"It's warm..."
A sensation she knew all too well... and missed dearly.
When was the last time she felt like this?
Tuesday could feel fingers gently brushing through her hair.
She felt as though she might dissolve from the peculiar touch.
"More... I want more..."
Tuesday sought solace in the unfamiliar yet comforting caress.
Her face nestled into the source of this soothing warmth.
"It smells so nice..."
There was a simple scent—wheat, and soap.
Such a distinct yet familiar blend.
Tuesday's arms clung tightly to the comforting warmth.
Then, another gentle touch brushed against her back.
Her mind felt as though it were slowly melting away.
Could she stay like this forever?
"It's been so hard..."
"Is that so?"
"Yes, Wednesday is so naughty..."
"How so?"
"She doesn't listen to what I say and always reads strange and scary things...!"
"That sounds tough..."
"Isn't it?! Grandma, that bitch! She almost killed us with a sword, and...!"
Tuesday started to talk about all her frustrations to the strange voice, like a child complaining to her parents.
"Why does no one listen to me...? Is it because I'm dumb?"
She whispered, tears welling up in her eyes.
Her arms tightened around the comforting warmth.
"What if Wednesday dies because I'm not smart enough?"
If she had just kept quiet, she wouldn't have sparked Wednesday's curiosity.
If only she were a bit smarter, she could have thought of a better excuse.
If only she weren't so useless
"Unlike me, she's so clever... She always knows what to do and takes care of me..."
Her nails dug deep into her palms.
The scent of blood mixed with her frustration.
"...What if she doesn't need me anymore?"
Tears streamed down her face like a waterfall.
Sniff.
The sound of a child's sob echoed in the tranquil garden.
"You're doing your best too."
"Am I...?"
"She could have been gone long ago, right? You saved her."
"That was then. Now is now."
She replied, stubbornly.
"So... Why don't you just let go?"
"What?"
"If this little demon is as great as you say, why not just set her free? Isn't she just causing you trouble?"
"What are you saying!? My Wednesday is not a bad child!"
"Doesn't seem that way."
"What do you think you know? Huh?!"
She snapped, shoving the figure away.
The child stood, her legs trembling with rage.
The blonde woman sat expressionless, her eyes locked on the child's.
"I know Wednesday better than anyone!!"
She cried, pointing accusingly at the woman.
"She's the kindest child I've ever met! She's loyal, brave, and smart... and!"
Tuesday began listing all of Wednesday's virtues on her fingers.
"And a bit curious... But what child isn't? It's normal for kids to do dangerous things sometimes, just like any other child!!"
"Normal kids don't read serial killers' diaries." said the woman, her face still emotionless.
Her words shattered the last piece of Tuesday's rationality.
Was she blind? How could she not see how good Wednesday was?
"Wednesday is special. Who says she has to be like other kids?!"
"Her peculiarity almost got you killed."
The woman's gaze became fierce, her once calm eyes now sharp and accusatory.
Despite the intense stare, Tuesday stood tall.
"So what? It's not Wednesday's fault. I'm the adult, I take care of her."
Tuesday's eyes grew colder, her anger turning to ice.
"It's not about being an adult or a child. This demon can't think like a normal person."
The woman spoke as if lecturing a difficult child.
"Her nature will only bring disaster and death. You'll never find peace by her side."
The woman stood, her blonde hair and eyes exuding a majestic, otherworldly aura.
Her cold eyes bore down on the child like a tyrant.
"Give up this child before she hurts you forever."
Tuesday didn't flinch. She stared back at the woman as if she were the foolish one.
"Who cares if I get hurt?"
She said as if stating a simple truth.
"Wednesday is smart and kind, not a demon as you claim."
Tuesday met the woman's gaze without wavering.
"She needs guidance... She needs a responsible adult to look up to."
"And where would she find that? From you?" the woman scoffed.
"Yes, from me!"
She declared, pointing to herself with conviction.
"I will make Wednesday the best person this world has ever seen!"
"That's my baby."
A smile crept onto the blonde woman's face.
"A love that transcends race and all barriers..."
She murmured, gazing at the child with a touch of melancholy.
"I will..."
Her hands slowly reached towards the child's chest.
"Support your love too."
Suddenly, the woman vanished into thin air.
A soft light enveloped her body.
"What?"
Tuesday was left dumbfounded.
What just happened?
Crack!
Dangerous fissures appeared in the once-serene blue sky.
The ground beneath her began to shift and crumble.
Suddenly, she was falling.
"A- Ah!!"
The last thing Tuesday saw was an endless void of darkness.
*
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"Hmm..." she muttered, her face scrunched in discomfort.
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"Ah..."
Tuesday rolled over, covering her ears with her arms.
The voice was disrupting her sleep.
"..."
After a few moments of silence, she finally relaxed.
Her face returned to a peaceful expression.
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"Shut up!"
Tuesday snapped, her voice filled with anger.
Her eyelids flew open, revealing eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep.
Trick—
Right in front of her face was a mannequin head, dripping with some dark, suspicious liquid.
"Ah!!!"
Tap!
Tuesday instinctively lashed out, punching the mannequin's face.
Thum- Thum- Thump!
The mannequin's head rolled across the floor, stopping against the wall.
"Ha... Ha...!"
Tuesday tried to catch her breath, her face flushed with anxiety.
Her eyes darted around the room, desperately searching for a weapon.
A wooden sword lay nearby.
Grab!
Without a second thought, Tuesday snatched up the sword, her hands trembling.
"Ah!!!"
She attacked the mannequin's head, swinging her sword with all her strength.
Tap!
The sword struck the mannequin's face brutally.
"Die!!"
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Her eyes filled with tears and desperation.
But her grip on the sword remained unyielding.
Crack—
The mannequin's head began to crack under the repeated blows.
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Suddenly, energy started to gather in the mannequin's head.
Tap! Tap!! Tap!!!
"DIE! DIE!! FUCKING BASTARD!!!"
Spit flew from her mouth. In her eyes, the mannequin's head was the only thing that existed.
"Ha... ha..."
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Tap!!
"Ah!!"
Each time the voice echoed, Tuesday struck the mannequin again.
The energy gathering within the head dissipated as it rolled across the floor.
Tuesday sat like a soldier, clutching the sword between her arms.
Her exhausted eyes remained fixed on the mannequin.
Anxiety and fear gnawed at her mind.
Her vision blurred as she stared at the mannequin.
"Uh..."
She clung to the sword, desperate for any semblance of comfort.
"Wednesday, where are you...?"
After neutralizing the immediate threat, her thoughts turned to Wednesday.
"Are you still asleep?"
'...'
She asked but received no reply.
"How much longer will you sleep?"
'...'
Tuesday repeated, but again, no answer.
It was unusual.
Wednesday always woke up at the same time as her, except when she was a baby.
She couldn't fathom why, but a wave of anxiety washed over her.
'Relax, I'm an adult, aren't I?'
She tried to calm herself by repeating the word "adult."
'I've spent my whole life alone, why am I scared now?'
Her legs still trembled with fear.
Strange thoughts crept into her mind.
'What if she never wakes up?'
Her body shivered with terror again.
"Shut up!"
She yelled into the silent room.
There was no one there; Tuesday was yelling at herself.
The danger was still present—the mannequin's head, the eerie voice...
She tried to focus on those things.
"Squish!"
A familiar sound reached her ears.
In the corner of the room, she spotted a certain spider.
In the past, Tuesday would have been paralyzed with fear at the sight of him.
But now, her eyes filled with hope.
"Homer!"
She rushed to the spider, her steps quick and urgent.
The spider accepted her without hesitation.
Pat~ Pat~
With a shrunken posture, Tuesday stroked the spider tenderly.
'I'm not alone.'
This realization brought her some peace.
Thanks to Homer, they were still alive.
"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you."
Tuesday repeated the words like a broken record, caressing the spider as if he were a sacred relic.
Homer, accustomed to the odd behavior of his two masters, remained still.
"Do you want to hear a song?"
With no one else around, Tuesday began talking to the spider.
She didn't seem quite in her right mind.
Even as she held Homer, her eyes stayed fixed on the mannequin, the sword resting between her legs.
"Squish!"
The spider responded as if understanding her intentions.
A shaky smile crossed her face.
"This is Wednesday's favorite..."
At the mention of Wednesday, Homer settled onto her legs, patiently waiting.
"♪~"
A strange lullaby filled the room.
How many times had they gone through this?
Each time the voice called out, Tuesday would immediately strike the mannequin.
She refused to think about where Wednesday was, why the door remained closed, or how her body had healed.
"♪~"
She sang only for Homer.
Her small, yet loyal audience.
*
"It's getting worse..."
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Tap!
Another head rolled into the room.
"Ha... Ha..."
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Tap...!
Tuesday struck the mannequin's head again.
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Tap.
And again and again.
Her breathing became erratic, her arms sore from the relentless beating.
At first, she was consumed with worry, but now she barely had time to think.
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Tap.
'How long...'
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Tap—
'Do I have to endure this?'
Her legs wobbled, her energy nearly depleted.
'I need water...'
Her lips were dry. She'd been fighting for so long without a single drop to drink.
Howl~
Her stomach growled, yearning for food.
She had no idea how long they'd been trapped in this place.
It felt like an eternity.
She couldn't sleep, couldn't bathe, couldn't rest.
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Tap...
Thump.
The head rolled slowly against the wall.
'I'm exhausted. I'm tired. I want to sleep. I want out of here.'
Tears welled up in her eyes, but she tried to hold them back.
She couldn't afford to waste energy on crying.
At first, the alarms were sporadic, but now they came at least once a minute.
'Stopped...?'
Suddenly, the sounds ceased.
Five minutes passed.
Ten minutes passed.
'Is it over?'
Thump.
Tuesday collapsed to the floor, relieved.
'Finally, a break...'
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[#1/#2/#NaN Hide and Seek]
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Without warning, a barrage of messages flooded in.
Tuesday's face turned pale.
'What the hell is this?'
Before her, a strange, enormous sphere of energy materialized.
Energy poured from the walls, enveloping the entire room.
This was far more than she could handle.
"No..."
The energy began to take shape behind the mannequin's head.
"No, please no..."
Trick—
A peculiar sound echoed.
"Tell me it's a joke, please..."
Tuesday's body could barely move.
Her eyes were glued to the monstrous creature made of writhing tentacles before her.
"Ah..."
Tears streamed down her face.
A mannequin stood there, its posture twisted and unnatural.
A dark sword began forming in the air.
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Trick.