fillerups | CAR WASH

CAR WASH

AT THE CAR WASH, WOAH

The door leading into the car wash is locked. You all know that, of course. You've likely tried it yourself, or watched someone make a fool out of themselves trying to break in. (Man, this is going to age poorly if you've all decided to surprise us and just leave the locked door alone.)

But today... well, call it a feeling. A gut instinct, maybe, that leads you to the doorway. This time, you put your hand on the doorknob - and it turns fully, the door swinging open so that you can enter. As you draw your hand back, you'll spot a bloody handprint on the knob - but then you blink, and it's gone.

The inside of the car wash is rather industrial looking, albeit mostly powered down. The lights are dim to begin with, and flicker ominously from time to time; occasionally, they even go out entirely, and it may be several minutes or several hours before they come back on. None of the machinery seems to be working, though there's a faint electronic hum coming from a shelf built into the wall, upon which a radio sits. Strangely, no matter how tall you are or how you conspire to stack things up and climb up to get it, it always seems to be just out of reach - there won't be any changing the channel for you.

It's hard to tell what you're meant to do here, now that you've gotten in. But since you couldn't get in until now, there must be some reason... right?

...only time will tell.

NAVIGATION

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He has a little bit of depression, but

he is here.]

What is going on?

[Wow, this kid.]

You tell me! What even happened to you?

[He touches his chest. IS HE STILL NOT SURE IF HE'S ALIVE OR REAL? Maybe.]

I don't know. I was--dead. And now I'm... I'm here.

Did you get murdered by a video game?

I guess... We got stuck on the machines, and couldn't stop it, or get off. We could only keep dancing.

How many lives will those machines claim. . .

But the mask guy is here, so he must have gotten credit for killing you.

Maybe because it had been his idea.

[(hyth voice) someone will die OF FUN]

That means... everyone here killed someone...?

(no subject)

youcanreplytothiscomment - 2022-01-02 21:21 (UTC) - Expand

humblepie - 2022-01-02 21:29 (UTC) - Expand

youcanreplytothiscomment - 2022-01-02 21:34 (UTC) - Expand

humblepie - 2022-01-02 21:45 (UTC) - Expand

youcanreplytothiscomment - 2022-01-02 21:56 (UTC) - Expand

humblepie - 2022-01-02 22:25 (UTC) - Expand

[ she feels bad for the dude tbh ]

I think... everybody here killed somebody. So we're here now, I guess.

But what does that mean? Why here?

[their CAR WASH]

Beats me. Nothing about this place ever makes sense.

[hate that]

I'm so tired of this place toying with us!

This is all so dramatic!

You can say that again.

This is all so dramatic!

[haha

anyway]

I think you're here because you're also a murderer? I mean, unintentionally and stuff.

Sora...

[don't make him murder his best frIEND AAA]

Yeah, but--what does that mean? What does being here together... alive and dead mean?

Sora-- You didn't accidentally kill the tall guy? If anything, the car killed Sora.

[well,]

That I don't really know yet! But I think we're trying to figure it out. It seems like the dead people can't remember what it's like outside this room. Can you?

humblepie - 2022-01-02 21:44 (UTC) - Expand

fionafancypants - 2022-01-02 21:49 (UTC) - Expand

humblepie - 2022-01-02 22:24 (UTC) - Expand

fionafancypants - 2022-01-02 22:46 (UTC) - Expand

humblepie - 2022-01-03 00:04 (UTC) - Expand

This - [he kind of laughs helplessly?] This is not what I meant when I said I intended to get you out of this place.

[He makes a sort of face which I cannot begin to describe. Help him.]

I... there was a rat. I don't know what happened...

[gently places a hand on his shoulder...]

From our perspective, naught made sense either. [...] I will look after Sora, if you should entrust me with the responsibility.

[His jaw clenches, but it's more, like, angry and stubborn resolution. He nods.]

I don't know if you can, but... tell him we're okay. Tell him to keep trying. We'll put a stop to this. Just... don't let him do anything stupid.

Thanks, Hythlodaeus.

[he ruffles riku's hair.]

I will do all that and more. Rest easy, my friend.

humblepie - 2022-01-03 22:36 (UTC) - Expand

You tell us.

I know as much as the rest of you.

So, nothing but the car wash then.

I guess that's where we start.