BFDI Prequels | A BFDI Fanfic

Chapter 26: Fast Food

"Is anyone out there?" Pencil yelled out to the empty streets.

It wasn't every day that a city as large as Yoyle City became totally quiet. Even in times of disaster, there would still be the odd object walking about, or some noise coming from all the buildings filled with people.

"It's no use," she grumbled, "they're probably all dead now."

Pencil had been keeping an eye out for any bugs that could still be around, but there were none to speak of. She had seen how quickly they could wipe out a city block's worth of people. In the time it took for her and Pen to get to Golf Ball's factory—and then out again—the entire city could have been eliminated twice over. As if detecting the melancholic nature of the city, the skies themself began to shower the earth in a depressing downpour.

The strangest (and creepiest) thing was how intact the buildings appeared to be. No broken windows, doors, streetlights, or signs. Minus the missing inhabitants, the city looked completely unscathed. Downright normal, even. It was—in the most literal sense—a ghost town. Filled with hundreds of thousands of dead bodies. And Pencil, being the only living person around, suddenly felt very out of place in a place she had lived her entire life.

Despite this, she still held out hope that Match and Bubble were safe. The house she lived in was a little ways away from the city core, and the basement door was made of three inches of solid metal. Unless the bugs could break into a bank vault, her friends would still be safe. At least that was the plan.

There's still the possibility Match forgot about the basement, she reminded herself.

Pencil bit her lower lip and continued to drive.

<=======>

"Huh, that's interesting."

As Pencil continued her trip back home, occasionally calling out to the objects that weren't there, she noticed one building that still had its lights on—Leafy's Diner. Not just any light, it was the "Open" light.

And there were the sounds of voices coming from within.

Stopping in the middle of the road, she stepped out of the van. It was a lot colder than when she had left the factory, and the rain did not help. The damp air carried the chills right into her graphite core. Nor did the sense of death and loneliness that lingered in the air around her, for that matter.

Walking towards the diner, Pencil caught whiffs of burgers and fries and milkshakes and all the other stuff Leafy's was known for. Her stomach growled with hunger; her mouth watered a cascade. But there were other aromas as well. Cakes, coffee, even steak. Things that, as far as she knew, Leafy didn't even know how to make because she couldn't make them either.

When she was close enough to the door, she could make out what voices she had been hearing. Talking, music, laughter. The "laughter" part threw her off the most. How could someone find fun in a time like this? She reasoned.

A little golden bell on top of the doorway announced her entrance with a ding. A rejuvenating blast of warm air welcomed her into the neon eatery.

"Pin, I can't believe how good this cake is!" someone complimented with their mouth stuffed.

Another person (likely Pin) laughed. "Thanks, Leafy! Remind me next time to teach you how to make it. How are you liking it, Icy?"

"It's great!" Ice Cube chirped, followed by more laughter from everyone in the room.

"Here, try this new barbeque sauce recipe I thought up yes- Hey, there's a person by the door!"

With every other pair of eyes falling on her like vultures, Pencil felt the urge to open her mouth. "Uh, yeah. It's me, Pencil. What are you guys doing in here?"