JELLYFISH

DOOR 016

[name] felt heavier when they woke up. Heavier in the sense that they could finally feel their right arm again, but it was just around the time they had grown used to not having it around. The stickiness of the blood soaking their bandages and the numbing feeling of drugs in their system had grown all too normal.

How many more times did they have to go through this?

They wanted to eat, even though they were not hungry. They wanted to feel air, fresh air, on their skin. They wanted out of this hell.

[name] opened their eyes, and it was uncomfortably bright. They glared up at the light, they watched it dim, and it moved away from [name]'s place on the floor.

Oh.

It was Sebastian.

They saw his uncoordinated eyes blinking at them from beside them, his figure no longer cloaked in darkness, but the end of his tail still remained in it. His hands clasped and unclasped together, earfins wiggling with uncertainty.

"I'm sorry." He said, straight and bland. [name]'s eyes relaxed from glaring up at the light to staring up past his head. They knew he was sorry. He had said that before in the facility, but he was much clearer this time. His thoughts were no longer mixing together.

"I know." [name] muttered, sighing, and laid an arm across their eyes.

[name] could hear him sliding (slithering?) across the floor, back to his original place, watching them. Yet again, even if it was just a moment, [name] wanted to rest in this place of darkness. It was their only chance of solitude after being suffocated and eaten.

Only when an uncertain amount of time passed did they move their arm off their face and sit up, rubbing the bridge of their nose. This place was colder than usual, but it was nice feeling that way.

"What was it this time?" Sebastian's voice was not bored or sarcastic like usual when he asked this opening question, but it was toned down, and [name] was aware of him.

"It made a howling noise, and knocked me around in my locker," they explained, motioning to their arm, "I...tried to keep the locker shut, but it managed to get me out and..." And then eat me. Did they really eat them? Did those creatures eat humans? [name] didn't want to know.

Sebastian hummed, then made a noise, "be prepared next time, it'll be back.." He pushed the needed folder across the desk, then pushed it open with a clawed hand, revealing that many-eyed creature. The first image was of two gates, either opening or closing, with Pandemonium, that's its name, peeking through the center with a bright light flashed at it. The second image was red and dark, but they could see Pandemonium's fleshy outline due to the white eyes of the picture and the human-like teeth.

As long as we are out of sight, we'll be fine, [name] thought, rubbing their palms against each other nervously. If Pandemonium was near, they would need to hide in a side room rather than a locker. [name] was sure they could keep the locker doors closed this time, but they needed more confidence.

"By the way," Sebastian's voice cut through their thoughts, causing them to lift their head toward the lure that hung above them, "I- an acquaintance of mine looked into a few things...about you. And your little group."

[name]'s brows rose on their own. They brought their hands up on the desk, fingers resting upon the blacked-out pages of Pandemonium's document. Sebastian could only chuckle dryly at [name]'s anticipation.

"Not much, he... Hmm..." Sebastian made a noise, inwardly, then continued speaking, "couldn't find a lot Honestly, the most they keep track of these days is who was in for what, and how long their sentences are." His voice seemed to grow tight, and then he just exhaled, releasing the anger.