Riddle Middle

Chapter 48: Back to the future (Pt. 1)

Pico (1st person) 

The next Monday, at school, I was just walking down the hallway, minding my own business, when Joy pushed me over. Again. "Why?" I asked, not needing to say anything else. "Listen, as rich as I am, I didn't bring any money today, so I need yours," she said. "What? No way!" I said. She pushed me against a locker and kicked me in the chest. That hurt, but I still wouldn't give her any of my money. "Come on," she said. "No!" I said. She grabbed me and dragged me to my locker. Somehow, she knew the combination, which was a bit unnerving. "How do you know the combination?" I asked. She grabbed me by my shirt collar and shoved me into my locker. "Last chance!" She said. "N-No," I said. I figured I could count on my friends to get me out. I was surprised when the back of my locker gave in, and I fell backwards. I yelled as I fell, which echoed through whatever dark tunnel I was falling through. "Pico?!" I heard someone shout. Phil. Phil dove in after me, which is something I'd never have enough courage to do. The rest of my friends came in as well. We fell for a while, then we were shot out the pipe.

3rd person

The friends saw a couch facing a large TV. The TV was on, and the friends guessed that someone else was in the room with them. The couch moved a bit. There was a yawn, then it was silent. No one talked, as not to disturb whoever was there. The friends assumed that whoever was there had fallen asleep. Phil stood and carefully walked to the couch. He leaned over it. Phil's variant was there, asleep. His variant looked a bit hurt. He had multiple scratches on his face and a black eye. Phil's variant slowly opened his eyes and stretched. He wasn't expecting to see anyone there, and he unintentionally punched Phil in the face. Phil fell backwards and covered his eye. "Phil!" Smiley yelled, rushing to Phil and examining him. "Why'd you do that?!" Zack yelled. "I-I'm sorry, reflexes..." he said. "Why are you guys here? Where'd you come from?" Phil's variant asked. "We came from over there," Pico said, pointing to the pipe they had come out of. Phil slowly uncovered his face. "Di-Didn't I die before?" Phil asked. "No, you were just unconscious. We took you back here, but then we couldn't find you," Phil's variant said. "How do I know I'm not dreaming right now?" Phil asked. "I guess you don't," Phil's variant said.

"Is this your room?" Phred asked. "Yeah, no one else knows how to get to it," Phil's variant said. "Anyway, I should probably go back to the bar now. I don't want anyone else to know where I am," he said. Phil's variant went through a doorway and climbed up a ladder. "So... What's going on?" Pico asked. "No idea," Phil said. "Does this have something to do with the humanoids?" Smiley asked. "But they let us go, and why would they send us to the future?" Zack said. "I don't know, but it would make sense if there was some sort of connection," Phil said. "Should we follow your variant?" Phred asked, directing the question towards Phil. "We might as well..." Phil said.

The ladder went to a small hatch in the room where the friends had slept. "Where is he?" Zack asked. "I'm guessing he went out into the bar. I'll go check, you guys stay here," Phil said. "Okay, we'll just wait here, I guess," Zack said. Phil was surprised by the fact that none of his friends objected. Phil went out into the hallway and stood next to the doorway of the bar. "Hey Phred, I found the kids," Phil's variant said. "Oh, where were they?" replied Phred's variants metallic voice. "Uh... That doesn't matter, they're back in the room they slept in," Phil's variant said. Phil curiously peeked into the bar, since he had only been relying on his hearing. Smiley's variant was sitting at the bar. She was drinking something from a clear bottle, a black, smooth, shiny liquid. Phil's variant looked towards the doorway, and Phil couldn't move in time to stay undetected. "Kiddo? What are you doing?" Phil's variant asked. "I... What's Smiley doing?" Phil asked. "Crankshaft... Go back to your room," Phil's variant said, looking to Smiley's variant. Phil was relieved that he wasn't questioned any further, so he obeyed.

There was some yelling once they were back in their room. Eventually the yelling stopped, then a door slammed. "Well, what happened?" Zack asked when Phil reentered the room. "Smiley's variant was drinking something, and my variant seemed pretty mad at her," Phil answered. Phil was getting a bit tired of Zack, but he figured having someone that voiced everyone's thoughts could be helpful. "So, what, was it like, alcohol?" Pico asked. "Could be, but Smiley's variant didn't look like she was really enjoying it," Phil answered. Phil felt strangely tired, even though he'd just gotten there. "Maybe we should try to sleep," Phil said. "Okay," Zack said. Phil turned off the lights. Everyone's sleeping bags were still there, so they slept in those. Despite how tired Phil was, he found that he couldn't sleep. Phil went to Smiley, though he wasn't sure why. Smiley wasn't snoring for once. Phil reached his hand out and gently shook her shoulder. She yawned and looked at him sleepily. Phil immediately felt guilty. "Hey Phil. Do you need something?" Smiley asked. "I... I was just going to investigate, a-and I didn't want to go alone," Phil started. He hadn't planned to investigate, but after saying it, he thought it was a good idea.

"Oh, alright, I'll come if you want me to," Smiley said. "Thanks..." Phil said. Phil made his way to the door. He was hesitant to go out, but he didn't want it to seem like he'd woken Smiley for no reason. "Is everything alright?" Smiley asked. "Hm? Oh, yeah, I-I was just looking around," Phil said, stepping outside of the doorway. Phil carefully glanced into the bar, and he found that it was empty. "Phil, wh-why's there blood on the ground?" Smiley asked in a shaky, nervous voice. Phil looked down to see a small red puddle on the ground. "I don't know... Let's get out of here," Phil said. He didn't want to explore in the first place, and an ominous blood puddle on the ground didn't make him feel any better. "Already? Alright, if you think we should, that's fine," Smiley said. Phil grabbed Smiley's hand and backed out of the bar. "Let's go check your variant's room," Phil said, leading her down the hall. Phil and Smiley made their way to the end of the hallway. There was a cracked open door, and Phil guessed that was her room.

Phil leaned into the doorway to glance in the room. The room was extremely messy, and there was an overwhelming smell of something rotting. "Ugh... Do I have to go in there?" Smiley asked. Phil couldn't blame her for wanting to hang back. "No, it's alright, you can wait out here," Phil said. "Alright... Please be careful," Smiley said. "Of course," Phil said. That was nice to hear from Smiley; that she wanted to make sure he was safe. Phil walked around the relatively small room, but he couldn't find her. Phil noticed a small door to his left. He approached it. He slowly opened the door. It was a bathroom. Phil jumped as he saw Smiley's variant, collapsed on the floor.