Puzzle 005

[tapshoetomove]

[Because of the recent outbreak of people being turned into murderous drones and the problems people seem to have with the milk, Luke was cautious about leaving the house. In fact after a dangerous run-in with his fake droned father, Luke wasn’t even that willing to leave his own room. After all, no one knew who would be next

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[puzzlerprince]

[Hey, so about that fake droned dad. Well, he's not droned anymore. And he's not dead anymore. But he's still stuck down in the basement, tied to a chair. Stupid Susan, always tying him up every time he tries to kill the family. He's not droned. He's not crazy not that crazy, anyway. So he'll look up at Luke almost hopefully when he meanders downstairs.]

Am I free to go now?

[Then he catches sight of the bloody baseball bat in Luke's hand.]

...what's that?

[hintcoinplz]

Hi dad!

[Oh look, isn't Luke just so cheerful holding that bat?]

Do you want to play baseball with me?

[puzzlerprince]

Luke... why is there blood on that bat?

[Oh god, is this what it was like dealing with him last night?]

[hintcoinplz]

[Luke calmly looks at the bat, tapping it lightly on the ground. Not only is there a lot of blood on that bat, but there's quite a lot of blood on himself as well. Some of it may even be his own blood.

Nonetheless, it doesn't bother him at all.]

Gee dad! I was just playing baseball with some friends, that's all! You're always such a worrywart, ha ha ha!

[Speaking of worrying, Luke is getting uncomfortable close here.]

[puzzlerprince]

[Edward swallows uncomfortably, now wishing more than ever that he wasn't tied up. He leans back in his chair, trying to distance himself from Luke as much as possible. Not so successful.]

...Luke. As I'm sure you've noticed, I---I can't play baseball with you if I'm tied up like this. You're going to have to cut me loose if you want to play.

[That would work, wouldn't it? He'll put the bat down, untie him, and as soon as Edward's free, he'll run for the hills.]

[hintcoinplz]

[Unfortunately, that does not work. Luke makes no move to untie Edward.

However, he's lifting that bat off the ground now.]

Gosh dad, I guess you must be getting pretty old if you don't even want to play baseball with me!

[Luke raises the bat over his head, smiling cheerfully the entirely time.]

You do like baseball right, dad?

Don't you like BASEBALL?

[And now he's swinging the bat down on Edward.]

[puzzlerprince]

[The bat connects with Edward's knee, causing him to surge forward and let out a loud gasp of pain. No. No, no, no he's not going to get tortured like this.]

S-Susan?! Slugger?! [He shouts their names, hoping his voice'll be able to carry out of the basement.]

[hintcoinplz]

[Luke laughs, it's an eerily-empty and high-pitch laugh.

He doesn't stop, he just keeps swinging the bat down on him. If Edward keeps screaming?

Good.]

[puzzlerprince]

[The force of one of these hits is enough to knock Eddie's chair to the side, landing him right on the floor in a prone position. He writhes around in his bindings, grunting in pain as each hit connects. Every once in a while, he'll call up the stairs once again for Susan. For Slugger. Hell, he even calls for Pinkie, he's that desperate.

Luke's gone mad. And this is just brutal.]

[strike_you_out]

[Someone arrives! Though, not necessarily in response to Edward's pleas for help but rather in search of a certain missing baseball bat. The moment Slugger appears at the base of the steps, he spots what he's looking for. So that's where his bat went.]

Luke?

[Slugger doesn't approach yet, just assesses the situation from where he stands. Unless Luke has a hidden psychotic side, he's clearly droned the same way Edward had been yesterday.]

[hintcoinplz]

[Luckily for Edward, Luke stops trying to bludgeon the poor guy to death in order to focus his attention on Slugger.]

Aww, you found me!

Sorry I took your bat, I was gonna give it back! I was just gonna see if dad wanted to play some baseball!

[puzzlerprince]

[Glancing up from his spot on the floor, still wincing in pain. There's definitely fear in his eyes.]

Slugger.

[His tone is both hopeful and warning all at once. He doesn't need to tell the boy that Luke's snapped.]

[strike_you_out]

[He glances at Edward, noting the fearful look. Certainly he wouldn't look that way if he were still droned. Focusing on Luke once more, he begins to move forward.]

You want to play baseball, Luke?

[hintcoinplz]

I sure do!

[Lifting up that bat again, because obviously this will end well.]

[strike_you_out]

[From the looks of it, Luke is pretty beat up. Much like Edward's drone, his clothes are blood-spattered, but it seems to have soaked through especially thick around one shoulder. This was probably Luke's own blood from some earlier injury. No telling what might've caused it.

Eyes on the bat, Slugger waves Luke toward him and the staircase as if inviting him up to play a game.]

Then come on. I'll play.

[hintcoinplz]

[How can he say no? Luke excitedly follows.]

Okay!!