Crunch!

My hands react before my brain can and I plunge the pitchfork into Saw's leg.

A mist of blood slaps me in the face, and their cries grow louder. But I don't panic.

What to do? Who to get? My eyes flicker between the two, a scowl growing as I pull the pitchfork out.

More blood. Gaty, who is now losing her cool, stumbles to Saw's side, frantically trying to get her back up. She's at the entrance, right by the hands that welcomed them into the garden, but the wheezing from the corpses behind them served as a reminder of their entrapment.

I step forward, smiling, as I clutch the bloodied pitchfork in my hold.

"Well," I speak. "What do you think? It's a nice clearing for a garden..."

Shivering, Gaty's eyes narrow. Her words hiss through her clenched teeth. "..You..."

"Yeah. I know it's me. It's unbelievable."

"You're doing this- YOU'RE STARTING THIS ALL OVER AGAIN?!"

"I dunno. Maybe you should look behind you and answer that for yourself."

No one speaks. I see Gaty writhing with rage, drawing in a giggle from Scarlet.

'Well, someone's mad..~'

Looks like she's ready to pounce.

'Aw, but how could she do so? Her pathetic little girlfriend can barely keep herself standing...'

When her giggling dies down, Saw chokes out words I cannot understand. Her lips moved in a panic, desperately clinging onto Gaty's sides as the two tried to regain their composure.

I raise my head, and my smile serves as a reminder; they cannot avoid what is to come. The few remaining eyes in the garden are presented with new victims, fearfully clinging onto one another, mere feet away from a possible escape.

Yet, their chance of freedom is separated by us.

By me.

How tragic. But those four needed to get used to it.

I did.

'Right you are, my dear. Now. Let's spin the wheel to see who goes first!~'

...We don't have a wheel.

'...Question me again, and everyone you love will end up beneath us.'

I flinch. Tough crowd today. Someone really didn't like the idea of another garden blooming to life. I'd say something, but her anger served as a reminder for me to get back to work. So I clench my pitchfork, and my gaze returns to the couple.

I make sure to steer clear of the flowers around us. The distance between us dwindles, and I find myself standing above them. None of us speak. Our eyes freeze, waiting. Our breaths held.

It wasn't until Saw lunged forward that my fists slam into the center of her chest. Her sense of balance perished and she tumbled straight into a thorned bush of roses. The thorns, now fully grown, pierce through the girl's skin, and blood pours like the red sea, splattering into bloodied roses on the ground.

Thank goodness we're far from the city. Nobody can hear her scream.

Behind me, I hear Gaty screaming. I'm shocked to see how she hasn't fled, but I shake my head, realizing it wasn't out of any malice, or any stupor.

It was love that kept her here.

And her lover was right underneath my palms, her blood draining into the thorns below.

"STOP!" Gaty screamed, hesitantly approaching me. I tilted the pitchfork to her gaze, forcing her to freeze, almost like I had casted a magic spell.

"G..Gaty..." Saw whimpers. "Please- G...GO-"

"I'm not LEAVING YOU HERE, SAW!"

"She's right, you know," I intervened. "Neither of you are leaving... unless you can help me with a little something."

Aghast, they both stare back at me, watching as I pull away from Saw's entanglement. My eyes stay watchful, even while I step away, grabbing the spare supplies that lay hidden in the shed.

Scarlet told me the collection of items that Pin kept in here. I find myself questioning it at times- at least, I used to. Because now, I can only be thankful that she kept a notebook, keeping the status of her garden in the form of an organized list. When I see the shovel in the corner, I don't hesitate to grab it, yanking it from the darkness that consumed its presence.

With the supplies now in my grasp, I sigh, noticing Gaty's pathetic attempts to get Saw free from the bush.

They both hear my footsteps. Unable to decide on what they should do, I smile. "Leaving so soon..?" My voice, so different from what I had remembered.

My trowel stays in one hand, and as I grab my pitchfork, it slips free from my hands, whizzing through the air and a sickening crunch signifies an impact. There's no way I can hold myself back from laughing, watching as blood trickled from the corner of Gaty's mouth.

That's when I see her, being pinned to the ground, with the blades of the pitchfork rooting her motionless.

"STOP!" Saw begged. "LEAVE HER ALONE! PLEASE!!"

I look up. "Oh, I'll stop. When you start writing."

"Wh-.. what?!"

"Come on. I can't write your goodbye now, can I?" I wave the pencil towards her, holding out the notebook with a bloodstained hand. "You're gonna have to write your way out of this one if you want her to live."

Sure enough, she stares back at me, the color draining alongside her blood. "Don't make me do this, please..!-"

"WRITE!" I yell through gritted teeth. "Or else your girlfriend gets it."

I spot Gaty in the corner of my eye, writhing on the ground in pain. Even as my hand dropped onto Saw's shoulder, she continued to scream for her. "SAW- DON'T DO IT-"

"O-OKAY, OKAY!" Saw's desperation mutes her girlfriend's pleas. As I give her the pencil, I can feel Scarlet looming over us, and soon, her tongue becomes mine- for the words I say next, are none of my own.

'To those who come across this letter..." I hear, watching Saw's hand quivering with every letter she etches.

'Gaty and I can't express how sorry we are. How sorry I am. For I was too full of myself, and the hope I had blinded me from seeing the damage I inflicted upon all of you."

'Especially those of you who died, because of a garden."

'I tried to help, I really did. But after the fight today, I think it'd be best for everyone if I distance myself from the mistakes I have created."

'...So, we have decided that it'd be best for the both of us to leave."

This last sentence has left Saw fighting against the sobs that clawed at her throat. I feel my hand tapping against the thorns in thought, and I keep my eyes on Gaty, who now sobbed underneath her labored breaths.

"Let's keep going," I say.

'The mistakes that I have made did more damage than I could ever try and fix. While I never meant to hurt anyone, it pains me to realize that the best course of action is for Gaty and I to leave the city, and find our own place elsewhere."

'Believe me. Gaty agreed to this as well- Nearly getting stabbed was enough to ensure her decision on the matter."

Gaty's breaths shatter into sobs at this sentence and I continue.

'We've made so many friends here, and it genuinely hurts me to say goodbye. I struggled to find a way to tell this to everyone in person, but, ultimately, I figured that the best way to do so was through a letter."

'Nobody wants to see me after opening old wounds, anyways."

'Nothing will be coming with us. At the time of writing this, anything you find is yours to keep- for we don't want any bitter reminders of this city to follow us anywhere."

'All we want is a fresh start. A real place to call home."

'And we can't express how sorry we are for everything."

'I hope you all are able to find solace one day."

'-Saw and Gaty"

She finishes her writing just in time, for her wrist gives in, the pencil slipping free from her grip. I ignore the tears that pour down her face, ripping the notebook from her hands and tucking it underneath a blooming group of buttercups.

"Thank you," I smile. "You saved me a lot of trouble there."

Scarlet told me about the time Pin had written a letter. No way was I going to make the same mistake.

Once I put the note aside, I grab Saw's shoulders and shove her deeper into the bush. The thorns now dig deeper into the layers of her flesh, and she wails.

I had endured her little sobfest ever since she set foot in the garden. But now? It was too loud....

Far too loud.

Gripping the trowel, I stomped towards her, forcing her to the ground. Her mouth opened for a scream, until I grabbed her tongue, and swung my trowel straight through it.

The smell of iron sinks in, and blood now coats me once more. I grunt at the realization of having to clean myself up at the river once more, for it'll only make me get back to the clubhouse later.

Thankfully, no screams come from Saw anymore. Besides the sounds of her fading underneath the sea of her own blood, she struggles to breathe, mouthing words I couldn't make out.

In the silence she leaves behind, I capture the weakened cries from Gaty, reminding me of the promise that I had yet to fulfill. I forced Saw's head up, ensuring that she could see my following movements. I grab what I need. Then I go to Gaty.

Pieces of flesh hit the surface of my face as I ripped the pitchfork free from Gaty's chest. She wheezes, shakily trying to get back to her feet, until I force the shovel into her hold.

"W-..What are you.. doing..?!" asked Gaty, her voice drowning in her own hysteria. "I-I-"

"Do you really want to get yourselves out of this mess?" I ask, and she nods. "Well then. All you have to do is cut Saw's hands off." I wait for the realization to hit her. "...Once those hands are free, break as much as you can."

"Break..?" she whispers.

"Uh-huh. Crush every bone in her body. Come on, I'm going to need one of you as a piece to my garden- I can't just let you both run off. But I'm willing to let you escape. At least... one of you."

I can tell, just from my words, that Gaty is considering getting Saw out of there. Not caring about her missing tongue. Or her punctured body. Because in that moment, the shovel slips free from her grasp.

That's when I step forward. "Is this really the choice you want to make...?" I ask. She scowls, for a split second, until my presence forces it into a frown.

"..I.. I can't leave her.. Behind.."

"She's bleeding to death, Gaty..."

"I CAN'T DO THAT TO HER!"

"Then you both go. By my hands."

"No, I... S-Saw..."

"Are you sure you want to die here..?"

When I'm met with silence, I look down. I can see the way she clenches the shovel, a gesture serving as a confirmation as I step aside.

"Go on," I chuckle. "Break every bone- and I'll let you go."

Stuttering, Gaty whispers my name. But I don't respond. It's not much, yet I can tell that her mind is set, just from the way she approached the bush.

Saw's wheezing grows in its pace once her lover draws near. Her eyes flutter, seeing Gaty carefully reach for her direction. It's a familiar glimmer that returns to Saw's pupils- a shine of hope- until Gaty manages to grab the blood coated trowel.

The gate wastes no time. She brings the trowel down hard against Saw's wrist. Gushing flesh squishes all around us, but when I see the exposed veins within Saw's wrist, I know she's done for. Despite her pain, I can see the panic that spikes in her, as a gargled wail breaks from the surface of her bloodied throat. The rapid rise and fall of her chest was a sight I captured in the others within the garden, and Gaty continued to wail, slicing through her girlfriend's wrist.

I let her handle the bone. Since the trowel was still in need of sharpening, I smirked as Gaty did everything she could to make the process as painless as possible. It didn't take long for her to grow desperate, glancing at the shovel, and grabbing it from its place on the ground.

Two sickening chops later, and Saw's hands were now mine.

All ours.

Heaving, Gaty drops the shovel from her gritted teeth, and she loses her dinner, as well as the strawberry shortcake that Saw had baked for her earlier. She collapses, retching violently until nothing is left in her stomach.

Humming, I kneel down beside her, patting her back with sympathy. "I promise. I'll let her go," I whisper. "There's just one last step you need to finish.."

"I-I can't.." Gaty croaked, wincing at the burning pain in her throat.

"Come on. It can't be that hard to break your girlfriend's bones. You already cut off her hands."

Although I knew what this moment felt like, I can't help but think about the words that race in Gaty's mind. I feel her moving from my side, almost somberly, as she stared down at Saw, tears now trailing down her aching face.

I tilt my head, observing her movements. Here she was. A wailing, shivering mess. I always thought it would be the other way around, but Saw's gargled screams served as a message to Gaty, begging her to do it.

First, her expression remained neutral. Then, a smile, as she reached over, waves of grief coursing through her wooden body.

"..I'm.. I'm going to get you out of here, I promise," she whispered, placing a kiss on Saw's cheek. "No matter where I go- or where I end up. Whether I'm in the stars, or in the flowers... I.. I will always find my way back to you..."

Judging from her words, Gaty couldn't afford to wait any longer. Seems like Saw knew it too, but as the wooden gate reached down to grab the shovel, her head shook from side to side, her eyes bulging from their sockets.

I can tell her mind changed. And when Gaty raised the shovel, my eyes came to a gradual close with an unraveling smile.

CRUNCH.

"I'M SORRY!" Gaty's muffled words make me giggle.

CRACK.

"I'M SO SORRY!"

WHAM.

"SAW!"

BANG.

"SAAW!"

Every crack and crunch sounded like a symphony to me. She continued to sob, apologies wafting through the bloodied atmosphere as she swung the shovel into Saw's side. Blood sprayed from her mouth, and the hesitancy died down. I lost count of how many hits it took for her to crumble to the ground.

I noticed Saw's body. Bruises swell and fill with the blood from bursting veins. Broken bones make their presence from the darkening bruises that looked as if they were going to burst, and, after another impact of the spade, it breaks the skin, letting the bone shine from its bleeding surface.

Every swing brings more force. Clenching her teeth, Gaty flinched at the heaving sounds of her dying girlfriend, her blood spitting all over the sides of her face.

I could tell that some managed to get in her mouth. Because she starts gagging as well, and it only makes her beat the poor thing with more force. 

When a sickening crunch fills my ears, I smile- for the shovel now plunged straight through Saw's chest, followed by a scream that Gaty couldn't recognize.

Her own.

'Looks like somebody's gonna have a story to tell when she returns home..~'

"GOLF BALL!"

The sound of Rocky's scream forced the scientist to step out of the experimentation room. Shivering, she approached Rocky's room, where she carefully peeked inside.

Rocky's slumbering expression served as a reassurance. Sighing in relief, she quietly closed the door behind her, soon making the walk back.

When she stepped into the experimentation room once again, Tennis Ball looked towards her.

"How's she holding up?" he asked.

"Better..." she lied, her eyes shifting to the roof. "The peak of- that illness she has, seems to have passed."

The larger sports ball sighed in relief. "Thank goodness.. I'm still not sure what she could have caught- I'm still trying to look into it."

"And did you find anything?"

"No... I'm still looking. Thankfully, it doesn't seem contagious; she's really helping out with Rocky. I think it's keeping her mind off of Grassy's little vacation.."

"And off of Robot Flower, too," Golf Ball replied with a sigh.

As the day came to a close, Tennis Ball helped Golf Ball organize her things, wanting to get a fresh start for the both of them.

Now that things were slowing down in the city, he wanted to ensure the comfort of his dearest lab partner. So much had taken place, and despite their efforts to move on, life in the city had its ways of roping them into the chaos- leaving them running in and out without a passing glance.

Somehow, the attempts of helping from the TLC-er's have worked. The community garden, from what Tennis Ball heard, is now a go-to spot for a majority of the city. Days went by, and the routines he had familiarized himself with in the past, faded back into the present day, reminding him that the nightmare was now over.

A new chapter had begun. And for Tennis Ball, he refused to start it off on the wrong note.

So when he heard Robot Flowers' name, he couldn't stop himself from raising an eyebrow, turning towards his partner with a puzzled look.

"I thought you liked to make fun of her for it?" he asked, resulting in a sigh from the smaller sports ball.

"...Love has the power to change you, TB," she uttered, her head tilting to face the floor. "And the loss that Basketball experienced is something I'm no stranger to."

He knew the topic went beyond his cousin. Just from the way the smaller sports ball acted around him, he made out the pieces, knowing that their relationship was something that wouldn't let her mind rest.

"Golf Ball..." Her name left his mouth in a soft hush. Carefully, he tried to approach her, only to see the way she stepped aside, her glasses capturing the reflection of the lights above them. She utters something unintelligible, and when Tennis Ball's confusion struck through her gaze, she spoke more clearly.

"I'm scared to let myself love you again."

His head tilted to its side. "Why's that?" he asked.

"The last time I did-... well... we ran out of time. I've let everybody down, TB." She spoke through a warbling tone. "What happened is something that will haunt me for the rest of my life. And if I find myself letting you all down again, I..."

She had to stop. Tears threatened to crawl down the corner of her eyes, and she already regretted opening up this much.

There'd be no way in hell she would cry.

But Tennis Ball caught this, and with a reassuring nudge, he spoke. "You won't."

"Hah. And how do you know that?" The smaller scientist chuckled.

"Golf Ball, I will wait until the end of time if that's what it takes. I don't care." Tennis Ball paused, the corners of his mouth lifting into a somber smile. "I'll wait, even beyond this lifetime, if that's what it takes for you to let me love you again."

For a moment, he watched as Golf Ball turned to look at him, her eyes now awake at the world from her partner.

It was when that familiar gloss blanketed over them, when he realized his mistake.

"Oh no- did I.." he mumbled to himself, carefully 'hugging' the smaller sports ball. "Hey... it's okay..."

"It's not." Golf Ball murmured through her own shudders.

"Golfie- you're allowed to cry. I've told you this before, remember...?"

"....That's the thing." The poor scientist sniveled, unable to hold back the sorrow in her voice. "I can't."

"You can't..? GB, what are you-"

"..I've been lying to you. About everything- about that medicine- I refused to make it anyone else's focus but my own, because it's my job to make up for the opportunities that I've lost!"

When the words found their way to his 'ears,' the larger sports ball shook his head, as if he were trying to shake his mind free from any remaining thoughts, in order to understand what his partner was telling him. "Wait- medicine?! Golfball, what do you-"

"That zelatonin hasn't been tested on anyone... besides myself.'' The truth spews out before Golf Ball can stop it. She could barely muster up the strength to speak- let alone, even look at Tennis Ball, who's disbelief quickly boiled into something unfamiliar.

Rage.

"Golf Ball, what were you THINKING?!" His voice exploded, sending a shiver down Golf Ball's spine.

"I was thinking of the city, Tennis Ball. I'm in charge now. Basketball shouldn't be the only one to-"

Her eyes twitch when his voice overpowers her. "Are you insane?! You, of all people, know the rules of experimentation- what you did is DANGEROUS!"

"Nothing's happened," she mumbled beneath her breath.

"YOU'VE BEEN DOING THIS ALONE," he yelled.

"And?"

"Oh my place where tennis balls are created..."

Blinking, Golf Ball watched as Tennis Ball paced back and forth, something he rarely ever did unless he was stressed.

It didn't click in her mind. She knew what the experimentation life was like. She was a scientist for Putt's sake- and there was no way she'd waste time trying to find any kind of 'test subject' for something that was of her own creation.

She didn't see it as a sign of protecting the others. No. Golf Ball knew that by taking this risk, she'd reach a new barrier of success. One that she had failed to reach before.

Ugh.

She stomped her foot, glaring up through her shining glasses. "Look, it's not that big of a deal-"

"IT IS TO ME!" Tennis Ball shouted, forcing her to shrink from the tone. "Testing out a medication that you've invented is BEYOND dangerous, Golf Ball, especially when you're doing it alone! Why didn't you get me to help?! Or Basketball?! SOMEBODY!"

"I..." She had the answer. She lived by it- she swore she just lived by it.

Then why couldn't she remember..?!

While Golf Ball continued to think, she swore she heard the faint sounds of Rocky's screaming. It drained her of the color from her face, and her lips tightened, silently reassuring herself that it wasn't real.

All the while, Tennis Ball didn't stop pacing. He felt bad enough for snapping at his partner, but what she did was something far too dangerous. Even worse- she was doing it behind his back.

But that's when the realization hits him. Turning, he finds the silent terror that painted over Golf Ball's face, and his fears were on the brink of confirmation.

"Wait. Golf Ball-" he spoke. "Didn't you give bottles out to everybody?"

In that moment, she wished she had the ability to vanish into thin air. She nodded, whispering, "I did."

"These effects- have you observed them over a long-term period?! Or a short term?!"

Rather than a response, Tennis Ball is met with silence.

And the realization of their fatal mistake sinks in.

"...Oh no."

If it weren't for the Yoylelite, Saw would've died long before the final blow.

Gaty dug the shovel all the way through her chest. Her limbs crack with every move she makes, and she now drowns in her own blood, as well as her own pain.

Faint moans and sobs echo from the two. And when Gaty stumbles away from the rose bush, I smile, making my calm approach to the scene.

"I never imagined you'd have the actual strength to do it," I congratulated her, tugging at the shovel in Saw's chest.

"S...Saw.."

I don't turn, but I can hear her sobs. Her snivels. Her weeps of both grief and regret as the weight of what she's done crashes through her.

"Saw I'm so sorry..." She sobbed out. "I.. I shouldn't.. oh my fence..."

It's a pain I am all too familiar with. Forcing the shovel free from Saw, I take a quick look, wincing at the damage that was left behind.

"Jeez... every bone of hers is swollen," I whisper. "And you managed to send her heart straight to the ground!"

Another weep, and I sigh.

There wasn't much from Scarlet today. For I had gained my control. The decisions we had once planned together were now in the palm of my hands, and as I gaze down upon the injured Gaty, I realize that there is nothing left to stop me.

Not anymore.

I let my eyes inspect the damage left from my pitchfork. Unlike Grassy, her object form was a lot bigger, and the punctured woulds gave me a clear view of her own innards. I smirk, my heart fluttering at the way her veins pumped, rapidly flowing endless blood through her panicking body.

It wasn't any neat, either. Her body twitched and writhed, struggling to breathe without the pain searing through her wounds. Staggered breaths, and shuddering cries, I can only watch as her despair brings a handful of memories back into my mind.

I never liked looking back. But now, when I do, I find that it fuels my anger. And I clench the pitchfork, wincing at the splintered wood that nearly digs into my palms. 

She only has enough time to turn towards my direction, until I swing the spade against her skull, sending her right to unconsciousness. The blood from her wounds continue to pour like an endless waterfall, painting over the shiny, green hues of the plant stems underneath her.

Usually, I'd find this frustrating. But at least the garden is getting something to drink.

I had gotten caught up between this and my old life to try and catch the little things.

I move Gaty's slumbering body, grabbing her by the ankle and hoisting her into the air. I spend some time searching, wanting to find the perfect spot to dig. I debate on stabbing her through the skull, just to get it over with, but a stray beam of moonlight shimmers down on an empty part of the garden.

That's when I found my digging spot.

Ignoring the choking wheezes from Balloony, I step around Snowball's body, plunging the tip of the shovel into the ground. I dig, and the night goes on, not hesitating to fall into the pained noises that erupted from the planted souls. I make sure the crater I unearth is deep enough, and once it's set, I grab a handful of angel's trumpets, shoving them down Gaty's throat.

It's enough to wake her up. And I smirk, watching as her eyes fluttered open to the sight of darkness, with crumbs of dirt raining all around her. Panic buzzes through her system, as her legs kick in a frenzy to try and get herself up.

But I bury her alive. And her legs stay sticking up, as I place a few boulders over her body, ensuring her permanence in my garden.

Their final (conscious) breaths perish into the atmosphere. I stare, taking in the sight of the garden once more. Balloony continued to sway ever so gently, and his eyes stayed on Saw, who's mangled body stayed permanently in the thorny bushes.

Gaty, on the other hand, continued to kick at the air, her movements gradually slowing down. Perhaps it was the blood loss that got to her first. Or the mouthful of dirt.

It was really hard to tell nowadays, all thanks to the yoylelite.

This last altercation has given me the chance to get a better glimpse at the stone. The two halves remained in the center, roots now grounding them to their fateful spot. One had more than the other, for I had carried the other half wherever I went.

And tonight, my hand grabbed the stone, shoving it into the satchel I had left behind. My feet lead me down the familiar path, the one that led to the city.

Not knowing what awaited me back in the clubhouse.

Moonlight washed upon Basketball's face as she opened the doors to the lab.

Awoken by the endless knocking, she was surprised that Golf Ball hadn't answered the door. There was no way she'd let Rocky open it at this hour, so she dragged herself from her bed, checking to see who was on the other side.

She didn't want to admit the surprise she felt when Blocky's face came into view. "Blocky..? What are you-"

He lifted his hand in front of her, effectively stopping her words. "Don't ask. I lost my zelatonin- figured I'd come by to get some more."

"...At four in the morning?" she asked.

"What did I just say."

"Sorry, sorry. Here- you can come down, I'm sure GB's got a bottle around here. I just took my dose, but I've got enough to share."

A few steps later, the two found themselves in the main room of the lab. Blocky leaned against the wall with crossed arms, watching as Basketball tiredly looked through the lining cabinets on the wall.

"You'd think, with it being her own invention," the sports ball mumbled. "It'd be so much easier to find."

"Eh. Doesn't surprise me in the slightest," Blocky stated.

"Really?"

"Believe me. I've got years of knowing her under my belt- it sounds like something she would do."

Chuckling, Basketball gave him a glance, continuing to look through a small closet. "..I can only imagine," she responded.

What comes next, though, is enough to make her freeze. "I'm sorry about everything. Y'know- what I said earlier, and all..."

"...You're sorry?" she whispered.

"Don't make me repeat myself. Listen. I know a lot of things are piling up on you- and losing Grassy didn't make it any easier for the both of us." The mention of his name made the scientist wince. "..But I shouldn't have belittled your loss like that."

Shutting the doors to the closet, Basketball found herself turning to face him. She expected to tune out, waiting for that numbness to catch onto her once more. But it doesn't.

"..I'm only trying my best, here," she spoke. "When- she was around, things felt more organized than I could ever realize."

He frowned. "I see.."

"..Yet, after everything.. I have to try and focus on what I can do now. Whether it's building, or searching. Helping... or even resting." She gestured towards the red boils on her body. "All I can try and do is move forward."

"Do you think we can keep going?" he asked, much to her surprise. Seconds pass, and she gave him a weak smile, placing the box back onto the ground.

"It wouldn't hurt to try."

Reconciliation. She wasn't sure if it was with him, or with the emotions she had finally come to release- whatever it was, her shoulders loosened up as an unspoken weight was lifted from her back. In exchange was a smile so similar, that the sports ball swore she could feel the tensions easing between them.

"Anyways... Do you have any left?"

Well. So much for those few seconds of peace.

Blinking, Basketball sifted through the box, coming across the familiar purple bottle of Golf Ball's creation.

"HELP ME!"

When the scream burst in Basketball's 'ears,' her blood stiffened in fear. She stood still, watching, almost waiting, for it to happen again.

And it does. "MAMA! HELP ME!! MAMA!!!"

"GRASSY?!" The bottle slipped from Basketball's hold, her rational vanishing, as she sprinted across the room, ripping through the night to find the voice.

The voice that belonged to Grassy.

"GRASSY?!" she cried out into the sky. "WHERE ARE YOU!?"

Despite the clearing of the environment surrounding her, Basketball no longer catches the haunting screams of her son. Her heart raced, and for a second, a searing pain splits through her skull, as a headache settled into her system.

There was no way that it was real. Nothing could replicate an object's voice in such a way- especially with that kind of terror. So how did she...

...

When the purple bottle flashes in her mind, Blocky zips towards her direction, finding her in a dazed stupor. "Basketball?!"

"I-..oh my court, I'm so sorry..." she wheezed.

"What the hell was that- you just- did you hear something outside?!"

"No, i-it's nothing," Basketball stuttered, unable to comfort herself with her words.

Now, Blocky hesitated on trying to comfort the sportsball. His hand twitched, slowly reaching to rest on the sides of her 'shoulder,' until a familiar scream pierced through his skull. This time, only he could hear it.

"BLOCKY!"

"Snowball...?" His cubed heart sinks to the soles of his feet. Basketball noted the way his demeanor shifted, immediately sensing what he was experiencing.

"Blocky," she warned. "What are you-"

"GET ME OUT OF HERE BLOCKY!"

It was Blocky's turn to run. As the color drained from his face, he started to stumble down the street, his head snapping left and right to try and find Snowball. He screamed, yelling to try and get a clue as to where he was.

But nobody responded.

Quickly, Basketball caught up to his pace, yanking him back. "NO BLOCKY!" she shouted. "IT'S NOT SNOWBALL!"

"BUT HE'S RIGHT THERE! HE NEEDS ME! SNOWBALL!!"

"DAAD!!"

Grassy.

Grassy's voice instantly brought tears to his eyes. And despite Basketball's efforts, the screams return to her, too.

She forced Blocky's head to face hers. "THE ZELATONIN!" she shouted over the screams. "IT'S THE ZELATONIN!"

"HOW?!" Blocky wept.

"I-IT- OH PUMP, IT HAS TO-"

"MAMA! PAPA!"

"BLOCKY!"

"HELP!!"

The screams of voices old and new shatter the peace of the slumbering city.

From those who lost someone...

"BALLOONY, WHERE ARE YOU?!"

More recently..

"BARF BAG!?"

To the first...

"TREE?! TREE, I'LL SAVE YOU!"

And from the memories..

"PEN! I CAN'T LEAVE HIM BEHIND!"

Of the fire.

"LOLLIPOP!"

With the zelatonin integrated into everybody's system, that six percent had finally caught up to them. From hearing the frightened voices of their loved ones, to being trapped in nightmares that puppetered their slumbering bodies, the night spiraled into something utterly horrifying.

"OK FIREY! GIVE ME YOUR HAND!" the voice sneered, causing Firey to sprint down the hallway that stretched farther and farther away from him. "GIVE ME YOUR HAND!"

"NO!" he wailed. "LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"I GOT YOU!"

"PLEASE! NO, I-I CAN'T! I CAN'T GO BACK!"

"DO IT."

He noticed her trembling.

"DO IT NOW!"

Weapon- he needed a WEAPON-

"NOW!"

"NOOOOOO!"

Due to the zelatonin, he felt the world plunging from the very top of the Yoyle Needy, sending him into a frenzied panic. But beyond his night terror, he pressed the knife against Leafy's chest, mere seconds away from stabbing right through it.

Shouting, Leafy regained her strength from her slumber, forcefully shoving her lover off. This didn't stop him, as his terrorized gaze was fixed onto her, immediately aiming his knife in her direction. She had to scream his name, once, twice, until his pupils dilated, and the knife slipped out of his trembling hands.

Her screams combine with those nearby.

"FIREY! NO! PUT THE KNIFE DOWN!"

"NO! GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME! I CAN'T- BREATHE! HELP! HELP!!"

"I'M SORRY! DON'T CUT BOMBY'S HANDS OFF! PLEASE!"

"MY EYE! SHE STABBED MY EYE! HELP ME!"

"NO NO NO- NOT THE FIRE! PLEASE! NOT THE FIRE! PENCIL!!!"

"BUBBLE, HELP ME!"

Fanny's screams petrified Bubble- for they weren't out of malice or anger. But instead, out of pure fear.

"BUBBLE!!"

"FANNY?!" she stumbled, becoming the frantic fool whose ears have been deceived. "FANNY! FANNY, WHERE ARE YOU?!"

"HELP!!"

She's trapped in the web of panic and unreachable by any means. Leaping from her bed, Bubble ignored the exhaustion that tugged at her mind, as she sprinted through the melting hallways of the clubhouse. She screamed out for Fanny, worriedly trying to locate her in the ever growing void.

"OI'M HERE FANNY!" she shouted. "OI-"

"HELP ME!!"

No- was that- Pencil...?

"BUBBLE!!"

Match..

"SAVE US!"

Ruby..

"GET US OUT OF HERE!!"

Ice Cube..!

One by one, the voices of her alliance members constricted around her. She had to turn back. They were behind her-

"PENCIL?! FANNY!? GUYS?!"

"BUBBLE! SAVE US!"

Now they were next to her.

"GUYS!"

Her hand clasped onto something. She had to defend them. Protect them.

"FANNY, WHERE ARE YOU?!"

She ran.

"SHE GOT ME!"

"FANNY!"

And ran.

"BUBBLE!"

Finally, the angered tone made its way into Bubble's 'ears.' Her eyes blink, and her room fades back into her line of sight, with Fanny's eyes staring back at her angrily.

Wait-

Angrily...?

"F-Foinny...?"

Bubble found her girlfriend standing defensively, her plug tail curled in between her legs. Her head, despite her neck being bandaged, was tilted upwards, refusing to let herself back away from the situation.

She can see just how terrified Fanny was- despite her stern expression, her body quivered underneath the breaths she took. And that's when Bubble notices the knife in her hands, its tip aimed directly at the center of her girlfriend's face.

Horrified, the metallic object stepped back, her hands lowering from their defensive pose.

When the knife cleared from her vision, Fanny's trembling ceased. Her creased eyebrows stayed fixed, and her eyes narrowed, as she mentally sorted through the things she could possibly tell her.

There had to be something. Bubble aimed a knife at her; she was moments away from stabbing her.

Fanny HATED stabbing. She HATED death, she hated this feeling of fear.

If this was the case, why couldn't she say anything?!

Once the moment passes, Bubble tossed the knife aside. She retreated into the corner of the room, her breaths quickening as the claws of regret strangled her windpipes.

This would have gone on for longer, and Fanny stood moments away to approach her, but Bracelety's screaming forced them both to look.

"NO! NOOO!"

"BRACELETY! WAKE UP!"

"ICY! MY ICY!!"

"Bracelety..!!" Fanny whispered, scrambling out of the room.

Leaving Bubble alone.

Alone.

Here came the rapid thumping of her heart.

Shivering like a leaf, the metallic soap bubble hauled herself up from the ground. She stood in silence, letting her mind dissipate into the static-like atmosphere.

And that's when Ruby's scream made her jump.

"RUBY, STOP!" Flower pleaded at the top of her lungs, trying to hold the gemstone down. "YOU'RE NOT AWAKE!"

Any words of comfort fall on deafened ears. Ruby, now trapped in a night terror, thrashed at the center of the bed that she shared, sheets flying off of the mattress.

Flower jumped to avoid a kick to the face, and Book stepped in, her hands slapping over her girlfriends shoulders with a firm grip.

"It's NOT real, Ruby!" she yelled. "It's a nightmare, you're having A NIGHTMARE!"

Ruby's limbs flung in a heaped panic, tears pouring down her scarred face as she screamed at the top of her lungs. "PLEASE! FLOWER! FLOWER!!!"

"RUBY, LOOK! LOOK AT ME!" Flower cried, worriedly grasping at the sides of her girlfriend's face. "I'M OKAY!"

"NOOOOO!"

It's no effort to avoid getting a hit to the face, even though the gemstone's movements are fast, her limbs snapping as she clawed at dead air. Book and Flower exchange a quick nod, and soon, the bloom held her lover back, with Book desperately trying to reel her back from her nightmare.

"SHE'S RIGHT HERE RUBY!" she assured her. "LOOK!"

"SHE'S DEAD! I-I LOST HER! I LOST MY FLOWER!"

"NO! SHE'S HERE RUBY! WAKE-"

That's when she hears whispering. Frantic, sinister whispering. And then the begging. The wailing. Excuses upon excuses. For Book, Ice Cube and Bubble's voices constrict around her mind, and they poison her with the terror she felt on that fateful day.

The day where they gave her up.

Everything around her melted into a blurry atmosphere, and the memories struck at Book, sending needles of terror straight through her spine. She tried recalling the grounding techniques that her girlfriends had introduced her to, but when nothing worked, her hands flew to the sides of her own head.

And she screamed.

Her throat burned, for she doesn't know how long she screamed for. It wasn't until she felt her body rocking back and forth, that a familiar voice faded back into her 'ears.'

"Book, we're here! We promise!"

"Look! BOOK! BOOK!"

"G..Guys...?"

For a moment, the world painted its presence back into Book's vision. Her girlfriends' faces sketched into existence, and with shaking hands, she reached for their figures, unable to ground herself without some sort of confirmation.

They were here.

They were real.

This wasn't a dream. No- they were real, and she deserved this.

She deserved to be happy.

..Did she..?

All she did was mope.

Cry.

Bring misery to those around her.

No, no, it isn't-

All you are is a burden.

To them.

Think about it- how happy they would have been if you were out of the picture.

Their feelings are fake.

All of this is fake.

You're nothing.

Nothing.

And you deserve to-

"BOOK!"

The voice, now audible, made something inside of Book snap.

She was tired. Exhausted by the thoughts that prevented her from living in the moment.

So she screamed. "FUCK YOU!!"
One hard swing, and Book's fist plummeted into Bubble's metallic forehead, swiftly knocking her to the ground.

Wait- Bubble...?

"BUBBLE!" Ruby's cry forced Book to step away from the group. Her back pressed tightly against the frigid walls of their room, and her eyes adjusted, revealing the nightmare she had now returned to.

Bubble had tried to help the guidebook ground herself. She rushed into the room to check on Ruby, and in the Knick of time, she was able to get her back to the present.

Until Book knocked her to the ground.

At that moment, the rest of the Freesmarters barged into the room. Confusion merged into panic and anger, as Match, Ruby and Fanny tried to help Bubble up.

The rest stared at Book in disbelief.

"WAS THAT NECESSARY?!" Ice Cube shouted, a dark blue hue forming at the center of her face. "WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!"

Book's words swelled at the center of her throat. Stuttering, she tried to defend herself, hesitantly raising her hands. "I-I- SHE-"

"Guys, she's not WAKING UP-" Fanny yelled, her tail whipping violently from the stress. "SHE'S NOT WAKING UP!"

"BUBBLE?!"

"BUBBLE!"

"BUBBLE!"

As the worried voices of her teammates swelled into the atmosphere, something inside of Book snapped. She sobbed, watching Bracelety and Pencil drag Bubble away to safety. Droplets of blood are left smeared on the floor, leading a little trail to the other room where she'd be treated.

The stiffness in her body then blazes with terror, and Book sprints out of the clubhouse. Away from her girlfriends who cried out for her, away from the friends who had betrayed her. She cut through endless paths, turning at every corner and running across the gravel-coated path that led straight to a familiar river.

Something strained her vision. The colors of the sky melted into a lighter blue, and daybreak threatened to uncover her tracks.

She didn't have a chance to see what time it was. Nor could she tell how long she stayed there for; with nobody chasing after her, all that was left were the serene sounds of the rippling waves, taking in the water that stretched around her.

Minutes turn into hours. And the sun is back in the sky. She could only fall into the accursed grip of her damning thoughts.

In the mere seconds that it takes for the guidebook to lay back, she noticed the metallic soap bubble that approached her in the distance.

And their eyes lock.

Two.

'Yet there could only be one.'

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

days until graduation: 2

HI this is hectic. This is SO HECTIC

I graduate in two days. After that I am sleeping for a good week or so.

Anyways, tomorrow's chapter is going to be confusing. IT IS INTENDED TO BE CONFUSING, SO DON'T BRING IT UP. Please.

Imagine writing over 7k words everyday in a week. Couldn't be me (it is)

AND THATS ENOUGH OF MY YAPPING ok bye!!!!

-ice