(A/N: I REALLY LIKE THE ART I HAVE FOR THIS CHAPTER!!!! AND THANKS FOR AROUND 200 READS!! Uh... anyways...)
TW: cursing/offensive language, memory loss, trauma, hallucinations as well as mentions of cigarette addiction/abuse and alcohol addiction/abuse
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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
Microphone • Mikayla (Mic) Mikrofon
Soap • Sofia Gallúnach
Cabby • Gabby Arkivskap
Mepad • Andy Meeple
Ballpoint Pen • Sebastian Kugelschreiber
Steve Cobs • Steve Cobs
Tissues • Dan Tessuti
Trophy • Bradley Bikar
Paper • Peter Bumaga
Dr Fizz • Doctor Michael Fizz (Doctor Fizz)
Toilet • Nurse Logan Treegrip (Nurse T)
MePhone4 • Doctor Charlie Meeple (Doctor Charlie)
Bot • Bow/BowBot/Bot
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Quote from chapter:
"She's long gone... lost her name, my name, most of her memories... lost to this apocalyptic seeming landscape... and there seems to be no recovering for her... But... I'll stay hopeful, like she did 9 years ago to save us... so even if she's long gone, I'll find a way to bring her back. No matter how long it takes... because that's what friends are for, right?"
-Paintbrush(Grey)
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{A FEW HOURS PRIOR}
//POV:
PAINTBRUSH//
I climb up the ladder and into the attic.
"Oh, Henry... This must be Grey." A soothing voice says and I immediately whip around to find where it came from. "Ah, I better introduce myself. I'm Serenity."
"Oh! Um... I'm Grey!" I shake the candle's hand. "Uh... what did Henry and you want again? I brought the letter from Maria... what else?" I ask while I attempt to shake off the feeling that I shouldn't be here.
"It was instructions for... a ritual- no worries! That's just what I call them... I'm a part-time psychic." Serenity smiles warmly.
"Uh... okay..." I awkwardly look out the window. Rain pounded against the roof and drops trickled down the window. "So... why am I here? Specifically?"
"You're here specifically to... help me. With the instructions." She holds up the envelope. "I've been hearing that you wanted to see... her again."
"H- how..." I mumble. How did this high-school girl know about that?! Well... she is a psychic... BUT SHE'S ALSO A STRANGER! "UGH. Anyway, whatever you're gonna do... let's get it over with. My classes probably start soon anyway." My bristles spark slightly, which happens sometimes when I get angry...
"Alright, Henry, please be a dear and set up the circle."
"Alright, Serenity!" Henry smiles and I snicker. "H- hey, imbecile! I don't want to hear any of your peasant words!" He scoffs at me and I roll my eyes. He the proceeds to walk to the corner of the room, rummaging through a drawer.
I go to take a step forward when the weak floorboards creak. I look upward at the unfinished ceiling, pipes and support beams covering the point that was the inside of the roof. Speaking of unfinished, some of the walls still have insulation stuffing... I definitely shouldn't go near those.
"Aha!" Henry walks back with chalk and hands it to serenity.
"Thank you..." She moves the chalk around in her hands before tracing an almost perfect circle onto the floor.
"What are you doing?!" I ask, my bristles sparking more as she circles me, leaving a bit of room infront of me as well.
"All done... and this is to... help. With the 'ritual.'" She hands the chalk back to Henry. Sernenity steps just outside the circle. "Now, tell me, what did you want."
"Um... to see..." I gulp, trying to fight down my nervousness. "...Petra..."
"I see... Now, put your hands in mine..." She reaches her hands out and I put mine out as well. Our hands connect, forming a circle. "Repeat what you want again...?"
"I... want to see Petra...?"
"With... more confidence."
"I want to see Petra."
"More... enthusiasm..."
"I want to see Petra!"
"Louder..."
"I WANT TO SEE PETRA!"
"Now, repeat that over and over..." Serenity asks and I feel excitement, 9 years of built up excitement bursting inside me... fueling my courage.
"I WANT TO SEE PETRA! I WANT TO SEE PETRA!"
"Louder, it is working... And faster... Close your eyes..."
"I WANT TO SEE PETRA, I WANT TO SEE PETRA!" I shut my eyes tight. "I WANT TO SEE PETRA! I WANT TO SEE PETRA!" I begin to feel warmth. "I WANT TO SEE PETRA!"
"I will begin, three..."
"I WANT TO SEE PETRA, I WANT TO SEE PETRA!"
"Two.."
"I WANT TO SEE PETRA, I WANT TO SEE PETRA!"
"One..."
"I WANT TO SEE PETRA, I WANT TO SEE PETRA! I WANT-"
I am cut off as I feel an extreme jolt. Wind begins to whip through my bristles. I slowly open my eyes...
Smoke clouds puff from the distance, obscuring the blood red sky. Scattered trees dot the landscape, half of them still have dead dark brown leaves. The other half of the trees look even more so dead, the flowers surrounding them drooping. One thing in common between the trees, however, is their seemingly gray trunk and branches.
The ground these trees manage to sprout from is covered with rock and stone, leaving only small blades of brown grass to spike through the round pebbles.
Everything here looks dead.
"I don't think I'm on Inanimate Island anymore..." I mumble shakily, gripping my sweater tight.
I turn my gaze slightly, being able to see something that looks like a city in the distance.
Bright lights shine through the thick fog. The city's buildings seem short... apart from one.
I squint, seeing a logo on the giant building, seeing a familiar shape...
Meeple.
It's been so many years since anything bore the symbol of the company that had destroyed so much... but this symbol was ingrained into most peoples' minds as a bad symbol... one that showed control, power, and tyranny. One that shows genocide, murder, and incompetence. One that showed... Steve Cobs.
I shake my head, this can't be... Steve Cobs is DEAD... And so is Petra...
But... would this mean I'm dead too?
"Dang it!" I facepalm. "I never should have listened to Henry... Serenity... even Maria..." I grumble. That's when my eyes trail back to the smoke...
The smoke...
Petra...
//POV:
???//
Day... one...
Day... two...
Day... five...
Week... three...
Month... ten...
Year... two...
Year.... Seven..?
Year....... Nine........?
Chalk. Chalk covers it's hands.
It steps way from it's work.
Tallies. A lots of them.
Tallies would count the days it's been here.
Tallies would count the months it's been here.
Tallies would count the years it's been here.
It had stopped after year... 7 was it? It's just guessing it's been here nine... and it could be true. Or not. It doesn't care. It's not like it can go back to... whatever it was that it had before. Plus, it likes it here. It's calm...
It shifts it's jacket as it sits back down at it's campfire. Smoke billows from the roaring flames.
It only seemed like seconds, but the flames started to diminish.
The wind started to get cold.
The wind whipped at the red thing it wore. It forgot what it was, but it kept them warm... and that was good.
It is getting confused again. It wants it to stop thinking so hard. It does not like the headaches that follow remembering.
It then blinks, aware that the fire is low.
It leans forward and conjures electricity from its hands. It doesn't remember why they can do that... but it remembers it was important. And it still is. It keeps it warm.
It sparks the flames back with its abilities. The warmth is soothing to it.
It likes warm.
It must have spaced out... because the next thing it heard was...
//POV:
PAINTBRUSH//
I rush toward the smoke, panting.
Aw f#ck... I should have actually tried in P.E....
I hear a zap... am I getting close? What was that?
Finally, I near the source of the smoke.
Panting, I slowly look up.
A roaring fire blazes atop a pile of sticks. The tops of the flames diminish into smoke which spirals upward into the deep red sky... this is the smoke I was trying to find...
It's... really warm here...
I glance back down, seeing a log across the fire... and on it...
A figure sits. It wore a red track jacket that now was slightly small. It wore red high-top shoes that were now slightly small. They had grown slightly... I thought they stopped growing.
Wait... I thought they stopped? How do I know this person...?
Wait....
Her glass face is cracked on one side, her eyes distant. This isn't how I remember her... wait... I... Remember Her?
Of course I do, I could never forget her. She was nice to me, she loved me, she loved all of us... Me, Maria, Ray...
But she had to leave one day, of course she did.
I feel tears come to my eyes as I look at the person who one always brought so much light and joy into my life. She always brightened the mood... I... I'm so glad I'm seeing her after 9... 9 terrible years...
It was...
Petra.
"P- Petra...?" My voice shakes as I near her. As I get closer, I notice more and more how similar she looked... she was wearing the same clothes... she was still the same lightbulb... but now? She looked off. 9 years must have changed her... even here. Her face was cracked and she looked out of it. "Petra?" I talk more directly this time as I shake her. She slowly blinks.
Her head turns to me. She opens her mouth but no words come out.
"Petra! Remember me? It's me! Grey!" I shake her excitedly. Why wouldn't I be excited to see her after 9 years?!
She doesn't respond.
"H- hello?" I wave a hand in her face. She doesn't react. I snap my fingers in her face and she flinches.
"Oh......" She speaks slowly, her words long and drawn out. "Paint........ brush.......?" Her voice sounds dull and she seems like she... doesn't know how to talk...? Does she even remember me at all?
"I- I AM a paintbrush... but do you remember my name?" I point to myself. I know I just said my name a minute ago, but she seemed to have not heard it.
Petra stare blankly at me for a minute before responding. "Paint.... y...? ...Paint..y...? ...Painty.......?" She sounds out slowly. I mentally facepalm... she has to be joking!
"Come on, Petra!" I laugh nervously. "You're jokes sure are funny-"
"Who is.... Petra.....?" She asks, her voice sounding almost the same as 9 years ago... yet lacking most- if not all- emotion.
"Y- you're Petra, silly!" I exclaim. I can't give up hope... just like she never gave up hope all those years ago.
"No......" She mumbles.
"Then who are you?" I ask, giving into her joke.
"I'm... Lightbulb...."
"Haha! Oh! You're always so funny!" I laugh it off as a joke. She always said the funniest things...
"I'm.... Not joking...." Her dry, serious tone makes me freeze. The fire isn't warm enough to warm the ice in my veins.
"What....?" I ask, my voice shaky.
She doesn't respond...
I glance over to the log she's sitting on, now seeing markings all over the back of it.... Tallies.
"What are these?" I ask her, attempting to steady my voice.
"Those......?" She stands and walks toward me, pointing to the tallies. I nod. "That's for.... how long I've.... been here..."
I count them. "There's.... More than ten of these- how much...."
"Two thousand.... Seven hundred.... And... sixty-three.... That's the amount of days it.... Took me to... stop counting..."
2763 days.... She was counting for over 7 years... and it was 9 since...
So she gave up. She gave up when she was so close... I wonder if that's why she stopped? What if she actually did gave up? Or maybe...
"When did you... get that crack?" I point to her head.
"On the... two thousandth.... Seven hundredth.... And sixty-third... day..." She mumbles. "I fell... after writing that... then it was all.... Dark and I.... Lost track...."
Oh.... OH...
It finally clicks.
This is not the Petra I once knew....
She's long gone... lost her name, my name, most of her memories... lost to this apocalyptic seeming landscape... and there seems to be no recovering for her... But... I'll stay hopeful, like she did 9 years ago to save us... so even if she's long gone, I'll find a way to bring her back. No matter how long it takes... because that's what friends are for, right?
Maybe Maria can help....
I give her a call.... But it cuts straight to voicemail... so I leave one.
"Hey, Maria? I... I think I'm stuck in another universe... I don't know but... I think I see the Meeple symbol, guess what that means?! There could be another person here! EVEN COBS! And I... I found someone and it's Petra but... she doesn't know anything? I'M NOT EVEN SURE THIS IS PETRA?! Just... please help... I got here from that mansion with those people you wanted me to give the envelope to- WAIT! NOOOO! DON'T END THE VOICEMAIL!!" The voicemail cuts out, only getting half of the information I wanted to say... I hit replay on the voicemail.
"UNIVERSE... DON'T KNOW- ______- COBS! ____ PETRA?! ______ HELP _______ MANSION ________ ENVELOPE- NOOO-" The voicemail repeats. This connection here is... really bad. I look over to Petra- or as she calls herself, Lightbulb. She looks at my phone with interest.
"Can.... I..... see..... that.....?" She points to it.
"Uh... sure?" I, reluctantly, hand it to her.
"Ooooooh...." She turns it over in her hands, clicking a few buttons. Her dull, distant eyes now containing a slight shimmer of excitement.
If I'm gonna make her remember.... This is going to be a long day...
{PRESENT DAY}
//POV:
MEPHONE4//
I hate this.
Coming back to the scene of the crime after 9 years.... Sure takes a lot of guts that I don't have.
The car moves epicly slow. Very epic. Way to put the -unctional in functional...
Sh#t. Already I'm being reminded of Cobs... why does everything have to remind me of that creepy corn man?!
That's besides the point, I called out of my work day for THIS?! Driving back to the old Meeple headquarters? Driving to find all the past victims? Driving to find some random people that Maria put trust in? Sounds like a sh#tty reason to call out sick from work.
I decide to break the silence and talk while driving. After all, multitasking is kind of my strong suit. "So, you're telling me that they called you... and left what voicemail?" I ask Maria.
"Uhhhh.... Basically, it said something about a universe, cobs, Petra, a mansion, and an envelope. Ugh... Golly Gee..." Maria explains as we stop at a red light. "I know about the envelope and Mansion. I told them- remember Grey Pinceau?" She asks.
"How could I not? They let that personality flat out of her room and killed me! Luckily for me that Manny downgraded himself to me. Dying would have been a bummer!" I laugh while hitting the gas once more as the light turns green.
"Jeepers! Dr. Charlie Meeple." Maria speaks sternly. "I know you're my teacher, and a doctor. So I expect you to be more serious."
"Sure, sure. Whatever, Tube girl." I make a sharp right turn onto the street with the mansion she wanted me to go to. Finally, we come to a stop infront of the mansion. "Alright woman, let's get this done so I can sleep."
"Gee... You really can't take anything seriously, can you, Doctor Charlie?"
The question catches me off guard. I then take a deep sigh. "Let's just go inside."
After all, I am her teacher... and a doctor! So she should show me more respect...
Maria walks up the front steps and knocks twice. The dark mansion looms over us and I involuntarily shiver. Then, the door opens.
"Oh! Hello, Maria..." A tall, silver spoon smiles.
"Where is Serenity, and what happened to Grey." Maria asks, her voice stern. "Henry. Answer me, you jeebweezer!"
"Well, Serenity is just cleaning up after a ritual! You know, the one you sent her?" The one who im assuming is Henry rolls his eyes. "But, it is my royal duty to inform you that Grey participated... and is now where Petra is. Just like you wanted them to be."
Maria stares blankly forward. After a minute, Henry slams the door in her face, this making her flinch. "O- okay... Golly... I guess we... go to see the past experiments now..."
. . .
Finally, we arrive at the place where Maria told the past victims to meet, a park. The car comes to a stop and we both get out, without saying a word. Extremely awkward if I do say so myself...
"Golly gee... Alright, Doctor. I'm asking you to NOT screw this up." Maria points at me.
"What makes you think I'd do that?" I laugh nervously.
"'Cause you always do." Maria sighs. "Nevermind what I said, let's just get a move on." We only walk forward a few steps when-
"Oh, I am SO glad you actually came, Maria! I was starting to get worried that I brought Peter out here for nothing..." A glass of orange juice laughs. "Oh, and you must be Doctor Charlie Meeple! I'm Otto James Apelsinjuice, but all my friends call me OJ!" He puts his hand out for me to shake it. "I'm not exactly sure if they're making fun of me or not by saying that though..." He mumbles the last part, but I could still hear it.
"How professional! By the way, you can just call me Doctor Charlie... I don't really want to associate myself with that company anymore." I return the handshake.
"Alright, my apologies!" OJ puts his arm around the one next to him. "Come on, Peter. Why don't you introduce yourself?"
"H- h- hi...?" The peice of paper, who I'm assuming is Peter, attempts to avoid eye contact. "Uh... I'm Peter... Peter Bumaga... and you are the..." He looks up at me and his eyes widen. "...Meeple..." He then brings his hands to his head. "Ow..."
"It's okay, it's okay... He isn't bad." OJ pats Peter nervously... wait a minute... how on earth does someone pat someone NERVOUSLY?!
"Well golly, hate to break the touching- quite literally- moment, but where is everyone else who was supposed to be here?" Maria asks... honestly, her being here somehow reminded me of something. She literally just got out of the hospital, why the hell is she walking around?!
"Oh, uh... they all brought somebody so they may have wandered off with the person they brought. So they should be around here somewhere..." OJ rubs his head. "I wonder where they-"
"YO! IDIOTS! I'M RIGHT HERE YOU DUMB#SS! WHAT DID YOU THINK I WAS?! A F#CKING STATUE?!" A tall, golden trophy stomps his foot onto the bench that OJ and Peter are on, making the two jump. "I DIDN'T SIGN UP TO F#CKING HANG WITH THESE LOSERS!"
"Oh, Bradley! Didn't see you there..." OJ laughs nervously, "Uh... D- did Joey come with you...?"
"Of course I did!" A tinier figure runs up to... who I'm assuming is Bradley- probably one of the survivors, Bradley Bikar. "Hey, Brad! Did you tell them my nickname?"
"Shut UP cheesy face... I DON'T WANNA F#CKING HEAR IT!" Bradley screams at the smaller one, probably Joey. Joey laughs... despite the intimidating trophy standing over him.
"Oh, you're always so silly.... True comedy GOLD! Haha! Get it?"
"That sounds more like a ship name than a pun..." Someone remarks, making half of us jump- actually... everyone but Maria. "H- hey! I- I'm glad you're doing better, Maria! Guess what? I was actually free today, and good ol' Ray could come!"
Maria slowly puts a hand to her face before quickly slapping herself.
"Maria?"
"O- oh! Jeepers! Sorry Fan- I mean Ray!" Maria laughs. "S- sorry about that... Golly gee... today it's just been a little..." She fiddles with the buttons on her white button-up shirt. "...buggy out today... if you catch what I mean."
"Oh... sorry about that." Ray bites on the strings of his hoodie before adjusting his glasses. "Uh. Anyway, what did you need? Do we have everyone here who... who needs to be here?"
"Yeah..."
"Hello, everyone." A familiar figure steps forward, a slightly unfamiliar one trailing behind. "I am sorry for our late arrival, miss."
"Oh my electricity! Andy?! I haven't talked to you in so long! How are things? How's that child you said you'd be adopting?" I ask him. I'm so excited to talk to him again.... Last time we really talked, besides saying hello and other small talk, was 8 or so years ago... I'm curious to who this kid is-
"She's right here sir." He steps to the side. "This is Gabby."
I look forward, surprised to not see a kid... but an almost full grown adult filing cabinet. She looks.... Almost dead. She was pale and her face looked like it was stained with tears... what happened?
"What are you looking at?!" She snaps, immediately looking regretful. "Oh! Oh no! I'm sorry.... I just... haven't been feeling myself lately... ever since Isabella..." Her mouth begins to quiver. "Andy! I want to go home..."
"Gabby, I am assuming the only reason you have a desire to return at this very moment is to resume your consumption of that bottle." Andy looks to Gabby, his usually emotionless expression showing the slightest hints of sadness and concern. "I am sorry to inform you once again that, no matter how many bottles you may consume, Miss Isabella Taco has moved on."
"Y- YOU'RE JUST SAYING THAT! AND PLUS, I HAVE NEVER MOVED ON! AND I'M SURE SHE'S STILL ALIVE!" Gabby begins to shake as tears fall from her eyes. "I didn't expect to lose her like that..." She opens one of her drawers and takes out a bottle and... begins to drink from it...
"That's a f#cking nasty habit, you know." Bradley explains. I'm suprised he isn't yelling... but why does it sound like he... I turn to look at him.
"Yeah." I roll my eyes. "Says the one who's smoking a cigarette."
"Well- how would you f#cking know if this was happening daily or yearly?!" His temper begins to rise.
"Jeepers! Guys, please calm down!" Maria interrupts. "You forgot the main reason why I brought you all here!"
"So... what... what was it again?" Peter rubs his head... Do we objects even have heads? Eh, whatever. "I... I think I sort of zoned out or something when you were saying it the first time... heheh.." He forces a nervous laugh.
"Alright, the reason I brought you all here was to answer some questions for me!" Maria exclaims. "Now, the reason is... my good friend, Grey, went missing... and I think I know why. However, I need to know- GOLLY GEE!" She slaps herself. "I- uh... sorry about that! Anyway... oh yeah! I was saying I need to know what exactly you, the previous victims, think... cobs would do if he found someone somewhere they were not supposed to be. You all were with him for a long time, so I was hoping you can fill me in. Golly gee, I really want to be as prepared as I can!"
"Well, if you're asking me..." I fight down the urge to curse at cobs. "I would say he would send a team of newer MePhones to chase after them. Which DEFINITELY never happened to me! Not one bit!" I laugh it off.
"Hmm... I would assume the same." Andy furrows his eyebrows. "However, I do not remember very much about him... even though me and Doctor Charlie have both deleted and recovered both of our memories, I am afraid mine are still vague."
"Hey, it's okay!" Maria smiles. "Honestly, I thought he'd do the same thing you said. I mean, it is what he did to me after all..."
"Yeah, I- I'd agree with them!" Ray exclaims, everyone turns to look. He gulps. "I-I-I-I said I agree! Why are you all... l-l-looking at me like that?"
"It's... nothing. Just, gee... I really expected you to... say something about how cobs tried to mind control you..." Maria folds her arms.. but then her eyes widen. "Wait... when Petra saved us... she knocked the device off you and got rid of cobs and powered off the MePhones..." Maria gasps. "GOLLY GEE! SHE NEVER GOT RID OF THAT CONTROL, DID SHE?!"
All eyes turn from Maria to Ray. He laughs nervously. "I- I- I don't know what you're talking about!"
"YES YOU DO! YOU HAVENT BEEN ACTING THE SAME SINCE THAT DAY! Sure... none of us have... BUT YOU'VE BEEN ESPECIALLY DIFFERENT! YOU'RE... you're even taking after the same interests Cobs had..." Maria gasps. "Wait..."
"I- I have to go, sorry!" Ray mumbles, walking backward.
"You aren't going ANYWHERE, YOU LITTLE SH#T!" Bradley yells, pulling Ray's hoodie strings. Ray whimpers.
"I- I really have to go, guys... I have plans..." Ray looks down.
"But Ray... you told me on the phone you had plans... but then came here and said you had none..." Maria steps forward.
"I- I'm serious... I'm not mind controlled by cobs or working for him or anything!" Ray waves his hands, trying to get them to stop questioning him.
Wait.
"Hold on..." I step towards him. "We never said anything about you WORKING with him..."
"I- well, I just assumed!" Ray tries to pull away from Bradley's grasp on his hoodie strings. "You know, to get us moving along... productivity..."
"Ray, come on. Golly, You've never said anything like that, you always wanted to stay in the present..." Maria walks towards him. "Come on, let's continue and not make a big scene in this public area-"
"Since when was I like that?" Ray asks. "I've... always liked change! Like a quote from someone I know said, Productivity, Change is good. Remember guys? That's how I always was!"
"Doctor Charlie..." Maria shakily whispers. "This isn't Ray... we lost him... 9 years ago..."
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New people introduced this chapter:
OJ • Otto James "OJ" Apelsinjuice
Cheesy • Joey Keso
Taco • Isabella Taco
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4436 words
November 8, 2022