Harry gazed at Six, watching as she stared at the trinket in her hand with near reverence. He couldn't imagine being trapped in this place for so long, that escape seemed an impossible hope. He was glad he could bring that feeling back to her.

But now that dinner was over, Harry felt a sudden fatigue wash over him. The day's events crashed into him, sapping whatever energy he had left. The first room with the dresser, then the moth, the birds and the bridge, and even cooking dinner. All of it seemed to be hitting him at once.

Harry let out a loud, long yawn, stretching his whole body out, feeling the day's stress in every muscle. That probably wasn't good for his health.

Six watched this happen, a hint of amusement at seeing his sleepy face drooping down with weariness. Not that she could blame him. She herself was feeling rather tired as well. Maybe not as much as her friend, considering everything he went through today, but enough to desire a bed.

"Sleepy?" she questioned, looking at him.

"Mhm," he mumbled, much to her further amusement. His head bobbed up and down in a jerky motion, almost like he was falling asleep and waking up at the same time. She wasn't sure what time it actually was, but there was no harm in finding a spot to rest.

She stood up, wiping the remains of her food on a dirty cloth. She grimaced at the feeling of it, but it was better than wiping it off on her own clothes. She turned her gaze toward Harry, "Alright, get up."

He looked at her for a moment, a petulant expression adorning his face. She almost thought he would argue with her, but thankfully, he stood up. He stumbled a bit in his tired state, but he managed well enough.

She looked at him for a moment, then down to the key in her hand. The key that was a third of the puzzle to escaping. With reluctance, she offered it back to him, "Here."

Harry stared at the object being offered to him, before reaching his hand out, and wrapping Six's own around it. She seemed shocked as he gently pushed it back towards her, eyes filled with confusion.

"I… But why?" she asked. Harry gave her another small smile, "It seems to mean a lot to you, so you keep it."

Six wasn't sure what to say, even as she cradled the object to her chest. She was overwhelmed by an emotion she couldn't recognize, and one she couldn't name. Grateful? No that wasn't it. She knew what that felt like.

Whatever it was, it was nice. She's been feeling a lot of emotions like that recently, all thanks to a certain someone. She hasn't felt anything like this since she lost her friend. And even then, it was different.

There wasn't any more time to ponder this, as Harry looked dead on his feet. So instead, she pushed it down and entered survival mode. She was far more comfortable with that.

But not before she let him know she appreciated the gesture. "Thank you," she said in a small, but sincere voice. Harry gave her a nod, "No problem."

Now with that out of the way, it was time to get down to business. She carefully placed the item in her pocket, thankful that it was just big enough to hold it securely.

"Alright, we need to find somewhere to sleep, " she stated, before looking around at the room. She frowned when she saw there appeared to be no good place to hide away. She suddenly missed that dirty old teddy bear she used last night.

Harry gave her a confused glance, "What's wrong with right here?" he asked. Besides the fact there was a dead body in the middle of the floor, and blood everywhere, it seemed fine to him. They could just curl up in the corner, with some dirty rags for blankets.

Six rolled her eyes, reminded that she needed to give him a crash course in survival. "That's a bad idea. Sleeping out in the open is a good way to get yourself killed. We need to find somewhere we can hide, or secure," she told him.

He pondered her words for a moment, before nodding in understanding. "Makes sense. In that case, I have an idea."

Six raised a brow at that, but gestured for him to continue. If he had an idea, she was all for listening. That didn't mean they would go with it, but she was willing to hear him out.

"Upstairs, there's a dresser with some old clothes in the bottom drawer. We could use that," he suggested. Six thought about it for a moment, before nodding her head. It wasn't the first time she's slept in one of those things, and she doubted it would be the last.

And as far as places to sleep, she had to admit, it was one of the better ones. Not only did it keep you well hidden, it also tended to come with its own blankets. As far as this place was concerned, it might as well have been a five star hotel.

"Alright, lead the way," she said. Harry gave her a nod, and made his way towards the ladder. Six followed him, but not before taking one last glance at the area. She would have liked to bar the crack in the wall with the cage, but it was too hot.

Oh well. She would just have to hope nothing came in from that direction.

The pair quickly climbed the makeshift ladder, and headed for the dresser. Standing in front of it, Six nodded her head in satisfaction. This would do nicely.

They then rearranged the clothes to make it more comfortable. Thankfully, none of the apparel contained any metal, or hard objects, so it should make a fine bed. There was nothing worse than sleeping on a hard button or a zipper.

The two of them climbed inside, before using their legs to force the drawer closed, pushing against the dresser itself. It wasn't long before they were engulfed in darkness.

They then proceeded to wrap themselves up in a blanket of clothes. They weren't the most comfortable of things, being slightly rough and worn, but it was better than nothing. Soon, they were warm and toasty.

Harry sighed in content. Not only did he have a full belly, something he didn't know when the last time was, but he was also nice and warm. It wasn't that long ago he was laying on a hard, uncomfortable cot in a freezing cupboard. Compared to that, this was practically a luxury.

Sometimes, it paid to be so small.

He turned to look at Six, only able to see the barest outline of her. But it was still a comfort to know she was there, that he wasn't alone. He was tired of being alone.

"Hey," he whispered, seeing a bit of movement from his voice.

"Yeah?" she asked, wondering what he could want. She stared at his form in the dark, but like him, couldn't make out much. Also like him, she was comforted by his presence.

"What's our plan for tomorrow? Any idea where the other key could be?" he asked. And wasn't that the million dollar question. There were several places she could think of that could hide such a treasure, but no one had ever found anything there, and no one wanted to look in those places. But in order to escape, they would have to.

"Tomorrow, we should head to The Pretender's room. Since she's the boss, there's a good chance we'll find something. If not the key, then a clue," she responded. Harry nodded, or at least that's what it looked like to Six. It was hard to tell in the darkness.

"Yeah, that makes sense," he said, releasing a long, drawn out yawn. Six stared at the dark blob that was Harry in amusement.

"I think that's enough talking for now, get some sleep," she said. Or more like, commanded. But Harry wasn't going to argue. He was more than ready for bed.

"Ok, goodnight Six," Harry said. She listened as his breathing steadied, falling asleep almost immediately. Not that she could blame him, she was tired herself.

Pulling out the eye key once more, Six stared at it, gently caressing it as a smile came to her face. She looked back to her friend and reached out her hand, finding his own. She gently grabbed hold of it, as her eyes drooped downward.

"Goodnight, Hairy."

***Line Break***

Some time later, who knows when, Harry was awakened by a loud, screeching sound. Like metal grinding on metal. Rubbing his sleepy eyes, he looked around in confusion for a moment, wondering where he was. That's when the memory of the previous day came crashing into him.

That's right, he was in a drawer, in a hidden room, in a horrifying mansion, in an even more horrifying world. And suddenly, the sound that awoke him became a lot more terrifying.

Feeling a strange sensation in his hand, Harry squeezed it. Whatever it was was soft and warm, and slightly familiar. He tried to pull it, but it remained stuck where it was.

But when it squeezed him back, that's when Harry realized exactly what it was. It was Six's hand. That was a relief. For a second, he feared something had crawled in with them and he grabbed it in his sleep.

"Six, did you hear something too?" he whispered. He figures she must have. After all, if it was enough to wake up Harry, then it falls to reason that it would wake her up as well.

"Quiet. We're not alone," she whispered back, a tab bit harsher than she intended. She wasn't a morning person at the best of times, but that was especially true when her sleep was interrupted. Which happened far more often than she'd like.

Listening intently, they could hear the sound of something approaching, the noise sending shivers down their spines. Six clenched the eye key so tightly her knuckles turned white, while the hairs on the back of Harry's neck stood straight up, his whole body covered in goosebumps.

The first thing they heard was its gasping breath, sounding like an asthmatic who just ran a marathon. Deep, shuddering, desperate breaths for air, that it couldn't get enough of.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

As it drew closer, thick, squelching sounds pervaded the air with every step it took. But that wasn't the only thing. Every step was followed by the sound of something being dragged.

Step…

Drag…

Step…

Drag…

It was like it only had one good foot. Perhaps that was the sound they heard. There was no way to tell without being able to see it.

After several agonizing seconds, they heard it come to a stop, right in front of the dresser they were currently hiding in, its anguished breathing so loud it almost rattled their teeth.

With nothing to do, they held their breath, waiting and listening to see what it would do next. They didn't have to wait very long. After a few of its wheezing breaths, the whole dresser seemed to shake. Squeezing each other's hand, they offered what little comfort they could to one another. But with the shaking, came the sound of something being pulled. Harry knew what it was.

It was the top drawer.

Harry remembered it was left open. He didn't think much of it, and neither had Six, but it seems to have garnered the monster's attention. Next time, if there was one, he would remember to close all the drawers.

As the top drawer was pulled out, small beams of light illuminated the drawer they were in, allowing for the barest minimum of sight. Then, there was a brief moment of silence, save for the desperate, needy breaths of the creature.

It let out what sounded like an angry, breathy growl, before a loud bang nearly made them jump. Judging from the sound, it must have tossed the drawer to the ground.

After that, it tried for the second drawer, but like Harry, it had no such luck. It stayed firmly, and stubbornly in place. Something the young boy was extremely thankful for. If it managed to pull it out, it very likely would have spotted them, then and there.

After several seconds of rattling the thing, and subsequently them as well, it seemed to give up.

Which was both relieving and distressing in equal measure. Relieving, because they weren't shaking anymore, which lowered the risk of them making noise. Distressing, because it only had one more drawer to check.

Theirs.

Thinking fast, Six quickly placed the key in her pocket before propping her feet against the dresser itself, and her hands against the back of the drawer. It was the same position they use to close it, and now, they would use it to keep it closed.

"Hairy…" she whispered, as quietly as she could. It wasn't likely she would be heard, considering how loud the thing's breathing was, but it never hurt to be careful.

He looked over at her, barely able to make out her form. His eyes had adjusted to the dark somewhat, and the small light coming in from above them allowed him to see her, even if only just.

She made a gesture, telling him to copy her. She didn't have to tell him twice. He didn't want whatever that was to get inside either.

They didn't have to wait long. The drawer began to open, ever so slowly at first. Six and Harry used what little muscle they had to push back against the creature. It seemed to be working, as the drawer halted its momentum after only an inch or so of give.

But that was only the beginning. Almost as quickly as it began, it stopped, and for a second, one blissful moment in time, Harry thought it was over. That the monster would just give up and be on its way.

But he was wrong.

The drawer suddenly, without warning, surged forward with far greater force. Taken by surprise, Harry almost wasn't able to push back, but in the last moment, managed to lock his legs in place.

That was far too close.

He grit his teeth hard enough to crack them, but that was of little concern. What was far more worrisome was his legs, slowly being forced to bend. If this kept up, it would only be a matter of time before they would be forced to capitulate to the much greater strength of the monster.

His whole body trembled from the exertion. He hadn't yet recovered from the previous day's events, and everything ached, screaming at him in protest. It wanted him to stop, to give in, and let the inevitable happen.

But he wouldn't, no, he couldn't do that. Not only because he wasn't a quitter, but because for the first time in his life, somebody was counting on him. Somebody was relying on him.

He wasn't alone anymore.

Looking over, he could see Six struggling as well, her face set in a vicious, determined scowl. Seeing her refuse to give up, to fight against the fate so determined to claim them, brought forth a new determination from somewhere deep inside. A fresh surge of strength sprang from his tired body, his legs straightening out once more, forcing the drawer to close.

A look of surprise crossed Six's face as she turned to look at her partner. She thought for sure the drawer was about to be forced open and they would have to figure out a way to escape. But it seems like she underestimated him. Seeing his efforts inspired her to increase her own. She wouldn't allow herself to put in any less effort than him.

The groaning of the wood echoed out across the room as it too struggled against the onslaught. It was old and warped, rotted in places it hadn't been in its younger years. If something didn't change, it would have no choice but to give in.

And change something did. Growing frustrated, the monster began to violently jerk the drawer forward. If they thought it was a struggle before, it was nothing compared to now.

After one hard yank, their bodies resembled an accordion, all scrunched up. It was with a herculean effort that they managed to close the gap once more.

Panting with exhaustion, Harry turned to look at his friend once again, "How are you holding up?" he asked. She gave him a flat look, "Never better. How are you?"

"Oh, you know… Hanging in there," he responded. That was as far as the conversation went before another savage jerk squished them up again. Grunting with effort, they managed to straighten themselves out, taking what small amounts of pleasure they could from hearing the angry, frustrated groan the creature gave.

"We can't keep this up," Harry said, his exhausted limbs shaking uncontrollably. And Six was no better. She doesn't remember the last time she was this tired. At this point, her limbs might as well be made of rubber.

"I know," she responded. If the monster outside continued its violent pulling, then it would be sooner, rather than later when they were caught. They needed to think of something, but what?

"What about your powers?" she asked, after a moment of thinking. A moment they couldn't spare. Even now, they were slowly being forced to bend, the drawer opening bit by bit. It wouldn't be much longer now.

"I don't know. Maybe," he said. He wasn't sure what his powers could do in this situation. Maybe teleport them when the drawer inevitably opens? But that was a long shot at best, and it wasn't something he could do at will, made even harder by the pain and exhaustion he was in.

But that's when a noise drew his attention. Glancing behind him, he saw something that made him pause. The wood was being forced apart, the back of the drawer separating from the sides.

That's it! If he could force enough power into the wood, and shatter it, they could escape out of the back while the monster removed the drawer. As long as it didn't look underneath, they'd be fine.

"Hey Six?"

"Yeah?"

"I have a plan."

"I'm all ears."

"Next time the monster yanks on the drawer, I'll use my power to break the back, and we can escape that way."

Six rolled the idea around in her mind. But she didn't have long to think, and no alternatives came to mind. It would have to do.

"Alright, do it," she said.

Nodding in recognition, Harry gathered the power within him and focused it into the palms of his hand, just like when he used it to toss Six earlier. Only this time, he didn't have to worry about hurting the person at the other end, so he didn't need to hold back.

After a few seconds went by, there was a sudden slack in the force of the drawer. They knew it was about to yank the drawer once more. It was now or never.

The moment Harry felt the drawer jerk forward, he released all the energy he could, flinging the wood behind him away from the rest of the drawer. With their feet still firmly planted against the dresser, they weren't pulled forward with it, and fell out of the back, landing on the hard ground with a grunt.

The plan was a complete success, even more than originally expected.

The force the monster used was so great, that not only did it remove the drawer, it also sent it hurtling backwards. With a confused and panicked wheeze, it went tumbling off the edge, plummeting to the floor below. They heard a loud crash, followed by a deafening silence. Not even the sounds of the monster's wheezing breaths could be heard.

That was either a very good thing, or a very bad thing.

They lay there for several long seconds, regaining their breath. "Was that… part of the plan too?" Six asked. The sound of her breathing nearly matched the monster's with how desperate it was for air.

"Happy coincidence," Harry said, his breathing not any better. They gave each other a look and before they knew it, they were laughing in relief. Although Six's laugh was more like a quiet chuckle. She should be upset by all the noise they were making, but thought, just this once, it was fine.

"You ok?" Harry asked, once the laughter subsided.

"I think so, you?" she asked, her own muted laughter dying down.

"Never better," he said, mimicking what she said just a minute ago, making her snort in amusement.

Six slowly made her way to her feet, legs feeling like they were made of jello. She wobbled a bit before finding her balance. Every muscle felt like it was on fire, burning in protest at her movement. But she couldn't afford to listen, she needed to see what became of the monster.

Only after checking her pocket to ensure the key was still there. To her immense relief it was. She didn't know what she would do if she had lost it so soon after finding it.

Harry watched her get up with exasperation, knowing he needed to do the same, but desperately wanting to stay right where he was. It wasn't like it was comfortable, in fact it was the exact opposite, but he was just so tired.

The only times he could remember being this tired was when he was being punished for something he likely didn't do, being forced to complete a week's worth of chores in a single day.

So Harry found himself slowly but surely rising to his own feet. Like his companion, they also felt like jello, and burned in angry protest.

As he finally stood, he saw Six staring at something on the floor. Walking up to her, which was more of a challenge than he would like to admit, he gazed down at what had captured her attention.

In front of the dresser, right where the monster had stood, was a pool of black, tar like goop. But it wasn't just there, he could also see a trail of the mysterious substance leading from the vent in the wall.

That must have been what woke him up.

"Any idea what it is?" he asked. Six knelt down and gathered some onto her index finger, using it and her thumb to roll whatever it was around.

"Whatever it is, it's slippery, like soap, but at the same time, it feels like tree sap," she responded with a sour look on her face, before wiping the substance from her fingers using the dresser.

"I think I've seen it before. In a nightmare," he said. From her description, it sounded like that gunk that was on the bridge in his dream from what seems like forever ago. He also remembered The Leecher had a similar substance drooling from his mouth.

"Well, whatever it is, we should avoid it as best as we can," she said. Harry could agree to that easily enough, but there was one little problem with that, "That's going to be a bit tough, considering we have to crawl through the vent."

She frowned as she looked at the trail leading to said vent, knowing he was right. "I know, but we'll just have to do our best."

Harry nodded, and the two of them made their way towards the edge of the platform, carefully avoiding the black goo. Reaching the edge, they looked down to where they assumed the monster had landed, hoping to find a corpse, only to see a large hole, leading to a dark abyss.

Coincidentally, it just so happened to be the exact spot the bowling ball from earlier landed. It must have been so weakened from the previous impact, that when the creature landed on top of it, it broke, sending it down into the depths below.

Next to the hole was the destroyed remains of the drawer, the clothes used to make their bed scattered about the place. For some reason, the sight made him feel a bit sad, "Ah man, look what he did to our bed…"

Six raised an eyebrow, giving him a disbelieving look, "That's what you're worried about?"

He shrugged in response. "It was comfy, at least compared to what I normally sleep in. And I got to share it with you. It was nice."

Six stared at him, her chest being filled with that familiar warmth again. When he puts it like that, even she felt a bit sad. And it was somewhat comfortable, at least compared to the teddy bear she slept in last night.

And she had to admit, there was some amount of comfort knowing there was a person next to you while you slept.

"Anyway, think it's dead?" he asked, interrupting her thoughts. She shook them from her head, and returned her gaze to the floor below, a frown on her face.

"We can only hope. But without a body, there's no way of knowing for sure. Best to assume it survived. Less chance of being caught off guard that way," she said. There was a good chance it was dead, considering it landed on spikes of wood and fell who knows how far, but without proof, they should assume the worst.

"Right. Don't want to get caught with our pants down," he agreed. Six gave him a strange look. Noticing this, he gave her a confused look in return, "What?"

"Nothing," she said, shaking her head. With that being said, she walked away, heading for the exit. Harry followed, trying to coax and answer out of her, but she refused to respond.

But she did have a small smile on her face.