A/N The chapter will be a bit shorter than usual, but the next one will be longer to make up for it. Enjoy!
Chapter 4: The twisted city
They beached their door right next to the eerie line of buildings. None of them would say it, but they really didn't want to step foot off the door. They knew what was behind them, but in front of them? Nothing but danger and mystery. However, necessity forced their hand, they had to push forward. After gathering themselves, they stepped onto the cold sand and made their way into the nearest building. Almost instantly, they were met with... well, they didn't quite know. There was clothes littered around the room, but no bodies and no signs of life at all.
"Well... this is unsettling." Mike mumbled while walking around the room. He paused for a moment once he heard the sound if fabric flapping in the wind, but there was no clothes to be seen anywhere that would make that noise. He looked left, he looked right, he looked down, and all around. But then... he realized he didn't look up. Slowly, he glanced up and beheld a truly disturbing sight. There was a tailored suit dangling from a television that was, in turn, dangling from the ceiling. Looking down again, he noticed a pair of socks and shoes which must have belonged to the mystery man. "What the...?"
"We should keep going. I don't like this place." Frisk said as she tugged on his arm.
"Yea..." They continued to wander through the ruined and decayed building, passing by more clothes and televisions as they did. There was a clear connection between the two, but they weren't quite sure what... Ultimately, it did not matter. They could not push forward anymore, but they could go up. So, a few hops, skips, jumps, and platforming later, they found themselves tumbling into the streets of the pale city. They wandered for a bit, exploring the streets and taking note of all the junk and clutter left lying around. It was so strange... it was as if this were a once lively and bustling city... now abandoned... forgotten... left to rot and wither away. Mono wandered aimlessly, gawking at the architecture and the strange bits falling from the sky. He kept bumbling around, only to be violently grabbed by the collar and pulled to the ground.
"Ah! What was that for?" He said as he looked up He saw Chara staring down at him. She did not reply, she only pointed to the massive abyss right in the middle of the street, the one Mono nearly walked right into. "Oh... thank you.
"Don't mention it. Just be more carful next time. This place is dangerous, and it'd be pretty embarrassing to die to falling."
"Uh... yea..." He rubbed the back of his neck and took one last look into the massive drop before heading back to the main streets. They passed by a few more buildings and traversed a dozen or so hazards, but ultimately made it through no worse for wear. As they pushed on, they started discussing theories about the clothes, the televisions, and the pale city in and the pale city itself. They talked and talked and talked up until they came up to a very tall and imposing building. They stared up at the structure ahead of them.
"Is this... a school?" Mono asked.
"Looks like it... Hmm... I don't hear anything inside. Maybe it's abandoned like the others?" Frisk asked.
"Maybe. Still, we should be carful. Mind helping me with the window?" Mike asked as he knelt down. Mono stepped on his hand and Mike lifted him up and Chara right after him. "Try to find us something for the rest of us to climb." They nodded and a few minutes of rustling and bumbling of items followed. Then all of a sudden, silence. Quiet like the grave. Then a sudden slam of a door and soon a rope made of knotted-together clothes was thrown out the window for the others. They quickly climbed up and joined Mono and Chara.
"What was that sound?" Six asked as she stared at the two kids, faces pale in fear.
"We're not alone." They said in unison.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I... I don't know..." Mono said. "We only saw a shadow and..." He shuddered as he remembered the sound. "Ugh... Let's just... let's just go." The others slowly nodded as they continued through the school.
"You know... this place doesn't seem as trashed as the other places... hardly any destruction. I mean, just listen to these floorboards." Mike stepped on the floor after saying this, not noticing he set off a trigger. They heard a slight click sound and a large object hurtling towards Mike's vulnerable skull.