After walking for a while, Warhound led them up the wooden stairwell. It was full of holes and missing parts, one wrong move could cost your life. Because of this, Warhound had to wait for them at certain points. "You guys take too long" He threw a loose rock at one of them, causing them to fall further back.
He sighed, laying himself down "Alright, how about a story to pass the time?" He looked at the kids, seeing that none of them were interested.
"There was once a kid named Timothy Howard." He began his story. Jim sighed when he heard the beginning, "Not again…" Warhound looked at Jim, throwing a nearby rock at him. "No interrupting the story!"
He settled back again, "He was just about your age, you know. His father was fairly known for being indebted to us, so he sold him off!" He slowly moved up as the group began making progress. "His father was a fighter, and so was he."
Warhound trailed his nails across the walls as he went up, "And so he tried escaping the hole."
"Waiting for the perfect opportunity, he moved in the middle of the night." Pheo raised his head, the story piqued his interest. "Of course, he wasn't able to escape." He chuckled, "I'm the one who roams at night after all."
"But he ended up somewhere far worse than in my hands, no, he ended up somewhere no kid should ever be." Warhound looked behind to see all of them, "Right in front of the cage of a beast. Beam's cage."
Pheo shook still, it was the same as his dream.
"Beam was a beast barely controllable by us, the monster under your bed, the one who rules your nightmares, and the one who Timothy faced that night"
He looked at Pheo, laughing at how scared he was. "Thinking nothing of the warnings, Timothy reached out to the beast."
"He stared him down, unknowingly challenging the monster in his own territory." Warhound reached out his hand, "And in one swift motion..."
He grasped the air, tightening his fist, and pulled as hard as he could. "Gone, Disappeared into the dark. Blink and you'll miss it." While others were too busy finding a way to follow Warhound, the others were genuinely scared.
Like Pheo.
Someone patted him in the back, making him jump in surprise. It was Jen, the girl who pushed him earlier. "Don't worry too much, it's just a story to scare the newcomers." She reassured him.
If it was, then what did I dream of last night?
It felt so real, as if he was living as Timothy at that moment. But it wasn't him that was in control, it was Timothy. Eventually, they ended up at a large cafeteria, decorated with multiple rundown picnic tables and lightbulbs that hung on loose electrical wires.
Above them were wooden scaffolding where the other wardens were, watching every move they made. "Isn't it infuriating, how it only takes three people to keep us here?" Jug went up to Pheo. "It shows just how much of a difference awakenings make."
"Welcome to the cafeteria!" Warhound shouted out while spreading his arms out.
Parquatz scoffed at him, clearly tired of his antics. "Anyways, split yourselves between two groups. One cooks for lunch and the other group for dinner."
"Simple enough?" He asked them one-sidedly, not waiting for an answer. Parquatz looked at Warhound, "You sure that's all of them?"
"Don't think any of them could get past me." He answered while locking the group inside the cafeteria. He squinted his eyes, then continued to eat. "Not like they can get far anyways."
"Alright," Warhound looked around, then pointed at Jim. "You lead the group now." He then grabbed one of the many bars, swinging around the scaffolding to make his way next to the wardens.
Jim sighed, "Alright, whoever wants to work now follow me. If you're lazy and want to cook later, go take a seat." He pointed at Mark, "This guy will remember each and every one of you who sits down now, so don't think of skipping out later."
Mark made the fiercest look he could, making Jim laugh at him. "Make sure he doesn't remember you!" He tried to say it threateningly, but a few giggles leaked out.
Pheo looked at Jug and the others, they all stayed at a table. He reconsidered joining them, but decided to join the group that's cooking.
I should try staying independent for now.
Tom watched as Pheo went to the kitchen, "Should we just let him be?"
"I'm sure it's fine," Jess reassures them. "We might need someone in the other group anyways." Mark went to the group, noticing that they were talking about Pheo. "I'm not sure about him, he seems off."
"When can someone ever be sure?" Jug told them. "Just let him do whatever he wants, if he wants to join let him." They all took a look at Pheo, watching his every move.
"What the hell?" Jim approached them after finishing the work Warhound shoved at him, "I didn't know all of my friends were stalkers." He went and sat with the others, "Personally, I like him. But he ain't the winning card."
"He's just an extra helping hand."
Meanwhile, the kitchen was chaotic. There was no voice to instruct them on what to do. All they had to do was bake some bread and portion it to a loaf of bread and a cup of water per person.
It didn't affect Pheo however, he only had to make two meals. One for himself, and another for someone from the other group.
In the end, I just have to do my part.
He went to Jim, "Here, have this." He handed a plate that had an extra loaf of bread. "For free?" Jim asked, but not before taking a bite of both loaves. Pheo watched as he gulped down the water before leaving.
"I suggest you join us soon," Jim shouted out to him as he walked away. He didn't look back, sitting down by himself. Pheo looked at his food, hoping for the best before taking a bite, surprising him.
This is better than what I usually eat.
He finished eating it before gulping down the water. There were definitely some chunks of dirt mixed in there, but it won't make much of a difference. Pheo slammed the drink down, only to see that someone else was in front of him doing the same thing.
It's the guy who was fine after Warhound's howl.
He smiled at him, "You also a fast eater?"
"No, it just tasted better than what I usually ate."
He looked at him oddly, "It's bread, stale too. What could be worse than that?"
Pheo didn't respond, he usually had leftovers. Food that was handed down after others ate the main parts. He remembered the times he would skim the bones for meat, or scrape the plate for the dried out sauces that stuck after being left out for so long.
"Well, to each their own I guess." He said, playing around with his plate. Pheo waited as everyone else took their time eating. He looked to see that most of them barely even ate.
They took this time for reality to set in, to tell themselves that this is what everyday is from now on. Warhound and Parquatz went down to see that everyone was barely eating their meals.
Parquatz smiled, "I'd hurry up if I were you guys…" Everyone who was already finished went up to him. Parquatz looked confused however, "Oh, it isn't me who's taking care of you guys today."
He pointed at the person behind him, a smile forming in his face. "It's him."