Yup, still in the desert alright…
Bonnie was thrown into the middle of a pit of sand, marked around the perimeter by a green circle. She was surrounded by a mixed bag of creatures from Fictopia, all it tattered clothes and face paint. Each one seemed to have crude digging tools and a spear or club of some sort, all looking eager to use them on their captive.
The one occupying the tallest position among the circle, no doubt the leader, wore a red mask, colored by what Bonnie hoped was red paint.
At least, she hoped they were fictopians. She was sure they were in Fictopia desert, but she couldn't see the city she lived in. Even the tall skyscrapers were gone. She was deep into the desert, and it gave her cause to worry.
A problem occurred to her. She was the only captive in the current murder circle. Were they taking these prisoners one at a time, or was she truly the only one captured? Did the others leave her behind?
"Look, I don't know what you think-"
"Silence!" The leader boomed, making Bonnie pause. She didn't get scared easily, but she was worried. "You speak only when asked! You are guilty of slaying our deity's beast! We live in the tunnels made by the iron guardian, and now we will no longer be able to expand our territory!"
That monster was their friend? She doubted that. But that explained how these Fictopia runaways lived in the desert. Underground, it would be a lot cooler.
"As penance, you will be sacrificed for our deity to bring us a new guardian! Along with our rains for the year!" The leader continued.
"Sacrificed? Look, dude, we killed your little pet because it was causing trouble on the border of the city! Take that up with my boss!" Bonnie said defensively, before she was clubbed over her head. She regretted speaking up, as now, even if she got a chance to flee, her vision was too blurry to make a worthy attempt.
"Get her prepared. We sacrifice her tomorrow when the sun is fit to claim her." The leader ordered.
Two of the desert-dwellers grabbed Bonnie, carrying her off.
"Look, you guys are going to be disappointed. Hate to break it to you, but I don't really 'die'. You can try all you want, but no one or no thing is claiming my soul. Trust me, I've tried…"
When she was made into a shuppet, her curse had made her immortal. She had survived way more than she was comfortable with. Drowning, exploding, being cut up. She had even been baked in an oven. All in all, she was happy nowadays with her curse, as it helped her do good, but she remembered a darker time when she actively seeked a way to end her suffering. There was nothing these guys could do to her that would be worse…
Right?
"B-besides, my friends will come save me!"
The dwellers, annoyed by their chatty captive, took measures to shut her up. With Bonnie's blurry vision, she didn't notice until it was too late the mound they were bringing up to her mouth. The slimy yellow ball touched her lips, and forced her mouth open. This gag seemed to be made from bitter herbs and other recipes to choke out her voice and keep her mouth shut. Twine was tied around her mouth to keep it in place, Bonnie only being able to make short groans and grumbles about her fate. She felt this "medicine" slowly going into her throat, like a slow-release pill. These dwellers we're crafty, and it made her worried about what else they had planned.