Mono + Six Afterstory || Little Nightmares II

Twenty

     The closer the boat got to them, the faster it seemed to be moving, though it wasn't really moving any faster. They felt so small compared to such a giant vessel, just like in The Maw, only now they were getting to see a boat in all its glory without it hidden mostly underwater. It felt surreal, and a little scary.
     They all backed up away from the edge of the submarine, giving the captain enough room to "park" nearby. Soon enough, someone threw a rope down for them, and they looked up at the bow to see a beautiful young woman with a welcoming appearance. She was like an angel to them. "Come, children! We haven't got long before the weather turns foul." She encouraged them to take action, smiling out of relief when one by one they began to climb up, Pericia going first as a precaution.

     Mono let Six crawl onto his back before bringing up the rear and climbing the rope behind Riley. It was definitely a challenge carrying her weight, but he knew she would have no chance on her own because of her ribs, so he didn't mind lagging behind for her. When he was finally at the top, Six crawled off of him and hopped down, which he did immediately after her. She stumbled, however, holding her chest as she keeled over. "Six, does it hurt again?" He knelt next to her, a worried glint in his eyes. He was pleasantly surprised to see the same woman squat politely next to them.

     "Oh, you poor thing. Come with me, I'll patch you up, alright?" She held out her hand to the girl, offering her assistance in a very trustworthy manner.

     Six was still unsure, however, because of how she had lived until now. Her instinct was to be wary of anyone and everyone upon first impression. But thankfully, Mono was there with her. "She's a little scared... Is it okay if I come too?" He requested this anxiously, and the woman nodded immediately, which made him believe it was no problem at all. So, he helped Six up and they walked into the woman's hand, glancing down at their friends on the floor before being carried away. Thankfully, as they were escorted, they watched a young man lead the other kids down below the deck; he seemed friendly as well.

     "You two are just darling. I can't imagine what you must have experienced thus far." She made casual conversation with Mono and Six as she walked below deck, leading them to an infirmary with medical supplies and a few adult-sized beds for the sick. She put them down on the table with the supplies, then pulling a chair over to sit so they were more level with one another. "My name is Julie. I'm a nurse and a designer. Not much use for the latter these days." She introduced herself amicably, causing the two kids to relax for the most part. "So, what kind of pain is it?"

     "Um... It's my ribs. I just got saved from drowning, so yeah." Six replied nonchalantly, her manners comparably worse than the woman's.

     The lady gasped upon hearing the news, a compassionate frown on her face. "Goodness, you are one strong little girl. Well, I'll tell you now, you'll be resting a lot if you want that to heal quickly. I can give you a painkiller for now, since you're already freezing cold. Would you prefer a shot or tablet?" She stood up from the chair, opening the cabinets above them while waiting for an answer. "How would you rate the pain on a scale of one-to-ten?"

     Six hummed to herself momentarily, breathing in to test her reaction, which was equally as bad as before, maybe even worse. "Like a twelve. I could probably handle a shot." She responded calmly, appearing unaffected by all of this for some reason.

     "Is it really that bad?" Mono freaked out slightly when he heard Six's answer, feeling responsible even though it was completely out of his control. "This is why I hate the ocean. I'm fine sticking to cities for the rest of my life." He got chills just imagining the terror of what Six had to go through; how could she act so unbothered?

     She snickered at his wimpy attitude, tensing up afterwards since she had forgotten once again. "It's not like I'm dying or anything. I'll be fine, just stop making me laugh, seriously. It hurts." She admitted to this issue, and he immediately looked guilty, taking her complaint very seriously.