Pomni's body ached. Every joint was screaming at her, as if she were in her late seventies, not just twenty-five. The headset added pressure to her head, making the headache even worse. Clumsily, she tried to push it off, her hands not obeying her properly. She could not curl her fingers, couldn't get a grip on the plastic, or whatever this thing was made out of. Several attempts and minutes later, the device finally slipped off of her head, easing the pressure a little. With a groan, Pomni rolled on her back, spread out on the floor, trying to ground herself. She was... out. Out of the Circus. Back in the real world. Her body ached, her head was pounding, her vision was spinning, her throat was parched... but she was out. She was free. A chuckle slipped from her, followed by a sniffle, her eyes burning with tears unshed. It was a relief, it should have been a relief. But, all she could feel was something heavy, crushing her chest, making it hard to breath. It had been months. Months in which no one knew where she was. Her apartment was most likely emptied out, all her things in storage, which she'd have to pay. Her job most likely been given to someone else. Had her family looked for her? Were they still looking? Or did they just shrug off her disappearance, like it didn't impact them at all? Part of Pomni didn't want answers to these questions. The more rational part knew she wouldn't be able to escape them.
For a while, Pomni just laid on the ground, waiting for her body to stop hurting, for her head to stop spinning. When she could finally see straight, she rolled on her front, pushing herself to her knees. Fortunately, it didn't cause her any nausea, allowing her to stand up slowly. She was still inside the abandoned office builing, in one of the offices. Her backpack was still leaning against the table, her phone next to the computer's keyboard. Pomni frowned. Nothing... was dusty. Her things had been lying here for months, they should have a layer of dust on them. No one would dust off a phone lying around, leaving it be while ignoring the uncounscious person on the ground. The heavy feeling in her chest got stronger as she reached her hand out, turning her phone on. It should be long dead, after so long with no charging. And yet, it came to life easily.
But the screen knocked Pomni back on her knees.
Hours. According to the clock, it had been merely hours. The date hadn't even changed yet. Pinching her cheek, Pomni shook her head. It couldn't be. She had been in the Circus for months, countless adventures, countless days in which she just... it couldn't have been just hours. Pomni scrambled back on her feet, grabbing her phone with shaking hands, opening every app she had. Nothing changed, the date was the same, mere hours later. The nausea hit hard, leaving her gasping for air and heaving dry. „It can't be true“, she whispered, sitting down on the office chair before her legs gave out again. Ragatha had been in the Circus for years, Kinger had been in the Circus since it was created, they all-
Pomni's head snapped up, she was running before she even thought about it. „Guys!“, she yelled, running down the hallway. The building was huge, the room she had been in was at the very end of a hallway. And if she had been here, the others had to be, too. She herself had been so weak she could barely push the headset of, maybe the others needed help. Her body was high on adrenaline as she pushed open door after door, scanning the rooms behind them. All with a computer, all with a headset. But no people on the floor, not even skeletons. Pomni didn't knew if she should be happy about that, or worried. Finally, after what felt like hundreds of rooms, Pomni found someone. They looked younger than Pomni, their neon green hair in an undercut, the longer hairs framing their head like a halo. Tattoos crept up their arms, until disappearing under their shirt. Their jeans were ripped, but Pomni couldn't see any blood or injuries. At least they weren't harmed, Pomni thought as she removed the headset. Blue eyes appeared underneath, rolling around for a bit, before settling on Pomni. The person squeezed their eyes shut, groaning, trying to lift their arm.
„Hey, hey, take it easy“, Pomni said, trying to keep her voice from shaking. If it was a comfort or not, she didn't knew. Just like she didn't knew how to help best, just going off of what felt right. Hoping it was the correct way. She waited until they opened their eyes a tiny bit, before pointing at herself. „I-it's me, Pomni.“ For a long time, the other person said nothing, just studying Pomni's features, before the tiniest smile appeared on their lips. „Pomni“, they repeated, before humming, „Zooble.“ Their voice was rough, hoarse. Pomni made a quiet sound, helping Zooble sit up, pressing her water bottle to their lips „Here, drink. You must be thirsty“, she urged, angling the bottle so Zooble could drink easier. They didn't say anything, just looked at Pomni with a silent gratitude. Once they were done, Pomni took the bottle away, storing it back in her backpack. She didn't feel comfortable leaving Zooble like this, but if they were already this weak, just how bad... „Go“, Zooble whispered, unable to raise their voice higher. At Pomni's surprised, slightly guilty expression, they nodded their head towards the door, „Go look for the others. I'll be fine. They need you now.“ Pomni hesitated for a moment longer, before getting up, walking out of the room. She was no longer running, even though she probably should be. Yet the thought of Zooble, alone in that room, made her go slower. Just in case they'd call her back, just in case they needed her.
The next room had another person on the floor, a teenager still in his school uniform. Pomni felt sick, quickly ripping the headset off of his head, turning the boy over, cradling him on her lap. His eyes were unfocused, rolling around. Pomni waited, just like she had with Zooble. But as the minutes ticked by, the boy's eyes stayed unfocused, never clearing up. Pomni's hands started shaking, her breath hitching. Gently, she padded the boy's cheek, speaking loudly, „Hey, it's me. Pomni.“ Her words didn't seem to reach him, his eyes still moving eratically. Pomni had to fight the urge to throw up as realization hit her. She couldn't help him. This was neither Jax nor Kinger, it was no one she knew. Whoever this boy had been in the circus, he had abstracted before Pomni had landed there. And unlike her, his mind had not simply been returned as they all left. If he was aware of anything, or if he was still trapped in that cellar, now his own mind... Pomni prayed it wasn't painful.
The next person she found was a women, frail, too thin for it to be healthy. But, her chest was rising and falling, and Pomni thanked every higher being for not having found a dead body. She removed the headset, waiting for the woman's eyes to stop rolling. To her horror though, the woman started to convulse, twitching and gasping for air in a panic. Pomni quickly leaned over her, trying to calm her down. „I've got you, I've got you. It's okay“, she said, shaking hands holding onto sunken cheeks. Finally, the woman focused on her, fear and confusion in her eyes. „It's me, Pomni“, she repeated, knowing this would not be the last time she'd say these words today. The woman looked at her for a long moment, before nodding slowly. „I'm Gangle“, she said, eyes darting around, „Where's Zooble? Are they alright?“ Pomni smiled, nodding. At least she could share some good news. „Yes, they're okay. Just some rooms down.“ She turned to the door, calling out, „Zooble! I found Gangle!“
Pomni didn't expect a reaction. And certainly not the one she got. As she was turning back to Gangle, Pomni heard the sound of seomething heavy hitting the ground, catching her attention. Fearing Zooble to have passed out, she turned again. „I'll be right back, Gangle“, she assured the other woman, before stepping out in the hallway. Zooble's arm appeared in the doorway, gribbing the floor, pulling their body out. Pomni made a sound, rushing to their side. Yet before she could touch them, they looked up at her. Eyes wide, a desperation in them that made Pomni stop in her tracks. „Gangle,“ Zooble pleaded, „Get me to Gangle.“ Pomni nodded, helping Zooble to their feet, stabilizing them. It was only a few steps, but it felt like eternity. Zooble's body was cold to touch, shaking with overextertion. Each step hurt, but Zooble kept pushing, kept pleading with their darned body to take one more step. Just until they had reached Gangle, just until they could hold her.
Two steps away from Gangle's room, Zooble's body reached it's limit, collapsing. Pomni made a sound mixed between surprise and terror, the weight of the other body pulling her to her knees. Zooble's breatch hitched, a feeling of helplessness washing over them. They were so close, and now this stupid body was failing them once again. They fought back the urge to cry, focusing on Pomni. „Pomni, please.“ Pomni hesitated, before grabbing Zooble under the arms, dragging them over the floor towards Gangle. Her hands hurt with how they dug into their skin, the rough carpet chafing against their jeans, as if it was on their bare skin. But, they reached the room. „Zooble.“ Gangle's voice sounded so small, so tired. But, full of joy and relief. It got Zooble to laugh a bit, mobilising the last strength they had to drape one arm over her. „Hi, Gangle“, they whispered, noting how warm she was. Gangle smiled, weak but happy. „You look good as a human, too.“
Pomni took a step back, leaving the room. That wasn't a moment she should intrude on. Ragatha, Kinger and Jax still needed help, they needed medical attention, they- Medical attention. How could she have forgotten that? Her fingers were typing the emergency line's number before she could think, running to a window to see which street they were even on. When the operator answered, Pomni spoke quickly. The adress. Multiple people in need of help, all severely dehydrated and weak. Then, she hung up. Nobody would believe them about the Circus. Pomni could give the authorities no answers as to what had happened to them, no real answers, at least. No answers that would keep them out of a mental asylum, and satisfy the people asking them. Best to avoid being asked anything all together. Let whoever saves them think someone else called. Let them think Pomni was just another patient.
The next room Pomni opened had two people in, a man and a woman, both older than Pomni. Their hands were clasped together, even in their weakend state. A tiny voice in her head told Pomni, she already knew who these people were. Removing the woman's headset confirmed one half of the suspicion, her eyes rolling around just like the abstracted boy's, never focusing on anything.
SORRY HOW LONG IT TOOK TO READ THIS, i love it so much so far. always the biggest fan of your writing/gen
