Seeing Buttons

Chapter 8 (W)

Chapter 8: Off the Rails

Wilbur had just fallen asleep when he heard Tommy's tiny footsteps, followed by a loud creak of the old house. So he was quickly awoken by it.

He decided to let Tommy do his thing and go back to bed.

Five minutes passed, which became ten, then twenty minutes.

Tommy was afraid to go downstairs alone only two days ago, what if something happened? Wilbur decided to check on him.

Wilbur searched the whole house with no sign of Tommy. And as time passed his heart started beating faster and faster. Fearing the worst had happened to Tommy.

He checked Tommy's room again, and then the kitchen, again.

While he was searching the kitchen for any hiding spots he'd missed, he heard the creaking of a door.

The drawing room. Wilbur peeked around the corner into the drawing room to see Tommy on the floor.

Tommy closed the little door and pulled out the necklace. Muttering something. Wilbur retreated back into the kitchen as Tommy walked past.

He watched as Tommy walked up the stairs and back into his room.

Why the little door?

Wilbur had to investigate, for Tommy's sake.

Wilbur went back into the drawing room and pulled open the door.

There wasn't the sight of the bricks like the first time. No it was much worse.

It was a brightly colored tunnel, almost made from fabric, it was small, Wilbur could barely crawl through it if he tried.

Wilbur's eyes went wide.  A hand flew to his mouth and he choked back a sob as he came to the horrific realization:

His dreams weren't unusually abstract. They were unusually literal.

"No... No no no no! Not like this! Not this way!" He whisper-yelled as tears filled his eyes.

"This can't be real! Please tell me it's not real!"

Wilbur slammed the door shut.

"What do I do?"

He can't just close the door, he has to kill whatever is on the other side. Tommy likely wouldn't believe any warnings he gave. He could lock the door, but when has that stopped the little gremlin?

Wilbur stood up and went into the kitchen. What could he use?

He found a small cutting knife to use. No way was he going to enter that tunnel without a weapon. He didn't know what was at the end.

Wil didn't want to go though it. He was never very brave. But Tommy was in danger. So he swallowed his fear and walked back into the drawing room.

Wilbur approached the tunnel with the knife in hand. Then he crawled through the tiny space.

His heart pounded as he made it passed the place that always crushed Tommy. But that part was a metaphor it seemed, as Wilbur crawled past it.

Wilbur found himself in a room identical to the one he'd just left.

He was in deep trouble now, wasn't he? Wilbur walked into the kitchen to see-

Was- was that Tommy's mum?

"Oh! Tommy! You're back! I'm so h-" the woman stopped. Her demeanor wasn't like Motherinnit's. "Oh." Her voice went deeper and the sweet tone faded. "It's you. The other one. Wilbur? Was it?" She turned around and Wilbur flinched. She had buttons sewn where her eyes should've been.