Hold On To Me

Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Little Nightmares franchise. All rights go to Tarsier Studios.

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It had taken a few days to make her way back to the coast. She found that traversing the city streets without her friend proved more difficult to conquer. The thought made her bitter, but she used that bitterness to harden herself, motivated to complete this mission. There was no time to dwell on past mistakes.

Just hold on, Mono. I'll be back to save you, I promise.

By the time she reached the shore, she was dirty, hungry, and cold. The rain hadn't ceased throughout her journey, her raincoat sagged down with the heavy moisture. But she was able to find what she was looking for, from the safety of the shadow of an alley. Bulbous guests huddled at the pier, eager to clamber aboard the ship that would take them to the Maw.

Revealing herself would completely go against her rules of survival, but it was necessary. The commotion she stirred from the fat guests caught the attention of who she had hoped. Naturally, he took her for an escaped child from the floating palace, doing his duty to return her, taking her to his boat. From there, getting aboard the Maw was easy.

There was one problem that still stood out, the main reason for why she was on this submerged death trap in the first place. Her hunger became more intense. It started out small, a low grumble rippling through her stomach. The pain was unpleasant but manageable. She was lucky that another trapped soul nearby was kind enough to chuck her a loaf of bread. It didn't do much, but it made the ache lessen, for now at least.

The second time, the void in her widened exponentially. Her mouth salivated, drool escaping past her lips. There was only a piece of meat there to calm the storm, obviously placed in a trap. But she was too consumed by the pain to realize. That void, her other self, took up space in her mind as soon as it flared up.

Ironically, the kitchen was next door to the room where she had feasted on that rat. She was still hungry enough to devour the entire stock, but she had to keep moving. She was halfway where she needed to be, her goal inching closer to her reach. She couldn't pause now.

Regret swirled in her as she pulled back from what she had done. The innocent Nome was only offering her a sausage, a means to end her hunger. She took it as an invitation to eat them instead. The void in her belly seemed to grow stronger every time she ate. This time, her sights were far from the succulent meat being held out to her. The Nome seemed to glow in the dim light, a glow she craved. It was warm and tantalizing, a sign of life. She needed to consume it.

Wiping away the blood staining her mouth, she wrestled her conflicting emotions to the side. Nothing else mattered but Mono. If she had to feast on human lives to do so, she would. There was no room for feeling guilty.

The biggest episode ripped through her after she incapacitated the Geisha, right on cue. She had never felt pain like this before. It felt as if someone had ripped into her and dug out her insides with their bare hands. Her hungry gaze landed on the mistress's exposed neck. This was what she had been searching for. She had never felt more delighted to sink her teeth into warm, vibrant flesh.

She realizes now that her hunger was never normal to begin with. The shadow version of her had a craving for human life, desperately swallowing squirming souls. As the guests crumpled around her, she felt the gnawing agony eating its fill. It would get hungry again, but that would be fine. She would get more chances to suck the essence out of anyone unfortunate enough to draw near on her journey back.

The adventure had lasted much longer than she would have liked. It had taken nearly a month to get to the starting point of her ordeal, waking up in the suitcase at the bottom of the Maw. Now that she stood there on the surface of the hulking mass of metal, the warm sun shining down from above, her thoughts returned to her friend. The one who had sacrificed himself for her. She wondered how he was doing, alone in the depths of the Tower. Missing her most likely. She clenched her fists, using her newfound abilities to direct the Maw according to her will.

I'm coming, Mono.

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Author's Note: It's short again, sorry. It was the best place to end it. This is where the canonical character death comes in, even if it is only mentioned. I've applied for a job recently, and I hope I get it. Finally get a summer job.

The ending still kills me, and I'm not okay. But at least Dark Deception Chapter 4 is releasing soon.

Praise is appreciated and constructive criticism is encouraged.

See you next time!

-The_Mayflower