Chapter 1 - Life after falling
I finally made it to the top of Mt. Ebbot. I might have felt proud of myself if the situation weren't what it was... but that poisonous ideas in my head were what had kept my feet moving, one after another, until I reached that huge hole. I remembered spending time there when I was younger, throwing stones into it, looking above to the trees branches moving quietly, and a never-ending blue sky making it all look like a painting.
Blue was my favorite color since I have memories.
That rumor... 'Nobody returns from Mount Ebbot'-thing , scared me a bit until I finally understood what was really happening. Walking on a place like this... doesn't leave you a choice but thinking. Thinking about your life, your dreams... about what were you doing with your time. Many people had had those types of revelations here, and left the village so fast nobody could notice it. I found it hilarious when everyone started giving such a dramatic horror-film atmosphere to the story.
I laughed at it once and they were still trying to convince me about it.
-You know, Jared went there a month ago... He was the strongest man I'd ever saw. Now, is most like he had vanished…
I was going for a walk that day. I saw Jared, and we had a little chat. He had finally realized that he didn't want to continue with his family's path. Not working with his own hands, not fixing others stupid stuff. He wanted to be a writer, so he moved to the capital. Obviously, I would never tell that to that noisy people. 'Good luck looking for ghosts you fools'. I thought to myself.
Huh.
I used to not be like this.
Before it can be helped, the world had become boring, grey; worthless towards my eyes. Guess that was my own 'revelation'.
Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and let myself fall into the darkness in front of me. Almost feeling like flying. Almost.
I woke up surrounded by a bunch of golden flowers, placed as some kind of mattress.
Even the dizziness in my head couldn't stop me from cursing out loud. Finally I sat up and look around, but the little bright of the flowers didn't let me see much. Nevertheless I felt something moving around me. Making circles, as it was trying to inspect me.
-H-hello? -I felt like an idiot for questioning.
It stopped.
-H-howdy...
I blinked twice, because it was impossible to believe what I was seeing. The concussion, for sure. But there it was, a pretty tall flower looking at me with caution and a bit of suspicion, and talking, furthermore.
-I'm Flowey, Flowey the flower. Such a long time no seeing a human down here... -He smiled politely and moved a little closer.
I felt my brain making an inaudible click. If I was hallucinating, God it was the greatest thing ever! And if it was a dream I sure didn't want to wake up. All my childhood fantasies being fulfilled at last, far from that world I never recognized as mine; far from the boredom, the physic laws. I had to force myself to not hug Flowey. Instead, my eyes water a bit, and I made the sweetest and most honest smile I'd ever made.
-H-hi, I'm Ellie, nice to meet you Flowey. That's a pretty name for a flower.
-Thank you. -He seemed truly surprised at my compliment. - But you must run! She's... She's always watching... -his voice turned afraid suddenly.
He gasped, his eyes wide opened.
-She's coming! HIDE! -He disappeared somewhere underground.
'Hide... Where?'
It was all pitch black a few steps from the flowers.
An orange flame lighted suddenly the torches on the walls, and I felt chills all over my spine. I wasn't a coward, but that didn't felt friendly at all.
-My my... Look what I found here... -a soft female voice was coming from my back- Come here my child, let me look at you...
It was a lady goat. Literally, a lady goat. She was covered in white fluffy fur and wearing a tight black dress. Her eyes were yellow except for the pupils, and seemed... Empty.
I tried to avoid them.
-I'm Toriel, caretaker of the ruins, and you must be...?
-I'm… I'm Ellie.
- Oh you are able to speak! What a pretty voice you have, my child -she grabbed my hands and smiled, but her eyes weren't smiling as well.
-Thank you... I woke up here and I'm a little confus... Wait, am I… dead or something?
She giggled and started walking, pulling me with her.
-Of course not, sweetheart. You come from the human world, don't you? Right up from here... Oh! My my, what was I thinking, are you hurt my child? I'm sure that was a great fall...
-No, I just have some little bruises. -I timidly smiled while she was taking a fast check over my whole body.
-Nothing that a big piece of pie cannot heal! -she said jovially, and kept guiding me through the ruins.
The ruins were cold and seemed dangerous. Toriel was holding my hand still, maybe a little stronger than she should, and walking fast while pulling some levers, pressing buttons… Geez, it sure looked like some sort of videogame.
-Where are we going? –I asked, trying not to trip over my own feet.
-We are going home dummy, where else? –she giggled.
-Home? Like, to your house? You live here? –I kept asking, surprised.
-WE live here… -she muttered. –Yes, we all live here! –it sounded like she was talking to herself.
I didn't know how to answer that. Besides, she was somewhere lost inside her mind, really far from here. The last place we both entered had a big burnt tree, which didn't fit at all with the rest of that place, and I got closer, trying to read something engraved on it.
-H…Hel … -I tried to decipher behind all the ashes.
Toriel pulled my arm so hard I made a little whimper.
-We are finally here, my child! –she smiled so big I could tell that she was faking kindness this time. – Let's get in!
Toriel's home reminded me of a big dollhouse, everything painted yellow and green. She had finally let me go, and I was exploring that cute place with curiosity, yet not being able to believe what I was living, yet excited. Flowey's words came to my mind, but quickly left as I opened the first room's door. It was a little kid's room. Nothing strange with that, except I hadn't seen any kids anywhere since I fell.
'That bed seems comfortable…' –I thought, sitting on it. I fell asleep as my head touched the pillow, even though it was too small for me.
Sans P.O.V:
-Fuuck, I'm freezing to the bone here! –I growl, almost shouting.
I placed my head on my arms, using the table of the hot-cat stand as a pillow, and covering my head with my hoodie. 'Please, someone, something, keep that jerk away from here for a few hours' I implored, angrily. 'Just a few hours…'.
Each day was just a copy of the day before. Sleeping, getting kicked, waiting for something that will never come, getting drunk, getting kicked again… I hated it. Maybe if it wasn't for my pride I would have let one of those stupid pieces of shit get rid of me long ago. Turning to dust had to be better than this. At least I wouldn't have to hear Papyrus voice.
-SANS! YOU STUPID LAZY BONES TRASH WAKE UP RIGHT KNOW!
-Talking of the devil... -I whispered.
-WHAT DID I JUST SAID?
-Nothin'. -I yawned- 'Sup boss?
-YOU WERE SLEEPING! YOU MUST ALWAYS BE ALERT FOR THE HUMANS SO I, THE GREAT AND TERRIFYING PAPYRUS COULD STEAL THEIR SOUL AND TURN EVEN MORE POWERFUL!
-Yeah, sure...
Another day, same speech.
He grabbed my jacket and lifted me up; his eyes had turned completely black. Without saying a word, he punched my chest so hard I ended with my back hitting the iron doors of the ruins.
-IF I CATCH YOU SKIPPING WORK AGAIN... -he threatened.
-I-I understand Pap-... boss. It won't happen again... -I said, through the pain of my broken ribs.
-IT WILL. AND I, OF COURSE, KNOW THAT ALREADY! -he turned back and started walking back to Snowdin, with that superiority pose which always made me want to strangle him.
'One day brother... I swear...'
I sighed with fury. Behind me, the sound of something being smashed to the rock walls was increasing.
-Huh, that crazy bitch surely is having a good time...
The world started fading around me, and honestly, I didn't care.