I'm at the point in life where I'm hoping Grammarly will write the chapters for me also. Also, I thought I'd clarify just because, but none of these (especially towards the end) are meant to be shippy. Just good friends worrying/caring/etc. over each other.

Word Count: 1,693
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Subject 1A, publicly known as Iskall, was currently performing their most.. odd.. job yet. You see, the way the economy worked around here was that the more dangerous a job was, the more you got paid. And they had just taken a job to stand in a room and do nothing.

For $10,000 an hour.

They had no idea what the danger was and what the point of it was, but money was money, and they needed money.

——

One hour? Ten hours? Days? Iskall had no idea how long it had been, and it was getting to them. Silence and worry was creeping throughout their brain. It was slowly stretching its spindly fingers across the walls and floor, trapping Iskall.

What was happening? Where were they? Why hadn't anyone come- Again, what was the danger? What was happening?!

"He- hello..?"

They got nothing back but an echo of their own voice.

"Uhm I'd like to be done now..? Can I leave..? Please..?"

Again, nobody responded. The silence and uncertainty slowly became overwhelming.

"I want to go."

The speaker came on and off as the lights started flickering. Noises blared and shadows grew across the walls, forming nightmare-like shapes. A voice crackled. "Escaping? Good luck."

The room went black as Iskall started screaming, running around, and pounding on the walls. This was it. This is how they'd die.

——

"How are they doing?" Cub asked, peeking over Docs' shoulder.

"Well, Subject 1A made it further than most. But just like the rest, they broke. The Subjects levels started reading high one-point-five hours ago, with audio hallucinations and visual mental breaks occurring within the past fifteen." Doc leant closer to the screens. "Oh, and they messed up our walls."

Cub shrugged, walking out with his clipboard. "Casualties happen. Now tally the Subject into the numbers and call security." He turned and smiled at the last second, adding on an ever so occurring lie; "Seems like another patient had a mental break."

—•—•—•—

Gemini was following right behind False, listening to the off-brand tour guide. While she was ogling around, she noticed a short blonde man not too far off.

"Oh False hey who's that?" She cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled at him. "Hey, you- ACK!"

She yelped as False grabbed her arm and pulled her behind a bush. She put a hand over Gemini's mouth, waiting for The Blonde Demon to leave. False looked at her fellow female.

"Do you value your sanity?"

"Wha-"

"Do you. Value. Your. Sanity."

"I- I mean yeah, I guess I do.."

False nodded. "Alright. Then if you mean what you say you should avoid all contact with him at all costs. Ok?"

Gemini nodded, quietly following False again. After a few minutes, she decided to try a question. "Hey False? How do you like it here? Or how do you like the people? What do you think of it?"

False stopped a moment and turned to her. "Do you want the truth?"

Gemini nodded. "I want the very truth."

False nodded, grabbed her shoulders, and looked her right in the eyes. "Gem, you really want the truth?"

Gemini slowly nodded. "Y- yeah..?"

"Then I'll tell you better than the truth. I'll tell you what someone needed to tell me- Run. Run and never look or come back here."

Gemini gulped. "R-really..? Is it that bad here..?"

False laughed and shook her head. "Gem, I'm joking. It's great here! You're gonna love it!"

Gemini nodded and let out a breath. "Oh, okay, I got worried but ya got me. Good joke!"

False smiled. "Joke? Oh, no, Gem. You're gonna love it here because you're never gonna get outta here."

—•—•—•—

Keralis began to sing at the top of his lungs as another Frozen song came on. It wasn't a particularly beautiful sound, but it didn't matter because he was alone, just like he was every day; Or at least, that's what he thought..

He nearly fell off the treadmill as another voice started to sing beside him.

——

Maybe part of the shock was the early morning time. Or the singer. Or the song.

Or maybe it was that was when he happened to stumble across Keralis singing along to Frozen theme songs at five in the morning, Xisuma too began singing along.

—•—•—•—

Ex huffed, following Xisuma around the room. Xisuma was being dumb. And stubborn. What was so wrong with sleeping every once in a while, huh?! "C'mon, Xisuma-" He began.

"N-" Xisuma took a sip of his coffee. By now, the bags under his eyes matched the color of the dark, liquid energy. "-Oh." He finished, and restated; "No." He sat the mug down and went back to his work.

Ex shook his shoulder. "Xisuma, you need to sleep! Everyone else has said this too! You're being dumb! There are no issues with the server, and you haven't slept in what, one, two weeks?!"

"We can call it that." Xisuma deadpanned, glued to the screen.

"Xisuma!"

"Brother."

Ex growled, before shutting off the monitor completely. Xisuma glared. "What was that for!?" Ex huffed and crossed his arms. "You need. To. Sleep." Xisuma shook his head, matching the other's gaze. The room was quiet for a long time before Xisuma silently got up and began making himself some tea. He looked at his brother, who shook his head, denying the silent offer of a non-caffeinated drink.

X nodded, leaned against the counter, and took a sip. "I don't like sleeping." He said, rather quiet.

"But why, why do you choose to not sleep. And you know all that coffee is bad for you, right?"

Xisuma nodded again. "I know, and I have my reasons."

Ex huffed again, his slight irritation showing through his tone. "What reasons?"

Xisuma looked at him for a long and silent moment. With him, the room quietened into a perfect silence- Things seemed to become tense, yet calming and inviting at the same time. The admin took a careful, slow, deliberate last sip of his tea, and set the mug on the counter.

"I don't sleep." He paused for a moment and let out a breath, "My mind has the scary capability of being dark and demented, and it scares me."

"You're afraid of your dreams?"

"Yes."

—•—•—•—

Joe looked over the items layered on the table. "Why do you do this..?"

Cleo shrugged and picked through the shiniest things. "Oh, Joe, look at this! I didn't even realize I picked this up!" She smiled and held up a tiny golden locket.

"One day you're going to get yourself caught Cleo."

"Eh," She mumbled, now looking through various cards, "I don't see the matter."

"I can't lose you to jail over a bunch of petty thieveries. You're all I have."

Cleo smiled, bopping his nose. "I'm not thieving, silly! I'm just acquiring items that don't exactly belong to me! Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go wash off some dirt." She finished their conversation with a quick hug and left the room.

Joe sighed, sitting back down as he picked through his friends' loot. It really was a matter of time until luck left her side.

—•—•—•—

Grian flew through the doors, a mix of absolute fuming and silently letting free some frustrated tears. He huffed as he slammed his body onto the couch with a sudden hate for the item.

"Woah woah woah," Mumbo said, hurrying out of his kitchen. "Are you good bro-?" He noticed the state of his friend and sat down next to him. "Hey, what happened..?"

Grian turned his face into the cushion. "Stupid stupid redstone. I can't even get it right and even when I did I spilled water and it got messed up and- and then something blew up my project and- and-" He stopped talking as he was trying to hold in his sobs.

"Alright, come here." Mumbo held up a blanket for him.

Grian limply sat up, pulling his knees to his chest and resting his head on his knees. Mumbo wrapped the blanket around his shoulders and gently coaxed him to lay back down. "You lay here and I'll go make you some hot chocolate. Okay? We can watch a movie or something until you're ready to talk. Does that sound good, yeah?"

Grian nodded and smiled for a brief moment. "Yeah.. thanks.."

Mumbo patted his head. "Anyday."

—•—•—•—

Thunder boomed as rain heavily hit the ground. The night sky was lit alive as lightning struck all around them. Blood dripped from Wels' face, soaking the ground.

Wels held up his arms, panting. "How did- but- I- I stayed hid-hidden..!"

Hels only chuckled, pressing the tip of the sword against Wels' chest, forcing him down onto his back. "Do you want to know how I caught you, Wels?" He said with a sneer at the end.

Wels nodded, silent tears streaming down his face.

"Well," He began, stabbing his sword into the ground and leaning on it- He knew Wels couldn't escape. "I never stopped moving. Every day and every night I was on the hunt for you. But that's where you failed in our little game, aye? You stopped. You settled down with these people and tried to build a life for yourself. But, of course, I eventually found you." Hels watched the other for a moment. "Sometimes you get tired of running, I understand. But you can't ever stop."

"You could.. you could join us you know. You don't have to-" Wels whipped up and coughed blood onto the ground. "-you don't have to do this.."

"Yeah but I want to." Hels stood up and pressed the sword into Wels, drawing a little blood. "Any last words?"

"Please.." Wels looked at him with pleading eyes. "Please don't do thi-"

His body fell limp as Hels plunged the sword deep.

—•—•—•—