stories11

Michael stretched as he awoke, sending a sudden shock of pain through his ankle. As his body jolted at the pain, his head swung back, connecting with The Spine’s chassis. Michael ducked his head forward with a slight hiss. The Spine looked down at Michael in alarm. “Are you alright?” Michael rubbed the back of his head gently, “Ugh.” Was all he responded with, still tired and fighting back the building tears. He didn’t remember falling asleep with The Spine, not that he really minded. He sat up slowly and stretched again, careful to only stretch his arms and chest. He placed his feet on the ground right b

Michael and Peter VI grumbled as they pulled their backpacks on. Neither of the boys particularly liked school yet at age 8. Michael was far more hyper than Peter VI at home, but retained a certain amount of shyness at school. Peter V always dropped them off in the mornings, but let them walk home. Neither boy was particularly strong, both were more inclined to brains rather than brawns. Their brilliance and talent had already begun to show through. This day was like all the others on their walk home. They expected it, knew it would happen, it was far from the first time. Even when they tried to run they were caught quickly, never truly abl

“Why don’t you come to the lab with me?” Norman prompted his sister, as he hoped for a different answer than the same one he’d received every day since her recovery. “I have too much work to do.” Wanda replied simply, furiously working at cleaning one of the manor’s many rooms. “Why can’t you take a day off? No one’s asking you to do this.” He said. He knew that she wouldn’t respond, or take him up on his offer, but he hoped one day she would. He wanted to see the spark return to her, but nothing happened. He had his suspicions about why she had attempted suicide that day

Chapter 2 The Spine was upset over Brianna leaving, arguably more so than when Holly left, but he refuses to let himself spiral into the same depression as before. Rabbit was sympathetic to start, but after three days, he was beginning to grow more and more annoyed by The Spine. Rather than being passive and secluded, Spine had taken to watching over his older brother’s shoulder, ensuring he does nothing to get himself, or anyone else, into trouble, but of course, Rabbit viewed this as The Spine being a buzzkill. “Sp-spine, I can l-look afta mys-self.” He snapped, crossing his arms over his chest and puffing up annoyed cloud

Chapter 1 One year after Paige’s death... “Hold still!” Lil’ Steve shouts, chasing Lil’ Mike down the hallway, attempting to aim his bow as he runs. Lil’ Mike skids around a corner and bolts into a nearby room. Seeing Steve he runs for cover behind the man’s ankle as Lil’ Steve comes sliding through the doorway after him. Steve looks down at the dolls with confusion before leaning down, scooping Lil’ Mike into the palm of his hand, and lifting him out of the reach of Lil’ Steve’s arrows. “What’s going on here?” Lil’ Mike Mike holds onto Steve’

The conversation is awkward and stilted at first, judgements already being made from the moment they convened in the living room. Tensions run high and eventually Spine has to step out, sensing his carefully built control tearing apart, unable to be so forgiving of the man who had torn out his brother’s core. He makes a feeble excuse, claiming something in the Hall of Wires needs repairs, casting a resentful glare at Ignatius before he goes.    The yelling starts soon after, accusations being thrown back and forth, everyone casting blame for all that has transpired, wanting none of the blame. Then come the tears. Somewhere between the

Emilie hums to herself slightly as she walks towards the living room, Rabbit is getting some minor repairs, so she is on her own for a few hours. She hears the doorbell ring and walks over to it with a small smile, opening it to find a tall, broad shouldered man with jet black hair smiling down at her, a certain air of charisma and death surrounding him. She instinctively fears him but wants to hear what he had to say, a feeling that puts her ill at ease. “Hello.” He says in a deep baritone that almost rivals that of The Spine. “It’s been a long time, Emilie…” He smiles down at her warmly, something about

Tell me it’s okay That it gets better with time. That my scars aren’t real, because I bear them on my heart and not on my skin. Tell me words don’t hurt, that rumors mean nothing. Say my home isn’t broken because my parents are together and that my brother’s mistakes are not my problems because I don’t already flinch at every passing siren and wake up uncertain if we’ll be called today to collect his body that was found overdosed and discarded in a ditch thrown out like a piece of trash Tell me how my friends disappearing is not my fault when I’ve already lost them all Call me whatever you wish

Spine walks frustratedly along the path in the park. He had been sure that getting out of the house would be a way to alleviate the stress that Rabbit had been placing him under, but Rabbit’s insistence in coming along had rendered any possibility of peace impossible. With his fedora tipped low over his bright green eyes and steam venting frustratedly from his cheeks, he tries to ignore his older brother’s presence. Rabbit had taken to throwing a ball at his back intermittently as they walked in an attempt to get him to ‘lighten up’. On the contrary Spine was becoming angrier and angrier with each ‘thump’