sentence. "Perfect. I gave your little boss 5 days. Figure it out or face the consequences, Toilet. I'll be waiting." Toilet opened his mouth to speak, but the person on the other line hung up quickly.

Toilet let out an exasperated sigh, and reached for the mop. It slipped out of his fingers, and hit the floor, startling the three children. Balloon dropped the music box, and it made a loud thud.

Toilet turned to face the corner. He began to slowly walk towards it, but once he turned nobody was there. All he saw was a small piece of chipped wood that came off of something.

"Somebody...somebody was listening..."

"No...no no no..." He inhaled shakily. "Okay! Okay Toilet, it's okay! Just ask the children in the morning if anyone was up! Then you can lie."

"...Oh who am I kidding. I'm done for."

The trio quickly ran inside of the room, and Fan nearly slammed the door shut before remembering that other children were sleeping. He slowly closed the door after himself, and faced the other two children. Balloon broke into a sob. "Did Toilet kill someone?!" He cried quietly. Soap shook her head. "No, he wouldn't! He wouldn't..."

"No. It wouldn't make sense...what is that Cobs guy doing to him?" Fan tapped his chin. "I've heard the word somewhere..." He clicked his phone on, and began typing. "Black...mail... blackmail." Fan looked up. "He's using something against Toilet to make him do something, but what?"

Fan looked at the music box. "He...took something from the orphanage, right? Could it possibly be...?"

Balloon looked down. "It must be important! We can't let that evil man take it!" Fan and Soap exchanged glances, nodding. "I agree. We need to hide it, and if Toilet ever asks for it, we'll know that's what he wants."

"Fan, Soap?" Balloon whispered. "Yes?" Soap turned to his direction. "I'm scared."

Fan patted Balloon on the head, reassuring him. "We'll be alright. Whatever this 'Cobs' guy is using against Toilet can't be that bad! He's a good person!"

"Trust me, we can do this." Soap added. "We need sleep. Put the music box under your pillow." Fan said to Balloon, and Balloon nodded. "Okay. Um...goodnight you guys."

"Yeah...goodnight..." Soap said quietly.

.

.

.