the gauntlet of math // numberblocks short story

A Voice From The Shadows

at the edge of grayscale city, thirteen, fifteen and twenty-six continued their search for another numberblock, who had not disappeared.

fifteen groaned. "are we ever going to find someone else?!"

just as she said that, a soft sniffle came out from a bush.

thirteen gasped. "d-did you hear that?"

"of course, we did," twenty-six replied sharply. "it's completely silent, anyone would hear that, even if they weren't trying."

"oh no," the voice said quietly. 

twenty-six snatched out a rifle. "who's there? identify yourself!"

"n-no need to-- *cough* get v-vi-violent!" the voice called. "*cough, wheeze* i- I'm an al-ally!"

fifteen stepped forward. "who are you?!"

a set of peach-orange blocks stepped out. and by "step" out, it should be taken in a literal sense.

"twenty-one?!" twenty-six shouted in disbelief at what he saw.

fifteen walked up to twenty-one. "you look like you visited the grim reaper! are you okay?!" 

twenty-one coughed. "i- I'm alright. i had- *cough* to fend...myself...off......"
"..........."

"T-TWENTY-ONE!!" fifteen shrieked.

twenty-one collapsed.

"she had to...fend herself off?" thirteen whispered shakily. "fend herself off from what?"

fifteen shook her head. "i don't know... but i know for sure that we need to help twenty-one. there's no point in having her here when she's completely helpless."

twenty-six looked at fifteen. "aren't you a genie? they have healing abilities, don't they?"

fifteen nodded. "yes, i do..but i used them very recently, and i don't have enough energy to use it right now." she looked down at twenty-one. "all i know is that we have to find out who did this to her."

"right."

thirteen looked off at the other side of the fence. he noticed a figure from outside the gate.

"h-huh?! g-g-guys!!"

fifteen and twenty-six looked over at him.

"what is it?" fifteen asked.

thirteen shook. "l-l-l-look!!"

they noticed the figure outside the gate.

twenty-six flipped up his shades, to see the figure properly. "it looks like it's eight blocks tall...but it can't be, it looks like it has legs between every block...and...sixteen arms..."

"well, whoever this figure may be, they do not have good intentions," fifteen whispered.