Chapter Text
City life was never really your thing.
Cramped overpriced apartments, limited outdoor space, the constant odor of sweat and despair from being overworked... Not a single factor was appealing in the slightest. You had a mediocre job, along with a mediocre life, it was a manageable life to settle into. But, you yearned for more. Mediocre wasn't enough for you, at least not now. You wanted to live somewhere friendly, a real neighborhood... not this miserable excuse of a living space.
It was early morning now, and the birds out your window cawed at the sun from their spots on a nearby telephone line, as customary for the morning time. In the corner of your room, a colorful alarm clock blinked and beeped, trying its hardest to get you up.
The red blinks alerted a few birds. Thinking it saw its next meal, one bird decided to jump off its comfy spot on the line and fling itself straight into your window, only to end up lowly sliding off and splatting onto the ground. The sudden smacking noise effectively wakes you up, causing you to jerk awake out of your deep sleep. You can feel your heart pumping, but after a moment or two, it finally decides to calm itself down after seeing there was no danger around.
When the fuzziness from your sleepy mind finally focused and woke up fully, you couldn't help but grin. Next to your bed, hanging brightly on the wall, was your favorite antique whiteboard covered in black and red markings regarding today's date. Strangely enough, the old thing really fascinated you. You got it a year back at a garage sale, the silly characters decorating it drawing you in. Your favorite was the yellow man in the middle, waving eagerly back at you.
You liked to call him Hair Gel Guy, unsure of what his real name was, or where he and his friends were even from. The name came from the impressive pompadour on his head, and the mountainous amount of hair gel it probably took to maintain that thing.
That was irrelevant now, though, because today was finally the day. You grabbed a marker off the whiteboard and scratched a big red line through the drawn box. 'It's pretty impressive this old thing still works after so long,' you think to yourself as you inspect the manufacturing label on the back. 'The 70s... sheesh.'
Hair Gel Guy looks straight ahead, his large black eyes meeting yours. Talking to the character came naturally to you, he was a silly-looking guy. Sometimes you liked to imagine him talking back, the thought was as comforting as it was creepy.
"Well, looks like we won't be seeing much more of each other..." You tell him, looking somberly at your savings.
On your desk sat a small box, with large contents. About $500 was sitting there patiently, waiting for you to pocket it and leave this crappy place all behind. It's all that was left after making a deposit for a small house somewhere far away from here, that's where you were headed this afternoon. You turn back to face Hair Gel, eyeing his colorful array of friends as well.
"There's no room in my car for you guys, I'd take you with me if I could."
His eyes glimmered, though it was probably the light from the window reflecting onto him, it was fun to pretend he was listening.
It was kind of exciting, the thought of leaving everything behind to pursue your passion. Of course, there was a chance things would go horribly wrong leaving you broke and homeless... but that was just a risk you were prepared to take. Your current life was seriously that boring.
Once you grabbed your keys and the savings you accumulated, you opened the door to your room. Hesitantly you looked back at your mostly empty room, your old life. This was probably the last time you'd ever be here again. With a deep breath, you walked out and shut the door.
You were ready to start anew.
Music filled the car as you drove down the vast road. It would still be an hour or so before you'd arrive at your destination, so there wasn't much to do other than sing some songs you liked and admire the beauty of nature. It was something you haven't been able to appreciate in a long time. Tons of thoughts of what you'd be able to accomplish once you settled down ran through your mind.
Maybe I could start a new hobby... Tailoring perhaps?
As quick as the thought came, you dismissed it.
Yeah no. I know nothing about fashion. Maybe something artsy would be nice... Like, um...
You thought of every kind of art profession there was, but nothing really seemed to spark your attention.
Ceramics is a no, the feeling of clay makes me sick.
The thought made you shiver.
It reminded you of your old whiteboard buddies, someone into crafts probably designed them. But, what even were they? Puppets?
You laughed at yourself for the thought, but the more you thought about it, puppets actually sounded pretty cool. Maybe you could start making puppets at your new home.
...
Nah, ill just stick to something outdoorsy. Like, I don't know, gardening. The whole point of this was to reconnect with nature and stuff.
You click your tongue, satisfied with the result of the long string of thoughts. It did help to pass time, after all, you seemed to be in a new area. The trees surrounding you were extremely tall and dense, almost touching the clouds. If it weren't bright outside, the sight would be something straight out of a horror movie.
The surrounding roads were empty, the last car you saw passed by almost 30 minutes ago... and It was eerily silent out here. You could feel yourself gulp subconsciously.
A hiccup in the music directed your attention to the dashboard before it fully went quiet.
"God damn it." You knew what the cause was.
In an attempt to save some extra cash, you cut out any extra subscriptions, including Spotify Premium. That meant there was no service out here, and thanks to offline listening being too expensive, it was now just you and your thoughts.
How exciting.
As if purposely trying to make the situation worse, you noticed out of the corner of your eye a tiny red flash. The gas was almost empty. You could feel your eye twitch at the turn of events, unable to locate a nearby gas station, you were gonna be stranded out here. In the asscrack of nowhere.
You felt yourself grip the steering wheel tighter, trying to contain the rage and panic you felt rush through your system.
It's okay! Its ooooookay.
A deep breath of air fills your nostrils, then releases.
I've still got some gas left, if I'm lucky there should be a building sooner or later, it'll-
Before you even get a chance to finish your thought, the car sputters to a stop. Still gripping the steering wheel, you throw your head forward onto the steering wheel's horn. A loud honk echoes through the trees, causing the surrounding birds to take flight. One petty bird decides to take a shit on your window shield, once again reminding you how quickly everything went to shit.
For a moment, you stay there in your car contemplating what to do. There wasn't a building for miles as far as you knew, and when it came to passing cars...
You were totally screwed.
You picked up your phone, checking to see if you could get any service, but it was useless. With a grumble, you step out of the car and into the surrounding road. There was no need to worry about cars though, as there wasn't a person in sight for as far as you could see. It had been that way the whole time you were driving in this area. It was completely deserted...
At least the air was fresh. For a moment more, you stood there taking in the crisp air, and looking at the towering trees. Despite the circumstances, it felt nice to be out in the open like this. Though, it would be nicer if you were actually in the home you bought.
You stand there evaluating the few options at hand.
So.
Of all times, your mind was blanking.
"UGHHHHH." A loud groan leaves your mouth as your hands are thrown up and onto your face. What was there to do?? Wait it out? The thought sounded excruciatingly long and boring but... there really wasn't a better option. You didn't want to leave your car behind, and who knew how long you'd be walking before reaching somewhere worthwhile?
You settled on sitting on the roof of your car, surveying the area. It was still early in the day, probably about 11 am if you had to guess. There was plenty of chance of at least one kind soul would show up to help you out. All that mattered was staying, positive!
Your face strained immediately as you thought of that, the situation was just so grim it was hard to have a positive outlook on things. Today was supposed to be perfect, a fresh start. You knew there was a possibility things wouldn't go according to plan, but... It just stung, especially how fast everything went wrong. Maybe living a boring life really was your fate after all.
Hair Gel guy entered your mind. You thought about that silly whiteboard you'd grown so attached to, and the silly characters accompanying it.
"I wonder what Hair Gel guy would do if he were in a situation like this." You thought aloud, a sad attempt to cheer yourself up.
It was starting to get cold out, and the air felt off. You looked upwards to see a grey cloudy sky, just fitting for the situation you were stuck in. The rainclouds didn't look like they showed any signs of leaving soon, it was probably a good idea to seek shelter before getting soaked.
You didn't wanna miss a chance of flagging down a passerby though, so despite the impending raincloud, you stubbornly sat on your car. Time seemed to be passing by so slowly. It seemed futile...
Just as you were about to head back in your car, the cushiony seats being too tempting to pass up, a flash just down the road caught your attention.
Oh god please be a car-
As the light came closer, you were able to make out the vague shape of everything you'd been wishing for. It was indeed a car. Being too excited to think, you hopped off the roof of your car making a loud squeak underneath you.
You desperately waved your hand up and to the side in a vigorous motion, begging to catch the attention of the oncoming driver. And just as you hoped for, a honk was returned as a gesture.
Instead of stopping though, the driver simply waves at you and continues on their merry way, too ignorant to realize you needed help.
Your jaw hangs from your face, too shocked to sit comfortably.
There's no way that just happened. Are you kidding me? ARE YOU KIDDING ME??
Your one ticket to freedom, gone, just like that. It was infuriating.
Too pissed off to think straight, you storm to your car and kick the side with all your might, immediately regretting it from the way the metal seemed to bite back. You stood there leaning on your car, feeling sprinkles of anticipated raindrops kiss your cheeks. It felt nice at first, but you knew it wouldn't last long. Not wanting to get soaked by rain, you defeatedly tug on the door handle to your car.
It wouldn't budge.
"What?" You tried again, and again, but the car door wouldn't open.
In a moment of realization, you notice a pretty important item taunting you from inside the vehicle. Your keys sat on the passenger seat, and your door was undoubtedly locked. You honestly didn't think it was humanly possible for the situation to get worse, but it did. And you were tired. You were exhausted from such a shitty afternoon, and the emotions were starting to get the better of you.
Tears threatened to fall from your eyes as you stared into your car, silently cursing yourself for all the shit that went wrong. You were starting to get soaked from the increase of rain, and the only way of shelter was the thicket of trees across from you. It wasn't ideal but it was the best you had in this tough moment, so you walked ahead. You were thankful it was at least still daytime, and you wouldn't have to scavenge around in the dark, but it was still creepy.
You stood there quietly, just deep enough to where the branches sheltered you while you could still make out the shape of the car nearby. You weren't sure what to do now, so you sat down, despite the muddy floor. That would be a problem for the future you, and the future you didn't seem to matter too much at the moment.
As you sat there listening to the rain, you began to notice the little life within the trees. Bugs of all sorts crawled along the grassy dirt. Birds chirped despite the gloomy weather, and in the distance, you saw a figure.
You could feel your heart drop.
A figure when you were alone in the woods was never good. You quickly rose to your feet, getting ready to flee if needed. The figure looked vaguely human though. Maybe, just maybe, it would be able to help you. It was still too far away to really tell who or what it was, but you called out to it anyway.
"H- Hello?" Your voice wavered.
The distant figure didn't respond. Instead, retreating to hide behind a nearby tree.
You built up your courage to investigate, walking over to where they were hidden. Slowly, you peeked behind the tree, only to see they vanished. Seemingly into thin air.
Where.. what?
You look around expectantly, but they were nowhere to be seen. Were you just seeing things? That couldn't be right.
A crack to your side pulls your attention away from the tree. Standing only a few feet away was the young man you had been supposedly chasing after. His tall blue hair, compensating for his short body, seemed familiar. You couldn't quite put a pin on it though. It was still bright out, but the densely packed greenery made it hard to make out all of his features. He was the height of a child, but you could tell he was grown. Maybe he just missed a growth spurt or two.
He didn't give you much time to examine him before taking off deeper into the trees. You reached out in an attempt to stop him, but he kept running. Without thinking, you felt your own feet move forward to chase after the small man, not thinking about the consequence of getting lost. He ran, and ran, looking back every now in then. He looked scared.
A part of you felt like a little kid again, playing tag in the outdoors with your friends.
The deeper you went into the forest, the more tangled you got in branches. It was hard to see at this point, the sheer amount of leaves and branches getting tangled in your limbs, but you were determined. You wanted to see who he was, or where he was headed. You desperately wanted his help.
Eventually, the small man comes to a slower pace and stops in front of a large depth. It seems to be a hole in the forest floor, just large enough for a person or two to jump inside. You don't get much time to ponder before he jumps inside, startling you.
Quickly, you rush over to the hole. It's deep, you can't see where it ends or where the man ended up. You get on your knees and lean down into it, being careful to not fall in.
"Hello?!?" You call out, but once again he never answers.
This is all so strange, you think to yourself.
The thought of following him inside the crevice enters your mind, but you immediately dismiss it. It was a crazy idea, one you definitely wouldn't have the balls to follow through on. Who knows where it led, or if it was even safe to travel through.
Disappointedly, you attempt to pull yourself off the ground.
But your hand slips on the edge of the dirt.
You attempt to steady yourself, grabbing at anything nearby, but it was already too late. In an instant, the weight of your body pulls you into the floor.
"SHIT-" Your hands desperately wave around as you sink deeper into the abyss. Screams echo as you call out, terrified of your fate. It's shortlived though, the darkness surrounding the tunnel soon comes over you. As the corners of your vision begin to fade black, you stare up at the entrance of the hole, wishing you just stayed home.
Fragments of muted voices echo in your head.
"...Who is this? A new friend? Maybe we..."
"...They're covered in mud... Should really clean up..."
"...Skin... Unlike ours ..."
"...neighbor..."
A gentle pillow-like hand envelops the side of your face, the feeling helps you ground yourself as your consciousness finally comes back to your head. You feel your eyes flutter open, first seeing a beautiful sky overhead, with a colorful array of people crouched over you. The air smells sweet, reminiscent of a freshly baked apple pie. A wave of nostalgia rushed over you.
"They're waking up!" A young girl above calls out.
Your eyes slowly start to focus on the lively group of people surrounding you. Looks of excitement and concern are exchanged throughout the group as you awaken. At first, nothing seems off about them, but then you notice something. A chill makes its way up your spine as you stare, not quite believing your eyes.
They're all puppets. Real, live, talking puppets.