(Archived) Poth Short Stories and One-Shots

When One Door Closes - Chapter 2 (End)

... another door opens.

Chapter Warnings: Mild blood (marrow), depression, death ideation, swearing (?)

***

Lotus groaned, the feeling of someone touching him bringing him back to consciousness. A dull red eye light formed, taking in the sight of... a green couch?

"About time you finally decided to wake up. Your broken ass was asleep for two days."

The small skeleton's skull lolled toward the voice on his left, surprised to find another skeleton in green, gold, and black military-style dress staring right back at him. Behind them on the table was a small white box containing various first-aid supplies.

Glancing down, Lotus was slightly embarrassed to find he was lacking his shirt, scarf, cloak, and shoes... though he was more concerned with the multitude of cracks and scars that were clearly visible without his clothing to cover them.

"So, you got a name?" the monster questioned, quirking a socket as he resumed changing a bandage on one of the smaller's ribs.

"Lotus," he croaked, warily voicing a question of his own, "Why are you helping me?"

"I just felt like it," the other shrugged, then added, "Also, I was curious why you were laughing before you passed out. Most monsters wouldn't laugh after getting the shit beat out of them. Can't really answer if you're dead, though, so I patched you up. So, why were you laughing?"

Lotus smiled sadly, looking away as he scoffed, "Because my existence is one big damn joke. I'm the sad-sack, worthless, waste of magic pansy my parents always said I was, and my attempt to prove them wrong only served to drive home how right they were. I was just getting my comeuppance in that alley and I found it poetic."

The bandaged skeleton continued bitterly, oblivious to his savior's grim expression, " I honestly believed you were trashing those goons just so you could be the one to finish me off instead. Collect the free experience and all that shit. 

"And on top of all that... in what I thought were my last moments, all I could think about was how amazing your eyes looked in that lighting instead of something more practical or life-saving because I'm a stars damned idiot! That's why I laughed."

The other skeleton went back to changing the marrow-stained bandages around his ribs without a word of response. Lotus assumed the conversation was over, turning his skull away to stare at the dark green cushions lining the back of the couch.

It makes sense, I said something really sappy and depressing... and perhaps creepy now that I think about it. Even if those thoughts were a coping mechanism, this guy probably doesn't know what to do with that information.

He wasn't expecting it when the monster said, "I had no intention of killing you back there. It's more pathetic to strike at a target that can't fight back, there's no challenge. They were scum ganging up on a single weakened target, so I taught them a lesson... that's all."

Lotus turned back to the skeleton as he stood with the first-aid box in his hands, walking off to another room.

The taller skeleton eventually returned without the box, posing another question, "So... do you have someone I can call to pick you up? A name, a number?"

The smaller snorted, immediately regretting the action when it jarred his injuries. Once the pain subsided, he answered, "The only ones would be my parents... and after being gone for four days, they've probably already given me up for dust by now. 

"Even if I did call, they probably don't give two shits about me returning outside of getting their punching bag back and crowing about how they were right. I ran away from that hellhole and I'm never going back... I'd rather dust."