Chapter Text
Silence lingered in the backstage, thick with a strange blend of familiarity and unease. Her gaze locked onto the mirror, She took a breath, hands braced firmly against the desk. Scattered papers and figurines littered its surface, yet the cluttered space provided comfort, something she desperately needed at the moment.
“You got this, Shelly.” She breathed, her voice trembled just slightly. “You’ve done this so many times before! Why is this time any different?”
Shelly’s gaze lingered on her reflection—just as it stared back. She took notice of the subtle divots and cracks across her head—imperfections only visible when closely inspected.
The room remained still, silence settling like water in a container. Shelly leaned toward the mirror, and her reflection followed suit. Regardless of appearance, a strange, gnawing uncertainty stirred deep within her.
“Focus, Shelly. Just go out there and do what you do best.”
Her voice echoed, piercing the silence which filled the room. As she leaned back, a floorboard creaked sharply behind her. She jumped, heart lurching, her gaze snapping toward the sound. But there was no one—only a small plush toy of herself sitting a few feet away.
“What’s that doing there?” she murmured, her footsteps light against the aging, wooden floor. The stale air and creaking floorboards spoke of long neglect, left to sustain itself without care or maintenance. In contrast to the rest of the Museum—even the entire Complex as a whole—the backstage was evidently in dire need of renovation.
She knelt down. Her fingers lightly brushed over the soft fabric, oddly lifelike in its design. It captured her likeness almost perfectly, almost. A large, toothy grin spread across its stitched face. Shelly wasn’t smiling.
She placed the plush toy gently on a nearby shelf, careful not to disturb anything else. Yet as she placed the plush down, her hand lingered, almost unwilling to let go. The softness provided a strange sense of comfort. It reminded her of the countless nights she spent designing the toy’s features.
Finally, her grip loosened, and her hand fell to her side.
Shelly turned back toward the mirror.
And froze.
A silhouette lingered in reflection—gaunt, with exposed ribs which glistened with ichor. Crimson eyes burned into hers.
She spun around. Nothing. Only the empty room greeted her gaze—yet the atmosphere had changed. The silence was no longer passive—it pressed in, suffocating and watchful.
Whipping back to the mirror, she staggered as her breaths quickened. Her knees suddenly buckled, and she collapsed, figurines and papers scattered across the floor.
After a moment to recuperate, her eyes darted to the door. There were no footsteps. No one came.
Eventually, she pulled herself upright, legs trembling. She smoothed out the fresh wrinkles in her skirt with shaking hands and turned to check the time.
Only two minutes had passed. There was still time before the exhibition.
She spent the remainder of her time rehearsing, organizing her flashcards into neat piles—each set designed to help keep her thoughts straight. With less than a minute to spare, Shelly gathered together the cards, straightened her posture, and began her approach toward the large curtains—the final barrier between her and the waiting crowd.
She gripped a handful of the curtain’s soft, red fabric, squeezing it slightly. Her heart hammered against her ribs as she closed her eyes. The sound of her breath faded into silence—but unlike the silence backstage, this one brought an odd sense of comfort.
After a few tense seconds, her eyes fluttered open. Her racing heart steadied, as her nerves eased. With a renewed smile, Shelly drew the curtain aside. The auditorium’s spotlights flared to life casting a warm brilliance across the stage—and onto her.
Microphone in hand, she stepped forward, beaming. Yet as she scanned the rows of seats, something deep within her faltered.
Only a fraction of the seats were occupied.
Her smile flickered. Her knees wobbled. The microphone trembled slightly in her grip. Still, she inhaled deeply, steadying herself, and forced her voice forward.
“H-Hello everyone! I’m so excited you all could join me today!” Her smile strained under the weight of forced enthusiasm. “I’ve got lots to share with you all!”
With a step forward, Shelly extended a hand out toward the large curtain behind her just as a painted backdrop began to descend slowly from the ceiling.
“Haven’t you all wondered what it’d be like to look upon the greatest creatures to ever walk our planet?” The painting swayed gently, the ropes creaking under its weight.
“From the Triassic, through the Jurassic, and ending with the Cretaceous,” she continued, “the Age of Dinosaurs—or better known as the Mesozoic Era—left behind many more questions than answers about these creatures. But today, we’ll uncover a few of these answers!”
With a flick of her hand, she raised a set of notecards and began.
“The Triassic Period ranged from…”
Shelly paused as her voice faltered.
Her gaze shifted from the audience toward one of the branching hallways which led out of the Paleontology Museum. While faint, she recognized the noises—a faint, audible buzz, followed by cheers.
Vee’s Game Show.
Silence clung to the room like humidity, thick and inescapable. Without her voice to break it, the air turned heavy.
“Ahem-” She cleared her throat, cheeks warming with a subtle blush. “The Triassic Period ranged from roughly 252 million years ago, ending just over 200 million years ago!”
The tightness in her chest began to ease. She found her rhythm again as her voice steadied, her presence firmer. As she continued, the notecards grew less important—her memory filled any gaps with information she had learned from years of poring over dinosaur books in the quiet of her room.
“The earliest known fossils ever recorded were predicted to belong to dinosaurs from this era.” she said, her voice lifted with genuine confidence. Her steps across the stage grew fluid, her gestures broader.
But ten minutes in, she paused.
Her gaze swept over the audience once more, but even from her spot on the stage, Shelly could read the disinterest in many of their eyes.
It stung.
She hesitated—only for a moment—before continuing, her motions resuming as if nothing had happened.
Things had been going relatively smoothly. Shelly had abandoned the notecards she’d prepared earlier, her voice steady as her footsteps echoed lightly through the museum. Just as the Jurassic Period segment of her exhibition came to a close, a burst of static crackled from the intercom overhead. A feminine voice cut through the museum.
“Attention Ladies and Gentleman! Due to unforeseen circumstances, all exhibitions scheduled at this time will be closing.”
A pause followed—brief, but weighty—before the voice returned.
“Refunds will be issued upon request. Please speak with any local staff member for further details.”
Shelly froze. Her gaze locked on the audience as they began to rise from their seats. Children turned toward their parents for answers, but no explanations came. One by one, the crowd trickled out of the auditorium and through the museum.
Silence returned. It hung in the air like dust.
Shelly sank to the stage, her legs dangling over the edge.
She hadn’t even had a chance to ask them to stay.
Despite the announcement, faint sounds still drifted from Vee’s Game Show. Cheering, buzzers from each contestant’s podium—Shelly heard it all. What she didn’t understand was why the show wasn’t cut short like her own.
“Maybe I’m just hearing things.”
She muttered, voice hardly above a whisper. Her gaze lingered on the empty seats before the stage. The silence weighed heavier with every second, and with it, her shoulders sank as her gaze fell.
Then—footsteps
They echoed softly through the museum. Shelly’s eyes shifted toward one of the auditorium entrances. At first, she didn’t see anyone. But moments later, a familiar petal-framed smile emerged.
“Shelly, whatcha still doing in here?”
It was Dandy. His smile gleamed in the dimmed lighting of the empty auditorium, though as he stepped closer, his expression softened.
“Oh, hey Dandy!” Shelly waved, her smile tight and rehearsed. “I was just about ready to grab my things!” She pushed herself up onto her feet as Dandy approached the stage, maintaining eye contact as he scanned her expression.
“Well, you really should get going. Museum’s closed for the day anyways!” he said, resting a hand on her shoulder with a gentle squeeze. “But hey—I’ve got a couple things you could help me with since you won’t have any more exhibitions today!”
HIs words stung more than she let on, but Shelly nodded and followed him down the steps from the stage.
“I-I’m sure I could lend a hand!”
Dandy’s smile widened at her words as his petals swayed with every step.
“Spelended! It’ll be much more entertaining than listing off those silly dinosaur facts!”
Shelly’s steps faltered. A tight, familiar ache returned to her chest. She pressed a hand lightly against her undershirt, fingertips clutching at the fabric.
“R-Right…just some silly dinosaur facts.” Her gaze dropped as she trailed behind him. The two traversed the remainder of the museum in silence.
Once near the main entrance, Shelly stopped.
“Hey Dandy?” she asked, her voice barely above a murmur. “Why did they close my exhibition today?” I heard Vee’s Game Show still going, and it was scheduled at the same time as my exhibition.”
Dandy stopped. His larger frame frozen, unmoving. Then slowly, he turned back to her.
“There’s no reason to be concerned, Shelly!” he said with a too-bright smile. “Yours wasn’t the only one! Arthur and Delilah are running a few tests.”
His smile twitched at the corners—just enough to notice.
“Actually, I think Shanon wanted to talk with you about a few things, so this works out perfectly!” He gave her a reassuring pat on her shoulder. “I best be going now! Can’t keep Pebble and the children waiting!”
With a wave, he hurried off, eventually disappearing down the hallway.
Left alone, Shelly stared after him, his words bounced through her mind, echoing endlessly without rest. She wanted to believe him—that it was all just testing. That there was no reason to worry.
But something felt off.
Whether it had been the urgency in Dandy’s voice, or how quickly he attempted to end the conversation. Those were the things that stuck with her.
“He was in such a rush to get going. I hope it wasn’t something I said.”
Begrudgingly, she started toward the gift shop, hoping at least one of the Toon handlers would be there.
Her footsteps were light against the polished, smooth floor. The sight of all the other toons chatting with guests—with each other—stung more than she expected. It felt as if the whole world had quietly turned its back on her.
Shelly’s gaze dropped, just for a moment, until the sound of footsteps approaching snapped her attention upward.
She raised a hand, hopeful, but the figure walked straight past her without a glance.
Turning, Shelly realized it was Glisten.
Surrounded by children and toons, he was at the center of attention—smiling, animated.
She couldn’t make out what anyone was saying due to the overlapping voices. Regardless, she chose to linger nearby, waiting for a moment to catch him alone.
Her hands trembled faintly as her eyes flicked between the nearby toons and guests. Though after a few minutes, the crowd had disbursed, leaving Glisten alone—if only briefly.
“Hey, Glisten?” she called out, her voice thin and uncertain, the mental image of Glisten rushing past her still ingrained in her mind. “Got a minute?”
Glisten turned toward the voice, his brow furrowed—until he saw her. His eyes widened slightly, a gleaming smile spread across his reflective face.
“Of course, hun! What was it you needed? I’m on a very tight schedule today!”
With one hand posed on his hip, the other hung at his side, his expression unreadable—pleasant, maybe, but distant. Bored, even.
“I-I was just wondering…” she paused, swaying gently, her eyes fixed on him. “How do you make everyone notice you?”
He straightened at the question, brushing imaginary hair from his face in a grand, practiced gesture.
“I’m so glad you asked me, Shelby!” he beamed. “It might look easy, but I assure you, it’s not—”
“My name is Shelly.” She interrupted gently. She studied his expression, taking notice of the slight flush of deeper pink rising to his cheeks.
“Oh! Of course I knew that!” He waved dismissively, a nervous laugh escaped the mirror. “I was just testing you! A memory game, if you will!”
He adjusted his leg warmers, the pink, glittery spots captured the light of the room as he took a few steps backwards.
“Anyway, I just remembered something urgent—I’ll answer that question of yours and any others about me later, alright?”
He winked as he turned, already walking away. His pace—rather quick. “Sorry Shelby!”
As Glisten hurried off, her arm had extended after him without thinking. It dropped slowly, as though too heavy for her to lift any longer.
“My name is Shelly…”
She drew in a breath, one hand lightly clung to her chest, her fingertips pulling at the fabric. With hesitation, she began moving. Her steps slow, each one heavier than the last.
Around her, voices faded into static. She couldn’t stop thinking about the way Glisten had dismissed her.
The way it reminded her of how Dandy had, too.
Then, without warning—a loud thud. The floor rushed up to meet her.
Her thoughts scattered as she blinked, dazed, now on the ground before a towering stone statue. It was the centerpiece of the hall: the Gardenview Main Toons. Her own likeness stood at the back, obstructed from view by the others.
She scrambled upright hastily, scanning the room.
Toons and guests alike were staring.
Murmurs rose like a breeze as her cheeks burned a vivid orange as she rushed to leave the spotlight.
Before she got far, she felt two large, clawed hands wrap around her.
Her breath caught—then a familiar voice boomed with cheer.
“Hiya Shelly!”
She turned to find a familiar face to match the voice. His arms began to retract, pulling Shelly with them.
His embrace was tight, almost suffocating even. But it was welcomed nonetheless.
“You look like you could use a hug after that silly accident!”
Shelly couldn’t believe she had let herself get startled by Goob. He was nothing short of a bundle of joy.
She let out a laugh, more out of nerves than anything as Goob released her.
“Aha—yeah. I just wasn’t paying attention to where I was going!” she muttered, scratching the back of her head. “Silly me…”
“You’ve always been silly, Shelly!” Goob grinned, smile beaming.
He began pacing a few steps, his hands dragging across the ground. When he stopped, he’d turn to face Shelly again, excitement shimmered behind his eyes.
“Hey, could you tell me a dinosaur fact?! They’re super cool! Scraps draws dinosaurs sometimes!”
He clapped his hands. “I like the long-neck ones! And the big ones that go RAWR!”
His attempted roar was enough to raise a laugh out of Shelly—genuinely this time. But the laughter faded just as quickly, her eyes wide with surprise.
“Y-You actually want to hear a dinosaur fact?”
She watched as Goob eagerly nodded, vibrating with anticipation.
Her smile returned once more—soft, yet real.
“Well, have you heard of the Caihong juji? It’s a tiny raptor-y dinosaur covered in rainbow feathers—like, actual rainbow colors! Isn’t that awesome?! And get this! Scientists found these little structures in its feathers that reflect light like hummingbirds do! Just imagine roaming the jungle hundreds of millions of years ago, only to suddenly see this shiny, glittery, rainbow dinosaur zip past you! Oh! I forgot to mention, its name literally means ‘rainbow with a big crest,’ now that’s just awesome!”
She stopped to breathe, blinking as she noticed how close she had gotten. She stepped back, the sparkle in her eyes having faded. An unwelcome sense of uncertainty being all that remained.
The blank stare she received from Goob made her stomach drop.
“Was that too much, Goob?”
Her excitement wilted under the weight of her self-doubt.
“Huh? Oh! I didn’t quite catch all of that Shelly…” Goob spoke, scratching his chin. “But it’s super cool how rainbow dinosaurs were real! I’m gonna tell Scraps to draw one!”
He gave a happy wave and took off before she could reply—hands dragging across the ground the entire time.
She waved back, her smile hanging on just long enough for him to see. Though when he was gone, her smile faded.
The conversations around her had fallen silent, all eyes fixated on her.
She caught something move in the corner of her vision.
She turned.
Only a plant’s shadow.
But the unease lingered.
Shaking her head, Shelly turned away from the plant.
“Right. The gift shop. Shanon. Gotta talk with Shanon,” she reminded herself softly, legs beginning to move. Her steps were steady, her expression unreadable as she avoided the eyes of the guests and fellow toons alike.
It took a few minutes, but she finally reached the gift shop. The neon colored sign above buzzed faintly, casting a fluorescent glow that flickered around the edges.
She stopped at the entrance, hand hovering just above the handle.
She peered through the glass panels, she spotted two familiar figures.
One was Astro, the crescent moon on his face shimmered ever brilliantly in the gift shop’s lighting—but even from a distance, the slump in his shoulders was obvious. He hadn’t been sleeping again.
Her gaze shifted toward the other, the one Astro was talking with.
Then she froze.
Vee.
A chill traced her spine. Her thoughts darted back to the meeting—the way Vee had singled her out at every opportunity, her every word sharpened like a knife.
Shelly’s breath caught. Still, she forced herself forward. Her hand gently pressed against the handle as she pushed. The door slid open with a soft mechanical hiss.
Beep.
The subtle sound of the motion sensor an indication of her arrival. Both Vee and Astro turned to face her.
The gift shop stretched out in aisles of color and clutter. Shelves were stacked with plush toys and small figurines filled each one—some full, others picked over. The scent of new plastic and faint lavender lingered in the air.
Shelly approached, the door clicking shut behind her. She smiled, too quickly.
“Hey Astro!” she called with a wave. Her hand dropped as she turned to face the other.
“A-and hi, Vee.”
Vee’s tail flicked, snapping like a whip as she glanced Shelly over.
“Ah, look who decided to stop by!” Vee chirped. Her footsteps thudded softly against the carpeted floor as she stepped forward, draping an arm around Shelly in a motion too sudden, too tight. Her smile stretched wide—too wide.. “So good for you to join us, Ms. Fossilian! It’s such a shame that your exhibition was closed early today.”
The smile on her monitor twitched into a shallow frown.
“Y-Yeah. But it’s alright!” Shelly said quickly. “Arthur and Delilah were just running some tests today, so that’s why—”
Vee pushed off her without warning, causing Shelly to stumble back a step.
“That’s what they always say, right?” Vee’s voice dropped, the supposed friendliness stripped away. Her arms folded tight over her chest, the microphone on her tail trailed across the floor behind her. “How many times have they told you that now?
Shelly couldn’t bring herself to break eye contact with Vee. But just as she took another step forward, A gentle touch landed on Vee’s shoulder.
She turned to see Astro, his eye half-lidded with concern as he lightly pulled her back.
“Vee. That’s enough. Please can you stop patronizing her?” His voice hushed, just above a whisper.
Vee’s grin faltered as her gaze locked with his. She took another look at Shelly—her eyes narrowed—as she straightened up and took a step back.
“Fine. Only because you asked nicely,” she muttered, her signature smile returned as quickly as it left. “I was just having a friendly conversation with Shelly here!” Her tail cracked the air as she faced her again.
“Did you need something, Shelly? You look…stressed.”
Astro stepped forward, his footsteps subtle, almost unnoticeable as he moved past Vee and toward her.
“O-Oh! I’m okay!” Shelly quickly answered, her voice rushed. “I just needed to talk with Shanon! Dandy said she needed to speak to me. I think it has something to do with why my exhibition was closed early today.”
She glanced back at Vee just in time to hear a stifled laugh escape her.
“What? I didn’t even say anything!” Vee said, hand placed against her chest. But despite her obviously feigned offense, her grin only grew wider. “It’s not my fault that your little museum is struggling to turn a profit—”
“Vee, enough.” Astro snapped, adjusting the blanket which cloaked his body. “Just because Shelly’s museum isn’t performing as well as your game show doesn’t mean you can just belittle her constantly!”
Shelly watched in silence, her gaze fixed on both Vee and Astro.
Slowly, their words began to fade—blurring into the soft hum of the air conditioning.
Am I really doing that bad?
Why don’t they like it?
I thought children loved dinosaurs…
Without realizing, her gaze fell. The humming seemed to grow louder, filling the space in her head.
Then—suddenly—someone called her name.
“Shelly? Shelly?!”
Her eyes snapped upward to meet Astro’s. His hand on her shoulder as he had been shaking her gently.
“You weren’t responding,” he said, frowning. “Are you alright?”
The weariness that usually hung in his expression had vanished, replaced only by quiet concern as he scanned her face. Once she reached up to rest her hand over his, he let his fall idle at his side.
“I-I’m okay, Astro. I just…” Her gaze flicked toward Vee, her monitor flickered as the corners of her grin twitched. “I zoned out for a minute there, haha—”
“Shelly. If you ever need someone to talk to. Please just let me know.” Astro took a step back, his voice soft. “I’m here for you, okay?”
Vee’s smile dropped as she watched. Her eyes never deviated from the two as her tail flicked behind her in agitation.
With one swift motion, she stepped between the two, one hand on Astro’s shoulder—the other on Shelly’s.
“Now that that’s all cleared up,” she said, her smile returning with a twitch at the corners, “I believe you should get going, Shelly! Wouldn’t want to keep Shanon waiting, right?”
Shelly and Astro exchanged glances, but before either could speak, Vee pointed toward a lone wooden door on the far wall of the gift shop.
“I think Austin’s in there! You might find Shanon back there too!” she added quickly, already ushering Shelly in the door’s direction. “If she’s not, he’ll definitely know where she is!”
Shelly tried to interject—once, twice—but Vee never gave her the chance. As Vee turned the knob, she flung the door open, giving Shelly a shove—harder than necessary.
“We’ll be right out here!” Vee chirped with a wave, shutting the door behind Shelly with a firm thud.
The room beyond was dim, only illuminated by a few dangling bulbs that swung slightly overhead. Rows of shelves lined the space, casting long shadows. Near the far end, a figure knelt near one of them.
Shelly approached, her footsteps light before coming to a halt just beside them.
“A-Austin?”
Just as she reached out a hand, the figure stood up, obviously startled as he stood abruptly.
“O-Oh! Shelly…” Austin turned to face her, gaze settling on her with mild surprise. “I didn’t hear you come in.”
His voice was soft—almost too soft. It reminded her much of Astro, which made her smile, if only for a moment.
“Sorry to bother you. I know you’re probably busy,” she mumbled, lightly kicking at the floor, her hands folded behind her back. “I-I was wondering if you knew where Shanon was?”
Austin straightened, the weariness on his face eased as his lips curled gently into a smile.
“You aren’t being a bother, not at all.” He reached down, his fingers brushing lightly over the swirled formation atop her head. “Shanon should be back any moment now. I believe she went to grab a couple things—”
As if on cue, the door opened again, a familiar voice followed.
“Austin, have you got those plushies ready yet? The Vee plushies are already out of stock.” Shanon lowered what looked like a tablet, then lit up with a smile as her gaze fell on Shelly.
“Oh! Shelly! It’s so great to see you!” The toon handler knelt down, her touch warm as she took Shelly’s hand in her own. “How’ve you been? I know it’s been a few days since we last spoke.”
Shelly felt a smile tug at the corners of her lips, but even then—it faltered.
“I’ve been doing alright! Just… helping out when I can!”
Even in the dim lighting of the storage room, Shanon could read past her words. Her expression softened as she turned to Austin.
“Could you give me and Shelly a moment? I’d like to run a few things by her real quick!”
Austin didn’t hesitate. Offering a silent nod with a smile before lifting a box of Vee plushies and slipping out the door.
Once he was gone, Shanon’s voice lowered, her gaze meeting Shelly’s.
“You’ve got a lot on your mind don’t you?” she asked, sitting across from her. “Is there something you want to talk about?”
Shelly’s smile disappeared as she slowly approached Shanon, allowing herself to be gently pulled into Shanon’s arms.
“I don’t get it,” she murmured, sniffling between words. “Why do they keep forcing me to end my shows early? Am I doing something wrong, Shanon? It just feels like everyone’s against me.”
Shanon felt the weight of each word spoken, and it made her heart sink. She held Shelly a little tighter, wrapping her arms around her in a comforting embrace.
“Oh Shelly…”
Her gaze drifted toward the boxes of plushies and other merchandise which lined the shelves—a majority of them bearing Shelly’s likeness to some degree.
“It’s not your fault, Shelly. You’re perfect the way you are.”
Her hand gently brushed along Shelly’s cheek, lingering only for a moment.
“I know Delilah’s talked to you about it before, but please don’t let her words get to you. Your exhibition is special. It teaches children about the wonders of prehistoric life—and that’s not something any else does around here. She’s most likely trying to find ways to make it more engaging!”
She offered a reassuring smile—one that quickly faded.
“But you have to understand... from a business standpoint, the paleontology museum just isn’t doing as well as they’d hoped.”
She paused, noticing the flicker of panic in Shelly’s eyes.
“Hey—don’t worry,” she said quickly. “I know they’ll get something figured out. They’re not going to shut down the museum, I promise.”
Shanon carefully wiped tears from Shelly’s eyes. The pain behind the toon’s eyes was unbearable—it stung enough to make Shanon look away for a moment.
“I do trust you…I just don’t want to lose the museum.” Shelly sat up slowly, her head leaning a little more into Shanon’s shoulder. “I’ve worked so hard to make it enjoyable for everyone.”
Before she could continue, she felt Shanon’s hands on her shoulders, causing Shelly to flinch slightly.
“Shelly…what you do on that stage is immaculate.” She rose to her feet, guiding Shelly up with her. “You plan every detail. And even when things go wrong—even when you stumble—you recover. You always find a way. As long as you’re—”
Voices suddenly echoed throughout the gift shop, cutting her off. Both Shelly and Shanon turned toward the noise, exchanging a glance.
“I’ll be right back, Shelly. Just hang tight, okay?”Shanon said, already halfway to the door. She turned the handle and slipped out before Shelly could respond.
The brighter lights of the gift shop filtered into the storage room The noises beyond—raised voices, overlapping conversation—grew louder, punctuated by the soft scruff of Shanon’s footsteps.
Before long, Shelly found herself standing in the doorway of the gift shop, eyes fixed on the commotion unraveling just beyond view.
Toons scrambled. Guests were being moved back. Several personnel formed a perimeter around something in the main room.
Shelly’s curiosity got the better of her. She slowly pushed open the doors and stepped out into the wide, panic-stricken complex.
Her gaze snapped to the center of the room.
A large pillar had collapsed. But what really caught her attention was the damage inflicted—the statue of the Main Toons which stood at the heart of the large, open room.
She couldn’t make out every detail, but the back portion had clearly taken the brunt of the impact.
Directly where her likeness had stood.
No…
That’s not fair.
Why is it always me?
Her hands trembled. She could’ve sworn she saw the signature swirled formation of her head in the shattered stone. Slowly, her gaze shifted from the broken monument to two figures who stood nearby.
Arthur and Delilah.
They almost never appeared in the complex, especially during open hours—only when something serious had occurred.
Arthur was speaking with one of the many staff members present. His furrowed brow, the faint frown replacing his usual smile, even the subtle tap of his foot against the polished floor—everything about his posture told Shelly one thing:
This wasn’t planned.
Delilah, however, looked furious, especially in contrast to her co-founder. Her pacing around the statue, her sharp glare—it made Shellly’s chest tighten.
She took a small step forward, barely moving beyond the gift shop doors.
But even such a miniscule motion had caught Delilah’s attention. Like a ripple across still water.
Delilah strode toward her, stopping just short as she knelt down.
“Shelly…” she spoke, eyes narrowing. “Did you happen to see anything? Anything that could explain what caused this?”
Shelly noticed her smile twitch at the corners, her posture rigid. She was waiting—for something.
“No, I didn’t…” Shelly murmured, eyes drifting toward Shanon in the distance. She was talking with one of the staff members. “I was just talking with Shanon. That’s all.”
Shelly fidgeted with the hem of her skirt. “A-Actually, could we talk—”
Delilah was already turning away.
“Whatever it is, it can wait, Shelly.” she said over her shoulder. “I’m very busy if that wasn’t obvious.” Without another word, she vanished back into the cluster of staff and debris.
Shelly’s hands fell to her sides. Her gaze dropped to the floor.
“Right…I-I should’ve known better.”
Her footsteps remained light against the floor, yet echoed deafeningly in her mind, piercing her thoughts.
Most exhibitions had been suspended in the aftermath of the accident, giving toons additional free time. Guests were being ushered out. The once-bustling halls fell silent as guests left and toons filtered into the cafeteria.
Toons moved past her in droves. Familiar faces walked right past her—no smiles, no greetings, no glances.
Everyone continued on as if she wasn’t right there.
Her shoulders slumped as tears welled in her eyes.
What am I doing wrong?