Lights Out

"Shit, Contract, are you there? I got here as fast as I could, are you ok? Something happened to your hand?"

There was a small shuffling behind the door, followed by the sound of firecrackers and items being thrown. Familiar and unfamiliar voices echoed through the room, yet the words being said were… muffled. Something about showtime?

However, the moment the avatar spoke, every sound within the room stopped. An eerie silence.

Then, the door cracked open, just a slight, and a familiar head of grey and purple hair peeked out from the slight open doorway. It was a little messy, placed in a high ponytail. To be honest, no one was sure if she even had a room, with all the time she spent in her lab. There’s a first for everything, I suppose.

“Oh, uh. Hi Brendan. Yeah I’m good. The whole being a doll thing. I don’t really feel all that much pain.”

Holding out her right hand- err- right arm out, where her hand should be was an exposed doll joint.

He sighed, fixing his messy hair a bit underneath his cap as he absolutely did run the multiple miles from his warehouse to her room. Still, that wasn't really what was important to him right now. Luckily, he didn't need to be too stressed, since her hand could just be reattached, probably. But still, it's the principal of the thing more than anything else.

Looking back into the room for a moment, she whined something before turning her attention back to her friend in front of her. He couldn’t see much into the room behind her, but it exuded… an almost hostile energy. With its signature, golden retriever survivor in its doorway.

Placing her good hand on his shoulder, she smiled.

"Uh, sorry, I think I just spaced out there for a second. I'm good. Are you... super sure you don't need any help? Cause I promise it's not a bother at all, I was honestly just looking for something to do. Sorry I'm probably not as sweet as you assume."

Moving her hand from his shoulder, she gently cupped his cheek with a soft smile.

“Even if you’re not as sweet as you sound, you still came all the way here to see if I needed help. You’re a good person, give yourself a little more credit than this.”

Moving her hand back down to her side, she tapped her chin in deep thought. A furrowed expression formed on her face as she spoke.

“It’s not a usual occurrence. She’s more of the tackle and dismember type when she gets hyper like this. Stealing my hand is really the best thing that could have happened to me. Although, maybe some food might calm her down enough for me to get my hand back… but uh. It’s hard cooking with one hand.”

She stared at the nub that was left of her right hand. She blinked a bit, as if wanting to say something.

"Huh? Oh, food? Yeah I can totally do that. I was actually gonna give you some snacks after the hand thing was situated anyways. I made some shrimp spring rolls to bring, they're pretty basic though. I mean, I think they're good, but they are simple. I can make something else if it doesn't work."

He reaches into his backpack with a soft smile and pulls out a small basket wrapped in cloth, the warmth of fresh food radiating off of it.

"Are you okay, Brendan? You seem... a little bit distracted. Is something weighing on your mind?"

However, it was as if he didn't hear her original sentence, taken a little aback by how he immediately went to food. Blinking slowly, she laughed.

"Wow, you... always come prepared! I feel like I should be used to that by now, but you always seem to surprise me somehow. You're like... a little prophet or something!"

Laughing, she continued.

"I... I don't think C's ever had shrimp spring rolls before. But, she seems to like trying new things, she always steals the Russian cuisine I make! So, this should be no issue. They smell really good... gosh, I feel like you spoil me with your cooking... but your food is so good that it's unfair!"

Watching as Brendan pulled out the small cloth-wrapped basket, she leaned over with a curious expression. Gently lifting the cloth, she peeked at the goods inside with a smile.

"Haha... they look as good as they smell! Always such a thoughtful man... Alright, deal. Thanks for doing this, you... really didn't have to."

Nodding slowly in agreeance, Contract took a step back, still clinging onto the doorway. Then, sighing, she slowly opened the door to reveal the inside of the room.

...

"Uhm... welcome to my... home? I guess. I'm honestly not sure how this place is still standing, but uhm, please excuse the mess! I'd say to. make yourself at home, but there isn't... much home to be made! Haha. Can I have some of the shrimp rolls please?"

He's not fine. He's very touch starved. Someone help this boy. Seeing her laugh at the fact he brought food, he just chuckled a bit as well, giving a shrug.

"Hey, I always bring you food when I visit. It's like, tradition. Or something. Trust me, I'm not too great at predicting things. I mean, if I was, then I probably wouldn't be in the manor at all, right?"

...Ouch.

"Well, hopefully I'll be able to trade these rolls for your hand back, and then we can get you outta here, and have something else to eat. I mean, if you want. I, uh, I've got time. If you wanna grab lunch or something after this. Actually let's just, uh, focus on this for now. We'll talk about food after."

And then, he stepped inside, and... oh my god you live like this? Sorry. Anyway.

Smiling softly, she turned back to face the room, placing her hand and nub on her hips.

"... In my defense, this is the second time you've visited me! People aren't usually this nice to me... it just takes a bit of getting used to."

Shrugging in response, she shook her head dismissively.

"Oh, I'd love to go out and get something to eat! Oh, yeah, we should focus on this first, huh."

Laughing nervously at the mention of the corpse, she rubbed the back of her head with her good hand.

"I don't... I don't know? I haven't been here in a good three days, a lot. seemed to have happened! And uh, C is... on... the... ceiling?"

Pointing towards the pitch-black ceiling, he could vaguely make out a figure with their nails digging into the ceiling. That. That was not a person. That was a creature. No normal human could accomplish that.

"On the ceiling? I... Oh. Oh yeah, yup. There we go."

Brendan looks up at the... thing. Ok. This was fine. He'd helped train the family dog when he was a kid, this... this is probably the same thing, right? Right?

“… Now the one thing you’re not going to do is treat me like a damn dog, got it? I really shouldn’t give this back to you after whatever that just was.”

As quickly as she.. very pathetically fell from the ceiling, she threw Contract’s hand at Brendan’s face before turning to Contract.

“I’ll see you later once he’s gone, roomie.”