Lassoing the Cresent Moon

17. Resisting Sleep

I groaned softly. Where was I...

I was- moving? I felt something clamped tight around my waist as it carried me through the air. There were big purple paws with long black claws below me. They were sharp enough to kill. I gulped and decided to play dead, laying limp before the creature that held me reached out to open a hatch. It opened with a creak and I was soon dropped through it.

My eyes widened as I saw what had thrown me. It was a giant purple cat with an eerie grin and bright silver eyes.

Wind flew through my hair as I hit a broken mattress and bounced onto a trash pile, only barely staying conscious. I groaned softly... At least I stayed awake this time.

I slowly forced myself up, already regretting being awake. My back ached dully while my spine felt a sharp hit. I looked around. I was in some sort of garbage chute that spelled like piss and dead rats.

I didn't even care anymore. I was just happy to be alive. I sighed as I laid back. Maybe I could rest just a little bit.
At that thought an alarm blared as red lights flashed around. I felt the ground shake as the walls began to whir and move closer.

Ah this was a garbage compactor. Of course, just my luck! I forced myself up on all fours, trying to ignore my shaky legs. I looked for something to grab onto as my surroundings began to rise and crumple. My vision still wasn't fully clear. I trudged to the corner before I found a ladder and a pole. Using my grab pack I gripped on to the ladder and pulled myself up onto the pole, finding a hole that I could crawl into to escape. I leaped to it before my sore legs threw me out of the tunnel like spot into another room.

I panted and stared at the ceiling as I laid on the floor.

Where was I now?

I closed my eyes hardly wanting to look. At least the air was fresher than it was in the dump. I inhaled and exhaled, trying to get my racing heartbeat and throbbing body under control. I knew I was in danger, being completely exposed in the middle of nowhere while very likely being watched or stalked by some killer toys. I just hoped that if I had ten more seconds of rest the exhaustion and pain in my limbs would fade, even if only slightly.

It didn't.

What just happened?
Did the train crash?
Was Poppy alive?
Did that cat save me from the ruins?
Or was it trying to kill me in the garbage compactor?

I didn't know... I sniffled and curled up into a ball. My hands grabbed onto my head as I took a deep breath.

Was Poppy looking for me?
Was she the enemy?
Would I live past this?

I didn't know anything. I tugged at my hair in frustration hating the chill of my bare arms against the floor. I could feel my closed eyes heat up as I started to cry.

What had Poppy said about me? She said I was perfect?
What a joke.

I didn't know how long I had been in the fetal position crying but I knew I had run out of tears. The damp lines on my cheeks felt frozen as I stared at the wall. I wasn't even shivering anymore.

When I couldn't stay on the floor any longer I decided to look around to find-

A couch and television.

I blinked as I saw cartoons waving on a rug. Around that rug were a couch with a blanket thrown on it, a love seat, and the buzzing of television static.

There was a couch there this whole time!?

I peeled myself off the floor without hesitation before limping to the couch. I took a moment to examine myself. I seemed to have a few scrapes and plenty of what felt like bruises, but nothing that look deathly serious.