Red Thread
The clouds above were extremely dark, hovering ominously overhead the desolate, destroyed realm formerly known as a quaint, London city. Almost black in color, they rumbled together as thunder crashed across the sky.
However, thunder didn't bother him. In fact, he gave a small smile to the sky. He liked rain. It felt very nice, and it helped him think. He looked back down at the object in his hands, and the smile quickly faded.
9 was sitting on an old slab of stone, fallen from a building or something, and in one hand, he had an old brown shredded cloth, and in the other, the talisman.
He continued to sit quietly, running the cloth over the smooth texture of the talisman, the symbols gleaming back at him. He blinked, gazing sadly at them. Images of his past long ago flashed through his mind's eye. These particular memories were the very ones he tried his hardest to rid himself of. Night after night, he would sit, wherever he, 7, and the twins were resting for the night, rubbing the sides of his optics jadedly, trying to wash the images of the deaths he had witnessed and the screams they gave when the Fabrication Machine had grabbed them and sucked out their souls, killing them. And it was his fault they had died, because he was the one who woke the Machine, having only a fool's hope that the talisman would have done something good.
And yet, in the end, it did. It released the spirits of the slain ragdolls. He had said his goodbyes, and they had drifted into the sky, and were finally at peace.
The only remaining problem was the emotion throughout the four survivors. Coping with the deaths of the ones they had spent their entire lives with was nearly impossible. Many nights he had woken from horrific nightmares, breathing hoarsely, shaking all over.
Some of the nightmares were just memories of their deaths. Others were images of a burning cathedral they were all trapped in. The Fabrication Machine was towering over the fire, alive and at full power once again. It would grab each stitchpunk and suck out their souls. This nightmare would always end with the Machine grabbing a struggling 7 and killing her. The flames would engulf him, as he screamed, and he would awaken, the sweltering heat and dancing inferno replaced by the cool night air and stars twinkling above him.
Another nightmare was when he and his slain brother, 5, would be building something. Sometimes, he and 5 were scouting out in the Emptiness. They needed to find a monster that was stalking them to kill it…then, out of nowhere, the Fabrication Machine would appear…it would grab 5 in it's iron clutches, and 9 fell to the ground, unable to move any longer…he would watch as 5's soul would be taken, and his body would fall beside him…then he would be brutally crushed to death underneath the claw of the Machine…before he would wake.
These dreams were just bits of proof to prove that 9 wasn't ready to lose 5. And he was fearful of losing 7, 3 and 4. He didn't want to be alone.
As he ran his copper fingers along the top of the talisman, he longingly thought of what it could have been if he hadn't awoken the Fabrication Machine. The Cat Beast was dead, and they had saved 2. They could have all gone home, to the cathedral. Differences would be solved, and 9 would be accepted as one of them. They would all be happy.
But he had ruined that chance. He had lost 1, 2, 6, and 8.
He had lost 5.
Without thinking, 9's other hand set down the cloth, and rubbed his weak shoulder. All too well, he remembered trying to go after the Cat Beast, which had taken 2. He was weak, and his small, newly awakened body wasn't ready to cope with this sudden shock and pain. His footsteps grew slow, and the pain in his shoulder was almost too much to bear. Finally, his legs gave out, and he collapsed into the dust. He closed his eyes and waited for the pain to stop as he lay there, unaware and deeply anesthetized.
And then, he had woken jadedly. Instead of hard ground underneath him, there was smooth metal, and underneath his aching head was something soft and a relief. The pain in his shoulder was nearly subsided-it was only a dull throbbing now. 5 had healed him, with only red thread, a scar, to show for it.
From that moment on, he and 5 had become inseparable friends. Rarely were they separated from one another's side. They had planned together, fought side-by-side, and had shared the grief that ran throughout the entire group.
And in a second, he was ripped away.
9 sighed. Silently, he prayed to the sky that he could see 5, talk to him at least.
Looking over his shoulder, he made sure 7 and the twins were still nearby. The twins were playfully cataloguing a toy cart that had once belonged to a small child, each taking turns pulling one another in it once they figured out it moved, and 7 was watching them in amusement, sitting in the rubble.
9 looked back down at the talisman, and slowly unzipped himself. He placed the talisman back inside of him, and zipped himself back up. He put his feet upon the slab of stone, and leaned against a splintered piece of wood, sheltered under a metal overhang. He sighed, and rubbed the sides of his optics.
While they weren't human, sleep was essential for them. Sleep rejuvenated them, just as it once did us. And 9 was extremely deprived, due to the nightmares, occurring more frequently the past few weeks or so. Unaware of doing so, he closed his eyes and slipped into a numb, sedated state.
It seemed like only seconds before 9 realized that he was dreaming again. He wouldn't have comprehended this, but he was in the exact same place, and the twins and 7 were gone. The sky was still grey, but the clouds had ceased to move. Everything seemed like he was seeing the whole lot through a film covering his eyes. He quickly became apprehensive, but found out that he was unable to speak. He opened his mouth to call 7 and the twins back to him, but he was silent, like the first time he had tried to call out to 2, but was silent then.
"It's okay." A voice said from somewhere in the dream world. 9 froze, his breathing becoming shallow as fright overwhelmed him.
"Who's there?" He tried to call, but silence reigned. He looked all around him, desperate, but froze when an ice-cold chill crept up his chest, and spread, all the way down to his fingertips. He gasped and inched away from the chill, but what he saw made him freeze as if encased in ice, his eyes wide, mouth open in shock.
A green glow surrounded the spirit of 5. He was smiling, looking apologetic, withdrawing the hand he had laid upon 9's chest to try and calm him down.
"Hey, 9." He said. Although, it wasn't verbal: 5 was talking to him through his thoughts.
"5?" 9 tried to say, but he still was unable to speak. However, he heard his thoughts, and 5 nodded.
"Yeah, it's me." He replied, putting a hand on a distraught 9's shoulder. He didn't back away this time, but still stared at 5 in disbelief.
"W-where am I? Where is 7? 3? 4?" He asked 5, still thoroughly apprehensive.
"Don't worry. They're fine, they're just not here." He replied, smiling a bit.
"Where are we?" 9 asked, looking all around.
"Where do you think we are?" 5 asked, quirking his single brow.
"I-I don't know. But it looks like some sort of dream world." 9 replied, studying the strange, blurred shapes through the film. 5 was the only thing there that was clear.
"Then it's the dream world." 5 replied, nodding. 9 glanced at him.
"Am I really here? Are you really here?" 9 asked curiously, quirking one of his own brows.
"Do think you're really here? This isn't exactly like home, is it?" 5 asked.
"Yes."
"Then you're really here, really talking with me." 5 replied. He then turned solemn again.
"You asked to see me," he began. 9 furrowed his brows.
"No, I didn't."
"Yeah you did." 5 replied. 9 thought back to before, when he silently prayed to see 5 again.
"But I didn't say –"
"We can hear what you need to say to us." 5 said reassuringly, as if this was the most obvious thing. 9 tried to keep his voice level as he asked, "W-We?"
"Well, the others aren't here now. They're back in the Land Beyond." He replied, shrugging. 9 felt weak, and he stared at 5 in overwhelm. He suddenly had a strange incline to cry, but resisted in doing so.
"You're doing such a good job; taking care of 7 and the twins. I guess 1 passed his leadership down to the right person." 5 said, smiling widely. 9 didn't answer to this, but he bowed his head, not meeting 5's gaze. Images of 5, when he was alive, struggling in the Machine's iron grasp, yelling in fright, and 9 was held back by 1, who knew that 5 was lost, passed through his mind relentlessly. 9 relived the moment when 5's soul was sucked out and trapped. His heart seemed to rip itself to shreds then. He had lost 5. He then began to unravel, lose his mind a bit.
"5…" 9 whispered, and 5 smiled.
"9, it's okay. We're all fine up here." 5 reassured him, putting a hand on his shoulder. 9 felt his lower lip begin to tremble, and he closed his eyes tightly, turning his head away from 5, trying his best not to cry, a battle he was quickly losing.
"5, I'm so s-sorry. It was all my fault. You shouldn't have died. You, or any of the others. I'm so sorry. I thought I was doing something good. But it killed you all. I'm so sorry." 9 said, his voice becoming unhinged. 5 blinked.
"I-I miss you. I really miss you. I didn't want you to leave. Y-you we're like a brother to me. You were my best friend. I'm so s-s-sorry." He said, and his mind's voice finally cracked. He bent his head and began to sob silently, shoulders heaving, his breathing becoming ragged. 5 looked down at him, his best friend he had ever had.
"I will always forgive you. I needed you, just like you needed me. If you ever need me, ever need to talk to me, I'm always listening." 5 said, wrapping him in a hug that was like an ice-cold wave crashing over 9, but to him, it was like one of the warmest hugs he had ever received. He returned it, and sobbed into 5's shoulder. Not meaning to lose it like this, he tried to stop, but every time he tried to do so, the sobs just came back harder.
The two brothers just sat together in the embrace. It was like the goodbye 9 was waiting for. 5 didn't want to leave him, and 9 didn't want him to leave. But on this Earth, a trapped soul was miserable. They needed to move on, and the single nod had said, "I'll be fine. Go on."
But that goodbye had broken his heart. He hadn't wanted to let his 5 go. 5 peered into his face, smiling caringly.
"I wish you were with me." 9 said softly, bowing his head. 5 gave a small chuckle. It wasn't scornful, but it sounded as if 9 was missing something obvious.
"But that's why you kept the talisman, isn't it? I'm in it. I'm all around you. I'm always watchin' you. All of us are. If you let me in your heart, I'm always with you." 5 said, and 9 looked up at him.
"I want you with me."
"I'm already there. And you'll see me when you pass on. All four of you." He said reassuringly. 9 bent his head, and the sobs overwhelmed him again, and he covered his optics with his hands. 5 embraced him again.
"I will always forgive you. You were my brother, my best friend. I loved you. You did so much for us. Death is just another path for us. And you nearly died countless times for us." 5 said, gesturing to 9's scarred shoulder. He gave him a sad smile.
"I never got to thank you for that." He said, trying to laugh.
"All you did was thanks enough for me." 5 said, and then he turned to look over his shoulder. Two lights, bright jade green, were standing side-by-side, one taller than the other. They stepped forward, and came into focus.
Both 6 and 2 were smiling at 9. 6 waved his fingers at him, smiling, and 2 blinked softly, waving much slower and less wildly. 5 turned to 9.
"I've got to go." He said, standing. 9 followed. He needed this goodbye.
"It's not really goodbye. Anytime you need me, I will be there, even if you can't see me. Just call." 5 said, putting an arm around 9's shoulders. His younger brother leaned into him.
"I know. But, goodbye anyway. Until I call." He said, smiling at 5, who returned it.
"Love you, brother."
"Love you too."
And with that, a smoke seemed to trail 5 as he let 9 go and followed 6 and 2 into the light, disappearing. 9 stood, waving after them, smiling faintly. The smoky world began to melt away, and 9 looked around curiously.
Awareness crashed back into him as he opened his eyes to the world around. He was still lying on his back, but the filmy, smoky world was gone, instead replaced with the real world in which he lived in. 9 had left the dream world. He slowly sat up, jadedly rubbing the sides of his optics. That goodbye was harder than ever, and yet, he still felt better than he had in the longest time. The nightmares wouldn't come tonight, and he would always be sure that 5 was with him, wherever he went.
The wind suddenly started to whistle loudly, and 9 looked up. There was something like a whisper in this wind. Blowing through the wind was a piece of thread. Standing up, 9 opened his hand and extended his arm. The long piece of thread landed comfortably in his hand. He brought it back down, and looked at it. It was a deep red, the same as his scar. Embedded within the stitching, there was a word, hardly noticeable, but there all the same.
Always.
"Always." The voice on the wind whispered softly before disappearing into it.
9 smiled, tightening his fist around the thread. He looked to the sky, to the clouds, which were heavily threatening with a downpour, and said, "Thanks, 5."
He knew, he somehow knew, that this was a gift from 5. Just a little sign to let him know he was always watching.
Suddenly, a loud, deafening crack of thunder shook the ground. 9 was almost unfazed (he gave a little jump) but he heard a startled cry from 7 across the way.
"7, 3, 4, come over here. Get in." He called to them, climbing to the top of the overhang and waving them over. They quickly ran over to him over the rubble. He directed them to the slab of rock he had been lying on. He half-sat, half-lay in the corner under the overhang while 7 made sure the twins were alright, rubbing their heads and backs reassuringly. Unzipping himself, he wrapped the thread around the talisman, and covertly zipped himself up. Maybe one day he'll tell her.
"Hey. Are you okay? You've been kind of sad lately." 7 asked, a bit worriedly, sitting beside him while the twins excitedly pointed at the rain beginning to fall slowly and flashing to one another, taking pictures of the rainfall to add to their ever-growing database of the world. 9 smiled at her.
"I'm fine. Don't worry about me." He said to her, patting her arm. His smile told her it all, and she smiled back at him widely, using his arm as a pillow to rest on, nestling into him. He held her hand, and together, they watched the rain falling down. In some, the green fragments of the returning, new souls were released as the drops hit the ground.
He could do this. He could protect 7 and the twins. He could help life return. And he knew he could ask 5 for guidance anytime he needed to.
The red thread proved that.