..::Ping List::..
@ErynSkellington
@Percyjacksonlover9729
@Gacha xx Tuber
@Fragmented Dreams
@Leohasnogender
It was strange, he thought as he sat against the dead tree. How could you die, but somehow still feel alive?
The past few hours-hours? days? he couldn't tell-he had been screaming for help until his voice was hoarse. Then the tears came. There was nothing for him to do but curl up tightly in the dead grass, hands gripping his sides as he sobbed silently for a long time.
He was dead. He remembered the axe screaming down at him, a pained howl echoing as the light vanished.
And then he woke up. Alone. In a dead forest, trees withered away, grass sharp like knives under his feet.
"Hel-hello?" he called out, voice rough from disuse. "Any-anyon-anyone th-there?" The wind was dead around him, dry and dusty. He coughed and tried again.
"Foo? Ni-nnnn-nnnnik-?" he slammed a hand into his thigh, a frustrated groan escaping. As panic began to set in, he shook with a realisation.
He was dead. He began to scream for help, over and over, shrieking the names of his best friends over and over and over until even his lungs failed him. He collapsed into the grass, shoulders shaking.
After a long, long time, he stood up and began to walk. He walked for hours, never stopping to rest until his legs gave out under him. Every so often, he would stop and rake his nails against a tree, marking his path.
Everything was brown. Brown and beige and khaki.
Thomas used to wear khakis, he remembered that. Khakis and that ugly red and white shirt. He shook off the thought and kept walking.
As he walked, he began to forget what colours looked like. Then he forgot what his friend's voices sounded like. He began to hum to himself, so as not to forget music. But that too eventually was whisked away by the eternal silence.
He was feeling odd. A strange tingling settled over his bones, radiating up through his scalp, making his hands twitch. Maybe he was tired. He laid down on the ground, having since gotten used to the pointy grass and closed his eyes.
He should have known something was wrong.
"Why isn't he moving?" What the--he peeled his eyes open and stared blankly at the worried green eyes and gold face that hovered over his.
He sat up sharply, slamming his head into the other, who drew back as he collapsed, head spinning, stomach churning.
"Are you going to throw up?" the words didn't process. A bucket was shoved into his arms, and firm arms slid underneath him, pulling him back against a warm chest.
Oh. That burned. All over his skin. He was warm in a way that he hadn't been in forever. Choking back a sob, he spun around, curling as close as he could into this warmth.
"Oh, how long has it been since you've been hugged?" He didn't respond, just tried not to make a sound. A pained whimper escaped his throat, and the warm person rubbed his scalp in the perfect place, and he just shattered.
He collapsed limply, a hoarse scream ripping free from vocal cords left unused in forever as he broke. All the person holding him did was rock back and forth gently, rubbing his back and scalp.
"I'm so happy you're back. Do you remember me?" he shook his head through another sob. The person sagged a bit.
"I'm Foolish."
Foolish.
Foolish?
"Foo," he choked out, barely a whisper. Foolish laughed, chest shaking a bit. He sniffled.
"Do you remember who you are?" he shook his head, and tapped his head.
"You're my friend. We've known each other forever." that wasn't right, couldn't be right, because forever had already been spent in the forest.
"What do you remember?"
"Nnnnoth--nnnno-nnnnnn-" he slammed a hand against his thigh. Foolish chuckles again, a sad noise.
"Do you remember Niki?" she had pink hair and a beautiful smile. He nodded.
"Eret?" Sunglasses and a deep voice like velvet. Another nod.
"Slimecicle?" Loud, always talking about the goop in the ground. He nodded again.
"What about Callahan?" Antlers and green eyes to match F--
Callahan gasped at the realisation. Foolish grinned.
"Welcome back, friend." And the memories came streaming back, one at a time first, then all at once.