I kept wheezing out small breaths as I arrived to my destination, nearly launching myself head-first into the iron-barred gate blockading the next level up. I took a few steps back, wandering into the soon-gathering crowd of remaining survivors. I mean friends.

...Jesus Christ. This damn killing game really has messed me up.

Ugh, that doesn't even matter right now! Where's Peppa, I might need some emotional support from her- Or maybe Richard! He could be just as- No no we're going to hang out later on today. BUT EVEN THEN THERE'S THE FACT THAT I'M-

Slow down, George. Slow down.

Now... Where's Peppa.

My eyes darted around, bouncing off the edges of my eyelids as they clumsily searched for my sister. Even with struggle, though, they didn't end up finding her. I didn't find her either.

...Is she...

...No. We had a... Difficult day yesterday. It'd make sense as to why she wouldn't arrive on time.

Oh well. Guess I'll find Richard.

Oh and look at that. Found him, almost immediately. Woa.

...He looks... Pretty.

...

That sounds like something I should refer to a girl as. And yet, nonetheless...

...Uhhhh.

Forget what I said.

Taking some shaky steps towards the rabbit in the blue hoodie, my mind swirled in confusion. However, I already made an oath to myself that I wasn't gonna focus on those thoughts any longer, so I ignored the hurricane of dreams.

Aaaaaaaaand I almost walked straight into Richard. Sugar.

"AH-"

"Hu- Oh, morning George."

"HEYARICHARDSORRYFORALMOSTWALKINGINTOYOU-"

"It's fine. By the way... Do we still have a plan for today? It's fine if not."

"OH- Uhm... Yeah! Of course!"

"Thanks buddy..."

"...Hm. Something seems to be on your mind. You don't mind if you tell me, right?"

"Of course not. It's just... Something seems to be up with Rebecca. I get it, Danny and Candy's deaths were like, not that long ago, but... I don't recall her being all that close to either of them. They didn't seem to anything more than friends. Not lovers. Not best friends. Just... Friends."

...

...Fruck.

"Uhm... I-I'm pretty sure she's just... Stressed. We all are, after all, heh. Why are you so worried anyway? Uh..."

"I'm her brother...? Duh. Also, you have a point."

"Oh yeah. That slipped my mind, haha."

"Are you two finished yet?"

"AHH- WHEN THE HELL DID YOU GET THERE." I screamed out, hopping a good metre away from the sudden appearance of the white-black potato.

"Just now."

"Then why are you-"

"NOT! IMPORTANT! MOVING ON! I'm pretty sure that there are a few people here who haven't arrived yet... Specifically a pig and an elephant. Both female."

"Ah... I'm... Good morn... Hah... Ing! Sorry I'm late!"

We all turned around to face the newest arrival, turning out to be Peppa, her face softly swollen red. A wave of relief ran through me.

And out the corner of my eye... I noticed Suzy hide herself away in her wool a little bit.

Weird. Normally she greets Peppa head-on.

...What could've happened between them?

"H-Hey George..." I caught Peppa's wheezy voice behind me, twirling my around to face her with a concerned look.

"...What?"

"Are you ok...?"

"...Yeah."

"Really!"

"Yes! I'm just... Can't move on from last night."

...Damn.

That excuse will just work for anything today, won't it?

Well, it's gonna end up getting too old sometime later on...

"Ok, so pig girl's here... Darn. Emily still hasn't arrived. Ok everyone! Just give me a moment! I need to fetch a depressed elephant..."

With a few cracks, the floor dropped, Monopotato falling into it. A moment of patience rang out afterwards.

In the meantime, I took a look around at everyone else.

Edmond seems to be fine. For some reason.

Rebecca and Richard look worried, although I already know why.

Pedro appears to be shaken stiff, Zoë's trying to lighten up his mood. I mean, yeah it's common sense by now that two more people have died, but surely he wouldn't be that harmed by i-

My eye caught onto Freddy, who was glaring at Pedro so harshly, his eyes seemed to burst a nerve.

...Nevermind.

"Ngh- Just- Come over here you stubborn elephant-!"

"N-NO! LEAVE ME A-ALONE YOU M-MURDERER!"

"Jeez, calm down. I'm only the one who provokes people to murder."

"THAT'S JUST AS BAD!"

"Too bad, I don't give a fuck. NOW GET IN LINE!" The vegetable shouted, before launching a certain elephant in a yellow dress hurdling towards us. Most of us backed away out of instinct, even though she landed barely 10 centimetres away from our feet.

"Ouch. Elephants really are heavy. I've never seen a buff elephant in my life, mark my words."

"That's... Rude."

"Yeah yeah. Moving on." Monopotato shook his head in disappointment, before returning to his original location, between the crowd and the barred-off staircase.

"As most of you know, you all got access to this current floor after completing your first trial."

"Well... Yeah." Suzy nodded slowly, "You did some weird thing with a hammer."

"Communism. It's called communism. Anyways, what I want to say is that I'm repeating that exact thing!"

"Wha-"

Some kind of industrial noise screamed out from an above area. Diverting my eyes back down from an initial glance upwards, I noticed the major piece of metal making up the bottom of the gate lifting up.

"Yea, that's right, I'm opening the third floor for you all! Or is it the second floor...? I don't know, and I don't care. Anyways, feel free to explore!"

My eyes kept tight upon the gate moving upwards, not paying any attention to the potato whatsoever. I was so distracted, that once the piece of metal had hit the maximum height it could, Monopotato had already left.

...Somehow.

"..."

"...Hey. Last one up there is a slowcoach."

"Wha-" I twisted round to my side, then back facing forward, my eyes barely catching a dashing Richard sprinting up the stairs.

"Oh-ho, you asked for it." I smirked, taking my own leaps up the steps, closer and closer to the new, mysterious floor ahead of us.

____________________