Are We Cool Yet? [Complete!]

Before and After

Peanut's POV

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Shy and Larry are sitting with their back facing me. I can move, but I don't. 

We keep getting more subject. More eyes.

I am not sure about the Mask. The Larry does not seem bad, but I do not know. He is the shape and size of researcher. He wears a cloth like man. I am not sure I trust. But he does not look. That is good, so I will tolerate.

He is melting the floor slightly. He could melt me maybe. Hm.

Well I am used to men staring or ignoring. But subjects ignore me also. I can go by myself now, if I want. 

They are talking. I wish to talk too. I do not think it is a private talk, but I hang back.

I want to do something. I am bored. I want crunch. Crunch feels good when I am sad. I leave. Big room empty still. Next room also empty. Where is the man?

There is none. Just bodies. Some have been cut. They do not look well, but their necks are intact. Some have too many arms, some have no arms. Another subject.

There seem to be very many. This place is big. I am not sure we should have any more subject join us.

The only subject that is good is Shy. Shy talks to me. I have not talked in a long time. Now he is busy, and the Mask is busy. He is angry, also, I can tell but I do not know why. Angry and scared. He wants something. He can not find it.

Well. I do not care.

Something touched me. I can move, so I move away. 

It felt like a hand. It was big and cold. I think that maybe it is Shy, so I look toward the ground when I look for him.

"Where are you going?"

"I am looking for man. I want crunch."

"It's not so bad in that... cafeterium? Cafeteria. We can rest and eat."

"I do not need either."

"We've been wandering for hours."

And then I was trying to leave. Now no one is doing anything. I want crunch.

"Are you okay?"

Am I okay of course I am. I am strongest person I know. I just do not feel good in my emotions, they hurt a very slightly. "Yes."

"Can you wait a bit, for the rest of us?"

"I am ignored. I rather crunch."

"Come on. We can talk, or something. It's been a long time since any of us have really done anything besides wander and be tested. I miss talking."

Shy took my hand and started trying to lead me back. It startles me. He is very cold. I come.

"What talk about?"

"Anything, I guess. Just— not about here. I've had enough of here."

"So we talk about before or after?" Saying after feels good. It makes me more sure there will be an after.

"Yeah."

"I... do not remember much. There was something blue for a ceiling. The light was very warm. Everything was warm and good. I could move."

"I remember the blue thing too! Maybe we're from the same place. Except I remember it being cold."

"Your hand is cold."

He held his hand up to his face. I made sure not too look at it, except out of the corner of my eyes. It looked like the rest of him. Pale and cold, red-pink-stained like his hands. "It doesn't feel cold to me. Anyway, cold is good."

"Is not. The warm is better."

We reached the big room. The Mask has pizza sauce on it's cheek. The Larry is standing on a table. There is no reason why. He just is.

The Larry is weird. I never expect him to do the things he does.

He looks at Shy first. He does not look at Shy's face. That is good. I do not want anyone to look at Shy's face.

Shy is looking back at him. They seem happy to see each other, but I do not know why.

"Hey, Shy, you found him!"

Hm. Am I a him? I could be, maybe.

"I was not lost," I say. "I just look for crunch."

"You're the one that snaps necks?"

"I am the one that cronches," I correct him.

He grins. "Right. So do y'all have a plan or something?"

"We're just looking for a way out," Shy says.

"The way I went is new, but there is subject. I saw many cut-up men."

The Mask sits up from the floor where he was lying down. Like the food made him sleep. "Cut-up? Like, surgery?"

"I do not know Sir Gary."

The Mask stands up. "Which way?"

"You know the subject?" Asks the Larry.

"I think so. I hope so."

"Is he hostile?" Shy asks. He seems suddenly nervous, ever since they said Sir Gary. 

"Not to me— us. Just the researchers. He can turn them into helpers to protect us."

"What is he called?"

"I call 'em Doc."

"We're gonna look for him?" The Larry asks.

"Yes. Um... please?"

Shy does not say anything. Now it is my turn to ask him, "are you okay?"

He is shaking as if he wants to cry. "Y-yeah, just... I don't like thinking about surgeries and stuff. The researchers were never... well, very gentle, I mean. And they tried a lot of things to make me die..."

The only time I put my arms around someone is when it is time to crunch. I do not crunch Shy. He is surprised, but not in a bad way I think. He does it's back. His hands are cold but I do not care.

"Thank you, Peanut."