Frank spent most of his night hidden in his room, laying on his dirty, ripped up mattress and smoking his cigarettes. During his isolation he heard his friends come and go, one Trial after another. He couldn't help but wonder who was there in The Trials with them. Would they meet the new girl? How would she react to them? He groaned loudly, grabbing his musty pillow and swinging it over his head, muffling his sounds and creating a small space of darkness for him. Frank hated thinking like this- it was all jumping around in his head. Why would he be so preoccupied with this girl anyway?
Frank shot up in his bed suddenly as he heard a knock at his door. He put his pillow back where it belonged, taking a deep breath before calling out for the person to come in. Susie entered his room, peeking her head around the door before walking in.
"Hey," Susie greeted meekly. "You've been up here for a while, I thought I'd come check up on you. Is everything okay?" Her hazel eyes looked worried, concerned for her friend's well being.
Frank flopped back down on his bed with a loud sigh. "Yeah, everything is fine. My mind is just in a bit of a fog right now,"
"You know…," Susie started, slowly taking a seat on the edge of his bed, crossing her feet. "Julie already told me about what went on in The Trial and I-"
Frank interrupted her sentence with another groan, rolling his eyes and rubbing his face with his bandaged hands. "Of fuckin' course she did. She just can't keep any gossip to herself, can she?" He rolled over onto his stomach, shoving his face into his pillow and swinging his hands over his head. "It's not even that big of a fuckin' deal!" Frank exclaimed.
Carefully, Susie placed a hand on his calf and rubbed it gently. "Then why is it on your mind? You know I won't tell anyone."
"I know, I know…" Frank sighed, turning his face to the side so it wasn't smooshed into his pillow. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, running a hand through his crew cut brunette hair. "I don't know why it's bugging me," He mumbled, his eyes gazing at Susie who continued to rub his leg. "Who thanks someone like me?"
"Do you not think that you are deserving of being thanked?" Susie tilted her head to the side. "Because you are. Maybe the girl didn't see it as an act of maliciousness. Maybe she just saw it as what it was- a kind gesture-"
"But that's not what it was!" Frank interjected.
"You let her go, whether you believe it or not it was a nice thing to do, Frank. Just because we're here in this twisted reality doesn't mean people can't be nice or thankful, no matter what side we're on,"
Frank just groaned again, reaching to the night stand to pull out another cigarette. "I'm not a nice guy, Susie,"
She just chuckled and gave him a pat on the leg. "Whatever you say Frank," He smiled back with the cigarette pressed between his lips, kicking her gently with his foot off the bed. She screamed playfully, giving him a push before running off, shutting the door behind her. Frank rolled onto his back, lighting his cigarette and taking a nice, deep breath.
"Maybe she's right," Frank mumbled to himself, eyes fixated on the wooden planks slated above him.
Ember made her way back to the campfire in one piece with Meg, David, and Dwight waiting for her as they sat around the fire. They waved to her and smiled as she came into viewing distance. Ember took a seat next to Meg with a sigh, placing her head gently on her shoulder. She still fully wasn't understanding of where she was or even what happened to her. All she knew was that this was where she would be. Maybe for a year, maybe for eternity. She didn't know.
"I see you made it out alive," Meg began, running her hand through Embers short golden locks. "How are you feeling after your first matches?"
"I wasn't expecting everything to feel so… real." Ember gazed longingly up at Meg, her eyes sunken in.
"It's as real as it gets out here. You keep living through the same shit over and over, hoping to retain onto any sanity you might have left," David mumbled, his chin cradled in his hand.
Dwight nodded, looking down at his feet as he kicked the fallen leaves underneath. "As much as I hate to admit it, you never really do get used to the pain. It becomes part of your daily life," Everyone hummed in agreement.
"I'm sorry I had to leave you on the hook, David," Ember sat up, leaning forward to get a good look at him across the log. "I was trying to come to you, I really was,"
"I know ya were," David responded. " I saw ya coming. I would have warned ya about Mr s.o.b, but I was a little preoccupied,"
Ember smiled solemnly. "It's okay, though. I still managed to get out! He let me out through the hatch!" Her face lit up, beaming with glee.
"Frank? Let you out?" Dwight scrunched up his face, fixing his glasses back into place with his index finger. "That doesn't exactly sound like Frank. Are you sure he let you?"
"Well, I mean, he kind of carried me there," She shrugged. "That seems kind of intentional if you ask me. He said it was because he likes to toy around with his victims, but I'd like to think he just did it out of pure kindness,"
"Kind is possibly the last word I'd use for that little fucker," David scoffed. "I've been in more trials with the cunt than I can count on both hands, I can practically hear his obnoxious laugh!" with a high pitched voice, David made the most mocking laugh he could muster up, groaning at the pure stupidity of it afterwards.
"He does have a pretty dumb laugh," Meg agreed, stiffling her own.
The whole group threw themselves into a fit of laughter, enjoying the few moments that they were able to spend together as a whole. They were all like a family now and each watched over the other. Most of them had been in so long they'd lost track of time. Some claim it had been years while some feel like it had only been months. Most counted the days spent by the selection of the new victim periodically throughout the year. No matter how long it was, they each cherished the happy moments that gave them a feeling of hope. It was something to hold on to and the only thing that made The Entity weaker. No matter how hard it got they all were able to learn new skills from each other, getting stronger with each passing trial. They hoped that one day it would be over, maybe they'd get to see their real families again, but would anyone still be left to welcome them back to their homes?
As the night dragged on they began to dwindle off until it was just Ember and David left, wishing their farewells and goodnights. Ember sat alone on the log as the fire crackled out of existence, leaving only glowing embers in its place. She didn't feel tired yet, looking up at the night sky. She stared longingly to the stars. They were free and full of life, but much like the life she left behind, she was looking into the past. Were the twinkling stars still alive? Or had they long gone and exploded into a nebulae? No one would ever know. At least not in their lifetime.
As awake as she possibly could be, Ember decided to take herself around the realm. The dark wasn't too scary to her, it was quite comforting. It left a feeling of solitude, which she really didn't mind, and comfort. The dark was a time for her to be by herself naturally.
Walking along she found herself at a gate, but this one wasn't closed. It was wide open and led to another part of the world. Curiously, she stepped inside, walking down the cobblestone path. In between the cobblestone flowers and grass grew any which way. Ember bent down and picked up a tiny white flower, spinning it around in her fingers as she admired it. After taking her time at admiring the life form thriving in The Entity's realm she gently tucked it behind her ear. A soft smile lit up her face and she continued forward. The further she got the more familiar it looked. It finally dawned on her that this was the same forest she had been in earlier. With amazement and the ability to leisure at her own pace Ember took this time to get familiar with the environment.
Ember found herself at the house in the center of the playing field yet again, dragging her fingers along the fallen wood and table cloth haphazardly placed on the table. There was something so surreal to her about this moment, basking in the candlelight. Had this home belonged to someone before? Ember walked up the stairs, shifting wood creaked underneath her weight and reverberated among the empty rooms. She grasped the rails at the top of the stairs gently, following the railing down the empty hall to the entrance of the balcony. From there she could see to the edge of the field, surrounded in by the brick fence. The fog had all dissipated, leaving nothing unseen. Ember took a deep breath through her nose, exhaling through her mouth. The cool, crip, and untainted air was a refreshing feeling to the pollution she was used to. The fresh air made her feel even more awake as she sat herself down on the balcony, legs dangling off the edge and swinging back and forth absentmindedly.
With the night dragging on, Ember lost track of time as the stars twinkled up above her. She was in her own headspace until she heard the creaking of wood behind her. Desperately she tried to get to her feet, stumbling and catching the edge on her heel as she began to slip. Stray splinters of wood fell and broke on the ground underneath her. Screaming and flailing, she reached out in front of her hoping to catch the brink of the balcony. As quickly as it all happened a hand jutted out and grabbed hers, grasping onto her small, scratched up hand. Dangling by her arm Ember looked up and saw the masked man again holding her up. With one swift moment Frank pulled her back up onto the balcony, stumbling backwards as he attained his own footing. She put her hand to her heart as she began to regain her breath. Her eyebrows were scrunched together, shoulders rising and falling rapidly with each breath she took.
"What the fuck, Frank!?" Ember screamed, eyes widening as she began to step back, creating more of a distance between them.
"What do you mean 'what the fuck'!?" Frank yelled back, fists clenched tightly at his sides. "It's not my fault you decided to slip off the edge!" He paused for a moment, confused. "Wait. How the hell do you know my name?"
"What? Am I not allowed to talk to other people?" she retorted defensively, crossing her arms.
"Wha- No!" He shook his head rapidly, placing his hand on his forehead. " That's not what I said! Don't twist my words around, for fuck's sake!"
"Maybe if you didn't wear that stupid mask over your face I wouldn't have to feel so frightened!"
Ember stuck her finger out in front of her, wagging it at his etched veil. "Lets not forget how you tried to literally murder me earlier, either,"
"Murder?" Frank laughed hysterically. "You're talking to the guy who literally let you go, and is it really the mask that does it for you, Baby Cakes?"
"Settle down on the pet names, bud. I'm not your Baby Cakes or your Sweet Cheeks. And for your information, it's not polite to cover your face when you're talking to people. Did you never learn your manners?"
"Manners my ass," He mumbled to himself, rolling his eyes. "Fine, you want it off? Your wish is my command, princess" he mocked a nod in front of her before removing his hood, slipping the mask off into his hand as his head bowed down. Slowly, he brought his head back up so his eyes met hers. Frank's deep brown eyes held her soul with his everlasting, unending stare. It stole her breath away. It was a menacing comfort, the type that could lull her in like a siren's song inviting her to swim before devouring her whole. His right eyebrow was cocked boastfully, a shaved line running through it. His face was slightly sunken in and very sharp, blueish purple hues patched against his orbitals. Frank's lips were thin and pale, chapped even, and his nose crooked with a slight hump. Below his left eye, a poor, home done upside down cross tattoo made itself at home. Frank held his stare for a little while longer before turning his head away apprehensively.
Silence filled the air, thick and heavy on the both of them. Ember stood staring at the man in front of her, baffled.
"Well?" Frank asked, rubbing the back of his head nonchalantly. "Are you just gonna stand there and stare or what? Didn't you ever learn your manners?" He mocked. " It's not nice to stare,"
"Sorry," Ember shook her head, face flushed out of embarrassment. "It's just that I wasn't really expecting you to, well, look like that," She shrugged.
"Well what am I supposed to look like? Ugly and deformed?" Frank scrunched up his nose and flared his nostrils.
"I mean! C'mon! You can see how I might think that after looking at all the others. You just look very…. Human,"
"That would probably be because I am human. Just a thought," Frank shrugged.
He sauntered over to the edge of the balcony and sat down with a huff, placing his mask to his right. Ember sat to his left uncertainty, crossing her feet and clasping her hands in her lap. Frank pulled out his pack of cigarettes from his pants' pocket, pausing for a moment before passing the pack in her direction.
" D' ya want one?" he offered as he put his cigarette between his lips.
Ember hesitated, weighing her options before accepting with a shrug. "I mean, sure, I guess. If I'm stuck here I might as well do whatever I want, right?" She reached in the pack and took out a cigarette, following his lead and placing it in her mouth.
"Take a suck in," Frank instructed as he leaned forward, both of their cigarettes mere centimeters away. He had his lighter in one hand, cupping the other to shield from the breeze. With a flick of the lighter he lit both at once and pulled back once he was done. "Now breathe out,"
As she was instructed Ember exhaled. The smoke caught her throat as she began to cough uncontrollably, pulling her smoke away from her. Frank couldn't help but to turn his head away and chuckle. She gave him a shove on his arm, shooting daggers in his direction as she recovered her breath.
"Sorry," Frank smirked. " Shoulda warned ya that that'd happen. Forgot you had little baby lungs,"
"Shut up," she groaned, shaking her head as she took another puff of her cigarette.