"Rick, I don't like this. We should have just stayed in the lounge, it's not right sneaking around someone else's house without their permission."
"Right. Tell you what, Tim. You feel so bad about it, go ahead and ask Catwoman back there if it's okay with her if we snoop around for an explanation about how freaky she looks. How's that sound?"
"Okay, I guess you're right..."
The mansion's long, narrow hallways were empty aside from the lanterns at their sides, the light casting long shadows across the walls. Rick was taking the lead, having decided that Tim was far too slow, and Tim was trying desperately to keep up so that he wouldn't be left alone in this strange place, only to have who-knows-what happen to him.
"Rick, hold on, I'm... *huff huff* I'm coming, but you have to slow down!"
"Just suck it up and go faster!"
Tim, already winded, couldn't keep pace no matter how hard he tried, and soon Rick vanished down the hall, leaving him alone. He collapsed next to a nearby table, panting heavily as he tried to catch his breath. Going alone like that isn't safe, he thought to himself. Rick should have waited, he assured himself, and it certainly wasn't his fault that he needed to take a breather. But... where was Rick? Even when he'd be abandoned by his "friend" as a child, it was never this long before Rick would come rushing back, usually chastising Tim for being so slow and then dragging him along by the arm. This time, there was no rushing back. There was no arm-dragging. More importantly, there was no Rick. Something was wrong.
Fearing that his best friend was in danger, Tim summoned every ounce of stamina he had left, a burst of adrenaline pushing him to his feet and forcing him down the hall. His fears were irrelevant, his tired body unimportant. All that mattered was that his friend needed him, and getting there was all he needed to do.
Oddly enough, he didn't have to go far to find Rick. After only a few seconds of running, he spotted his buddy sitting on the floor, curled into a ball and facing away from him, with only the fiery mess of hair on his head and his clothing visible from behind.
"Rick, I found you. I got worried, I thought..."
Again, something was wrong. The only movement Rick was making was the slow rise and fall of his back as he breathed, and otherwise he was perfectly stationary. He didn't even move to acknowledge Tim's presence, or speak to insult his stupidity. Just sat there, breathing.
"Rick, what is it?"
Worried about his friend, Tim rested a hand on Rick's shoulder, stepping around him to face him and horrified to see...