[Don't Starve] Someone I'm Close To {Maxwil}

Chapter 1- The Curtain Rises

Wilson's back and arms ached after a grueling day of working on his garden to test a new fertilizer he'd concocted a few nights ago. His hands were numb and red and covered in numerous injuries from both his work and taking a detour to tear some vines off the outside of the stone walls of the base, which happened to have rather large thorns growing on them. His legs felt like they'd been stung by a million killer bees all at once, and words couldn't describe how stiff his back was. The pain was excruciating. His legs wobbled like wet goop when he walked.

Unfortunately, even though his whole body felt like it was on fire, the stubbornly determined scientist continued his work, which was hammering away at new materials on the science machine now that the garden task was complete. With each swing of the hammer, swipe of a blade, or even the simple insertion of object into the machine, his body hurt a little bit worse, but the Brit paid his wounds no mind. He simply saw them as a minor distraction from what he really needed to do. See, there was something bugging him for the past few weeks. Everyone could see it, but no one could tell what it was. As a distraction, he began working more, not stopping even when the base was attacked by hounds and Wigfrid literally had to drag him in by his hair. When Wilson started going to bed early, Wickerbottom speculated he was becoming depressed, but didn't state much of a reason for it.

"Wilson's always been sort of...aloof, I guess." Wigfrid's red, curly braids bounced as she shook her head. She sat on a log by the fire pit, roasting a few morsels of meat over the fire. Her Icelandic accent was especially thick on the word "aloof". "Maybe this time is no different."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Wendy sat, cross-legged, next to Webber by the pit. She held a red rose in her hand and every so often she'd tear off a petal and throw it into the fire.

"He's always spendin' his time away from us, either working on some new project or getting materials for one of his new projects. He's obsessed. Maybe he's just really focused on this one." Wigfrid responded and took a bite out of one of the now fully cooked morsels.

"I'm not so sure about that." Wickerbottom pursed her lips. "Haven't you noticed how he's been so reckless lately? He works to the point of exhaustion on these so-called 'projects', and even then, he refuses to stop until he collapses. Last night I found him passed out just meters away from his tent, as if he didn't make it there before sleep got ahold of him. That boy..." She shook her head.

"Ma'am, he's not a boy. He's 35 years old. By now, Mr. Higgsbury is a man." Webber pointed out.

"Well, he certainly doesn't act like it." The old woman's voice had an edge to it. "I, personally, am a bit worried about him."

"So are we." Webber nodded in agreement. Wendy didn't speak but she appeared to agree with her friend.

Maxwell listened to them all eagerly from a distance. He was leaning against a tree, originally watching the girl and her friend throw a rose into the fire. For him, that was a very personal form of symbolism that lately had become rather appealing to him.

"I agree with Wickerbottom." His voice was deep like a bassoon and everyone's eyes fell to him as soon as he spoke. "Something is wrong with him, but I think we should leave him be until he reaches a critical condition."

"What kind of treatment is that?" Wickerbottom raised an eyebrow. "You're sadistic."

"Maybe I am." Maxwell shrugged. "Doesn't matter. If we let him slowly fall apart, eventually he'll come crawling to us for help, and it'll be easier for him to spill what's wrong." He shrugged.

"And how would you know?" Wigfrid asked slowly, an almost accusing tone slipping into her heavily accented voice.

"You know I used to be the high power of this island. I'm the reason, more or less, that he's here. I've monitored him long enough to see what happens when his sanity gets low enough." The tall man smirked. "Just save your efforts until he gets to that level. Then you can help. 'Till then, it's useless. He's stubborn as an ass. He won't tell you if you prod him with a killer bee on a stick."