It was quiet.

Calm, almost.

Everyone in the Freesmart van was asleep, trying to catch some rest after what had taken place before.

~
"She's lost a lot of blood...she's going to be out-of-it for a while." Book gently placed Match's stitched hand down. "I managed to stitch her hand back up...it was a deep cut, but it didn't do any vital damage..but like I said, she's going to be out-of-it for the majority of tomorrow.."

"How can we help her come out-of-it then?" Ice Cube acknowledged.

"Icy's right. If anything were to happen, we would need to get out of here fast." Pencil crossed her arms.

"Well..we have our food here, so all we need to do is give her sweets, like...oranges..and let her get plenty of rest. If she were to lose more blood..."

It stayed quiet.

"Well...It doisn't matter now..." Bubble chimed in. "She's alive.."

"And thank the pencil factories that she's safe.."

"Yes...shes going to be in a anemic state, so we'll give her plenty of sweets tomorrow. And if anything happens, well..." Book looked back at the stash of knifes that they had taken from the clubhouse.

"Yes, good thinking Book. But for now..let's just lay low, ok?"

"Agreed."

~

Ice Cube yawned sleepily, turning over to her side. She waited a bit, before she felt Book's arm wrap around her comfortingly, a sleepy smile slowly spreading on her face. Book was snoring away; tired from all of the stress that had hit her in a sudden rush yesterday. Ruby slept beside her; her shine looking more dull and darkened than usual.

Match laid in Pencil's arms, her face slowly regaining more of its color. Her wrist was covered in bandages, a light shade of pink dotting on the area of her cut. Pencil sighed sleepily, holding Match closer than before. Bubble slept beside them, hugging herself slightly as she shivered.

It was all quiet, until a shout suddenly shattered the peaceful silence within the van.

"NO! NO NO! FLOWER!" Ruby screamed out, suddenly jolting awake as beads of sweat dropped down her face. Everybody jumped; the sudden exclamation waking them from their peaceful slumber.

"Ugh- RUBY! What the hell?!" Pencil grumbled sleepily, shifting her body slightly. Ruby didn't acknowledge her; she was looking around in a panicked manner, unable to pull herself out of her darkened mind. Book slowly sat up, rubbing her eyes and yawning.

"Hmm..What's going on..?" She slurred out.

"Try to help out your little friend there, she woke us ALL up." Pencil snapped out.

Book looked towards her side, and suddenly snapped out of her sleepy state, quickly moving in front of Ruby.

"Ruby? Ruby. Breathe." She took her hands, and began to rub the back of them soothingly. Ruby panted slightly, staring intently towards the ground as she felt her heart pounding rapidly with fear.

"There..." Book looked up. "Is..everything okay..?"

"I- Uh...I had a nightmare.." Ruby looked away, a bit embarrassed towards the reason.

"Oh, Ruby.."

"I-It's a dumb reason, I know! But...I-I saw..Flower..? And I didn't know wh-What to do, but I really wanted to go towards her, b-but then.." her eyes began to water.

"Go on..."

"She began to turn pale...sh-She was shaking, and the next thing I knew..she was puking so much b-..blood...and ..flowers..? I-I wanted to help, but I couldn't move...I was frozen, and she reached out towards me, almost..begging me to help her, but I couldn't! I-I couldn't move, and I couldn't help her..!" She squeezed Book's hands. "B-But then.."

"Then..?"

"I-I was yanked away...and then I just..fell...Flower was screaming....and..that's when I.."

"Ruby." Book rubbed her hands soothingly. She looked up fearfully, a year slowly rolling down her cheek.

"I..I know that this is all scary...but you have to remember that it was just a nightmare..."

"But it felt so..real.."

"And that's how nightmares are. They feel...powerfully real. And we can do one of two things; we can either remind ourselves that it was just a dream...or panic to a point where we're eventually living in that mental trap."

Ruby nodded, her fear and shakiness slowly disappearing from her.

"So...just take it easy, okay? Remember that it was a dream...know that it wasn't real, and know that we're going to make it through. Alliance, remember..?" Book smiled towards her, holding her hand out. Ruby smiled sadly, intertwining her fingers with hers.

"Alliance..."

Book smiled, before she looked around towards the others. Pencil was slowly sitting up, trying to stretch and move her stiffened arms a bit. Match was beginning to wake up; her eyes droopy and filled with exhaustion.

"How's she holding up?" Book moved towards the figure. Pencil looked down, and sighed, brushing her hand against Match's cheek.

"She's..well, she's cold.."

"That's normal. Can she sit up?"

Pencil moved away, and Match drowsily began to move, sitting up and laying against the seat behind her. She let her eyes close, as a sigh escaped her lips.

"Alright, good. I'll get her some food." Book turned back around, and began to rummage through the bags that they had packed.

Meanwhile, Bubble and Ice Cube were peeking out of the windows, scanning the area outside and making sure that they were safe. But also...

"I think they're worried." Ice Cube whispered. "We promised that we'd visit one more time, but.."

"It's only been a day, Oicey...maybe they're still waiting..?"

"Oh..I don't know Bubble, Bracelety is very...how do I say it.."

"Caring?"

"I guess so..! I just don't want her to worry.."

Bubble sighed, putting her hand on her chin sleepily.

"Well..I don't know if Fanny's worrying. She may be grumpy at times, but I know she's being patient..and I know that SHE knows that we're okay.."

Ice Cube raised her eyebrow. "You think so?"

"I know so! There's a good side to her, Oicey..It just takes some time to dig towards it.."

"Okay.."

Match blinked slowly, listening to the conversation that the two were having. Weren't they going to..? But then it happened...

It all happened too fast...

"Ugh.." she sunk her face into her hand, letting the warmth from her hand heat her freezing forehead.

"You okay?" Pencil moved closer towards her.

"Y-Yeah..just, cold...I guess.."

"Here.." She grabbed a sheet from her side, and gently wrapped it around her shoulders. Match sighed, resting her head on Pencil's shoulders.

"...I couldn't bring them.."

"What?"

"I couldn't bring them to see..uh.."

"Match, you nearly died. And your thinking about that...?"

"I just..I feel bad, Who knows what's going on over there..what if they're panicking?"

"Match, they're fine. They should know that they aren't gonna be around much; we're trying to stay alive in this hellhole."

"Mm...I hope your right, Pencil.."

"I am. They're probably just..hoping for the best for us. I mean, there isn't any way that they could know who..." Pencil's eyes widened. "Oh.."

"What's wrong..?" Match quickly caught onto her change of tone, and slowly sat upwards. Pencil shook her head, muttering slightly before she looked back up towards the others.

"Guys, did the eliminated contestants know that Pin's going around and killing people."

"Well, they did know about the deaths of...Firey, and everyone up until...uh..Needle? We..." Ice Cube suddenly paused.

"Wait- so they don't KNOW that Pin's the murderer?!"

"I think they thought that it was Leafy..! Why?" Bubble wrung her hands together.

"GUYS. LISTEN TO ME." Pencil moved towards the two, a glint of fear shining in her eyes. "Did you TELL them where we were gonna be?!"

"No- w-Well, yes, but, WHY?"

"Oh...oh no, oh no oh no oh NO." Pencil looked around in fear. "She's- oh pencil factory.."

"What is it, Pencil? Why are you freaking out?!" Book began to approach her, but she held her arms out.

"Don't you SEE WHAT THIS MEANS?!"

Quiet. Everyone glanced around nervously towards each other, and Pencil crosses her arms angrily.

"This means that if Pin goes to the TLC, she could FIND OUT where we are!"

"Well, why would she even go to the TLC in the first place?" Ruby joined in.

"To see if THOSE TWO are there." Pencil pointed towards Ice Cube and Bubble, who were cowering in fear from the taller figure.

"And so? What is she-"

"Shes going to ASK where we are. And since they don't KNOW, they're going to TELL HER!"

"Like, way to go, you two.." Match slurred out, rubbing her head. "You're going to get us killed..."

"No way! Bracelety would never tell her!" Ice Cube exclaimed. "And Fanny wouldn't either!"

"And how do you know THAT?"

"Why do you want to know."

"I can't find them; I'm going to finish making the recovery center, so I need more hands for the job!"

Fanny rolled her eyes. "We're not telling you where they are."

"Listen, I know that you're worried about them, but we have to team up here. Leafy could get them, and knowing her, she could take them out like THAT." Pin crossed her arms, staring down at the mention of..her.

"Well, whatever. Isn't there more people out there to help you or something."

"LIKE THAT ONE OBJECT ICY WAS WITH! GELATIN, I THINK?!"

"Gelatin's dead."

"OH.." Bracelety's voice quieted down slightly. 

"Listen, Pin, we know your scared and all, but what's going on out there? Why isn't Bossy Bot making some sort of gadget to help stop Leafy?" Blocky chimed in.

"And where's Coiny? Fries? And...not sure if she's out there, but..Puffball?" Pen added on.

Pin stayed silent.

Don't cry.

Don't cry.

Don't make this harder for yourself.

She looked up.

"They're dead. Everyone's dead."

The TLC stayed silent...as everyone exchanged nervous glances towards each other.

"Leaving her old alliance member for last, Huh." Blocky sighed out.

"Don't say that. I'm surprised the girls haven't told you what was going on..."

"Are you kidding?! You think they'd come down here to talk to US?! Pff, They're always coming down here to talk to the two lesbians by the wall."

"HEY!"

"ENOUGH! Listen, if you don't want to find out that your little girlfriends dead in a ditch somewhere, then you better tell me where they are. The more, the better; we can stop Leafy together."

Fanny looked towards Bracelety. She shook her head, but Bracelety paused for a moment...thinking.

"Should we..tell her, Fanny?" Bracelety reduced her voice to a whisper. Fanny shook her head.

"I don't know Bracelety. She sounds kind of..,off to me."

"But what if she's right?! Icey and Bubble are in danger, if she managed to survive this long, maybe she could help protect them!" Bracelety whispered...well, tried to.

"But what if she survived this long because SHE had something to do with it."

They looked down for a moment...trying to dig within their thoughts and see if they could come up with a solution.

"I know you don't trust me right now, I know you're scared, but please...let me help." Pin pleaded, placing her hands on the cold, metal walls. "I'll do anything you'd like, if you just tell me where they are..."

Fanny and Bracelety looked up. 

"....Really?"

"Anything."

"Hm. How about you bust us out of here, and THEN we'll show you where they are?" Fanny explained. 

"I can bust you out, after I manage to save them and stop Leafy from killing the rest of us. Everyone's crossed off of her list; I don't think you'd like to be added on there..."

Fanny rolled her eyes angrily.

"This is all we can really do Fanny....she's our last hope on not only getting out of here, but its also how Bubble and Ice Cube can make it out of this mess.."

"Hhhrgh...." Fanny squeezed her eyes shut.

What if she was lying?

What if she doesn't take them out of there?

What if she's planning to harm them?

...what else was there that they could do..?

Fanny sighed.

"Alright. You better listen carefully, because were only telling you once."

"Okay, maybe we can get rid of the glue by sawing it off...?" Ruby suggested. Pencil shivered.

"You...can saw it off. I can't do saws."

"But didn't you want to die by-"

"SHH."

"Well, wheres the saw? Book?"

The two turned towards Book, and she looked down nervously.

"O-Oh..uh....I think I..uh...."

Silence.

"...You left it behind, didn't you."

"Yes, I did."

"BOOK!"

The van's atmosphere began to explode with angered comments, as Book attempted to argue back towards the others.

Match simply watched...her face vacant and simply out of it all. White noise filled her head, as she turned slightly and faced the window. 

She wanted to help...she didn't know how she could, especially in this crap state, but...she had to help. It was her alliance; she wasn't going to let them down.

But she wouldn't be allowed OUT of the van...they were too worried about her..blood levels? Whatever.

Suddenly, the white noise in her head began to wear off, as the noises of the conversation began to fill her head...

"..So if we manage to saw through the glue, we can get out of here?" Pencil.

"Yes! All we would have to do is go back to the clubhouse and grab the saw! Its simple!" Ruby.

"Yet, dangerous. Who knows where Pin could be..." Book. 

"So, when are we gonna pull this through? Should we do it at night?" Ice Cube. 

"No way! She could easily foind us out there!" Bubble. 

So familiar...but so...distant...

"But, Pin's asleep at night. We can quickly go back to the clubhouse, get the saw, and get out of here before its too late! Its better than doing it during the day, especially since she could find us!" Ruby exclaimed. 

"Well, if we were to do it, lets say around...3 AM?" Book suggested.  

They all nodded in agreement, and Match shook her head slightly.

She was going to do it. 

They had to get out of there.

She didn't know why, but there was a burning feeling in her heart..a feeling that was telling her to act before its too late.

To get out.

And never return.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

i am just,,,gay u_u

hello everyone, i am alive , and i bring to you: part 42

ah yes,,the gays,,,,,,,,,but someone has spilled the beans.....

oops....

ah shit, here we go again.......

but uhh yea!!

ALSO i finally hit 1000 on instagram and I'm gonna be hosting a q&a thing soon! So keep an eye out for that (schools killing me so i cant do it now oof)

anyways!! enjoy! 

~ice