The Crafthouse: Chapter 17

Instructions

TW: This chapter has mentions of SH. The elevator opened. Astro panicked as he raced over to Dandy. "Dandy! They're here!" He cried. Dandy spared no second getting in the broken elevator. Astro took off the valve from the outside of the elevator, and slid under the door as it was closing. "We just gotta stay super quiet... I'm sure it'll be fine." Dandy said. And yet, he was very, very worried. Astro covered his face in his blanket and slouched in the corner. Dandy sat down next to him. "Don't worry, they won't find us here." He said, trying to comfort him. Dandy stared at the cuts on his arms. They were bleeding again. He wiped off the ichor and sighed. Just as he was getting lost in thought, he heard footsteps coming near and he froze up. "...Someone's in here!" He heard a voice cry out. (No, no, no...) It was Sprout. Astro let out a little squeak as they heard more indistinct talking outside of the elevator. "Well, if there's someone there, we have to get this thing open..." This voice was from Gigi. "Gigi, do you have anything that could help us?" Sprout asked. "Hmm, lemme see... Uh... Well... Ooh, a Valve!" There was a KA-CHING noise. Dandy edged away from the door, presuming the noise was them attaching the Valve to the outside of the door. And then the door slowly opened. Astro ran to the door, throwing his blanket over the crafts who opened it. (Go!) He mouthed to Dandy. He froze, but then ran away as fast as he could. He didn't look back. He jumped behind a crate, far away from Astro. He could hear faint arguing in the distance, but it eventually quieted down to indistinct talking. Then, it grew fainter and fainter. Dandy heard the elevator open. (No, no, no! Astro can't leave me here, he can't!) But he was too scared to go out and look. So, he waited until the elevator closed with a loud slam. "Astro!" He cried. No reply. He stood up and began to run around the floor in panic. "ASTRO?!" Still, no response. He came to a halt at the elevator. He stared at it. Astro had left him. He collapsed to the ground. He wanted to follow him, he really did. But he was too scared. (What a coward I am! Why can't I just go after him?! Why did he leave me?!) Dandy's head was a blur. He felt his arms and all the scars he had given himself. (Is it my fault?) That weak thought echoed through his head. (Was he scared that the same thing that happened to Goob would happen to him? Or... Was he genuinely trying to save me? I'm being too emotional. Just like always.) He tightened his grip on himself, and stiffened as he ripped another slit in his arm. (He'll come back for me. He always has. He has to now.) He stood up, shaking a bit as his arm started bleeding ichor. It dripped all over the ground. He walked away from the elevator, knowing that Astro would be back. He HAD to.