˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ This chapter contains no spoilers so enjoy :)

Carlo's heart raced as he faced the stern gaze of the nurse, her words like a cold slap in the face, snapping him back to the harsh reality of his surroundings. Though he tried to maintain a facade of innocence, a sinking feeling settled in the pit of his stomach as he realized the gravity of his situation.

"Huh, there you are. You should be in your room! The door was closed," the nurse scolded, her tone firm and disapproving as she regarded Carlo with a critical eye.

"But you left it opened..." Carlo countered, his voice tinged with defiance as he crossed his arms in front of him, unwilling to back down without a fight.

"I'm sure it was not open! I know, because I locked it," the nurse insisted, her patience wearing thin as she dismissed Carlo's protestations with a wave of her hand.

"How did I get out, then? It was open!" Carlo persisted, his frustration mounting as he struggled to make sense of the situation.

"Hmm, don't try to trick me! Go inside your room and wait for the doctor!" the nurse commanded, her tone leaving no room for argument as she ushered Carlo back towards his bed with a firm hand.

Defeated, Carlo begrudgingly complied, his mind racing with questions and doubts as he retreated to the confines of his room once more. Though he longed to break free from the oppressive confines of the facility, he knew that he would need to bide his time and wait for the right moment to make his escape.

As he settled onto his bed, Carlo's thoughts turned to the masked boy and their brief encounter, a flicker of hope reigniting within him at the memory of their shared camaraderie. With renewed determination, Carlo vowed to find a way to overcome the obstacles that stood in his path, no matter the cost. And with that resolve burning bright within him, he awaited the arrival of the doctor, knowing that his fate hung in the balance.

Carlo's frustration simmered beneath the surface, his mind ablaze with a fierce determination to break free from the suffocating confines of the facility. With each passing moment, the walls seemed to close in around him, their sterile confines a stark reminder of the captivity that held him prisoner.

"Argh! I have no time for this! I have to find my way out!" Carlo exclaimed, his voice filled with a sense of urgency as he resolved to take matters into his own hands. With a steely determination fueling his every move, he rose from his bed and began to pace the length of his room, his thoughts racing as he formulated a plan of action.

Every step brought him closer to his goal, his mind sharp and focused as he scoured the room for any sign of weakness or opportunity. With each passing moment, his resolve only grew stronger, his determination unyielding in the face of adversity.

As he searched for a means of escape, Carlo's thoughts turned to the masked boy and their fleeting encounter, a spark of inspiration igniting within him at the memory of their shared defiance. With renewed purpose, he vowed to honor their unspoken bond by finding a way to break free from their shared captivity, no matter the obstacles that lay in his path.

With every fiber of his being, Carlo pressed forward, his spirit unbroken and his resolve unwavering as he embarked on his quest for freedom. And as he set his sights on the horizon, he knew that nothing could stand in his way, for he was Carlo, and he would not be held captive for a moment longer than necessary.

Carlo's heart sank as Dr. Manus confronted him, his hopes of slipping away undetected dashed in an instant. The disappointment in the doctor's voice cut deep, a stark reminder of the consequences that awaited him should he fail to find a way out.

"Did you break out from your room? That's not nice, Carlo," Dr. Manus admonished, his tone laced with disappointment as he regarded Carlo with a stern gaze.

"But I'm hungry, sir! I haven't eaten in days!" Carlo protested, his stomach knotting with hunger as he scrambled for an excuse to justify his disobedience.

"I won't listen to any of your excuses, young man!" Dr. Manus interjected, his patience wearing thin as he dismissed Carlo's pleas with a wave of his hand.

"Sir doctor! Please, just let me go out and eat something!" Carlo pleaded, desperation creeping into his voice as he clung to the last shreds of hope. He knew that his plan hung in the balance, his fate teetering on the edge of uncertainty as he awaited Dr. Manus's response.

But as the doctor's expression remained impassive, Carlo's heart sank even further, a sinking feeling settling in the pit of his stomach as he realized the gravity of his situation. With each passing moment, the walls seemed to close in around him, their sterile confines a suffocating reminder of the captivity that held him prisoner.

Yet, even in the face of adversity, Carlo refused to surrender to despair. With a steely resolve burning bright within him, he vowed to find a way to overcome the obstacles that stood in his path, no matter the cost. And with that resolve fueling his every move, he braced himself for the challenges that lay ahead, ready to fight for his freedom with every ounce of strength he possessed.

Carlo nodded obediently, his heart pounding with relief as Dr. Manus relented, granting him a reprieve from the confines of his room. Though his stomach churned with hunger, Carlo knew that his brief taste of freedom would come at a cost, his every move scrutinized and his every action weighed against him.

"You have to learn how to listen to those in charge!" Dr. Manus admonished, his voice stern yet tinged with a hint of resignation as he regarded Carlo with a weary gaze.

"Of course, sir! Lesson learnt," Carlo replied, his words laced with a carefully crafted humility as he sought to appease the doctor's authority. He knew that appearing contrite was his best chance at securing a measure of leniency, his every word chosen with care to avoid further inciting the doctor's wrath.

"Just don't do it again, Carlo. Go and eat now. Then back to bed!" Dr. Manus instructed, his tone firm yet not unkind as he delivered his final verdict before exiting the room.

With a sense of cautious optimism, Carlo watched as Dr. Manus departed, his footsteps echoing down the hallway like a fading echo of authority. Though his freedom remained tenuous at best, Carlo knew that he had succeeded, if only for a moment, in outmaneuvering his captors and securing a small victory in his ongoing struggle for liberation.

As he prepared to venture out into the facility once more, Carlo steeled himself for the challenges that lay ahead, his resolve unbroken and his spirit undaunted in the face of adversity. With each step forward, he vowed to remain vigilant, his eyes fixed firmly on the horizon as he continued his quest for freedom, no matter the obstacles that stood in his path.

As Carlo descended the stairwell, a sense of trepidation mingled with anticipation coursed through his veins, his every step a tentative foray into the unknown. With each downward stride, he felt the weight of his captivity lift ever so slightly, the promise of freedom beckoning to him like a distant beacon on the horizon.

Emerging onto the lower level, Carlo found himself confronted with a fenced-off area, its boundaries marked by imposing metal barriers that seemed to stretch on endlessly in every direction. Though the enclosure loomed ominously before him, Carlo pressed on undeterred, his determination unyielding in the face of adversity.

As he navigated the labyrinthine corridors of the facility, Carlo's senses were suddenly assaulted by the sight of a woman in a uniform, her hair pulled back into a neat bun and a fox pendant gleaming proudly on her work vest. There was an air of authority about her, a quiet confidence that spoke of years spent navigating the intricacies of the institution.

For a fleeting moment, Carlo hesitated, his instincts urging caution in the presence of this enigmatic figure. But as he met her gaze, he sensed a flicker of understanding pass between them, a silent acknowledgment of the shared struggle that bound them together in this tangled web of confinement.

Summoning every ounce of courage he possessed, Carlo approached the woman, his heart pounding with a mixture of fear and determination. With each step forward, he braced himself for whatever challenges lay ahead, knowing that his journey was far from over and that the road to freedom would be fraught with peril at every turn. But as he crossed the threshold into the unknown, Carlo vowed to press on, his spirit unbroken and his resolve unwavering in the face of whatever trials awaited him on the path to liberation.

Carlo's jaw tightened at the woman's brazen proposition, his eyes narrowing in disgust at her audacity. Though a part of him yearned to seize the key and make a break for freedom, he refused to compromise his integrity for the sake of his escape.

"Ma'am? The key hanging up there... Can I have it?" Carlo asked, his voice steady despite the turmoil raging within him as he pointed up at the elusive key.

"Sure... I could give you the key, if you give me a kiss," the woman replied, her tone dripping with insinuation as she glanced up from her newspaper, a smirk playing at the corners of her lips.

"What a bastard! You can kiss your butt!" Carlo shot back, his words laced with contempt as he recoiled from the woman's proposition. Though his desire to flee burned fiercely within him, he refused to stoop to such degrading depths in order to secure his freedom.

With a scowl of disgust, Carlo turned on his heel and marched away, his resolve unbroken and his spirit undaunted in the face of adversity. Though the path to liberation may be fraught with obstacles, Carlo vowed to persevere, his dignity intact and his conscience clear as he pressed forward on his journey to escape the clutches of captivity.

Carlo's heart clenched at the girl's distress, his concern deepening as he took in her disheveled appearance and the haunted look in her eyes. Though her words were tinged with delusion, he couldn't shake the feeling that there was truth buried within her tortured cries.

"Hello, are you alright?" Carlo ventured, his voice gentle as he approached the girl, his eyes flickering with empathy as he noted her swaying movements.

"What is that supposed to mean?" the girl shot back, her voice raw with emotion as she regarded Carlo with a mixture of suspicion and fear.

"I just wanted to know if you feel okay," Carlo explained, his tone soft and reassuring as he reached out a hand in a gesture of comfort.

"I don't want to tell! The doctor will cut your head open if you don't leave, he likes to eat brains. He already took mine, he ate all of my thoughts!" the girl cried out, her words a jumble of fear and confusion as she clutched her stuffed weasel plushie tightly to her chest.

Carlo's blood ran cold at the girl's chilling revelation, a shiver coursing down his spine at the thought of the horrors that lurked within the shadows of the facility. Though he knew her words were likely the product of a troubled mind, he couldn't shake the feeling that there was truth hidden within her tortured ramblings.

With a heavy heart, Carlo reached out to the girl, his touch a silent reassurance of his presence amidst the darkness that threatened to consume them both. Though the road ahead was fraught with danger, he vowed to stand by her side, his resolve unyielding in the face of the unknown as they navigated the twisted corridors of their shared captivity.

Carlo's eyes widened in shock at the girl's ominous words, his mind reeling with a mixture of disbelief and dread at the horrifying prospect that awaited him. Though he struggled to comprehend the gravity of her warning, he knew that he couldn't afford to dismiss her words as mere delusion.

"He ate your brain?" Carlo asked, his voice trembling with disbelief as he struggled to come to terms with the girl's harrowing revelation.

"He will eat yours too! I saw you inside the doctor's office. You were dead!" the girl warned, her voice filled with a sense of urgency as she implored Carlo to heed her dire prediction.

"Oh no! Then I have to go! I hope you find new thoughts. Bye," Carlo replied, his words rushed as he turned to leave, his heart pounding with a sense of urgency as he sought to escape the clutches of the malevolent doctor.

With a final glance back at the girl, Carlo hurriedly entered the room to her right, his footsteps echoing down the corridor as he raced against the specter of impending doom that loomed ever closer with each passing moment. Though uncertainty awaited him on the other side, Carlo knew that he had no choice but to press forward, his survival depending on his ability to outwit the sinister forces that sought to ensnare him in their deadly grasp.

As Carlo stepped into the room, he found himself enveloped in an eerie stillness, the air heavy with the weight of silent anticipation. His gaze swept across the space, taking in the peculiar tableau that greeted him with a mixture of fascination and unease.

In one corner of the room, a box of stuffed animals lay abandoned, their plush forms casting elongated shadows against the dimly lit walls. Carlo's eyes lingered on the colorful array of toys, each one a silent sentinel bearing witness to the solitary figure that stood before the television.

A boy, his face obscured by a black and mouse mask, sat cross-legged on the floor, his attention focused intently on the flickering screen before him. With deft movements, he placed different pieces of paper on the television, his hands moving with a sense of purpose as he attempted to coax a response from the static-filled display.

Carlo watched in fascination as the boy's movements grew increasingly frantic, his brow furrowed in concentration as he sought to unravel the mysteries hidden within the shifting patterns of light and shadow. Though the static persisted, refusing to yield its secrets, the boy remained undeterred, his determination unwavering in the face of adversity.

Beside the boy, a girl with ginger hair and a red dress slumbered peacefully on a chair, her breathing slow and steady as she surrendered herself to the embrace of sleep. Her presence lent an air of tranquility to the room, a stark contrast to the restless energy that pulsed through the boy's tense form.

As Carlo took in the scene before him, he felt a sense of kinship with the boy, a silent acknowledgment of their shared struggle against the forces that sought to confine them within the confines of the institution. Though their paths may have diverged, their destinies intertwined in this moment of fleeting connection, bound together by the common thread of their shared captivity.

With a sense of determination burning brightly within him, Carlo vowed to uncover the truth hidden within the walls of this peculiar room, his quest for freedom fueled by the unyielding strength of his spirit and the unwavering resolve of his heart.

Carlo froze as the boy's panicked outburst shattered the silence of the room, his hand hesitating in midair as he withdrew from the paper with a newfound wariness. The urgency in the boy's voice sent a shiver down Carlo's spine, his curiosity tinged with a creeping sense of unease at the ominous warning.

"Don't touch that! You will die if you do! Waves! They didn't work!" the boy exclaimed, his words tumbling out in a rush of desperation as he frantically waved Carlo away from the paper.

Carlo's brow furrowed in confusion as he struggled to make sense of the boy's cryptic words, his mind racing to grasp the significance of the paper and its role in the unfolding mystery. Though the boy's frantic gestures left him feeling disoriented and bewildered, he knew that he couldn't afford to ignore the urgency in his voice.

"What do you mean?" Carlo asked, his voice edged with concern as he sought to unravel the enigma that lay before him.

"The paper should be working like they told me!" the boy replied, his frustration palpable as he gestured towards the television, his eyes flashing with a mixture of fear and uncertainty.

"But what is it that the paper has to do?" Carlo pressed, his curiosity piqued as he struggled to comprehend the boy's cryptic explanation.

"I need the paper to show me what's on the television!" the boy explained, his voice trembling with a mixture of desperation and resignation as he gazed helplessly at the static-filled screen.

"Oh, I see, but why isn't it working?" Carlo asked, his mind whirling with questions as he tried to piece together the puzzle that lay before him.

Carlo watched as the boy's eyes lit up with a newfound sense of excitement, his previous apprehension giving way to an infectious enthusiasm that filled the room with a palpable energy. With a sense of purpose burning brightly within him, Carlo set to work, his fingers deftly navigating the remote control as he scrolled through the channels in search of a signal.

"The waves must be powerful! Change the channel, please!" the boy pleaded, his voice tinged with urgency as he leaned forward, his anticipation mounting with each passing moment.

Carlo nodded in understanding, his determination unwavering as he continued to cycle through the channels, his eyes scanning the screen for any sign of movement amidst the sea of static. With each click of the remote, his heart pounded with anticipation, his breath catching in his throat as he waited for a breakthrough to pierce the oppressive silence of the room.

And then, like a beacon of hope cutting through the darkness, a flicker of movement caught Carlo's eye, a fleeting glimpse of light amidst the shadows that danced across the screen. With a surge of excitement, he paused on the channel, his heart racing with anticipation as he watched the static give way to a faint image flickering to life before them.

"It works, it works! A miracle! Thank you! Papervision positive!" the boy exclaimed, his voice filled with giddy delight as he marveled at the sight before him. In that moment of triumph, Carlo felt a sense of satisfaction wash over him, his efforts rewarded with the joyous realization that they had succeeded in unlocking the secrets hidden within the waves of static that had plagued them for so long.

With a smile of satisfaction, Carlo turned to the boy, his heart swelling with pride at the knowledge that they had overcome the odds together, their perseverance and determination leading them to victory against the forces that sought to confine them within the walls of their shared captivity. And as they basked in the glow of their hard-won success, Carlo knew that they were one step closer to uncovering the truth that lay hidden within the labyrinthine corridors of their mysterious prison.

Carlo's excitement waned as he received the boy's terse response, his hopes of sharing in the joy of their discovery dashed by the boy's possessive insistence on keeping the newfound revelation to himself. Though a pang of disappointment tugged at his heart, Carlo forced a smile, his gratitude overshadowed by a lingering sense of unease at the boy's abrupt dismissal.

"Great! Can I see?" Carlo asked, his voice tinged with a hint of disappointment as he tried to mask his hurt feelings.

"No! This is mine! If you want, you can take the papers that didn't work," the boy replied curtly, his tone brusque as he turned his attention back to the flickering screen before him.

"Thank you... But you told me that would kill me!" Carlo retorted, his frustration simmering beneath the surface as he struggled to reconcile the boy's contradictory behavior.

"I never said that! You liar! I'm busy! Papervision revision in action!" the boy snapped, his words sharp with irritation as he dismissed Carlo with a wave of his hand.

Carlo sighed, his disappointment weighing heavily upon him as he reluctantly accepted the boy's refusal to share in the fruits of their labor. With a resigned shrug, he turned away from the television, his gaze lingering on the papers scattered haphazardly across the floor. Resolving to make the most of the situation, he bent down to collect the discarded sheets, his fingers tracing the edges of the crumpled paper as he pondered their significance.

And then, as if guided by an unseen hand, his eyes fell upon a pink sash draped across the back of a nearby robe. With a sense of curiosity piqued, Carlo reached out to touch the delicate fabric, his fingers tracing the smooth texture as he wondered about its origin and purpose. Though the mysteries of the room remained shrouded in uncertainty, Carlo felt a renewed sense of determination stirring within him, his quest for answers fueled by the tantalizing clues that lay scattered before him.

As Carlo stepped into the room, he took in the scene before him with a mix of curiosity and apprehension. The soft glow of the overhead lights illuminated the space, casting long shadows that danced across the walls, lending an eerie atmosphere to the room. In one corner, the girl with the weasel doll sat huddled on the floor, her eyes wide with fear as she clutched the plush toy tightly to her chest. Carlo offered her a reassuring smile as he made his way further into the room, his gaze sweeping over the other occupants gathered within.

Seated on a couch against the far wall, a nurse sat perched on the edge, her gaze fixed on a clipboard as she scribbled down notes in neat, precise handwriting. Carlo noted the air of professionalism that surrounded her, her demeanor calm and composed despite the unsettling environment in which they found themselves.

Nearby, a table laden with an assortment of food beckoned temptingly, the scent of freshly baked pastries and tangy lemonade wafting through the air. Carlo's stomach rumbled at the sight, his hunger reminding him of the long hours he had spent without a proper meal. With a sense of gratitude, he made a mental note to return to the table later, eager to sate his appetite with the delicious treats laid out before him.

Beside the table, a young boy caught Carlo's eye, his attention drawn to the crude mask adorning the boy's face. Made from scraps of fabric stitched together in a haphazard fashion, the mask resembled a canine visage, its mismatched features lending it a whimsical charm. Carlo couldn't help but smile at the sight, marveling at the boy's creativity in crafting such a unique and inventive disguise.

As he took in the scene before him, Carlo felt a sense of camaraderie wash over him, a shared bond forming between himself and the other inhabitants of the room. Though their circumstances were strange and uncertain, they were united by a common goal – to navigate the labyrinthine corridors of their shared reality and uncover the truth that lay hidden within its shadowed depths. With a renewed sense of purpose, Carlo resolved to forge ahead, his determination unwavering as he embarked on the next leg of his journey into the unknown.