They still weren't back yet.

It had been so long.

Anti refused to believe, though, that they had all left him alone by himself. Why would Sean keep the others with him anyway? Wouldn't it be difficult to hide their existence if anyone found out who they really were?

It would cause mayhem, wouldn't it?

That's why they were all kept in Sean's mind all the time except for videos or special occasions.

His argument a long time ago with Jackie came to mind.

It was so long ago now. . . . how long ago was it? Was it as long as he thought or did it just feel like it?

Jackie had said none of them cared about him. They never did.

Of course he followed it up a few days later by apologizing but his words forevermore still burned in his mind.

'He wouldn't have ever said any of it if he didn't think it true'

By now his own voice in his head was just barely keeping him afloat.

They would have at least left a message, right? Or Sean would have given him one while he was stuck there all alone?

But no, they were gone without a trace.

'I should clean up, I guess.' Anti looked around at the mess he had created since he had been on his own.

How long has it been now? A few weeks? A few months?

He really should be keeping track.

Trash like wrappers, cans, paper plates, cardboard rolls and filled up trash bags were left around the house or just inside the door. Anti always hated doing chores. That's what Marvin always took care of along with the other's help.

Marvin could always just magic it all away.

But now. .. . .

With a heavy sigh, Anti stood up and started to pick things up off the ground, putting them all in new bags.

"You're nothing but trash!"

Anti tensed and shot up, looking around. Had he really heard that?

After a few moments of more silence, however, he decided he hadn't.

'Just another auditory hallucination, then' he thought.

He had been getting quite a few of those lately here and there.

Going back to his task, Anti finished the living room pretty quickly and then set off to the kitchen.

He had tried and failed several times to cook but it was never as good as Chase's. He'd never cook as well as him.

And he'd never be able to finish cleaning the dishes, either, apparently . . .

The plates and pots and pans were piled in the sink. He had only been cleaning them as he needs them. A plate here and there. Some silverware.

It was disgusting but luckily he didn't have to worry about pests of any kind.

Groaning lightly to himself, Anti walked sluggishly over to the sink to begin his task.

It was better than sitting around listening to white noise and watching Sean's old videos at least.

"Disgusting"

He ignored that one. Perhaps he had actually said it himself.

After an hour in, he was finally nearing his last dish, water and soap all over him and the floor and his fingers were all pruned like an old man's.

He wished he had powers like Marvin's to make it all go away.

'They better be grateful when they get back that I didn't leave this all for them to do.'

That was the problem, though.

When would they be back?

Moving on, Anti decided he was in a cleaning mood and ventured to the bathroom to fix it up next. Not the best decision but he didn't really care anymore. Someone had to do it.

"The only reason he hasn't killed you off yet is because he doesn't know how"

Anti's eyes darted up to the bathroom mirror.

He could have sworn he saw a shadow behind him!

Turning around sharply, however, he didn't see anything.

Not a trace of anyone ever being there.

He looked back into the mirror and saw Jackie's corpse staring back at him, "You think we ever cared about you?"

The next moment, Anti saw the mirror shattered against his fist, blood dripping down his arm.

His knuckles hurt but he didn't care. He shook, his heart racing at what he just saw.

It was just like that day when he apologized to Anti.

But he wasn't really there.

'Residue . . . . . nightmares from before . ... . yeah. It's just trying to get me is all. . .' he tried to think that's all it was, 'My own mind coming after me. Fucking stupid'

Looking down into the sink, there was blood filling it and he tasted copper. Licking his lips, Anti realized it was from his neck.

'Dammit . . . . I just cleaned this fucking sink . . .'

Cleaning himself and the sink again, Anti shook off his bad feelings and started to pick up the trash bags by the door he had piled up. Just outside was a small dome of a yard for all of them so they could have a semblance of fresh air.

It wasn't anything like the real thing but it was good enough.

Still felt like he was in a hamster ball or a fish tank, though.

Anti threw the bags one by one in a pile outside and once they were all together, he realized only then he didn't have a means of getting rid of it.

'I could get Chase's lighter from his room . . . he wouldn't mind, right?'

Deciding on that, Anti glitched into Chase's room, snagged the lighter and got out. He never spent too much time in their rooms if he could help it. He didn't want to get caught if they suddenly showed up.

He also needed a way of keeping it on fire, though so he also glitched into Henrik's office and grabbed some sort of flammable liquid.

'This'll do' He glitched back outside and poured it onto the trash-heap. And then he flicked on the lighter and threw it on the pile.

The fire was quick to start and soon, flames started to grow as tall as him, flickering dangerously. But luckily it never got too big as to move on to the house.

Anti just watched it.

It smelt pretty bad but the fire was still pretty.

It reminded him of all the times, the others would come out at night for bonfires or to just roast some s'mores and hotdogs.

Jameson would always save him some for later because of course Anti could have never joined in.

The fire was so warm . . .. so pretty.

He almost felt comforted by it.

"You're such a fucking garbage fire!"

All of a sudden, the fire had a different meaning to it.

Roaring as if it'd incinerate him from the inside and burn him to a crisp.

Anti almost fell into it when he looked over towards the house.

He could have sworn he saw figures behind the curtains!

'They're back!' Anti's heart sped up, 'Did I just have to clean everything for them to come back? Is that all they wanted?! To make me feel weird like this!? I don't care anymore what the reason is- I just-'

Anti ran towards the house and opened the door, looking towards the living room where he saw the figures. For once, he didn't care if whatever he said wasn't like him.

"I THOUGHT I'D NEVER-" he stopped.

Despair sitting in slowly and burning his chest like the fire outside.

"See you . . . . .again. . . ?. . "

There was no one there.

How much longer would they stay away from him?

Anti always tried to act tough but there were some moments sometimes where he'd be pushed too far. This was one of those moments.

But just in case they were watching. . . . .

'Okay. . . . so what? You can't stay away forever, assholes . . ..You wanna play that game? . .'

Anti could still hear the fire outside. It almost sounded like whispering.

As if he were being judged.

'I can wait forever'