The Monsters Inside Us (An Among Us Story)

Lost in the Stars

Yellow held a clipboard, asking some routine questions before Pink could be released from Medbay. "And, of course," she finished. "We're still waiting on your blood work, but that will likely be fine."

"Thanks," Pink said. The place where Lime had stabbed him had healed quickly. Far too quickly. Yellow had been surprised by his improvement but he knew it was that thing. Of course it was.

You're welcome.

Pink saw Black and Red standing silently side by side at the top of Cafeteria when he walked in. Their hands intertwined, watching the endless void pass by through the windows. He remembered once finding Blue sitting by those windows in the dead of night-or at least what was considered night in this timeless vacuum-and coming to her. That night they did their best to ease each other's homesickness. He wondered if life could ever be that simple again. He absently began scratching at the back of his left hand.

"Heard you were the model patient," Blue said, elbowing him.

"I guess so," Pink replied. He glanced at his right hand and found pieces of his skin stuck under his fingernails.

"Hey, is your hand alright?" Blue reached for his left hand. "Are you bleeding?"

Pink snatched it away. "Must be a little dry. I'll go find some lotion." He retreated to the sleeping quarters, his stomach twisting itself in knots. He inspected his hand and found that a huge patch of skin hand easily torn off, revealing a smooth, black, skin-like substance hugging close to his muscles, giving high definition of each tendon and ligament. Without his consent, his hand closed itself into a tight fist then opened and spread the fingers out wide. The parasite was testing its range of motion.

This will do.

Bile rose in his stomach and Pink choked back the vomit threatening him. "Please get out of me!" He tried to pull and tear at the black skin but it seemed impenetrable. He scratched at the rest of his hand, but that only caused more skin to come off and reveal the blackness. Sweat coated his forehead.

"You...alright?" Purple had entered the room without Pink noticing.

"Yeah, just a little queasy," Pink said, pulling his sleeve over his hand. Purple was already suspicious of him and knew better than to stay any longer. They set down a clean suit on their bed before leaving. Pink rifled through his small personal drawer and found the gloves that went with his suit, slipping them on and tucking the ends into the sleeves.

You can't hide me forever.

"I can try," Pink huffed. He wiped the sweat off his face with his sleeve.

"Pink to security," a voice blasted over the intercom. Pink took a moment to regulate his breath and headed for security, hoping so hard that he still had some semblance of control over his own body.

"The cameras cut out," Black said, clicking around on the computer without much luck. "And the room sensors are down. Radio signals won't come in or out."

"When did this happen?" Pink asked. "And the intercom is still up?"

"We just noticed it now. The intercom dropped out right after I asked you here." Black looked at him. He had never seen her look scared before now, but things were far from normal. "We could lose our course if we can't get back online." At her words, the doors to security slammed shut. "What-"

Pink lurched forward, a hand on either side of Black against the security desk. He felt that tendril forcing itself back up his throat. "No!" he cried, throwing himself onto the ground away from Black. A shiver ran through his body and goosebumps rose all over his body.