FEAR GARDEN [ Regretevator ]

GREETINGS

    It was a loud weekend at Two Stud Camp. A camp that was quiet only a day ago was now bustling with noise. Oddly, music blasted through speakers, people were flooding the campgrounds, and some kind of...party was being hosted. It was the Saturday right after the kids left the sad little summer camp, and a certain somebody decided that throwing a party, just to have the counselors take a moment to rest, was a good idea. This somebody was Partynoob.

    Partynoob was sitting on a wooden log, holding a cup of blogsy, their favorite drink. They took a sip, removing their party horn from their mouth. They didn't want it to get sticky. The song blasting on the speakers stopped, and everyone could temporarily hear cicadas—if they listened hard enough. People were still talking. No new songs played. How weird, Poob thought. I thought the playlist wuz longer than dis!!

    After a few more minutes, they realized the party was over already. Earlier, one of the probably drunk counselors told everyone they couldn't be there and some doofus believed it and spread the word. Now, almost everyone was gone, and going into or are already in the elevator in pairs of 5. Poob and one other were the only ones who didn't believe them. Poob sat up and looked around to see if that other was still there with them.

...chitter..

    They immediately looked to where the chittering noises came from, then squealed. "PEST!!" Poob stood up, dropping their now empty cup of blogsy. Pest scoffed, trying to leave, but Poob ran over and hugged him. "Ouh—I missed you!!!" He didn't verbally respond, but instead just nodded. "..Are u alright, Pest?..O ya, you don't gotsa come to my parteez if you don wanna. I know how..grumpy u can be!" Pest's eyes narrowed at the shorter figure before him. "..don't..get so close. I can pinch you on accident", he mumbled. Poob immediately backed up and apologized profusely. The two stood still for a moment, before Pest started to walk away. "Wuh—where are ya goin??" Poob whined. "Plz..I'm the only wun here!!!!!..other tan you!!!!!......" The beetle sighed, before scooping up Poob into their arms, then continuing to walk away, chatting on the way to the elevator, which was now empty.

    "I was planning to go home and sleep, but if you want me to stay with you sooo badly then we can go to your apartment." "wait!!!! my speakers,,let me get my speakers!!" Poob flailed around playfully in Pest's arms. He responded with a giggle. "You have boxes and BOXES of speakers. You can leave a few."

ding!

    The elevator made a familiar "ding" noise, before it's doors opened to Partynoob's apartment. The elevator doors closed once the two lovers stepped out. On Poob's tv, a video of a cat with a pacifier looped. Pest had to admit, it was cute. But that wasn't really what he was there for. He didn't feel like walking to their bedroom, so the beetle laid Poob down on their couch, then got a blanket and laid with them, covering them both with the blanket. Unlike Partynoob, Pest wasn't really that sleepy, as he mostly stood around during the party. Eventually, the shorter one fell fast asleep, quietly snoring. The almost silent snores were followed by Pest's snoring—the volume equivalent to that of a buzzsaw.

    There they stood. Staring at a garden. A bloody beautiful garden. But it wasn't beautiful to them. It was only beautiful to it.

"A garden of hands, hm? How original! Don't you see, dear? How the fingers sprout like petals? And it's even better if the nails are painted. They look like little colorful flowers. It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"..huh              who are you?"

"none of your business. you may learn my name later, but for now you need to listen. dont give up on the idea. it wont reward you in the long run, but you'll love the results, wont you?" "..I don't know wut ur talking about." "you will soon. dont deny it when you get the urges." "...ok."