The operators proxy

Chapter 3

I'm surprised that the food actually tastes good, didn't expect it. Everyone else didn't seem as shocked as I was. Because they're used to it, dumbass. Still, weird. I was confused as well, as I saw some people not even trying what was on the table. Why?
Like, the one with the blue mask... Jeff? Nooo Jack? That sounds matching, and LJ too. Or uhh Ben? Yeah, Ben, neither. He just sits there and plays on a tablet or something, kind of rude. "quit starring, weirdo." my focus instantly switches back to my plate. It's embarrassing to get caught. I didn't hear his Voice before, it's distorted, some glitching appears on his mouth and he has a light tone, so I'm guessing he's most likely a child... Fuck, now I want to know.

"Hey... Uhm how old are you?" I try to start a conversation. His red pupils look up from his tablet but his hands continue playing. "you mean my actual age or the age my body and part of my soul is?" he chuckles at my confused face, same does Jane who now looked up from her plate as well. I like her voice, it's soft and comforting.
"I'm Ben, Ben drowned. And as my name it says, I'm dead. My original body is somewhere at the bottom of a lake."
I stare again, this time in full disbelieve. Dead? How can he be here then?
"my soul grabbed the nearest thing i had with me to live as it. And that was indeed a Videogame" he laughs softly, from a genuine laugh it fades to a fake, rather sad laugh. I shouldnt have asked. I didn't want to ruin the mood. "You're lucky, only a few people know their Backstory's or a willing to tell you about it." his focus went back to his game.

I gaze over to Jane, who now looks at her food, playing a bit with her fork. She lost appetite, atleast that's how it seems. When I look up most people stopped. Did I miss something or- did they actually gone soft to that?

"Ben. You know that it ain't good to talk about our past. It's damaging your mental health." Toby's softness in front of Ben catched me off guard. I didn't know he even could be nice.

He sighs, stands up and picks up his plate, before walking out of the room, I'm guessing either his room or kitchen, because where would he take his plate instead? It seems like some sort of signal cause most of the others did the same, some continue to eat. I eat too, unsure how bad I hit a nerve when it comes to their backstories. Or are they just overreacting? I mean, mine's bad. My mother dropped me off at a mental hospital when I was like 7 and then disappeared. I never saw her ever again, same goes for my father. And honestly, I deal with schizophrenia as well, are their backstories even worse?

I finish my food and go after the others, who, of course, were already out of sight. And there I have it. I'm lost again. I sigh in frustration, how the fuck is this place so complicated? That's when a little girl dances around me. Just a glance on her red-ish dress and brown hair reveals, that it's Lazary. "hey, Lazary" I hide the fact that I've got no clue where I am with leaning on a wall. "Hi! I wanted to know, if you could tell me your name!" she sits on the floor, so I do the same. "call me Masky" she chuckles. Kids are confusing, but so cute!

"Tell me, are you lost again?" She stared right into my soul, even her one eye was almost red, but it's more of a brown tone. I just realized, I didn't even see her when we were eating, and the other girl around her age, Sally, was. Weird. "Noooo, why would you think that?" I kind of make it a little funny, no clue why. "because she kitchen is behind you to the left, silly!" I turn around. There is a door with light coming from right where she told me it'd be. "Thanks-" I turned back to witness nothing there at all. How did she do that?

I leave to the kitchen, even more disturbed by her sudden disappearence then earlier. Something's off about her, that's for sure. I enter the room to LJ and a blue haired girl, talking so fast I couldn't understand a thing. I don't even know if I want to know, to be honest. On the counter was a pile of dirty dishes, so I placed mine there as well. LJ turns to me "Hey Masky! Meet Candy!" he calls over to me, and the new girl turns to me- oh Wait- the expression looks like a guy, what's going on? "Hey, I'm Candypop. Nice to meet ya, bonbon." I ain't no bonbon. I guess its their nickname for me. 

"You can call me Masky" But they already have turned back to Jack to talk to him instead. I shake it off and walk out of the kitchen, just to see that I've got no idea what to do next, when Jack comes to my side "I thought you wanted to talk to Candypop?" "You know someone's gotta show you your room, and I refuse to believe that Tobias will actually do it." I nod, as much as I've seen of Toby, I don't get any good feelings about him. LJ starts walking down the hall, but due to his unhumanly tall being, he's way faster then I am, and I'm... shorter then average, sadly. So I have to speedwalk, almost run to keep up with him. He walks up a staircase, not locked up, to the second floor, and down the hallway to a doubledoor, with a light wood-type. 

"Slendy told us that the next one coming will share a room with Judge Angels. So that's your room. Make yourself comfortable. Besides the times we eat and when we just need to be quiet theres no rules on when you go to bed or some shit. Enjoy." He leaves out of my sight quicker then in a second. I was kind of afraid who or what to expect on the other side of that door. I open it just a little bit to peek inside. I recognize the girl again, she sat next to me. Her short hair lay on her white dress, which ends at her thights. She has a pair of leggins and boots on, both also in White. Her fully black eyes seem like they would see everything. As if she saw me right now. So I step inside. "Uh, hi." She sit's on a bed, and looks up now to my direction, just nods and looks back at the ground. 

I enter fully and look around. It's a big room with a bed on each side, a wall in the middle and some curtains to hide the both parts of the room. On presumably her side is a bookshelf with many books, a small table with a chair, some clothing hangers next to a closet and a few shelfs with Plants and some notebooks. It looks very cozy. On my side is just a small closet with a bed, not even with covers or hangers. Yes the closet is open. "Your name's Judge Angels, correct." "Yes." She fiddles a bit with her fingers on the bed. "I'm Masky." "I know." She just sounds monotone, not showing any feelings. "Where did you get the stuff for your.. part of the room?" "I buyed it." "and where-?" "Shopping mall." GOD. Why cant she just tell me that clear. "Where is this shopping mall?" "... Ask Ben." Okay. Better then talking to her anyways. 

I leave the room, just to have the sudden realization, that I've got no idea where Ben could be. Maybe in the living room, to play Videogames, or wherever his room might be? A woman steps out of a room, maybe around my age, she had a white hoodie and black hair, she wore a mask just like me, but with dark eyes, and an open mouth with something black dripping out of it. Even more creepy then mine. Her black hair perks out of between her hood and mask. "Hey!" She turns around and seems to inspect me. "What?" "Uhm do you know where someone named Ben is?" she rolls her eyes "Yea. Why should I tell you?" She seems annoyed and crosses her arms, while leaning to the wall next to her. "It's complicated." She sighs "Leave me be then." She speedwalks off. Well, that's just great. I walk back to my room, because If I wander around I'll get lost most probably. 

To my surprise, when I entered I see my bed done and a few clothes in the closet, I look to Judge Angels and she's reading a book now. "Did you do that?" "you seemed nice." I take that as a yes "Thanks, I appreciate it" She nods. Maybe we can get along.