I was the star of Dr. Warly?s adventure club: A children's show that doesn't exist [Final]

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Dun dun du du dun
Wonderful afternoon adventurers and explorers and welcome welcome welcome! Are you as excited we are for another episode of Warly?s adventure club?
--
The rest of the night was pretty quiet. After the initial shock wore off, Leigh passed out on the bed. I don't think that guy had properly slept in over a week. Something had changed since the last time the three of us were together. The atmosphere had gotten tense. All of us believed Warly, he seemed so sincere. But then again he was an actor. And everything just seemed so coincidental. Leigh and I, hearing the same jingle at approximately the same time, remembering everything again now. The fact that Helen had apparently seen Millie and didn't bring it up until we had almost fallen into Warly's trap. Her text came in right at the perfect moment.
Were Leigh and Helen hiding something from me?
As Leigh was sleeping this felt like a good moment to talk to my childhood friend. She came all the way with me and has been going to some massive stress these last couple of days. I don't want to mistrust her but at the same time I shouldn't be too gullible either.
"Wanna go outside for a smoke?" I whispered.
Helen hesitated at first but then she followed me.
--
"Can I ask you something, Alex?"
She started fidgeting with a lighter. For some reason she seemed more nervous than me.
"Uhm, sure."
"Why did you want to pick up Warly yesterday? I didn?t wanna say anything but it seemed like a dangerous move"
Yesterday. That morning at the diner felt forever ago.
I raised an eyebrow.
?So we could find out what his deal was. I mean he was alone and there were three of us.?
?Yeah, I know. I just- nevermind.?
?Helen, do you not trust me? I told you to go back home, I even offered you my car and-?
?No, of course, I do.? She interrupted me. ?I just think maybe there is a reason you forgot some of the stuff that happened. I?m not blaming you or anything. You know you?d always been like a brother to me.?
?Helen what the hell are you talking about?? I was starting to get impatient.
?You'd left your phone at Leigh?s home yesterday and I know this is a total invasion of privacy but to be fair you should have a passcode or something on your cell, Alex.?
?I don?t care if you used my phone, Helen. Get to the point?
?I looked up Janie?s mail address and then I sent her another mail but from my phone. She wouldn?t say much to me but she told me that it was your fault that Millie disappeared, I tried to explain to her that the tape all showed us different things, that it?s not real but she- Wait-?
She got her phone out of her pocket and showed me the last mail from Janie.
I know what I saw and I know that it?s true. About 9 years ago they wanted to bring the show back. We went to a meeting but nobody really wanted the show to come back except for Alex. He kept pushing, aggressively. I don?t remember what happened that day, just that Millie was freaked out after it. I know that it didn?t really happen in the show because nobody else I showed it to saw it. But it made me remember. I know for a fact that Alex killed Millie. And Leigh helped him.
Do whatever you want with this information but if I were you I would get far away from those two. And don?t contact me again.
I kept staring at the screen, my hands were trembling. Finally, I looked Helen in the eyes. I wanted to speak but I couldn?t bring out any words.
?No other mails would go through. I think she deleted the account.? Helen said.
?If this is true why are you still here? Why haven?t you called the police or-??
?Because Millie isn?t dead. I saw her.?
?You can?t even be sure that it was her? I mumbled.
?No but I know that you?re not a murderer, Alex. There is so much crazy stuff happening at the moment that we can?t explain. There must be another answer to all this and I bet it?s hidden somewhere in that diner.?
?Did you show this to Leigh??
She shook her head.
?Do you trust him??
She stayed silent for a moment.
?Yeah? she finally said. ?Maybe just because I had a little crush on him back when we were teens? Helen laughed.?But my gut tells me he's not dangerous.?
?What does your gut say about me?? I asked.
?Alex, I trust you, I wouldn?t be here if I didn?t. Just try to remember that day. Was there anything that could?ve given Janie the idea that you had bad intentions??
​
---
May I introduce to you our main explorer? Alex!
--
Before I knew what I was doing or could think it through properly, I was already sitting in my car, alone, driving to Marden.
I know, I know, leaving Helen alone with Leigh was a **** move. Or leaving Leigh alone with Helen? I still wasn?t sure what to believe.
Could I even trust my own mind?
Right now I had no other option but to do what I thought was right. It was risky but the only way for me to finally get some answers I had to go to the diner. And hopefully, end this for good. I had to consciously be there and figure this out on my own terms to really believe my reality.
I was the main explorer, right?
I always had an issue with being too impulsive. When I have a goal in front of me, I will not eat, sleep, or drink until I get what I?m looking for. And right now, I had to look for Millie. I had to know if she was alive or if I was responsible for her death.
​
---
The parking lot was almost empty except for my car and a truck. The warm light inside the diner felt radiating. I peeked inside and saw a man sitting at the counter. There was a waitress talking to him but I only saw the back of her head. I took a deep breath and opened the door.
I was prepared to be greeted by the strange melody but instead regular pop music was playing from the speakers. I walked towards the counter. The waitress had disappeared into the back. So far it looked far more normal than I would have expected. The man at the counter was drinking coffee and watched something on an old tv.
?Hi there, take a seat anywhere you like, I?ll be right with you.?
A young woman in a waitress outfit came out of the kitchen with a plate of food that she brought to the trucker.
I sat down at the nearest table to the door. Just in case I needed to run away quickly.
?Would you like to see the breakfast card?? the girl stood in front of me and smiled.
This was definitely not Millie.
?Breakfast?? I asked. ?What time is it?? I mumbled and took a look at my phone.
It was 6 AM.
?Uhm no thanks, just coffee,? I answered and tried to reciprocate the smile. ?Are you alone here?? I asked without trying to sound too creepy.
?Me and the cook? she responded and started pouring coffee in my cup.
?A friend of mine works here? I lied. ?I was just wondering if she was here today. Her name?s Millie??
The girl shrugged.
?Oh! Yes she?s in the kitchen. Do you want me to get her??
My heart started racing.
?No that?s alright, I?ll just have my coffee first.?
?Okie dokie. You know this is gonna sound weird but you look really familiar. Have you been here before?? the girl asked.
?Have a great day, see you next time!?
We heard the trucker shout as he walked out the door.
?Omg. I do know you! You?re Alex!? the girl?s eyes opened wide and her smile got even brighter. ?But you look a little different. And older.?
I swallowed. I had to get out of here now.
?Uhm, I think you?re mixing me up with someone? I nervously laughed.
?Oh no it?s you. I?m your biggest fan! I came all the way to find you!? She shouted.
I peeked towards the television. Warly?s adventure club was on. Until this moment this had felt like a regular diner. I guess they were waiting for the other guy to leave.
I got up quickly and pushed the girl to the side. I had to get out.
?Alex!? a voice shouted from the back.
?Our main explorer!?
At first, I thought that it came from the television but this wasn?t Warly?s voice and it wasn?t the waitress.
My hand was clutching the door of the diner, a shiver went down my spine and I felt like I was frozen. I knew that voice.
Slowly I turned around.
?Millie.? I whispered.
Helen had been right, it was her. She looked slightly older than in the tapes but just a little. She didn?t look like she was 25, more like 16 maybe but she still had the same silver blonde hair, the face full of freckles and the smile with slightly crooked teeth.
?Welcome!? she said.
?Millie what are you doing here? Are they keeping you here??
What?s today?s adventure?
I heard the familiar voices coming from the tv but something was different. We were older. This wasn?t the tape I had seen. This was from when we were 15 or 16.
?What?s today?s adventure, Alex?? Millie started giggling uncontrollably.
?Will you finally film another part? We miss you, Alex? the waitress chimed in.
I tore the door open and ran outside towards my car but I noticed someone standing next to it.
Warly.
And he wasn?t alone. The agent was with him.
​
?Oh Alex, how you?ve grown!? she said in a melodic voice.
I checked my surroundings. There was nothing around. I could try to run but where would I go?
?Don?t worry, Alex. We?re not here to hurt you. Look, no weapons? she held up her hands. ?I just have a proposition for you. If you don?t like it you can leave.?
Millie and the waitress had followed me outside and were now standing to my left and right.
I was surrounded.
?What did you do to her?? I said and nodded towards Millie.
?We didn?t do anything, honey. We would never have hurt any of our actors. The children love all of you. We went looking for her when she disappeared but when we saw her hanging from the ceiling of the studio, it was already too late. It was tragic really.?
?What are you saying??
?Millie died but it wasn?t anybody?s fault. She chose to do so.?
?Bull****, she?s right there!? I shouted.
?That?s not her. She?s just wearing her face.? Warly said in a dry tone.
?That?s not possible,? I whispered.
?Do you really still believe that any of this is normal, Alex? Because I?m afraid you won?t find a logical explanation to it. Believe me, I tried. Accept her proposal and all of this will be over for us soon? Warly said.
?What happened in the show that you saw, Alex?? the woman asked.
?A child died. And I was talking to myself? I responded.
?But what did really happen in the show??
?I don?t know, some weird scavenger hunt.?
?Exactly. That?s what most people that are alert see. But if you watch with just the right mindset your imagination will provide something entirely different for you. You will see things that are hidden inside your mind. Your true wishes, fears, and needs. It?s not simple entertainment, it?s revolutionary. Our fans from back then, like little Chrissie over there, don?t watch anything except for the adventure club. They are obsessed with it because it provides a form of guidance for them. Something nobody else can. They need the adventure club. But those kids are growing older and they don?t respond to the old shows as well.?
?So you want us to film another episode of your brainwash show?? I asked. I had no idea what the hell the things she was saying meant but all I could do right now was to stall time.
?We need you, Alex. The children need you. The other actors... they are replaceable. But you are our star! Everyone that watches the show feels like they are talking to you. Come with us and film one more episode. Just so we have a fresh recording of your beautiful face. You can leave after that. We?ll provide you with as much money as you wish and you will be left alone.?
?That face on the tape isn?t mine. Can?t you just use your technology to update my face and leave me alone? Take a photo or something.?
?I?m afraid it doesn?t work that way. We need you to come to the studio. That?s the only place where our cameras work.? she added.
?What cameras? What are you on about??
?They make a copy of you. Something that looks like you but isn?t. Like that freaky Millie thing over there? Warly said.
?Hush now.? the woman hissed at Warly.
Dun dun du du dun
Surprised by the sound I looked around me but it was coming from the pocket of the agent.
?Don?t you just love this tune?? she laughed as she got a phone out.
I couldn?t help but grin as I saw the expression on her face.
?I have to go. Bring him inside the diner and wait there until I come back.? She said and rushed towards her car.
​
---
?Were you involved with them this whole time?? I asked Warly as we were back at the diner. They had tied up my hands and sat me down in a booth.
?Most of the things I told you were true. I really don't remember much of the filming because of drugs. I probably helped them without even knowing. But I didn?t trick you because I?m a bad person, Alex. They really have my niece. This was my only way of getting her back.? he said.
I nodded.
?I guessed so. How about you untie me, we get out of here and I promise we will help you get your niece back?
?Sorry bud, not gonna happen? he responded.
Through the window I saw a light from afar coming closer and closer.
Finally.
The light kept getting closer and closer before it stopped right in front of the diner.
Helen and Leigh jumped out of the car and ran inside. Both holding up guns.
?Don?t ****ing move, Warly or I?ll shoot your face off!? Leigh shouted as Helen came towards me to free my hands. .
?What do we do with them?? Helen asked and pointed towards Warly and the waitress.
?Wait, where is the Millie copy?? I asked.
She had disappeared.
?**** it, we need to get out of here before the woman comes back. We?re taking these two with us.?
​
---
?Where the hell did you get those guns from??
The three of us were back on the road. We dropped off Warly and Chrissie in front of a police station and drove off. Chrissie had been one of the children who disappeared after watching Warly?s adventure club. She was only six back then. From what we saw on the news, they thought Warly had abducted her. Of course none of the things she told them made any sense and his explanations didn?t help either. I felt bad for Warly to a degree, but it was too much of a risk to bring him with us.
?They?re toys, we bought them on the way. Figured Warly wouldn?t know the difference.? Leigh laughed.
This entire plan was risky. We didn?t know if this would end things but from what it looks like so far, nobody is following us. They have more important things to do right now. As trying to get the camera system back. The one that burned away together with the studio.
When I read that email from Janie it shocked and disturbed me at first. But then I finally started remembering the reunion. The day we came back together and even filmed a new intro. We were too old to be excited to film a children's show so they tried using the tape against us. To control us. It worked with Leigh and I. We both wanted to come back. I'm not sure what the other two saw but whatever talked to Millie in the show disturbed her so much that he took her life shortly after.
They had to put a pause to the film. I guess they only used the new intro to control the children they had collected all those years ago when Warly's adventure club aired for the first time.
When I figured this out, something inside me just knew that we had to destroy the studio. It was never about the diner, that was just a distraction. When I drove to Larry?s, I made sure my phone would be on speaker the entire time. Somehow I had a feeling they would try to find me there. That's when Leigh and Helen burned the place down. Our plan wasn't perfect. It would never stop here. The agent was still alive after all but for now we gave them a setback. And at least we managed to save one of the kids.
I wish I could tell you that everything ended on a great note. That we stopped the bad guys and are now living happily ever after but unfortunately life isn't that easy. Warly is in prison for something he didn't do while the real perpetrators still have an army of children and might not even be human. The children, including Warly's niece are still somewhere out there. Even if I still don't completely understand how but I do feel responsible for it. They are being controlled by my face after all and I don?t even want to imagine what kind of things they hear from me when watching the show. If there is anyone that can get them out of their trance it's us, which means that we have to try anything to find them.
I don't know how things will look from now on but at least I have two great friends who I finally trust supporting me.
I can?t shake off the feeling that we will be hearing the tune calling us soon. And when that happens the adventure club will be there to find those bastards.


Source.