Seeing Buttons

Chapter 13 (T)

Chapter 13: Hush

Tommy couldn't help but wonder if what Wilbur had seen in his dream was foreshadowing this, or had warned him so he would do this instead.

He also wondered what he would accomplish by doing something so idiotic.

He knew it was dumb too, the woman had literally been torturing Wilbur.

His Wilbur.

But he crawled though the tunnel anyway.

The triangle was tucked under his shirt again. And he was aware of it the whole time.

It was a good reminder what Wilbur needed help, and that he needed to play it smart.

Even though he was coming to do the exact opposite.

Tommy got to the other side, and took to looking for the Other Mother.

It didn't take long as he looked around the drawing room, he saw how different it was. The walls were a glowing purple, filled with different patterns.

Bugs? Maybe?

So the furniture were bugs now, with buttons for eyes.

Even the table and couch were bugs, the couch being a caterpillar and the table-

"Oh, Tommy you're back!" Said the Other Mother. She sat on the couch as it crawled around to face him and stopped.

"Uh, y-yeah. What happened to the drawing room?"

"I did a little redecorating, do you like it?"

It reminded Tommy of how the Cat said she was looking for new flies in her web. He hated it.

"Yeah, I think it's cool." Tommy said instead.

"Great, why don't you sit down."

Suddenly a bug themed chair why behind him and pushed him forward, up to the table.

He hated this, but he tried not to show it.

"I wanted to talk to you Tommy!" She said gleefully.

"Uh okay?"

"Oh you look tense, why not have a chocolate first?"

One of the bug furniture things crawled over to him and showed him a box of chocolates. Tommy took it and placed it in the table. Opening it he almost gagged.

There were chocolates, but they were beetle shaped. They also moved and wiggled.

"They're Coco beetles, from Zanzibar." She said, taking one and biting into it.

"Uh- no, no thanks."

"Well alright, but you should loosen up. I want to talk about something exciting!" She said, finishing her beetle.

"Now, where is it?" She looked around the couch before realizing something.

With a wave of her hand there was suddenly a box in it.

Like a magic trick.

How young does she think he is?

It was a pretty box, like a present, it was black with dark blue stripes, and it had a red bow on it, but it was just for aesthetic, Tommy supposed, as it didn't stop the box from opening.

"In this box, is the key to being able to stay forever." She said. "Don't you want that?"

"I, uh." Tommy elected to say nothing, and instead opened the box.