Fanfic anon, thank you for the idea.
Vincent made sure he talked to every sheep on the landing, when he first did it he was doing it to see if anyone had a clue of what was going on, but when some turned to all, they began saying that because of him they made it far and that he brought sort of morality that kept them going. Vincent took joy and encouraging them, even if he didn't know their names. At first it was completely random who he talked to first then last, but two sheep; Vincent talked to them last. The sheep with the red hat and the smoking sheep, he felt dread when he talked to them yet he felt a familiar sense of companionship akin to the bonds held by childhood friends, and for some reason it bothered him deeply that they were there.
Vincent didn't know why, but he made sure to choose his words carefully when he talked to them, it was enough that them them being there was enough to give him a sick feeling in his gut but he would be devastated if one of them died. Vincent had just got done discussing with the group that huddled together and discussed techniques, bidding farewell to the small group he stood up and analyzed the pier, looking for the sheep with red hat, when he made it the safe floor he asked where the smoking sheep was, thankfully the group told him that he had left by the time he had got there, the news was far better than telling him that they didn't see him at all. Vincent scanned the platform and it didn't take long before he spotted the hat that stuck out like a sore thumb by the edge of the pier, he appeared to be sitting alone, staring off into oblivion.
He smiled nervously and quickly ran towards the sheep. When he tapped on his should the man swung his fist back with a gasp, making Vincent step back as he clearly surprised him. When the sheep with red hat saw it was Vincent, he chuckled, "Oh, it's you, jeez you shouldn't surprise me like that." He seemed winded, like he was struggling to speak. "My heart is still racing, any more excitement and I'm bound to have a heart attack."
Vincent smiled at the ill timed joke, and he sat on his knees next to the sheep. It unnerved Vincent how close to the edge they were, watching the sheep's legs dangle off the cliff while he made sure he feet where nowhere near the cliff. "I'm glad you're okay." Vincent said.
"Yeah, I'm glad you made it too, I..." The sheep trailed off, the sound of someone screaming as they feel down the tower filled his sudden silence. "Haha, I'm not sure what to say."
"That's okay, you're tired."
"To be honest I'm not sure how I made it this far, I'm out of breath so quickly." He exhaled loudly, and coughed a bit. "I'm not as spry as I used to be..."
"Well none of us are." Vincent chuckled, "Shit I'm not sure how I do this myself." He frowned as his attempts to lighten the mood went unsuccessful as the sheep continued his rant, the way he spoke was very rasped and he was clearly in no position to strain his voice, but continued anyway as he was in desperate need to spill his presumably bottle up problems to someone.
"Everything hurts, and I wake up aching so freaking badly. I... try to hide it the best can. I don't want them to worry about me."
"Who?" Vincent questioned.
"My friends, and... her." He went silent for about ten seconds before he began to go into more detail, "My friends have their own problems and... I can't show weakness around her. Not now..."
"Why not? You're talking about your ex, right?"
The sheep nodded solemnly.
"Why not?"
"I... don't know. But whatever it may be I'm only hurting not only her, but myself." He bit his lip, "Want to know the worst part? I know it's all my fault... and yet I keep doing this. That's why I'm here. I keep climbing those stupid fucking towers, just when I thought I was-" He stopped again but this time broke out into a violent coughing fit, each cough sounded painful, once he got over it enough to at least enough to form words he went on with his rant. "When I though I was getting the hang of it I'm just running around not sure what to do. I barley made it this time." He rushed the last sentence then groaned in pain, hunching over with his hand over his chest. "My chest..."
"Hey, hey." Vincent held the sheep, lifting him. The sheep looked his right in the eye, the red sheep eyes creeped Vincent out but continued to keep eye contact. "Don't talk to much, you sound horrible." The sheep took his advice and let himself catch his breath as Vincent stroked his back until he spoke up again.
"I feel horrible, I can't remember these dreams but I can feel it when I wake up. I could've just brushed this off as a really fucked up nightmare, but the pain, it's proof that I'm cursed." He lifted up his hooves and and looked down at them, "My hands, pulling the blocks causes my hands to bleed." Vincent looked at his hands and saw them bleeding from the finger tips that have been scrapped raw from the constant pushing and pulling of the blocks. "I can feel it but I can't see it, I can hardly be a good programer if it hurts type. It hurts to move, my legs, back, everything... I'm hanging onto my job by a fucking thread, I can't take anymore days off." He sighed, "Does that happen to you?"
"Uh... I just pissed the bed."
"Phft." The sheep doubled over and began to laugh, "Jesus christ man."
"Too much information?" Vincent blushed as he pulled on his left ear.
"Way too much. If only I was that lucky." He chuckled a bit more before he sighed, "Well, at least I can have a few more laughs before I die."
"Hey don't say stuff like that, after this floor I'm pretty sure the night'll be over." Vincent assured him.
"Yeah... that, really doesn't matter to me anymore I... I don't think I can make it tonight."
"Y-you mean you're gonna stop here to rest?" He asked hopefully. The sheep slowly nodded.
"No man, I'm not gonna make it. I don't want to make it. I'm..." He turned back towards the abyss, his next statement making Vincent's heart drop like a brick. "Next tower, I'm... I'm just gonna fucking jump."
"What?!" Vincent exclaimed.
"What's the point in waiting for the inevitable? I could just do it here but..."
"No, just... why are you giving up? We're so close to the top, man." Vincent reasoned, desperate to convince the sheep otherwise.
The sheep went silent, thinking about why wanted to do this. For a moment Vincent thought he had stumped him and his reasoning behind it wasn't worth the jump, but his hope went down the drain as the sheep spoke up again. "Before this I never really thought of dying, but now it's gotten me to think; what would I gain from being alive?"
"What? Come on don't say that."
"You think I don't know how close I am? I know I'm close, and when I saw that I was so fucking happy. But it also got me thinking; what do I really get from being alive? I really haven't done much with my life. I'm just one big waste of space if you think about it."
"Dude, don't think like that, you have to have something to live for, everyone does." Vincent insisted.
The sheep simply scoffed at his claim, "Bullshit, my life ain't worth shit, I'm just some average schmuck who's done nothing for himself or for anyone who decided to waste their time with him. With the way my life is going I'm probably just gonna blow my brains out anyway."
"H-hey." Vincent tried to figure out what to say as quickly as he could, but the sheep went on without giving him time to give him any advice or to try to convince him out of jumping.
"To tell the truth I've wanted to kill myself for a while but I... I just couldn't do it for some reason. I'm certain I'm not worth anything and yet..." He looked up, blinking away a stray tear, "And yet I felt like something would happen, something that would convince me that I have a purpose. But..."
"But..."
The sheep stopped his monologue and tried to think of what else to say, Vincent would've interjected but he felt it would be best for the sheep to let out every last word that could describe his inner turmoil. Was it the best course of action, Vincent didn't know, he's not a professional therapist by any means but listening was all he could really do. "it just never happened, maybe these dreams are a sign it never will happen either. I think I've accepted that, I've done more bad than good in my opinion. And if not I just haven't done anything for thirty two years. I don't know what's worse..."
Vincent saw an opportunity to try to encourage him, "Well you have to have made an impact on someones life, right?"
"That doesn't matter, I hurt someone close to me..."
"Like who?"
"My ex, she was..." The sheep was hesitant on answering. "A great woman, and I left her when we both needed each other the most. That guy said the people who are here is because they hurt someone they loved. I hurt the girl I loved and she didn't do nothing wrong. It was me who messed up, I told you about my business, right? When it failed she stuck by me and all I did was do everything I could to push her away."
"Wha... really?"
"Even now, she still wants me back and I keep pushing her away when all I want to do is to be with her again but I'm to much of a goddamn coward..." Vincent could see he jaw trembling and the red sheep eyes start to shine with tears. "Honestly part of me still thinks it's for the best, I barely have enough money to makes ends meet, I could never make her happy."
Something about what he said made no sense, at least to Vincent, "Well It sounded like she didn't care about that."
"About what?" The sheep hissed through gritted teeth. Maybe Vincent wasn't clear enough.
"About your money, she loved you despite that. She's still pinning for you-"
"You think I don't know that?!" The sheep sprung up, his face inches from Vincent face. "I know that! And I left her anyway!" Tears were sliding down his face, his breath was shaking. "I was so selfish, I felt like I failed her when she didn't care. She wanted to be with me..."
"It's still all my fault..." The sheep grasped the sides of his head, "It's my fault that I'm still alone. My life is nothing but shit." He sniffed, going silent before letting out a choked sob, "It's... why I'm here" He looked towards the confessional, more so towards the half with the shadow of the young man who was presumably behind all of this. "That guy behind the glass, he told me that someone had sent us here to die, that I should just give up now. I guess he was right." He looked back down towards his knee's, "I really am gonna die."
"Don't say that."
"No! It's okay." The sheep smiled, turning towards Vincent and grasping him by the shoulders and began to shake him as he spoke. "Everything will be better if I die. I won't have to worry about all of the crap that's been weighing me down the past years, and maybe she'll finally move on! She's such a good person, she deserves better than to waste her time with trash like me." He sighed wistfully at the thought, "And my friends, I keep mooching money off of them, so they won't have to worry. See, if I die everybody wins!" He exclaimed with a twisted smile, like he was happy with his decision. "So I'm gonna do it!"
Vincent couldn't take much more after that. "No you're not."
"Wha?"
"What that guy is telling you is bullshit. Someone made it out of here and who ever that guy sure as fuck won't be the last." Vincent wasn't sure if what he was saying was true, if someone had made it through these near impossible trials, but if lying would encourage him then he saw no harm in it. The sheep looked at him with a blank stare, contemplating what he had just said and nodded his head as Vincent continued on with his encouraging banter. "He's been telling you to give up since you got here, right?" The sheep nodded, "Then why do it now? You think you and you're friends would be better off with you dead is nothing but a bunch of selfish bullshit. You have a chance to fix what you've messed up, and you're ex is giving you another chance. That's something my girlfriend wouldn't do if she found out what I was doing behind her back."
"... But I didn't cheat."
"What?"
"Yeah, it has to be."
"What?" The sheep lifted himself up.
He looked away for a moment, hesitating, "I'm probably gonna sound crazy, but I'm sure I know you." He looked back at Vincent, "You're Vincent, right?"
Vincent felt his heart drop at his name, so much he didn't respond right away, causing the other sheep to question his own claim.
"It has to be you, right Vincent?" The sheep looked a bit frantic, frightened that he might've gotten hin confused for another person. Vincent quickly shook his head, trying to think of what to say.
"No, I am, wait..."
"You are Vincent!" The sheep smiled, overwhelmed with joy, "I knew it! Dude, it's me, Orlando, can't you recognize me?"
"Orlando?" Vincent looked back towards his hat and suddenly he felt so stupid not knowing it's him. However Vincent couldn't say or think of another word when Orlando wrapped him in a bear hug. He was shaking violently, and he buried his head into Vincent's shoulder, not long after Vincent felt something wet begin to fall onto his shoulder and leak down his back Orlando... coughing? Vincent thought he was having another coughing fit until the supposed coughs turned to loud sobbing.
"Holy fuck man I've never been so goddamn happy to see you." Orlando sobbed, burying his head into his shoulder the best he could as the tears flowed freely onto his shoulder. Vincent gasped, looking at his friend as he continued to let out all of his bottled up emotions. He was shaking, breathing deeply and holding him close to his soft wool, quickly he found himself getting comfortable being held up against the warm fluff. It only occurred to Vincent in a very small part of his mind that from Orlando's point of view he was hugging a sheep with his clothing, but that really didn't matter right now when he just needed someone to listen to him.
"I can't believe you thought like that. What made you think I'd be happy to see you dead?"
"I... I don't know. Oh god I'm sorry Vincent."
"Orlando, why don't you ever talk to me about this?"
He sniffled, "Because I'm an idiot, you had your own problems and I thought mine weren't that important."
Vincent felt a sick feeling in his stomach hearing that, "You're right, you are an idiot. I may have my own shit to deal with but I would've listened, that's what friends do, they listen to each others problems, no matter how stupid you might think they are."
Orlando went silent for a few seconds, "I guess you're right. I'm so sorry Vincent. I should've known better, you would've fucking dragged me back from the dead and killed me yourself if I did something like that, right?"
"Fuck right I would you dumbass." Vincent whispered, nevertheless Orlando smiled, happy with being in such a comforting position until Vincent remembered- "Heh... it's a shame we'll forget about this when we wake up." Orlando's expression fell when he was reminded of that crucial fact, when Vincent noticed this he tried cheering him up again, "But we'll remember talking about it tomorrow night!"
Orlando was silent, he even stopped shaking until he spoke up again, "Yeah... tomorrow night." Orlando unwrapped himself from Vincent.
"You're... you're not gonna jump, right?"
"No, but who said I would make it anyway? That asshole behind the booth." He chuckled, "He really hates me, he even said I 'annoyed' him or something like that."
Vincent found himself smiling as well at the comment, "Really, well anyone would be annoyed if they had to put up with you."
"Dick." Orlando playfully punched him in the shoulder, "Yeah, but I think he makes it harder for me so... I'm kind of fucked."
"Well, if you want I can tell you a few techniques."
Orlando arched a brow as if to think about it and shrugged, "Well I guess I have no choice, if it makes these towers easier to climb I'll listen."
Vincent nodded and sat back down with Orlando and began to explain the details of his own techniques plus some new ones he learned from the group that gathered to talk about them, Orlando seemed to be listening, nodding as Vincent went over them with him. "Jeez, they the other sheep weren't kidding when they talked about you. You really do know your way around these blocks." Orlando sat up, "Anyway, I think I'm ready. I just want to get to the next floor, she's waiting for me."
"Your ex?"
"Yeah... she's all torn up and crying, and has these really long finger nails." He looked at his hooves as he mentioned her nails, "She... keeps asking me to come back, I... really wish I could but..."
"Just worry about that when this is over. Okay?"
"You're right, I bet Katherine's waiting for you."
Vincent shrugged his shoulder as he looked up thoughtfully, "Could be Katherine, could be some dead baby, it varies depending on what hits me that day."
"Dead babies?" Orlando asked, dumbfounded while possibly amused or disturbed at Vincent's confession, "Is that a normal thing for you?"
"No!" Vincent retorted, but then laughed again, "It's just the whole pregnancy thing, but you sound like you have way more problems then me. Relationships are one thing but your job?"
Orlando looked at him with an arched brow before he remember that he had told him about his apparent employment issues, "Yeah, my job, I'm fucking up pretty badly."
"Why?"
Orlando shrugged his shoulders, "A lot of reasons."
"Appart from you being lazy as hell."
Orlando grinned bashfully at the all too true comment, "Yeah, but..." He sighed, looking down at his knees again, "I've been so fucking depressed lately, I told you why I've been feeling so shitty. These dreams aren't helping either, as if the thought of dying because of how much of a dumbass I am helps."
"Wha- depression?"
"Yeah, I haven't told you about that?"
"Well, you have been drinking a lot more." Vincent admitted.
"I'm surprised you noticed that when you're doing the same."
"I... I guess you are right." Vincent shrugged his shoulder, "Hell I wasn't even purposely paying attention, I notice these things, Orlando, subconsciously I notice when you guys are doing things differently. I just never say anything about them." He then shook his head, snapping himself back to reality, "Why don't you just get going? We can talk about this tomorrow night. Oh, and don't get killed, okay?"
"Alright." Orlando nodded, seeming way more energized than before, "I'll see you tomorrow?"
"It's a promise." Vincent nodded and waved his friend off as he went towards the confessional, his heart pounding as he watched his friend disappear behind the curtain and watched the booth for a minute or so until it finally launched into the air, taking Orlando to the next set of trials.
'He really hates me' 'I think he makes it harder for me'
'How much harder can these damn puzzles get?' Vincent thought, his heart beating even faster as his head began to burn with worry. 'He may as well make them impossible if...' Vincent shook his head, a sick feeling creeping into his gut as he looked up towards the sky. Hoping the sheep that just fell wasn't his old friend who had already surcum to the dreams, but then he quickly shook his head again, no, he won't think like that. He had to have a clear mind for this, he'll see tomorrow if his friend had made it.
Vincent stood up and went to the confessional himself, seeing how he was close to being the only one left on this pier. He parted the curtain and sat down on the wooden bench, the creaking noise alerting the mystery man that hid behind the wall. "Ah it's about time you showed up." The voice began his customized greeting, "You were taking longer than usual today, but I guess what matters is that you made it."
"Yeah, yeah, shut the hell up and ask your question." Vincent growled, tapping his finger against his thigh, he really wasn't in the mood for this guy's crap today.
"And rude as well, but I suppose you're right."
A deep, disembodied voice boomed inside the small space Vincent resided in.
This is the eleventh question. Would you choose your best friend over your lover?
Two ropes dropped from the top of the confessional and hung from both sides of Vincent. He thought this question over unlike some of the other, more ridiculous ones, as he felt this one actually had some meaning and a bigger impact on whatever might happen towards the end. He looked between the two braided ropes, gulping as his heart pounded before he closed his eyes and hesitantly pulled down the rope on the left. When he let go both ropes snapped back into the ceiling and the mystery man eerily chuckling.
"I see, that's your answer. I'm not surprised you think that way after I saw you with your friend."
Vincent gasped, eyes wide at the grated vent, "You saw?"
"Of course I saw, you two seem really close if he was to do something like that in front of all of the other sheep, right?"
"Oh shut up, he needed it." Vincent anxiously squeezed the pillow he held in his arms, this conversation making him really uncomfortable.
The mystery man scoffed, "'Needed it', huh?" He chuckled mockingly, as if he thought what he said was ridiculous. "So you two are friends, I shouldn't be surprised. Those who don't mind other degenerates are usually the ones who associate with them, as well."
"Hey, don't call us that!" Vincent protested, but he seemed to ignore him.
"Oh but he's one of the worst, letting his pride get in the way of what's right. Unlike him, you seem to have a better idea of right and wrong. Isn't that right?" Vincent hoped that was a rhetorical question. Thankfully the voice sighed as it continued on, "Oh it's just pitiful, but we shouldn't waste time talking about him, we should be moving on. The night's almost over." His last statement was a lot less enthusiastic, probably because he knew Vincent wasn't so prone to succumbing to the dreams now. He felt a major boost of confidence knowing that little fact, and he grinned as he felt a rumble beneath him and the booth soon after launching to the next set of trails.