Strings and Buttons

Chapter 15: Insect

They shut up once they see light coming from the other end of the hallway, closer now. There is a silhouette of someone, and they call out,

"Katsuki?! Is that you?!"

There is the sound of claws digging and clawing into the wood and Katsuki sees Shoto hiding himself against the wall. He doesn't look at him, and he doesn't have much time to when the cat disappears through the wall and out of sight.

He looks towards the light and the women's voice, discarding his flashlight and running over.

"Mom!"

He sees his moms concerned face lighting up into a smile as he launches himself into her open arms. He feels her stagger back, but she holds him tight. He takes a deep breath, feeling her hand in his hair. She threads her fingers into the strands for a moment.

"Katsuki, why did you run away from me?"

The hand in his hair changes, stretching and straining, and Katsuki turns ridged. The cold, long, boney fingers grip his hair tighter and he yells, shoving her away.

"Get the fuck away from me! Where are my parents!?"

Her arms are unlatched from his body, and she steps back. Katsuki watches in horror as the figure of his mother turns into something disgusting. Her neck and torso grow longer, sickeningly thin. Her clothes stretch around her perfectly, and her face turns sunken and sharp.

She looks starved, and Katsuki has to remind himself that this thing is not his mother. She sounds just like her, too much like her, when she speaks. He hates how hurt she sounds.

"We're right here Katsuki. We've always been here, waiting, just for you."

From the entrance of the drawing room, the other monster comes out. His glasses are cracked and slumped down on his long nose, his body big and pudgy, like he's about ready to burst. His voice comes out deep and distorted as he tries to smile, waving a hand at Katsuki in gesture.

"Come along now Katsuki. I'll make us some food; you must be star-"

The word breaks out into a drawn-out groan and Katsuki steps back. The other mother seems unbothered, her button eyes trained on Katsuki only.

"-ving. Have a drink before you go to slee-"

The other mother seems done with the man's drawn out and distorted speech, giving him a forced smile.

"You are completely right honey. Come along Katsuki, let's go eat something in the kitchen."

The other father looks at her dejectedly, slumping down on himself.

"Right..."

He slowly turns around and drags his feet as he walks down the hall, only stopping a couple inches away from where he started. Katsuki doesn't want to follow, will not follow them to the kitchen. With the way the two of them are looking at him, like they want to cut him up just like that girl in the painting, like hell he's going to do anything they tell him to.

The other mother waits by the exit, staring at him with that forced smile still on her face. The prickling fear he feels under his skin won't deter him from his goal: Saving his parents and getting out of here. He glares at her.

"I'm not going. I already ate. I got shit in my backpack anyway."

The other mothers smile falters, and the footsteps of the other father slows to a stop. The big man lets out a breath as if it's his last one, lasting a whole five seconds while he slowly turns around. The other mother is quick to slap another smile on her face, this time showing a full set of teeth. They glisten, too white and too perfect.

"I'm only here for my parents! Give them back to me or ill fucking kill you!"

The light in the room makes the other mothers button eyes gleam, and she steps forward.

"Your other parents won't take care of you like we will Katsuki. We'll love you, be there for you, talk to you... Not like them. Do you really want to go back to that? That big ugly house, with no one in sight but yourself? We only want what's best for you."

Her words dig themself into his gut, making a hole of doubt. She reaches her hand out and Katsuki looks at it. He stares at the thin bones of her fingers, her skin barely containing them. He looks back at her button eyes and shakes his head, stepping back further.

"You're out of your damn mind! Anywhere is better than being in this shit hole!"

A flash of real, hot red anger settles on the other mother's face, frowning deeply at his rejection. Then, silently, she snaps her fingers. A big rat comes scurrying out from the exit of the drawing room. It has big button eyes and long teeth that chitter together when it runs. Katsuki feels disgusted just looking at it.

"Get the key."

The rat scurries over to him and he lifts his foot up, trying to get it to fuck off. But the rat is a lot quicker, scurrying up his pant leg and sticking its head into his pocket. Katsuki yells, feeling the rat's feet and hands scratching into his skin.

The bastard finds what he's looking for and scurries off of him, a big black button key in its mouth. Katsuki is rubbing into his pants aggressively, trying to wipe away the feeling of the rat on him. The other mother gives him a satisfied look, bending down slightly to get the key from the rat. The other father speaks from the hall.

"Only one key... One door... Feed... So... So hungry..."

The other mother glares down the hall.

"Shh!"

After hushing the other father, she goes to the door and locks it with a heavy thunk. She tucks the key into her pocket and looks at Katsuki.

"If you aren't going to eat, then go to bed. I'll be doing the same."

She walks to the other father and puts her hands on his shoulders, leading him to the stairs.

"Come along now dear."

"Sleep... Hungry... Feed..."

Katsuki watches them leave.