WARNING: If you have a history of being afraid of reading, then it would be best that you do not read this chapter. Or this sentence. Or anything for that matter. Hope this clears things up.
As it turns out, it's really hard to make time to write with all these responsibilities. I'm certain you weren't waiting too long. Thank my sister for convincing me to put effort to finishing this story anyway. I guess I'm back.
"There we go. I hope it doesn't continue hurting too bad." Samus finished tying Ganon's arm in a sling after cutting a curtain. "We can get you more medical assistance once we find a way out of here, so just bear with it." She led the way through the eastern halls with the bodyguard and businessman following close behind. The halls were dimly lit by candles lined against the wall. Looking more closely, the hall seemed to stretch for what felt like an hour of walking; rooms amongst rooms lined up against the crooked corridors.
"With all these damn rooms, looking for anyone else is like trying to find a coin in a pit full of used needles." Ganon coughed while looking over his shoulder. Ever since the close call with the chandelier, he had made sure that nothing could get past him.
"What an awful expression. Nothing wrong with thinking about a needle in a haystack instead." The thought of putting her hand into a bin of used needles shook Samus to the core. The germs, disease, and danger of all of that for a simple coin. "Besides, we've only been walking for a couple of minutes. This land is very large, so there's no need to start becoming restless already."
The bodyguard let out a gruff sigh and spit on the floor.
"Precisely the reason why I hate the rich. More money and land than they know what to do with and all that money circulation makes it hard to do honest work." His words made the blonde bureaucrat think about their conversation in the basement and about how he took on shady living just to find a way to eat.
"Well, what about Mansa Mario himself? I've heard stories about him and his ambitions. It's no secret that he's wealthy beyond belief and the purpose of this trip was for him to bail us all out somehow. At least…" Before realizing it, she had already said too much. None of the representatives in the limo had shared a reason for them to go and see Mansa Mario and in her own comfort, she began to impose unneeded info on others.
"He's an outlier," Snake started while quickening the pace. "Nobody lives up to the title of 'man with a plan' like he does. Mario is always moving and doing things to move closer to a world more fit for good people. There is no action that he'll take if it doesn't further his ideal to a healthy world. Mansa Mario is the opposite of common rich filth." Their steps echoed in the quiet halls as they followed it around the corner.
"Sounds like somebody has had a rough going at it." Ganon narrowed his eyes and began to snicker. "Boohoo, you didn't hit it large like the real innovators. Big deal. The reason why you had to crawl to mama Mario's feet like a downtrodden dog is because you think you have to be born with wealth in order to have it. I bust my ass every damn day with my company and I know it'll take off; instead of pretending that life's bounties come easy. It's a surprise that he found any potential in you to begin with. The sucker must've felt sorry for you." The businessman continued to snicker until Snake stopped walking forward. Something felt different about the bodyguard's posture than before. Wrists tensed, shoulders rolled up high and back muscles bulging. He slowly turned around before pointing an impatient finger in the business man's face.
"You can say what you want about me, but so much as address Mansa Mario that way again and I'll crack your fuckin skull open. My job is to keep assholes like you alive until we make it to the destination requested by my liege. The moment you disrespect him, the deal is off and he won't even think about blaming me for your disappearance." Veins visibly formed around Snake's temple as he stared the business man down. Ganon first stepped away from him, but slowly regained his composure.
"Oh, hit a nerve did I? Normally the dogs only bark when cornered and it seems like this mutt has run out of-"
"Hey, cut that out!" Samus grabbed Snake's hand from Ganon's face and slid between them. "Look around you! We're locked into cursed halls with only each other and still you can't even attempt to get along. Snake, if the ghost that attacked you comes back, we'll be sitting ducks out here because you men are too busy bickering! Honestly!" She let Snake go and glanced between the two. The side of Ganon's mouth continued to cock upwards, a dastardly gaze pointed in the bodyguard's direction. With a deep breath, Snake turned around and slowly began to walk forward without them. To this, the business man began to laugh again.
"Good thing for a mutt like yourself that you've found a feisty poodle to do the growling for you!" The air grew quiet minus the small chuckles of Ganon. Before a moment passed, the blonde shot him a fierce glance matching the ferocity of a phoenix. His laughs quieted as he rolled his eyes and silently continued forward. "I doubt there's much of a chance we're getting out of here anyway, so that means Mansa Mario is irrelevant-"
Low sounds matching that of a pitter-patter began to echo down the halls. Even the smallest sound made the three tense up in nervousness. Was this the coming of an ambassador or could it possibly be something else?
"We need to move. Now." Snake quickly glanced down both ends of the hall, curious as to which way it was coming from. He pulled a finger to his mouth to hush the other two, but Samus shook her head.
"Snake, you saw that old ghost lady from earlier. She hovered above the ground. Those footsteps must be someone we're looking for. The young boy perhaps?" she reassured. The quiet footsteps marched more quickly in their direction. The air grew more unsettling with every passing moment. Ganon used his good arm to shove past the other two.
"I am NOT sticking around to find out. Boy or not, I've had my share of apparitions for today. Wait if you really want, but I'm getting the hell out of here." he grunted while stomping forward. Before the bodyguard and blonde ambassador could protest, he strode down the hall. Samus furled her brows.
"Jerk! I would have waited if it were you too, you coward!" she called out in cupped hands. She brought her fists to her sides and grit her teeth. "Can you believe the nerve!? I knew he was a little rough around the edges, but how selfish! Damn businessmen…" The steps got just a little louder, but still there was no one to be found. Snake glanced at her and shrugged.
"Don't know what you expect out of a guy like him. Trying to see the good in people gets you nowhere. But at least you can understand that businessmen are always up to no good." Samus' hand shot to her mouth; eyes open wide.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I apologize, really: I don't like making unfair generalizations. I just got a little carried away is all-"
A reddish glow rapidly made its way down the hall. There was a silhouette of a young boy shaped in the glow; curly hairs forming and cheeks puckered. His eyes were narrow and mouth angled to a frown. With arms outstretched, he brandished a blunt claw-hammer speckled with dry flakes of maroon.
And he was sprinting directly at them.
"First I'm going to break your bodies to bits! Second I will pull your flesh from bone! Third comes smashing your meat into paste. And Fourth is incinerating what's left. I'm making people pulp tonight!" The phantom child hissed. It was running from the direction they came and closed the gap in seconds.
"Samus, that's not the boy we're talking about! Run!" Snake shouted, but he struggled to move his petrified body. Samus too was stunned, pupils constricted and fixated on the specter before them. The bodyguard shook himself from fear and grabbed the woman's wrist, nearly dragging her down the hall. Finally snapping out of it, the blonde tripped over herself in order to flee as quickly as possible.
"S-Snake, what is that thing!? The other ghost wasn't like this! God, we need to get out of here!" she let out in shallow breaths. Snapping back into it, their footsteps grew as frantic as the pitter patter behind them.
"HOW ABOUT THE BLONDIE FIRST!? YOU'LL MAKE A GREAT PULP LADY!" the boy approached her, reaching out and wrapping his craggy fingers in her hair. He gripped and pulled back, wrangling her to the ground. "Step one is always my favorite part! I'm going to BREAK YOU IN HALF!" He brought back the hammer, frown deepening and eyes lowering further. Samus struggled against the young boys' undead strength, attempting to wriggle to her feet.
The hammer dropped downwards against her head. Her struggle ruined his perfect placement and rewarded the ghost with a glancing blow.
"Gyah! Please, you don't have to do this!" Samus cried out, pulling herself free. She felt incredibly dizzy after the force to the back of her head. The boy simply looked down disappointedly at his hammer: the small drops of fresh blood not being enough.
"You worthless harlot…You're NOT SUPPOSED TO MOVE!" The spirit growled and turned the hammer to its sharp side, but not so it could pull nails. The blonde tried to stand despite her head swimming when she felt the two dull ends sink through her back next to her left shoulder blade.
"Aaaah! Oh God! Damn it, not like this-AAAH!" The hammer slowly turned before being yanked out of her body. The freshly coated claw dripped with a deep crimson, finally making the boy grin.
"Your cries are like music that I don't get to hear so much anymore. I'd love to HEAR. IT. AGAIN!" He tugged her back by her ponytail with each word. She gasped for air as her eyes began to water. Whilst biting her lower lip, fury burned in the azure eyes that stared at the ghost. The blonde gripped her hair and attempted to free herself again. "You're really going to make me force the cries from your useless mouth? You really are as worthless as I said. If you won't give me my fun, then I'll just finish with my recipe!" It frowned once more and readied its hammer. Samus looked up at what she believed to be her final view: a young freckled ghost burning red with a hammer dangling above her face.
A bullet flew through the ghost, making it turn its head upwards. A second bullet shot next to it; blowing the old hammer to pieces out of the boy's hand. Almost immediately, his facial expression changed from discontent to surprise.
"N-n-no! That was my favorite toy ever… I'll…I'll KILL YOU!" He shouted in the air. Samus leaned forwards in pain to see the bodyguard aiming a pistol at the phantom. "Consider this your lucky day Blondie because you get to live for another minute. You old bag of flesh! I'm going to twist the life out of you with my own hands!" A horrible hollowed cry shrieked in the hall as the boy rushed in his direction. Snake holstered his weapon and pulled the pin on a handheld device; tossing it to the floor. In only a moment, smoke spilled from it and filled the hall. It was hard to see anything and the poor candlelight didn't aid at all. On any day of the week, a spirit could spot anything down a dark hall, but not through a thick cloud of fog.
"Samus, what are you waiting for!? If you don't move now, we're both done for!" Snake's voice rang in her ears. Her blood began to boil as she managed herself to a stance. Her body ached with every movement, but she still brought herself forward. The ghost child flailed out wildly in every direction, attempting to grab what it couldn't see. Using the wall as a guide, the blonde ran swiftly through the hall only matched with Snake's even pace.
"NO NO NO! My recipe calls for your flesh and bones, so you don't get to LEAVE ALIVE!" it wailed. The spirit still flailed around, body going through the walls and grabbing at nothing. Smoke continued to spread in the hall from the small device; creating a box of gray clouds. Two sets of footsteps started to grow more distant and silent after every second, leaving the spirit child to grasp at nothing.
Snake and Samus exited the smoke, still running as quickly as they could down the endless halls. They turned the corner to see that it continued to stretch into an infinity of nothing. The bodyguard stopped and looked around.
"Surely this has to be some sort of trick, right? That can't be possible! The mansion can't be this massive." he coughed. He had noticed that the windows had long disappeared and were instead wooden frames lined along the walls. Lit candles dawned the entirety of the path that seemed too large to fathom. "Th-this is just an illusion. But how are we supposed to leave? There aren't even any damn doors around anymore!" Snake looked to his side to see Samus leaning against a wall. She slowly gazed in his direction before puking onto the floor.
"Ah…*cough*...S-Snake, you saved my life! I would be dead right now if you hadn't come back for me. I don't even know what to say to express my gratitu-" she puked a bit more and stumbled into him. "I feel so dizzy that I-"
"No, don't talk. We're not out of this yet. Once that smoke clears, we're going to have company again. I can't have you falling to pieces now, so gather your energy." He helped her back to her feet. Blood pooled from behind her shoulder and small drips trailed the ground. He also noticed the small stream down the back of her head: most likely a fracture of sorts. He clenched his teeth at the thought of if he were even a couple seconds later to act.
"I know you're still here, my precious ingredients! Come back and let's restart my process!" The voice of the specter sounded in the distance.
"Dammit! Come on Samus, we have to keep going!" The bodyguard led her by her hand and acted as a guide against her disorientation. "I don't know where we're going, but we need to get into the first room we can find to hide." They ran as hard as they could, but the boy floated around the corner and spotted them fleeing.
"Nobody can stop the will of the house!" It began rushing towards the two and intended to finish the job this time. With no end of the hall in sight, Snake started to panic. "You're only delaying THE INEVITABLE!" Samus looked back to see that the spirit was gaining on them. Its eyes rolled to the back of its head and the skull hollowed into an empty husk of black tar: dripping thick ooze to the ground.
A hatch fell from the ceiling with stairs protruding outwards to ascend. It was a narrow gap, but a face peered through while gripping a rope.
"Hurry the fuck up before I change my mind! I am not dying for you!" The businessman called out to them. The demonic being behind them grew its limbs to be an exaggerated length as its neck twisted into a braid. Snake first pushed Samus up the stairs before pulling himself up.
"AAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUGH! AAAAHH AAAAAH AAAAUUUUGHH!" The phantom became unintelligible as it chased towards the gap. Snake and Ganon pulled on the rope with all of their might as the stairs folded upwards and the hatch door slammed, leaving behind dust, blood, and a lonely, innocent boy.
"*cough cough* It's so dusty here. I wish mum would have picked a better hiding spot." The boy's knees knocked against the wooden floor of the secret path. The empty and silent passage was cramped to a crawl space; even for youth of Lucas' size. Several minutes had passed since he last heard Falco's voice-or so he thought. How long had he been crawling through this grimy burrow? Despite the time feeling as if it slowed to a halt, the boy's passion for his lost loved one did not. But even through all the love in his heart, Lucas pulled his legs under himself into a criss-cross; head resting in hands.
"I wonder what I should say when I find her. I miss her so much, but maybe she would hate me if I don't say something really nice…Maybe 'I love you more than all my baseball cards combined'. Or 'You're as special as the stars and moon I look at every night'. I don't know, what do you think, Captain Squiggle? You too, Colonel Porky." Speaking aloud, he reached into his pant leg and pulled out a thin, rubber red snake. It was small enough to blow away with the wind, but Lucas enjoyed the small toy due to being easier to take everywhere. In his other hand he pulled from his pants pocket a doll of sorts that had a boyish resemblance. The wear and tear of years was written all over the thing, but it didn't stop Lucas from enjoying assembling his limp snake shot an unblinking stare while the young boy nodded.
"..."
"No way! I'm not overthinking it. Mothers really like it when you say nice things. Don't you remember that piece of paper she used to carry around all the time? Uh, a poem, I think?" he voiced aloud. Looking at his other hand though, Porky seemed to think differently.
"..."
"Yeah, maybe she would just be happy to see me. I sure hope so."
"Oh, but I AM happy to see you!" Long blue hair sunk through the floor with a young girl slowly appearing after it. Her eyes fixated on Lucas, then the snake and she gave him a bright beam. "I've been looking all around for you!"
Lucas squeezed his soldiers and leaned away from her. "Oh no, you're f-f-Florida! The dead girl who wants to kill me!" He recoiled in fear, but the ghost girl merely let out a sigh.
"Come on man, we're really going to have to get past that part. Dying isn't so bad you know! My death was filled with agony for only a moment. I'm TRYING to do you a favor and make it painless. Some of the other spirits wouldn't be so nice even though you're a kid." Despite her talk of death and killing, she patiently laid on her belly with her legs kicking in the air.
"B-but why? Killing is wrong! Killing is what got you and what happened to my mum! All it does is take away people that others love and it makes bad people. Have you ever thought about how the family of the kids you murdered feel? I sure would be sad if you hurt my aunt." As Lucas spoke, Florida nodded with every word and, once again, beamed with enjoyment.
"You know, I used to think just like you. But once you feel the anguish that I felt and the misery of neglect, you'll begin to see the pointlessness of human life. My desire to cling to life is why I lay here in front of you now." Lucas watched as the young girl before him shrank her hair into a low bob and the freckles on her face returned. Her dimples became more prominent than ever and it looked like some form of life returned to her gaze. "Would my life have been precious in your eyes? Me as I am and not who Father wanted; or the fake you see before yourself? I never liked myself very much, so what good is life lost to those who can't appreciate; or one's who take from others? Seems like bad deeds are a natural cause from human hands."
"But life is fun and there is a lot to like! You can explore or play or read or eat. Life has more good things than what I can count on both hands!" He set his team down and held up both hands. Florida curiously tilted her head to the side and stared at him.
"Now that you mentioned it, there are some pretty cool things about being dead too. I'm certain you would love it! For instance-" Without warning, she pulled out a sharp kitchen knife; holding it out in front of her. Lucas began to cower before she flashed a reassuring wink. "I can do this!" She attempted to stab herself: slashing wildly and cutting her throat. She forced the blade to her stomach over and over, but nothing came of it. Grinning wide, she grabbed the sharp edge with her hand and pointed the handle towards Lucas. "It's fun isn't it? Try and cut me! Come on!"
The boy took a deep breath and looked at Captain Squiggle and Colonel Porky on the floor. They unfortunately offered no guidance to whether or not Lucas should play along, so he hesitantly grabbed the knife. It was just an ordinary 8-inch chef's knife, no different than what he'd seen Sheik cook with on occasion. The ghastly girl held her neck out and gestured. After a moment, he drew the blade back and swiped at Florida's throat; of which her head was split from her shoulders. Black ooze spewed from the wound and her decapitated head cried out with eyes wide in horror. The knife clattered to the ground and the boy shouted at what he'd done. His trembling hands were covered in dark slime and the ichor painted his two toys as a reminder of his sin. As tears filled his eyes and his ears rang with guilt, he barely made out the sound of giggling in the air.
"Oh man, you should see your face! Hahaha!" Florida held her head next to her waist, as if her body were carrying a ball. She immediately tossed her head from one hand to the other before reattaching her skull. "See? Nothing is more fun than the stuff you could get up to while dead! If I did the same thing to you right now, then we'd have quite a familiar mess on our hands, right?" She picked up the knife and began to glow a yellow-orange. Her laughter quieted as the girl tilted her head upwards.
Lucas tucked his rubber snake and doll back into his pant leg and started backing away slowly. "H-hey, that was kind of mean to prank m-m-me. I don't really want you to try that trick on my h-head…" the boy shivered. Florida let out a long sigh before perking up again.
"I'm running out of time. I must still be too close to the halls…" her hands shot up to her face, gripping and and pulling at her own being before she calmed back down. Though the color of her aura still burned with yellow, which only confused Lucas.
"Running out of time? Are you feeling okay? Is it because I cut your head off-"
"The house becomes impatient with this intolerable nonsense! Can you not see the curse that lay on these grounds-no, inside your very being? The never-ending hex placed so long ago by that nightmare of a man. Yes…the nightmare who is my father: he's brought this house alive. It calls for anguish. It wants me to take your life." She eyed Lucas. The boy was trembling and clutching his toy with white knuckles. It was only then she realized that her brandished blade had frozen him in fear. An easy kill. All it took was for her to simply push her knife forward for him to slowly die. But even though he was defenseless, she halted.
"Listen, Luke. I've got an idea. You want to see your mother and I want a real friend. I'm certain you would hate me forever if I killed you now, so how about a game instead?" At the notion, her hair returned to its previous state and her freckles and dimples became less prominent. "We both have things we want here after all. If you can find your mum somewhere in these cursed lands, then I'll leave you be. For good. You'll get to spend your moments with her and have your life to do whatever you desire." The tip of her blade wagged left-to-right with every word she said. The blonde boy was broken from his fear upon remembering his mother.
"But what if…" he choked out, quieter than he meant to sound. "What if you find me first? What if I can't reach my mum? I don't even know where she is…" He risked a glance at Florida. Her orange eyes were fixed on him as if she longed for what she was going to say next.
"In that case, I'm going to sever your head from your shoulders and watch the color drain from your face. Once the house claims your soul, we'll burn your body and shred any memory of the weakness that is life." Time began to speed up as Lucas crouched to his feet. The thoughts of his mother were foggy and he felt ashamed that he couldn't remember her in full detail. Her pale skin, her flowing blonde hair and her eyes filled with love. To see her again was worth everything he could think of; even his own life. Without thinking, he narrowed his brows and stared back at the phantasm before him.
"You're on."
"Excellent! I'll count to 100 and then I'll come find you. Don't worry, I'm going to cover my eyes. Better get to looking for your beloved, friend." Her hands shot to her eyes as the knife hit the floor. Lucas crouched past her and set off without a word. "Oh and Luke, just for the record-" She turned around and observed him through the cracks of her fingers. For a moment, her aura faded into a soft blue. "I really don't feel anything for the families who lost their kids because of me. It's not malice though. They bore bullies into the world, so it's only natural they bear the burden of their offspring's sin. It is a necessary tax for them to live in such a cold, dark world in the first place." With finishing her thought, her aura returned to a radiant orange and her smile grew from ear to ear. The blonde boy looked at her and opened his mouth as if to speak.
"1. 2. 3. 4." Lucas shook off his hesitance and pressed forward. Their first game had begun.
"We've been searching through these useless rooms for too long. If you really wish to make yourself useful, then we should split up." Sheik spoke in a hushed tone. Her and the young man had begun to look through any rooms to see if Lucas had hidden himself away in fear. Robin scratched his head and sighed.
"Hey, I know you're worried, but it would be completely illogical to split up in a place like this. Where stairs move without warning, ghosts appear and threaten violence, and even the lack of any light makes splitting up hardly an option." He counted on his fingers. Sheik turned her body to him, with her eyes narrowing.
"When Falco ran off without a light, I doubt he was worried about it being logical or not; but to protect a child! I'll hold out hope that your spinelessness won't doom him." Her bitterness held in the air.
"Sheik, I'm sorry, but there's no way I'm going to wander in the dark alone. The only thing we have right now is each other! That's why we need to find some way to let the bodyguard know what's going on. A coordinated effort is our best chance. Besides, Lucas isn't even your son, so maybe the best thing-"
The caretaker's hand shot out, gripping Robin by his collar and pulling him to be eye level. Her other arm removed something from her pocket and a small click sounded.
"Who the hell do you think you're talking to? I'll cut your damn tongue out before I let you finish that sentence. You couldn't possibly understand what it's like to lose everything!" It was only at this moment that the scholar realized that Sheik was holding a switchblade. His eyes widened with panic and he went tumbling to the ground from a hard shove.
"I-I-I didn't mean it like that! Please, let's just keep looking." His head darted from the caretaker's hand to her squinted gaze. "He's got to be around here somewhere! We shouldn't waste any time squabbling. Every moment we're in this house is dangerous!" Sheik blinked before returning her blade and turning from him. She said nothing as Robin picked himself off the ground. The scholar scratched his head and awkwardly shuffled along.
"If Falco caught him, then there's a chance that he's managed to reunite with everyone downstairs. I'm hoping everyone is alive and well…" A cold shudder ran through him. The thought of anybody being harmed or even killed made Robin feel sick to his core. Despite his fear, he shook his head and fought back the nausea.
"There's no telling if that bodyguard is even in the house anymore. If it were me who stayed downstairs, I would've left the moment things got supernatural." Sheik coughed. "I wouldn't sacrifice my nephew's safety for any of your lives. Even mine." Her pace hastened with her previous statement. Over her shoulder, she eyed Robin suspiciously. He was a relatively young man; studious and handsome as well as naive and scrawny. Someone like him wouldn't last a night in a place like this and it made her worry for her sister's son even more.
The walk grew quiet over time. Robin felt that Sheik was too tense for small talk, but the sound of their footsteps echoing onwards felt maddening with the anticipation of danger lingering in the air. Not that he thought himself safe near the woman either after seeing her draw a blade on him. Regardless, minutes passed before he was able to summon the courage to break the silence.
"I don't know if you noticed, but we've been walking in a straight line for some time now to no end." His voice was louder than he thought it would be and Sheik came to a halt. "Um, given the circumstances, I'm beginning to think that this hallway is an illusion of some sor-"
"Nonsense. Just look." She pointed ahead to the end of the hallway. There was another staircase leading up to a higher level and another corridor circling the back of the mansion. The scholar shrugged.
"Well I guess that's better than an illusion. Still, no sign of Lucas, Falco, OR a way to get back downstairs." It didn't make much sense to him that the other two wouldn't have headed back by now. Lucas couldn't be faster than Falco. He was only a child. "Something must be wrong. They've been gone too long."
Shuffling, banging, and scrambling could be heard in a nearby room. Sheik turned on a dime to reach past Robin and rip the door open. He only barely managed to grab her wrist and frantically shake his head.
"Let go of me. Now." She spoke with venom in her tone.
"What if it's a spirit?! You're going to-oof!" Before he could get his words out, he once again found himself on the floor after being shoved away from Sheik.
"It could be the others!" The door creaked as she tugged it open. "Lucas? Little One, where are you?" Cautiously, she shone the lantern towards the noise to see Snake, Ganon, and Samus shutting a trapdoor. The bodyguard was looking over the latter as he pulled a small kit from a pouch on his leg. The relief Sheik was hoping for quickly turned into indifference when she saw that Lucas was not among them. "Oh, I see. Some of you are injured. What have you found out?" There was hardly any emotion in her words. Snake's hands shook while opening the case of medical supplies.
"We haven't found out shit." He roughly turned Samus so he could see her back. "You're bleeding pretty bad lady. Shouldn't be fatal if we can stop it." He reached into his kit and grabbed a suture set. Despite being more safe than they were, his hands wouldn't steady.
"You're not going to stitch her properly if you don't stop trembling." Walking into the room, the caretaker crouched next to him and gingerly took the tools. "You must be calm and delicate. She can feel every shake, shiver, and spasm that your hands do. And it won't feel good either, so hold her down." He didn't hesitate to follow her orders; of which he pulled the blonde's arms above her head to make room for Sheik. Robin peeked around the corner and beamed when he saw familiar faces.
"No ghosts? I'm glad that I was wron- Wait, what the hell?" Ganon is the only one who made eye contact; only paying him a nod to help the others. He scrambled to keep Samus's legs still while getting a better look at her wound.
"I feel so tired…and my head hurts…Please, I don't want to be touched…" She uttered in a low groan. Both the bodyguard and caretaker exchanged a glance. She was showing signs of a concussion. The moment Sheik got to work on her sutures, she began to cry out and gasp aloud with each entering of the needle. The tensing of her body only made the area more inflamed. Beside the fact that he was struggling to hold her, Robin paid close attention to Sheik's handiwork.
"Do you think she might get an infection? We don't know if she was properly sanitized or if whatever caused this wound had some type of old bacteria. Maybe we should consider cauterizing."
"Do not speak with me. I'm focusing." She lied. It was already hard to focus with some lady fussing so much over small sutures anyway. But Robin was annoying. The entire time the two had been alone, he was always asking questions about things that didn't matter. If anything, Sheik was grateful that she had other people nearby that wouldn't try to chat her ear off. Not to mention the nagging feeling that she was wasting time on things that weren't her top priority.
The familiar sound of footsteps echoed in the hall. Almost immediately, the speed picked up in their direction.
"Ganon, close the damn door! It could be that phantom again!" Snake said through grit teeth. He attempted to cover Samus's mouth, though the angle was awkward. "Stop making so much noise or we're all dead." He hoped that her muffled groans were quiet enough. Ganon quietly shut the door and pressed back against it. The echo grew closer and closer until clumsy sounds could be heard nearby. Whoever was in the hall tried opening multiple doors, but their locks all *clicked* before they moved on.
As gently as possible, the businessman slowly turned the lock just as the being on the other side violently shook the handle. But just as suddenly as it arrived, the footsteps echoed away to silence. The only noise left in the room was the closing of the suture kit.
"I have finished. Allow me to wrap her head and we can be on our way." she held out her hand and Snake gave her the only wrap that his kit held.
"Be on our way? Samus is dizzy and deluded. We should find her a room to rest in. Otherwise, she's just a liability." The bodyguard mentioned. Ganon snorted.
"Being alone in this place is a death sentence. If you didn't want her to slow you down then you should have just left her behind."
"You all are my responsibility. I don't plan on leaving a single one of you. All I'm suggesting is that we give her some time-"
"We do not have time!" Robin blurted without really meaning to. The glare from Snake was almost enough to burn a hole into him. "I mean, um sorry. But this place is dangerous. The longer that we're separated from the other six, the more likely something awful is going to happen. We should get moving ASAP and just keep an eye on her condition."
"The nerd is right. Don't think for a second that I'm lingering around here for any longer than I have to." To further demonstrate how outnumbered he was, Sheik piped up.
"My heart aches every moment that I am separated from the Little One. I won't spare any more time finding him."
"ALRIGHT. Enough! I guess we're low on options." Snake sighed and stood. "We have to keep moving, Samus. Get up." He grabbed her wrist and pulled her to her feet.
"I-I think I'm okay. Though I still feel very dizzy." She mumbled. Tired of dealing with her, Ganon walked up and locked her elbow around his.
"There. Enough of the complaining. I'll be on babysitting duty if it means we can get out of this damned supply closet." He marched forwards, practically dragging the woman out the door with him. No one else really put up a fuss, though Snake did think about protesting due to the way Ganon was slinging her around
Stepping out into the hall, the rain and thunder boomed ever louder; a sign of the unrelenting storm's vow to stay. Lightning flashed through the windows, cascading the shadows of the five on the walls as they rounded the corner. The hall connecting the backside of the second story was wider and more adorned with decorated fabrics and the like. It was likely that most of the family used these halls more often: minus Florida and the placement of her room. A slanted roof with windows and banners seemed to endlessly spread itself in the distance. The only other thing of note was a crosswalk near the middle that seemed to be connected to the third floor. The dark, decaying wood made it difficult to tell if anything were to walk by on it, but the shape could be clearly made out.
Once more did lightning flash in the distance and illuminate the area for a split moment before the destructive "CLAP!" that follows.
"Jeez, the storm is only getting more wild! At this rate, we might not be able to avoid it even if morning comes." Robin scratched the back of his head in an attempt to hide the fact that he flinched.
"I'd rather be rained on and contract a cold than be slaughtered like a dog in here. Though I shouldn't have to explain that to you." Snake grunted and pulled out a cigarette. Sheik's eyes narrowed at him.
"Smoking indoors? You've such a low amount of class. *scoff* Does Mansa Mario let you do that?" She mocked. By the way she stared, one could only imagine the look of disgust written on her face.
"...I wouldn't even think about lighting a cig in his home. Who cares if I smoke here anyway? It's full of ghosts. I don't give a shit if they don't like the smell." He flicked his lighter multiple times, but it refused to light the somewhat soggy cigarette. "Come on you damned thing…Friggin piece of-"
As he struggled with his fix, yet another flash of lightning spilled shadows in every direction. Shadows from the furniture, from the banners, and from the catwalk. The catwalk. The obscured third story connector and its contents flashed against the wall. Robin saw it first. His eyes widened and he heaved; barely able to contain the contents of his stomach. Sheik aimed the lantern at him with a confused look.
"What's the matter with you? Don't lose your nerve now." No matter what, Robin knew that he couldn't allow the caretaker to see it. Though his legs felt like jelly, he positioned himself in front of her and tried to shield her eyes.
"Oh God please tell me this is a dream. Please please please don't look at the shadows Shei-"
"I've told you many times to get away from me. Move, or there will be consequences."
"Are you some type of weirdo, boy?!" Ganon fussed at him. "Quit messing around and get away from her!" he waved. Robin's eyes darted back and forth at the faces of his companions. Had they really not seen it? It was huge and hard to miss. He shook his head, praying that there would be no more lightning. Annoyed, Sheik grabbed him with her free hand and tossed him to the ground; a treatment that Robin was certainly getting used to.
"Uhf! Just listen to me! Don't look at the sh-" BANG! Thunder raged outdoors and a long series of lightning flashes revealed a horrible truth to everyone else. It was a wonder that they hadn't seen it before. Even Samus immediately processed the horror being cascaded onto the wall next to them. The lantern dropped from the caretaker's hand onto Robin and she fell to her knees.
The shadow of a long rope coiled around a boy's neck swayed back and forth.
LUCKILY I HAVE ALREADY FINISHED MOST OF THE NEXT CHAPTER! Surely it won't take another...Uh...However long this one took. For the record, I DO plan on finishing this. Looking back on it, writing this story is very fun. Okay until next time bye.
that is, if anyone came back of course.