Lend a Hand
Chapter 2
"EEEEEEKKKKKK!" Toadette screeched.
"Calm down, calm down! The lights just went out!" Yoshi yelled, but his words were lost to most of his friends who couldn't hear over Toadette's shrieking.
"Well, OBVIOUSLY the lights went out!" Wario said sarcastically after Peach had calmed Toadette down. "We could all tell that. Thanks for warning us though."
Yoshi glared at him but didn't respond.
"Hey, settle down." Mario said, putting a hand on Wario's shoulder. He then addressed the rest of the group. "I know we were about to leave, but we should probably check on the patients and make sure that they're alright. It's the right thing to do."
The others agreed halfheartedly.
After flashlights had been distributed, they decided to split up into pairs in order to work more efficiently. Luigi, Yoshi, and Swee T. had decided to check out the circuit breaker down in the lower levels of the hospital.
"A backup generator should have brought power back to the hospital, but, as you can see, it doesn't seem to be working." she explained. "So we'll go check out. We might just need to turn it back on."
The groups split up and checked every room that had a patient in it.
However, they noticed something was wrong very quickly.
Mario and Peach entered one of the patient's rooms. They immediately noticed that it was empty.
"What?" Peach asked, a puzzled expression on her face. "Isn't there supposed to be a Toad lying in that bed?"
Mario stepped forward and inspected the bed, the bathroom, and the closet. There was no sign of anybody. The bed looked as though it had just been made. The sheets, blankets, and pillows were completely undisturbed. The closet was empty, and the bathroom was unoccupied.
Mario stood beside Peach once more and flicked off his flashlight, the rays of moonlight filtering through the window acting as the only source of light in the room. He stood there for a minute, carefully panning his gaze from one side of the room to the other, his brow furrowed in concentration.
After a while, he spoke. "He's obviously gone, but where? He's paralyzed from the waist down, he couldn't have just walked off. Someone must have taken him..."
All around the hospital, similar occurrences were taking place.
"Hellooooo?" Jr. called out to the empty room. He and his father waited for a response, but none came.
Bowser snorted in frustration. "Lame! Mario has us check these rooms for the patients and they aren't here! Great. More work."
Wario and Waluigi met up with Toad and Toadette in the hallway.
"This can't be good. Where are all of the patients?" Toad cried, a sense of uneasiness overwhelming him.
"If we knew that, then we would have found them already, wouldn't we?" Waluigi snapped.
"Hey! No need to be rude!" Toadette said.
"Whatever. Let's just meet up with the rest of those losers." Wario replied, already making his way back.
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"Hey, we didn't see anyone."
"Yeah, there was no one-"
"-completely empty!"
Everyone had gathered at the front entrance. They had all begun to rant about how all of the patients were missing, but each person was trying to speak above the other voices, making it impossible to clearly make out what anyone was saying.
Mario was eventually able to silence everyone. "Now," he said. "we all checked the rooms and didn't find anyone, correct?"
His friends nodded silently.
"We're going to have to find them." Daisy said. "Something must be seriously wrong if all of theses patients just disappeared."
"What's going on here? I thought you all would have left by now!"
The group turned in the direction of the voice. Approaching them from one of the hallways was Nass T., his wrinkly face contorted in anger.
"I'm sorry, sir. We were going to leave, but I think there is something you should know." Peach calmly said. "All of the patients seem to have vanished!"
The old Toad just grunted at her. He walked past her and up to another door. "You think I don't know that?! Anyways, this doesn't concern any of you, so I suggest that you all leave immediately!"
Most of the people there sighed in frustration, but those like Bowser and Wario were already making their way to the front door, ready to leave.
However, the door wasn't opening.
"What the?" Bowser said as he tugged on the door. "What's goin' on here? It's stuck!"
Wario pushed him out of the way. "That's because it's 'push', not 'pull', idiot." Wario proceeded to push the door open, but was surprised when it didn't budge. He threw all of his weight at it, but the door didn't move an inch.
"It just...takes a little...elbow grease..." he groaned, struggling in futility to open the door.
"Hey, grumpy guy!" Waluigi pointed at the old Toad accusingly. "What's this, huh? You trapped us in here?"
Nass T. chuckled humorlessly. "Me? Trap you in here? Why on Earth would I do that? I want all of you gone!"
"Then how come the door is stuck?" Rosalina asked, a sense of dread overcoming her. It had been there for a while, but this new event had done nothing to quell her fears of something terrible happening soon.
"How should I know? Now if you'll excuse me..."
Nass T. pushed open the door. The others saw a momentary expression of shock pass over his face, but it was instantly morphed into an expression of pain and mortal terror as a silver knife was buried into his chest.
The others watched in horror as a dark figure pulled the elderly janitor through the door way and closed the door after him. Screams could be heard as Nass T. was undoubtedly being murdered on the other side. A moment later the door opened again, and anybody who hadn't already fled now ran, screaming at the top of their lungs.
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"Are you okay? What happened? Who are you anyway?"
"Whoa, whoa! Mario! It's just me!"
"Sorry, Daisy. What happened? Where is everyone?"
Daisy shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself. When she spoke, her voice was quavering. "I don't know what happened. I guess we all ran off in different directions. They could be anywhere. But more importantly, what the HELL JUST HAPPENED!?"
Mario grabbed her shoulders and shook her gently. "Calm down, Daisy! Let's just stay calm and figure out what's going on." he said slowly.
He waited a few moments for her to relax. She leaned on a wall and closed her eyes, taking deep breaths.
"Good. Now, from what we can tell, we are DEFINITELY in danger. Someone in this hospital is most likely trying to kill everyone."
"But why?"
"I don't know. We don't even know who it is. Unless you got a good look at him?" Mario asked.
As he expected, Daisy shook her head. "No. I don't think anyone did. It was dark and nobody shined their flashlight on him. All I saw was that knife..." she shuddered, the memory of Nass T. being stabbed playing through her mind once more.
"Speaking of darkness, why IS it so dark? I know the lights are off, but what about moonlight? When I was checking rooms on the second floor, I could see outside the windows. But here on the first floor...where are the windows?"
When Mario mentioned it, she found it to be true. She moved to the side a bit and felt a distinct difference in texture.
"Mario...I think something's here." she said softly.
"Do you have your flashlight? I must have dropped mine while I was running."
Daisy nodded, then remembering that it was too dark for Mario to see her, she flicked it on. Daisy turned around and pointed it at the section of the wall that felt peculiar. She was surprised to see planks of wood nailed into it.
"It looks like someone boarded up the windows, too." Mario remarked. "Whoever this is, they don't want us to get out of here."
Daisy shook her head, not wanting to believe any of this.
"Hey, don't worry. We'll get out of here. We just need to find an exit. Now, obviously, the front door and windows aren't an option. Got any other ideas?"
Daisy tried to clear her mind and think, but it was impossible to stop thinking about Nass T. She didn't want to admit it, but she was on the verge of tears. How did Mario seem so calm and collected? She held her hand to her forehead as she felt a headache forming. "No, I'm sorry."
Mario sighed and thought as well. After a moment, he snapped his fingers. "The roof. I saw a fire escape that led from the roof to the second floor. There was a dumpster full of trash just under it. We could jump down into it and escape through there."
"What about everyone else? We need to find them too!" her voice was rising, and she quickly brought it down again. "I'm not leaving without them. Not without Luigi..." she whispered the last part.
"We don't have a choice. If we find some along the way we'll take them with us, but when we reach the roof I'm getting you out of here. Then I'll go back and make sure everyone else makes it out."
"But...but what if he..." A feeling of concern and dread rushed through Daisy. "I'm not leaving you so you can go back in alone."
"You will. I can handle it."
Daisy was about to protest, but Mario had continued walking, and her headache had grown more painful, causing her to comply for now.
They walked for a while in silence. Finally, Daisy asked a question that had been on her mind, one that she feared she already one the answer to.
"Mario...is Nass T. really..."
Mario nodded silently, knowing there was no use in lying to her.
Daisy said nothing and stared at the floor.
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"W-w-we got away..." Toad stuttered in between sessions of heavy panting.
"Did you see that? That old guy just got stabbed!" Jr. screamed.
"Where is everyone else? Did we split up?" Peach asked the other two.
"I guess. I mean, they aren't here, are they?" Jr. said matter-of-factly. "Where exactly are we anyway?"
Toad squinted into the darkness, trying to ascertain where his group was. They were in one of the hallways, but that's all he could tell. "All of these halls look the same. How should I know? Plus, it's dark. Anyone have a flashlight?"
"I do." Peach clicked her flashlight on, but at that moment, the lights suddenly came back on.
"I guess those three dorks got the power back on." Jr. grumbled, rubbing his eyes in pain as they adjusted to the brightness.
"I guess we don't need this." Peach said as she turned the flashlight off once more. Then a horrible thought struck her and she gasped.
"Guys! The murderer! Those three don't know!"
"We have to tell them! What if he goes after them next!?"
"Forget that!" Jr. cried. "I'm getting outta here!"
With that, the little Koopa kid ran ahead. Peach and Toad exchanges worried looks. Unsure of where else to go, they followed him.
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"Glad the lights came back on, but what the hell are we gonna do?" Wario asked angrily.
"I don't know!" Bowser yelled in response.
"Guys! Settle down! He'll hear us!" Toadette whispered. She spun around, certain that she had heard a noise. "WHO'S THERE!" she shrieked, holding her flashlight up like a weapon.
"What happened to being quiet?" Bowser grumbled.
"Shut up!" Wario shouted, clamping a hand over Toadette's mouth. "Does anyone know a way out besides the front door?"
"No."
"No." Toadette said in a muffled voice.
Wario sighed in frustration. He just HAD to get stuck with these two dolts. "Fine. Let's walk around and try to find a way out."
Wario led the group, and, as they walked, Bowser asked a very important question.
"So, did anybody get a good look at this killer?"
Toadette shook her head, too paranoid to even speak.
"No." Wario said, glowering at Toadette as she clung to him and whimpered in fear. "But he can't be one of us. I mean, we were all there at the time."
"Except for Luigi, Yoshi, and Swee T." Toadette said in barely more than a whisper.
They all stopped as her words started to sink in. The killer was too tall to be Swee T., but could it have been Luigi or Yoshi?
"Yeah..." Bowser broke the silence. The party continued on, their fear and suspicions growing by the second.
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Rosalina couldn't keep running. She stopped and gripped her sides. She was bent over and panting, unable to move or do anything. Perfect prey for the murderer.
A hand gripped her shoulder. Terror flooded her entire being and she spun around, delivering a mean right hook to her assailant.
"OUCH! You bitch! I'm only trying to help!"
"I'm sorry! I thought you were the guy with the knife!"
Waluigi gripped his nose in pain. It looked a bit crooked, but then again, it always sort of did. Luckily, it wasn't bleeding.
Rosalina rushed forward to help him, but he rejected her.
"Whatever!" he growled. "Forget it!"
Rosalina smiled sheepishly at Waluigi, hoping he wasn't too angry. "Really, I'm sorry! I didn't know you were following me!"
"I wasn't exactly following you. When that old geezer kicked the bucket, I was just trying to get my ass out of there!"
Rosalina nodded, cringing as she remembered the old man's death. It was so sudden and quick, there was no time to think.
'I just ran.' she thought guiltily. 'I didn't even check to see who else made it out of there. I just ran...'
"So, who was it? Didja see?" Waluigi asked, pulling her out of her thoughts.
"Huh? Oh, um...no...sorry..." she said, a million thoughts still racing through her head like a swarm of bees.
"Alright, whatever. Hopefully that bastard isn't on out tail yet. We gotta get outta here. Any ideas?"
Rosalina tried to think of an escape plan, but she was drawing a blank. "No. Let's just explore and try to find an exit."
"Sounds better than my plan. Staying here and dying in this hospital." the tall man grumbled as he walked ahead. Rosalina caught up with him.
"What about the others? Shouldn't we find them first?"
"Screw the others! I'm saving myself!"
Rosalina paused, shocked at his behavior. How could he say that!? He would leave his friends to die? How could he?
Waluigi was already nearing the end of the hall. Rosalina pondered what she should do. Travel with the pessimistic, selfish man and try to escape, or go alone and most likely meet with a grisly fate?
Rosalina picked the first option. "Wait up!" she called, running after Waluigi.
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BEFORE NASS T.'s DEATH:
"...and punched him right in the jaw! DK went flying off the stage and we won the battle!" Yoshi said excitedly. He was recounting the time that he and Luigi had teamed up to fight Pikachu and DK in a Super Smash Bros. tournament.
Swee T. giggled and stared up at Luigi with wide eyes. "Wow, Luigi! You must be really strong!"
Luigi scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Nah, it was just a lucky hit."
The threesome's smiles lingered as they realized they had arrived at their destination.
"Oh, this is it! The circuit breaker should be just in this room!" the female Toad said. "You guys can start heading back. It will take a minute for me to turn it back on."
"You sure? We can wait..."
"No, that's all right. Go catch up with your friends!"
"All right. See ya!" Yoshi waved to her as she entered the room. Then he and Luigi walked back the way they had come, Luigi already beginning to tell another tale.
"Now it should be back here..." Swee T. muttered to herself, shining the light from her flashlight over the back wall. She found the metal box and flipped the switches on. She stood with her hands behind her back, patiently waiting for the lights to come back on.
After a moment, she felt uneasy, as if someone was sneaking up on her, approaching her cautiously in the darkness.
"Who's there?" she asked, not in a fearful way, but a concerned way. She couldn't feel right if she knew that someone was alone in the dark here. How terribly depressing!
She caught movement in her flashlight beam and she centered it on the figure.
"Oh, you're Konnor! What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in your room, sweetie?" she said in a motherly manner, walking toward the Koopa.
She hesitated as she noticed the light reflect off of something in his hand, but as soon as she glanced at it, he hid it behind his back.
"What have you got there?" she asked, though her tone of voice did nothing to mask the suspicion that was beginning to grow within her.
Suddenly, lights blazed throughout the room and the entire hospital. The Toad covered her eyes in pain. She opened them again and was about to invite the Koopa to follow her back to his room, but he was no longer there.
A sharp pain pierced the small of her back. She cried out in pain, but was soon cut off. A smooth, unnatural hand had been placed over her mouth.
"I'm sorry." a deep voice whispered in her ear. "But you are essential to my plan. Just know that I hold no grudge against you."
The voice did not sound malicious, and, in different circumstances, she would have found it pleasant and relaxing. It truly sounded as if the owner was resentful for what he had just done.
Swee T. had no idea how to respond.
She felt the hand remove itself from its position. The pain came again. The sensation was so intense and unbearable that she did not cry out this time. She had no strength to.
She fell back, but was held up by somebody. Carefully, she was laid down, her wounded back touching the cold floor. She felt the same hand grab hers' and nearly shuddered at its creepy touch. Gingerly, it pulled her away, leading her to an unknown destination.
She opened her eyes, not sure when or how long they had been closed. She stared at the ceiling and noticed something was different. The lights were off and the ceiling was moving. Quickly, she realized that she must be moving instead, still being dragged somewhere.
'He must have turned the lights off after he stabbed me...' she thought. She surprised herself. That seemed to have been the only thing she thought since he had attacked her.
Her life drained by the seconds and she closed her eyes again, hoping, wishing, praying for a quick death. The pain was still with her, and it seemed to have no intention of leaving.
Eventually, she felt herself propped against a wall. She opened her eyes once more to find Konnor kneeling before her, the knife in his hand still wet with her blood.
She stared into his eyes and was surprised to see not anger or psychotic joy, but sorrow and pain. Even more shocking, she found herself feeling sorry for the man and not harboring any anger towards him.
He leaned forward and whispered in her ear, his lips barely brushing her ear.
"I'm sorry."
He plunged the knife once more, this time into her stomach. Again, she did not make a sound. He used her blood to make a trail from her to a door across the hall. When he had finished he opened the other door, then turned around and closed the door to her room.
Swee T. knew only one thing. She had to warn someone. With no other choice, she slowly reached into the fresh wound in her stomach. She grimaced in pain and subconsciously remembered her teacher in medical school specifically telling her NOT to do this sort of thing. But it didn't matter anyway. She knew she would be dead soon.
With her remaining strength, she drew a symbol on the floor with the red liquid, then closed her eyes and fell into her final slumber.
I sort of felt like that was a short chapter. But it was more exciting than the first, right? Anyways, please review and let me know what you think! Also, you might be wondering why I made Swee T. not really seem to care that she died. I just wanted to emphasize how kind she is, so kind that she can't really hate him.
