CASTAWAY || Inanimate Insanity AU

CHAPTER 2

The beeping through the monitor, the wires on the white clean tile floor, and the oxygen tanks, unused, next to the bed. Paintbrush, on the nice soft bed, was just peacefully sleeping. Their body wasn't moving, and their eyes were still closed. That is until Paintbrush woke up, but in fear, they got up fast. Their body was moving like crazy, and their eyes were bloodshot red. They were breathing heavily, and it was so bad that the doctor came in quickly. The doctor was a red and white soda can with a brown strap, and a tab connected on top of him.
"Paintbrush, calm down," said the doctor, he lays down Paintbrush back to their bed. Paintbrush then started crying as tears were coming from their eyes. The doctor just stands there with a sad, but emotionless, facial expression. He was patting them down until they finally relaxed.
"I'm sorry..." said Paintbrush, now covering their face.
"It's not your fault, Paintbrush. You're going through something," said the doctor as he was getting a cup of water for Paintbrush.
"I-I... Where's everyone else?..." As Paintbrush was sipping down their water, but also shaking too, the doctor didn't know how to answer this. He was no professional mental needs doctor, he was just a professional physical needs doctor.
"I'm sorry, Paintbrush. They didn't make it. We just found them the way they're right now." After the statement, Paintbrush was right. Their friends were gone long, their partner was gone long, and everything was falling apart. Paintbrush stopped shaking, but instead just stood there with the cup in their mouth.
"Paintbrush. You can stay a little longer. I will check back on you later, but you're free to go since you're in good condition. Just make sure to not drive for the next two years." The doctor slowly left the room, and Paintbrush was just sitting there on the bed. In the white hospital room, with the lights on.

After half an hour has passed, Paintbrush just left the room, and the hospital itself. Outside of the hospital from the maintenance was a stony pathway with a small river and trees nearby. Paintbrush, instead of walking on the pathway, just stepped on the wet leafy grass and looked at the small river. After finding the exit, they were back on the dirty concrete ground. They were downtown, there were tall buildings, and the cars were moving by fast. The sun was blocked by the buildings, small stores nearby, and a stairway to the subway. A lot of people were moving, talking, and some were even running. Paintbrush was a little nervous as they hid behind a nearby trash bin. They waited until the folks left because they were nervous that the people would judge them. Judge them about their messy hair, and their tired-looking eyes. Once the town was half empty, the day was late afternoon, Paintbrush left the area from the hospital and continued to walk home.

With no car to drive anymore and no money to take the bus or train, they decided to walk because they felt pointless. They felt like their life was useless, pointless, pathetic, and hell. Everything they did in the past had a meaning, but now, with their loved ones gone forever, everything they did right now is meaningless to them. All they can think about is how things would have been better if they just fixed the car properly. If they just fixed the car with another day in hand, things would have been better. At least, that's what Paintbrush thought as they were exiting downtown. On the other side after downtown was just a landscape. The road was still connected to the one downtown, but it was just a landscape with some trees, a forest, and a stadium nearby. Paintbrush was just stepping on the grass with their soft shoeless feet. They were looking at the sky now becoming the darkness which didn't sit well with Paintbrush. They continued to walk slowly anyway because there were no hostile creatures within the area, including the forest. After walking past the landscape and the huge stadium, they were now walking through the dark woods. The pine trees were long and tall, the grass was messier than the one on the landscape, and there was a small bushy maze nearby. While Paintbrush was walking through the woods, they were trying to get their feet covered in mud while stepping on it. They were smiling at the thought of it and continued doing it until they got home. Their home was on the other side of the road. There were no cars around, so they walked past it.