INKEYE - PART 9

Instructions

Part 9 - Bassie Bassie figured that since Dandy had Dyle for the time being, she could go off to Shelly’s floor. She hadn’t been there forever, because she was kept on the aquarium floor with Gourdy and Bobette. When it was around Easter, Bassie had loved being with Shelly in this exact room. She felt soothed by being there, gazing up at the posters of her, until she noticed something on the wall. Claw marks. Was there a twisted here? Bassie’s mind jumped to the worst possibilities. Shelly wasn’t twisted, she was in bed sleeping! Right,,? “Shelly?” Bassie called out, nervous. This floor was empty except for her, wasn’t it? But then she felt something breathe down her neck. Whatever it was, it was a twisted. She turned around hesitantly, only to see the fossil toon. “Shelly!? I-I missed you- so.. much…, I…” Bassie realized that she was twisted, and her words faltered. Shelly was now twice her original height, and she looked half-dinosaur, with ichor dripping from her limbs. Her bright red eyes stared into Bassie’s as she lunged towards her. Luckily, she dodged the attack, but ended up sending Shelly face-first into the floor hissing. ‘This can’t be happening, this can’t be happening,’ her mind begged over and over as she hid behind a crate, her gaze zipping left and right. Shelly’s growling got louder, then louder, and then Bassie felt a cold breath on the back of her head. Too frightened to move, she braced herself and closed her eyes. “BASSIE!” Why was Dandy here? She heard an air horn, loud and piercing her ears. “RUN!” Bassie opened her eyes, and saw Dandy trying to distract Shelly. Dandy had taken enough risks already—putting his life in danger again and again. Even when Gourdy had almost killed him, Dandy had still come back to the aquarium for Bassie. He’d given her the Inkeye cure, knowing that there was only enough left for one toon. “Dandy- STOP!” she begged. Shelly was starting to catch up to him, and she could tell he was running out of stamina. “Just get in the elevator!” Dandy yelled. Bassie noticed a smoke bomb on the ground— where did it come from? She picked it up and held it in her hands, thinking. She threw the smoke bomb towards Shelly, calling out to Dandy for him to look out. All she saw after was purple mist as she grabbed onto Dandy and wrestled him into the elevator. They both sat in silence for what felt like an eternity. “You didn’t tell me Shelly was a twisted,” she mumbled. “Sprout told everyone you and the other seasonal main toons were dead—because nobody would go looking for someone who’s dead, and Shelly believed it,” Dandy explained. Bassie felt a tear trickle down her cheek, then another one. The sobs wouldn’t stop as she hugged Dandy, crying into his chest, sad, scared, angry. Shelly was gone, and she wouldn’t return.