"KRIS!"
You wake with a jolt at the sound of Mom's voice, slightly crusty eyes blinking open against the brightness of the room. Groaning, you roll over and pull the covers over your head, blocking out the light.
"Kris, if you do not wake up, we will be late for school!"
Footsteps approach the window, and you hear the curtains being pulled open. You groan again.
"I will wait outside for you, alright?" Mom's footsteps pad out of the room, door creaking open and then clicking shut again.
You throw the covers off and drag yourself out of bed, rubbing the crust out of your eyes. You would much rather lay back down and get some more sleep, but Mom would get upset if you did that. The light from the window assaults your retinas, so you let your hair fall over your face, affording some relief.
Your side of the room looks as drab as ever, contrasting harshly with your brother's. His walls are adorned with star-shaped stickers, and trophies and awards line the shelves above his nicely made bed. Your bare walls and empty shelves and plain, messy bed just look sad.
(It's your bed.)
(If you go back to sleep, you may miss a lot of important things.)
(Will you go to bed?)
(For some reason, you decided to go back to sleep...)
(But, when you opened your eyes...)
(You can sleep in class.)
Looks like it's seen quite a few crashes.
Classical, jazz, religious ska...
There's also a game console.
It has one normal controller, and one knock-off one.
A very old school ID with an embarrassing haircut.
There are many boxes under it filled with old books.
You trudge out of the room, sleep still hanging over your mind like a heavy cloud. Your eyes threaten to slip shut. You try your best to keep them open.
The hallway is cooler than your room was. Mom doesn't keep the heat on in the rest of the house, since she has fur to keep her warm. You spend most of your time in your room, anyway.
Tales of Snails - A story book.
Snails Do Not Have Tails - A Scientific Refutation.
Can Snails Help Your Garden? Um, Not Really.
And a signed copy of The History of Humans and Monsters, by Gerson Boom.
There's not much to say about it.
You go down the stairs with your eyes closed, having lost the fight to keep them open. Your hand brushes the wall to keep balance, but you stumble down the last step anyway.
There's...
A can of Ice-E's Cool Boys Body Spray "Spray For The Boys," Flaming Hot Pizza Flavor.
It seems to be almost entirely full.
(Flush it?)
(You flushed the toilet!)
(Keep flushing the toilet?)
(You flushed the toilet two more times!)
There's a knock at the door, and Mom's voice filters through, slightly muffled.
"Kris? Is everything... alright in there?"
You don't respond.
(Keep flushing the toilet?)
(You flushed the toilet three more times!)
Mom knocks on the door again.
"Kris, what are you doing?" Her voice holds a mix of concern and suspicion. "You did not put a bath bomb in the toilet again, did you?"
You stifle a laugh behind your hand, and flush the toilet again. You can just barely hear Mom's exasperated sigh.
"Kris, if anything bad happens, you are paying for the plumbing bill."
(It's good to conserve water.)
(It's good to conserve water.)
(It's good to conserve water.)
...and a gallon-sized container of pet shampoo.
But you already have a cell phone.
Doesn't seem to even be plugged in anymore.
You head for the door, spotting Mom through the window, waiting outside by the car. It's already running, pulled out of it's parking spot and ready to take them to school.
As you pull the front door shut behind you, Mom opens the driver's side door and turns to you.
"Kris! There you are!" She sounds relieved. "We might still be able to make it!"
You clamber into the passenger's seat and Mom gets behind the wheel. She shifts the car out of park and you start rolling down the driveway.
"Kris... It is a beautiful day today, is it not?" Mom makes light conversation, turning down the music that had been playing from the car speakers. "I hope it stays this way when Asriel visits next week." She lets out a bittersweet little sigh. "But I wonder... After the excitement of university... Will he still enjoy coming home to this little town...?"
As Mom turns onto the main road, your eyes slip shut again. The drive to school is short, but maybe you can squeeze in a little nap.
Far too soon, the soothing rumble of the car stutters to a halt, and you hear Mom pull the keys out of the ignition and open her door. You blink your heavy eyelids open once more and follow her lead, stepping out of the car and slamming the door shut with just a little too much force.
Mom takes your hand in her paw, and your eyes drift shut again, trusting her to lead you into the school safely. You walk up the steps, then through the doors, and then a few paces into the hallway. Mom stops, lets go of your hand, and leans down to hug you. She heads to her classroom, and you trudge down to yours.
Your teacher's voice is audible through the door, "So, does everyone have a-"
You shuffle into the room as quietly as you can, but the opening and closing of the door makes everyone turn to look at you anyway.
"Oh... K-Kris..!" Ms. Alphys stutters, "We thought you weren't coming today! We're doing group projects this month... Uhhhh... so, walk around and find a partner, ok?"
"Um, Kris, the hope is that you... choose someone in the class?"
(...It seems to be time for class.)
(...and, rarely, an image of two buff superheroes embracing, blushing.)
"Try your best, Astral Wolf!"
"Even in your darkest hour...!"
(...that one seems to be from a video game.)
"What?" She looks up from her phone. "Wh-what am I watching on my phone? It's schoolwork, of course. A... animated schoolwork... and..." She shoves her phone in her pocket, looking embarrassed. "H-hey, Kris, have you chosen a partner yet?"
"KRISP!! awa... ver sorz... tem already have partner..." In what she probably thinks is a sneaky maneuver, she places a hard-boiled egg on her desk. Sadly, it seems like the egg already has a partner, too.
(Talk again?)
"tem partner with... EG!!!"
"Yo, Kris! Show up earlier next time! I ended up having to partner with Snowy," they laugh half-heartedly. "Now he keeps turning to me and saying "Howdy, Partner!" like a cowboy..."
(Talk again?)
"Yo, Kris, you're lucky. I'd rather be partnerless than this..." they chuckle.
"Partn'er? I hardly know 'er!!" Snowy laughs at his own joke, beak curved into a massive grin. "Whaddya think of that one?! Funny, right???"
Your expression does not change whatsoever.
"...No? Well, I got news for you, pal! I already got a partner!! SCRAM!"
(Talk again?)
"That's right, Kris! I got the good partner! And we're going to be laughing all the way to the bank! Because I need money, and I'm also very funny."
"Kris! You know Jockington and Catti, Are always partners! We're the ultimate academic duo, Ever since our first gym class!" the snake monster all but shouts, "It was hula hoop day, and they ran out of hoops, for us... So she used me instead! That's our origin story!"
(Talk again?)
"We seem different, but me and Catti have a ton, In common! We both like breathing, and unhinging our jaws!"
She taps on her phone, completely ignoring your presence until she's done with whatever she's typing. She glances up at you for a moment, then back down at her phone as she says, "...taken."
You ask, even though you don't really want to.
"Hmm? You need a partner? Sorry, I'm already partners with the second-smartest student. Though... wait!" His voice takes on a sarcastic tone, "Kris, now that I think about it... Your unique skillset might help a lot on this assignment!"
You blink at him.
"Pfft, NOT! I actually want to get an 'A!'"
(Talk again?)
"Ask elsewhere, Kris! I actually want to get an 'A!' If you can't get anyone, maybe your mom will be your partner again!"
Hesitantly, you approach Noelle's desk. She looks up at you with a friendly smile when she notices you.
"Hey, Kris! What's up? Didja loose your pencil again?" She pulls out her pencil case before you can deny it. "Here, you want the candy-cane one or the one with lights on it?"
You explain you don't need a pencil this time, you need a partner.
"Huh? You want to be partners?" She sounds almost confused. "Ummm... Sorry... Berdly already asked me... But I could ask Miss Alphys if we could make a group of three! I'll ask if you're sure."
You nod.
"Okay, I'll ask!" Noelle raises her hand. "Miss Alphys! Umm, is it okay if we have a group of three?"
"Hey! What? No!" Berdly interrupts, standing up from his seat. "I do not approve of this! ABORT!"
"What?" Noelle stutters, "B-but Kris doesn't have a-"
"Noelle, what were you saying?" Ms. Alphys asks.
"She was just saying we're fine being alone!" Berdly speaks over Noelle.
Noelle shrinks in her chair, clearly hating the confrontation.
"A-actually, I just wanted to know if..."
"Noelle, can you PLEASE SPEAK UP?"
The classroom door slams open, banging against the wall. The room goes silent. Every head turns to look at the culprit, and they find Susie; hair falling over her eyes, jeans shredded, and claws curled tightly into fists at her sides.
"H-hi, Susie." Ms. Alphys mumbles.
Susie takes a few steps into the classroom, and her head turns slightly in the teacher's direction---the only indication of where she's looking.
"...am I late?" She asks in a low tone. It would normally be almost too quiet to hear, but it reverberates in the dead silence of the room.
"Ohh, n-no! You're fine! We were just, uh..." Ms. Alphys stutters, "Ch-choosing partners for the next group project, and... Ummm, Susie, you're with Kris!"
You suddenly snap to attention, blinking at Ms. Alphys, then at Susie, and back at Ms. Alphys. Dread settles in your stomach. Being paired with Susie is practically a death sentence---for your grades and possibly also literally. She turns her head towards you and seems to look you up and down. Oh, Angel, she's going to eat you alive.
"...great," Susie mumbles. She keeps standing in the doorway, not moving toward her desk. You don't move either, still hovering nervously by Noelle. Ms. Alphys looks between you, eventually realizing that neither of you are going to sit down, and it's most likely futile to ask.
"N-now that everyone's here, I'll write the assignment!"
Ms. Alphys walks up to the chalkboard. Her claws visibly twitch as she realizes she's missing something.
"Uh... Has anyone seen the chalk?" She asks the class. "This is the third time it's gone missing, and... Y-you all know I can't start class without some!"
No one says a word.
"H-how about this? If no one speaks up... E-everyone gets in trouble!"
More silence. A muffled cough from Snowy.
"A... Anyone? P... please?"
"Hey, there might be a box in the supply closet..." Noelle says, breaking the silence. A hesitant smile creeps onto her face as she says, "Miss Alphys, why don't Susie and I-"
"G-good idea, Noelle!" Ms. Alphys interrupts, "Susie, s-since you came in last... Why don't you go get it for me...?"
"...whatever."
Susie walks back out the door, slamming it with the same force she did when she came in.
"And K... Kris... Can you go with her and make sure she... Um, actually gets it? And, um, stays out of trouble...?" She doesn't wait for an answer. "Thanks Kris! See you later!"
"Don't worry, Kris!" She reassures, "I've always thought Susie can't be so bad, you know? I'm sure everything will turn out fine!"
(Talk again?)
"And, if you have time, could you say hi to her for me...?"
(Talk again?)
"Alas, Kris. I already tried to help you..."
You swallow hard around the lump in your throat.
(Talk again?)
"Kris, just keep running and don't look back!"
A bead of sweat runs down your face.
"...uhhh, that's not very reassuring, huh."
(Talk again?)
"Hey, Kris, if you die, can I have your brother's CDs?"
You step out of the classroom, shutting the door silently. Susie stands a short ways down the hall, clearly not having heard you. She's turned mostly away, but you see it when she takes a piece of chalk out of her pocket, and you hear the crunch as she bites into it.
Unexpectedly, she turns around, and you freeze like a deer in the headlights.
"...Kris." Your heart skips a beat as she says your name. Fear clouds your mind and your joints all lock up simultaneously. "...Didn't see you there."
Susie looks away from you for a moment, clearly thinking about something.
"...hey," she says finally, "You didn't see anything just now, did you?"
A tilt of her head causes a lock of hair to fall away from her eye, revealing the sinister yellow hue of her sclera.
She hums.
"...you can't even say?"
She looks at you straight on once more, hiding her eye from view.
"Kris..."
She takes a step toward you, then another, then another. Instinctively, you step back, matching her paces until your back is against a locker and her face is mere inches from yours.
"Hey," she whispers. Her tone would almost sound friendly if it weren't for that sharpness her words always seemed to carry. She reaches a hand out and places it on your shoulder. Her breath is hot against your face. "Let me tell you a secret."
The hand on your shoulder turns into a fist gripping your collar. She lifts you off your feet and slams your back into the locker. Your head falls forward from the impact, and you don't have the willpower to lift it back up.
"Quiet people piss me off."
"You think just because you don't say anything... I can't tell exactly what you're thinking?
'It's over! I caught Susie eating all the chalk! This was her last chance! Now she'll finally be expelled!'" She laughs humorlessly.
You flinch and look up at her through your bangs.
"...Come on, Kris. Don't act shocked. You know it's true," she insists, "Everyone's waiting for it. Everyone wants it. So, congrats, Kris. You got me. I'm done for."
Susie lets out a hum.
"Just, lemme say one little thing. Seems like a waste to get expelled just for having a snack. So, Kris, if I know you're gonna pull the trigger..."
She laughs again, deep and rumbling from somewhere in her chest.
"Why don't I just get expelled for some real carnage?"
Your breath stutters. Carnage.
"Kris... How do you feel..."
Her jaws part---two rows of razor sharp, yellowed teeth reveal themselves. Every bone in your body is screaming at you to run, but your body is paralyzed.
"...about losing your face?"
Susie pulls you closer by your collar, her mouth opening wider to bite into your head. Panic floods your veins, and you want to kick and scream but you can't feel your legs and your throat closed up long ago. You squeeze your eyes shut, bracing for the tearing of teeth against flesh...
It never comes.
Susie's grasp on your sweater collar suddenly loosens and you fall unceremoniously to the floor.
"Nah."
Susie walks away from you, keeping her back turned as she speaks.
"Kris. You've got a good mother," she says. "...it'd be a shame to make her bury her child."
Susie turns back around to look at you, and you are just barely able to peer up at her from your position on the floor. Your heart still beats frantically in your chest.
"Alright. Let's get this over with. We'll get more chalk. Mosey back to class. And then, Kris... You'll do our project. How's that sound?"
Before you can even consider an answer to that, Susie steamrolls past and continues talking.
"Don't bother answering. If you haven't gotten it by now... Your choices don't matter."
Susie starts down the hall, calling back to you as she goes, "Let's go, freak."
You push yourself up on shaky legs, still crashing from that adrenaline rush, watching her as she continues down the hall.
(A blurry yellow object is teaching a bunch of bored-looking objects.)
(Next locker?)
The locker's lock is locked.(Next locker?)
The lock's locker is locked.(Next locker?)
The locker's lock's locker is locked.
(At this dance, all the chaperones wear giant hawk heads...)
(...and screech at any students that make contact while dancing.)
Susie laughs. "People put their mouth on that, ya know."
(Drink again?)
"That wasn't encouragement, dumbass!"
She seems to consider it for a moment.
"...nah, actually, let's not."
(Try again?)
"Wrong way, Kris."
You follow Susie's lead, down the hallway that leads to the supply closet and the unused classrooms. As you catch up with her, she makes a small motion with her head that you somehow know is an eyeroll.
"God, can you walk any slower, or what?" She exhales sharply through her nose, then says, "Nah, I get it. Not used to walking around without someone holding your hand?"
You can feel your cheeks grow hot at the statement. You suddenly find your shoes to be very, very interesting.
"C'mon, freak."
You and Susie walk down the hallway, your eyes still trained on the floor below your feet. The hallway isn't very long, thanks to the small size of the school, so you reach the closet quickly. The two of you stop just in front of it.
"Well, here's the closet. Too bad... We were just starting to have fun."
Susie shoves the doors of the closet open, and and oppressive darkness spills from the opening, it darkens the entire hallway, defying all logic. It's as if rays of light were instead made of shadow.
Susie turns her head to look down at you, and you peer up at her from the corner of your eye.
"Hey, Kris, is it me, or... Is it really dark in there?"
Susie turns back to the closet, and you do the same; staring into the darkness to try to see something, anything, inside.
"What's the holdup, Kris?" Susie asks, nerves evident in her voice. "Are you gonna go in or what?"
You take a few shuffling steps back, unnerved by the impossible darkness.
"Fine! If you're gonna be a wimp, then I'll..." She takes another look into the closet, and you can practically see the shiver that crawls up her spine. "We'll both go in at the same time!!"
You and Susie step into the closet, you just a pace behind her. Papers, scattered on the floor of the closet, crinkle beneath your feet.
"See? Why are you so scared?" Susie says coolly once she's taken a few steps inside. "There's nothing in here but old papers. Let's try to find a lightswitch."
She walks deeper into the closet, and you follow close behind. The darkness feels like it's closing in on you, crushing you, devouring you. Being left alone in that would be much worse than being near Susie.
"That's weird... I can't find a switch." She mumbles, wandering claws finding nothing along where the walls should be. "Guess it's further in."
She continues walking impossibly further into the pitch-black closet. You follow, skin crawling as you begin to realize something is very, very wrong here.
"Uhhh... kind of big for a closet, huh...?" She asks, nerves leaking back into her voice. "You'd think we'd have reached the end by now..."
Yet deeper Susie goes, yet darker the closet gets, and yet, you still follow.
"Hey, Kris," Susie says, finally stopping to look back at just how small the light from the closet door has gotten. "I think this closet's, uh... Broken. There aren't any walls."
The abject horror of that statement clearly phases Susie for a moment, but she steamrolls past it, slipping into an unbothered tone like a duck to water.
"Well, we've worked hard enough. If Alphys wants chalk so bad, she can get it herself. Let's split."
You are all too happy to lead the way out of the impossible closet.
The papers crinkle under your feet once more, and you can almost feel the light on your face...
And then the closet door slams shut.
"What the-?" Susie pushes past you to slam her fists on the door. "Hey, this isn't funny! LET US OUT! LET US..."
Beneath you, the ground begins to shake.
Susie backs away from the door. You look up at her, panicked.
"The floor, it's...!"
The papers begin to fall away, and then Susie falls, and then...
You fall.
And fall.
And fall...