Another Lovely Day in the Neighbourhood

Light faded as they went deeper into the woods. They passed countless clay versions of themselves along the way, all in various states of elation, fear and sadness. Hands from the shadows pulled gently at their clothes. A half-hearted attempt at best and hardly worth the effort to deal with. Probably why Timber hadn’t bothered to mention them earlier.

It should have all been more off putting, but, to Flash, it felt more familiar than anything.

“I’m a really selfish person,” Timber said.

“You’re not,” Flash replied. There was an undercurrent of worry in his tone. “You saved me from that other place.”

“But the reason I did it is wrong.”

“What do you mean?”

No response.

They arrived in a grove. Countless versions of themselves were arranged in the center of the clearing in various poses. In some, Flash was kneeling with a ring proffered to an elated Timber. In others, Flash looked mad with Timber desperately trying to explain something.

There were so many variations, so many different situations. All centered on the two of them. Once more, a prominent question came to Flash’s mind.

“Did I ask you to marry me?” Flash asked.

“Yes,” Timber answered.

He tried to count how many proposals there were in the overlapping versions of themselves. He lost count well past the twenties.

“How many times have I asked you?” Flash asked.

“...Yes,” Timber answered.

Flash stood within the circle of their past selves. Timber stood outside of it, a sad smile on his face. Flash thought first that it might have been contentment at showing how Flash always picked him, but he couldn’t help but feel like there was something more.

Something Timber didn’t want to tell him until Flash couldn’t do anything about it.

“Why am I not freaking out more?” Flash asked.

“Only mental memory can be removed here. Muscle and emotional memory are unaffected,” Timber explained. “You’re not panicking because you’ve done this so many times that your body is used to it.”

“So, I’ve been rescued from Cardboard Town and had this conversation dozens of times before now that my body is used to it even my mind isn’t?”

“That about sums it up.”

He let the idea settle. Allowed his feelings to manifest and process the situation. Like Timber said, it all felt nostalgic, motions he had already done before even if he couldn’t really remember all those prior times.

Because of that, he also knew that Timber had already given up.

“We’re not going to try and escape,” Flash said.

“No.” Timber shook his head.

“But there’s a plan.”

“Yeah, there is.”

Flash took a moment to look at his partner. Really look at him. The haggardness, how tired he was, the dull eyes and expression that always seemed to convey the idea of ‘why bother’? It was worrying. It almost felt like Timber was ready to just disappear. Permanently.

“Timber…” Flash clenched his fists “What exactly is the plan?”

No response.

“Timber—”

Furred hands attached to gangly limbs grabbed Timber from behind. A cartoonish chimp-like face peered out from the dark. What little of its torso that could be seen was covered in strange paper slips all transcribed with the same symbol.

It yanked, retreating back into the dark. Timber went with it.

“No!” Flash shouted.

He chased after them.