Chapter Text
Zoot couldn’t remember what time it was when it happened. What song they were singing along to on the van’s radio. Who he was sitting next to. Their faces. What day of the week it was. What time they all got home. All he could remember was he went straight to bed, fell asleep- and that was when he heard it. In the basement. Something was in the basement. It sounded like it was banging on the door- like something desperate to be let out. In some kind of trance, he followed it. The rest was a blur- someone screaming at him to ‘not do it’, grabbing onto his arm to the point it hurt. Did he push them down the stairs? When they hit the bottom, it sounded like… something else was waiting for them.
He didn’t know what happened, but after that, everyone was gone. He was alone in that house. One that didn’t feel like his own. Was he even in a house period? It was dark. Neither cold nor warm. The air was still but not completely unmoving. His bandmates were dead, he was sure of it. That thing in the basement ate them. He chained the door up with everything he could find, anything that would keep it at bay. Him and that thing, they had a schedule- if he fed it on time, it would generally be quiet. If he ignored its screams, he was certain it would eat him instead. He couldn’t let that happen. He was surviving and that was enough for him. He didn’t need it to change, he just needed to manage it. It was his fault, his mess, his responsibility, his consequences.
But then… something did change. A knock on the front door. No one came here. Especially not around this time. He had to feed it soon. He ran a hand through what remained of his hair as he approached the door. When his hand neared the doorknob, it felt almost as if an unseen force was trying to stop him from opening it. He took it for another one of this place’s weird ‘quirks’ and very slowly, hesitantly, opened the door. Same colorless sky, half-dead grass and the faint smell of chrysanthemums. He always hated how those smelled- at least, ever since this happened. Much to his surprise, someone else was there. Not anyone he’d ever seen around before- they didn’t appear to have a face, but still seemed expressive in the way their head’s glow pulsed and their body moved fluidly. Like he was looking at a star. He wasn’t sure he knew what a star was anymore.
“Hey, neighbor! How’s it—“
Zoot immediately slammed the door shut. Nope. He didn’t feel like talking today. He was perfectly fine that way, he didn’t mind. The well-dressed figure remained outside, knocking on the door once again. They sounded almost frantic, like they really needed his attention. Nothing was worth his attention. Not anymore, no. He had things worth his time, and he ruined it all. Why would this happen all of a sudden? Whatever. He just let them keep rambling. They’d think he’d gone soon enough.
“You don’t know me, but- my name’s Whimsy! I’m.. just trying to help. How long have you been in there, neighbor? Is anyone else…. oh. Right. I’m sorry. Um, hello? You do have a name, don’t you? Uh… perhaps you could tell me all about it whenever you want to talk?”
And what if he never wanted to? And Whimsy- he almost wanted to laugh at how absurd and childish it was. He wasn’t sure if he could anymore, though.
“Erm… oh. Oh dear me. Oh— I must get going. Here, you.. you don’t have to read it now, but, I insist you at least take it. Uh oh- b- bye, neighbor! Get well soon…”
Just then, two things happened. The basement door began to rattle. Feeding time. Something slipped beneath the front door- a small piece of paper. A business card? Just what was going on here? He fully intended on throwing it out, but he couldn’t deny his curiousity. Feeding could wait just a fleeting moment.
It simply read: “hi there, neighbor! everyone is real worried about you. theyre wondering when youll be coming back. i imagine youre probably scared. you dont have to listen to me, but if you ever have the time- just watch the sky! thats where i always am :) maybe one day you can come back. but this wont be a linear process. ill be there every step of the way! hope to see you one of these nights. goodnight neighbor :)”. Stupid. Just another doofus trying to ‘help’ him. He slipped the card in his pocket, hurrying to the kitchen.
There was more than enough food. But he was never sure what it liked. Feeding them sugar made the whole place smell like it was rotting. Feeding them anything caffeinated made them jumpy, and it made him jumpy too. Different things seemed to have different effects. Last time, he gave them meat. They were almost… ravenous. Quiet for longer than usual. He felt weird about it- funny enough, he was kind of relieved when he heard them resume their scampering and thumping. Looked like it was dry cereal again- sugar free, of course. It made him feel bland and empty. But that thing seemed to be okay with it most of the time. He wished there was a more practical way to feed it, since he had to just throw it down there and they would get it themselves. Well, it was better he did it that way then not do it at all.
“..Okay.” Zoot breathed out. “That’s the last feeding for today. So you guys have no reason to bother me for the rest of the night. Not like you understand me… quit talking to yourself, old man. We’re calling it a night.”
As Zoot walked off, he could swear he heard the chains rattle one more time. Something spoke. “Zoot, can you hear me?”
…They didn’t know how to talk.