The beeping through the monitor, the wires on the white clean tile floor, and the oxygen tanks, unused, next to the bed. Paintbrush, on the nice soft bed, was just peacefully sleeping. Their body wasn't moving, and their eyes were still closed. That is until Paintbrush woke up, but in fear, they got up fast. Their body was moving like crazy, and their eyes were bloodshot red. They were breathing heavily, and it was so bad that the doctor came in quickly. The doctor was a red and white soda can with a brown strap, and a tab connected on top of him. "Paintbrush, calm down," said the doctor, he lays down Paintbrush back to their bed. Paintbrush then started crying as tears were coming from their eyes. The doctor just stands there with a sad, but emotionless, facial expression. He was patting them down until they finally relaxed. "I'm sorry…" said Paintbrush, now covering their face. "It's not your fault, Paintbrush. You're going through something," said the doctor as he was getting a cup of water for Paintbrush. "I-I… Where's everyone else?..." As Paintbrush was sipping down their water, but also shaking too, the doctor didn't know how to answer this. He was no professional mental needs doctor, he was just a professional physical needs doctor. "I'm sorry, Paintbrush. They didn't make it. We just found them the way they're right now." After the statement, Paintbrush was right. Their friends were gone long, their partner was gone long, and everything was falling apart. Paintbrush stopped shaking, but instead just stood there with the cup in their mouth. "Paintbrush. You can stay a little longer. I will check back on you later, but you're free to go since you're in good condition. Just make sure to not drive for the next two years." The doctor slowly left the room, and Paintbrush was just sitting there on the bed. In the white hospital room, with the lights on.

After half an hour has passed, Paintbrush just left the room, and the hospital itself. Outside of the hospital from the maintenance was a stony pathway with a small river and trees nearby. Paintbrush, instead of walking on the pathway, just stepped on the wet leafy grass and looked at the small river. After finding the exit, they were back on the dirty concrete ground. They were downtown, there were tall buildings, and the cars were moving by fast. The sun was blocked by the buildings, small stores nearby, and a stairway to the subway. A lot of people were moving, talking, and some were even running. Paintbrush was a little nervous as they hid behind a nearby trash bin. They waited until the folks left because they were nervous that the people would judge them. Judge them about their messy hair, and their tired-looking eyes. Once the town was half empty, the day was late afternoon, Paintbrush left the area from the hospital and continued to walk home.

With no car to drive anymore and no money to take the bus or train, they decided to walk because they felt pointless. They felt like their life was useless, pointless, pathetic, and hell.

Everything they did in the past had a meaning, but now, with their loved ones gone forever, everything they did right now is meaningless to them. All they can think about is how things would have been better if they just fixed the car properly. If they just fixed the car with another day in hand, things would have been better. At least, that's what Paintbrush thought as they were exiting downtown. On the other side after downtown was just a landscape. The road was still connected to the one downtown, but it was just a landscape with some trees, a forest, and a stadium nearby. Paintbrush was just stepping on the grass with their soft shoeless feet. They were looking at the sky now becoming the darkness which didn't sit well with Paintbrush. They continued to walk slowly anyway because there were no hostile creatures within the area, including the forest. After walking past the landscape and the huge stadium, they were now walking through the dark woods. The pine trees were long and tall, the grass was messier than the one on the landscape, and there was a small bushy maze nearby. While Paintbrush was walking through the woods, they were trying to get their feet covered in mud while stepping on it. They were smiling at the thought of it and continued doing it until they got home. Their home was on the other side of the road. There were no cars around, so they walked past it.

Paintbrush opened the door of their house and quickly closed the door without a second thought. They put their key back in their hair, and they just enter the kitchen after the exit door. They started looking around and decided to go to the refrigerator. The refrigerator had nothing, but an orange at the right bottom corner. Paintbrush took the orange and just ate it without peeling off the skin. They then went to the living room and saw pictures on the wall. However, it wasn't the typical pictures of flowers or landscapes, it was pictures of Paintbrush and Lightbulb. One of the pictures shows Paintbrush and Lightbulb walking in the park holding hands. They then realized that Lightbulb used to live here with them. They both used to own the house together because they wanted to be together. Paintbrush just stared at the picture with their tired eyes and their sloppy frown.

After looking at the picture for a few minutes, they snatch the picture and toss it to the ground aggressively. Tears were now coming out of Paintbrush's eyes, and they softly picked up the picture. The painting of the wall was partly damaged since the picture was glued to the paint. Paintbrush, instead of putting the picture back on the wall, they took the picture and went to the stairway area. The stairway area is where the upstairs is, and underneath the stairs is a small closet. There was a door next to the stairs which led to the basement of the house. The paintbrush opened the small closet door and tossed the picture into the closet. They went back to the living room and continued to take down more pictures related to Lightbulb and their friends. After taking down all the pictures, Paintbrush locked the door and even boarded it up. Now staring at the door, Paintbrush started sobbing as their knees hit the ground, and they were covering up their face. The sobbing was so loud that it started echoing through the house. Their

tears watering the floor, they were sobbing like an old wolf, and even hitting themselves to the wall on purpose. Eventually, Paintbrush ran into the door nearby and entered the basement.

The basement was crowded up with unpacked boxes, and old furniture lying around. As Paintbrush was going downstairs, they were stepping on broken glass pieces and shredded paper. They were going deeper into the basement and came across a cardboard cutout of a corner headboard. It was written all over it, the biggest sentence on it is "CALM DOWN CORNER". Paintbrush sat down next to the corner while still sobbing loudly. They were thinking about a lot of things, their friends, their loved ones, Lightbulb. They couldn't stop thinking about Lightbulb, and the memories they had together. It stuck out to them because the two of them planned a future together. A future where they will become a family and where their hopes and dreams come true. Now with that out of the picture, Paintbrush just felt like life is meaningless.

Forever.

After hours of sobbing, and some restless awakenings, Paintbrush heard something. At first, they ignored it, but the noises got louder and louder. It was going through their head, and they realized something. The noises were similar to Lightbulb's voice, and Paintbrush decided to find her. They were looking around the basement, checking inside the boxes, and moving the old furniture out of the way. "Painty?..." said the voice across the other side of the basement. "Lightbulb?... LIGHTBULB?!" yelled Paintbrush, they were trying to get close. The beeping within their heart, the tears still coming out of their eyes, and the feeling they never had after the incident: Hope. Once they got there, they saw Lightbulb, but in good condition. She was bright as the sun, she was shining, and she was also smiling too. Lightbulb looked at Paintbrush, and they looked at her. They both gave in for a hug, and Paintbrush was starting to sob again, but full of joy this time. "Painty? Why are you crying?" asked Lightbulb, she was staring at Paintbrush with a concerned face. Paintbrush smiled even wider as they were just happy to see her and nothing more. "Nothing, Lightbulb…Nothing." The fellow object buddies talked for a while, talking about their interests, their memories, and their lives right now.

Then…

Near the wall, Paintbrush was still talking, and their mouth was still moving.

Lightbulb wasn't there.

Summary:

Paintbrush ends up in the hospital, they were told by a doctor that their loved ones were dead, and they were upset over it. As they were leaving the hospital and going back home on foot,

they were sobbing and panicking. When they went downstairs, Paintbrush ended up finding Lightbulb in good condition, or at least in their imagination.

NOTE:

Sorry for the lack of dialogue, I think I went overboard with the story setting, and I think some chapters will be like this too. Just a heads up…

Word Count: 1,526