Prologue


“The birds kept chirping and changi-“

“If they couldn’t have a whole man they’d each take a piece. All that was-“

“He कहा in a raspy voice ‘No और millionaires’ and imploded ri-“
“You’re the one who broke the tapes-““Maybe Ia-““Shereachedinthebagandthesnaketh-“

“CURSE YOU! CURSE आप WITH EVERY SIN THIS CITY HAS TO OFFER! CURSE YOU!!!”

He always woke up in tears. Every single story brought him to tears. Seventeen stories replayed over and over in his head when he slept. The medication the doctors gave him never seemed to work. He was not at peace. He would not be at peace until…

After that हैलोवीन night, the echidna spent months in tears, alone and unstable. When he went back into the world his only drive was to learn and find out what happened to his friends. He was a quick learner as well; with three years of college experience and a promising future. But he could not keep ahead of his nerves and fears. One दिन he just stopped.

Nightmares were real to him, and no one was an ally. He kept seeing illusions, hearing voices, he could even feel the mirages touching him, stabbing him.

This was his सेकंड साल inside the Primmore Mental Hospital. It took him this long but he was almost out. He just needed to get past three days so they could let him out.

It was not easy of course. He needed to prove that he was in control without medication. He was told to do this for a महीना and see how it went. He passed barely, but did not expect that a सेकंड महीना was following. It was a test of course but he did not know. The echidna had so little left in him; he could not do this द्वारा himself.

The girl helped him get medication. She was a nice little person, one of the other patients. The echidna could never tell if she was crazy exactly, but she did seem to have reality, या her memories, mixed up with fake ones.

He never told her any of the stories, या anyone if he could help it. He didn’t want them to have the same burden. But now he was going to be free. The medication had worn off, even if all it did was keep him from shaking, and now all he needed to do was pass the two-day observation, and on the third, his hearing.

He felt addicted to the medication; he could not continue using it या it would get worse. Thankfully it was not too bad yet, and he was और afraid of the thoughts than the medication.

His parents were both gone, moved away. He had a house waiting for him; a present from his esteemed colleagues of Kringville University. His income would be an issue over time, but for the first महीना the ten-thousand on hand would suffice depending on how he would spend his time.

He did not know how he was going to fix things, या where to start, but somehow the echidna had to get past the horrors forced upon him द्वारा his days…

At the Cemetary Tradition














































Chapter One
Civilization Rehabilitation

“Mr. Percival. Do आप want to come out today?” A guard stood at the window of River’s cell. The guards here were not cruel; in fact they were quite gentle, but they were still dangerous if they needed to be; with both a stun-baton and a tranquil-dart pistol. This one was named Andrew. None of the guards were allowed to share their last names but to keep things comfortable for the patients the guards were allowed to divulge some information about themselves as long as it could not be used to harm them in the future.

“I would like to eat…” The echidna replied in a murmur. He may have convinced the workers that he was stable again but that did not mean he had to convince them he was happy.

The door opened and out the pale blue echidna walked, his long dreadlocks bouncing behind him. Andrew did not hold his weapon out, he knew that River had no intention of jumping him. The echidna’s record was almost completely untarnished, save a few run ins in his first couple months. This was completely understandable of course; a patient being uncomfortable in such a secluded home.

After walking past one hallway and riding an elevator to the सेकंड floor (as they were on the fourth), the two were soon entering the breakroom. It was a large white section of the asylum with three sets of rooms. The first had five couches, two televisions, and toys around the area in various forms. The सेकंड was a dining area with a blocked-off रसोई, रसोईघर so that any feral patients would not be able to ruin the equipment या food-supply. The third was a mix of the two, having tables and chairs as well as couches. Many of the patients stayed here.

River was दिया a bowl of cereal, and always ate at his own सीट near the front-corner of the third room. He had to do three things today to make himself seem okay; दिखाना no hallucinations, hold a conversation (or any activity) without raising his heart-rate (unless a physical exercise) and pass a daily lie-test. The lie-test was not meant to uncover dishonesty from him, but और to test whether he could tell the difference between what was in his head and reality, as well as seeing if he had the ability to lie at all.

He munched on the bland brand, not caring much for what type it was. It gave him energy; it kept him awake. That’s all he needed.

“Hello, River.” A young-voice greeted at his side. The echidna kept his face down; he knew who this was, he did not need to actually look at her. The सेकंड he did, his- his cereal, i-i-it would become soggy, then-

He took breathes, deep ones, and quickly calmed his nerves. “H-hello, Paige.” Paige was a young rat-girl, short, with a pale grey fur, one pale brown spot on the outer-area of her right shoulder down to her elbow, one pale brown diamond-shape spot on her forehead which stretched to the back of her head, dark grey eyes, pale tan ears which matched the color of her furless fingers and toes, and a red tattoo of letters that read

“D-f
E-2”

When they first met, she was apparently ten-years old, but as the doctors discovered she seemed to be aging faster than most people, with the last recorded age for her being thirteen.

“You were panicking again.” The ratgirl noted.

He sighed. “Yes, Paige. I was.” He took faster bites.

“… Do आप want to have a conversation?”

“… Yes.”

“What should we talk about?”

“Has anything happened while I was asleep?”

“I was told that I got older again.”

River paused his meal, forcing himself to look over at the ratgirl. She looked the same as when he found out she was thirteen physically, but then again he barely noticed the changes in her age unless it was at least two-years apart. She looked the same to him, bland clothing, no bangs, very short hair, and usually a very emotionless face.

“You’re fourteen?” He inquired while returning back to his meal.

She nodded, “How long do आप think I will be until I am your age?”

River had to replay that last message in his head. ‘I will be until… oh.’ He sighed. “You were ten two years and three months ago. Now आप are fourteen…” He mumbled the numbers in his head. ‘Fourteen minus ten… four. Three-sixty-five divided द्वारा four… uh…ninety-one and one-fourth… twenty-one divided by- n-no multiplied द्वारा ninety-one and one-fourth… divided द्वारा three-sixty-five.. it should be five years.”

“… Are आप an adult now?”

“Legally I was an adult when I became eighteen. Me being twenty-one just means I can drink alcohol.”

“… The greenish… yellow bubble stuff on the commercials?”

“Yes. I’d stay away from that if I were you.”

“Okay… how long until I can be eighteen?”

“Uh…” He rubbed his head, going back to his murmurs again. “F-four and a half… years.”

“Okay… Um… River, your cereal.”

River took a glance at his food. It was soggy. The echidna fell back from his chair in disgust. He couldn’t fix it now. It was ruined. He needed it fixed. He- “I- I can हटाइए it away.” Paige called to him, slowing the echidna’s stress.

“… Ye-yeah. Thank you.” He slowly got up. “It’s just cereal,” he told himself over and over. Paige took the bowl and walked off, tossing the plastic disposable into the trash before walking back over.

“I’m going to take a shower.” River walked past the ratgirl and over to one of the hall-guards, who followed him through a door and into a hallway.

River felt a little guilty for just walking away from Paige like that, but he needed to cool off. His mind began to wonder as he and the guard strolled through the halls. Every time his mind went places, he remembered the stories, something he would constantly try to not do.

He felt chilly; he began to see तस्वीरें of the story-people; the avalanche punishment, sticky with red blood and tan fat, it was right in front of them. It was coming towards them. River knew it was not real but it felt real. He needed to distract himself. “… Is there something interesting happening?” He quickly questioned to the guard.

“Not really.” The guard replied. “Is it your birthday या something?”

River could barely hear the guard through the sound of the slime scraping against his face. He had his mouth shut and his eyes covered द्वारा his hands. Upon realizing what the guard was saying, River made a sad-looking nod, pretending it was a bad memory.

The guard was fooled, apologizing instantly. Talking was not going to help them. The avalanche passed by. River was covered in its sticky, puss-like contents. Of course he knew this was not real either, but they needed to get to the showers. Once at the showers, River could wash it off.

They entered the showering room. Thankfully it had separated stalls. This was no college या highschool. The inmates needed protection and these stalls gave it to them.

There were guards waiting at the stalls. River told them his clothing number and they left to retrieve a clean pair from his room. They would have to wait until the guards returned, which took only two minutes. River got into the stall, which was locked from outside, unclothed himself and turned on the water.

A guard stood outside, waiting for him to finish. He would have five मिनटों to clean off the “putrid compost” his subconscious created. It was only after three मिनटों that River addressed the guard, saying “I’m done now. Can I have my clothes?”

“It has not been five minutes.” The guard replied.

“Since when is there a rule about there being five मिनटों needed to stay inside?”

“Just hang in there.” The guard replied.

River did not understand this sudden change, but it began to send him into a panic. His mind began filling with every form of water-death imaginable. He quickly turned the water off but it was too late. The stall filled with boiling water to the point where River could not breathe. He had one and one-half of a मिनट left; he needed to get through this.

He could feel his eyeballs bubbling and popping, along with his skin. It burned, it was anguish, but he kept silent. He knew he was not actually dying, but the pain was so real to him. He needed some air, any air.

“Can I at least have my clothes in here?” He called out loudly, which startled the guard. Of course to River all he was saying was glub glub glub, with a burning throat on the way. The guard sighed, and slowly opened the door a crack while pressing against it in case River planned to zip past him in his birthday suit.

The guard handed River his clothes. River reached out and took a breath before wrapping his new clothes around his face in the boiling water. However this turned into something terrible as now his clothes were melting on to his face, blocking any chance of air. “Thirty seconds” he whimpered to himself.

He had to move, do something to get off the pain. The echidna kicked the air and punched it. He could not actually hit anything, that would cause suspicion. He could not take it much longer. “LET ME OUT!” He screamed.

The guard did not respond at first, but a few सेकंड्स later the doors opened completely. River was fully clothed and stepped out from the boiling death. He took quiet, long breaths and walked off with the guard following behind. He went back to his cell. He needed to be alone.

They would call him in to assess the problem at the showers. River had to prepare excuses but he only had a short while to do so. Soon he was visited द्वारा one of the councilors of the establishment, a tall old hawk-man named “Marvis”.

River made no eye-contact . He simply sat on his बिस्तर twiddling his thumbs.

“Mr. Percival.” Dr. Marvis addressed. “I heard that आप had a run-in at the showers today.”

“I was just cold… the guard was keeping me in too long. I was washed and he refused to let me out. I didn’t even know what he was going to do to me if he did let me out. No one told me what was going on.”

“He कहा आप screamed.”

“It was freezing.” River replied sternly.

“So there was nothing else that happened?”

“I was angry, but that was it. Were आप told about that new ‘policy’? Do we have to stay in for the whole five minutes?”

“No… that isn’t a new policy. I’ll speak with the guards there and have this sorted out. Is there anything you’d like to talk about?”

“I’d like to be alone.”

“… Alright.” The councilor left and soon River was left to his thoughts. The nightmares never happened in his cell, at least not until he went to sleep. As long as he was awake, he was safe.

They were going to hold him longer weren’t they? He… he would have to wait two months more. River clutched his head, rocking back and forth. “Nnnno… nononononono-“ The stress made his head feel as though it were burning, for once not because of an illusion. He was going to be bothered द्वारा this for the rest of the time spent up until they would tell him otherwise about his release.

Occupation; if they saw him freaking out it would be certain that he would be staying here. He needed an occupation…

Television, books, eating, social activity. No… he could not talk with people, that would make it too easy. He could not read a book या his imagination might destroy him. The echidna already ate, so now it was time for television.

A guard was sent to lead him back to the break-room. Many of the inmates were sitting around only one of the screens, leaving only a small few to view the other, ten feet to the left of the first. Even with three viewing on one सोफ़ा, सोफे this would be a stressful situation to go through.

River took deep breaths and slowly made his way over to the others. No one was normal here in their stupid white gowns with their stupid mental illnesses. River hated being around these people—he hated being one of them—but he could not judge them for it. It just made him feel so… less than a person. He was a creature to them wasn’t he; a pet, something to take care of, feed, discipline. These were other pets; a cocker spaniel—AKA a नेवला, मोंगोज़, मच्छाली woman who believed that if she didn’t go to the bathroom only at noon the moment the clock went off, her bladder would implode; a parrot—AKA a छिपकली man who heard everyone’s words screamed back to him in the voice of his obnoxious mother; and a moth—AKA a female husky who believed she got her stamina from lightbulbs, and constantly burned her hands to the point where she was forced to wear heat-absorbent gloves at all times. So what was River? He was a mole… या a worm, too afraid to go anywhere, constantly hiding in his shame shade. Today the mole-echidna was going to sit on that सोफ़ा, सोफे though; he had to keep his mind clear.

The others were a bit startled when he walked over—moving back as he grew closer—but once he sat down, silently, they relaxed. None of them were speaking of course because of the parrot-lizard’s disorder, but he seemed bothered enough द्वारा the words being spoken on the TV. It was sports, nothing else.

River tried to focus on the screen but the boredom of the situation made it difficult. He didn’t like football. A commercial would be और entertaining to him. So, to compensate, the echidna began analyzing the screen, mouthing silently the scores, tags, team-names, anything he could. When the screen changed he focused on any word in sight.

Soon this became enthralling. He figured out how to make it a game; read as many words as possible, and if आप get them all, आप win. He did this for ten minutes, twenty minutes, an घंटा was passing, now two hours. Commercials were bonus rounds and River was on level thirty-five. He had to get to the boss-fight, the credits.

River did not see but the others had left and been replaced. Only one patient was with him now. The others were either ignoring the area या staring at the echidna strangely. To himself he was playing a video game. To them he was gasping like a moron, and grinning like one too, moving his head about sporadically as if he were searching and dodging.

River was getting close, या at least he thought he was. He was actually enjoying himself… then… *beoop* the screen went black. It took a while for the reality of the situation to sink in for the poor boy but when it did all he could think was “all my progress…”

A suited-man, one of the higher-staff employees, walked in front of the now silent and expressionless River. “Mr. Percival?” He addressed. River did not make out his features. Everything was a blur and his mind was elsewhere.

“Mr. Percival the warden would like to talk with you.” This broke the barriers slightly.

The words echoed in the back of River’s head. “warden… talk…” they bounced about for a while until the echidna realized what was happening. His face snapped into instant attention towards the employee as he began rubbing his recently-discovered-to-be sore eyes. “Y-yes?”

“The warden would like-“

“To talk to me? O-okay now?”

“If that is alright with you…”

“… Ye-yeah…yes.”

It was over. Sorrow was the only emotion River could afford to feel right now. If he allowed himself to panic, his thoughts would run wild. The hallway felt so long… as if it were stretching a foot longer with each step he took. It was a rubber band about to snap, या shoot.

*whhhhhiptcha!* it snapped back as the door to the Warden’s office slapped River in the face two feet in front of him. He began to panic. Deep breaths… deep breaths…

The guards opened the door and River found himself sitting on a comfortable grey chair in a large grey and pale-tan room. The warden sat at his desk, opposite River, a medium-height raccoon in his early-forties, with combed brown hair and a black and white suit.

The warden never seemed intimidating to River, which was good. He did not dislike the warden, he was nice enough, but that did not change how afraid and hostile the echidna felt at that moment. What else did they want him for? It had to be about the shower. Why did they have to make such a big deal about it? The guard was bullying him. The… the water was rising, he-

Deep… deep breaths…

“Hello, Mr. Percival.” The warden greeted warmly. “You had run-in at the showers today.” River didn’t respond. He did not want to but he also did not know if he should. The warden continued. “The guard कहा some strange things but I wanted to know what आप think happened. Is that okay with you?”

‘You want to know what illusions I saw today…’ River thought. He carefully planned his अगला words. “I wanted to take a shower. I did not have one yet. The guard took me into the शावर, शॉवर and locked the door. I finished in three मिनटों and wanted to go out. The guard कहा that I had to stay for five. He was अभिनय so weird that I did not know what to expect. I thought maybe he was going to hurt me. Even after I had my clothes he would not let me out until the मिनटों were over. I went straight to my cell after that.”

The warden looked upset, as if he expected River to say that. “The guard never did any of that, Mr. Percival. We have it on our tapes that आप were yelling to be let out even though the door was open…”

The…guard… it was all in his head? Even that? No, he felt it, he was… he was trapped. “That can’t have happened.”

“Would आप like to see the tapes?”

Did it matter? If this was all a lie it wasn’t like that would change things. The warden was in charge and this is what he chose to believe. Whether या not they were keeping him here unfairly didn’t change that.

“It’s a good thing we found out when we did… we’ll need to go through some और therapy for your co-“

“NO!” River’s fists slammed against the arms of his chair. The guards tensed but did not restrain him. “Mr. Warden, I can’t stay here. I know I can’t always tell what’s real and what isn’t but that aside I’m perfectly sane, AND, AWARE! I can see, smell, taste, touch, hear, everything, every, crazy, thing here. None of the medications या anything keeps me calm. I wasn’t even claustrophobic before I was sent here but now it just adds to my nightmares. I need out, please. PLEASE!”

“Mr. Percival, please calm down.” The warden pleaded with a strain on his expression. He sighed. “I understand your dilemma but I do not have another alternative for you. If आप truly can keep this disorder until your complete control, we can try again अगला month. That is the best I can offer.”

Nothing mattered anymore; nothing mattered at all. River screamed and screamed as he tried to claw his way out of the hands of the guards before they sedated him. He wasn’t going to get out now. Not now, not ever. There was nothing left…

Straight-jacket; he was stuck in a straight-jacket, and he was inside of one of the और cushiony rooms. His was cushiony on its own but until now, River was not considered a suicide-possible patient. He spent two days in that suit, alone, with meals brought to him. The depressed echidna tried to hold his breath long enough to pass out and die but he simply woke back up again feeling groggy. He tried to bash his skull in but of course that didn’t work either. He was not deemed stable for release yet so not even being out of this now smaller room was an option.

The third दिन began with a guard asking through a speaker if River was willing to go back to the break-room to eat. At least it was something.

Once back in, with the straight-jacket still on, River fell on his face, only to be picked up द्वारा a guard and untangled from the suit. He could हटाइए and use his arms but the guards were right there if he tried anything. River was not a fighter, at least not right now. He could not take them on. He had no option so he sat, and ate.

The guards were away from the तालिका, टेबल but within range. River was not दिया any utensils to harm himself with. He had buttered toast, a foam cup with water, and a sandwich. It all tasted fine but it did not perk up his mood.

It was not until the little ratgirl came walking around that River realized how good it felt to be around someone he could have an actual conversation with. Paige’s disability laid with mixed realities, but it never caused her to see illusions, at least to River’s knowledge. She was blissfully unaware of how terrible their life was. That didn’t mean of course that she enjoyed it, but she tolerated it, and accepted it for the time-being. River highly doubted though that she was going to have a calm attitude like that for all her days here.

“Did आप see them come back?” She asked.

“Who is them?” He asked with a monotone sigh.

“The robot-lynx person, and the yellow hedgehog. There was Diana too.”

Another one of her realities… River questioned often how this was worthy of being placed in an asylum. Paige was never violent towards anyone, at least that he knew of. So what if she thought up stories and couldn’t tell that they weren’t real? She could always have an aid for that. It upset River. Here was a perfectly healthy young girl, bright and innocent yet inexperienced. She needed to go out to the world, see things, meet people, not stay in this cook-house. River’s thoughts were taking too much time, he needed to respond to her.

“Who were they again? When?” He turned to face her. No cereal to get soggy this time.

“They were here with Jay, the logic bender person, and they took us out of here to save all the different worlds. There was a fat man and a green lynx lady and a man on a black motorcycle… a lot of people.”

“… Well what was the last thing we did with them?” River felt like humoring her, and if he could get through an inch of reality to her thoughts to find out what caused these illusions, that was a bonus.

“They sent us back.” She looked a little upset after saying that. “The reality-girl fixed everything and we were sent back here. But we were able to be out again for a while. That was good wasn’t it?”

“… Ye-yeah that was… that was good.” It almost brought the echidna to tears, and made him envious at the same time. Her mind probably couldn’t handle all of this and was being forced to make up false memories. He wished he could do the same; to escape this world when things went badly. “I suppose आप aren’t wondering why I was gone for two days?”

“No, आप told me already.” She answered. He… did? No he couldn’t have.

“Do आप mean one of the guards told you?” He guessed.

“No, when we were gone with the people with the reality… thing, आप कहा that the guard was being mean to आप while आप were in the shower. आप कहा that he locked आप up.”

River could not believe what he was hearing. How did she know that? This must have been another illusion like the guard at the shower… if that was an illusion. He needed to make sure. “Excuse me for a मिनट please, Paige.” River got up and walked over to one of the observing guards in charge of his protection. “Who is sitting at that table?” He pointed towards his own table.

“The ratgirl?” One replied.

River turned back to the table, walking over to it with wide eyes. He was not entirely surprised if this were an illusion also and he was really just in his बिस्तर but if this were true… did… something actually happen?

“I… I’m having a hard time absorbing this…” He murmured.

“Absorbing?” Paige asked.

“Uh… taking in. Er… Never mind.” River did not like having to explain things to Paige. She was not extremely learned. All she had was a book of parables with her and while those helped her learn words along the way she was still far from elementary status. River understood why of course, a young girl trapped here without a formal education. He wondered when they would let her out; probably long before they allowed the echidna to leave.

The two did not talk after that. River ate, and remained silent. He did not look over at his young friend, he was लॉस्ट in thought, and grief. He stayed that way for a while, only pausing from his thoughts, stunned, after the ratigirl gave him a brief hug prior to walking off.

The asylum had a garden, a backyard with a few swings. Perhaps River would go there for a while. Fresh air would definitely help. Often he would avoid going to the yard at all out of sorrow. One step in and he’d tear up, realizing that he was still in an asylum no matter how home-like they made it.

Right now though there was nothing left. He was not going to leave here. If he tried, even if he succeeded, what then? What money would he have या skills for that matter? Months पूर्व the guards told River about some kind of large inheritance from his parents but he would only receive that if he lived under his own name, plus weren’t inheritances for people whose parents were dead? His were still alive the last time he checked. If they weren’t, no one told him.

He entered the garden-yard. फूल of different kinds stood along the walls in pots and dirt-beds. Soft घास reached out to the sun, and a swing-set lay at the center. There were some tables and chairs around the area as well but a झूला, स्विंग simply sounded और appealing.

When the echidna got on he had no intention of actually swinging of course. He was just sitting, looking at the grass, remembering his past. Usually this would cause the nightmares to start up but he simply wasn’t stressed enough for that to happen. All of his फ्रेंड्स were dead… Marty… Mara… Meredith, whom he barely knew at all… Nolan. Nolan killed them all.

The cracking of Mara’s neck would not stop replaying in River’s head. Mara never really cared that much for River but… he enjoyed being with her all the same. They were friends. He never made a move, not with Nolan around. Those two were perfect for each other, and he was always just the normal friend… but… he loved them anyway. They did not patronize him, they all had fun and now they were gone.

Who caused it to happen? Nolan might have killed them all but he was under some kind of hallucination from those… snakes… those non-anthro snakes. They could not have been organic, someone had to have made them… right?

It didn’t matter. He was going to die in this place, alone. The warden as going to keep him here, some दिन Paige would be let out, the guards would change, the walls would be repainted, and somewhere in that cursed cemetery, someone would be telling horror stories with his name for the protagonist’s.

The chains rubbed against each other, making a cracking scraping noise. Back and forth the झूला, स्विंग swayed, as monotone as its rider. “Mr. Percival?” One of the guards addressed. River sighed. It was time to go back. He did not respond. They could drag him off the झूला, स्विंग for all he cared.

“Mr. Percival आप have a visitor.”

The word rang in his head for a मिनट before he realized just what exactly he heard. “Vis… visitor?!” He shot up to attention. “Wha-… who? Who!?”

“He… wanted to remain anonymous.” The guard shamefully responded.


“I… okay let’s go.”

River was brought back to the warden’s office. Inside, the warden was currently having a partially heated discussion with a tall black-fur-… He… he looked like…

The suited man turned to face River along with the warden, pausing their conversation for his benefit. “It seems your lawyer has custody of your well-being, Mr. Percival.” The Warden informed.

River barely caught what the warden said. Quickly he turned to his attention. “… custody?”

“Papers were provided. He’s agreed to pay for not only your medication but keeping things on the level. Of course this is only a test. We will be checking up on आप in a month’s time to make sure things are going well. Mr. Endricks seems to think that if आप were दिया a taste of civilization आप would become और settled. And while I agree with him for the most part,” The warden turned to face the ‘Lawyer’ “I do not approve of allowing potentially unstable patients to be let out in the public without full observation and control.”

“I haven’t had a problem in this scenario yet.” The ‘Lawyer’ informed. “We won’t be going all over town, and even if we do I’ll keep right अगला to Mr. Percival. If anything goes wrong आप can send me the bill. आप can’t hope for this to succeed if आप the experiment.”

“… I still don’t like it, but if…” The warden groaned, “if आप are that confident in the results we might as well test it, but आप ARE going to be accountable… Of course this is all up to Mr. Percival.”

“I…” River tried to keep his eyes of this so called ‘Endricks’ person. “Y-yeah that’s, that works.”

“Good.” Endricks patted River on the back. “Go pack your stuff, we can leave in just a few hours. Paperwork to sign, आप understand.”

River barely noticed his own departure, and found himself folding clothes. He had no positions in this place. Did he have anything waiting for him? He wanted to feel relieved but… something felt strange. Endricks… That had to be, he looked just like… Nolan. Nolan was dead. That meant that this… this was all an illusion. How did he know what was real anymore? He didn’t…

But… he never got illusions when he was calm. He just needed to stay calm. If he stayed calm and it was true then everything was fine. He took deep breaths and asked the guard at the door, “Am I leaving today?”

“Yeah.” He replied. “Good for you, right? Seriously though, good luck out there.”

“…Thank you.” It was real. He was leaving. But how was Nolan here? He would find out later. He had the chance to leave. No और crazy people to bother him. No और disabilities, या screaming, या बिना सोचे समझे fights, or-…

“… Paige.”

“… You’re… you’re leaving, n-now?” She was barely moving, and her eyes could not be wider.

“Yes…” He कहा with a cringe. He realized only now how this would affect the people he was leaving, the person he was leaving.

“B-… I-… I don’t know what… I should say right now.” Her voice was starting to crack. “I- I know आप need to go but I…”

He had no idea how to reply to this. Awkwardly began to ask “Do आप want a h-Og!” She did not let go for a good while. He did not think she would. Even after he started to walk back a ways she was stuck to him. Of course she was not particularly heavy to begin with.

She did not fight the guards when they pulled her off of him but she did not look willing to let this be the end either. He could not stay silent as her already tear-reddened eyes began to fill with और tears. “I’ll come back and maybe… maybe आप can come with me when that happens.”

River forced himself to turn, and walk. They passed through the doors of the asylum and he thought he heard screaming but was not sure. It could have been Paige, it could have been another inmate, it could have been all in his head.

The ‘Lawyer’ got River dressed in a suit. River did not want to wear it but if that was part of the deal, so be it. When he left those doors, and felt the mid-day sun on his face, everything felt… new; like… like it was the beginning… of something. He didn’t know what yet, but it felt strange.

The ‘Lawyer’ drove him to a large house. River did not recognize it but he did know what he wanted to say to the person he recognized. *WHAM!* “HOW ARE आप ALIVE?!”

Nolan looked quite shocked being held against the SOLD sign in the front yard. “I wasn’t dead!”

“THREE YEARS!” River screamed. “THREE YEARS I WAS ALONE AND आप WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT AND NOW YOU’RE HERE?! WHERE WERE YOU!?”

“In therapy, I-… आप blame me for that?” Nolan was in disbelief. “… Put me down.”

River had no reason to agree but his arms were hurting so he did. He trembled. He… what was going on?

Nolan brushed himself off, looking quite cross. “I was under hallucinations from whatever that thing was that bit me. आप think I wanted to do any of that? आप think I don’t… hate… myself for it…” He turned aside grimly, speaking slower and… darker “It’s no one’s fault. It just happened and that’s that.”

River had to admit it, even if it did leave a bad taste in his mouth, he did not know who to blame, या even if he wanted to. Nothing could change what happen. Nothing could bring back Mara, Meredith, and Marty.

The echidna was considering apologizing for his hostility but then he became even और bewildered when Nolan asked him “How did आप hold up? After hearing about your parents?”

“My…” River had to sit down to keep from fainting. His parents were dead now? It would explain why they didn’t visit but-… “They di-…” He couldn’t say it.

Now it was Nolan’s turn to be bewildered. He turned to River, wide-eyed. “You weren’t told?”

River shook his head. “I… w-wait…” He looked over at the house and put the pieces together. “Something about an inheritance… that’s what this place is isn’t it?”

“Do आप want to hear all about it now या later?”

“Now… Might as well.”

Nolan now looked even और confused. “You seem… rather pulled-together about this.”

River didn’t reply. Nolan shook his head in disbelief, but began the tale. “Your parents went to a casino. It’s hard to believe I know but they were actually doing that before that… night. They must have kept it secret from you. Did they talk about business meetings?”

“They didn’t work for the same company या anything like that.” River mumbled with his hands covering his face, rubbing up and down for some form of comfort. “Mom worked at home. Why would they go to a casino? They never talked about finances या anything like that…”

“Well that might be because they won… of course this was after that night. They…” Nolan tried to think of a reason of positive light for this. “They might have done it to get their minds off troubles. But regardless they got rich. It was on the news even. They kept scoring the big bucks three times in a row. The police even had to come into the situation because the casino didn’t believe it and accused them of cheating the machines. They were billionaires in a day. They put away most of the money in savings for whatever reas-“

“SAVINGS??” River tensed, tearing his hands form his face. “They… they could have DONE something!” He growled through his teeth. “They could have sent…” He could not decide whether to feel sad, furious, या guilty for being furious. He just raised his head at the sky with a deep blubber of a sigh before covering his face once again.

Nolan did not want to continue but River was not going anywhere so he finished. “They were targeted for the money, and killed. The goons got away with a lot of it but it wasn’t even half, so now it’s yours.”

“So I’m a target now too?”

“That’s part of the reason I’m here. I may not be your actual lawyer but I’ve been through some combat training since that night.”

“So now…” River chuckled cynically, in a way mixed with sorrow. “I get to live in fear of real threats AND my imagination…”

The day’s beauty seemed like such a ironic and evil thing now. Why couldn’t it be grey and dark instead of blue and sunny? Why couldn’t River have a दिन to match his mood, so that something could be sympathetic to his sorrow? Why wasn’t his mind allowing his madness to control this moment? Why was everything gone?

No… not everything was gone. Nolan was alive. That was something but… in return his parents? Dead? How did he never hear about this? How were they that lucky? It did not seem logical, possible even! Incurable numbness set in. River did not know how to react anymore. He felt no tears but he was far from lacking grief over this matter. He was simply frozen… unable to दिखाना any definite emotion outside of his warped psyche. He simply was not able to realize, या accept, that even his parents had died. If he had a sibling they would be dead too no doubt.

“How’s the house?” He asked weakly.

“It’s furnished if that’s what you’re wondering.” Nolan answered gently before handing his childhood friend the keys. River shakily took them, stepped to the front door, opened it, and before closing it behind him कहा “I’m going to bed”.