June 5, 2017

12 hours

Brian stopped keeping track of time. He had just been running away from a teacher possessed by a demon. The boy lost his vigilance and thought about something, not even noticing that he had slowed down his speed, so Baldi easily caught up with him. It seems that the red-haired boy will soon be sick of rulers, as the man managed to grab the boy by the arm and was about to hit him on the arm with a ruler, but Brian managed to get out. Now he locked himself in one of the offices, where he kept the blue notebook he needed. The demon is far away now.

Nobody wants detention, we only want attention

Even when life is tough

Oddly, quarters are enough

After counting the first two examples, and writing down the number zero in the third, Brian quickly put the notebook in his backpack and left the office. Why is the boy counting these damned examples instead of just taking them with him? The red-haired boy checked, and until he solves these examples, the doors magically close. When he completed the tasks, the doors opened again. It's immediately obvious whose handiwork this is.

Passing by vending machines with drinks and sodas, the boy noticed one of the vending machines. It contained blue cans of BSoda. Brian had wanted to try this strange drink all school year, but he still couldn't. Someone said that soda was awesome, but someone didn't like the taste and smell. Besides, this drink was made especially for this Bond City school. There was no such soda in other schools. Masha said that a good friend of principal Francis works at the company where BSoda is prepared, and they agreed among themselves. And so, the boy got the perfect chance to try this BSoda. Brian puts the 5 cents that Professor Baldi gave him into the vending machine and picks up the blue jar that rolled out.

"Restart_Refresh_BSODA" read the label on the jar. Brian found the name so strange that in an instant he didn't want to drink anymore, but his curiosity got the better of him. Just in case, Johnson decided to read the composition of the drink. Many people say that he is unusual and very strange.

- Ingredients: water, blue dye, high fructose content, corn syrup, electricity... And they give it to children? - Brian was surprised.

Johnson opens the can and takes one sip... Hm, apparently, Brian will treat people who liked BSoda, because it tastes just wonderful! Despite the strange composition, the soda lived up to its expectations and was very tasty. After finding some more change in his backpack, Brian buys four cans and puts them in his backpack. Just in case he needs it.

12 hours 10 minutes

- I don't think that's a good idea...

- What are you talking about?

- I mean, we shouldn't have split up.

Ben and Kasper had been on the third floor for quite some time, but they hadn't found anything.

- Kasper, don't worry, if something happens, we will immediately come to the guys' aid. - Ben says.

- I know, but maybe we should go down to the second floor. We've been walking around here for a very long time and haven't found anything. - Kasper answers.

- Okay, let's go help the girls. - Ben agrees, and the boys go downstairs.

At this time, Miranda and Lucy are also wandering around the second floor, but they couldn't find anything either.

- Are you sure Masha left on some business? - Miranda asks.

- I... no. She didn't reply to my messages, so I thought she was busy. - Lucy answers.

The girls fall silent, and a tense silence hangs between them. However, this silence does not last long. The girls stop and listen to the sounds. It sounded like someone laughing or something. The laughter echoed through the school, but the girls were able to identify that the source of the sound was approaching them.

Miranda took a small knife out of her pocket, and Lucy had a knife in place of her "iron hand," but a bigger one than Miranda's. The girls began to look around so that no one would attack them from behind. They saw a shadow coming around the corner, bouncing towards them. And now the unknown had already approached and finally came out of their hiding place. And it was...

- Maria? - Miranda and Lucy said simultaneously.

Yes, it was Maria. She skipped over to her friends and looked at them with a smile on her face. She looked happy, and it would have been fine if it hadn't been for her eyes... Those brown eyes were not there at all, instead there were only incomprehensible black scribbles and even glasses were missing. However, this did not stop Masha from looking at her friends.

- Masha... What happened to you? It's that damn Roger... - Miranda came up to her.

- Your eyes! Are you in pain? How did you end up here? - Lucy rushed to her.

- Let's play! - Masha's voice was monotonous and ear-splitting, and it carried throughout the second floor.

- Masha, it's us, your best friends! We came to save Brian, do you know where he is? - blue-haired girl tried to shout at the girl, but there was no reaction from Maria.

She handed the rope to Lucy and made her jump on it.

- Let's play! Jump on it 5 times! - Masha smiles, and Lucy sighs. Lucy jumps rope, and the possessed girl counts, and then exclaims joyfully. - Yaay! Good job! Let's play it next time! Now it's your turn!

Masha hands the skipping rope to Miranda, but Miranda abruptly grabs her friend's favorite thing and puts it in her backpack.

- We're going to the guys, Masha! You don't understand this, but you're being controlled by this damn demon, and we're going to save you!

The blue-haired girl takes Masha and Lucy by the hand, and they go to the first floor, but on the way they meet Ben and Casper.

- Girls? Where are you going... Wait, Masha? What happened to you?! - Casper approaches the girl, followed by Ben.

- This Roger is controlling her! We need to get her back, as she doesn't react to anything and makes everyone jump on her rope! - Wilson explained everything to them.

12 hours 25 minutes

Brian thought he knew this school like the back of his hand, but he still can't find the 34th office on the third floor. And he thought about it so much that he was scared when he saw Baldi grinning at the end of another corridor. He was slowly approaching the boy, and Brian, without wasting a second, ran wherever his eyes looked. The man ran after him.

This is how we live our lives, searching

For the answers inside of every page

And I'm here wondering if one day

We'll finally be free from this cage

Is it okay to have a feeling

That maybe there is more to this game?

However, now no time to question, so just behave

The red-haired boy was already very tired from all this walking and running, and his legs sometimes gave out. This allowed Roger to catch up with the kid, and Brian began to figure out in a hurry how to detain him.

- Of course! - Brian quickly takes out a BSoda and turns to his pursuer. He quickly opens the jar and spills the contents on the teacher, causing him to fall. After all, there is electricity in soda, so it's better not to splash it, otherwise small electric shocks will run through your body, as happened with Baldi. However, right now, Brian needed it to escape. Skin stings, but the demon gets up anyway. Fortunately, Brian had already left, leaving behind an empty, open jar.

Walking across the hallways, finding notebooks so we matter

Follow every single rule or he'll take out his wooden ruler

Soon, luck remembered about the boy, and he found the cursed office. After entering it, Brian looked at the desks and noticed some of them with chocolates and one BSoda lying on them. Johnson looked around as if someone could see him.

- I don't think anyone objects. - Brian grabs two chocolates and one soda and puts them in his backpack, then walks over to the blue notebook. After solving the examples and taking the notebook, Brian leaves the office, listening carefully to the sounds. Baldi is somewhere nearby, so he should go down to the second floor unnoticed.

For he is listening and watching everyone's progression

All mistakes have consequences, so answer right with every question

12 hours 35 minutes

Everyone split up into pairs, and only Jeremy went alone. He intended to find his older brother at any cost and finally end this whole nightmare.

Suddenly, Jeremy heard some sounds ahead.

- Brian? - the boy said aloud and ran to the source of the sound, but the principal blocked his way.

- No running in the halls. - he said and took the stunned boy by the hand, and the next second they were in the office.

- 15 seconds is detention for you. Your parents will hear about this one. - says the man and closes the office door. Jeremy just stares after him in surprise.

- Okay. Apparently, we are not alone here. But who else is there? I'm sure they're all under control too. Oh no... - Jeremy remembered. - Sock and the First Prize! They can be controlled too! We need to find them all!

And Jeremy leaves the office 15 seconds later, going in search of the others.

At that time, Tiffany and Betty were also wandering around the first floor, but still they didn't find anyone.

- Listen... Do you like Ben? - Betty suddenly asks, and Tiffany blushes.

- W-What makes you think that? - she answers indignantly.

- Oh, come on! Everyone sees everything! Sometimes you blow kisses to him, sometimes you exchange these strange glances, sometimes you eat in the dining room together, apart from us! It's obvious that you like Ben, and he likes you! - Betty answers.

Tiffany looks at her friend in silence, and then sighs.

- Okay, okay, we know we like each other, but for now, we are... We are afraid to enter into a relationship.

- But relationships are cool! However, if you don't want to yet, then I won't force you. There is a time for everything. - Betty says, and Tiffany smiles at her. She knows she's a great friend.

The girls didn't even notice how Bill got in their way. His eyes were black, just like K'hadesh's, and his face was expressionless.

- B-Bill? How did you end up here? You're supposed to be out on business... - the girls were surprised.

- Give me something GREat... - Bill pronounced the last word so that it echoed throughout the school. And others heard it too.

- Bill! It's us, your friends! Don't you remember us? - Betty asked desperately.

- He's under control... He doesn't know what he's doing, and he doesn't remember us. - Tiffany guessed. - We need to bring him to the others.

- What? No Items? No items, no PAss... - Bill said.

- Bill, you're coming with us! - Betty took the bully by the hand, and they led him to the guys. To the surprise of the girls, the guy did not resist.

Try to add up excuses, nothing will make a difference

Baldi knows every door that we open

Following from behind, we can hear him

12 hours 45 minutes

- What are those sounds? - Brian heard someone's voice somewhere on the first floor, but everything immediately went quiet. He decided that it could be the principal and moved on.

- GOTTA SWEEP SWEEP SWEEP! - the voice was so loud that it was already heard by everyone in the school, and even some passers-by on the street. However, Brian instantly recognized the voice before turning around.

It was the janitor, Martin Jonathan, and his eyes were also black. He had the same green and white broom in his hands, and he was flying straight at the boy with great speed. He didn't have time to figure anything out and was already on the janitor's broom. Everything was happening too fast, and on the way, Martin picked up the First Prize. However, when they hit the wall, Martin turned the other way and also quickly ran away screaming.

- First Prize? It's you? Tell me you're not under control. - Brian said.

- I see you, my friend! - First Prize said in his monotone voice, and Brian breathed a sigh of relief.

- Thank God it's you. Have you seen Sock?

The robot blinked, and the children always knew that it meant "yes." The first prize doesn't have a neck.

- Is he under control?

The robot blinked twice. That meant "no."

- But why didn't you give in? No, I mean, it's good, but just why?

- I was programmed to dream about your image. - First Prize answers, and Brian doesn't understand him.

- Okay, then let's go find the remaining two notebooks and save you all! But I haven't figured out how. - Brian says, and the First Prize blinks.

- We need to get to office 26. Only it's very, very far away. - Brian sighs, but suddenly feels himself being hugged. - Prize? What are you doing?

The robot starts to drive and slowly picks up speed. Soon, they reached office 26 very quickly.

- Wow, thanks! - boy smiles.

The first Prize blinks and leaves.

- Where are you going?

- I'm looking for a Sock.

The boy was surprised that the robot had pronounced the name, but nodded.

- Okay. See you later and good luck!

The boy enters the office and solves the examples in the green notebook.

There is no place for playtime

Avoid them all from every side

Better to leave him be, follow his philosophy

12 hours 55 minutes

- So, how do we remove this control from them? - Ben asks, looking at Bill and Masha.

Everyone was there except Jeremy. The guys were worried about him and went in search of him, discussing what they had seen and heard along the way. They heard Martin's screams and realized that the janitor was there too.

- I feel sorry for them all. They didn't deserve this... - Lucy says.

- Honey, no one deserves this. Don't worry, we'll defeat this nasty demon and bring everyone back. - Tiffany encourages her, and Lucy smiles.

- Jeremy! Jeremy, where are you?! - Ben and the others called.

Where was Jeremy at the time? He was on the second floor, looking for his older brother. He felt with his heart and his fifth point that he was here somewhere. And Brian himself, unsuspectingly, was looking for the last seventh notebook.

At one point, the younger one decided to go into one of the offices and came across a pink notebook lying in the middle of the table. He goes to the table and opens the notebook. At first, he looks at the first two examples, but when he sees the third example, he is surprised. This is an unsolvable example!

Suddenly, the door opens from behind, and Jeremy jumps up in fright, pulls out a knife and turns around.

- Jeremy?!

- Brian! - the younger one rushes into the elder's arms. - I'm so glad you're okay!

- I'm glad to see you too! Are you alone?

- No, I came with our friends. They forgave you and realized that you were framed.

- It's cool! And now I need to take this notebook, otherwise they won't let us out.

Brian solves the examples and puts the notebook in his backpack. And then the most terrifying thing for children begins. Professor Baldi's creepy and loud voice starts coming from the speakers that are hung all over the school.

- Congratulations, you found all 7 notebooks, now all you need to do is, GET OUT WHILE YOU STILL CAN! Ha-ha!

Suddenly, the lights around them turned red, and the brothers heard someone running towards them and tapping with a ruler. They ran out of the classroom and saw their teacher. His green sweatshirt was dry, but there were still blue traces of BSoda. Brian used the same method with soda, and it briefly delayed Roger.

This is how we live our lives, searching

For the answers inside of every page

And I'm here wondering if one day

We'll finally be free from this cage

The brothers go down to the first floor and run into the guys.

- Brian! Jeremy! Thank all the gods, you're alive! - Betty hugs the guys.

- It's great, and we're glad to see you, but now we have to run!

The guys agreed and ran away to the exit. Roger was chasing them. Betty took out her slingshot and threw a stone at him. It hit me right in the forehead.

Is it okay to have a feeling

That maybe there is more to this game?

However, now just keep behaving

Guys already see the exit and run up to it, when suddenly the door disappears and a wall remains in its place.

- What?! - Casper shouts.

- Did you really think it was that simple? - demon giggles and slowly approaches the guys. However, Ben takes one BSoda from Brian and throws it right into the man's eyes. He closes them, hissing in pain, and the guys run away.

- So, where can there be a way out now? - Miranda asks.

- I have no idea. - Tiffany answers.

Sweep through the halls

To escape will have some sacrifices

No room for jealousy

I've got no time to play hide and seek

'Cause eventually, he'll surely find me

Have to be brave or better keep behaving

- Guys, look, it's the Sock and the First Prize! - Lucy stops everyone, and the guys run up to the two creatures.

- We've been looking for you. - says the First Prize.

- What? But why? - Brian asks.

Suddenly, the Sock opens its mouth and makes such a terrifyingly loud sound that the children cover their ears, and then they feel the ground go out from under their feet. Closing their eyes, the boys lose consciousness for a few seconds. But when they woke up, they were all in Professor Baldi's office. The lights were back to normal.

- What are we doing here? - Jeremy says.

The guys come to their senses and inspect the office. Everything was the same as before, but there was someone else besides them. There was a transparent man standing next to the board, who had only a red T-shirt and jeans opaque. Wait...

- Russell? - Brian recognized the missing guy.

- Greetings to you. I'm glad you recognized me. - Russell spoke up.

- Russell? Guys? Where are we? - Masha came to her senses, and her eyes were normal and brown again. It was the same with Bill.

- Guys! You're all right! - Lucy rushed over to them. - We will explain everything to you later.

- Don't. I seem to remember everything... - Bill said.

- Me too... - Masha replies.

- I blocked the way of darkness into this office, so the control over you was removed here. Now listen to me... - Russell says, and everyone stares at him.

Russell is wearing a red T-shirt and blue jeans. His shoes and body are not visible. But they can see his hair and eyes, but his left eye looks like a dot, while his right eye remains normal.

- It's about this demon's game...

Russell wanted to say something else, but instead of words, only ear-piercing beeps came out, and the children once again covered their ears.

- I'm going deaf so soon. - Miranda says.

- Ha-ha... - Russell continues. - This... It probably looks pretty funny... Don't tell anyone about this. You want... Destroy this demon. Destroy him, destroy the demon. Destroy the demon, for now... It's not too late. I was trying to get out of here... But he wouldn't let me leave... He turned me into this, and it got worse... I-I can't get out of here... But oh, he managed to tell me about the force... Which is capable of destroying him... Something like the Elements of Harmony... And even though he doesn't know it, I see that power in you, Brian...

- Wh-What? In me? So you're saying that I'm capable of destroying this demon? - Brian asked.

- Yes, and... I do not know what to say. Simply... Just trust me. We must... Stop him... I'll help you. I'm going to send you both into the dark, and then you're going to destroy him...

- Wait, wait! But how will I do it?! I-I don't understand anything at all! - Brian was startled.

- I would like to say more. I can't speak properly. I.. I'm fucked up. B-But... You have to remember your friends and family... They will help you... You'll feel more confident...

- Brian, no matter what happens, remember that we are your friends and we will fight with you. - Ben encouraged his best friend.

- Even if you're alone, we'll be there for you... We're not given souls for nothing, right? - Jeremy added.

Brian looks at his friends and smiles. He knows they're not lying.

Suddenly, Baldi bursts into the office.

- You've already told them everything, right? - demon laughs. - Ha-ha, those stupid kids can't do anything to me!

Meanwhile, Russell does something strange, and Brian feels like the ground is falling out from under his feet again. He loses consciousness and disappears from the office, and Professor Baldi's body falls to the floor.

- Destroy him. We believe in you.

At this time, Brian wakes up in a strange dark room. Or not. He quickly remembered everything and realized that this was the real darkness. Is this what "hell" looks like? Creepy...

- You woke up fast... - the boy heard a familiar voice and saw a dark silhouette with white eyes in front of him. It was Roger.

- I'm not afraid of you! - red-haired boy shouted at him. - With my power, not anymore...

- Are you at least sure that he didn't deceive you? Maybe he just decided to get rid of you and that's it?

- No. - Brian replied flatly. - I know better than you do.

The demon was silent for a moment, and then clapped his hands.

- Take him. - he said rudely.

The same dark creatures and strange tentacles began to crawl out everywhere. There was a whisper. It seemed to come from everywhere. Someone begged him for mercy, and someone urged him to go with them. Brian started to back away, but he quickly felt himself collide with an invisible wall from behind.

- Brian, you can do it! - Jeremy's loud voice was heard from somewhere.

- Huh? - the voice seemed to come from the boy's head, but it didn't seem like it was.

- Brian, let's go!

- Brian, we believe in you!

- Brian, you are our hope!

These voices were all familiar to the boy. Among them were the voices of his parents, Martin, First Prize, Mrs. Sanchez, Russell, and, of course, Brian's friends. The red-haired boy felt a surge of strength and something else inside himself... Is it called magic?

- As long as my friends are with me, you're damn weak! - Brian suddenly speaks confidently and sees a red glow around him. He rises above the demon into the air. The boy felt one of the tentacles grab his leg.

Count

'Til I don't know what counts

That power finally came out of Brian, and all the creatures and tentacles around him were thrown back by the sheer number. Including the demon himself.

Every inch of fear is all that's ingrained

Small balls began to form around the boy, and it looked truly wonderful. And a huge rainbow ball appeared in Brian's hands.

- Maybe I'm not a representative of the Elements of Harmony, but everyone has their own power, and friendship unites us all! And as long as I'm alive, I'm not afraid of anything, because my family and friends are with me! And you only bring evil into our lives and ruin our happiness! So, you must be destroyed once and for all!

Brian throws a rainbow ball at the stunned demon, and the rainbow mantle envelops the monster completely.

- NO-O-O-O-O-O-O! - the demon screams, but it won't help him any more.

The rainbow grows wider and envelops all the darkness, including Brian. They had finally won.

Can't understand, what's the solution?

The problem is the mess in my brain

I'm pushed around with all the pressure

To be here when I don't wanna stay

There's gotta be some sort of exit...

14 hours

- Brian!

- Brian, wake up!

- Brian, wake up, you made it!

The boy feels someone shaking his shoulder. He slowly opens his eyes, and a bright light hits his face, forcing the boy to squint his eyes. However, he quickly gets used to it, and his eyesight returns to him. He is lying on the floor in Professor Baldi's office, and happy friends are sitting around him. Baldi himself was among them, and Russell was already normal.

- Guys? Are you okay? - Brian asks the first thing that came to his mind.

- We are, but the main thing is that you're okay. - Professor Baldi said.

- Huh, well, I'm fine. - Brian says, sitting down on the floor.

- You've won! You could do it! - Masha hugs Brian, and he smiles, hugging her back.

- I couldn't have done it if it wasn't for you guys. Your support has helped me. Thank you all very much. - Brian answers.

- I told you you could do it. - Russell smiles.

- Hey, I was thinking, how about we throw a party in honor of such a wonderful event? - Lucy says.

14 hours 40 minutes

The boys were already having a lot of fun in the backyard of the Wilson house. The guys found the principal Francis, Martin, the First Prize and the Sock already normal. They remembered everything that had happened, so they didn't have to tell them everything. It turns out that Russell specifically arranged for the First Prize and Sock to teleport the children directly to him. Yes, it turns out that the Sock can also teleport.

- Why didn't you show it to us before, silly? - Lucy asks the creature, to which he only purrs guiltily in response.

Then they all left the school and headed to the Wilson house. Ben and Miranda told their parents everything, and they believed them. Brian and Jeremy did the same, but Angela and Oscar didn't believe the kids at first. However, when they saw the teachers and the principal who told them the same thing, they became proud of their sons. And then the guys threw a party. And so, the parents, the principal, and the janitor are chatting and laughing about something, Lucy, Miranda, and Masha are playing together, Ben and Tiffany are talking about something on the sidelines, and Betty, Bill, Casper, Jeremy, First Prize, and Sock are just dancing.

- Hello, Ben's dad. - Lucy approaches Theodore so unexpectedly that he flinches.

- Oh, Lucy! Well, you scared me... - man sighs.

- I just wanted to ask you a favor... Don't you love inventing amusement parks?

- Of course! Everyone loved them, but now...

- But now people have forgotten about the incident and love your parks again! You probably want to keep inventing parks too, right? So, I wanted to say that no matter what happens, I will always go to your parks, because I like them! I'm looking forward to your next amusement park! - with these words, the girl ran off to her friends, and Theodore remained sitting with surprise on his face. Somewhere inside him, an old feeling had awakened. I think they call it inspiration.

At this time, Brian is sitting and drinking a strawberry cocktail that Masha slipped him.

- Hi, Brian! - Professor Baldi sits down next to the boy.

- Hello, Professor Baldi! - Brian smiles.

- You know, in all the fuss, I didn't have time to thank you properly, so I decided to do it right now. - man holds out a purple box tied with a yellow ribbon. - Thank you so much for getting rid of this demon.

- Oh, you're welcome... - Brian was a little confused. He didn't expect to be given gifts.

Opening the box, Brian saw a pirate's hat and an iron hook. It's made of iron, not plastic.

- Wow! How wonderful! Thank you! - Brian smiles, and the teacher smiles back at him.

- Well, then we started living as usual, but a little more friendly. I continued to go to school, we began to communicate more with Russell and realized that he was a normal guy. I also finished the Superhanger, and everyone liked it. Ben's father returned to inventing rides and is now restoring the Choco Fruits Park. - Brian says, smiling proudly.

All the kids clap for him.

- It's a great story, Brian! And it's good that everything ends well!

- And I haven't finished yet! - Brian grins. - There's something else I'd like to tell you, but it's getting late. It's time to sleep.

- Yes, you're right. Too late. - Elizabeth says, making a dot in her notebook.

...to get away.