P.I.E - A Limey Rivalry

Part 17 - An Abnormal Sensation

A horrid grim feeling was residing within Toast's mouth. It felt dry and noxious, as if he was about to regurgitate. It was a brilliant combo to the tight feeling of his stomach. There was no doubt: Toast felt terrible.

The feeling had been a constant since he pressed the button. More specifically, since he realised that he could have killed his best friend. Toast coughed and tried to push back the thought, trying instead to focus on his and Sophia's task at hand.

Once they left, the two immediately began to search the entire estate from metaphorical head-to-toe in case there was anything else amiss, whether it be for the best or the worst. In actuality, it was more like from toe-to-head, considering they started at the ground floor and worked their way up. They had made in onto the first floor (or the second floor, since you're likely American), without finding anything amiss.

The same green wallpaper. The same corridors. The same paranormal stench strolling its way through Johnny's senses. The same ugly portrai– wait.

Toast desisted from his stroll and focused all his effort on his detection abilities. Sophia was confused as to why he had suddenly paused.

"Johnny, are you all right?" she asked, gaining a smidge of concern when she saw Toast's wide eyes and vacant expression.

He replied slowly, slightly tilting his head up, "I can detect something nearby. It's a little hard to clarify where it's coming from, though..."

"Oh. What do we do?" Sophia asked, starting to feel anxious. She began to look around the corridor for anything out of the ordinary.

"I think we should keep walking. I have a hunch that the sensation is somewhere ahead of us. We might be able to track it down, if we find the most concentrated source."

Sophia gulped and looked in the direction which they were initially going in anyway. Suddenly, that prospect seemed so much harder to do than it had been not more than a few moments ago.

"Understood, Johnny," she said, slowly side-stepping her way closer to Toast, "I'm right behind you."

Toast could tell that Sophia was nervous. It made him uncomfortable: it was like he was forcing her into this. "Sophia, if you don't feel you can take this, please don't assume you need to tag along with me. You can go back to your room, if you want."

Looking into his pitying face, Sophia's expression hardened. "Johnny, I had thought that I made this clear. I am not going to hide away and leave everything to you. I could be as risk, you may need help," she continued speaking in a firm voice, before a worried smirk painted her face, "and my bedroom is actually down that way, anyway."

She seemed to made her case, in Toast's opinion. "Right. Onwards and upwards, then."

They slowly began edging down the corridor. The tension was so apparent, one could need to cut their way through it with a machete.

As the two continued to follow Toast's 'paranormal nose', it compelled them through a few more corridors before it began to overwhelm Toast with its strength. There was no debate that there was abnormal activity going on.

Toast stopped at a seemingly normal part of the corridor. "Here!" Toast groaned loudly, thanks to the headache he was getting. He rested his hand against the wall next to him. That was where the sensation was coming from.

"It must be on the other side," Toast exclaimed to Sophia, "I need something to break through."

"You're going to break the wall down," Sophia inquired, confused as to why Toast could not try to find another entrance."

"We don't have time to waste. It's best to try and break through immediately instead of leaving to find another way. Do you have anything?"

"I don't think so, Toast. We could try getting something from the garage or the shed, but that would take too long."

"Curses. Do you think you could run and get something while I make sure that the ghost does not move?"

"Are you ser– Fine," She agreed, indignantly, before perking up, "Actually, I think I have the perfect thing."

Sophia ran off as fast as an aged woman could. It was not too fast.

Toast stared at the wall, but he was looking straight through it. He was focusing on the presence behind the wall.

"You think you're safe in there," Toast teased, "but that safe haven of yours won't be too secure for long."

He wasn't even sure that the entity could hear him, but Toast needed to let off some antagonism.

"I assure you, Alexander Gumball, you are notsafe."