15 minutes

15 minutes is how long it took for Wallter to realize what was wrong with his fellow party noob

15 minutes was all it took for Wallter to simply call 911 to potentially save Poob.

Even if the chances seemed non existent..

He watched Poob get wheeled away into the ambulance, some people questioned her on what had happened.

"That's the thing I don't know! We just drank some gray stuff and then-"

"Gray stuff?"

"Y-yeah?"

"Sir over-consumption of gray stuff is practically LETHAL! It can hardened and clog the esophagus leading to suffocation! Didn't you read the warnings on the can?"

"Um...I didn't know-?"

"Jesus.." the investigator shook his head before turning away and dismissing wallter, as he sat on the sidelines watching the ambulance scurry away to save poob. Contemplating pests reaction to all of this.

...

Mark wiped his forehead as he finally managed to carry all the heavy wood to his destination, the two stud camp, with spud coming along to thank him personally.

"Spud spud-spud thanks you"

"No problem 'partner! Happy ta do yer commissions for ya!" He pet spud on his bucket lightly before grabbing a plank "so yer just want a good ol' bonfire for 'te tradition eh?" Spud nodded "gotcha"

As mark was building, pest came through the elevator, looking rather discouraged" やあ、変人たち.. (hey freaks..)" he muttered grumpily as his mandibles chittered at the sight of the wood "? What are you two building?"

"Spud bonfire !" He smiled "every year spud camp builds a spud spud giannttt bonfire for spud burning."

"Seems pointless..."

"Spud spud Well you never spud know the spud deeper meaning behind spud things!"

Pest scoffed "whatever" before looking at the planks and keeping it to take a small nibble "....too bitter.."

"!? EH! WHAT'ARE YA DOIN!? LEAVE THE DAMN WOOD ALONE!"

"Just trying out a new small old man" he rolled his eyes "unless.. you want me to eat you instead?" He chuckled mischievously which made mark flinch "n-now hold on there boy-" luckily spud intervened "spud no one is eating spud anyone!"

Pest scoffed but still gave mark a warning look, making him some a bit, gos only savor through this uncomfortable interaction being with his phone ringing

"Oh-lemme see how it is-"

He hopped away as spud was left to deal with pest and took out his ifone, arching an eyebrow at the caller

'Brick Boy'

It was Wallter..

He almost never calls him first. Which made the thing all the more strange as he picked uo on the call "hello? Walltuh?"

"...YER DID WHAT????"

Spud called "is everything spud fine?"

"Uh-" mark held the phone away for a minute "yeah! Just uh..... sumffin- personal-" before angrily turning back to the phone, whispering "WALLTUH WHAT IN TEXAN TARNATION WAS GOIN ON THROUGH YER HEAD??? FIFTEEN MIN'UTES??? GODDAMN!"

".. well ya don't have ta worry 'bout that- pests actually wit' me-"

".. oh so NOW ya wanna tell 'em??"

".. UGH. FINE. But I aint responsible for yer DEATH afta' this!!!"

He hopped back and handed the phone to a slightly confused pest "for yer. Walltuh wants'ta tell ya sumffin'"

...

Poob walked through the meadow of fresh flowers. White Roses and lilies plagued the land beautifully.

"It's so...lovely.."

It's been a while since they were calm enough to drop their little "childish" voice. Which was always just a trauma response from their childhood years back at that cult.

That cult...

Ah yes, magnificent isn't it?

"Yes.. it really is..."

And to believe they were planted a little over a year ago! How marvelous they've come to be..

Poob smiled at the little fun fact and bent over to smell them, took them back to their own calm moments, they remember how their father placed a burned daisy behind their ears after it got them out of the shithole that was the ritual.

They might not really talk to their father, or like it that much thanks to its evil and vengeful nature, but they could at least feel a little grateful knowing it at least wanted them for loving reasons, but even then, does it still love them as its child?

Then they looked up at the bright sky, it was orange-red, like the sunset, it made them feel like they were truely in heaven. Yes, heaven...nothing more but to walk through the fields with an eternal sunset over them, maybe if pest was here it would've been perfect.. and for a parting fellow, it was surprising that this was their ideal paradise..

All until they heard a squeal and turned around to see pigs eating the flowers, which distributed them greatly

"W-what the hell-?"

Oh no, looks like they came back again..

Poob stared wide eyed, not noticing the red eyed darkness descent down and stay afloat above their shoulder.

"But- I thought I drowned them out.."

Oh Poob.. you poor sweet creature; of course they'll keep coming back, it's what made you...well...you.

Poob teared up, seeing the pigs destroy their beautiful meadow, their peace, before they all started to stare at them.

Those stares..

Oh how it made Poob almost jolt up, they instinctively covered their chest, feeling those invisible hands creep up around their body, those whispers, the disorientation.

The guilt of being dirty.

Just like those pigs were.

Ahh Poob now don't cry, this is your chance is it not?

"what chance?"

The eye didn't respond, making Poob panic as the pigs slowly got closer to them, eyeing them even more.

"N-no! STAY BACK!"

They wished they could burst into flames, not to protect themselves, but just to die, they always wished that was the case, bite now they are alone.

All alone to face their greatest nightmare.

"STOP! YOU ALL-YOU'RE ALL NOT REAL!! YOU CAN'T HURT ME ANYMORE!"

But nothing came out of poobs throat, every word was a lump that just kept on getting bigger and bigger, almost making them gag.

And then before they know it, they pounced, everything flashed in an instant, memories, the trauma, the blind panic.

The blind panic.

It was themIt was themIt was themIt was themIt was themIt was themIt was themIt was themIt was themIt was themIt was themIt was themIt was themIt was themIt was themIt was themIt was themIt was themIt was themIt was themIt was themIt was themIt was themIt was themIt was themIt was themIt was themIt was themIt was themIt was themIt was themIt was them

"THEY TOOK EVERYTHINGGGGG!!"

then.

A sudden and vast silence empties into the great ruined heavens.

Leaving Poob all alone in their personal, internal hell.