Chapter 2: Empty Stomachs and Hollow Promises Part 3

Who should be the next person I spend time with?

. . .

After I gave it some thought, I decided to check up on Poppy, to see how her body guarding was going. I finished up my lunch, cleaned up, and headed over to the room she was guarding. As expected, I found her pacing back and forth at the door like a toy soldier. She had accumulated another tray of food, making a small pile of said trays in the corner.

"Oh, heya Shiznit!" She called out, waving dramatically as I approached.

"Hey, how's everything holding up for you?" I replied, leaning against the wall next to her.

"Meh, pretty borin'.  No one's come by, and I've just gotten bored!" She responded, slouching onto the ground, "Plus my feet are gettin' tired."

"Well, no one is supposed to come by, so that's actually a good thing. Still, did you want to tag out? I can keep watch for the rest of the day if you want." I suggested, sitting down with Poppy.

'Naaaaah, I'm fine now that you're here."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"Cuz now I have someone to talk to and mess around with!" Poppy responded, scooching closer to me.

"Uh, how so?"  I asked. Before I could ask anything else, Poppy stuck out her pointer fingers at me.

"Sticks." Was all she said.

"...Sticks?"

"Yeah, Sticks! Like the game."

"There's a game called Sticks?"

"Of course, ya doy. Do ya know how to play?"

"Does it sound like I know how to play?" I asked rhetorically, causing Poppy to sigh.

"Alright alright alright. We both start with two fingies out, like this. An' we take turns tappin' each other's fingies, and whatever hand you tag, you have to add the amount of fingers that touched you to that hand."  She tried to explain.

"I… I don't follow."

"Ok ok, so look, stick out your fingers like me,"  Poppy commanded, and I followed  her instructions, "So let's say I go first. Now if I just, tap!"  She continued, moving her finger over to my left hand, tapping on it.

"Now ya have to hold up two fingers, since you started with one, and I tapped you with one."

"Okay? How do you win?"

"Welll, if you have to hold up all five fingers on one hand, you lose that hand. And if you lose both hands, I win!" As Poppy explained, she played out an example game between us. I watched and listened, starting to understand the way to game properly.

"Soo, didja wanna play?"

"Yeah, I'm fine with giving it a try." I answered, setting up my fingers for another game. Once we started, we didn't stop. We played and talked for the rest of the afternoon, while I learned how to play sticks, and promptly lost every single round. Even though I was getting my ass handed to me, I still had fun, and chatting with Poppy made up for the losses.

"...So how does being the Ultimate Internet Comedian work?"  I questioned, adding three fingers onto Poppy's left hand.

"Imagine like a regular comedian, right?" Poppy started, while tagging my right hand out, "But instead of stand up at a club, it's sarcastic comments and memes on Reddit."

"Huh...how do you even get a talent for something so obscure and subjective like comedy?" I asked, tagging Poppy's left hand out.

"Eh, not sure, go ask the old farts that gave me it. Maybe it's based on the recognition, or just Reddit karma, who knows!" she responded, getting my other hand out and winning. "Hah, another epic victory royale!"

"Maybe you should change your talent to the Ultimate Sticks Player." I replied sarcastically.

"Hah, you wish. Maybe you should change your talent to the Ultimate Loser!" She retorted.

"Owch, that was a low blow."  I replied, setting up another game  and laughing at her comment, "Let's keep going. I'll win eventually!"

…I didn't win a single game that afternoon. Poppy had so many tricks and strategies that I knew nothing about, and every time I thought I had her figured out, she would pull out another plan. Even then, it was still a fun time, talking and taking jabs at each other. It helped us forget the situation, even though it was just for a brief time. But just as soon as the fun had started, the afternoon came to a close.

After losing for the hundredth time, I went to grab myself some dinner, checked the clock, and noticed that it was around 11:30PM! I grabbed my tray and hurried out the exit, not caring if anyone took note of that, and rushed back to Poppy.

"Hey, I'm back." I commented, catching my breath.

"Welcome back, didja wanna get your butt kicked again?" Poppy jabbed, proud of her skill.

"You wish.  I came back to tell you that it's already 11:30-ish. Is the door unlocked?" I responded, making Poppy's eyes go wide.

"Already? Damn, time flies when you're eatin' ass and kicking Sticks!" With that, she turned around and tried the door again. Unfortunately, it was to no avail, making Poppy frustrated again, "What the hell! When's this gonna open, 11:59?!…

"Wouldn't doubt it," I said, giving the door a good kick, "I don't think it's worth risking an assumedly terrible punishment. We should get to our cells and think of a new plan." With that, Poppy picked up her food trays, and followed me to the cafeteria. We stopped to drop off said trays there before going to the cell block, where most of the gang was already situated.

"Ah, they're here!" Urkstin noticed us first, since his cell was closest to the entrance, and unsurprisingly, Mia and Jambo walked down the stairs of the second floor to greet us.

"Cutting it a bit close, aren't we, Hale?" Mia said, not even acknowledging my presence.

"You daft cows better remember the risk of being out late. You missed another meeting, if you haven't noticed," Jambo said, again, attempting to be patient, "Ev'ry night we're gonna have someone going round the cell block, making sure none of you dodgy lot try and do anything. They'll be going around right up until the nighttime announcement." While they explained, I noticed that no one was outside of their cell besides us.

"So, one of you two is patrolling tonight?" I asked.

"He is, obviously. Do you really think I would run the risk of getting attacked this early, especially with the two of you allowed to roam about!" Mia replied, being as condescending as possible.

"Alright yeah, I've gotten more than my daily dose of Mia, g'night Akakaka!" Poppy said, merrily skipping towards her cell. Mia simply scoffed and went her own way. As I went up to my own cell, I could feel the hard glare from Jambo, carefully watching my every move.

…Once I got into my cell, my mind began to wander. Soon, I began thinking about our locked "friend" and another issue with the plan to let him out. Mia had taken the key to his chain when we opened the cell block yesterday. If we wanted to get him out of that room, we either needed to find a way to get his key back, or find a way to break his chains. Either option seemed nearly impossible without letting the secret of Ceáser slip. Laying in bed, I tried to think up various solutions to all the problems I faced. However, melatonin had a different idea in mind for me and I began to drift off... "Attention contestants, It is now Nighttime. I hope you all read the rules and are in your cells. Sweet dreams." The same message as last night. I once again tried to focus on creating solutions, however, melatonin had a different idea in mind for me and I began to drift off...

…I don't usually have dreams. Whenever I do, they're usually peaceful ones. Drifting in the sky with clouds, or doing some sort of activity with my friends or family. Unfortunately, ever since I was chained here, I've had dreams unlike any I've had previously, all revolving around the same two things. I'm somewhere that feels familiar, with someone familiar calling out for me.

Tonight I had one similar to every other, but I couldn't remember the details quite as well as the others. It was all a fuzzy mess, feeling myself rock back and forth unsteadily, feeling a cold breeze brush across my wavering body.

A person in front of me, slowly approaching, repeating my name over and over. I try and get away but they catch me before I can act.

Feeling myself fall down, slowly losing more and more consciousness, watching their burning smile look down at me as I hear them call out my name...one last time-

"AKA!"