Mind Space

Rita

I didn't think anyone was actually listening to me but I kept talking anyways. "Guys," I whispered. " Anyone else hear that or is it just me?" I tensed, hearing an unusual...slithering? Crawling? Whatever it was doing and whatever it was, I could tell this was not gonna be good.

The boy continues his run across the cabinet-tops. He spots some familiar faces and pauses.

"Um, you there..." he says to Marley. "You're the bigger version of The Girl, right? Well, you guys should get moving. There's a bear-bug lurking around, and where there's one, there are at least three more."

Meanwhile, a huge, furry creature stalks about on its six long legs. Lots of carbon-dioxide trails about...which means lots of food. It only needs to choose a starting point.

Marley
Oh. Crap. Mini Peter. Orderliness. Bear bugs. This can only mean one thing
"Wait... are we like... in Winter's mind or something?!" My eyes widened. Okay, that was a stupid theory, but... what if it was true?
Wearesodead

Dorian
I raised an eyebrow, studying the boy that looked sort of like the one I almost drowned. He obviously seemed to know Marley... wait... the girl? What did that... oh. Yes. What we used to call Marley.
But wait, more importantly... bear bugs?! What kind of... bear bugs?!
"That's just ridiculous" I muttered

Alex
I flinched slightly when I heard our old... well, name for Marley. The Girl. Like a dog we never got around to giving a real name for. I remember once she cried and begged for one, I think she was what... four then? Younger? I snapped out of the memory, then turned to Dorian
"I really don't think we should stand around and debate over this... if the kid says there's something coming to eat us, I say we /go/"

Mr.Face:

I heard people...Well. To approach or not to approach?

Considering the concept of strength in numbers...It was probably a good idea to catch up with them. Whoever they were.

T.Mor:

I was walking forward, and I heard voices...And then...Mr.Face.

Oh Internet. Why. Whywhywhywhy.

"Hello Mr.Face..." I muttered, staring at the floor so I wouldn't have to stare at him.

"Mr.Namechov? Hello...We are going that way. Come on." He instructed me, and I was kind of compelled to follow him...Just out of habit.

I saw people farther along the hallway thingy of cabinets.

Rita

Oh my. Bear bugs. Anything with the word "bug" in it was enough to freak me out. I stood there, clutching my knife, wondering what I should do. Fight, or run? What did the other people have in mind?

"Yes, this is Winter's mind," the boy answers. "A lot of people have been showing up who shouldn't be here, though... Anyway, bear-bugs. They're massive, furry, have six legs, and huge fangs. If you see anything like that, run away. Also, you should try to keep from exhaling as long as possible; that's how they find you. They're good at hunting. The bigger me even has trouble with them. He...I...got dragged off and eaten alive at least once. ...I'm only telling you this 'cause we're friends in the future, aren't we, The Girl?" He then turns to the meaner twin. "Future me really hates you. He-I must have a good reason for it, so I'll say for him-me what I said to the faceless man: I hope you get eaten. Bye, bigger The Girl!"

He starts on his way again.

T.Mor:

I was walking next to Mr.Face...Toward people I kind of vaguely knew...maybe..a few of them... Ok.. Marley for sure.

"er...Hi...Marley...erm...What is this place?"

"Winter's Mind, Mr.Namechov." Mr.Face answered for me.

"Oh...er...Ok...Erm...Thank you...sir..." I muttered, still looking at Marley. "Why are we here?" I waited on Mr.Face for a remark. Nothing. Great.

Grace

I followed the others with lack of anything better to do. I mean I was in some freaky brain with something called a bearbug nearby. Not exactly the best place to grow a fear of strangers.

"So. Um. Are we just gonna stand around waiting for that bear bug thing?" I asked after a moment, it seemed to me that was what they were doing.

Rita

I glanced over at the girl who had spoken. "I dunno. There doesn't seem like many places to run to or hide." The filing cabinet room seemed to stretch on for miles, and I was pretty sure that if we tried to run, we would just get tired and then be eaten.

Bishop started to run away from the others Something doesn't feel right. I have to run! he didn't know where he was going but it has to be away from here.

Marley
"Bye Pete!" I called after him while his tiny form dissapeared as he ran. But a lot of people? So we weren't the only ones. Good. Still, the thought that we were in an author's brain... one that wasn't our author... ug. It was kinda squick in a way. And freaking scary. Then T.Mor showed up, and was glad for a familiar face. Then /Mr Face/ showed up and I was irritated to see a familiar unface. Gah.

Alex
Did Dorian just get told off by an eight year old? Heh. Another person that Marley knew showed up, and I began to wonder how many friggen people she knows. Then I recognized him as one of the people that Dorian and I helped send to their death. And I recognized the other one as the guy that employed us to do so. Guilt...

Dorian
I just got told off by an eight year old. Huh. Too bad he was gone and I didn't have my gun, I would have liked to see how clever and brave he would feel with a bullet through his irritating head.
Two more people joined our little party, and I remembered them from DDS. I chuckled slightly

Jamie
So.Many.Cabinets.

I hated anything that had to do with paperwork....especially files. Bleh. I had no idea where I was, it was so organized. I heard creepy noisescoming from a distance, and voices not too far off. I decided to head for the voices. I walked closer and closer until I could hear them right around the corner. I turned down another hallway thing of huge cabinets and saw people.

Lots and Lots of people. Plus a dog.

This place just got weirder and weirder...

As the smaller Peter goes on his way, a man shows up from behind one of the cabinets. The man looks about mid-thirties, with a tall, stocky form, black hair, and intense blue eyes. He's dressed in worn clothing, he himself looking equally worn.

"You get back here, demon!" he bellows.

"Make me!" the smaller Peter calls back.

"Fair enough..." the man grumbles, reaching into his coat. He pulls out a small gun and fires off a few shots. Rather, he tries to fire a few shots. Cursing, he pulls the trigger a few more times, more quickly than before.

"Aah!"

The younger Peter falls off the cabinet, hitting the ground. The man is already running towards him, pulling a pair of what appear to be oven mits from his coat. Small Peter tries to get up, dizzily limping.

Rita

What in the world...? There was some creature called a bug bear heading in their direction, a guy was chasing the kid with a gun, and tons of other people were here, just staring at the chaos. I think I'm hallucinating.

Marley
Did he just... uh... wait... what... uh...wait what?! No, not cool. Shooting Peter does NOT fly. Ever. No matter what age he is.
EVER.
I jumped on the guy's back, wrapping my arms around his throat. Perfect way to distract him. He couldn't even shoot me. Er... okay... maybe not /perfect/ but...

"Get the hell off of me!" the man barks, trying to dislodge Marley. "The devil child is going to escape again!"

A little ways away, the smaller Peter is still trying to limp in the direction he'd been heading. He stumbles, falls, and shakily gets up again.

Meanwhile, a large creature continues to follow the carbon-dioxide trails. It picks up the scent of blood, salivating. Prey is very near.

Marley
I clung on for dear life. No way I was letting go. Run Pete, run! I silently begged, as if willing for him to escape. Crap. My brothers were both looking at me like they had absolutely no idea what just happened. It was kinda funny

T.Mor:

Some guy shot Teeny!Peter. That...That just wasn't right. Marley jumped him...the guy. Which...was kind of...expected I guess...er..

Mr.Face said nothing asn I wasn't sure if he had even picked up on the scene. He was being unusually quiet...like..If I couldn't see him out of my periferal vision...I couldn't be sure he was there. It was freaky...and I didn't know why he was doing it.

I spectated awkwardly...as usual...and er...just kind of wondered what all was going on.

The man continues to struggle with Marley, attempting to throw her over his shoulder.

The smaller Peter stumbles again, falling to the tiled floor. He finds that he simply can't walk, and tries to crawl instead. After a few steps, however, he seems to realize how futile it is, and hangs his head, resigned.

"Why are you defending it?!" the man demands of Marley. "Don't you see? It's a goner! Either it comes back with me, or it dies out here at the claws of the bug-bears!"

Marley
"I'm... working on a plan, actually... and your talking is kinda distracting. Oh, and by the way, he's not an it!" Then I got an idea. But it really counted on a couple of people I've never trusted before. Fun.
I slid off of his back "Dorian! Alex! Distracthimorsomething!" I called, tearing down the hall to where mini Peter was.

The man takes off the moment Marley lets go. With his long strides, it's obvious that he has the advantage. The smaller Peter continues to sit, his head down, accepting whatever fate happens to come to him.

Alex
I acted partly on instinct, running and tackling the guy before he could get to my sister, or the kid. I could literally feel Dorian's shock through our bond. He obviously wasn't actually expecting me to help the miniature Peter, or Marley.

Marley
Wow, did Alex just...? Wow. I actually stopped for a second, shocked. Then I kept running until I got to small Peter

The man tries to throw Alex off.

"I just...need to...bring...it back!" he shouts between grunts. "It's a...freak of...nature! Hellspawn!"

The smaller Peter looks up at Marley as she approaches. There's a spreading bloodstain on the back of one of his legs, as well as on his side.

Alex
I pinned both of his arms behind his back, and raised an eyebrow "Sure. Hellspawns come in 8 year old forms now? Interesting. I'll keep that in mind" I muttered.

Marley
"Uh... is there a medic center... in this brain? Or something?" I asked him, biting my lip and studying his wounds

"It's a devil child!" the man spits, trying to wrestle himself free. "Some say they're aliens, some say they're spirits, or government experiments, but I think they're the spawn of Satan! And I'm taking this one back with me!"

The smaller Peter thinks for a moment.

"There's a healer lady...but she could be anywhere. There's no medical center or anything that I know of..."