18:00

59 : Backbone

A week had passed with little change. A week to settle in, adjust, and get to talk a little. It was quite a welcome change to many of them, albeit a little boring. But you couldn't wish for everything in this hellhole.

But, of course, something always happens. They couldn't just pause time.

And no matter how unfortunate it was, it came as no surprise when the room's door opened, and Test Tube stood in the doorframe. She held her clipboard, her coat draping down her legs.

"G-5." She called out rather simply. Bow's face visibly sank, but she just took a deep breath before standing up.

The room was dead silent as she walked over. She turned over, looking back once more. "...Uh, see ya later?"

She waved in an awkward attempt to lighten the mood a little. Then, she stepped through the door, and it promptly closed behind her.

That regular feeling of dread washes over the room- not particularly high, given how often Bow and Soap had to be called in due to their unique condition, but there was always the chance it was something horrible.

Something was off today though. Knife felt it at the back of his mind- but of course, this was his first time watching someone be taken from the room. He couldn't have known what it was. But an off feeling kicked at the back of his mind as he slowly turned back to his conversation with Mic. She turned back.

"Yeah, that... happens." She sighed softly. She glanced back at the door for a split second, before immediately looking back towards him. He just solemnly nodded with a gruff grunt.

A brief moment of silence passed by before she spoke up again.

"So..." she shook it off quickly, "What were you talking about again?"

"I... don't know. That distracted me." Knife huffed. His expression didn't falter from its concerned state, even as he spoke. "How often does that happen?"

"Not too often. Were brought in for checkups every so often, but we were just brought in last week, so I don't know why she's being brought in." She replied, her shoulders sinking a little.

That caught Knife off-guard. He knew about the checkups, but from what he had heard, it wasn't good to be called in off that schedule. He looked around, and from the looks Lightbulb and Soap exchanged with each other, he doubted it was good.

But when he looked back at Microphone, she just stood there, her face rather neutral. "...What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"It's nothing." Knife huffed, blinking slowly before looking straight back. "You... you think she's gonna be okay?"

"Not really." Mic said rather plainly. "Not if she's being brought back this early. I mean, from what I heard, last time she came back with those stitches."

Knife stared for a second, dumbfounded by how casual she was being about this. He looked back at Soap for a brief moment, just to double check the others were worried by this. Then he looked straight back at Mic. "What's wrong with you?"

"Wh- what do you mean by that? Did I do something??" Mic responded, taking her turn to be taken aback. "I mean, I feel fine."

"That's the problem." Knife said, maybe a little louder than he should've considering the silence of the room. "You're just- nonchalant about it? You're the type of person to worry a ton about this sort of thing. Are you even concerned about what might be happening?"

Mic paused. She stood still for a good few seconds, before gently saying. "I... I don't think I am." Her face said it all though- it wasn't that she didn't care. She just couldn't feel it.