The Future, the Past and the Ugly (Untrusted Love: Electric Boogaloo)

Ch 7. Familiar Song

Mono woke up with a gasp. Something soft was under him. Grass. Looking around, Mono found himself surrounded by trees. A forest?

The forest.

The Loop had reset? But he could remember everything? Maybe this wasn't a new loop? Maybe this was his loop but restarted? Mono stood up. His body had restarted as well, it seemed. His fingernails were short and his hair was neatly tucked behind his paper bag.

His paper bag. It had been so long since he'd worn it. Mono thought he'd feel overjoyed to be reunited with it but after recalling why he took it off and how long it'd been, it felt strange. Mono decided to keep it on. The hunger and cold had gone, leaving Mono feeling glad.

/ / /

The little boy, with a newfound sense of freedom, made his way along to the Hunter's cabin. He could mostly remember where the traps were but he admitted that the log scared him. He narrowly avoided being crushed by it.

The cabin itself was just as easy to break into but Mono knew something was about to happen. He couldn't quite put his finger on it but there was something. Remaining on high alert, he continued through the house.

Upon making it to the basement, Mono's ears were greeted by music. Aside from the snapping bear traps, it was the loudest thing he heard in months. The further into the basement he went, the louder it got, causing him to flinch. Why is this so.. familiar? He asked himself. He did find the source but it was boarded up behind some old wood.

Entering a seperate room, Mono stumbled upon an axe. Feeling the need to take it, the boy managed to pry it from its place. It was much easier now that he wasn't just bones with skin.

Carrying the axe was hard so he opted to drag it behind him until he reached the music again. Curious as to what that noise was caused by, Mono swung the axe into the wood. Splinters went flying and immediately the music stopped. Mono distantly heard the noise of frantic shuffling so he swung it again. A small hole was made but Mono couldn't fit through it so he swung the axe one last time. Most of the wood shards fell away leaving an opening just big enough for him to get through.

Inside was what looked like a child's room, or was a child's room. A music box rolled further from him, evidently having just been thrown. Mono went to inspect it but a noise caught his attention. At the opposite side of the room to him, hiding under a table was another child. Mono got the nagging feeling he was missing a memory and that he should know the child. The child didn't want to know him, though. Their red eyes peered fearfully at him like a cat's. Mono wanted to say something, introduce himself, ask them who they were, anything really, but his voice hadn't been used. Opening his mouth to say something, even if it was as simple as just his name, he wanted to talk. His vocal cords failed him however and his raspy throat hurt to use, leading him to say, barely audibly, a single word.

"Hey"

The child crept slowly out, still very wary of him. Mono also got a little closer, bending down onto his knee. He could see it was a girl, raven and unkempt hair hid her face, eyes peeked out from under it. Bluish-grey cardigan covered white shorts. She stared at him inquisitively. Mono offered his hand but stopped. He had been so isolated that he wasn't sure he wanted to touch someone. His bag felt weird enough, how would human contact be? Mono didn't have time to dwell as the stranger began to take his offer, her hand closing in on him. Not ready, Mono flinched backwards, startling the girl. She got up and shoved past him and took off out of the room.

Sighing, Mono went after her, if only to apologise.

/ / /

He eventually found her in a separate room, attempting to pull a lever of sorts. It was high enough that she could grab it if she jumped but pulling it down wasn't possible given her size.

Upon spotting him, the girl thought for a while then gestured for him to come closer. He did but kept his distance, still not quite ready. She interlocked her fingers and offered them to Mono, implying she'd give him a boost. At first Mono just stood there, he really didn't want to be touched at the moment but leaving the two to be stuck forever wasn't ideal. So Mono clumsily put his foot in her hands. She thrusted him up and he struggled to remain balanced. A familiar sense came over him, as if he'd done this countless times before, and he was able to steady himself and grab the lever. The girl let go of him but upon noticing that he too couldn't do it, she grabbed his ankles. With their combined weight, the lever was pulled and a ladder dispersed from the attic. Relieved that she had finally let him go, Mono climbed up the stairs, his new friend following.