CASTAWAY || Inanimate Insanity AU

CHAPTER 7

In the house in the middle of nowhere, Paintbrush and the others were playing hide and seek. Paintbrush was looking around the house, under the couches, and inside the kitchen cabinets. Fortunately, while they were going inside the big cabinets, they found Lightbulb.
"Hehehe, you found me!" laughed Lightbulb, she happily hugged Paintbrush. Both Paintbrush and Lightbulb got out of the cabinets while pulling each other out.
"Okay, Lightbulb! Let's find Test Tube together!"
Lightbulb smiled, "OMGA!" After they looked around the rest of the house, the only place they haven't checked is the basement.
"She could be there." Lightbulb tries opening the door but she was struggling.
"Let's go." Paintbrush then opened the door with no trouble and the two of them went downstairs. They eventually found Test Tube hiding behind a fake cardboard cutout of Bot. The picture was poorly drawn and it was colored with crayons.
"Well, I would say this is a good hiding spot. It gives you a hint," said Test Tube, she showed herself to the duo.
"Hey! You didn't even let us find you properly!" said Lightbulb, she angrily looked at Test Tube.
"Well, it's been a while. I thought it was a good time," said Test Tube calmly.
"It's okay! I'm just glad we had fun!" Paintbrush went to hug both Lightbulb and Test Tube. They didn't care how the game went and just wanted to have fun with their closest friends.
"Yeah!" said Lightbulb happily. The three of them decided to stay in the same area just talking to each other.

Paintbrush, with their mouth still moving, was just staring at the wall talking to nobody. The hallucinations were getting the best of them, and their smile was getting wider. There were pillows and blankets all over the area indicating they were here before. All of a sudden, Paintbrush heard knocking from upstairs. At first, they thought it was just their mind playing around, so they ignored it. Unfortunately, the knocking got louder, and this bothered Paintbrush badly. They put pillows around their head and lay on the ground hoping it was just a nightmare. After hearing the knocking for long enough, Paintbrush went to go check. As they were going upstairs back to the main floor, from afar and seeing the window...

They saw Microphone.

In a panic, they hurry back to the basement door, but then realize they forgot something; someone.
"Hey, Painty!" yelled Lightbulb, she tripped and slid over the floor and stopped right in front of Paintbrush's view. She was still on the other side of the hall.
"Wait for us!" yelled Test Tube, she lifted Lightbulb and rushed over to Paintbrush by passing the upstairs and small closet nearby. The paintbrush let them in before closing the door, and the three of them were relieved. They all went downstairs and stood near the exit to make sure nobody came in. Meanwhile, Microphone was outside, she continued knocking on the door. She was in front of the house, and she was still knocking with her fist. Thirty minutes passed by, and she began to panic. Microphone couldn't take this anymore, she worries for Paintbrush, especially after how they acted before in the woods. She pushed against the door so hard that she broke it, landing on the floor with the door, and she was now in the house of the paintbrush. The house was clean, but too clean, it almost felt like a brand new house to Microphone.

Microphone looked around the house to see where Paintbrush might be at. It's wrong to break into someone's house, but considering how Paintbrush is and the nightmare, Microphone is not taking any more chances. She looked through the living room, kitchen, upstairs, and the small closet near the basement door. The only place she hasn't checked is the basement itself. As Microphone was about to open the door, she heard something; someone.
"Did someone break into the house? Lightbulb! Test Tube! Please!... You girls are my only friends...and I love you both for that." Microphone felt her heart beating fast after hearing that. She knew Paintbrush was crazy, but it just breaks her heart either way. After knowing the story through the news, she knew what Paintbrush was going through.
"Paintbrush...I wish this didn't happen to you...The loss of your friends. Yourself." After hearing Paintbrush talking for a while, Microphone got her phone out, and was pressing numbers.
"I used to be your friend. Now. I'm going to act like one." As she was pressing numbers, Microphone heard footsteps, and realized the open entrance she created.
"Wait! Oh, no!" Before Microphone could turn around, she was knocked out by a lamp thrown at her. The microphone was on the floor unresponsive, and two shadows were coming closer to her. The shadows appeared to look like a taco shell and a file cabinet. Cabby the file cabinet moved Microphone aside as Taco moved closer to the door.
"Taco," said Cabby, looking at Taco with a straight, but disappointing face.
"Don't worry. I did this before with practice, she's alright." Cabby looked concerned, but let it slide because she was more worried about Paintbrush and trusted Taco.
"So, Microphone seems to be worried about Paintbrush too. Hmmm, at least you're not the only one. Cabby." Cabby softly smiled back and took out her camera from her cabinet.
"Now. Let's record what we have here, and do something about it." Taco smiled back too, they both lugged their heads to the door. It was long before they heard fire, and knowing the type of species Paintbrush is, they knew what would happen next. Cabby grabbed Taco and Microphone with her two arms. She put them inside one of her bigger cabinets and raced out of the house at full speed.

"I KNOW SOMEONE IS HERE! I KNOW! I KNOW! I KNOW! I KNOW!" yelled Paintbrush, they hit the ground hard with their feet, and they jumped multiple times. Their imaginary friends try to calm them down, but end up fading away when Paintbrush starts laughing demonically out of nowhere. Their smile was getting crooked, and their laughter was getting distorted as if they were choking on something. Back to the girls, Cabby ends up going to the woods nearby, a way to avoid Paintbrush. After the coast is clear, Cabby looks around the muddy woods and drops the other girls onto the dry grounds of the woods. Microphone was still unconscious from her hit, but Taco is still upstanding. Cabby and Taco looked eye to eye until Taco said something.
"Good job, Cabby. I'm glad you got us out of there before any danger happens." Taco then dragged Microphone by pulling her feet and hid her in the bushes.
"Well, I know she will be alright," Taco pat Microphone on the head before pushing her further into the bush, "I know for a fact that this forest is free from wild animals."
"True and since we're far away from Paintbrush. I think she should be safe here," calmly said Taco. As Cabby was sweating, and her eyes getting worried, Taco questioned her.
"Are you okay?" Cabby touched her two fingers together, "I'm alright, but are you sure? Is that why you asked me how strong she is? Just to knock her out easily?"
"Yes, Cabby. Thanks to your folder of information about Microphone...

I'm pretty sure she will be strong enough to survive out here. Alone."

Taco and Cabby walked further into the woods looking for an exit.
"So, Cabby." Cabby looks over to Taco, "Yes?"
"Let's take in Paintbrush and send them to the room. How about that?" The file cabinet thought for a moment but wasn't sure.
"But won't that be kidnapping?" Taco smiled, "A good reason will save the both of us. If that's what you're worried about." Knowing how things are going, Cabby thought it would be best to fix the problem. She worries about the danger of Paintbrush and even others. Cabby agreed, and she softly smiled back at Taco.

"I'm in."

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Summary:

Paintbrush was playing with their imagination, meanwhile, Microphone was trying to get into their house. She was worried, so she got in and overheard Paintbrush talking to their imaginary friends. She was about to get help until knocked by Taco despite Cabby's concern. They both recorded Paintbrush, they heard fire, and they ran away with Microphone's unconscious body. The girls decided to send Paintbrush to the mental hospital.

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Word Count: 1,345