Camp Murder (Inanimate Insanity)

Chapter 10 - Big Dipper

It was a starry night, as if they'd come out to soothe the horrors from camp. Or spectate.

The idea was simple: tell Paintbrush about the body without them getting mad.
Needless to say- they got mad.
It was a weird mad, though. Seemingly forced, Fan observed.

Paintbrush had decided again to throw the corpse into the shrubbery alongside Cherries.

'Won't somebody find it at some point?' Fan had thought but he didn't dare speak.

The four were now on their way back to the campsite. Lightbulb clung to Paintbrush as they rubbed her hair with a shaking hand, and Fan and Test Tube shared hushed conversation.

"So," Fan started under his breath. "Why Tissues, do you think?"
Test Tube pushed her glasses up her nose with thought. "I can't think of any legible reason why. I mean, well..."
"Well what?"
"He was an easy target. His bones were close to eroded and his mind was just...so sporadic!"

Fan stopped walking to raise an eyebrow at the scientist.
She tutted, "Mush. His mind was mush."
The shorter nodded. "It's a tragedy, really. He was one in a million accepted into the show and his condition-"
"Condishawn." Test Tube corrected.
"-condishawn got so bad that he was practically ready to die."

A much-needed silence traversed through the group. Crickets played their enchanting songs and wrapped them in a dreamlike state.
The sudden peacefulness felt off to Test Tube- after two murders, surely there should be more panic.

Upon arriving at the dorm, Paintbrush sighed at the pleasant glow coming from inside. Their plan was to curl up- hopefully with Lightbulb- and sleep off the horrible events of the day.

Fan, however, had another idea. He stopped Test Tube outside the dorm. "Hey, Test Tube?"
"What, me?" She turned to him. "Yeah?"
"I think I'm gonna watch the stars for a bit. Would you, uh, wanna join?"
"Oh, definitely! A chance to examine the stars is a chance I'm willing to take! Let me grab my telescope!"

Fan flushed with embarrassment but found himself chuckling nonetheless. "No, no. I mean just us. C-chilling and watching the stars, y'know?"
Test Tube's slim face ceased in confusion. "Like a date? Fan, you-"

Fan's words almost caught in his throat as he recovered quickly. "Nonononono! N-not a date, I swear! Ijustwannalookatthestarsbutifyoudon'tIdon'tmind-"
Too quickly.

Test Tube squinted her silver eyes at him and began walking towards the lake with Fan close behind. The pair sat on the wooden dock, Test Tube crossing her legs as to not get her feet wet.

"What's that?" Fan pointed to a chain of random stars just to close the awkward silence.
"Where?" Test Tube followed his finger; her breath hitched.
"That...ohh...the Big Dipper! Isn't it fascinating, Fan?"
The other blinked. "Uh...yeah...?"

Test Tube screwed her hands in her lap like an excited puppy. "Those seven stars are the brightest in Ursa Major- a constellation. It's a common occurrence, but rarely do I see them so bright!"

Fan couldn't help but stare at her as she spilled her scientific guts out.

'I have no idea what she's saying, but it's charming.'

"-As a given plus, they're very attractive." Test Tube finished.
Fan observed the details of her face.
"Mhm...beautiful..."

Test Tube herself wasn't overly attractive- she was plain and boring with taped-up glasses and elongated features.
However, Fan found himself increasingly entranced by her very existence at this moment with no thought as to why.

"Fan."
"Huh?!" The redhead cried, pulling his eyes away from her face. Crap.
Test Tube concealed an awkward smile. "It's rude to stare."
"S-sorry! I was- I just- I zoned out listening to you speak."

"Am I that boring?" The green-haired girl picked up a loose stone and failed to skim it.
"No! You're not boring, Test Tube. Y-you're smart, and cute, a-and...um..." Fan stumbled over his words.

To shut him up she punched him on the arm more gently than she'd have liked and gave a goofy smile. "T-thanks, Romeo."

In the dorm, Paintbrush held Lightbulb's smaller form in their arms, concealed by the blanket of their bed. Yin Yang and Marshmallow tried to do crossword puzzle, and Apple had crashed out hours earlier and was now snoring off in the corner.

Was anybody even going to question where Tissues went?

"Painty, you okay?" Lightbulb asked with quivering breaths.
"Yeah, Lightbulb. Don't worry." Their voice was cold and void of emotion.
"You don't seem to be taking this well. You gotta chill, tall fella."

Paintbrush chuckled into Lightbulb's neck, "Says the one who cried all evening."
"Using my weakness against me, Painty?" She gasped with feigned offence. "You're going to jail."

They found themselves amused by her oddness. "Oh no. I'm terrified." They snarked.
"Pew pew, you're under arrest!" Lightbulb almost yelled, to which Marsh gave her a warning glare.
"It's illegal to be so mean and so tall."

The cuddling pair broke into a fit of giggles, which earned a 'shhh' from both Yin and Marshmallow.
Marsh looked away from her failed crossword and over to Apple's gently rising form.

'I guess in situations like these we realise what's truly precious.' She thought, grinning.