Survival Takes All Of Us
Written for The Great Everlasting Prompt Compendium
Prompt 27: Write about someone who has both mental and physical health problems.
A/N: Shout out to Chance WrightVA for introducing me to the Bugsnax fandom through his Papyrus Plays videos. That man has some amazing talent as a voice actor, and I highly recommend the videos on his YouTube channel. Especially if you're a fan of Undertale and/or Bugsnax.
Disclaimer: All Bugsnax names, characters and locations belong to Young Horses. I own nothing that you recognize.
Why was he doing this? Why did he ever believe this was a worthwhile venture? Surely he knew better. Better than the other Grumpuses he was forced to accompany during their journey, better than his sibling, who had been blinded by science, as if that held all the answers. Those poor fools. Of course his sibling would stand there, spewing their scientific knowledge like it was the gospel. Clearly, it was all an act meant to lower his defenses. Because we all know what happened to Grumpola Tesla and his inventions. As if they ever welcomed such innovations and technological advancements. No, certainly not.
These endless thoughts circled his mind, his paws clutching the latest blueprints for his inventions, holding them against his chest as he sat on the edge of his mattress, slowly rocking back and forth. Was it his imagination, or were the shadows in his room creeping across the floor? He liked keeping his room dark, but something about this new environment didn't set well with him.
The mill outside was constantly churning, the floorboards creaking and groaning, whispering voices in the stillness of the night. He thought perhaps he'd be able to work on his inventions in peace out here, only to realize a little too late that they were in close proximity to the same government animal testing facility that produced the Montauk Monster.
And what exactly are Bugsnax? Just another government experiment gone awry, or perhaps something more sinister? The name of the island where the monster originated, or to be more precise, Plum Island as it was called, practically screamed Bugsnax. Plums, food, snacks, living food creatures, it was all connected. Surely it must be connected. So then why was he here? What sort of unimaginable horrors lurked in the depths of Snaktooth Island? How long could he survive in a place like this? How long could any of them last?
His eyes, wide and unblinking, darted around the corners of the room. His rocking movements were picking up speed, a low whimper clawing its way up his throat. He knew better, and yet he agreed to come to his island anyway. They were all going to die out here.
.oOo.
For a while, he was able to keep his demons at bay, working with his partner as Chandlo chopped wood and cleared space for more huts to be built. Sometimes he would simply observe those around him, watching as Chandlo effortlessly socialized with their fellow Grumpuses, banding together and exploring parts of the island when he wasn't working on construction or lifting weights. It must be nice to live so freely, unburdened by the truth. He wanted that much for him, to protect him. And yet it only troubled his thoughts further, knowing that his partner was out and about on this island inhabited by these bizarre food monsters.
While Chandlo kept himself busy in the village, Snorpy unpacked his newspapers, articles, and clippings and proceeded to wallpaper his corner of the mill house with them. Alone in silence, he lifted a trembling paw, pressing it against one of the articles he'd meticulously removed from a magazine. Something was eating away at him from the inside, something more than the constant anxiety and paranoia he'd grown accustomed to throughout the years. He felt sick, his other paw holding his midsection. This island was slowly killing him, he was sure of it.
Lowering his head, Snorpy finally managed to tear his gaze away from the multitude of clippings. They had brought food with them during the journey, though it was only a matter of time before their supplies ran out, forcing them to consume the strange life forms on the island. Some would argue that that was the whole point of this expedition. That's why they came here in the first place. And then there was Gramble, who only wanted to befriend the local Bugsnax and make pets out of them. There was also Wiggle, and Grump only knows what motivated her to come along.
Curious though he was, Snorpy wasn't entirely sure that he should have come on this journey. More than anything else, he wanted to be with his partner. Second to that, he was hoping for a place where he could escape the ever present gaze of the Grumpinati. Not that being out here seemed to ease his mind. He was never truly alone, not even on an island in the middle of the ocean.
.oOo.
Lost within the trappings of his own mind, Snorpy began losing track of time. One day they were making landfall on Snaktooth Island, the next thing he knew, he was waking up three months later to the completion of the village. He didn't even remember assisting Chandlo when they were building the huts. The only thing he could be sure of was the growing pain in his abdomen. It ached and burned in the area directly above his navel, making it difficult to concentrate on his work due to the constant pain he was experiencing.
At night he would lie awake in bed, his arms around his waist in the fetal position. Along with the pain, he had also developed a chronic case of indigestion, leaving him bloated and miserable. It didn't help that various inhabitants of the village had started bringing Bugsnax into the village and sampling their squirming forms. The sight alone was nauseating, and the crunching sounds made it even worse. For now anyway, Snorpy could avoid eating the insectoid food creatures, thanks to the supplies they had leftover from the trip to Snaktooth Island.
At least Gramble still had some sense, despite watching many of his fellow Grumpuses give in to temptation and devour the tasty morsels of tainted flesh.
"I don't understand it," Gramble stated, sighing and shaking his head. On this particular morning, he had brought one of his pets to visit Snorpy, who was refusing to come out of the mill house. He held up his Green Peelbug, lifting it up to the window so Snorpy could get a better look at it. "Why would anyone want to eat these adorable little ones?"
Snorpy wrinkled his nose in disgust, taking a step back as the citrusy critter wriggled and squeaked. Something about its unnatural movements felt mildly disturbing.
"I named him Tart," Gramble proudly declared. "Would you like to pet him? I promise he doesn't bite."
Fortunately, Snorpy was spared further interaction when Wiggle approached with her bango. "Darling, you know we're supposed to be eating those, right? Why, I'd simply love to taste those pizza pockets that are rumored to live in the desert."
"Huh? Pizza pockets?" Gramble was slightly confused. "I've been using mine as a pillow. Best pillow ever actually. Stays warm all night long. And it's really squishy too. Kind of like sleeping on a water mattress er... water pillow? Something like that."
"Indeed, I'm not sure why anyone would want to eat them," Snorpy muttered, eyeing the creature with suspicion. "And yet I don't think I'd want to sleep on a pillow that breathes." Wincing and holding his stomach, he took another step back, moving away from the window. Though long about now, the pain was radiating outwards towards his back, burning through his insides like fire. It took all his strength to remain standing upright, trying to pretend that he was fine, but the others saw through his ruse.
"Uh, hey Snorpy, are you feeling okay?" Gramble questioned, tilting his head and stroking his Peelbug. "You look a little pale and sweaty."
"I-I-I w-well that is to say I'm f-fine!" Snorpy stammered, bouncing and flailing his paws. He managed to recover himself momentarily. "How do I look pale? That is absurd! I am covered in fur. A Grumpus does not look pale."
"I just mean you look a little off, like you're overly tired. And I would know a thing a two about not getting enough sleep. Maybe try adopting a Bugsnax pillow? I swear they make it easier to get a good night's sleep."
"Yes, and I suppose that's why I see you parading around the village at one in the morning. Those pillows are so splendid that you have to go around telling everyone about them in the middle of the night." And with that, Snorpy closed the window with a bit more force than necessary, rattling the windowpanes and storming off to his room.
Gramble and Wiggle exchanged confused looks.
"Sheesh, what's got him all uptight and ornery?" Gramble muttered, protectively clutching his Green Peelbug against his chest.
Wiggle shrugged. "Probably the same thing that's been going around the village getting to everyone, darling."
.oOo.
Never alone, no escape, they were always watching him.
One paw crept towards his abdomen, the other reached out and found the banister, beginning his journey upstairs. Each step closer to his destination, to his collection of conspiracy theories plastered across the wall. Every night he would lie awake in bed, reading them over and over until his tired mind couldn't take anymore. Sinking into the mattress with an agonized groan, he felt tears coming to his eyes. Never alone, there was no escape.
He didn't know how long he lay there, hugging himself and sobbing into his pillow. The physical pain, the mental anguish, if only he could find some semblance of peace within his own mind.
"Snorpy, what's wrong, bro?"
He muscles tensed, feeling the mattress dip when Chandlo's weight sank into the bed beside him. Finally, a means to escape this madness, protected by his longtime friend and life partner. He willingly allowed Chandlo to place his arms around him, holding him close in an effort to stem the flow of tears trickling into his fur.
Chandlo stroked his back, caressing Snorpy's golden fur while holding and rocking him. He was surprisingly gentle for someone with such an extreme personality. Though it would take some time before Snorpy's wretched cries began to fade, hot tears sliding past the rim of his glasses, which were slightly askew on his face.
"Hurts," Snorpy whined, exposing his vulnerability to the one person he truly felt he could trust. He found himself unable to form a coherent sentence, struggling and searching for the correct words to express himself. In Chandlo's arms he felt safe and protected, but he was also experiencing a great deal of pain, which was clouding his thoughts and making it difficult to speak.
The muscular Grumpus carefully released him, allowing Snorpy to lie down in bed. He watched as one paw immediately went to his abdomen, his other paw lifting his glasses and wiping his eyes. This seemed to indicate a stomachache, though it was troubling to think that Snorpy was in so much pain that he could barely maintain his composure.
"Do you want me to get the doctor?" Chandlo asked, thinking it would be better to let her examine him and determine what was wrong. "I bet Eggabell could fix you up in no time, bro."
His eyes widening beneath his glasses, Snorpy shook his head. A terrified squeak managed to escape his lips. The last thing he wanted right now was some fraudulent quack prescribing experimental drugs that would kill him faster than whatever was ailing him. Not only that, a visit to the doctor usually meant a lot of poking and prodding, which Snorpy was definitely not a fan of. Though try as he might, he couldn't verbalize his desire to avoid any kind of medical testing. His tired mind wasn't having it, not after the emotional turmoil he'd already experienced earlier that morning.
His speech failing him, Snorpy uttered a string of unintelligible squeaks and moans, his paw patting the mattress in rapid secession. Chandlo knew well enough not to pester him when Snorpy was teetering on the edge of a meltdown, though he couldn't leave him to suffer when the poor Grumpus was obviously in pain. The sight alone was heartbreaking, seeing those beautiful eyes red from crying, his fur damp with tears.
"Then I'll take care of you, Snorpy. Maybe with some chicken soup or an ice pack." Chandlo scratched his head, pondering the situation. He wasn't exactly a medical expert, so aside from the usual blankets, fluids, and bed rest, he wasn't sure what else he could do. "But I still want you to see the doctor once you've had some time to chill out. It isn't good to ignore your health, bro."
In the back of his mind, Snorpy wondered how long he could put off seeing the doctor. Knowing Chandlo, he'd probably carry him to Eggabell's hut if he continued to refuse medical care. But for now, he would settle for letting his partner take care of him.