Chapter Text
They were painting with their dad in the living room, the canvases were propped up on easels and small tubs of paint were opened and sitting on the coffee table ready to use. It was raining outside so everyone just agreed to stay inside and paint today. Their mom was in kitchen most likely making hot chocolate with marshmallows because while no one was outside it was still nice to have hot beverage on a day like this.
Embry had on a new apron their dad got them recently they only had it for a roughly a week before paint stains started showing up.
“What are you painting embers” their dad asked moving his paint brush across the canvas in even strokes.
“Just a mouse eating cheese” they replied as they dipped the paint brush into the tub of green paint.
“Really that’s different from what you normally do, I’m just painting a butterfly with some flowers” their dad chimed painting the background of the painting gray. Embry hummed in response. They had no idea why but they just wanted to paint something different from the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches they typically painted for once.
They stood in silence for a moment just painting, their dad chose the colors gray black and red, a different combination then what he usually does but it would make for an interesting painting.
They briefly wondered what their dad was painting and why it would need that color palette before focusing on their painting again. They could faintly hear their mom in the kitchen making something and Embrys stomach started to rumble from hunger, they’ll go grab a snack as soon the paintings done.
All was right and well.
And then they heard glass breaking.
They whipped their head around to where the sound came from and a froze. It was only a moment but the scene in front of them felt like it was branded into their memories for the rest of time.
The walls were painted in a dark red goopy mess that seemed to slowly drip down the walls, the whole room was destroyed, furniture was flipped over, small items ripped to pieces and the windows were shattered to bits, The wallpaper was ripped and torn apart with what looked like giant scratch marks on every surface.
And their dad..his entire head was missing the limbs were barely they couldn’t even be considered arms they basically just bones with bits of flesh attached. His torso was there but all the internal organs were spilling out almost like someone tipped a cup over and it made a giant mess all over the place.
Surprisingly there was no blood dripping out of the torso. Maybe because all of it was splattered on the walls.
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Embry jolted awake and immediately sat up right in bed to help them calm their erratic breathing. Two nightmares. In a row. They haven’t had nightmares multiple nights in a row possibly ever, this was the first time and the most realistic one yet.
At most they rarely had nightmares and recently they’ve had nightmares every few weeks but now they seemed to show up more frequently and felt more realistic each time. Was this really a symptom of some kind of illness they caught like their parents feared might happen or were they going crazy.
They could think about this during breakfast they need make breakfast for their parents first.
They pushed the blankets aside and quickly climbed out of bed to slipped on their slippers and rushed out of the room to the kitchen downstairs. They looked through the cabinets to find something but all they could find was a few cereal boxes and a cheese wheel with mold on it, ‘people like mold cheese right?’ Embry briefly thought before deciding to take the cereal box they would put it in a bowl with milk but that expired months ago and they didn’t want to get anymore, the townspeople might start asking questions.
They took the cereal box and began walking back upstairs to their parents room. After walking up the creaky old stairs they made it to their mom and dads room and turned the handle to open the door, after opening the door they looked in the room, really looked, for anything unfamiliar or wrong with it or their parents. But the room looked the same and their parents looked like the same people they knew. ‘Why am I being so paranoid it’s just mom and dad’ Embry thought before shoving that thought to the back of their head for later. Mom and dad first questioning things about themselves later.
As soon as they entered the room and closed the door the claustrophobic feeling and the feeling of eyes hit them full force ‘is it bad I’m starting to get used to this?’ Embry wondered while walking towards the side of the bed their mom was on.
“Embry, good morning!” Their mom exclaimed with a smile on her face. Embry chose to not pay much attention to the way her smile didn’t reach her eyes. “Morning mom I hope cereals fine” Embry replied handing the cereal box over to her “of course it is embers, anything’s fine” she smiled a sickly sweet smile that could make someone ill like they just ate to much candy.
Their mom hugged them while patting their back and rubbing their head, they were getting used to the strangling hugs their parents gave them before Embry left the room. Is that a bad thing?
After the crushing hug Embry walked out of the room and to the creaky old stairs. They needed to go market.
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The moment Embry walked into the market they went straight to ms. Bailors stall with no second thoughts ‘if ms. Bailor does have meat I need to get it before anything else’ they thought while rushing over to the stall.
‘Please’
‘Please’
‘please’
Embry internally begged to themselves when they came up the stall and saw ms. Bailor, as soon as they saw her ms. Bailor looked over and saw Embry and smiled. ‘That has to be a good sign’ they thought as ran the rest of the way to the stall.
“Embry it’s wonderful to see you again!” Ms. Bailor exclaimed upon Embry stoping in front of the stall “you seem happy does that mean you have meat today?” Embry questioned looking around the stall and hoping that she did have meat.
“Well no, but a doctor’s currently in town!”
“A doctor?”
“Mhm I know you said your parents couldn’t find a doctor in town that could them but since he’s not from here we all thought that maybe he could help them”
Embry stood completely still eyes slightly wider than they were a moment ago. A doctor from out of town. He could help their parents heal. The last time Embry asked about their parents about doctors and if they found one who could help they told them was ‘no doctor in town can help us’ and ‘we have you Embry that’s more then enough’.
“He’s by the that stall over there you should go talk to him before you leave!” Embry refocused on the conversation at hand and realized that ms. Bailor was pointing at something, turning their head they saw that what she was pointing at was man in grays and blacks with a mask. So that’s the doctor who could help their parents.
“Okay, thank you” they muttered under their breath and began walking towards the doctor. ‘Would he be able to help them’ ‘the doctors in town couldn’t them so would it be different this time around’ ‘I can’t get my hopes up he might not be able to help’ Embry had multiple thoughts flying through their head as they walked towards the doctor.
“Oh Embry wonderful to see you again!” The stall owner exclaimed and waved at them “nice to see you to” they replied eyeing the doctor who turned to them. He had a strange mask with a huge smile, a big sun pendant that seemed radiate warmth, and black and gray clothing that looked worn and old. “Hello I assume you’re Embry” the doctor beamed while extending a hand to Embry, they took it and shook hands with him briefly.
“Yes I am” they replied to his earlier question retracting their hand. “I’ve heard a bit about you and your parents” he spoke “I’m sure ms. Bailor told you about him Embry?” The stall owner questioned while he moved around some jars of peanut butter “she did, you’re a doctor” Embry spoke confidently towards the doctor “yep the names Dr. D. Light!” He cheered “and I’ve heard that your parents have been ill for quite a while now, I would like to check out their condition and if I can do anything” Embry paused for a split second immediately after he said that ‘I mean it’s not like mom and dad have found a doctor in town yet, plus this might be the only option to get them a diagnosis on and maybe a treatment plan right now’ Embry thought to themselves, all things considered this was currently the best bet they had but.
They felt scared?
Scared of what and why? A voice in back of their head seemed to scream that they shouldn’t bring this doctor to their mom and dad, but if they didn’t it would seem suspicious to the other townspeople why Embry wouldn’t bring a doctor who could help to their sick parents.
“Ok, but can I grab a few things before we leave to see them?” As soon as Embry said that their head started to ache and the voice started screaming louder.
“of course! We can start now if you’d like” the doctor cheered, he definitely seemed cheerful “yeah that’s fine” as soon they replied the voice stopped as soon as it started but their head was pounding now. They really need some Tylenol after this.