Bright light pierced the vision of Joy, suddenly awakening in a hospital bed. The light was blinding, but so were the walls, and floor…everything was..neon?

“Guh…what is this place?” Joy winced, shielding his eyes from the light overhead.

“Oh, good you're awake” A yellow dog looked over her shoulder, sitting on a stool she rolled over to his bedside.

“I'm nurse kills, and you are? Name and age please—no worries if you can't recall!” She asked

“Joy, yeah, Joy Stuck - S-T-Y-C-K.” He spelled out “and, I think I'm 23?” his head throbbing. “Sorry, my head hurts.” he mumbled.

“Yeah” she hesitated. “We had to do a procedure, you came in..less than intact” her voice was sympathetic, but not worried.

“What?” Joy's paw floated towards his head, glossing over it it was cold to the touch, spreading his paw flat around his head he felt a cold, hard, metal where his fur used to be, only extending to half of his head, ending straight across the middle and right under his right eye.

“WHAT THE FUCK” Joy yelped, pulling his paw away. His breath became shaky and quick, as his vision blurred he saw bits of static in his vision, tears welled up in his left eye “Where am I, what is this place, what's happening to-” nurse Kills placed her paw on his back, Joy began to steady himself, holding his arms and legs close to his body. “I don't understand.” he whimpered.

“I know, I'm sorry” Kills reassured “most people are scared when they arrive here, you’re…” she searched for the words “you're okay now”

Joy wanted to bury his face into his arms, but the feeling of metal made him feel sick. He couldn't remember anything before waking up aside from his name. Joy studied the nurse, a way to ground himself; she had bright yellow fur, with dark blue ears and eyes, she also had on a red shirt with a star in the middle under her lab coat. Joy then studied himself, his fur was the same light blue it always was — he was pretty sure — and had on a white hospital gown. He looked at his hands, just in case this was a dream, an old trick he remembered despite not being able to recall any of his life otherwise. Yet his hands looked correct too, yellow fur until the wrists, which then became blue like the rest of his body.

“I've finished inputting all your patient data” the nurse called “Technically I'm supposed to have you meet the president after treatment but…I think it'd be better if we went on a tour first, ease you in.”

Joy took a breath, maybe walking around would calm him down. “Yeah, I think I can do that.” He answered.

Kills helped Joy down from his hospital bed and led him to the door, “Just a warning, it can get a bit…uhm” she adjusted her nurse's cap “Bright, and loud” she chuckled.

“Oh? Uh, okay?” Joy responded confused, but it was better than spiraling.

Exiting the room, Joy was immediately bombarded with the bright colours the rest of the hospital was painted with, at least the room he woke up in was a lighter pink. Instinctively he latched onto nurse Kills coat, before immediately becoming embarrassed.

“Shit- sorry. Uh- sorry haha” Joy stumbled over his words “I just- got uh, got nervous.” Immediately putting his paws in-between his arms.

“You poor thing, it's alright,” She extended her paw towards him “You can hold my paw if you need, no shame.” Her voice reminded Joy of home, even if he couldn't remember what or where his home was. He silently took her hand and they began walking the halls.

“Hmm, I'm not sure the morgue is really something you need to see right now” Kills said passing a door labeled ‘Morgue’ “Dr. Livings is a friend of mine, but I know he can be a bit scary for newcomers, I'm sure you'll meet him later though. Good guy…” her voice trailed off.

Joy tightened his grip around Kill's paw at the sound of a morgue, but he wasn't one to judge off profession.

“Could you tell me about him? Dr. Livings I mean.” He asked. Nurse Kills ears perked up and she stopped walking, fixing her gaze at the door.

“He had a husband, Wunce — That was his name — Knot and Wunce livings. Cutest pair those two..but, Wunce died a while back” nurse Kills fidgeted with the hem of her jacket sleeve. “He didn't take the death well, I mean, who could? He works in the morgue to be closer to Wunce. People find him weird for it but, I think it's sweet. Feel bad for the poor thing” she went on “He really is a kind soul, but not everyone here is patient enough to get that.” She sighed. “Oh my! Sorry I was rambling again.” She apologized, letting go of her sleeve and turning to walk again

“I think it's nice that you care about him.” Joy broke her awkward pause “He probably appreciates that.”

Kills looks ahead “Yeah,” she mumbled “he probably does…”

They continued walking, Joy fidgeted nervously with his illicium; the fish-like lure had on his head, which only glowed in the dark.

“I'm taking you to meet my partner next! She’s a pediatrician, so we’re going to the children's wing” Kills explained, still leading Joy by the paw. Joy nodded looking around the walls that were covered in oddly passive aggressive posters.

Joy began shivering, after leaving his bed and the shock of everything, his body started to settle.

“Here we are!” Kills said cheerfully “Mary! I have a new patient for you to meet!” She hollered as she opened the door.

A not-so-short pink giraffe peeked her head towards the entrance, “Oh! Hello sweetie” Shortnick rushed over to Kills picking her up and spinning her around, kissing her nose she put her back down on the floor. “How are you my love~” Shortnick asked.

Giggling nurse Kills responded “I'm okay, thank you love, but I'm not here just for you!” Kills pointed at Joy, “Meet our newest arrival! Joy Styck.”

“Oh goodness me!” Shortnick yelped “Aren't you just the dearest thing.” Lifting Joy off the floor “Annes tears! You’re freezing, poor thing! Sweetie get me an extra gown from the cupboard please.”

Nurse kills went over the cupboard across the room and took out a small child sized hospital gown. Shortnick placed Joy on a hospital bed next to small bag child.

“Uh, what's up?” Joy asked, he hated talking to new people and now he was surrounded by 3 strangers.

“He-e-llo!, my name-names k-kid dies.” The small bat replied, “You-your name is- is Joy Sty-tyck right?”

“Yeah, just Joy is fine..what's with the bucket?” Joy asked, noticing the kid holding a plastic bucket.

“Oh, This is f-for when I ge-get sick” She explained.

“Ohh, damn that sucks, hope you feel better soon.” Joy said, his tone flatter than he meant, he was never good at masking his tone. “Uh! I mean that genuinely, sorry haha I'm kinda deadpan sometimes.”

“No wo-worri-ies” Kid reassured.

“Alrighty!” Shortnick suddenly appeared holding two makeshift long sleeves sewn from the child's gown. “I just need to see these onto your current gown, if you want to head into the bathroom I can sew these on and then let you change!” She said, smiling sincerely, Joy felt safe with these strangers…Kills felt like a mother, or at least the comfort of someone reliable; and Shortnick was generous beyond belief. Joy stepped into the bathroom, slipping off his gown and handing it to Shortnick by cracking the door slightly. Not too long after Shortnick knocked, and Joy cracked the door again, took his new gown, and changed.

Joy's new hospital gown now had long sleeves sewn at the shoulders, they went to just above his fingers when his arms were at his side, he felt more secure and ever grateful. Joy opened the door and immediately hugged Shortnick, he was bad with words but he needed to express his gratitude. Tears welled in his eyes but he wiped them in his new sleeves.

“Oh dear, are you okay?” Shortnick asked, holding his face. This caused Joy to cry more.

“You’re all too nice!” He sobbed. This caused Kills to join in the hug as well.

“The tour isn't over, still have it in you?” She asked, taking his paw. Joy nodded.

Kills kissed Shortnick goodbye and Joy waved to Kid and they began walking again.

“I really don't want to overwhelm you too much, you’re lucky we haven't run into…skull yet” Kills grumbled.

“Who’s skull?” Joy asked

“No no, that's one of her pronouns…her name is — ugh — DOOM” Kills said, almost horrified at the mention of this mystery person.

“Is she really that bad?” Joy asked nervously

“BAD? bad doesn't BEGIN to describe them! Try impossible, irresponsible, and a horrible nurse. Skull has absolutely no regard for patients' well being I swear.” Kills complained “She's not a bad person” she sighed “just a lot to deal with sometimes…I don't hate her though, truly.” Kills sounded apologetic. “Anyhow..I'm taking you to the gift shop next, then maybe the cafeteria, unless you need a break, then we could go back to your room.” Kills paused, “Well, first, do you actually WANT anything? Ribbons can get a bit, uhm, uppity…if you don't buy anything.” She warned

“Do they have stuffed animals?” Joy mumbled shyly

“Oh! Yeah tons! If you like stuffed animals I'm sure you'll find something, if not, Livings makes stuffed animals really well!” Kills smiled.

Joy opened the door to a large white void filled with merchandise.

“What type of hospital has a gift shop anyways? To remember your stay??” Joy questioned

Ribbon, a bright cyan ferret popped up behind Kills, “Did you not tell him yet?” She asked, walking her walkers across Kills shoulder, shaping her paw into a sock puppet mouth shape, “oh no! I'm dead!! Kills help meeee” Ribbon pitched her voice up. Kills pushed her away, “He was freaked out enough, I didn't want to overwhelm him…” Kills rubbed her arm.

“He's going to find out eventually~~” Ribbon skipped over to Joy, grabbing his paw and shaking it up and down in an exaggerated hand-shake. “HIIIII, welcome to my gift shop void, I'm Ribbon Pop! Haha POP” She spoke loudly and created a large pop sound when saying her name, causing Joy to shift his ears back in surprise. “Looking for anything in particular today, we have EVERYTHING.” She said, opening her arms up above her head and spinning around.

Joy stared in disbelief at the supposed hospital staff member before speaking, “Yeah, I just wanted to see if you had any plush toys? Or like, stuffed animals?” He asked.

“Of COURSE we do, silly! Follow me” Ribbon Pop bounced on over to a large wall filled with different stuffed toys, including some of staff members, though Joy only recognized nurse Kills and nurse Shortnick. Joy gravitated to a white dinosaur with various rainbow spots, as he grabbed it off the shelf and walked around one of the stuffed animals suddenly jumped out at him, the purple and red stuffed bear with a large zipper on his stomach suddenly yelled “BOO!” As it unzipped its stomach spilling out stuffing while lunging at Joy, stumbling backwards Joy yelped, and fell onto the floor. Just then, a similar looking stuffed, “thing” popped up, this one however was pink.

“Doi1! You can't keep doing dat to the new patients!” It spoke. Doi1 as it was named, zipped itself back up and giggled. Both sat back down, but their eyes followed Joy, unsettling him.

“Uh..Ribbon? I think I'll just take this..” Joy said, holding out the white dinosaur.

“Okay!” She said smiling wide, “That'll be six dollars and sixty six cents!” holding out her hand.

Joy stared blankly, of course they cost money, it's a gift shop!

“I woke up without my wallet…or any of my belongings actually, when WILL I get my stuff? I need to text my family-” Joy was cut off by nurse Kills

“IT'S OKAY!” She said, louder than she meant to, “I mean, it's okay…I'll cover it.” She said, handing money over to Ribbon Pop.

As the two left the gift void, Joy grew more unnerved; sure, Kills had been nice, comforting even. But something was off about her, about this so-called hospital. Everything was bright, they had a gift shop, and Joy swore he saw someone in the halls dressed up like they worked at some sort of circus.

“What's up with this place? Is this like, a rehab home or something?” Joy hesitantly asked.

“What? What makes you think that..haha” Kills spoke, but didn't face Joy.

“I mean, a weird white void gift shop? You keep avoiding certain rooms, if it's a tour why not cover everything? The morgue I can understand but the others…it just doesn't make sense that we passed so many doo-” Joy began rambling before Kills blurted out

“YOU'RE DEAD.” Kills fidgeted with her sleeves again, her eyes darting to her paws and the walls but never at Joy, her voice grew shaky as she continued.

“This…this is purgatory, you died. I don't know how, sorry.” Kills voice grew quieter as she pawed and chewed at her sleeves. “I know it sounds insane, I know you probably think I'm, im joking or, or something like- like that…but I'm-…I'm not. I'm sorry I'm so sorry I just wanted to protect you, this place may as well be hell.”

Joy stared in disbelief, his vision was overcome with static as his ears rung with the sound of roaring machinery in his head. His posture tightened and he began to breathe sporadically, losing his balance he leaned on a wall to gain support, there's no way what she was saying was true, right? He thought in a panic. She's been so nice, why would she… why His vision began to black out, falling over Kills caught him. “I'm so sorry hun,” She said.

Joy awoke again in a different room, this one was larger than the one he previously woke up in, and had a second bed a few feet over separated by a curtain. His head pounded as he sat up slowly, bringing his knees to his head he scanned the room, walls, floor, table, door, be- DOOR! He had to get out, he thought, no matter what, no matter who lied or tried to keep him trapped. He stood up, stumbling at first with numb legs and burst out of the door only to see other similarly dressed anthries, gowns of different sizes and shapes with colourful creatures equally as distraught looking, though some seemed to be smiling. He felt nauseous at the idea of interacting with anyone, he didn't trust them, they couldn't be trusted. So he left and began walking the halls, careful to avoid staff members — though one avoided him…a large pink bear just ran away crying…odd — the signs in this place made no sense, twists, turns , impossible sizes and space. “Morgue” unnerving, “Circus” no…just no, “Gift Shop” saw it, every room seemed worse than the last, until Joy came across two large blue swinging doors labeled “Arcade” he didn't know why, but an arcade felt safe, like home even. Walking in bright blinking lights filled Joy's eyes, various machines warped with the colorful swirling carpet patterns. A pink unicorn-dog thing was screaming at one of the machines as a taller, seemingly robot, dog was attempting to pull them off of it. Joy walked over, peeking behind an adjacent row of arcade machines, Everyone is crazy here.. perfect. He thought. Eventually the robot managed to pry the neon uni-dog off the machine, kicking them out with an exasperated sigh. The robot met eyes with Joy before he could hide again, damn it. “Oh boy! A new arrival!” The robots voice sounded almost anthry, but with a static twang. “Welcome to the ARCADE!!!” it said, sound effects emitting from its speakers as the word arcade blinked across its screen. “Hi.” Joy said flatly, his ears pinned back. “I'm DOG LANDMASS, the owner of the ARCADE” The robot extended an arm over to Joy, his large gloved paw opened for a handshake, Joy placed his paw to shake his hand but was pulled in, Dog held them right by their side as he began touring the arcade. “We have the ticket booth, staff only, video games AND more physical games like pinball! Since you're new I'll give you your arcade card-” They spoke

“Stop.” Joy said

Dogs wheels stopped, and they turned to look at Joy, “Is my explanation not satisfactory?”

“It's, what? No, stop. Oh my god, none of you things are normal here.” Joy fell to the ground, sitting and curling up “I just want to go home.”

Dog stared at Joy for a bit, their arms hovering at their chest with fiddling thumbs. Dog rolled closed but turned the same way Joy was facing. “I'm,” they paused “I don't understand what you feel, not like the other staff, I was made — born, if you prefer — here. The other staff died, like you did,” they rubbed their arms “I don't have a home to miss, because this is my home. And others too, even if it wasn't at first. That's what I've been told…” their voice got quieter “I've learned a lot about anthries from others, staff and patient, and I think you'll be okay.”

Joy looked up, tears streaming down his face, “I don't- don't even—sniff—dont even know you…Ki- the staff that woke me, woke me up uh, she…she didn't tell me and, I don't know I just…sorry, sorry I always talk too much uhm” He rubbed his eyes, “I'm no good at video games, I don't know why I came here, I'll leave.” He stood, Dog grabbed his sleeve “We don't have anyone working the TICKETS ★” they said

Joy paused, stammering “Wh..what? Okay…? Thanks for the information…” he smiled, confused.

“Will you work the booth?” Dog asked plainly “I mean, staff doesn't come in here often, and it's simple busywork.” They pushed their ears back “You don't need to be good at games either.”

Joy chuckled, then laughed, this robot— no, this guy — this guy was awful at conversation, but at least he was easy to understand. No lying, no beating around the bush.

“I mean, fuck, uh, sure? Thanks” Joy laughed, patting the robot on their side and hopping over the ticket booths divider, “I can start today— I mean, right now.” Are there 'days' in purgatory?