Six's hands shook as she held on to whatever part of Mono's coat she could grab. She hadn't thought that he could still be around. It hadn't crossed her mind that he'd brought Mono here for a reason. The Thin Man had grabbed her friend instead of her and twisted him into this monster. She should be in his place. Six shook her head the corners of her vision going black. She spared a glance up at Mono never realizing she'd wish to see that paper bag ever again. The TV stuck on top of his head flickered and Six would never forget how horrified she was when she watched it fall down on top of him.
The room buckled and bent as the Thin Man reached out towards them. Six's grip on Mono's jacket loosened. The man drew closer. Six ran. A horrible sound came from the TV behind her. She didn't look back. Didn't want to look back. Six put her hands over her ears, trying to cover up the sound. He was safe in the tower, nothing would hurt him here. She was not, it wouldn't keep her if it couldn't control her. She was in danger staying at his side. Doors opened up to her as she ran. She shut her eyes tight wanting the world to fall away like it had before.
Six sat up, a quiet gasp leaving her. Another nightmare. Her head spun as she thought about the monster from her dream. Something about a TV for a head and endless doorways. She shook her head. It didn't make sense to her. There were doorways in the Maw, but none of them looked like that, they didn't spew light from the door frames. Sometimes her dreams seemed to serve as a warning to her. Though she supposed some of them were just nightmares that felt too real.
She let herself fall back into the suitcase she'd made into a bed. It wasn't as nice as the beds in the nursery, where she'd been brought to when she first arrived at the Maw. It was better than sleeping on the cold hard metal floor. She curled up in a ball, holding herself tight as she hummed softly trying to lull herself back to sleep. It was safe here, too small for monsters to find her. Only rats and Nomes could reach her here and the kitchens were far more interesting to the rats. The Nomes on the other hand, while always close by, never approached her.
Six pushed herself up from the makeshift bed with a heavy sigh. She'd been watching the shadow flicker for a while now. It seemed to be impatient. Pointing, almost demanding that she move. How long has a shadow been following her and why didn't it bother her? It was unsettling how much the shadow looked like her. She knew it didn't have good intentions and didn't know why she listened to its call. What she did know is it usually led her away from danger. She figured that, if she died, it would die with her. If she was correct in assuming it was like her, it'd do anything to keep itself alive.
Six let out a strained groan stretching out her stiff limbs before starting her journey. The Nomes running away from her was always a good sign. They seemed to know the Maw better than anything. Always finding hiding spots and hardly ever getting caught by the monsters. There was also the possibility the monsters weren't interested in the Nomes. Six followed them through the vents, but didn't see any as she climbed the stair case. The rooms in the Maw always seemed so vast. Six understood that the adults of this world were twisted and large, but even the Maw seemed too big for them. Six didn't want to think about the idea of something being larger than the things she'd already seen.
Six ignored the thing that passed by the window in the door. It wasn't trying to break it down, so it wasn't a concern of hers. Six climbed on top of the bed feeling it sag under her weight. She intended to use it to get into the next room, but as she stood there faint memories told her to jump on it. She followed that thought and almost let out a soft laugh. Six landed heavy on her feet, frowning at herself. Part of the problem with letting herself forget things, is sometimes she acted on her childish impulses. She shook her head going to the next room. A man hung from the ceiling. Six looked up as she grabbed the chair. She couldn't see where he was hung from. She didn't think she wanted to.
She went to the fridge sitting in the room. Part of her wondered if there was any food in it, though it'd been ages since a fridge had food inside of it. As she pulled it open a Nome ran from her. Six chased after it, because she chased everything that ran from her. She worried about that instinct, but chose to suppress the thought. She slipped into the crack and lit the lantern the Nome was huddled by. The Nome warmed himself by the fire. Six got memories of warming herself by a fire. In some kind of place she couldn't describe. She doesn't know where she was in this memory, but she remembered someone else being there. She hadn't lit that fire.
Six shook her head again, willing the thought away. She picked up the Nome, hugging it tight before setting it down again. Six pretended not to notice the way the shadow reacted to them, or the twist in her stomach any time she got close to one. She'd hold it in her arms amused by how complacent they became. Something as simple as a hug was enough to make them let their guard down. She could almost see herself...
Six took a deep uneasy breath. The dark thoughts were upsetting, but she'd been learning to control them, or at least control how she reacted to them. At some point she'd accepted it as part of who she was. Six's mind wandered to when she first arrived at the Maw and how those thoughts used to send her into hysterics. She remembered thinking she had to protect someone, but she couldn't remember who anymore. Some memory she'd forgotten. She was warned that would happen, though she supposed if it was that easy to forget, it wasn't worth holding on to. She went back to the fridge to climb up it. She was disappointed that there wasn't anything in there to eat.
Six flinched back as a leech fell from the ceiling. The lighter she carried wasn't near enough light to ward the thing off. She watched it with disgust, carefully walking around it. The things didn't taste good so they were worthless to her. Six shuddered at the memory of it. They smelled good, smelled like food, and Six had managed to catch one before it got her. It squealed under her grasp as she bit into it and then instantly spat it back out. Six didn't know what rotting corpses tasted like, but if she had to take a guess, it would be what the leeches tasted like. Six didn't like the leeches anyway, even if they'd tasted good. Six glared at the leech oozed up from the floorboards as she barely ran past it. Those ones were the worst.
She continued running, hoping not to run into any more leeches. A Nome ran from her so she chased it. Six cursed at herself as some floorboards broke under her. She'd been too focused on the Nome to notice the warning the shadow had been giving her. An intense smell overcame her senses. It smelled like... Leeches. Six fought against the fear that wanted to lock her muscles in place as she lifted up her lighter. She flicked it on, dread washing over her. She didn't have time to count the leeches screaming at her and coming closer. She'd seen the leeches swarm a child before. She wanted to forget that memory, like every other one, but she couldn't. It wasn't the way the leeches tore the kid apart that had her wishing to forget, it was the fact that she lamented over not being able to join them in their feast. Steady breath, eyes focused on the exit she ran and held that same breath as she jumped over the last leech - grateful they were so slow.
She pushed her way into the next room and lit a lantern. Six was disappointed that the light didn't reach the upper floors. Six eyed the crank, letting out a soft grunt as she started turning it. She felt frustration bubble up as it unwound itself slamming the door shut behind her. Six breathed out a small annoyed puff as she cranked the lever a second time. She had a faint memory of jumping across gaps and needing to turn around to grab someone. Six shook her head, pushing her legs faster, sliding under the door just in time before it slammed shut again. She needed to stop remembering things. It was going to get her killed.
She looked up as the Janitor dragged a cage across a platform much higher up than she was. The sound hurt Six's ears, she fought against covering them. Six started to climb a makeshift rope made out of bed sheets. Her mind spun as she climbed. Had she done this before? She took a deep breath, pushing her way forward. She could see a child's play room ahead of her and electrified doors on either end. How many kids had been trapped in there and how many died trying to leave? Why have the power on if there weren't any children to keep trapped in there?
Six pulled the lever, shutting off the power, ignoring the questions she had. The answers wouldn't help her get out of this place. She wasn't fast enough, tripping over toys, having been too focused on running and not turning on her lighter. There was a seesaw she could use to get back in the other room. She knocked over a music box and it played a haunting melody. She glared at it, looking around the room, wondering if there's anything in here she could use to smash it. The song stopped and Six let out a sharp sigh going back to turn the power off.
She made it through this time, out of breath as she went into the next room. A blinding light shone. Six looked at it and then quickly backed up again. The eye with its paralyzing light freezing children in place. Six knew of these before she came to the Maw. She didn't know why she remembered them, but she knew what they did. Apparently she couldn't forget danger. She passed the light and climbed up to the next floor. One of the nurseries. She didn't know if this is the one she came from. She did know she didn't want to be back here.
The Janitor came in. Six stood between the beds, lighter held high, getting a good look at him. She knew he couldn't see her and she knew he only ever puts his hands on the beds. It didn't stop her heart from pounding in her chest. She was in the nursery. Worst case he'd chain her to the bed. It wouldn't be the first time he tried something like that. She instinctively flinched when he moved. Something she wouldn't be able to overcome no matter how bold she got. She watched him leave, her skin crawling at the sounds he made. She hated him.
She dropped down with a hard thud causing some rats to run away from her. She couldn't stop the hunger pains that shot through her. She doubled over trying to tell herself that she is not going to catch and eat a rat. She pushed herself forward, nearly collapsing in pain. She glanced at the kid on the other side of the bars. He had food she could smell it. She wondered if there was a way she could get over to them, she'd take it by force if she had to. He stood up and threw the food at her through the bars. Six couldn't even think to thank the kid as she mindlessly tore into the food she was given. Six noticed the way the shadow flickered and grew stronger. She frowned. Six looked at the kid, but she did not thank him.
More electric doors. Six couldn't help but be annoyed as she climbed her way to the power switch. When she made her way back down she tentatively stepped into the room with the showers. She'd seen the leeches when the power was on. She groaned when they dropped to the floor. She could have done without them. They chased after her, still too slow to grab her, though she knew they'd love to.
There was an another eye, and she hoped it was the last one. A moving platform and then a room too large for anything practical. Then she was climbing up and up the stairs. They made her chest tighten. Why were stairs of all things bothering her? Six dropped into a bedroom, she saw the door and thought to herself that it wasn't very well hidden. A locked door stopped her progress, but she found the key. There was a monkey on the floor in the next room. It was the only thing she had to throw to call the elevator. It was too loud, she knew that. She threw it anyway, ready to run if she had to. The elevator was empty, she breathed a sigh of relief. It was loud though when she stepped on it. Sound was dangerous no matter who the monster was.
The elevator stopped and she was staring down a hallway. Things were going too fast, she didn't feel connected with her actions. Six heard the rats scurry away from her. She coughed, feeling her stomach cramp with hunger. Hadn't she just eaten something? Her breath was coming out in small pants now. She held her stomach while she walked. The hunger sent her to her knees and she almost thought she wouldn't get up again. She walked into a cage, delirious with how hungry she was. She couldn't think of anything but getting the meat inside it. She was trapped.
The small boy was panting quietly, sitting on a platform away from whatever that thing was in the water. He held his hands to his chest as they trembled. Desperate to get them to stop he pressed them harder against his chest. He couldn't help himself if his hands shook too much to work. He'd heard stories from the other children. Things whispered at night about the depths of the Maw. Stories spun about the Granny who was left there to rot. He'd hoped they'd been just that, stories.
Why had he jumped down here? He was trying to escape. Of course he was trying to get away from the Janitor and he knew the man didn't come down to these levels, but this was worse. The Janitor would only take away the kids in cages. If he caught you outside the cage he would put you back in one of the nurseries. Sure he'd chain you to a bed or grab you a little too tight, leaving marks across your body, but those never seemed intentional. RK didn't want to admit that the Janitor was actually one of the kinder adults he'd met. Even if he had at one point been shackled to a bed himself.
The kid looked down at the shackle on his ankle. He recalled a time when the boy in the bed next to his own called him Seven. That was a long time ago. That was back when they first started numbering themselves. Each new kid got the next number up and when they disappeared the next kid who came in would get the old one. He was sure someone else would take the name Seven, since he wasn't going back there. No, he went by the name RK now.
He stood up on the platform letting out a slow breath. Not many kids lived for very long outside of the nursery. Like the girl who'd been leading him. The girl who had the flashlight, which was now gently tucked into RK's pocket. He assumed she'd been eaten by leeches, but he didn't want to find out if his assumption was true. They were nasty little things and he'd watched them even attempt to latch themselves onto the Janitor. He'd seen a kid grind one into the floor with his bare foot. He was ashamed to admit that he took a lot of joy in watching that thing scream and squeal trying to get away.
While grateful to be on dry land again, RK didn't assume that was the last he'd see of the woman. He had hoped that the girl with the flashlight could have joined him in his escape. It would be nice to have some more lively company. The kids in the nursery were far too often content with staying in their beds. Sleeping peacefully, waiting for another one to disappear. RK didn't want to know where they were taken to or what happened to them. The Janitor seemed to take such good care of them, so what did he do with the ones that were bad?
RK shook his head, using a loose board to run and jump at a door handle. As the door swung open he watched the ground below him turn to water. He didn't want to drop down into it again. He wanted to stay on the ground. He couldn't see any other way to go though. A wave of relief washed over him as nothing came after him from below. He swam over to the platform, pulling himself up, ignoring how his arms shook. He pulled a lever watching the water level go down. He let go of the lever leaping into the water as it lowered. He waded in the water wondering how far down it went and if he should be worried about what awaited him at the bottom.
All he could see was a locked door. RK looked up at a jar sitting on a table. He is sure there was a key in there. He had to hand it to the adults, hiding keys in things knowing the kids will have to break them if they want what's inside. Sound was dangerous and most kids knew that, but RK often didn't have the foresight to worry about what his actions would cause. He grabbed a nearby chair and dragged it over to the table before pushing over and breaking the jar.
A leech, great.
He stood on the table watching it circle under him. RK wondered to himself how they grew to be so large. Or, were the kids like him just really small. He had a lot of questions and when he was in the nursery he'd sometimes alert the Janitor while yelling at the other kids. They just didn't care and so many of them were fine with just staying there, here, on the Maw. Back on task RK took a deep breath, jumping off the table. He grabbed the key running past the leech as it surged after him. They weren't fast when they weren't in water, but they were relentless.
RK looked down at the electrified water. He shuddered at the idea in the back of his mind that told him to jump into it. Those kind of thoughts didn't scare him. He didn't necessarily fear dying. He feared giving up. If he died while fighting for his life, then so be it. Until then though he was going to keep moving. He ignored the shaking in his legs as he jumped on suitcases to cross the buzzing water.
His heart sank when he found himself looking out into a room filled with water. He felt it settle in his stomach when his eyes landed on her. She was peeking out at the top of the water. He didn't know if the Granny could see him. Didn't want to know if she could see him. Didn't want to think about her waiting for him so he could be her next meal. He just wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible.
She was getting faster now and it seemed like she knew where he was going to next. He stood on the platform, knowing he had a lot further to swim. He watched the bubbles knowing she'd be where they were. He jumped down on a barrel below the platform to distract her. It worked. He ran and made it to the other side. Getting smarter, but not smart enough. He kept running. He didn't feel safe on the boards, it felt like she could reach up through them. He wouldn't stop long enough to allow her the chance to try.
His moments on dry land never lasted long enough. He felt like he couldn't catch his breath every time he fell back into the water. His arms and legs were starting to burn. He was a strong swimmer, but he was also a child. He could only keep something like this up for so long. RK took a moment to rest and catch his breath on a sturdy platform. He eyed the switch nearby before pulling it down. The power flickered on. He could hear a TV nearby and his hair stood on end. Stories about the TVs flooded his mind. He'd heard about kids being stolen, about the man that lives in them. They all said the Maw was too far for him to reach. RK didn't want to know if that were true.
RK swung over to another platform and grabbed the lever, raising the water level. She was shaking the platform he was standing on. Violently trying to bring it down. RK had no time to think as he ran and jumped as far into the water as he could get. Fear was rising in his throat and he was trying his hardest not to vocalize it. He climbed up to where the TV was. He didn't have a plan before that moment, but it seemed like it was either him or her. He didn't hesitate to make her the victim of violence as he pushed the TV off the platform. RK had to turn away from the Granny as the TV hit the water. He threw his hands over his ears, wanting desperately to drown out the noise. The power went out.
RK stood, looking out towards the water. He was cold and trying not to shake. His clothes were heavy from water and he could feel the wrinkles in his fingers. He shook his head trying to free some water from his hair. He hoped that's the last of the water he'd see in this ship. He climbed up the ladder ready to continue on his path. Though he still wasn't sure what his goal was. Escape, but what then?
Before he could really come up with any kind of plan he was grabbed by the Janitor. RK is shocked when he is put into a cage rather than brought back to the other children. Maybe he'd wandered too far from the nursery. Maybe it wasn't just getting yourself trapped in cages that made him lock you up. RK sat in his cage, looking around. He turned to see a girl in a yellow raincoat. His eyes lingered on her, there were stories told about that yellow raincoat. Something about hope. The other kids always talked about that girl, had she escaped? He couldn't remember, the stories always had a different end. He remembered one kid saying to him that the raincoat girl had fallen into the sea, her bright yellow sinking like the sun does at the end of each day.
Was this that same girl? Or was she someone new? RK wanted to find out, he wanted to know. He banged against the top of his cage knowing the noise was going to alert the Janitor, but he wasn't going to just give up. He needed to keep fighting. The girl didn't look up at him as he got part of the cage to open up just wide enough for him to squeeze through. RK worried for a moment if she was alright and he wanted to stay still long enough to see if she was breathing, but the noise behind him had his blood run cold. He looked back eyes going wide as the Janitor made his way into the room. RK managed to tumble to the ground and back away just as the Janitors long slender fingers gripped the cage.
RK let out a slow breath. He wanted to sit there and calm his pounding heart, but he had no idea how much time he had before the man showed up again. His arms were shaking from forcing himself out of the cage. He looked up at that girl still curled in a ball sitting in the cage. It looked like she was asleep. How could someone sleep in a situation like this. RK thought to himself that having someone help you escape always made it better. He called out a "hey" to them, watching their head jerk up. He couldn't see her face, only her chin and her mouth, which were screwed into a deep frown. He smiled at her, even though he was very unsettled by the fact he could feel her staring at him. They'd get out of there together.
A/N: For clarification. No, what happened in the tower was not a dream. Six is just willing herself to forget. The Maw is hungry, it will eat whatever it can find.