Chapter 8: Wednesday: Rebalance
April 13, 2026 at 7:40 AM
*After checking on her pet duck, she places them on her head and leaves for school. She gets there before anyone else does. Well, she would've had it not been for Riley. Riley sits at the front of the school, cutting out pictures of Oliver/Katie on various pieces of paper. *
Bubble: Riley?
Riley: What do you want?
Bubble: Nothing. I've just never seen you here this early. You look tired. Are you okay?
Riley: Okay? ... Just ... leave, I'm busy with my best scrap book. *Riley turns the scrap book around. *
Bubble: Looks great. *Due to Bubble's eye's being the only way to express her emotions, she manages to convince Riley that she was being genuine. *
*Bubble walks into the school. The only ones there are Kevin, a guy shaped like a stick figure, Cubbie, and Oliver/K. *
*She walks towards her math class first. When she gets close, she sees a tall black-haired person facing the wall while holding something in their hands. *
Bubble: H-Hi Miss Circle.
Mister Compass: I'm NOT Miss Circle.
Bubble: Oh. I've never seen you before. I just mistook you for her. Sorry.
*Mister Compass' face curls into a disgusted expression. He leaves, going towards another room far away from this idiot. I mean, how could she not see how different they look. They have shorter hair. Different Sclera. .... a different shirt. *
*Mister Compass walks towards Miss Grace's office and knocks. *
Miss Grace: Come in.
*Miss Grace looks at the person who enters. *
Miss Grace: Hello, Miss Cir- oh. I'm sorry. Mister Compass, what do you want.
Mister Compass: I'd like to apply for a job position.
Miss Grace: You know, you could've done this online. Do you have a resume?
*Mister Compass opens folder and places the document on her desk. *
*Mister Compass prepares to leave the room. *
Miss Grace: Wait. *Miss Grace grabs a document and hands it to Mister Compass. * Make sure this is given to BOTH Bubble and Engel. Make sure they know it's from me. DON'T ALTER IT.
(A few hours before classes start):
After getting ready for school, both of them meet up and walk to school.
Petunia: So... does my fur look combed enough. I overslept, so ... I .... Lizzy? Are You okay?
Lizzy: I'm okay.
Petunia: I can tell you're not.
*Lizzy looks away. *
Lizzy: My grades aren't doing well.
Petunia: It's okay. I'll help you study.
Lizzy: Thanks.
*Lizzy and Petunia enter the school. Cubbie walks up to them as Kevin walks behind him. *
Cubbie (Whispering): Petunia and Lizzy, would you like to study with me and RUBY? I believe that we can study now and then study at Ruby's house.
*Petunia whispers into Lizzy's ear. *
Petunia (Whispering): You just said that you wanted better grades. Cubbie and RUBY are one of the smartest students. Why shouldn't we study with them?
Lizzy: Sure.
*Cubbie, Lizzy, and Petunia take out their notebooks while Cubbie also takes out notecards. In the few minutes before class, they manage to study a variety of subjects. Kevin isn't even paying attention. *
(Around an hour before):
Engel is back in the hallway. Why? Why can't he forget? He runs backwards. He runs and runs and runs. A green room appears. He runs in. Lana and Abbie stand there. Drawing. Talking. Behind Abbie's expression, there's genuine joy on his face.
Engel calms. Just for a single moment.
Slowly, Abbie and Lana's bodies tear apart and fall off. Lana's jaw. The right side of Abbie's body alongside his limbs. He can't move. He can't stop it. They're left just as they were last seen. Bodies. Not people. Not people who had future. All they are. All they will ever be. Is bodies for slaughter.
*Engel wakes up, and leaves. But not before saying goodbye to his mother yet again. And yet again, she looks disgusted. *
*Engel walks to school. Skell's points scroll through his mind. He arrives at school. The other kids by the lockers. He goes to Miss Circle's room and when he goes to his table, Bubble is sitting there. *
Petunia: Engel! You usually don't come to school th- ... Engel. You look awful.
Engel: Um. What do you mean.
*Engel's fur is uncombed and untied. His eyes have bags under them. *
Engel: I'm sorry. I just had a difficult time going to sleep.
Lizzy: Hey. Can you come to our lunch table later?
Engel: S-Sure?
*Mister Compass enters Miss Circle's classroom. He walks towards them. *
Engel: Hi Mister Compass. Is something wrong.
*Mister Compass gives the file to Engel and Bubble. *
*Engel and Bubble open the file. It's list of locations alongside ... the students who live there. Lana, Engel, and Claire. *
(Slightly before Engel arrives):
*Skell, Ruby, and Robby sit at their desk. Ruby has been trying her best to look away from Robby the entire time. *
Robby: Why're you doing that? Are you STILL upset about what I said?
*RUBY looks at Robby, then at the seat that Riley usually sits at. *
RUBY: Can you and Riley swap seats today?
Robby (Angrily): Okay.
*Robby moves from his original seat to Riley's. *
*Riley finally enters the room, noticing that her original spot was taken. She pulls out her knife. *
*RUBY grabs Riley's hand before the knife can strike Robby. *
RUBY: Riley! *RUBY grabs the knife out of Riley's hand. * Your seat is taken. You'll have to sit somewhere else today. *The eyes on RUBY's screen move to the right. That's her and Skell's desk. *
Riley (Internally): Why should I sit where SHE wants me to go? But I'm not going to sit b-
RUBY: You said you never stayed around us.
Riley: ...
RUBY: I'll give you your kn*fe back if you sit with us.
*Riley sits at the desk and as promised, has her kn*fe returned to her. Engel enters the classroom. *
RUBY: ... We weren't able to finish our study session yesterday so .... Would you like to continue during break? You can even talk about Oliver/Katie.
Riley: YES!
*Soon Mister Compass enters the room and class begins. *
*Chip remembers his sister's request. "Bring Lilly to the pool so she can learn how to swim." The kindergarteners are painting, but Lilly is painting away from everyone else. *
Chip: Lilly.
*Lilly hears him and steps backwards. *
Chip: Do you want to go to the pool?
Lilly: I-I haven't learned how to swim.
Chip: Zip said she'd teach you. She'll make sure you don't drown.
June (The rabbit girl with rings on her ears): I'll go. I want to be able to swim too.
*Miss Sasha notices June's statement. Lilly should interact with the other kids. She hadn't heard that ZIP had talked about Lilly.
Miss Sasha: I think you should go Lilly. I'll walk you there myself.
*When break time occurs, she brings Lilly, June, and Chip to the pool. Zip, Oliver/Katie, and Edward are here but Petunia and Lizzy are there as well. Zip is there and gives floaties to Lilly and June. They get in the water, and Zip tries to teach them the basics of swimming. June understands some of it, but Lilly's having a difficult time. *
*Zip gets onto the pirate ship and flies Chip, June, and Lilly onto it. When flying Lilly up, her claws pierce the floaties she's using. *
*The pirate ship starts to move. Lilly's not able to stay still and she's getting nauseas. Zip makes a sudden turn causing Lilly to fall off the ship. *
*She's sinking. She's trying her best to copy what Zip did, but she can't. She's running out of air. She's going to die. *
*A hand grabs her arm. Chip. He tries his best to bring Lilly upward, but he can't lift her. She's starting to lose consciousness from a lack of oxygen.
*Another person grabs both of them. They ascend and escape the water. *
Lizzy: *Lilly stands up and Lizzy looks at Zip. * Why didn't you do anything?
Zip: Really? You'd think that you'd know me well enough to guess why?
Lizzy: Did try to kill Lilly this on purpose?
Zip: Yes!
*Lilly runs out of the pool, forgetting Sasha's warning from yesterday. She's too upset to consider it. She trusted that she wouldn't tell her dad. *