Chapter Text
Fear.
Fear coursed through his entirety as a million thoughts crashed through his mind. Desperately he squirmed in the unfamiliar grasp, pounding his small fist on the exposed knuckle of his captor. The hand harshly squeezed in response to his pathetic attack, reminding him who's at mercy.
Too tight.
Heals heavily clicked down the steps, each one making his dread grow more and more. The rough hand held him without care, swinging him back and forth as it ambled into the darkness. Mono, refusing to give up his fruitless fight, tried to weasel himself out of the hand. Gasping from the second almost crushing squeeze. Breathless once more he could feel himself descend deeper.
The monster haggardly breathed, squeaky grunts interrupted both its exhales and inhales. Twisting the door handle as it pushed the door open, Mono could see a table, a chair, and a tv.
His eyes nearly popped out from the black glassy screen!
Fearing he’d have another episode… and this time six wasn't here to help him. Luckily when walking past the TV he did not feel the all too familiar intense pull, and the tv did not blare to life from his mere presence. Strangely a weight lifted as he breathed a sigh of relief knowing he had at least one less problem to deal with… despite his current circumstance.
The creature strolled past the telly, its footsteps now muffled from the carpeted floor. Mono watched as its clawed hands snaked up for another door. He could not make out the practically black void. A faint flickering light was the only thing that illuminated the space.
Submerged into the drafty darkness, he had been taken to a back room of sorts. While inside of the room he could distinguish the faint outlines of cages that lined the wall from what little light trickled from the doorway.
His perspective changed as the creature leaned over a rickety desk. Ducking and weaving around the furniture in search of something. Drawers opened roughly and their contents shuffled about, until a ring of keys jingled in its talons.
An excited Sound? croaked from its thin lips.
Hobbling over to one of the many cages, Mono winced at the sound of a lock unlatching with a sharp click before being carelessly tossed into one that looked like a birdcage.
Instantly sitting up in his new prison he clasped onto the rusty bars before getting an obscure glimpse of his captor.
The tall figure began exiting the room, shrouded in darkness as the faint light did nothing to aid his vision. The monster had a strangely long neck… nothing like the teacher but that comparable characteristic was enough to make his spine shudder. Recalling how the frightening woman extended her neck to an unholy length. Having too narrowly avoid her snapping jaws… Oh no… are we going to face her again?!
Clearing his head of those dreaded thoughts he observed it squeakily wheeze when shutting the door behind itself, only leaving the meager candle, struggling to light the overwhelmingly dark room.
Mumbling to himself in worry he continued searching the ground from his prison. He could see dull fabric covering the walls of the musty space, smelt like old people...
Spools of thread decorated the wall, next to the hanging fabrics. Shifting his focus down he could see open boxes filled with aged paper that littered the carpet floor making a big mess.
Groaning in a mix of frustration and anxiety he looked around his cage hoping to find something that could help him escape.
Finding nothing of use and tools too far out of reach he curled in on himself.
Hugging his knees to his chest.
At least Six is ok...
Wallowing in his fear of abandonment, faintly he could hear metallic clinks next to his cage.
Perking up he squinted into the darkness, momentarily grateful for the cage's protection.
Some clinks rang out a few more times followed by a small gasp.
…
Timidly he spoke into the void, “H-hello? Is s-someone t-there?”
Faint muffles replied back before it spoke.
“...help me...”
.
.
.
Shrieking, Six banged her fists against the wall, causing a layer of dust and a few picture frames to come loose from her outrage.
Snarling, she glared at the vent he vanished through. Narrowing her eyes in frustration, she clawed the grate off and drove her arm through with no regard to the contents on the other side.
Shoulder pressed into the wall, she felt around the room. Her spindly hand wrapped around something wooden. Frustrated it wasn't the thing that caught Mono she threw the mystery object in anger. Some, well a lot of glass shattered from the now projectile.
Yanking the absurdly long arm out, she backed away from the damning vent. Snorting at how much of a hindrance this body was. Thought of being small again flitted through her mind, how she could have easily crawled through the same vent and then sneak around until she'd find him. She could have been stealthy…
Pacing in the enclosing space she knocked over one of the many mannequins. Already agitated from how swiftly things had gone wrong she retaliated, instantly hurling the dressed figure to the window.
Glass showered into the street.
Clutching her head she groaned, sliding her back down the aged wallpaper. Hunching into herself.
Clawing her hood, I should have known better!
...
Need to find him, get him back.
Jerking her hands away she glared throughout the darkroom, searching for something- anything she could use. Leaning away from the wall she looked over the numerous mannequins and spotted a door!
Carelessly she trampled over them, only adding to how much of a mess the now very much vandalized shop had become. Shoving a handful of them away, she uncovered the doors entirety.
Her eyes roamed over the white door, immediately she was drawn to the lock.
Of course, there’s a lock.
Searching for the key whisked through her thoughts momentarily, but went ignored.
Disregarding its intentions of keeping things (or rather someone) out, she threw herself at the wooden door.
.
.
.
Crashing through the door unceremoniously, she swiftly got back onto her feet. Shaking the dust and wood chips off her coat, she found herself in a dimly lit room.
A single exposed light bulb buzzed in the air, illuminating tiny specs of dust that lazily drifted about.
Why did everything have to be so dark?
Quickly she searched the space, picking things up and shifting the furniture around.
Piles of colorful cloth were strewn about the room. Shelves housed child size dolls dressed in dapper or frilly clothing. Six took notice that some of these dolls were dressed in the same school uniforms, unintentionally baring her teeth at the vivid memory of being beaten and strung up by the horrid little plaster children.
Grunting, she couldn't help but notice that the dolls seemed a bit too bony to be fake...
Everything in this room was coated in a ridiculously thick layer of dust, all of her searching had stirred up a rather large plume of particles. The old cloud irritated her nose, making her eyes water.
Wiping her eyes she glanced up, another vent mocked her. Irritated by how quickly she could have had the room solved, she even pushed the box needed to pull her smaller self onto the tall desk and she would have climbed up the stack of books to the tippy top of the desk and then into the vent.
Huffing she crawled deeper into the stale air.
Dead end.
Every wall was lined with shelves. Across from the decaying dolls were sewing supplies, rusted assorted tools, and copious amounts of yarn and threads.
The back wall (across from her destructive self made entrance) was covered in a variety of clothes and fabrics that drape thickly against the wall.
Pensively, Six experimentally touched the fabric, fearing that it might come alive from how mountainous the fabric looked. She skittered back when something tiny and white darted out of the pile. Not getting a good look at the mystery creature as it slipped through a much too small crack in the wall that not even a child could squeeze through.
Seeing as nothing else was about to spring out of the mountain of cloth anytime soon, she timidly placed a hand on the pile and pushed into it.
Hold on? What if-
Reaching around the hill she peeled off a large wad of fabric from the wall to the side. A plum of dust stirred up from the cloths removal, snorting, she reared back and shook her head from the dusty air. Recalling how a sneeze could easily be a death sentence for a child, feeling the need to sneeze past she continued peeling the cloth pile.
After peeling away the many layers from the wall of fabric, her excavation revealed a vibrant baby blue door. The pounds of cloth must have protected its paint job for who knows how long. Tossing the last handful of cloth to the side, she pushed on the squeaky door handle.
Still felt odd to wrap a hand on what used to be so far out of reach. Not dwelling on that thought she hurriedly, entered the new room.
.
.
.
The first thing that hit her was a pungent scent of rot that only death could achieve. Crinkling up her nose she pawed into the room.
Despite the terrible stench, the room looked well used, even cared for. Not a speck of dust could be found in this very well maintained room.
The cleanliness was out of place… The state of a room had never bothered her, but something ingrained in her mind told her to stay alert in such a clean space.
Light seeped into the room, escaping from the cracks in the curtain. Pulling the blinds apart the room glowed in the soft pale light.
With clearer vision, Six could make out a neatly made bed accompanied by a nightstand. Approaching the bed, she noted that the scent had suddenly grown stronger. Repulsed but undeterred she hovered over the stand.
A little black book sat on top of it, with a feathery quill in the now very dry ink well. Picking it up with mild curiosity she examined the leather bound book. Gold text was printed onto its cover.
Opening it showed hand written text, but it meant nothing to her.
If mono was here he could read it.
Right, find Mono.
Setting the book down Six now faced a strange wooden mechanism nestled into the back corner of the room.
Intrigued by the mere oddity of whatever this bizarre device was, she studied the numerous strings attached to the many wooden pegs that lined the lip of this machine.
A deep blue fabric hung out of the strange contraption of sorts.
Leaning from side to side in examination, she looked above and below it before shyly reaching for the unfinished scarf.
The fabric felt soft to the touch.
Stepping away from the pleasant sensation, raspy panting and nails tapping on the wooden floor gripped her attention fully. The door rattled with a thump as whatever creature out there skidded into the flimsy barrier.
Alert, she dropped to a defensive stance when the snarls and scratching grew in aggression. The door flexed into the room as the creature out there hurled itself over and over, begging to be let in a hunt down the trespasser.
If she had hackles they would have risen by now.
The clawing became even more vicious along with the now deepening growls. The mysterious beast behind the door wetly barked, quickly sounding like it was hacking something out.
Six had unknowingly started to growl back and pressed herself into the opposing wall. Swiveling her head around for some other way out… But that door was the only way to proceed...
Begrudgingly, she slowly stalked to the rattling door. Hating the next part she twists the handle.
click!
Jumping back when the little beast flew into the room, it lunged for her. Avoiding its foamy chops by scrambling onto the bed (well getting as much of herself onto the bed that is). Much to her displeasure, she could see the fleabag rearing up to leap after her.
Mouth agape with exposed flesh, bone, and crooked teeth, the matted abomination snapped its jaws on air. Six hopped over the on come attack crashing into the wooden machine. Wood exploded from under her, showering the ground in sharp fragments of the machine along with strings, and thread-making a tangled heap on the floor.
Grounded, Six had very little time to react to the patched-covered hairball now soaring through the air. Flipping onto her back she misses calculated due to her arms still unusual length. The little vermin landed on her absent gut.
Realizing her error as the beast snapped its rotting fangs at her arm, she gripped the scruff of its bare neck to avoid the very infectious bite.
The raincoat sturdily protected her from the dog's rather dull claws. Thankful for her attire she twisted around, now on her knees as the creature was still thrashing in hand.
Then skin started to pull off… the creature abruptly tore itself away... and Six had a handful… a handful of reddish-brown cloth?
Realizing what was in her hand she threw the nasty blood-soaked cloth in disgust, her attention fell back onto the mangy mutt.
The ratty monster barked and pawed at the ground, growling at her as pinkish foam dribbled out of its unhinged mouth.
Charging her, she shuffled back and her hand grasped onto something soft. Gripping whatever it was she hurled it at the creature's mangled face.
Blinded with blue, the beast howled and violently shook its head around, failing to remove the cloth. Using its vulnerable moment she pounced on the smaller monster, bearing her weight onto its quivering form.
That feeling was coming back...
Watching it struggle.
How easy it would be to snap its neck in this very moment.
She wanted to.
So why was she hesitating?
Snarling in frustration from her indecision, she hurled the foaming vermin out of the room slamming the door shut, barricading it with the bed. The dog banged and barked through the door.
Snapping, she retorted back at it with a bombastic bellow.
...
Snorting at the peace, she turned to find the source of the rot… a dead cat.
.
.
.
“Who are you?”
Shifting timidly from the sound of another child's voice they spoke.
“cyrus...”
Despite how quiet the room was, Mono could barely make out the meek voice.
“I’m sorry, what was that?”
The new voice sighed.
“...i can’t talk very loud anymore…”
“Oh… hold on.”
Still unable to really make out the soft voice, Mono glanced around the room once more. Seeing that the room was still dark enough to obscure his face, he removed the bag.
“Ok try now.”
“cyrus, is my name… who are you?”
“I’m Mono-”
Before they could continue chatting they could hear a terrible howl, and commotions come presumably upstairs.
Mono didn’t realize how tense he was until he was visibly relieved knowing that she was still here and didn't leave him for dead. His heart felt touched by that.
Who knew such a bellow could be so calming. But that calming feel vanished as he soon found himself worrying about her.
She sounded scared.
“oh no , another pet.” the boy’s pitch rising from the racket.
“What? A pet?”
Confused Mono corrected him, “That was Six, she’s… ni-... can be nice.”
“She’s my friend,” he announced proudly, but uh quickly realized how absurd his words sounded
…
“Uh, anyways, how can I help you? I’m just as stuck as you...”
“I need to escape. been here too long…I fear what she’ll do to me next…”
The boy quivered as his softy spoked.
“She? Who is she?”
A moment passed as the child sucked in a breath.
“The Seamstress...”
Chills crawled up his spine from the radiating fear rolling off the imprisoned child. He had no idea what this kid has even been through… but one thing he was aware of was how cruel adults could be. He hated feeling helpless to them.
Fearing the unknown things that had happened to the quiet boy… those things now were very possible in happening to him, Mono stepped to the edge of his caged as it gently swung from his small movement.
Looking down, the drop wasn't too bad. Getting out of his cage would be tricky. Finding the latch he gripped the steel bar. Grunting he tried to pull it up, but because of how his arm was awkwardly bent and the weight of the bar prevented him from lifting it up.
Huffing he flopped to the cool floor of his prison, the sudden change of weight made the whole cage swing and the chains squeaked horribly loud.
The boy gasp.
Mono stilled in his cage.
A sharp grunt came from beyond the door as papers were slapped and furniture was being pushed against the floor.
“...she’s coming…” the boy whimpered out.
Nasally breathing could be heard as it got closer to the only thing separating them and the horrible monster outside the door.
The doorknob jiggled, each tug on the door handle made his heart want to escape his chest. Wide eyed as the door cracked open, Mono buried his head in his paper bag while curling in on himself.
Pressing himself against the farthest bars as the old lady walked into the room. Peeking from his arms he could make out some more details… her arms were long and boneless, her hands made him shrink even more into himself. Long blade like claws that glinted in the light flashed over his cage. The tink from metal on metal made him shiver as she grabbed Monos and the other boy’s cage.
.
.
.
Hoisted into the air the old hag roughly rattled their cages as she waltzed out into the well lit hallway. Cyrus cowered in his cage while muttering something softly, Mono could only make out the words ‘I can't’ repeatedly.
Passing through the same next room that had a coffee table and a satin chair that looked more like a thrown. The seamstress jingled her keys in the well carped space, looking for the right one to open the black door she stood before.
Squeaky murmurs of frustration came from the wrinkly woman while looking for the key.
Finally she jammed one of them into the keyhole.
Clicking as it unlocked, she opened the intimidating door that lead to an ominous void. Mono shuddered, it was like the hospital but even darker… Who knew that was even possible. The seamstress comfortably strowed into the darkness. Flicking the light on revealed a studio filled with sketches of dresses, suits, manikins had half sewn clothing or were just left unfinished, the only finished article of clothing in the space was a dark purple kimono.
Planting their cages on the worn desk, mono looked on the oak surface, scratches and gashes from the elderly creature's craft. His eyes were drawn to another table only it was silvery in color and... child sized.
His heart beat faster when he saw the straps hanging off the table's edge. The other kid gasped, mono could now see him, shivering, he was a frail boy even smaller then Six when she was small. His mouth looked strange for some reason, and his arms seemed to have black lines crossing over each other and dried blood?
Cuts and injuries on another child was not a rare sight, but his lacerations looked out of place.
Panic ensued when a giant blade flashed into his vision. He saw a pair of scissors and assorted needles get placed next to the steel table.
He lifted his bagged head up and met the hags glassy eyes. Her nose was long and pointed with heavy eyebags that glared down at him. Mono backed up against the cage bars, trembling when her clawed hand got closer to the lock of his cage.
Unlatching his only protection, Mono failed to press further into the bars. He whimpered when the claws wrapped around him.
“Quiet child...” a horse whisper emerged.
Snatching him up, the distorted human placed him on the steel table, pinning him there with her sharp talons.
After strapping him down, she plucked his bag off. Mono squeezed his eyes shut with is only comfort being stripped off of him. Cracking an eye open the hag froze for some time with eyes locked above him, but as soon as he started to scream she continued to prepare her work.
.
.
.
The elderly woman began to select her tools meticulously, studying them for a time only to put them back down.
Purposely slow.
She always let her victims scream out their last cries as they would no longer after she was done with them.
Leisurely picking up a spool of thread in her claws. Pinching the top and base of it she pulled a black string taught and cut her desired length.
She let him watch as she readied her needle.
Wanting the victim to marinate in their fear.
Mono turned his head, still yelling at the top of his lungs. Squirming as much as he could in his restraints.
“NO! NO! NOOOOOOO!”
Tears streamed down his face as he felt the cool needle being pressed into his upper lip. Breaking the skin.
“SIX!!!”