Hide-and-Seek

Chapter 9 : Nobe

11-27-22

Third POV:

Bryan stared at the black and white rabbit, it stared back, grinning. Steve left so Bryan could speak with the rabbit in private. After a bit, Bryan asked, "So, your name's Nobe?" The rabbit's grin widened, and it nodded rapidly, "YES, YES! N-O-B-E. That spells me. And you're Bryan, you look different than from what I thought." Bryan raised an eyebrow, "What did you think I looked like?" Nobe shrugged its shoulders, to Bryan, it felt like a curious child that didn't know anything, yet seemed like it knew everything at the same time. "I thought you would be wearing blue. And a hat, I seem to remember you wearing a hat of red on your head. But I've never met you, that's odd, right Bryan." The way Nobe said Bryan's name sent shivers down his spine. The tone was passive and calm. Yet filled with hostility and anger. Nobe sat down on the bed and swung its legs. It said with shock and astonishment in its tone, "You still care about Dylan, odd." Bryan glared at the grinning rabbit. The way it spoke, the way it smiled and stared, it reminded him of the Cheshire cat. But this thing struck nerves, something the cat never did to the humans it met, "What the hell do you mean? Of course, I care about him, he's my brother. And besides, you bit him. I have a right to know about his well-being." Nobe's bright yellow eye widened. He chuckled, "I'm sorry. Did I make you mad? I was just curious. But I didn't mean to bite him. It just ...... happened." Nobe kept swinging his legs like a child would, it reminded Bryan of one at times. But the rabbit was so random, it tried to not be angry, yet it still struck harm. Bryan decided the presence of the rabbit was too alarming, he turned to walk away. "You're very good at this game." Bryan stopped in his tracks. He didn't think Nobe knew about it, but then again, Nobe knew how Bryan used to look. And the two had never met once. Bryan turned around and, with a sincere tone and a small smile, he asked, "What game Nobe?" Nobe stopped grinning, now he seemed perturbed. But instead of snapping in anger, he spoke with excitement and hostility increasing and decreasing as he spoke, "HIDE-AND-SEEK OF COURSE! I'm surprised you've played this game for so long. And you're not at all tired of it which impresses me and makes me surprised. Although," Nobe stopped and his eye gleamed with curiosity, "I can't help but wonder, if because you've played for so long. You've forgotten what you were truly hiding from, instead, those who kill and keep you in this loop, you treat as family and friends." Nobe stood up, it was shorter than Bryan, but it still scared him more than anything else he'd seen. No, it scared him more than Molten did when they first met, and this thing hated him. Nobe continued to speak, "It's so strange. Do you remember what you once hid from? Or how this game of yours started." Bryan turned away, he didn't remember, he couldn't figure out why though. When Vinnie, Rat, and Cat appeared, that time frame's just a blur, but anything past that was gone. Bryan finally had the gall to speak after everything the rabbit said, "I don't remember. Though I wish I remembered. But how do you know this? This is the first time I've ever met you." The long hand on Nobe's clock clicked backward a bit. Nobe circled Bryan for a moment, but Bryan stayed still. It felt like he was being examined. Nobe stopped on the right side of Bryan, it seemed like it figured something out, "That's odd. Did we revert your old body, or create one anew?" "I'm sorry, what?" Bryan was even more confused, Nobe spoke again, "Sorry. Let me rephrase that. Why do you have scars from deaths that don't exist, like your eye?" Bryan stepped away from Nobe, his left hand instinctively moving up to his left eye. That scar was from the first time he met Cat. But because he died that night, the scar disappeared, like every night Bryan ended up dying. But if Bryan got through the night, the scar became permanent at six. Although when he came back to life, every single scar from every night he died came back. Whether it was his chest, his neck, his face. Everything Bryan got came back, he used the excuse that his death may have affected him physically more than he thought, but the only person that knew otherwise was Molten. Nobe then spoke, which brought Bryan out of his thoughts. "So, Bryan. Don't you think it's intriguing how the past has finally caught up to you in this game? It's finally found you." Bryan shook his head, now no longer dazed. "I didn't think it was intriguing per se. But I don't think I've been found, people are oblivious. That's it." Nobe laughed, it seemed contented. It bounced onto the bed and then back off. Nobe seemed to like bouncing around the place. "You know, the past has technically been caught up with you, or at least. Parts of it." "W-What do you mean?" Asked Bryan, now confused again. He still felt shaken by the rabbit, yet Bryan couldn't tell if the rabbit was aware. Nobe spoke, its tone, sly and malicious, "Oh, you know. The infected rat, who can't tell the difference between drunken rage and its own. The cat, who follows and worries like a sorrowed and guilted father. And the puppet, who is what remains of the puppeteer's cowardice, and hate's itself for it. Don't you remember they exist? To you, and only you." Nobe pointed at Bryan and Bryan took a step back. Nobe was speaking about the three nightmares. Bryan hadn't spoken to the three since a bit before the daycare party. He didn't exactly want to. Bryan felt the same way about them as he did his mother and adoptive father. They lied to him, for what, Bryan didn't know. But Bryan always had some level of an actual relationship with Vinnie, Rat, and Cat. He didn't want to speak with them because even though they lied, they didn't hurt him like Anna and Amiri. So because Bryan didn't want to blow up at them, he avoided them. A lot. Though when Nobe mentioned the three, Bryan's right arm instinctively moved in front of his chest. Like he'd done it before. Nobe laughed, "Oh Bryan, don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you. You promised to help me, so I have no reason to attack my......." Nobe paused and glanced to its right, while its hands were moved in front of it, and its fingertips touched. Nobe's eyes gleamed with trickery and cunning. "Partner." Bryan didn't feel the need to turn around. He felt like he would be stabbed in the back if he did or something worse. But instead, his hands formed into fists, and Bryan sternly said, "We aren't partners. I'm just helping you find out what you are, and what your purpose is. Then...you'll leave. Got it?" Nobe quickly nodded his head while excitedly saying, "Oh yes, yes, yes. But...Before you go. I have something you may need." Bryan raised an eyebrow and confused, asked, "What is it?" Nobe's eye flashed purple for a moment. It pulled out a theater mask from thin air. The right half was painted white and sad with black paint dripping down from the eye to represent tears. And the left half was black and happy with white cracks. Bryan couldn't tell whether or not the cracks were painted on though. Nobe seemed surprised at what it did, but at the same time, it looked like it knew full well what it was doing. "Interesting, interesting. I didn't know I could do that. Nonetheless, here. Take it." Nobe held it out to Bryan, and he cautiously walked forward. Bryan took the mask from the rabbit and felt it. The cracks on the one side weren't painted on, Bryan could feel the grooves. But even though the tear marks on the other were dry or didn't come off, they still felt wet. Bryan asked, "What is this?" Nobe held a finger up to its lips and said, "Shhhh, I'm not allowed to say. Just know, it'll help you with that game of yours. Perhaps you may be able to hide from more than just the past. Maybe it'll help you say what needs to be said. What you're too afraid to say on your own." Bryan's eyes slightly widened, he stared at the mask before nodding to Nobe and saying, "Thank you. I'll speak with you in probably a few days." Any maliciousness or hints of aggression from Nobe as it smiled happily. "Oh, goody." The edges of Bryan's lips tilted upward in a small smile. He then walked out of the warehouse, still examining the mask as he walked. Bryan couldn't tell if Nobe was tricking him with this. But for an odd reason, he felt he could trust the rabbit's gift. As Bryan walked out, Nobe said, "Ta taaa, Bryan." And once the man was gone, it said, "And I hope this little item brings you some fun for your next round. Perhaps it'll make things challenging for once."