ome of you were getting impatient about the game itself. Mostly about the plot. This is the games story I had written this intending to release it as an anthology after the game But as I have to keep delaying the games progress I am releasing this early.
Here it is boys and girls the first part of the game in novel form.
Some of you were getting impatient about the game itself. Mostly about the plot. This is the games story I had written this intending to release it as an anthology after the game But as I have to keep delaying the games progress I am releasing the first few bits of this early. I had to have it proofread and beta read before I could post it anywhere. Its divided into three separate parts. Breathe, Suffocate, and Drown. Each having to do with endings. Enjoy.
Deeper and deeper, into a thick black haze. The further the she fell, the more foggy everything became. There were only voices echoing through the blackness of her mind. Familiar warm voices of those she swore she knew but couldn't recall,
The first voice was bright and gentle.
“You're squeezing my hand so tight…. and you're shaking….are you sure you don’t want me to walk you home?”
The second voice flooded her with a feeling of crystal clear familiarity, yet at the same time left a feeling of dread hanging in the air.
“It's not like I’m going alone Mist’ll come with me. It’s fine. I’ll be fine.”
Mist.
Mist… That was her name. How could she have forgotten. Everything was blurred not a corner of her memories remained uncovered. This simple conversation and her name, that was all she had left. That person. They were so important to her. But she couldn’t bring a face to her mind. She couldn’t muster a single thought.
The conversation continued.
“Even if I let you walk me home there’s nothing you can do.”
“....She needs to promise me that she’ll make sure nothing happens to you no matter what.”
“She promises. Right Mist?”
Suddenly everything hit her at once. A flood of intense emotions filled her, covering the black emptiness of her mind in a dim light and that light pushed a name to the front of her mind. A name so important to her that she almost couldn’t believe she had forgotten. The person who needed her. The person who she promised to keep safe. The person who she would find no matter what.
Her lids flung open her voice was raspy and heavy like all the air had drained from her lungs “Rory!” she gasped.
And that was the beginning of this game of pretend.
She found herself laying down on a pile of broken toys staring straight up at a musty ceiling, the smell of mold filling her nose. It was dark, but above her she could clearly make out a group of shapes moving in tangent, wiggling and inching their way closer. As her vision adjusted she realized that these things were tendrils made of a rippling black goop. One of them had begun to hook itself onto the bottom her leg and she could feel it coiling itself around her calf like a snake. Its sticky, disgusting touch made her shiver.
What was it doing?
It had journeyed all the way up to her knees then it began to squeeze with a bone crushing pressure.
An instinctual feeling overtook Mist. It wasn’t fear. It was something different. Without a single moment’s hesitation Mist sat up lunging toward the mass. There was a loud shrieking sound as a razor like claw made contact with the tendril that was sliced clean in half, disappearing as it died. The other tar like appendages that hovered around her all pulled back, before disappearing into the puddles of black goop that covered the floor.
She would be safe for the time being. She had no idea what those things were but also had no intention of sticking around to find out.
Mist stood up and peered down at her arms, they were completely made of a plush velvet material, with three hooked claws poking from the stitching at the end. Had she always had these claws? She could have sworn these were supposed to be hands. The rest of her body remained human for the most part as far as she could tell. She didn’t have time to dwell on that however, she didn’t know or care what her body was like. She couldn’t remember anyway. It wasn't important anymore. What was important was finding him.
Her scarlet colored eyes scanned the room. It was incredibly dark, but she could make out destroyed toys and junk laying on the floor. There was a single light that seemed to be coming from a birdcage that sat on an old oak desk in the far corner, finding the light was her best option.
When she attempted to walk her legs felt heavy, like someone had tied lead weights to her ankles, but she forced them forward until she was close enough to see the source of the soft, pink colored glow.
In the center of the cage resting on the perch was a small star ornament. It had two tiny beady eyes which were staring forward directly at her, meeting her gaze.
Her initial thought was that this was a decoration.
Until it spoke.
“Oh thank goodness! Quick you have to get me out of here before they come back! We’re both locked in here!” it said floating up from the perch and to the side of the cage.
Her voice was very dry. “Who are you?” she asked.
“I’m Shine, and I’m here to help you! If you wanna continue you’re going to need me to light the way.”
No response.
Mist peered down at the star and it sunk under her gaze
It was clearly unnerved by the silent treatment “W-well what are you waiting for! Find the key that opens the birdcage!” it stuttered.
Mist sighed. she did in fact need the light, so she decided to start searching.
She turned face, first checking the pile of toys she had woken up on. Toys covered in mold, stuffed animals with their stuffing shredded all over the pile, dolls and action figures with missing arms, legs, and heads. Everything about it seemed to make the atmosphere feel ten times heavier.
She stuck an arm in. Feeling around for any trace of the key. Nothing.
Next to the pile was the head of a doll. This doll's head was particularly realistic looking. It had long wavy hair pulled back behind a bow, and bright green eyes with long dolly lashes. The longer she stared at it the more she could swear that it blinked. It was interesting but it wasn’t what she was looking for.
Against the far wall was where she checked next, She found a large wooden toy chest. She attempted to open it but it was tightly locked. A swirling sound like wind blowing could be heard when she placed one of her felt ears against the wood.
“I don’t think we’ll be able to go that way…” Shine called from the cage as it watched her fumble around the box.
“Are you sure the key is in this room?”
“Try looking inside of the stuffing on the floor.”
Mist shrugged. She bent down pushing stuffing and bits of fabric to the side. There was no key, but sure enough there was something else. An envelope with a brightly colored sticker decorating it. It smelled faintly of candy as if someone had misted it with perfume before sending it.
“Oh. Did you find something?” Shine zipped over to the side of the cage as Mist approached with the piece of paper in her hand.
She tore open the envelope and held up the purple stationery so that Shine’s glow could cast a light on it. After taking a closer look she could see if was amply decorated in stickers and small poorly drawn bears. She swallowed hard as she read, the words causing her head to pound as if they were sitting on the edge of an important memory.
Dearest xxxx,
I was just writing you to see how you're doing. Still no phone huh? Wish your mom would let you use her computer or something. Writing is so old fashioned. It has its charms though! Speaking of charms. Thank you so much for the gift you sent me it’s very, well… me! It’s perfect actually. You’re so good at making things. I wonder if you realize how talented you are. I guess what i'm saying is you’re really special...Hey write me as soon as you get the chance, okay? Your last letter worried me and I miss you.
Love your friend
xxxx
Mist’s head spun. Who wrote this? Was it her? She stared at it, rereading the words as if trying to understand, trying to remember. Nothing. Not a single memory resurfaced.
Regaining her composure she folded the letter in half placing it on the desk. Dwelling on it wasn’t getting her anywhere.
“Once you get the cage open I can hold onto that for you!” Shine’s voice waved as it fluttered about inside the bars of the cage.
“You’re the size of a tennis ball. How are you going to --”
“Just wait and see, trust me! I’m here to help!” The star protested.
Mist was getting a little fed up of hearing that.
The next place she had to check was the corners of the room where the puddles of bubbling black tar were. Mist got down on all fours getting inches from one of the largest puddles. She lowered her head squinting at the black goo. With extreme caution she slowly reached her claw into the sticky substance. She was wary, she had seen those black snake like hands retreat into this stuff, she was more than prepared to end up being pulled in. But in the end her fishing proved uneventful, she was about ready to just smash the cage to try and open it.
“Are you looking for a key?” A small voice from behind startled her almost making her fall face first into the tar.
Mist spun around, eyes darting around the room to find the source.
“Down here!”
She looked down squinting at the floor.
The doll’s head that was laying on the floor was rolling about in front of her. Every time the head finished a rotation she would start chanting “ow OW ow” as the floor made contact with her face.
“Do you know where I am?”
“You’re in the Toybox! You should know that though. You’re Mist right? I’m Camimilla” The doll came to a halt at Mist’s knees. “Mary Weather is going to be so mad when she hears your here.”
That raised more questions than answers.
Mist had to ask “What happened too--” She trailed off before finding the correct words. “Why are you just a head?”
“The cat.” Camimilla stated flatly as her head teetered on its side.
“Cat.” Mist repeated her face instinctively scrunching up, like the word left a bad taste in her mouth.
“The key you’re looking for is lodged in the leg of that stuffed rabbit on the floor over there, just be careful he’s guarding it-”
Before she could even finish speaking, Mist stood up so fast she was like a monochrome blur. She made her way over to the dusty stuffed rabbit who had remained still this whole time, and without waiting for it to get up and speak she tore straight through its leg. The stuffed rabbit let out a shrill yell and then toppled sideways onto the floor.
“Oh harsh, you didn’t even give the poor guy a warning.” Camimilla winced.
“I’m in a hurry and this key finding is getting in my way.” Mist hadn’t the time to care. She shredded the remainder of the leg leaving only a glittering object and a pile of stuffing. The key.
She struggled to pick it up at first. Her claws were much too long. But in her frustration she discovered that her claws could retract some. Making it easier for her to grab things.
With her now small claws she carefully picked up the key and presented it to Shine who let out a “Yes!” as the door of the cage swung open.
Shine flew out of the cage hovering over the piece of paper Mist had placed on the table. Then it grew. The star doubled in size, it’s light engulfing the letter before returning to normal -- then made its way to hover inches from Mists face.
Mist raised an eyebrow “Where does stuff go when you store it inside you like that?” she asked tilting her head,
“Uh. You know-” Shine paused to think “I’m not sure! I never really thought about it.’
“So not only are you a flashlight. You’re also a weird storage container.” Camimilla mumbled from the floor.
Mist bent over and picked the doll’s head up by her hair. Swinging Camimilla over her shoulder as she started to protest. “Hey! Wait! Stop! I get motion sick!” she yelped.
Mist looked about fed up. She held the doll in front of shine. “If you insist on helping hold this for me too then.”
Shine complied with the order and absorbed the head as she continued to protest. Finally, as she disappeared, it became quiet.
Mist figured having someone who knew about this place would come in handy later. She wasn’t quite done interrogating her either. But that would have to wait, getting out of the room came first.
Mist fiddled with the door in the corner of the room, when it wouldn’t open she tried the birdcage key. That did the trick. She twisted the key in the lock pushed it open lightly, the first thing that hit her was the odor.
The hallway that stood in front of her looked just as foreboding as the last room she was in.Cracked paint on the walls, tar covering the entire surface of the floor and dripping from the walls, and crayon drawing under the black streaks on the walls.
She wondered if the world always looked like this. She couldn’t remember much but she had a gut feeling that this was completely unnatural.
Shine floated out in front brightening her way slightly “There’s no dry ground to step on.” it announced turning to and fro to examine their surroundings.
Mist frowned as she stared out across the hall, as far as the darkness ahead of her would allow. There was no helping it, she would have to wade through. With a heavy sigh she hopped down into the tar.It was almost up to her knees and she could feel the substance oozing into her boots weighing them down. It took a lot of effort to even move forward without getting stuck and she could swear she was feeling something brushing against her legs under the surface. But she brushed it off as her imagination.
As she trudged she looked at the drawings on the walls; most of them were unintelligible scribbles.
There was one of a huge paw print. Next to it where the words: Untamable Mist raised an eyebrow at the awful handwriting, before shifting her attention to the next crayon drawing on the wall.
This one managed to make her skin crawl. It was a picture of a pair of scissors cutting off a stick figure’s head. She broke out in a cold sweat as she read the red crayon scribbles under it,
Behind you
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