Words Unspoken - A Hermitcraft Story

The Cell

Doc was bored. Really bored. Sitting in a cell all day was not very exciting. No one visited except the guards that fed him.

He stole a knife on day one from the guards (that guy was an idiot) and spent his days planning. Unfortunately, every plan ended with him back in a cell or dead. So he began scratching drawings into the walls. Little circuits and machines, some ones he knew by heart. Some new machines, Doc really wanted to try them out. Some runes that could make the redstone run faster, smoother.

Now, he drew a mechanical farm. One that could, hypothetically, not need any input from humans, just a little bit of maintenance whenever it broke.

Doc heard steps behind him, and sighed. It was hard to tell time since he didn't have a clock, but he didn't think it was time for food just yet. This was something different. He hid the knife under the bed and sat on the ground, his back against the wall.

"Doc?"

The mechanic nearly growled when he recognized the voice. A tall, well dressed figure walked from around the corner, holding his arms as if nervous. Good. He should be nervous.

"Hey." Mumbo gave a small smile when he spotted Doc.

"What do you want?"

"I just wanted to check up on you. See how you're doing."

Doc raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

Mumbo nodded.

"I'm just great, Mumbo. Especially seeing as you're the reason why I'm in here."

Mumbo looked genuinely confused at that. "What do you mean?"

Doc stood and walked closer to Mumbo until the pair were only feet apart. "I heard that you told Impulse that I was the sole culprit of the castle-wide blackout."

"Oh. Well, it's true, isn't it?"

"No. Of course not."

This time it was Mumbo who moved closer. When he spoke again, his words were just above a whisper. "Who was it then? Your partner?"

"You really don't know?"

"No. How could I know?"

Doc paused at this. Mumbo was never a very good liar, but now he was nothing but convincing. Something strange was going on here.

"Who put you up to this?"

"What do you mean?"

"Who sent you to ask me this? I really don't think you came here all by yourself."

"I did."

Now that was a lie.

"Mumbo. I've known you for a very long time. I know when you're keeping something from me."

"That doesn't mean I was sent by someone."

"But it does mean that I know when you're lying about being sent by someone."

Mumbo bit his lip, seemingly not knowing what to say next.

"Who sent you, Mumbo?"

"I did." Impulse walked from around the corner.

"Of course you did." Doc backed away from the bars and plopped down on his bed.

"It's okay, Mumbo. Doc has always been too clever for his own good. You can go." Mumbo shot Doc one last look, then took off the way he came. Impulse tilted his head to one side.

"Hey Doc. Can we talk?"

"Am I allowed to say no?

"No."

"Then, yes. By all means, let's talk."

"Wonderful. So, as you were about to tell our dear Mumbo, who is your partner?"

Doc simply shrugged. He realized that he wasn't getting out of this easy. So why not do it the fun way? "They never told me their name."

Impulse narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, I don't know. Never learned their name, never saw their face, nothing."

"Okay. Let's try something else. Who hired you to do this?"

Doc shrugged again and gave Impulse a smirk. "Someone who pays quite well."

Impulse scowled. "You don't even know who you're working for? The queen is dead. The prince is missing. And you don't know who you're working for."

"Yep."

"Doc, it may not seem like it, but I'm trying to help you."

"No, Impulse, you're trying to help yourself. Solve this mystery and wrap it up in a little bow. It doesn't work like that."

Impulse closed his eyes, took a breath in, and spoke. "I hope it was worth it, Doc."

He walked away. Doc was left alone. 

691 Words