She was scared, to say the least.
Nikki never expected to go out on her own, in a camp now littered with cultists, including a copy of her. She also thought of herself as the brave, fearless one that could take on anything, no matter how big or strong, but she was beginning to doubt that statement.
She was scared of herself. Well, technically herself. Bella was pretty much her in every way and form, save for the features such as hair and eye color. She wished she had Max by her side right now, but he had to take the day off after what had happened after Preston's play. She took it as her duty to take her place and see if she could convince anyone to sign that wretched piece of paper.
She deceive to set out for Space Kid and Neil, as the former could be convinced to do anything, granted if he got a space rock or rocket ship toy.
For the latter, Nikki was one of the few people here that he still trusted and let in on what he and Nathan were working on.
"It's some kind of machine that spews our gases and chemicals. Nathan came up with the idea, and so I just work on building on it," the Jew said after Nikki asked what was he working on.
Nikki decided to get a move on and get back on her task. After the green haired girl checked on Max one more time, and after he insisted that he was going to let Nikki take this one for the day, she set off.
Trying to find Space Kid was much harder than usual, for some reason. Nikki assumes he would be playing with his patchwork rocket ship or examining 'meteorites' which were really rocks. But it seemed like he was actually gone now.
Nikki decried to check the woods for him, as it was actually a common place for him to be in. With a deep breath, the little girl ventured in the dark forest.
Max was pissed. Because of that insane motherfucker, he had been forced into David's bed for today, with the adult tending the large gash in his back and putting shitty excuses for bandages on it.
"David, are you shitting me right now? This camp can't afford fucking proper bandages of all things?"
"Max, I know that you're frustrated that you can't go out today. But you need to stay in here and wait for this to heal."
"This scar won't be healed until the end of the year dumbass. And that's if I even get to a hospital."
David sighed and got up from his seat. He had been by Max's side for a good twenty minutes to ensure that he wouldn't have done something stupid.
"Max, I'm going out for a breath of fresh air. Are you sure that you won't get up from that position and possibly cause your back damage?"
"Pfft, I can barely even turn my head. I'll be fine camp man."
David, showing a face of both relief and gratitude, went outside to god knows where.
Actually David, I have more important things on my mind than this. Slowly, Max rose up from the bed and rubbed his hand over the gash to make sure that the gauze was still on. After being contempt with it, he set off for Nikki.
It had been a half hour and Nikki still couldn't find Space Kid. She was started to get worried, he either would've been found or would've come running from the woods after being chased by an animal.
She eventually managed to spot a stand, with the sign that was plastered on to it reading 'rocks 4 sale'.
Nikki was at first, surprised and confused about this, as Space Kid would normally be handing out rocks for free, but the girl shrugged it off and decided to see if Space Kid was anywhere near it.
To no one's surprise, he wasn't at it. Nikki investigated the stand further, but the only thing she found were rocks and and toy rockets.
She heard footsteps behind her. As she was turning around to run, Nikki was hit on the head with what it seemed to be a large piece of wood.
The girl was put in a sack and dragged somewhere dank and musty. Before she lost consciousness, she heard a voice.
"The wild animal, the ones that is named 'Nikki' has been caught. Find the other one and the experiment will start then."
Max was starting to regret this whole thing. For one, he had no idea where Nikki was, even after asking everyone, except David and Gwen, of course. And for two, his back hurt like hell, with every step he took, his back seemed to have the damage multiply.
"I should've had that damn gash stitched up before I left," Max thought as he walked through the activities field, looking for his friend.
"Actually, I don't think this crappy camp has any medical equipment. That would explain the buried skulls."
Max looked at the woods, cold and dark as always. He thought about entering them. After thinking about the consequences of entering those, he decided that it would be the best place to look for Nikki.
He stumbled through the roots and the bushes, hiding behind a tree everytime he heard a suspicious noise or a voice.
He eventually found the stand, and something felt off about it. For one, if it was one of Space Kid's retarded plans to give kids rocks, there were a hundred better ways to do it. Before he could go any further, he too was knocked out.
Max regained consciousness a few seconds later. He tried to move, but it turned out he was in some kind of chair, with straps constraint him and a blindfold over his eyes. He heard a voice call out, "Max!"
"N-Nikki? Is that you?"
"Yup. Where am I? Do you know where Space Kid is?"
"I have no clue, dumbass. Do you think I recognize everything in this god forsaken-"
Before he could finish, the sound of cart wheels and and the sound of mechanical whirring could be heard. The blindfolds were taken off of the children and there it was, the face of Micheal, twisted in a dark grin.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here? Someone wandered into the wrong bunker?"
"Micheal, you absolute piece of human shit. I will tear off your limbs once I get off of this chair."
"Try to. The straps in there are made of the toughest and finest leather we have. You'll also be shocked if you even make a move."
"Leather? What are you talking about? Did you find Campbell's secret stash?"
"Oh no. ...Father and Mother gave us the leather, along with most of our supplies we have."
"You mean Daniel and Jen? I know who sent you here you jackasses."
"Enough of that. It's time for the Purification. Astro Kid, hit it."
A click and the machine was one. It resembled a fire hydrant, only with a nozzle and a number pad embedded in the front of it.
The machine started spraying out some kind of gas. After relenting, cursing and screaming, Max and Nikki couldn't hear or do anything after it was inhaled through their nostrils.
Their pupils became dilated and they mind felt as if they were high. They felt a strange sense of euphoria as the room became engulfed in the strange gas.
The world slipped and all went black...