But as he closed his eyes, he started to hear a strange noise. The only conclusion he could think of was that it was somehow Brian though he wasn't entirely sure. He opened them back up and found himself on the wooden floor. As he struggled to rise, his palms scraped against a rough wooden floor, sending a jolt of pain up his arms, that's a trip to the bathroom right there.
The once-familiar surroundings of his house were now warped and grotesque, like a funhouse mirror come to life. Briar looked around the room, his heart racing as he realized that something was very wrong. The beds and the belongings that were once occupied by Belle and Brian were gone, leaving the room eerily empty. He could feel a chill creeping up his spine as he looked around, trying to find any sign of life. But there was none.
"Hello?" ... "HELLO?" His ears began to pin back as he realized that he was completely alone. The room felt different, wrong somehow, and Briar couldn't shake the feeling that he was in grave danger. His stomach churned with fear, and he couldn't help but wonder what had happened to his siblings. Were they okay? Were they even alive? The questions swirled in his mind as he started to pace around the once-vibrant room, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of dread wash over him. Something terrible had happened, and he was all alone in the midst of it.
As the minutes ticked by, the darkness crept closer, enveloping everything in its inky embrace. He couldn't even see his own feet. He needed light more than ever now. So Briar stumbled his way to the row of the lightswitches but as he approached them, he could faintly see the walls, they seemed to pulse and throb, and the floorboards creaked and groaned beneath his feet. But as he finally flick the light switch on, it did nothing but make things worse. The flickering lights barely illuminated the darkness that seemed to be swallowing everything in its path and the bare amount of light only cast strange, shifting shadows along the walls. He had enough. He wanted out.
Briar started to reach for the doorknob, but before his fingers could touch the cool metal... "AHH!!" He felt a sudden sharp pain in his hand as he recoiled in surprise. Confused, he tried again, but the pain only intensified. Inspecting the, albeit faint doorknob it looked perfectly fine. Puzzled, he turned his attention to his hands. They had a bit of a heft to them. But yet Briar could make out vague, indistinct shapes so he started to brush the back of his hand against his palm. It ended quickly as it quickly hit something along with a pricking sensation. He had to find another way out. Desperately, he tried using the backs of his hands, wincing as if something was still creating that deep pain in his skin. But suddenly, his hand slipped off the knob and hit his leg, it felt like a searing hot poker had been pressed against his skin. The pain shot through his entire body like a lightning bolt, causing him to gasp for air. Every nerve in his hand was on fire, and he could feel his heart racing as he tried to regain his composure. Tears welled up in his eyes, blurring his vision as he struggled to contain the pain. It was a sharp, intense pain that refused to subside, and Briar feared it would never go away. But he didn't give up. Briar took a deep breath, gritted his fangs, and tried again, his determination overriding the agony. And with a twist and a turn he managed to twist it open and escape, stumbling out into the hallway, gasping for breath.
Briar stumbled through the dimly lit halls, his heart pounding with fear, as he tried to find a way out of this nightmare. He used the back of his hand once more to guide the way to the bathroom, feeling each smooth wooden surface like a lifeline. The sensation was almost comforting, a small reprieve from the pain in his hand. Finally, he made it to the bathroom door and attempted to open it with the lever using his foot. It took a few tries, but he managed to push it open with a loud creak. Briar took a deep breath, trying to steady himself as he entered the dark room, praying that he wouldn't trip or fall. Out of pure instinct, he closed the door with his foot and flicked the light switch on using his elbow. He wished he never did. Briar let out a sharp gasp as he glanced down at his hands as he saw himself in the mirror like a drunk Vitruvian Man. His mind can only try to comprehend what he was seeing.
His hands! Oh God, his hands! They were covered in a grotesque collage of splinters! He couldn't help but wince as he studied the wooden shards embedded in his flesh. They ranged in size from small slivers to large, jagged fragments. Some were barely visible, while others were massive shards that extended through the other side of his hand. Briar could feel the warm trickle of blood as it seeped from his wounds, staining the soft shower rug beneath his feet. He tried to move them around, but the pain made him wince in dear agony. Some of the splinters were so deeply embedded that he couldn't even grasp them with his other hand. Others were located in such awkward positions that he couldn't help but fear the worst. Briar struggled to keep his composure, but the pain was too much. He let out a mixed yelp that was a concoction between strangled and light and fell to his knees. "Please... someone..."
Briar's throat felt tight as he yelped over and over again. The pain caused him to clutch at his chest, not even caring about the aching pain in his hands. It was as if his body was betraying him, trapping him in this place of agony and fear. He was now utterly alone and his heart started to race with the thought of being trapped here forever. The thought alone made him start to cry. "M-mommy..." He didn't know what else to do, he started to consider getting one of the wooden stakes out and stabbing himself to death. He sat alone for began to rise and began to pluck one of the splinters out, the searing pain from his hand didn't matter anymore. He wanted out of this place. But as soon as raised the piece of wood, out of pure instinct, his brain started to race all over for memories of his loved ones. He thought of Brian, the mischief they got into together, and the laughter they shared. He thought of Belle, her gentle touch and warm embraces. His father, was always a pillar of strength. He briefly laughed at the time he hurt his leg when he went on the Slip-N-Slide. His mother, whose love and kindness knew no bounds, and her newfound strength after dad died. The pain connected him to them, and for a moment, he could feel their presence beside him. But as quickly as the warmth came, it vanished, leaving him shivering and alone once again. The bathroom gave an echo as he dropped the stake as slumped back onto the floor. Then he thought of Betty. Her face, her eyes, her way of holding a fishing rod. He couldn't get her out of his head and Briar doesn't even know why but he likes it. -Insert dialogue of Betty here, it echoes throughout.-