Puppet Boy

8.

WHEN TYLER came to, he found himself laying in a contorted position on an unfamiliar tiled floor. At first, staring up at the yellow flickering light that hung on the ceiling, he was surprised that he was still alive.

He didn't believe it at first, and had to crane his neck to find his body. Emily was also laying unconscious across his bent legs.

He discovered that they were in a bathroom. It reeked of waste and mold, overwhelming his senses and causing him to dry heave the instant it hit him. He doubled over, coughing and gagging until his stomach acid poured from his lips and onto the ground.

He exhaled at the burning sensation in his throat, dropping his head weakly to the floor again.

The bathroom contained a broken sink, a bathtub, and a toilet. The toilet was grimy, the porcelain drowning in a layer of dirt and an unknown green substance. The floor tiles were caked with mud and slime, which Tyler could feel each time the flesh of his neck touched the ground.

He was becoming increasingly disoriented with each change of scenery he experienced, confusion engulfing his mind. He had no idea where he and Emily could possibly be. What place had that many mucky, dark rooms?

He looked down at his hands and feet which were wrapped in gauze, blood soaking through the top. He had almost forgotten about his horrific encounter just before he passed out, and the recollection of it made goosebumps slither across his body.

He noticed that Emily had gauze on her hands and feet too - The Man must have done it to her after Tyler fell unconscious.

Emily woke when Tyler leaned over and vomited loudly again, the pressure behind his head throbbing with each heave. She lifted her head off his legs before she craned her neck to look at him.

"W-where are we?" she asked quietly, taking in her surroundings.

Tyler spat on the ground, his chest swelling up and down. "I don't know," he said, trying not to gag again.

She sniffled. "Are you okay?"

Tyler groaned roughly under his breath, his empty stomach turning with discomfort. "I'm great."

He looked into her dark brown eyes that were filled with worry.

"I'm so scared, Tyler," she whispered, her words faltering. "I'm so scared."

Tyler didn't say anything, he just pushed his head back against the wall and stared up at the rotting ceiling. He couldn't deny that he was afraid, too, but agreeing with her would only make the situation worse. He wasn't sure if he could stand listening to her cry at that moment more than any; his stomach was twisting and his head was pulsing with an unbearable pressure.

"Good morning, my beautiful Puppet Boy and Puppet Girl," The Man suddenly appeared in the doorway.

He flicked another light on in the bathroom, illuminating the room with a brighter bulb which only accentuated the dirtiness of it.

Tyler looked up at him, his eyes glazed over.

"I am going to bathe the both of you, my puppets, to prepare for the big show soon. Oh, I'm so very excited," he clapped. He bounced up and down on the balls of his feet excitedly. "It's going to be a full house, I can already feel it!"

The Man leaned down and roughly grabbed Tyler from the ground by his shirt before sitting him on the edge of the tub.

He almost slid off again, but The Man held him in place. "Why cant you sit still? Are you too excited? Too nervous?" he questioned casually.