Wally and I had finished sorting out the large variety of Manila folders, arguing over if we should go through them one by one or pick a certain topic.
"Do you think I'm in one of these? I want to find it and go through that one first!" Wally said excitedly and began smiling as if it was something to be proud of.
"Probably.. here, let's start with files on Home. I'm sure it'll help explain the gaping void in the wall." I said, reaching over and pulling the first file to the right of me.
I cracked it open, shining the flashlight down on the papers. It was getting late so Wally suggested we use flashlights to read - though, I think he just wanted to play with it. Wally moved behind me, propping up on his knees so he could see over my shoulder. I skimmed through the information, quickly noticing how much of it was scribbled out. One section in particular caught my eye, 'what is Home?'. I squinted to read the small messy handwriting.
"From the heavens it falls, █▓▒▒░ the angels sing. They sent █▓▒▒░ from █▓▒▒░. How hungry █▓▒▒░ gets. Smaller test subjects required - starve answers from the █▓▒▒░."
What the hell? I thought. All of this talk about angels and hunger.. What even is Home?
Home had to be connected in some way to my house. If my mom was the scientist, it would make sense for her to travel between the two and take notes on development of.. whatever this is. If the children were brought from the void and they went missing from a guest room, where did they go?
"Hey, Wally?" I said, leaning back and falling against him.
"Yes, darling?" He whispered into my ear, resting his head on my shoulder.
"Where's the guest room they went missing in?" I said, matching my breathing to Wally's.
"I boarded it up years ago. I couldn't stand passing by it everyday. Why?" He kissed my neck gently.
"Do you think we could examine it? Just to see if any evidence was left behind. Maybe we could find out how the children disappeared!" I shivered at his gentle pecking on my neck.
"I- oh, alright. But we cannot be separated. You can't go in there alone, period. Okay?" He said, making his way up to my ear again.
I hummed happily in response. My eyes shifted towards the large stacks of folders and I couldn't help but groan as the thought of work creeped into my brain.
"Can you make me some coffee? There's so much to go through and I don't think I'll survive without it." I said defeated.
"Of course, dear! I'll be right back." Wally said, moving back and standing up slowly.
I watched him walk out of the room and sighed, rolling my neck and popping my fingers to ease the pain from all the neck craning and writing. Wally's footsteps approached again. He leaned his head into the doorway.
"We ran out of coffee.. I'm going to stop by Howdys and convince him to let me get more. I should be back shortly! Don't go finding the room without me." He said wearily, leaving my view and making his way out of Home.
I groaned and sat up, slowly standing and beginning to pick up the piles of folders to move to the living room. My body was sore from sitting on the hardwood flooring all day. I went back and forth until I reached the largest pile about Home. I picked it up and wobbled a bit, successfully taking a few steps towards the door. To just my luck, I tripped and sent the folders flying into.. Wally? Wally had caught them and me. I leaned back and looked up at him apologetically, quickly moving back. He laughed and took the folders to the living room where he sat them down on the carpet.
"I thought you were going to Howdys?" I asked, keeping my distance.
"Oh.. right, I was but then I realized we actually had some coffee left!" He said, facing away from me and crossing his hands behind his back.
"Huh, alright then. Can I have so-" Wally cut me off, turning back around and smiling devilishly at me.
"Sure, I'll get you some after we explore the guest room. Just so we can get to hard stuff out of the way and relax, doesn't that sound nice?" He said, never blinking.
"Uhm.. yeah, okay. Can you take me to it? I don't really know where the room is." I glanced back towards the eerily dark hallway.
Wally popped up next to me, startling me. He smiled and took my hand, leading me down the hallway past the paint room and to a poorly boarded up door. How had I missed this?
"I'm going to need a ha-" Wally cut me off again.
"Done!" Wally chimed in happily, holding a hammer out to me.
"Thank you..?" I said, cautiously taking the hammer from his hands.
I began to pick away at the thin nails, pulling the white planks off the door and setting them neatly onto the floor. I gently removed the last nail and Wally started to.. shake. It was like he was excited, far too excited. I brushed it off and reached for the old doorknob, turning it slowly.
Creak
"I'm back with the coffee! You will not believe the convincing I had to do-" Wally's voice rang from the front door.
I gasped and let go of the doorknob, whipping around to face.. Wally. There are two Wally's? What the fuck is going on. Wally and Wally made eye-contact. The Wally closest to me gripped my arm and stared deep into my eyes.
"That's an illusion, he's not real." He stated, looking up at me crazily.
I shook him off and stepped back into the corner, keeping both of them in my view.
"Home, what the hell are you doing." The Wally at the door said, sounding angry.
"I should be the one saying that to you! I would never leave my dear alone here." The other Wally responded, glancing back at me with the same crazed expression.
One of them was a fake.
One of them had to be Home.
But why?
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