(A/N: hey everyone! Sorry if this chapter is sort of worded weird... I was really tired when I was writing this... anyway, I hope you still enjoy it! :) Hope you have an amazing day/night as well! Also after posting this I'll be working on a few other stories so the next part of this fanfic may take longer, sorry about that!)
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TW: offensive language, pills/medications (underdose and overdose), mental illness, hallucinations, drinking/descriptions of someone being drunk
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(A/N: this section will be added due to some confusion in the first chapter)
Names:
Paintbrush • Grey Pinceau
Lightbulb • Petra Ampoule
Test tube • Maria Provetta
Fan • Ray Ventilateur
Silver spoon • Henry D'argento
Candle • Serenity Kerze
Yin Yang • Cosmo Pínghéng
Yang • Blake
Yin • Robert
Bow • Pembe Heeobou
Baxter • Baxter
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Quote from chapter:
"I don't want the events of 9 years ago to happen again, but I'll let it... if it means helping everyone..."
-Ray (Fan)
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// POV:
Test tube //
I know, I know, I know I told Grey I would be going to my dorm to get my medicine...
But I forgot, I forgot, I forgot to go take it.
Haha... funny, isn't it? Golly gee, having a breakdown infront of your chemistry teacher? Wowie, the time of my life... Ah, Sarcasm at its finest!
But now I remember, and I'm going into my room now to take it! I open the door to my dorm and I lock it behind me. Wowie! It's so... clean? My roommate hates cleaning!
Hmm... maybe that new girlfriend of her's is changing her mind! Speaking of Mikayla, she left me a note! Let's see...
'Dear, Maria
Have fun with a room to yourself!
But what I honestly wanted to write?
Screw you, I'm living with my girlfriend who won't call me whatever a 'jeebweezer' is and especially not a b#tch.
Yours truely, Mic- or just Mikayla to you now that I know you're a f#cking b#tch.'
That jeebweezer. I'm taking back what I said about her being nice.
I remember fighting with her but it's all foggy... I was fighting with her before I went to see Grey. I... think it was about my medication? I can't remember...
Ugh. Whatever, I'll just find my medicine.
I then go to my desk and I open the drawers where I usually keep it. That's weird... I don't see it.
I then look in the drawers of the side table next to by bed... not in there either.
After a few minutes, I've checked everywhere and I can't find a darn thing! Golly... Mic- what I used to call her- better not have taken it...
A long, drawn out exhale escapes my mouth as I pull out the letter again. It seems that I forgot to read the last sentence.
'PS, Why don't you give your old pal Gabby a call? I gave her your meds btw, b#tch! Toodles!'
"That motherf- JEEBWEEZER! Pardon my language! I'm trying to not curse anymore-" "It's okay." "-and I'm talking to myself! Haha! I didn't actually hear that! That was my imagination!" I laugh aloud. "Alright... so that jeebweezer stole my medication... golly gee... I don't have to call Gabby, do I?!"
I pull out my phone and I dial Gabby's number. "Ugh. I'll just ask her if she has my meds and tell her to drive them over... shouldn't be too hard!" I then hit call.
*RING* *RING* *RING*
"Please leave your message after the tone-" It goes straight to voicemail so I hang up the call.
She didn't pick it up. Golly gee...
I try it again.
*RING* *RING* *RING*
"Please leave your message after the tone-"
It rings out and goes straight to voicemail again... I'm starting to get nervous despite my hatred for her.
I call again, certain she wouldn't answer... but on the second ring, she picks up.
"Golly gee, Hey..! Gabby! Do you have my meds?" I ask. No response. "Gabby-"
"Hey, *hic* Maria..." A slurred voice hiccups on the other end. "I *hic* missshed yoooou... haaahh hhhaaaaah..." The voice laughs, completely drunk. "Whaaddo yoou- *hiiic* neeedd froommmee?"
"I- I was wondering if you knew where my meds are?" I ask Gabby shakily. The vivid image comes into my mind of her being drunk, her gaze foggy, and her breath smelling the putrid smell of alcohol. I shake the image out of my head, golly gee...
"Yooourrr... *hic* meeedds? Uhhhh... yessssh... Immmmmaaaa... *hic* driveeeemm ovaaahh..."
"N- NO! Golly-gee-whizz! Don't drive them here! I'll drive to your house!" I quickly say before hanging up.
I need those meds... I'm willing to see a that drunk jeebweezer Gabby if it means getting my meds back before I spiral..
I quickly check in the mirror before going out the door, all of my liquid is luckily still inside me... I surely wouldn't have been surprised if there was barely any because of how many times I fell... but I seem to be unscathed.
I then quickly run out of the bathroom and out the door... and eventually out of the dorms. I then sigh as I hop into my car.
I start the engine and I begin my drive. I was going to walk. But seeing the condition of the rain, I don't think I'll be walking outside for a long time anytime soon.
Jeepers, sure is raining out there!
Finally, I drive into the driveway of Gabby's house and I get out, knocking on the door...
No answer.
I find that it's open so I slowly creak the door open...
"Oh my laboratory..." I mumble under my breath. This place is... a mess to say the least.
Dirty clothes are covering most of the furniture and, speaking of furniture, they are covered in old stains. The freezer door hangs open and cold air is flowing out of it while take-out is getting warm inside it from the temperature of the house. Along the lines of temperature, the house air conditioner seems to be on 89 degrees which would normally be 69 or so on a cold- yet humid- rainy day like this.
I shift my gaze slightly to my right to see the rest of the mess. Golly gee...
The light colored carpet has stains of spilled juice and... other drinks... on it and the walls seem to have many scratches as well as small notes and doodles. The stairs seem to be blocked by a gate but otherwise seem clean compared to the rest of the main room. The countertop and sink are piled with dirty dishes...
But just then, the horrid, putrid, ugly smell of alcohol finally hits me and I cringe, looking at the bottles of it scattered all over the floor...
And in the middle of all this chaos is Gabby, sipping away out of a cup and swigging her phone around...
When she sees me, her phone and drink both slip out of her hands and to the ground. She smiles wide. "Woooaaa *hic* aaaa Teeessshhh tuuubbbe!"
"Hey, this is Maria... I'm here for my meds.. then I'm leaving." I say sternly.
"Weeeee!" She quickly runs toward me- though it isn't much like running. She has wheels instead of legs and- *THUD* she crashes into the wall next to me due to her wheels spinning out of control. "Whoooppossiieesss...." She rolls backward a bit, dazed. "*hic*"
"Jeepers... W- where's your guardians?" I ask her. "Just because you turned 21 last year doesn't mean you can just get drunk all the time... golly gee, you used to be so smart, what happened to you?" I ask her and she stares at me blankly. I groan. "Where's your guardian?"
"*hic* heeeeesss... uuuuhhhh... Uuuuuhhhhstaiiirrss..." She rolls closer to me, her breath reeks of alcohol.
I hold my nose- or at least where it would be- darn... objects like me don't really have noses so we just smell- how do objects even smell- but back to the point... "And he lets you do this?"
"*hic* noooooo... heeeee doeeessssnntt knoooo... *hic*"
Honestly, I'm not very surprised... her guardian has been protective of her- even after she came of legal age. But he has never don't a good job of keeping her away from bad things.... He always wants her to not move away, but he never watches long enough to see what she does and she always gets away with something... he really still doesn't let her move out? I guess he doesn't want to lose anyone else...
I glance to the stairs and I see somebody hiding behind the railing. I chuckle. "Golly gee! Looks like he's scared to face you!"
He then walks down the stairs. "I am not a coward." He sighs, his voice calm. "I am just nervous is all." But he proceeds to stay behind the gate on the stairs. Wait.. isn't that...
"Golly gee! So let me get this straight, YOU adopted Gabby after that incident?" I ask him.
"Yes, I did. I was very thankful. I always wanted to care for somebody..." He acts as if he is smiling, however, he does not have a mouth but instead something that looks like sound waves displayed on an oscilloscope. Golly gee, how interesting! "And I'm sorry about her, ever since she came of drinking age she has let go of her previous knowledge and gave all her files to me. I am still analyzing them to this day. It is quite interesting."
"Haha! Oh, golly gee, Andy! You're so funny!" I laugh. "I honestly wish you were built to able to feel emotions though-"
*THUD*
I'm suddenly snapped out of my conversation and my gaze shifts back to Gabby...
Who is now out cold on the ground.
"I'm concerned, you know." Andy says quietly. "I've been trying to get her to talk to somebody but she refuses and says she'll run away... but I don't want to lose anyone else..." His voices becomes so quiet. "My creator made me think I had a purpose.. when in reality I had none. Even my last name still being attached to that meeple company of his confuses me. He gave me a real name and gave me the last name of his company, but never lifted a finger for me or the others when it came to our safety..." He trails off.
"I get it..." I smile reassuringly.
"I... dislike talking of him..."
"Me too... haha... Jeepers... I'm surprised I didn't have an episode yet after hearing of him... maybe I'm doing better." I then gasp. "That's why I came here in the first place! My meds!"
"Oh, yes. Miss Mikayla Mikrofon... she came to the door with Miss Sofia Gallúnach and told me to give your medicine to Miss Gabby and proceeded to call you horrible things."
"Oh... well can I have my meds back?"
"Oh, certainly." Andy guides me to the kitchen and nods to where the meds are as he does not have arms. I grab them. "Well, I best put Miss Gabby to bed. Goodbye!" He acts as if he is smiling. I don't get why he treats her like a baby, and yet I do get it. It seems like her mind is melted nowadays... she isn't how she always was...
"Bye!" I turn on my heel as I walk back outside.
The rain is clearing up as I walk to my car. I get inside the silver gray colored car and I begin driving. I'm at a red light when I slightly ease my foot on the gas-
*BUMP*
The car shakes slightly and my breath catches for a minute... I finally take a long breath in and then exhale deeply, putting the car into park... but unlucky for me...
I quickly jump out of the car and I walk to the person's car who I had bumped into. There are no marks... but GOLLY GEE! THEY COULD BE CRAZY! THEY COULD YELL AT ME AND... I...
"I'm so sorry!" I plead as the person steps out of the car. "I didn't mean for this to happen-"
"It's quite alright, ma'am. I will not be pressing any charges against you."
"Ah, thanks to much-" I then look up at him and my body suddenly freezes.
His glasses glint in the light leaking through the clouds. He smiles with his hands placed behind his back... and the only hint I got to his object was something with a pointed structure at the top....
"Maria! Wonderful!" He smiles wide. "I'm so glad you could make it to my demonstration today! And who have you brought along?"
"This is Petra, Ray, and Grey! Ray is really interested in your work!" I laugh, my voice higher-pitched. "Don't be shy, Ray! Introduce yourself!"
"I- I'm Ray Ventilateur and I'm 14 years old..." His voice cracks, he is still growing after all... unlike me. "I come from Inanimate Island... and now I live here! I'm also really interested in your technology!" He exclaims.
The tall corn cob in front of him smiles and then nods to Grey.
"Hi!! I'm Grey Pinceau and I'm going to turn 15 in two days! I always use the drawing apps you have on the mephones! They're so cool! OH! And I always lived here and I just found out last month that I'm non-binary!" Grey laughs excitedly.
The tall corn cob infront of them smiles and then nods to Petra.
"OMGA!" She exclaims. "THIS IS SO EXCITING!!!" She jumps up and down, electricity sparking from her hands. "I'm Petra Ampoule! I have a pet crab named Baxter who I got for my 13th birthday last year!! Or was that the year before? I dunno, I'm bad at math! But I know I'm going to turn 15 in two months! Isn't that cool?! Grey is gonna turn 15 in two DAYS and I will in two MONTHS! It's both two- OH! And I come from indefinite island! It's so gloomy there and I'm so excited to be here!!!" She aggressively shakes Cobs' hand. He shows a hint of discomfort but mostly keeps a calm composure.
"Thank you, now I'd like to hear from you, Maria." He smiles at me. "You were the lucky winner of the contest to meet me. And the maximum people to bring with you was 4 and you brought 3. They have all introduced, so it is now your turn."
"Golly gee... Umm... I'm Maria Provetta. I am 15 years old and I come from the other side of the Perilous Forest. I am very interested in your work, Steve Cobs." I stretch my hand out politely and he calmly shakes it.
"Very professional." He then pulls his hand away. "I'm glad you all came, now I can finally show what I have been working on. It's a secret, so don't tell your friends!" He chuckles and the rest of us laugh nervously. "Now, so follow me to the first room. It contains..."
"Hello? Are you alright?"
"AAAAAH!" I gasp, snapping out of my flashback.
"You were spacing out a minute."
"I'm... I'm sorry..." I furrow my eyebrows. That felt like a lot longer... I then recall what I... recalled? Is that even a way to say it? "Golly gee..." I mumble.
"By the way, here is my number if you find anything else on the car." The person in front of me hands me a piece of paper. "If you find any damage to the car and need to know my name as well, my name is Sebastian Kugelschreiber."
"Maria Provetta..." I mumble under my breath as I take out a sticky note and I give my number to him. "If you find any damage." I whisper. "Golly gee! I- I'm sorry, It's just that you reminded me of someone and-"
"Oh, I get that a lot." He chuckles. Jeepers... It sounds just like- "Goodbye." He turns away and gets back into his car.
I quickly get back into mine before I hold up traffic and I start the car up again. After a minute, I'm back on my way to my dorm...
. . .
Once I make it into my room, I immediately take my meds.
I was way overdue for taking one...
I sigh as I flop down onto my bed. I have no work to work on, no roommate to hangout with...
And it's only then I realize the rate of my breathing. I try and slow it but it keeps quickening. Golly gee... I hope the medicine starts kicking in soon... I don't want to panic.
I don't want to panic.
Don't want to panic.
Don't panic.
He's still gone, don't panic.
Grey hasn't texted me in a while...
No, they're fine, don't panic.
I dial their phone just in case-
"Please leave a message after the tone-"
It went straight to voicemail... so...
I dial again.
"Please leav-"
"Why aren't they picking up...." I mumble under my breath, my hands shaking.
"I- I took my meds, didn't I?" I check the bottle. "I don't think so..." I take the dose. "I hope I didn't have any before, then I would be overdosing..."
I sit back down on the bed. "I... guess I'll try and call them again."
"Please leave a message after the tone, *BEEP*"
"Hey, this is me, Maria. I'm really worried. You haven't texted me in a while and I'm really worried. You haven't texted me in a while- oh, I said that already. I'm just nervous, okay? Talk to you later, Grey." I send the voicemail and I sigh.
My hands are shaking and my breathing is quick.
He's still gone, don't panic.
Grey is fine, don't panic.
My hands are shaking so much and I'm panicking and- *SLAP* I slap my face. "SH#T! SH#T!" I whisper-shout shakily, not caring about the words I use as things crawl all over my face... and my room... I blink a few times and they fade. "Golly... What the..."
"You know what? I must have not taken my meds..." I stand to walk to my meds when I hear a knock on my door. "Come in!"
Ray walks inside. "Maria? Have you seen Grey?"
"I just tried calling them." I say as I open the pill bottle and I take my dose. "Wasn't sure if I had these already since... yeah. Guess I didn't."
"You should be careful, Maria! You can overdose!" Ray exclaims as he closes the door behind him. "Where's Mic?"
"She's roommates with Sofia now... you know that soap girl?" I ask him and he nods. "Yeah. I got in a fight with Mic but I don't remember most of it. Then she gave me a note, stole my meds and told Gabby to hide them from me, and Andy told me she called me bad things." I shrug.
"Oh no! That's horrible!" Ray exclaims and I laugh. "By the way... you aren't looking to good..."
"I'm fine! I- haha- almost had a breakdown infront of my chemistry teacher- then had a detailed flashback or whatever after bumping into someone's car... and then hallucinated just before you came in! Haha! Uh... golly gee! Nice weather isn't it?" I laugh nervously. Unlucky for me, it's raining. So I can't even use that as a way to get onto another topic.
"Oh..." Ray mumbles.
My hands are shaking.
My hands are shaking and my breathing is quick.
Cobs is still gone, don't panic.
Grey is fine, don't panic.
"I don't remember if I took my meds...." I mumble under my breath. "No- no... I didn't..."
"Y- Yes you did Maria..." Ray looks at me with concern. "You... You really aren't looking too great..."
"I'm fine." I nod as I take my dose...
"Maria?"
"I said I'm fine..." I shakily make my way to my bed, the affects of the medicine finally kicking in.... Or so I thought...
It sure was effects from the medicine... but not the kind I as hoping for...
"You really don't look fine..." Ray pulls out his phone and types frantically.
My hands aren't shaking anymore and my breathing is slow...
too slow...
. . .
//POV:
Fan//
I frantically search up what an overdose looks like. After finding results, I look up at Maria. "Uh... Maria?"
"..."
"Maria?!"
"..."
"MARIA?!"
She clenched her teeth and sucks air through quickly, wincing and holding her chest. Her hands are beginning to tint blue and her glass face is tinting a similar shade...
"No... no no no..." I quickly dial-
"Object emergencies, what's your emergency?"
"M- my friend- we're at inanimate collage- she- she overdosed and..." I look back to her. "...please hurry..."
"We'll send an ambulance there right away. For now, please try and keep her responsive."
"I'll.... I'll try..." I walk to Maria. "Maria?"
She nods. YES! SHE'S RESPONDING!
"She's responding!" I say excitedly into the phone.
"That's good!" The person on the other end says. "What object is she?"
"A test tube."
"I see... color?"
"Green."
"Name?"
"Maria Provetta,"
"And yours?"
"R- Ray Ventilateur..."
"I see. The ambulance should be there very soon. Is she still responsive?"
"Maria..." I say to her. She doesn't respond. "M- MARIA?!" Still nothing. I shake her and she doesn't do anything... "SHE ISN'T NODDING OR ANYTHING!"
"The ambulance should be there now, what room?"
"R- R- Room 5."
"I see, they should be there soon." And just then a knock was heard. I jump up and open the door.
"They're here." I whisper. Within a matter of seconds, they had grabbed Maria- who was now shaking violently- and left... "they took her..."
"Do you need any more help?" The person on the other end asks.
"Uh... Maria was calling one of our friends before and they never picked up and we were getting worried."
"Name?"
"Grey Pinceau."
"Alright. If they do not show up in the next few days, I can file a missing person report. Anything else?"
"...I dunno.." I feel an arm grab my wrist.
Petra.
"Hey, Ray!" She exclaims, tugging at my arm. "Hey, Ray!" She exclaims, tugging at my arm. "Hey, Ray!" She exclaims, tugging at my arm. "Hey, Ray!" She exclaims, tugging at my arm. "Hey, Ra-"
I yank away from her. "Weren't you gone...?"
"I'm not dead, Ray, you're so silly! You're so silly! So silly! Silly! Silly! Silly! Silly! Silly! Si-"
"Then..." I whisper, clutching the phone to my chest. "Did I imagine... seeing you get taken away...?"
"It was all a dream! All a dream! A dream! A dream! A dream! A drea-"
"Stop repeating everything you say... it's scaring- AAAAH!" I scream and scramble back onto Maria's bed. The soft sheets slide under my hands as I grasp at it, backing away.
Petra's glass body falls to the ground and cracks into a million pieces... blue flickers of electricity momentarily peek around the glass... and her hands, which are no longer attached, somehow still twitch violently. I-
"Hello? If there is no response in the next two minutes, I will hang up the phone." There person on the other end of the line grumbles, clearly annoyed. I blink a few times, realizing I'm still standing where I was... and there was no sign of Petra.
I guess I... imagined her again...
How long am I going to live like this? It's already been 9 years...
"I'm fine..." I whisper as I hang up. "That was scary..." I go to walk out the door when my phone rings.
It's an unknown number but I answer it anyway, I sometimes forget to label my contacts in my phone... so it's probably one of my friends!
"Hello, is this Ray?" A voice asks on the other end... it sounds familiar... "Have you been... seeing Petra lately?"
"She's gone... but if you mean in hallucinations- yeah. I mean yes." I laugh awkwardly. "I'm... I'm surprised you're the first I'm telling about these hallucinations that I have... Also I vaguely remember your voice. Who are you?"
"Nobody important, not anymore..." The person on the other end chuckles. "How about you?"
"I'm not really important either, but I hope to be!" I smile to myself. I don't understand why I'm telling him everything, I don't understand this mixed feeling I have about him. He seems suspicious and untrustworthy... yet he makes me feel safe and happy... like I used to feel about-
"Would you... want to make a deal?"
"Y- yeah? I dunno."
"A deal where I help you become well known and you help me with a little project I have?"
I bounce up and down a little, disregarding my suspicions.
Really? I'll be famous if I help this guy?
Oh... but I really should be careful and not be so-
"I can help you... stop hallucinating..?"
He can... help me...?
Oh, but I shouldn't trust the person who-
Aw f#ck it, I MEAN AW SCREW IT, I'll just try. It'll be fun and harmless...
It'll help me stop hallucinating...
And it'll keep my mind off Maria and her overdose... I'm so worried for her...
"Yes..." I whisper into the phone. The person on the other end laughs.
"Just as you used to be Ray, just as you used to be 9 years ago..."
The call then stops and I'm still standing, glued to where I was.
I don't want the events of 9 years ago to happen again...
Yet I'm letting it? I don't understand...
But at least Maria will be okay- I'll... I'll help him, and once I get enough money from being famous I can help her...
And at least I'll stop hallucinating and I'll get over my friend's death soon...
I don't want the events of 9 years ago to happen again, but I'll let it... if it means helping everyone...
I hate making a deal with the same person who caused 5 deaths, But I had to do it. I hate making a deal with the same person who caused that horrible day, but I had to do it. I hate making a deal with the same person who caused Petra to disappear, but I had to do it...
I hate making a deal with Steve Cobs, but I had to do it... for Petra, for Maria, for Grey, and for me...
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New people introduced this chapter:
Microphone • Mikayla (Mic) Mikrofon
Soap • Sofia Gallúnach
Cabby • Gabby Arkivskap
Mepad • Andy Meeple
Ballpoint Pen • Sebastian Kugelschreiber
Steve Cobs • Steve Cobs
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4411 words
10/27/2022