~Mark

I awoke to the sound of paper sliding across metal. I bolted out of bed and read the letter from Felix. "Friend, my journey has come to an end. As you know, I don't have a family to come home to, but that's not what matters to me. I am just looking forward to the smell of my hometown." I closed my eyes tightly and steeled myself for the next letter. He didn't know about the virus. "W-where is everyone?" I stammered as I read his next letter, feeling heartbroken on his behalf, even though he was a jerk at times and I still didn't really know him. "You shouldn't of come back." I shook my head as I sunk down onto the end of my bed, waiting for the next letter from somebody, anybody to come. A few seconds later I received a letter from Ken. "Morning!!!!!!! I sold my house and my food and one of my lungs but it's okay!" "How is it okay?!?" I asked in bewilderment. "I spent the money on another game for you!! Yay!!! Have fun be happy!" The next letter read. I felt my stomach twist like I was going to vomit. A man sold everything just to keep me happy. This guy is insane. Out of curiosity, I played the new game triangle wars but instantly got bored of it. Nonetheless, I played until I got another letter from Jack. "There used to be so much music in the world and people in the streets...now everything's silent." Another letter appeared at the door. "I have this old drum set in my garage...maybe I should break the silence?" "Please do!" I begged him. I longed to hear anything besides the sound of letters entering and the maddening ticking of the clock. "Speak of the devil..." I trailed off as I read Felix's letter. "Do you know what's going on out here? The virus? The organs? The blood?" I was saved from answering by a letter from Doctor Bob. "Mistakes were made. I, Doctor Bob, want to personally apologize for any inconveniences that might have arisen from the virus of our creation. Please accept this framed picture of me as consolation." With a huff of annoyance, I hung the poster by the door so it could remind me who trapped me here. Doctor Bob was a round man with extremely short curly light brown hair, a white lab coat and rectangular wire glasses. I felt like his cold brown eyes were watching me. "People are dying. Their organs are failing because of an antidote for the virus and everyone is infected. I wonder if I am too." "Don't say that, please. You're stuck up Felix. Nothing can take you down." I sighed as I took the letter and placed it on the table by the other stacks I had made. I had just enough room for the poppers and the four stacks of letters. "There seems to be a huge market for working organs now. Doctor Bob has a big supply and everyone is rushing to the stores and spending all of their money. But those organs are not what they seem." "That scumbag!" I yelled at the poster Doctor Bob gave me as I grabbed the next letter just as it passed under the door. "Everyone who uses Doctor Bob's organs dies a couple hours later...where do they come from? What are they? Does it even matter now? Are you infected too friend?" "I'm fine, I've been fine this while time. C'mon, you made it this far. You can't stop now." I pleaded to the papers in my hand as I put them in the stack and read the letter from Jack. "How much of the outside world can you hear from your cell? Is your cell up high? I don't know. Just listen closely..." I strained my ears and very faintly I could hear the beating of drums and the crash of cymbals. "Jack." I pressed my ear hard against the cold metal wall by my bed and patted my leg with my hand in rhythm with Jack, wanting to give up but not being able to make myself do it. I've had the opportunities, but I've ignored every single one in hopes of escaping with Jack and Felix, being able to go to his shop and eat cake together while Felix carves. "I hear it!" I shouted at the wall as loud as I could. The beat was in rhythm with the tick of the clock, but it sounded magical. I could almost feel the vibration coming from the drums. Almost as quick as it came, the music slowly faded away, leaving me in silence except for the ticking clock once more. I waited by the door and snatched up the letter from Jack as soon as I could and hastily opened it. "Could you hear it from up there?" "Yes!" I yelled desperately, wanting him to hear me. "I played as loud as I could for you, but I got tired real fast. I hadn't played the drums in a while. There's no better times than theses for music....and yet I feel lonely." "Just hang on, please." I begged once again as I opened the next letter from him. "Of course I could play more, but is it worth it? It will never be the same magical moment again." "I don't care, play more!" I pleaded as I read the following letter. "That one moment in between all of the dreary ones." "It was nice." I smiled fondly, wanting to treasure the moment forever. "This can't go on forever." The next letter stated. "Jack..." I failed to find anything to say. Was he really thinking what I was thinking? "I don't even know how many people are dead. I'm afraid to look. I can only see what's outside my window. And I see nothing but blood. I think I am alone." "No no no no no," I chanted, not wanting him to do what I feared he would be doing soon. "Everyone is dead." "Not true!" I screamed in protest, feeling my voice break and tears spill down my cheeks. "The cities lights are going out." My voice trembled as I read his newest letter. "The town has no electricity anymore. The only lights I see are coming from the prison." "One more day." I read softly as a tear splashed down onto the letter that I held in my shaking hands. "Tomorrow evening." "Jack, don't you dare..." I crushed the letter close to my chest like it was a life preserver. "Until then you must come here." "I can't!" I sobbed. "I will wait here." "I physically can't, okay?!?" I screamed back. "If you can't make it, well....I fear the world has no place for me anymore." "You can't be serious." I stared down at the letters grasped tightly in my shaky hands, at the swirling green font and the green eye seal. "I am waiting for your arrival. Until then here's a cake I made for you and a drumstick. Here's a little bit of music." I rolled the wooden drumstick in between my hands, then took the cake and set it on the table along with the drumstick after pushing the letters from Doctor Bob onto the floor. The cake smelled exactly like the letters Jack sent me and tasted even better too. "Last popper." I announced as I sprayed confetti in the room one last time. I was eating a small slice of cake on my bed when another letter from him came. "I hope you like it." "I love it." For the first time in a long time, I smiled widely as Tim raced around me. After I finished eating, I got a letter from Felix. "Did you hear that wonderful music? I tried to head in its direction, but it was over too quickly. I am tired." "Me too." I yawned in reply. "I will just go sleep in some empty apartment around here. God knows there are enough of those now. I need to see you again friend." "Me too." I repeated, feeling touched. "You are probably still in that cell, all alone...tomorrow I will come visit you. But first, let us rest friend!" I cheered triumphantly and danced around the room. I was going to be free, there would be enough time to stop Jack, and I was going to see Felix and learn how he knows me. My eyes then widened in surprise as I received a letter from Ken. "Buddy!!! Are you playing your games??? Are you happy???" "Yeah I'm happy cause I'm leaving tomorrow!" I cheered again. "I am happy but tired. Sleepy buddy sleepy." "Sorry for you I guess." I shrugged nonchalantly. "Tomorrow it will all end." "You and me both pal." I smirked. "Speaking of sleep..." I bounced onto my bed and looked over at the posters Jack and Felix gave me. "I gotta sleep." I murmured as I closed my eyes and instantly drifted off to sleep, dreaming of the ways I would escape.