She's a Little Slow on the Uptake (Inanimate Insanity)

The Very Freaky Not-Good Place

The first thing Apple noticed about the mansion was that it was dark. It was so dark all around them that she could see only a few feet in front of her, because it was really dark. Really dark.

'Not that I'm afraid of the dark. Being scared would be so unlike me. I'm brave!'

Apple took a deep breath to pacify her nerves. "Why does MePhone make challenges that happen at night, anyway? Doesn't he know it's hard to see?"

"Obviously. Everyone knows that."

"Well, maybe he doesn't," Apple replied. "Maybe he forgot. His screen's on a lot."

"That wouldn't surprise me, but he probably just wants to mess with us."

Apple's shoulders were tense as she led the way. She could see only a few feet in front of her, because it was really dark. Really dark.

Apple jumped at the sound of a voice. There was a kneeslap a few seconds lafter. At least it wasn't a ghost. The mansion felt freaky and she wondered if there were ghosts in it, because it seemed like a haunted house. "Why would he do that?"

"Reality shows are all about messing with us," Marsh replied. "Did you see that last elimination prize? He threw pumpkins at us. He didn't have to do that. He clearly wanted to psych us out."

"I dunno. MePhone seems like a nice guy, right? Maybe there's a light switch." Apple felt along the old wall hopefully.

"It's a decrepit Victorian mansion. Even if it has lights, nobody would pay to keep them on."

'It's DARK,' Apple thought.

'Ugh... More words I don't know the meaning of.' She stopped feeling the wall and grimaced.

Not wanting to sound stupid, Apple stopped feeling along and grimaced, focusing on that which lay ahead. "Ugh... I've just never really liked the dark. It's too hard to see in it, you know?"

"...That's kind of the point."

But Apple could see that expression on Marsh's face, and it was unimpressed. "N-not that I'm scared or anything, nope! I just don't want to step on things, I-is all."

Marsh sighed and took the lead.

Honestly, thank goodness. Apple heaved a silent sigh of relief.

Apple would never admit it, not in a bajillion years, but there was a slight chance that she was maybe, just possibly, theoretically, a teensy bit afraid of the dark.

Only in that freaky mansion, though!

She laughed nervously. "G-good idea. Nothing like a brave person to watch your back, right?"

Her only response was stony silence. You could slice the air with a knife, the tension was so thick.

It was almost as if they were being watched.

With that unnerving thought, Apple picked up Marsh, hugging her.

"What's wrong?" Marsh snapped.

"Um... don't you think someone's watching us?"

"Someone's always watching us. We're on reality TV; that's kind of the point. Can you put me down?"

'Wow. For once, I guess I'm not the one who doesn't get it. That's... kind of reassuring.' Apple chuckled nervously and let her down so they could get moving.

'M-maybe I am scared, for real. ...But at least I have Marsh. On my own, I'm not much... But I'm at my best when I have her to protect. She makes me stronger. And I have to keep her safe. She needs me; she's so, so scared.'

"This is a waste of our time," Marsh deadpanned. "I'm just saying. MePhone doesn't even have to do anything. He just turned us loose in the dark expecting us to play head games with ourselves."

Apple grinned helplessly at Marsh's back, a surge of warmth in her chest.

'...Even if I was blind in this scary, dark mansion, I'd be able to get through okay thanks to Marsh. And that's why we have to stick together. No getting separated.'