Stranded

Panic Setting In-Act 1

~Pencil's Perspective~

Pencil walked through the hotel a total of 8 times. She was getting pretty bored, but the only other thing to do was swim. Bubble stunk at swimming and Match didn't want to get her "hair" wet. So she was alone when she swam. She rarely saw anybody else by the pool either.

Occasionally she'd see Coiny and Pin sit near it, and Pin was the only one to swim. Coiny said he was afraid he'd look like Nickle after a few hours of swimming. Today was just one of those days. Pencil stayed in her lane though, and didn't approach the two. She was extremely bored. Every few seconds Coiny glanced over to her and furrowed his eyebrows.

"Hey Pencil?!" Coiny yelled over to her, Pin drifted around in the water to face her.

"Huh?" Pencil shouted back.

"You alright over there?" Coiny asked, "You've been staring over to us for a bit now." Coiny contorted his face in concern. Pencil looked to her side.

"Yeah, I'm good." Pencil sighed, "It's just, I'm kind of losing hope. The search parties always come up with nothing, it's as if whoever brought this group together knew our exact weaknesses!" Pencil turned back to the two of them.

"I'm just... scared."

"Woah... really?" Coiny asked, "I always thought you were fearless!"

"Huh?"

"I agree with Coiny, you're smarter than Bubble, and more competent than Match. I'm surprised you're scared right now when you're just so hopeful." Pin swam over to Pencil, who was utterly shocked, "Don't be scared, all will be okay." Coiny looked over and Pin and gave a thumbs up, as to say 'Great job applying your niceness!'

"You think?"

"Definitely. Let's hold it together and we'll make it up mill-house." Coiny held his thumb up in hopefulness. Pencil smiled.

"Thanks Coinster. I'm going to get out now, I'm getting soggy." Pencil hopped out of the pool and walked over to the snack bar. Just some much needed hope. Match wasn't exactly a beacon of happiness, more like a beacon of complaining.

~Match's Perspective~

"I've been such a, like, beacon of happiness these past few days." Match sat inside her hotel room with Bubble. Her whole room was the standard affair, mini match sticks and match box furniture.

"Mmm... I goise." Bubble sighed. Match looked over to her in curiosity.

"What's up Bubble?"

"It's joist... we haven't been hanging oit with Poincel as much." She looked at Match and pulled out the old Pencil doll she made.

"Oh, it's cause she's been, like, swimming." Match swayed in her chair, "She's been so moody lately."

"Yweah, I thionk we shoild loit her reloix foir now." Bubble replied. Match stared a her for a few seconds, before begrudgingly nodding.

"Guess you're right." Match shrugged, "We're going to survive, so I don't know why she's so worried." Match ripped a match up from the chair and started flinging it all over.

"Roight. We'll survive." But inside, Bubble doubted their chances.

~Firey POV~

I decided to take a quick walk around the resort. Pool was off limits, but most other things weren't. Specifically, the kitchen. It was abundantly filled with food. Things of all shapes and sizes, however... they were all food contestant shaped.

Kind of felt like cannibalism to eat the cake. It had little fondant eyes. It forced me to think about the other contestants. Where were they now. It seems like everybody else is doing okay. But... Leafy...

Goddamn it.

I quickly distracted myself by stuffing more cake down my throat. I took a long deep breath in, then out. We just had to get out. I knew we would.

"Hey Firey?" Somebody started talking behind me. I turned to look at the character, It was Needle. I didn't really know her that well. I'd chatted with her once or twice.

"Oh hey Needle... y." I respond, picking up another cake slice. She walked over to the cake table and looked at one of the slices.

"Are you stress eating?" Needle asked me, I froze. That was exactly what I was doing. I blamed myself so much for Leafy's death. If only I had kept visiting.

~Firey's Flashback~

I used to visit Leafy's house once a week. Her and I had mended our relationship after Four let everyone out of the exit. It was clear something was up with her, but I paid it no mind. As long as I was with her, she seemed fine. The problems soon began with her small hoarding problem.

There were things she called sentimental that we couldn't throw away. It was a touchy subject. But that alone wouldn't stop me from visiting her.

Her mental health was also degrading at a rapid pace. Her mood swings picked up. I didn't know what was happening, I was scared. But even that wouldn't stop me from visiting.

What ended up stopping my visiting for good was the door to her room itself. She began to lock it. I couldn't come to bring her groceries anymore. She was trapped, and I couldn't save her. If only I was nicer.

If only I could get through to her.

If only I broke down the door.

If only I called the police.

If only,

If only,

If on-

~Firey POV~

"If on-" I looked to Needle, who is staring at me with a heavily concerned expression. I must have said that stuff out loud.

"I guess you have been." Needle pulls the cake out of my hand, "You have to be careful Firey. You don't know what you're doing." She sets the cake down and sighs.

"I don't want to be rude or anything, but Leafy is going to be fine. You just need to put more faith in this group. Don't act like a wuss." Needle 'reassured' me, in her own strange way, and I feel better.

That's all I really needed. She reminds me of Leafy a bit when she talks like this. Maybe she thinks i'm inconsolable otherwise. I appreciate the effort anyway. Hard to believe this is the same Needle that is friends with Coiny. Ick, just reminded myself of Coiny.

~Needle's Perspective~

"Ooooh. They have Winner cakes."

-1036 words, I'm currently on a vacation myself, so I'm going to update once every other day most days. No confirmation though.-