The Damage Has Been Done (Markiplier)

Chapter 17: Off to College

Stacy's POV. (A/N. Didn't see that coming, did ya?)

"It's so cold. I think the snow is getting worse Wade," Trace pointed out. We had been walking for a while through the snow. There was at least an inch on the ground already. It was all powdery instead of packed down like it usually would be. That just made it colder and harder to walk in.

"I know Trace. It's almost five in the morning. We'll go one more block, then if we don't find anything, we'll stop and go into one of the buildings that aren't swarmed by those gruesome things and warm up and eat," Wade told him. Trace nodded in response.

"God, I hope that idiot is okay," Tom thought aloud. "That kid is worth too much to us."

"Which one?" I asked jokingly.

"The big kid. The man-child."

"Oh. We're all hoping Mark's okay. As well as Chloe. Everyone is freaked out over the past week and unless we find them, I'm sure you're the only one that's gonna get much worse than you are now."

"I'm not getting worse. Just irritated. I want to know how we haven't been able to find him."

"We will," Trace insisted. "C'mon guys. I think I see another sticker on the building up here."

Trace ran up to a small brick building and looked at the red M sticker on the window. He nodded and we walked over to the building with him. The others saw the other three stickers on the sides and on the door. I wasn't going to waste time. I walked straight inside to look around. Mark's hasn't left more than one of those dorky stickers behind at a time. There's obviously something important inside if he's leaving that many behind. I walked around the front room and saw plates and cups on one of the booth tables. Enough to count for Mark, Chloe and... Someone else? A third person? Did Mark and Chloe find a survivor? Wow. Who the hell could that be? I looked at the table next to it and saw a pair of crushed glasses. Definitely Mark's glasses. Something went down here. Trace came inside and saw me looking around.

"Stace, what are you doin' in here?" he asked me.

"Found some stuff here," I said, pointing at the plates and cups on the table. I picked up Mark's glasses and handed them to Trace. "These are Mark's for sure. You think he's here somewhere?"

"I don't have the slightest clue. Either he is or just was. There's little handprints on the front window. Chloe?"

"Probably. I hope so."

"I do too. These are mangled. Lenses are cracked and shattered, frames bent all out of shape. What happened to him?"

"I don't know. Could be the third person that was here. Three plates, three cups. Unless Mark or Chloe suddenly became pigs, they weren't alone. Whatever you do, you can't let Tom see those. Understood?"

"Yeah," Trace said, putting the glasses in the pocket of his My Chemical Romance sweatshirt. "He won't know. They're all still looking around outside. Should we keep looking in here?"

"Probably. You go in the kitchen. I'll look in the booths. That okay?" He nodded. "Thanks Trace."

I looked over to Trace as he walked through the swinging kitchen doors and I glanced around the room I stood in. I saw a piece of paper sticking out from under one of the plates. I pulled it out and read what was written in pen.

I have the kid. Chloe's safe with me. Tell Tom she's okay and that he won't have to worry. She's eaten as well. Tell him that I found Mokuren too. He'll know who I'm talking about. My glasses are broken and are on the table. I have a spare, so I'm not blind. I'm fine. Nobody should worry. I'm going to see Mokuren's group. Incase you haven't figured out, you aren't the best at keeping up with me. I'm sure you're close though. Us three left here at 4:47am. We're going to Anderson University. If you didn't know it yet, you're now in New Castle, Indiana. Exactly 20 miles outside Muncie. I'd steer clear of there if I were you guys. We're also 25 miles away from Anderson University, where Mokuren's group is in the Decker Hall. If you want to make the eight hour trip, you can find Chloe and I there. Keep yourselves out of trouble and don't freak out about us, we're fine. ~Mark.