✶ Trapped

    episode 1 - 3

it’s okay. go back to bed.

you okay? you scared? that’s okay. i get scared too sometimes.

why are you awake?

your big brother must have scared her away. big brothers are good like that.

the big dreams can spill out sometimes.

how long do we have to live here?

do you remember that storm?

i’ve never seen a ghost.

i don’t need to say goodbye.

i need you to call me.

there’s nothing easy about this house.

this door’s been locked for years and years and years and years, so if there’s a pony in there, it’s dead.

i know you don’t need me to tell you this, but literally everything is an emergency with [name].

look, i can’t deal with this right now.

that’s why everybody dumps their shit on me, isn’t it?

where’d you come from?

i’m just kind of a germophobe. 

i know you normally prefer the company of cold stiffs.

i mean, she’s sweet enough but - pile of issues.

who’s saying it’s quick? i’m a giver.

you’re like a guy. you’re worse than a guy, you’re like a frat guy.

when i said you could live here, i wasn’t expecting the pussy parade.

i’m drawing boundaries, which is something you might want to look into.

she’s got one foot in crazy and the other on a banana peel.

we gotta get out of here right now.

you keep your eyes closed no matter what you hear. you don’t open them. you promise?

you don’t just get to call me and tell me what to do.

a ghost can be a lot of things: a memory, a daydream, a secret. grief, anger, guilt.

i’ve seen a lot of ghosts. just not the way you think.

this is the worst of the bullshit- worse than the tabloids.

i need to start a real life for my own family.

no one will come any nearer than that.

something tells me they weren’t too scared of the dark.

science isn’t an exact science, you know.

how do you spell ‘no girls allowed’?

i used to have imaginary friends, too. they go away when you get bigger.

thanks. i needed a good scare.

you just stood there and watched him loot me?

i’m going to fix her.

every house needs a heart, and this is ours.

a house is like a person’s body.

when you’re little, you learn how to see things that aren’t there.

i told you, i’m too old for tea parties.

i don’t blame you for screaming.

there’s no such thing as ghosts and you know it.

you can pay me back when you’re a famous writer.

imagine the worst thing possible, assume it’s true, and go from there.

why are you banging on the wall?

i told you she was in trouble.

you know how when you take one of your pictures, you capture something forever, just the way it is? stories do that, too.

when we die, we turn into stories.

we’re all stories in the end.

this is too much for anyone.

codeine’s finally kicking in.

she’s gonna have a pretty messed up view of death coming out of this no matter what.

i’m sad, too. so sad, i can’t even tell you.

i handcuffed him to a radiator downstairs. he’s not going anywhere.

i just wanted to say break a leg - and if you make a run for it, i’ll keep the car running, okay?

you have another nightmare?

you can sleep with me for tonight.

you’re really freaked out, huh? ease up a little.

you’re squeezing too tight.

the stairs - the third step from the top, it makes a sound.

he’s always smiling, but he isn’t happy.

when i was little, i was afraid of a lot of things.

kids like us have been through more than other kids.

the foster care system isn’t the easiest place to grow up.

do you feel cold right there?

this whole house is cold.

you’re out of mustard and you’re almost out of turkey.

you always figure out how to help.

ugh, what is that smell?

i was trying to take ownership of something that doesn’t belong just to me.

i’m trying to do the right thing.

maybe it’s a middle child thing, but i just would rather focus on living my actual life right now.

want to let go of his arm?

you don’t have to be so mean about it.

there’s a ladder down here on the wall. you can come get me.

there’s something down here!

it’s okay, baby, we’re right here.

something grabbed me! monster! it was a monster!

we didn’t know you were into…?

sorry to bring this up again, but why the hell would she go to that house?!

don’t elaborate. don’t offer information that’s not requested.

i don’t want to have to tell them that i’m fucking pissed at [name] who should have known better.

nobody ever believes me.

i believe you.

i was just out and about and thinking about your case.

you just have to trust me on this. i haven’t been wrong before, have i?

i’m sure the guy will confess if you just get them here.

i really, really don’t like that you went down there by yourself.

we’ll talk a lot more about it as you get older.

if you’re feeling overwhelmed and you think nobody will understand, you can talk to me. about anything.

i’m pretty good at secrets.

you got a couple things wrong in there, by the way.

that was really wild stuff considering that you were asleep for, what, like ninety-nine percent of it?

i’m gonna get my fucking phD.

i thought i heard somebody down here.

make up something that’s gonna piss her off less than the truth.

we barely said two words to each other.

can we take a second and talk?

what do people usually talk about?

she just needed help and no one was listening.

so should we talk about your day or would you rather come to bed?

you get in, lock the doors, don’t unlock until you see me come outside.

don’t touch me!

“Hey,  sweet thang”

“Yay, me”

“Oh, this is a DISASTER”   

“Whatcha doin?”

“Hey, we have something in common we both like staring at you”

“Stop making ‘name’ think you’re fabulous, I want  him to think *I’M* fabulous”

“Ew, loser. You can have him”

“ No I don’t know what the fat content is! Just stick it in the mustard, stick it in your mouth, and walk away!”

“When did you suddenly become so interested in school?”

“You said you wanted someone smart”

“That may be the most wonderful thing any boy… man has ever said to me”

“Sure, he is incompetent, you can barely understand a word he says, his best friend is a chicken… where was I?”

“Because compared to where I live, everyone has a ratty little place!”

“We can be BFFWLSAGSAL! ‘Best Friends Forever Who Love Spending and Go Shopping A Lot’ “

“Right. Jelly babies, cherry soda and cheese products in a can. All the ingredients of romance!”

“Pate - low fat, crackers - low sodium and chocolate cake - low nothing. Room freshener - forest pine.  All the ingredients of romance!”

“You have nothing to fear from a man who only seeks to adore you” 

“Oh, that is sweet. And if you try to go too far, I have a black belt in karate and can snap your arm like a twig”

“I’ll keep on making scary monster sounds when you’re sleeping” 

“that makeup you’re wearing makes you look all sad”

“Oh, no… now you’re probably going to tell me why and I’m gonna have to pretend to care..”

“The more you connect with them the less your stuff they’ll break”

“No running in my LOBBY”  

“Can you believe this guy? I guess you hate apple pie too, huh, fella? And puppies. And your own mama” 

“Well, the best part is I’ve got this clock and this wonderful wheelbarrow”

“Who you callin’ ugly Mr. Avacado-head?”

“Boy, humans are ugly”

“I just had a dream that taught me two things; No matter how small you are, if you’re fighting for something you believe in, you could win”

“Counting my armpit hair. One… done” 

“HOW DO YOU LOSE A WOMAN?”

“You forget to cherish her”

“You know, I wish you people would realize that I’m a thoughtful and intelligent person” 

“We’re gonna go lay down in front of the bulldozers”

“You mean… the prindle?”

“You’re making me nervous with all this… technical talk!”

“Oh! I’m sorry. Why don’t we just *relax* and turn on the *radio*? Would you like AHM OR FIM?”

it’s some time before fuck o’ clock . way TOO EARLY . the sky turns the color of pastel watercolors , soft , faded , a blend of the lightest shade of yellows bleeding over the black . DEFINITELY much too early . he drags himself to the mansion   —   &  isn’t that the WILDEST thing he’s done this WEEK  ?   —   never thought he’d WILLINGLY step foot in there again , but just over a week ago , he got a lost BROTHER back   &   they found out their SISTER had powers . he REALLY hopes sir reginald is rolling in the grave for that one . bastard had it coming for what he did to her .

the WORLD nearly ended . but it didn’t . UNFORTUNATELY , for some .

he expects quiet , but the lights on the kitchen give him pause . the early worm catches the bird , or whatever it is they say . not that HE would know   ;   he just SPENT most of the night out , hasn’t even seen a bed in more than twenty hours , but that’s not something new . what is NEW , is seeing his little older brother chugging coffee like his life depends on it . diego throws his gloves on the table , leaning against one of the many EMPTY CHAIRS .     ❛   coffee stunts growth , y’know . you’re gonna be a gremlin forever .   ❜     he moves towards the fridge , looking for something more substantial than a cup of coffee .     ❛   you should have real food .   ❜     he pauses , leaning back , throwing an arm over the open door of the fridge .     ❛   you want some scrambled eggs  ?   ❜

Just as he was swallowing the last of his second cup of liquid energy, his ears picked up the sound of the front door opening and he briefly wondered which of his siblings was coming in so late. Not that it was his business with them all being adults, but Five never had a handle on his curiosity.

BOREDOM  WASN ' T  SOMETHING  AMELIA  EXPERIENCED  A  LOT .   probably  it  was  because  she  grew  up  as  a  single  child ,  because  she  had  to  learn  how  to  entertain  herself  at  a  quite  young  age .  probably  it  was  because  she  always  tended  to  stuck  her  nose  into  the  next  best  book ,  tuck  her  eyes  on  the  next  best  documentary  on  tv  and  spend  hours  with  gaining  knowledge .  probably  it  was  because  she  was  constantly  afraid  to  DISAPPOINT  mister  hargreeves  with  her  abilities ,  because  she  wanted  to  keep  up  with  the  others  so  badly .  missing  years  before  she  started  to  train  with  them   made  her  feel  like  an  outsider ,  like  she  was  NOT  GOOD  ENOUGH  to  accompany  heroes  praised  in  every  newspaper .  elitism  could  cause  loneliness ,  could  put  children  under  so  much  pressure  that  they  were  about  to  break .   tired  eyes  from  reading ,  back  was  leaned  against  the  kitchen  counter .  amelia  preferred  it  to  sit  on  the  floor ,  to  soak  up  its  cold  as  she  was  charging  up  her  batteries .  little  ice  princess  only  adjusting  slowly  to  new  surroundings ,  gaze  wandered  from  twenty  thousand  leagues  under  the  sea  to  the  boy  entering  with  an  obvious  bad  mood .  ❛    ——  hello .  ❜   ,  brunette  simply  greets ,  lips  drawing  a  shy  smile .  she  must  seem  odd ,  no  socks  on  bare  feet  in  winter ,  yet  wearing  a  beanie  on  wavy  hair .  well .  who  wasn ‘ t  odd  at  this  place  ?    ❛    i ‘ m  amelia  and  what ‘ s  your  name  ?   ❜  

Five paused when he got to the kitchen and someone spoke to him; he knew he wasn’t alone in the house, that would probably never happen so that wasn’t the issue, but he still wasn’t prepared to see someone on the kitchen floor. He stared at the girl for a moment debating the pros and cons of his siblings reactions if he responded back in kind or at all. Finally he said, “Amelia.” At least now he could stop referring to her as ‘the girl’ “I’m Number Five.”

It was rare that he had to say that because usually Sir Reginald introduced them as a group and they never had to think about the fact that they didn’t really have names, they had numbers. When the girl –Amelia, he corrected stayed seated on the floor, he also noticed she was barefoot and couldn’t help asking, “Why exactly are you on the floor?” The tone was light and his curiosity was obvious.