Punishment (A Little Nightmares Fanfic)

Act 1: The Theater Part 1

A light at the end of the hallway. I was getting closer to it. Someone was standing there, in the light. The yellow of their raincoat glimmered in it. I kept getting closer, a dark mist surrounding the person more and more. They slowly turn towards me.

I gasp awake, catching my breath. The metal ground was cold on my back, making me quickly sit up. Looking around the room, I notice a small box of matches right next to where I was laying. Picking it up and checking inside, I notice two matches are in it.

Looking around again, I notice a hole in the metal wall. It was as if something forced its way in here. Walking through it, I enter another room. This one had a couch. A piano was also in the corner, covered in dust and seemingly forgotten.

Climbing onto the couch, carefully as to not slip, I notice a vent. The covering must have fallen, as it was wide open. I jump up to it, gripping onto the cold metal. Grunting, I manage to left myself into the vent. The vent was dark, so I decided to light a match.

The vent felt like a long, metal cave. I walk further inside, the metal cold on my bare feet. I shiver a little. Further inside the vent was a drop. Sighing, I drop down. I grunt softly, landing on my backside.

I was in another room. A piano was hanging above me, a lever on the other side of the room. Running over, I start turning the lever. The piano began to lower itself down. I smile, getting an idea.

I turn the lever again, the piano coming all the way down. Quickly, I run and hop onto the piano. It slowly starts rising. Once it reaches the top, I jump onto the floor above.

The next floor had creaky floors, the wood falling apart in places. Water was dripping from the ceiling, the water damage already prevalent. Carefully, I tiptoe to the other end of the room. An open doorway there, leading to the next room.

The next room had a bed, with another piano in the corner. 'What's up with all the pianos...' I think to myself. Pieces of paper were scattered on the floor, the ink smeared on them. Most likely from water damage. The air was damp, with a salty taste.

"Is there water somewhere?" I think out loud. Looking around, I see a vent. But there's no way I could jump that without something to stand on.

The room had a box filled with papers, most likely where all the papers on the floor came from. Walking over, I try to shove at it. It began sliding on the floor, before stopping. When trying to push it over the papers, it stopped. The pieces of paper bunching up underneath it, blocking its path.

I start to shove it away from the papers, going around the mess to get to the vent. Once underneath, I climbed on top of the box and jumped up to the vent. The metal was cold again, but I ignored it as I crawled down the vent.

As I crawl down the vent, I hear the soft notes of.. a piano? Someone must be playing the piano nearby. I drop down into another room, making a soft grunt as I land on some pieces of paper. I froze, realizing how close the piano playing was.

Looking around the room, I notice a giant monster playing the piano at the other end of the room. He sat at the piano bench, his coat tail hanging loosely at his back. The long fingers reach out to press each key, the sound of its joints crackings as it moves.

Quickly, I start to sneak to the other side of the room, where I could see a small hatch to the next room. I was very silent moving along the floorboards, one small creak, and that monster would know I'm here.

Quietly, I made it to the other side of the room. My heart was racing. The vent had a covering on it, so I began pulling it off. As it flung off, clattering to the floor, I fell on my butt. The piano had stopped playing. I quickly got up, jumping into the vent. Just as a hand grabbed at me. I crawled quickly, the metal cold on my feet.