There was silence in the air. The anticipation had gotten worse. D-boy and Eff stood poised by the front door, ready to strike at the ominous presence closing in. Eff, still shaken from the experience he felt earlier and asked D-boy if he felt it.

"You felt that too?" he asked.

"I've been having these tremors long before we left the house," D-boy replied, his brown skin darkening, turning shadowy.

Eff's eye sockets began to hollow out, glowing a bright, menacing red. "Guess it was just a matter of time before it happened to me. But I still think you're more screwed than I am." He grinned, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth.

D-boy's transformation was complete, his glowing, blue-white almond eyes contrasting against the dark shadow enveloping him. He could be mistaken for a grim reaper, while Eff resembled something torn straight from Pandora's box— all over nightmare.

The door shuddered as the presence approached. A deep, menacing voice boomed from the outside, "I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house down!" Maniacal laughter followed.

The door and windows exploded into splinters. D-boy and Eff landed on their feet, staring up at the massive creature towering over them—a rat-like beast, three stories tall, with large, red oval eyes that glowed down at them. Curled horns adorned its head, and atop it stood a smaller figure, insect-like with sharp, blade-like legs and empty screw holes for eyes.

"Ooo~! Look, Reverend! We weren't wrong—there are two of them!" the small figure screeched, its voice like nails on a chalkboard.

Reverend, the towering beast, roared and swung a clawed paw at Eff. But Eff's tentacles shot out from his back, latching onto Reverend's arm and tearing it clean off at the socket.

The beast howled, crashing to the ground in agony. Sickness leapt from its head, swinging her blade legs at D-boy, knocking him into the air. D-boy recovered quickly, dodging her attacks with nimble grace.

"What's the matter? Too scared?" Sickness teased, her voice dripping with malice. She lunged, aiming for his head, but D-boy leapt over her, landing with precision. In one swift motion, he kicked her toward the ravine.

Sickness screamed in frustration as she tumbled down into the dark ravine, D-boy's shadows multiplying to ensure she stayed down there.

Satisfied, D-boy turned his attention to Eff, who was engaged in a brutal battle with the massive Reverend. The beast had landed a few hits on Eff, sending him crashing into trees, but Eff retaliated with sharp, brash strikes. Still, the fight was going nowhere.

"Need help?" D-boy asked, his tone dull.

Eff, panting and frustrated, spat back, "Help? No, thank you! I don't need your—"

Before he could finish, Reverend struck him again, sending him flying.

D-boy sighed, unimpressed. "You seem to have it under control. I'll just wait."

He watched as Eff continued to exchange blows with Reverend, but the fight was dragging on, and Eff was barely making a dent. Finally, D-boy multiplied his shadows, sending them to wrap around the beast's horns. The shadows burned as they pulled, forcing Reverend's head back with a deafening roar. The beast crashed to the ground, snow exploding into the air as it landed on its back.

D-boy approached, stepping onto the beast's chest. "You're like a turtle. Pathetic."

Reverend's body stopped resisting, and a nervous chuckle escaped his throat. "H-Hey man, come on... we're all friends here. No harm, no foul. We forfeit."

"Return to your original form. Now," D-boy demanded coldly.

The beast shook his head vigorously. "Mhm! Mhm!"

In a cloud of grey dust, the monstrous creature shrank down to its true form—a pitiful, human-like figure, resembling a grotesque version of a Bob's burger boy from hell.

D-boy landed softly on the snow and smirked slightly, amused by Reverend's transformation. "That reminds me," he said as his shadows returned to him. "Stay put. I need to dig my younger counterpart out of the snow."

D-boy found Eff buried in a snowbank, his hair sticking out like a flagpole. He yanked him out, setting him on his feet.

"You smug dickcheese!" Eff shouted, brushing off snow. "I told you I didn't need your help! I had him!"

"Shut your shit-eating mouth and show some gratitude, you slimeball," D-boy snapped through gritted teeth.

Eff, still fuming, glanced over at Reverend. "Hey you look like one of those Bob's burger boy's."

"THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S THE VESSEL I'M STUCK WITH!" Reverend exclaimed, his voice tinged with insecurity.

"Yeesh. Touchy," Eff muttered, crossing his arms.

Reverend stood up, dusting himself off. "Well, never mind that. The name's Reverend Meat."

D-boy ignored Eff's snide comment and turned to Reverend. "Where's your partner? I kicked her into the ravine, but I don't know if she's still down there."

Reverend, bug-eyed, glanced toward the ravine just as Sickness's figure emerged from the darkness, fuming with rage.

"You IDIOT!" she screeched at Reverend. "YOU SURRENDERED? FOR FUCK'S SAKE, YOU WERE HUGE FOR A REASON!"

Eff smirked. "Well, that's why he fell harder."

D-boy's expression hardened as he addressed Sickness. "What's your name?"

"Sickness, you fucker!" she spat, stomping over to Reverend's side.

"There's enough conflict between us. Let's go," Sickness said through gritted teeth. "I'd rather not stick around with things like us. It's too disgusting."

Reverend shrugged. "Well, we didn't know what they were at first, our senses just assume everything is a threat. But with creatures like us, we could have more of an understanding of our existence. Maybe there should be an alliance?"

"No," both Doughboys replied in unison, their voices cold.

Eff spoke first. "We don't trust beings like us. You know we're all too manipulative."

D-boy nodded. "And we've already fought to near destruction. You two are on your own."

"Wait!" Reverend called out, desperation creeping into his voice.

Eff scowled. "What now, Meat?"

Reverend twiddled his thumbs nervously. "Y-You didn't go into the nightstand, did you?"

Sickness's posture stiffened, her eyes narrowing.

D-boy raised an eyebrow. "And if we did?"

"THOSE THINGS ARE OURS! GIVE THEM BACK, YOU CHARRED ASSHOLE!" Sickness yelled, her voice shrill with frustration.

Eff pulled the trinkets out of his jacket pocket. "Why do you need this junk?"

"It's not junk!" Reverend snapped. "They're important pieces to us. Part of our puzzle. Give them back!"

D-boy furrowed his brow, snatching the items from Eff's hand. "I hate demands. No. You'll answer our questions first. Especially about this necklace—it links to me and Eff."

Eff leaned in, whispering, "What do you mean it links to us? Is it because of your tremors?"

D-boy nodded. "Yes. And I have a feeling Reverend knows something. So start talking, Meat."

Reverend sighed, his insecurity surfacing again. "It's tied to my... to my maker."

Sickness crossed her arms, apprehensive but listening intently.

Reverend took a deep breath before continuing. "Yah see, he was this tall, and emaciated shit that created me out of his subconscious in search of desire that wanted to be fulfilled. But I should've know even after a 'rebirth' he was unlike other humans. Trying as I might at convincing him to give himself over to pleasure - that for a human there wasnt anything wrong with it. If I succeeded in this I could get out of my shell more and more eventually becoming real! free!" Reverend paused. "But I couldn't get a inch. Over time I began getting more and more stiff in my shell of a statue and before you know it I disappeared, dumped in a landfill."

D-boy tossed the belongings back to them and said, "You were stuck in purgatory, trapped because you're a creature of desire that never had anything fulfilled."

Reverend nodded. "Exactly. I was stuck for a while, just a statue. But somehow, I managed to become... somewhat real again."

"Mr. Samsa," Eff interjected, "You're another one of Johnny's Voices, aren't you?"

Reverend's eyes widened as recognition dawned on him. Memories flooded back—images of D-boy and Eff, knifed to the wall of the house, their expressions twisted in agony. "Yes... and it seems like you two were, too."

Sickness raised an eyebrow at Reverend. "Wait, wait, wait. How come you didn't recognize them until now? That's a little... inconvenient, don't you think?"

Reverend shrugged. "I wasn't created until after their time ended. I'm still getting my memories back, and they come and go."

Eff interrupted, running a hand through his hair. "Well, this has been fun. But if you don't mind, I think it's time we part ways. For good."

D-boy nodded in agreement. "We don't trust either of you. So long." Both turned to leave, walking down the hillside.

Reverend's fists clenched in frustration. "No! It doesn't have to be like this! We can work something out!"

The doughboys didn't look back, their footsteps crunching in the snow as they moved farther away.

Sickness called out to Reverend, "Stop it! Let them go. We're too different. They're better off on their own."

Reverend paused, a desperate thought crossing his mind. "D-boy! Wait! I can help you fulfill your desire!"

D-boy stopped and turned slowly. "What are you talking about, meat slab?"

Reverend swallowed hard, his voice growing urgent. "I know what you want. You want to stop being real. Nny once babbled to me about a boy next door and his teddy bear. At the time, I thought he was just rambling, but now I remember. He said the bear spoke to him, which is how he first realized he could hear other Voices—ones that weren't his."

Sickness interjected, "That makes sense. Nny infected others, and that infection spread. That's how I came into existence with Devi."

D-boy furrowed his brow. "What does that mean for me?"

Reverend took a deep breath. "It means there might be another Voice out there. One that could help you die. If we can hurt each other like we just did, it means we're mortal to some degree. Which means you can be killed."

D-boy's skepticism was palpable. "If that's true, why haven't you or Sickness killed me already?"

Reverend shook his head. "Sickness isn't powerful enough to destroy you, even if you didn't fight back. And Eff and I... we were made by Nny. We can't kill you, but possibly another Voice might be able to."

D-boy considered this, his face unreadable. All he wanted was to leave this existence behind. To cease being trapped in this vessel, stuck between worlds.

"If you know where this boy might be," D-boy said slowly, "then I'm willing to travel with you. For now."

Eff glared at D-boy, trudging back to stand beside him in defiance. "Come on, you can't seriously believe this guy. You're playing the fool! We don't even know what happened when everything went dark."

D-boy remained silent, his resolve firm. He knew the risks, but something about Reverend's words struck a chord.

Meanwhile, Reverend and Sickness had their own argument.

"You're making a mistake, Reverend," Sickness hissed. "They'll kill us the first chance they get!"

"I don't think they will," Reverend replied calmly. "D-boy doesn't want to fight. Eff might, but I don't think they're a threat to us right now."

Sickness sighed in frustration, crossing her arms. "Fine. But I still don't like this."

With a reluctant truce established, the four Voices began walking together. They didn't know exactly what they were, but they all shared a common understanding: none of them truly knew the full extent of their significance.

As they trudged through the snow, Sickness stretched her small, bladed limbs, hands behind her head. "So... what were your names again?" she asked, breaking the silence.