Feliciano biked down the streets with his friends. They were arguing about what to do for Halloween.
"I say we do something scary!" Alfred said. "Like a haunted house."
Arthur shook his head. "I don't think that would be a good idea."
Alfred smirked. "Is it because you're too afraid? Cause I'm the hero, I'll protect you."
Ivan chuckled. "No it's because he doesn't want to carry your butt all the way home when you see a ghost."
Alfred frowned. "That's because I can't punch a ghost, my fist would go right through them."
Yao sighed. "Do you seriously base your fears off of what you can punch."
"Well duh." Alfred shrugged.
"Mon ami, I don't understand how you deal with him," Francis said to Alfred's twin, Matthew.
Matthew gave a small smile. "You get used to it."
Feliciano listened to Ivan and Alfred bickering. He didn't like it when they always fought. "I saw an abandoned house at the end of a street up here. We could go in there perhaps." Feliciano came up with a solution.
Kiku nodded. "It sounds like a good idea, don't you think so Alfred?"
"Yeah it sounds great, last one there has to do everyone's homework!" Alfred shouted and took off pedaling.
"That's unfair you bloody idiot!" Arthur yelled.
Feliciano ended up being the last one to arrive.
"Well I guess you're doing my homework." Alfred disappeared in the doorway.
Most of Feliciano's friends followed, except Ludwig.
"You don't have to go in if you don't want to, I know how you don't like scary things," Ludwig said.
"No, I have to, it's time for me to be braver." Feliciano stepped through the doorway.
When he stepped through he saw his friends standing on a giant circle rug that had numbers on it like a clock. Feliciano shivered, the number's color reminded him of blood. The rest of the floor was a pure white.
"Finally you're here, we were waiting for you." Alfred rolled his eyes.
"There's no cell service in here, I can't take a selfie of the beautiful moi," Francis said, annoyed.
"It's boring we should go." Ivan stepped off the rug.
A giant grey figure swooped down and tore him in half.
Somebody screamed, Feliciano wasn't sure who, it might have been all of them. He saw Kiku trying to open the door, but it wouldn't budge. It was too fast. He saw all of his friends being brutally murdered. Painful memories flashed across his mind and rendered him incapable of movement. All he remembered was Alfred shoving him in a grandfather clock and telling him to get down and stay quiet. He cried and came across a diary at the bottom. He clutched it and sobbed hysterically. "I'll never see my brother again, all my friends are gone. I wish I could turn back time stop me from mentioning this haunted mansion." He looked out the clock head and saw the arrows moving at a fast pace, backwards. He saw the blood flowing back into his friends bodies.
He stepped out of the grandfather clock and wiped the tears from his eyes. He still clutched the diary in his hands.
"It's boring we should go." Ivan almost stepped off the rug.
"STOP!" Feliciano yelled.
They stared at him in surprise.
"I saw all of you die." Feliciano cried.
"You." He pointed to Alfred. "Saved me by putting me in the grandfather clock, somehow it reversed what happened and I have another chance to save you all."
"Well then, take charge Feliciano," Alfred said, serious for once.
"Tell us what to do," Ludwig says.
Feliciano nodded solemnly. "Kiku, you know how to wield a sword right?"
Kiku nodded.
"Grab the Katana on the wall, you will need it." Feliciano pointed to a fancy sword wrapped in silk hanging on the wall.
"Ivan grab that pipe, Alfred you've had shooting lessons grab the pistol. Yao you once beat 3 bullies in a fight using only a wok, there's one over there. Arthur take the book over there and see if there's any information in it." Feliciano commanded. "Everybody else find something to use."
They all put their backs together to keep anything from sneaking up on them. This time they were ready.
A grey thing swooped down and tried to prey on Kiku. He swung the Katana with all his might and chopped off one of its hands.
"This is what you were talking about right Feli?" Matthew said nervously as he swung a bloody hockey stick at the creature, trying to kill it.
"Yes," Feliciano said while beating the thing with the diary.
"I say we call it Steve." Alfred joked while shooting.
Steve scampered off, but Feliciano and the others could clearly see the hand it had lost growing back.
"We did it, we scared it off! We're free!" Frances jumped for joy.
Yao shook his head. "Not so fast." He pointed at Alfred, who at some point had gotten knocked over and scratched across the face. Blood was pouring from his wounds, he didn't seem to be in good health, at all.
"Alfred!" Arthur held his head up. "How many fingers am I holding?" He held up two fingers in front of Alfred's face.
Alfred laughed. "Quit worrying so much I can perfectly fine. To prove it, I know you're holding up two fingers."
Kiku ripped off the decorative silk. "Use this to bandage your face, it's the best we have."
Arthur flipped through the book he was given while Alfred's head was being tended to by Feliciano, because he was the only one who had taken a First Aid class.
"Listen here," Arthur spoke up. "It says there's only one room Steve can't enter."
"Well then let's go," Ludwig said. "I'll carry Alfred."
"No," Alfred tried to stop Ludwig. "I can walk." He tried to stand up on his own but stumbled and fell over again.
"I'll carry you, you'll only slow us down." Ludwig picked up Alfred and slung him over his shoulder.
They all ran to where Arthur had said was a supposed safe room.
"According to the book, to get out you need to find 7 keys to unlock the door." Arthur furrowed his eyebrows. "I didn't think this was possible, but there's a spell to keep Steve at bay."
"Well then try it," Alfred said.
"Not now. We're safe here." Arthur glanced at the door. "I don't want to risk it."
Yao interrupted. "We should try to find the keys as soon as possible, if we want a chance to get out before Steve is fully healed."
Kiku nodded. "He's right, if we can find all 7 keys before Steve is healed, then we can leave without having to face Steve again."
The band of friends grimly stepped out of the room to explore.
Matthew was the first to voice all of their concerns. "How do we even know what the keys look like?"
"We don't." Arthur solemnly said.
They came across a grand room that seemed like it once was a ballroom. There were torn white, silk, curtains adorning windowless walls. It had a beautiful pure white grand piano which had designs etched in it. There was no key. They went into the next room, it was a kitchen. On the main dining table was a broken plate. In the middle of the broken plate was a key pendant.
"This is it, this is the first key!" Feliciano cried out of joy. They had a chance of surviving after all.
"I'll carry it." Kiku volunteered.
As soon as he put it on Steve struck. He quickly killed Kiku while he was distracted.
Arthur opened his book and screamed words Feliciano didn't understand. A green force field surrounded the group of friends. But Arthur wasn't quick enough. Steve managed to kill Yao and Alfred despite their best effort. A group of bullies is one thing, but Yao can't take on a giant monster with only Alfred shooting from his seated position on the ground.
Feliciano could see Arthur strain to keep the force field under control. "I can't hold it for much longer." Arthur whispered.
The living friends readied themselves for battle, but Feliciano could only think about the grandfather clock.
Arthur screamed as the force field shattered and the light bombarded his eyes and caused him to fall unconscious.
Feliciano bolted to the main room.
"Feli why are you leaving us?" Feliciano heard Matthew say.
As he ran he foolishly decided to glance behind him. He saw the blood of his friends splatter on the pure white walls.
Feliciano ran even faster. He found the grandfather clock and locked himself in. He tried to stifle his sobs and watched the hands of the clock spin backwards.
Feliciano clutched the book in his trembling hands. "I might as well try to read what's in here and see if it helps us."
He opened the book.
Dear Diary,
My friends and I found this abandoned house. It looks so cool! We're going to check it out tomorrow.
Dear Diary,
I saw my friends be murdered by a monster. I'm hiding in a grandfather clock, its hands are spinning strange. I have to get out of here.
Dear Diary,
The grandfather clock turns back time, I have another chance to save my friends.
Dear Diary,
My friends are dead.
Dear Diary,
I failed again.
Dear Diary,
I'm a failure. I've gone back what seems like hundreds of times but I can never save my friends.
Dear Diary,
I found a key. I will never let it go, the monster can pry it from my skeleton if it wants.
Dear Diary,
They're dead.
Dear Diary,
So much blood.
Dear Diary,
For someone who can reverse time, I never have enough.
Dear Diary, Dear Diary, Dear Diary, Dear Diary.
Suddenly the 'Dear Diary's stopped. It ended with a splash of blood and left Feliciano faint. He stumbled out of the grandfather clock and saw his friends standing on the rug with blood red letters. Alive again, for now. How many times would it take till all his friends would get out alive.
"W-where are we?" Kiku held his sword out, preparing for attack.
Feliciano sighed with relief when he saw the key pendant swinging from his neck.
"Last time I remember we were in the kitchen and I grabbed the key." Kiku grabbed the key around his neck for confirmation it was still there. "Did I, die?"
Feliciano nodded sadly.
"Hey guys, at least I'm better now." Alfred tried to lighten the mood by standing up and proving his health.
Arthur collapsed forward.
"Artie!" Alfred rushed in to carry Arthur.
"I saw a bedroom earlier." Matthew offered. "We could take him there."
The band carried Arthur to the bedroom. Pure white sheets adorned the beds, only to be splattered with deep red blood coming from Arthur.
They huddled around Arthur, hoping for the best preparing for the worst. They were on the edge of their seats waiting for Steve to try to attack them while they were weak.
Arthur convulsed and coughed up blood, adding to the contrast on the once pure white sheets.
"Arthur are you okay?" Alfred asked.
Arthur only coughed in response.
"How many fingers am I holding up." Alfred held out two trembling fingers in front of Arthur's eyes.
Arthur coughed and wiped the blood trickling down his chin away. "I'm sorry Alfred, but I can no longer see."
Alfred trembled so much that his glasses fell to the ground.
"I won't let it stop me from searching, let's go to the ballroom again." Arthur ordered. "I have a strong feeling we're missing something there."
Alfred helped Arthur off the bed and they walked as fast as they could. Arthur tried to shove Alfred off and walk on his own, but after walking into a wall he took Alfred's hand again.
They group of friends arrived in the ballroom.
Ludwig decided to take charge here. "Everyone spread out and look for things that could be a key. Just because the first one was an actual key doesn't mean the others will be."
Matthew, Alfred, and Arthur went to the piano. While the twins were looking for visible evidence of keys, Arthur was running his fingers over the engraved sides of the piano. Feliciano, Kiku, and Ludwig searched around the grand fireplace.
"How many times have you seen me die?" Kiku questioned.
Feliciano froze, hands trembling. He gulped. "Twice, two times too many."
"I found something!" Arthur cheered, gaining the attention of everyone and ending the morbid conversation.
Arthur was trying to pry a piece of ivory out of the piano.
"Why are you trying to destroy the beautiful instrument?" Feliciano cried. "It is one of the only things unbroken in the dreadful mansion."
Arthur held his palms out gesturing to calm down. "All the other engravings are chiseled in. This one however." He pointed to a design of a key.
Feliciano's heart fluttered. Another key!
"Jutts out and there is a thin indent around it." Arthur smiled triumphantly.
Everyone gave Matthew some space as he pried the key out. It fell out of the piano and clattered on the floor, a black ribbon acted as a necklace.
They heard a growling noise from behind them.
Matthew leaped into the area of the grand piano where the strings are held. "Hide in the piano guys." Feliciano listened to Matthew, but couldn't do anything.
Again Feliciano was forced to watch his friends die, and again he did the thing he was best at. He ran. He ran to the grandfather clock. He turned around and saw Matthew's torn body lying halfway out of the piano, his bloody hand resting on the once pure white keys.
Feliciano slammed the door of the grandfather clock shut and watched the hands spiral backwards over the blood red numbers.
Feliciano saw his friends appear, alive on the clock rug.
He sighed in relief. They were okay, except for Arthur who was still blind but they were alive.
He stepped out of the grandfather clock.
He saw his friend's faces, except Arthur, stare at him in horror. Kiku and Francis raised their swords. Alfred raised his gun.
Feliciano was confused, wasn't he their friend? Why were they looking at him like strangely? Did he have blood on his face? He realized they were staring at something behind him.
He turned around to see something about to swat him. He froze in fear. Panic surged through his body. He closed his eyes, prepared to die.
When the hit didn't come, he slowly opened them. Matthew was trying to fight off the monster by himself, only to be brutally thrown against the wall. Feliciano saw the life leave his eyes. The position of his body was like how he was on the piano.
Ivan, Yao, Kiku, and Francis rushed forward to fight off Steve. Ludwig grabbed a still frozen in place Feliciano and carried him to safety.
Steve quickly threw off the four friends, they weren't dead, yet. Steve turned his attention to Alfred and Arthur. Alfred shot at the monster, hitting one of his eyes. Steve easily shoved Alfred out of the way and grabbed Arthur.
Arthur tried his best to fight off Steve, but to no avail. Arthur's body fell limp in Steve's disfigured hand. Steve dropped Arthur and turned his attention to the still living people. The others besides Alfred were able to chase Steve away.
Feliciano began to run towards the grandfather clock. Kiku stopped him.
"Don't, let us at least try to find as many keys as we can during this loop." Kiku put his hand on Feliciano's shoulder. "I don't want you to travel back again only for us to die again. Let us at least try."
Feliciano nodded.
He walked off to sit by Alfred who was grieving over Matthew's and Arthur's death.
"Hey Feli," Alfred said dejectedly.
"Hey Alfred," Feliciano replied.
Alfred continued staring at their corpses. He sniffled.
"Feli," Alfred paused. "You've dealt with loss before. Does it get better?"
Feliciano though back to the day his grandfather died. "It gets better, you have to continue to see all the good in the world."
Alfred nodded.
Feliciano felt as if now would be a good time to leave Alfred alone to grieve.
"Arthur, I was a hero wasn't I?" Feliciano heard Alfred whisper. "I protected you, didn't I? I could be a hero... couldn't I?"
Alfred and Ludwig, being the strongest, carried Arthur's and Matthew's bodies to the bedroom they found earlier.
As they passed the ballroom, Feliciano couldn't help but gaze at the piano Matthew had died in before. It was still covered in blood, dripping off the ivory keys.
"W-what happened there?" Francis asked.
"Matthew died here," Feliciano said.
Francis looked at him in confusion.
"After he retrieved the second key." Feliciano's eyes filled with tears again.
Alfred stared blankly at Matthew's corpse.
"I wonder," Yao began.
Ivan looked at him in confusion. "What?"
"What if after someone takes a key, Steve finds us," Yao began. "And the blood of the person who found the key stays there as a trophy of sorts."
"But why?" Francis asked. "To tell us the amount of times we've failed? Then why only when we find a key?"
He took a breath. "Then why is it only Matthew's blood we're seeing?"
"Kiku died after he found the key, correct?" Yao asked.
Feliciano nodded, remembering the time loop.
"We should check the kitchen and see if my blood is still there." Kiku offered.
Sure enough, in the kitchen Kiku's blood was splattered on the walls and coated the once pure white broken plate a deep shade of red.
They stared at the mess of a room for a moment, silently honoring how much pain Feliciano had been through. Trying and failing to save all of his friends over and over, seeing all of them die. Yet somehow he was still fighting, he wasn't giving up.
"Can we go?" Alfred said halfheartedly.
The others looked at him in shock. It was the loudest he had spoken since the attack.
Feliciano nodded. "Yes, let's go."
They laid Arthur and Matthew down on the beds. Their blood soaking into the white sheets. Respectfully, Yao pulled the sheets over them to hide their wounds. Alfred watched.
"We should go and find the other keys." Ivan broke the silence.
Ivan, Yao, Francis, Feliciano, Ludwig, and Kiku left the room.
"Alfred, we should get going," Kiku said, "We want to find the keys as soon as possible."
Alfred continued staring blankly at their bodies.
"Alfred, we need to go," Kiku said a little bit louder.
"I want to stay with them," Alfred said.
Feliciano looked at him in shock. "What?"
"I want to stay with them." Alfred paused. "Because they mean so much to me."
Alfred sat in between the beds and held both of their hands.
"Please." Alfred looked at them, tears streaming underneath his glasses. "I'm going to die anyways, let me be with them."
Feliciano nodded. "Let's go."
They left Alfred in the bedroom and explored the mansion. They came across a half open door, leading to an eerie set of spiral stairs going down to a basement.
"Shall we go down?" Ivan asked.
Feliciano fidgeted with the hem of his shirt. "Are you sure there's a key down there?"
Ivan stared at him. "Yes, it's the perfect place to keep a key or two. If I was Steve it's where I would keep keys."
Ivan grinned slyly. "It traps someone down there with only one way out. It's almost foolproof."
"Almost?" Feliciano asked feebly.
"We're here," Ivan said, "Steve is fighting us. We'll never give in."
They walked down the stairs.
The stairs creaked all the way down. At the bottom of the stairs there was a skeleton with pure white bones hanging from a rope from the ceiling. In its hand was a key on a string.
"See." Ivan smirked. "I told you."
He tried to snatch the key from the skeleton's hand, but it wouldn't budge.
Ivan narrowed his eyes. "Well then." He broke the skeleton's hand off and put the key, and hand around his neck.
"How do I look." Ivan joked.
Yao rolled his eyes. "Quit joking, we need to get out of here."
"Before it's too late." Ludwig added.
Ivan laughed. "Oh it already is, it was the moment we walked downstairs."
"What do you mean?" Feliciano asked. "I thought you said,"
Ivan cut him off. "I said it so you wouldn't be afraid."
"What?" Feliciano yelled.
Ivan looked at him solemnly. "I knew I wouldn't survive this trip down stairs, but you can."
Kiku nodded catching on. "Run Feliciano, go to the grandfather clock, we'll stall Steve so you can get out alive."
Feliciano finally saw Steve lurking in the shadows, preparing to pounce.
"Look out!" he yelled.
"Go Feliciano, we'll take care of this."
He ran up the stairs, but not before blood splattered on him, and the blood turned the skeleton red once again.
He slammed the grandfather clock shut.
They were all dying, for him. They had sacrificed themselves, and he was failing them. Failing over and over and over and over and over. He thought about his brother, his friends, his childhood friend. He had doomed them. All of them. His friends by telling them about the mansion. His brother by, making him go through the pain of losing another family member. His childhood friend wouldn't have disappeared if Feliciano hadn't stopped him from going.
"How many times will I be allowed to make mistakes?" He screamed at the clock.
"How many times will I have to watch my friends die?"
He cried for his friends, who he kept on losing. He cried for his brother, who he would be leaving. He cried for the fact that the chances of escape from this horrible place were next to nothing. He cried for his first friend, who had disappeared, forever. Exactly like what would happen to himself.
"You were my sunshine."
Feliciano sang in between sobs.
"You made me happy, now skies are grey."
Feliciano looked out the glass pane of the grandfather clock.
"You'll never know now, how much I still love you."
His voice hitched.
"Because they took my sunshine away."
Someone knocked on the grandfather clock.
"Are you okay Feli?" Ludwig asked.
The chances of survival may be slim, but it didn't mean Feliciano was going to give in easily.
"Come on dude we need you!" Feliciano heard Alfred yell.
Feliciano wiped away his tears and opened the door.
Upon seeing the tear stains on his face a collective flash of pity crosses over all of Feliciano's friends faces.
"Was the last loop," Matthew began, tentative, "that horrible?"
Feliciano nodded. "Yes, it was."
Ivan cleared his throat. "How did I get this?" He held up the key around his neck, the now red skeleton hand still attached.
"We found the 3rd key," Feliciano said, "It was in the basement, so don't search there again."
Ivan could tell the story behind finding the key was bad and let it drop.
Francis interrupted the conversation. "How about we go up these stairs here, there has to be at least one key."
They made their way up the stairs. Alfred helping Arthur, who was still getting used to being blind.
Upstairs there was a huge white crystal chandelier. In the middle there was a key.
Yao stretched out his arms. "I got this."
He back up some, then took a running start and flung himself at the chandelier.
Feliciano noticed a growl coming from far away.
"Hurry up!" he yelled."
"I'm trying," Yao yelled back. "But it's a bit hard to climb a swinging chandelier."
The growling was closer now.
Yao's foot slipped. He grabbed one of the wires with crystals on it to pull himself back up.
Steve appeared.
They prepared to fight. They prepared to die. No matter what path Feliciano chose it always ended like this. With all of Feliciano's friends dying. Running out of time. Running away.
They fought their best, they always did. Yet it was always in vain.
First, it was Yao. He reached the key, but then Steve hit the chandelier, causing him to fall and crash on the hard marble floor. Red contrasting white once again.
Second and third, Kiku and Francis. Swatted away like bugs.
Fourth, fifth, and sixth, Ivan, Matthew, and Ludwig. Torn apart by Steve.
Seventh and Eighth, Alfred and Arthur. Alfred tried his best to fight alone and Arthur tried his best to run, but Steve was better.
Last was Feliciano. He ran to the grandfather clock. He had been able to evade Steve, for now. He reached the clock, tears streaming down his face. He was outraged. Why was Steve doing this? What purpose did it serve? Why did he have to watch all of his friends die again and again and again?
"One by one," Feliciano yelled at Steve.
"You've taken my friends."
Steve looked confused.
"And now I ask you," Feliciano paused. "Why didn't you take me too?"
He lifted his arms in a 'here I am' gesture. "Why?"
Steve continued staring at Feliciano in confusion.
"Well then. I'm going to get by friends back," Feliciano triumphantly said. "and this time, we will succeed. Just you wait"
He shut the door of the clock and watched, again, the arms spin over the blood red numbers.
He stepped out.
Yao had the key in his hand. He looked confused.
"I haven't even jumped onto the chandelier yet. How do I have the…" Yao's voice fizzled out when he saw the large pool of blood on the floor next to the rug.
"How many times have we died?" Ludwig asked.
"Six times, but it won't happen again. I won't let it." Feliciano had a determined look in his eyes. Steve had broken him, but broken crayons still color. He would do his best to make sure that his friends would get out alive.
"We're exploring this mansion top to bottom." Feliciano commanded. "We need to have a formation so that we don't get killed."
His friends nodded.
"Arthur, in the middle. Alfred beside him. Ivan, Kiku, and Yao in front of them. Francis, Ludwig, and Matthew behind them." Feliciano's friends got in position.
"What about you?" Arthur asked.
"I'll be the leader."
They went up all the flights of spiraling stairs. To the very top, where a dorm with arching windows greeted them.
"Describe it please." Arthur said faintly.
"Well um it's sunny out for October." Alfred began.
"The trees are all orange," Kiku continued. "Like the color of a pumpkin."
"There's not a cloud in sky, and it's a nice royal blue." Francis added.
Matthew studied the horizon. "And the sun is setting, so the edges of the blue turn to gold."
They were silent for a minute.
"Is it just me or does that look like a key outline in the light?" Alfred pointed to a white light fixture that was edged in marble.
Arthur shrugged his shoulders. "I wouldn't know."
Alfred stifled a laugh. "Ivan give me a boost."
Ivan didn't have time to react before Alfred flung himself on Ivan and used him as a personal step ladder to reach the light.
Alfred unscrewed the light fixture and sure enough, inside was a key.
"Only two more to go!" Alfred smiled and stepped off of Ivan.
Ivan rolled his eyes. "I still don't see how it was necessary to step on my face."
Alfred brushed off the hidden insult. "Don't worry it was all part of the hero's plan."
Feliciano felt his a pain in his heart when he remembered Alfred so broken, sitting next to Arthur and Matthew in the bedroom.
"We should start searching for the other keys before Steve finds us and we have to fight." Matthew interrupted the fight.
"But we have half a plan this time," Yao said. "We should have a chance, we'll be fine if we rest a minute."
Ludwig shook his head. "We don't want to fight if we don't have to."
He looked at Feliciano.
"We don't want to put Feliciano through the pain of watching his friends die again if we don't have to."
Yao nodded. "Then let's go."
They explored the entire mansion, but there was no sign of the other 2 keys. They jumped at every creak, at every squeak in floors, at every groan of wood. However, Steve was nowhere to be seen. It was suspicious. Steve had shown up after they found every other key, but he never showed up.
They came across a beautiful fireplace. It was white, and had spiraling designs carved into the marble that reached all the way to the high ceiling. At the very top of the fireplace a key was secured.
Alfred wolf whistled. "I swear if this place didn't have a murderous monster in it then I would totally live here."
"Really Alfred?" Matthew shook his head.
"Now's not the time." Kiku added.
Feliciano heard growling from behind.
"I swear to god!" Feliciano yelled.
"I didn't know that he could swear." Yao whispered to Kiku.
"I am so done with this," Feliciano snapped. "Go away Steve, nobody likes you."
Francis's eyes were wide. "I haven't seen Feliciano this mad since... ever."
He shuddered.
"He's kind of scary."
Steve seemed taken aback by Feliciano's words, or maybe just the fact that one of his prey had yelled at him.
"I have a plan," Feliciano whispered to the group, "We make Steve charge into the fireplace and then the fireplace will crack and hopefully the key, or a block of stone holding the key, will fall down and we can retrieve it easier."
Alfred gave a thumbs up. "Sounds good to me."
"Agreed."
"Great."
"Let's get out of here."
"We believe in you Feliciano," Ludwig said.
The others nodded in agreement.
"Come at us Steve!"
"Yeah come and get us!"
"Stupid, stupid, stupid-butt!"
"You can't catch me I'm the gingerbread man!"
Steve charged and they dodged and Steve slammed full force into the fireplace. The fireplace cracked and a chunk of stone fell. Of course that's where it all went horribly wrong, again.
The stone fell on Feliciano's legs.
He screeched in pain.
He tried lifting the stone, but it was too much weight.
Ludwig rushed over to pry the stone off him.
The rest tried to fight of Steve, they did better than last time, but they were still slaughtered.
Steve pushed Ludwig's head into the stone and chased Kiku out of the room. Feliciano saw the blood splatter on the wall and Steve's shadow loomed over the doorway.
Feliciano tried even harder to pull the stone off him.
"Shh." Ludwig pulled him down.
"You're alive!" Feliciano gasped. "I thought you were dead."
Ludwig coughed up blood.
"I will be in a little while, but for now play dead so that Steve leaves us alone."
Feliciano nodded. "Right."
They laid sprawled on the floor. Side by side, in a growing pool of blood trickling from Feliciano's legs and Ludwig's head.
Steve came in and looked around and left, satisfied with what he saw.
Ludwig shoved the stone off of Feliciano.
"It's no use, I can't move my legs." Feliciano shook his head.
"Don't cry." Ludwig smiled. "If I'm going to die, I'm glad it's with you."
"Thanks." Feliciano smiled sadly.
He sighed.
"Everybody died right before my eyes. The pure white piano, the pure white sheets, the pure white beds, the pure white floor, they were all painted deep red."
Feliciano looked out one of the high windows, where he could see the moon peeking out of the clouds.
"But you know," he shrugged, "no one blamed me. Everyone smiled at me and then they told me 'I'm sorry I couldn't be by your side till the end."
A tear streamed down his cheek.
"It's all my fault that we're here, if I hadn't mentioned this stupid mansion then everyone would be alive."
"Hey it's not your fault," Ludwig said, "Nobody blames you."
"I do." More tears streamed down Feliciano's face.
"You shouldn't."
There was a pause.
"I'm glad I'm by your side Feli," Ludwig said.
He laid down next to Feliciano.
"You were my first friend." He laughed. "I wasn't the most social person."
He ran his hand through his short, blond, hair.
"I was really awkward. But you act so natural around people. I envied you."
"You," Feliciano pointed to Ludwig, "envied me?"
"Yes, you get along with everyone. You're friends with everyone."
He yawned.
"I'm getting tired."
He yawned again.
"I'll see you on the other side."
He closed his eyes, never to open them again.
Feliciano held a minute of silence as a vigil for his friends.
He checked his phone.
"Oh lookie here, I have service." Feliciano dialed a number and put the phone to his ear.
All he got was voicemail.
He left a message after the beep.
"Hey Lovi," he told his brother's voicemail.
"Oh right sorry you don't like being called Lovi, Lovino."
He paused.
"Can you fill in for me tomorrow?" He asked
"Tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, and forever and ever? Can you?"
He paused.
"I love you, I'm sorry I'm leaving you."
He sighed.
"I wish I could give you one last hug. I love you I love you I love you. Goodbye."
He hit the end call button.
His edges of his vision started to turn black.
He saw Steve enter the room.
He laughed.
"Oh come on, come and get me." He sneered.
"I am your last trophy after all. You lost to a guy whose only redeeming feature is his fast feet."
He laughed again and laid down next to Ludwig.
"Ciao."
As Feliciano's vision faded to black, he noticed a shining white key hanging around Steve's neck.
When he opened his eyes again he was in a field.
Feliciano gasped. "Wait where am I?"
A breeze filtered through his hair.
"Hello Feli, it's been a while," A voice said from behind.
Feliciano whipped around and saw his childhood friend. Still only 6 years old.
"C-Charles, you're here." A tear leaked from Feliciano's eyes.
"I missed you so much." He gave Charles a hug.
Charles laughed.
"Why don't you introduce me to your friends, they've been waiting for you."
Feliciano turned behind him and saw all of his friends, healthy, sort of alive, and happy. Even Arthur's sight had been restored.
"Friends, this is Charles." He gestured to Charles.
"Charles, this is Ivan, Yao, Francis, Kiku, Matthew, Arthur, Alfred, and Ludwig."
Hello Hetafan is here! I made this for my English class for our Halloween short story. It turned out not so short being 11 pages and 5,794 words. The boy next to me wrote a paragraph. I hope you like it, it has kept me from writing my other stories, not like a had any inspiration for them anyways. I got a bunch of my friends to read it and give me suggestions, I hope it wasn't too morbid, just morbid enough. Also if you didn't guess it already, Charles is Holy Roman Empire even though I support the Holy Rome is Germany Headcanon.