Damnibles (1)

"Disgusting, absolutely disgusting..."

As I leaned above the puddle, I can already see the mess I've made on my face. Though I'm not sure just what I've done with it, I was quite sure I wasn't supposed to look this way. Not to mention, I still can't remember where I'd been before I came here.

"...But those humongous black eyes! those antennas! and those damn mandibles! It seems I'm really no different than those bugs."

"—And with a body that looks like it's only made of bones and fat! Like, I know I'm skinny, but do I have to be this skinny?! I'm surprised that I was even able to come this far."

Hiding inside a dusty, dark room, I carefully poke my head out of a box to see if anyone would barge in. Fortunately enough, no one barged in.

The room had many unused crates, barrels, and things that were quite similar. Most of which, I've already checked for any food. But like I said, many of them were just unused. I was just finished checking with this box. Now I'm inside the box.

If anything, the only thing I found were dozens of stinky bottles and this stinky puddle made out of— whatever it was inside those stinky bottles. Very stinky, I know. Luckily, I wasn't thirsty enough to drink from the puddle.

But if worse comes to worst, I suppose I've secured my source of stank water.

"Hngh, even though I've already got out of that cage, It looks like this place is much bigger than I thought. On top of those humans, finding the exit would be pretty hard."

"Not only that, I still have a bit of an issue..."

My belly growled, starving. I hadn't noticed before because it was noisy and all. But now that we're in a quiet place, it looks like it's been rumbling for quite some time. Rumbling so much that it was starting to get uncomfortable

I sighed, helpless for now. I was too scared to go outside anyway.

Closing the box from the inside, I leaned back to a rather cozy, rather dusty, but still comfy corner of the box. Oddly enough, being inside this box made me feel safe and secure.

With this, I was able to make the best out of this dusty room— or perhaps duty box, if you like to call it that way.

As the single torch brightened one end of the room, mouseholes around the box made for a nice dim lighting. Just flickering aimless as it gently blew around. It was beautiful. Maybe even the only thing beautiful around here. A shame that it hurts my eyes whenever I stare at it.

"Now that I think about it. How did that room suddenly light up?"

"Sure, I couldn't see where the lights came. But I'm pretty sure it had something to do with these torches."

"It's as if they were lit up by mag—"

The doors swung open and five— No, two humans laughed together. I heard footsteps come barging into the room. I was horrified. Scared. But even more so, petrified.

"Ahahaha! Good one, Felix!" I recognize this voice! It's that plucky human who led the other four!

"Come on, it wasn't even that funny." Do they know I'm here? Oh, God! I knew I shouldn't have hid in this room. I'm such an idiot!

"Sure it was, Felix! Stop rejecting the damn compliment!" Argh, they're gonna come here! I'm doomed! I just had to hide in this room. Why didn't I hide in the other rooms? There were plenty of other rooms outside.

"Let's just get the ale and leave. It's so late, I wanna go to sleep." —Huh? Are they not coming for me?

"What? Drown yourself in alcohol again? Debbel? I told you didn't I? You can't just sleep on the job—"

"Screw you! I've worked here longer than you! I know what I'm doing!" I heard crates being kicked and shoved away— Oh no, he's coming! "—Fred! Where the hell's my ale?! You better not've finished it!"

"I can hear his footsteps! Ah! he's kicking all the boxes away! He's coming closer to me!"

Panic rushed over to my head, my hands went busy as they looked around for anything to use. My head being tested once again. Slowly, I knew I was turning into a nervous wreck. Inside a box with nothing but a used bottle and a puddle that stinks— What can I possibly do?

"Cheh! telling me what to do... Who does he think he is?!" The man's mouth cursed as he kicked a barrel open. Still, no ale at sight.

"Argh! Fred did you finish my ale? I know I had one lying around somewhere!" The room turned darker and darker the further he went away from the door. Crates and boxes showing less and less. He could barely see anything, but that didn't stop him from kicking some more boxes.

"Tch, that lying goblin." A box suddenly opened with trembling hands and gave him an open bottle of ale. "Oh? Thanks, man! You're a lifesaver!"

"Found the ale, Fred! Let's get out of the room! I wanna go back to the canteen!" He said, right before chugging the ale to his mouth. "Hmm, not bad."

"Felix, Luna, and I'll stay here. You two go ahe—"

"Who asked you?!" The man barked at him, spitting his saliva as he spoke all over the floor.

"Hey! Cool it down will you—"

"It's okay, Felix. Let him have it."

"Come on, let's leave." He scoffed at his friend. Pushing the door open, he left with his quiet friend.

—But behind the scenes, breathing an air of relief, "Close! Way Too Close!"

My body was trembling from head-to-toe! Still a bit scared now, but never so relieved. The human said something about ail? aile? Although I don't know what that is, I'm glad I took the gamble. Scooping the stinky bottle with the stinky puddle wasn't easy!

Celebrating my victory, my hands jumped around with enthusiasm. For a moment, I thought I'd won! But who would've thought that the wound on my forearm— The one from smacking that cage open— would hurt really bad when it touched the stinky puddle.

"I'M BURNING!!! SOMEONE HELP ME!!!"

"BUZZZUUZZUZZ!!! BUZZZ!!!"

It was burning. My forearms, they were burning. Burning in pain. It was like that puddle wanted to hurt me the moment it saw me. Attacking me, just when I'd had my guard down. That puddle. That dangerous puddle. My tongue hissed in agony as my body started to crawl over.

Out of shock, I fell unto the side of the box. In an instant, the wooden box I thought was safe just collapsed above me. I knew I'd done myself the moment I was about to fall, but I couldn't do anything about it.

"What's that?! W— Who's there?!" Ah, I'm done! I'm gonna turn brown!

"Luna, grab the hook! Felix, pull out your..." Please don't kill me! I'll be nice!

Looking back at— What? Half an hour?— Yeah, half an hour of my life, even though I couldn't remember anything, it was probably the worst 30 minutes of my life. Hard to say that I liked any of this, but if anything, I guess my few minutes inside that box was pretty nice.

"Luna... What are you doing? Get back here! It's not safe!"

Horrified. Really just afraid. I crawled into a ball under the remains of the box. I saw what they did to the other bug. It was scary. Like, really chilling. For them to do that without batting an eye was just so cruel. I wouldn't be able to go up against someone like them.

—But then something happened.

Indescribable warmth filled my body. Something caressed me, hugged me. I can feel someone's breath over my head. It was so nice and relaxing. But so sudden, that I wasn't able to do anything about it— Not that I wanted to do anything about it. It just felt so nice to be hugged~

"Aww, such a cute little boy." —Wait, who's this?

"Luna! Don't touch that thing! It's another one of those Beemens! They're dangerous!" He strained his voice as he shouted to her.

"He's right, Luna. Put the bee down and slowly walk towards us—"

"What do you mean? It's just a little boy. Are you people blind?"

Her high-pitched voice seemed to mock the both of them. Comparable to that of the buzzing bugs, my earholes surprisingly twitched as she spoke. It seems this human is a woman. A feisty, loud, and stubborn one even.

"B—Blind?! You should take a look at yourself! Oh, wait, that's right you can't!" He kept raising his voice, getting louder and louder. As if he had been angered by her little mocking voice.

"Felix, you're going too fa—"

"That's because you're blind!" He shouted spontaneously, "Now come here before we make you!"

"Talking won't convince her. Quickly pull out your dagger! I'll bless!"

"Lord Tristan give thy your blessing to three," The other human mumbled out of nowhere, "Triad Lesser Protection!"

His hands brought brightness to the dark room. Then, out of thin air, a faint white light could be seen entering and outlining the three humans. Blanketing them with some kind of protective sheen.

It was at that moment, something within me seemed to whisper:

"Magic..." I really tried saying it out loud, but what came out was just another buzz.

"Buzz..." Yeah, that one.

"—Oh, yeah?! Well, I'm not the one who likes staring at GIRLS when they're trying to take a SHOWER! You pervert!"

"I—It only happened once! It was an accident! I told you!" The perverted human tried to retort.

"Still arguing? Enough, you two!" The plucky human said with calm, "Luna, please stop making it difficult for us, Felix is right. That thing in your hands can kill you!"

"Thing? You too Brave? This THING in my hands is a child! I know I can't see, but that doesn't mean I'm blind..." The instant she admitted that she couldn't see, I finally gathered enough courage to look at her face.

White, marble eyes. Eyes that make you want to stare back at them. Milky eyes that looked dead and lifeless. If it was just that, then maybe it wouldn't be a big deal. But as I peered into her face, she was peering into mine.

I had no doubts back then. She had probably been staring at me as she argued with the other humans.

"Creepy freaky eyes!—" I paused for a moment before I felt the warmth of her hug against me, "—But nice and cozy and warm hugs! Please give me seconds!~"

"Buzz!~ Buzz!~~ Buzz!~~~"

"Aww~ you like my hugs, don't you?" The human girl smiled, tightening her arms, "Unlike you, Felix! This baby boy's already out of your league! Hah, he's even better than you, Brave!"

"Ugh! For the last time it's not a boy! It's a Beeman—"

"Wait, Felix." The plucky human stared at me with eyes of shock, "Haven't you noticed something unusual with that Beeman?"

"What?! Are you also blind?" He looked at him with eyes of worry.

"No, look—" The plucky human pointed his fingers at me, "It hasn't even done anything since she hugged it."

"..." The perverted human looked speechless. "L— Look at its face! It even likes being hugged by her!"

"Buzz!~~~ Buzz!~ Buzz!~~"

"Hehehe, you're so adorable for a little boy. I think I want to keep you."

The plucky human turned to look at the other human. "Felix, I know I haven't been here as long as you have, but I think we've just stumbled across something extraordinary—"

"Hmm, no. On second thought, don't speak about this to anyone," The plucky human was serious as he said so, "And I mean anyone. Even your humble drinking buddies."

"Ahaha, humble drinking buddies? What humble drinking—"

"Ssshh!" He hushed the pervert. "We have to keep this a secret. No questions asked."

"Eeeh? Fine." The pervert sighed in defeat.

"But here's the real problem" The plucky human furrowed his eyebrows as though he had a headache from all of this, "How do we get them to stop hugging each other?"

"Buzzzz!~~~ :3"

"—You don't have a name, right? Is it ok if I name you!"