Files, Cabby [Inanimate Insanity AU]

File: Candle

[⚠️THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS GORE AND DESCRIPTIVE SELF HARM⚠️]

I rolled inside the laboratory, rubbing the bandage on my arm. It was stupid of me to do that, and I prayed that Test Tube wouldn't comment on it. I glanced at her sitting at her desk. She was preoccupied on the phone, calling someone.

"Yup! Everything's going fantastically!" She exclaimed. She had a very cheery look on her face. "Of course it's not 100% exactly the plan, but we got Yin-Yang and Candle! And no one has a clue where they could be!" I heard the person on the other end laughing. It sounded familiar.

Test Tube turned around to look at me. "Cabby! Welcome back!" She briefly looked at my arm but ignored it. "Slept well I assumed?"

I felt my eye bags droop further. "Like a baby. Just- forget about it, who are you on the phone with?"

"Oh! Just Fan. Hold on, lemme put you on FaceTime-" she quickly switched over to FaceTime and showed Fan to me.

"Hey, Cabby! Long time no see, eh?" He chuckled.

I laughed back awkwardly. "Hey, how's it going? You're... I'm sorry for getting you voted out early-"

"Water under the bridge! Plus, MePhone doesn't deserve my attention, nor participation."

"Right," I looked down at the floor, still unsure about why I was doing this, and what exactly was this "plan" the two came up with.

"I wish you were here, Fan, because we're gonna start our own little 'experiment' on Candle tonight!" Test Tube gloated.

"I mean... you could always just leave me on call? It's not like I'm busy or anything."

"Fair point," Test Tube put her phone on the desk and carefully aimed it at the table where Candle was resting. As she was doing that, I rolled over to Candle, looking down at her unconscious body. Duct tape was wrapped over the remaining of her wick several times to sedate the inner flame. I felt her hand, still warm to the touch, and her pulse was at an average rate. I didn't want to do this again, especially to her. I didn't talk to her as often as I wanted to, but I always felt like we... had potential to be more.

Test Tube walked over, observing Candle and rubbing her chin while pacing. "Before you came here, Cabby, I had attempted to slice open her wax, but that doesn't seem to be efficient enough, as the wax is pretty hard to pull off. I think that the wax itself is attached to her muscles!"

"So what's the plan then?" I worried.

"Easy!" She went into the back room and rolled out a tray full of burning hot coals. On top of the coals were several large nails. "We'll have to fight fire with fire!"

"Technically, Test Tube, it would be fighting flames with hot nails." Fan argued. Test Tube sighed and turned on the light above the table. I quickly backed away.

Candle began to wake up, but unlike Yin-Yang, she didn't immediately freak out. She simply looked bewildered at Test Tube.

"Where... am I..?" She was still in the process of waking up. "Test Tube?"

"Yup! Me again," Test Tube laughed awkwardly. Been a hot minute since the two of us talked one-on-one, huh?"

Candle looked more at her surroundings, but it was hard due to the blaring light. She attempted to move her arm in front of her eyes, but quickly found it strapped. Her breath quickened as she realized what was happening.

"Test Tube..." she stated as calmly as she could. "Listen to me, I know you don't want to do this... I don't see how the result after all of this would be worth it! Think about how the others would feel if they found out, and I'm not just talking about the contestants on this season."