It Started As A Game

Chapter 13-Miss Cuckoo

You woke up the next day in a room you were no longer used to. Upon further investigation you remembered this was your old room in your mothers house. You picked up a folded up photograph you'd discarded on your nightstand and unfolded it. The picture was now old and fragile, at risk of falling apart in your hands now that it's aged after being taken out of the loop. It was harder to make out the image now. Alma's face was pretty much gone. You hated that that's where your eyes looked first.

"Y/n?" There was a knock on the door. "There's some woman here to see you." Your mind went right to Alma. Had she found you? No, how would she even have gotten this address? You took a couple deep breaths and made your way downstairs. "She's waiting outside." You nodded and walked to the front door, taking one more deep breathe before opening it.

"Hello." A woman, definitely not Alma, stood there. "My name is Miss Cuckoo, I'm a good friend of Alma's." She gave you a smile and held out her hand. "You're Y/n." It was not a question but an observation you noticed as you shook her hand. "Now I suppose I'll get straight to the point, I'd rather not age forward after all." She gave a small chuckle before continuing. "Alma sent me to inform you that she wants you home, everyone at the loop does."

"How'd she know where I am? And why not come to get me herself? She thinks I would listen to a stranger?" You tried to stay calm, but you wouldn't go back and you feared this woman would force you.

"A dream of Horace's showed you arriving at this house. And she wanted to come get you, truly, but something has happened in the loop and she couldn't leave. I'm afraid I'm not in any place to tell you more." Miss Cuckoo remained calm throughout the conversation though she seemed to sense your worry. "I suggest you go back to the loop dear. Though I cannot force you."

"I might." You said, though it was clear to both of you that you would.

She nodded and gave you a smile. "Good. I'll see you soon." She looked around, finding no one was on the deserted road and transformed into a bird. She gave you a nod before taking off and flying back towards the island.

You ran back into your room, changing and throwing on your shoes. You tucked the aged photograph back into your pocket and practically threw your suitcase down the stairs, there wasn't anything in there that could be broken anyway. "Mom! Mama!" You yelled for your parents as you lifted the case to stand upright rather than on its sight. "I need to go!"

"What on earth are you talking about?" Mom was the first to walk into the hall where you stood near the door. "You're not leaving so soon, are you? You haven't even told us what happened!" Mama walked into the hall after her wife to give you a withering stare.

"I'm so sorry. And I know this is shitty of me. But I'll write this time, and I'll visit one a week. Okay? Please I need to go. Something has happened and I haven't been told what but I need to go back."

"If you don't actually visit I will track you down and drag you back here myself." Mama stated and walked over to give you a short hug. "Be safe kiddo." She stepped back to allow room for Mom to give you a rib crushing hug.

"You'd better come back, and you better write. I want to hear how you've been. What you've been doing. Hell, just where you've been staying!" She pulled back, allowing you to breathe. "And I demand you tell me about this woman someday."

"I will, Mom. I'll be back soon. Promise." You all exchanged goodbyes and then you left. The subway ride seemed to take forever. The ferry ride seemed to take even longer despite being shorter. The closer you got to the loop the more time seemed to slow. The air felt heavy as you entered the loop.

The closer you got the the house the faster you walked, until you were straight up running. No one was outside, which was unusual for this time of day. You knocked on the door and waited anxiously for an answer. You heard the click of heels coming from inside. But it wasn't Alma, you could tell. Whoever this was walked slow and evenly. Alma has always been quick paused with an uneven gait due to her limp. You were correct, Alma did not answer, but instead Miss Cuckoo did. "You're here, how wonderful."

"What happened?!" You nearly yelled, completely stressed out at this point.

"Right to the point I see... Listen, things are a tad bit different at the moment. Miss Wren and myself will be staying here due to the incident. The wights are mostly gone, we had thought they were completely gone. Now we see there may be more.. Two of them came to the loop. They're both dead now but... well, come with me." She allowed you to step inside. You left your bag in the hall and followed the woman through the uncharacteristically quiet house.

She soon stopped at Victors room. You could hear voices whispering and multiple people crying. She gestured for you to enter the room, you did, trying to be quiet. Everyone was there, though few noticed you, and even those that did didn't acknowledge your presence. Except someone wasn't there. And there was a second bed in the room beside Victors.

The wights had managed to kill one of the children...

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Apparently I enjoy killing off the children.