Run | ZACK FOSTER [ 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝟏 ]

Chapter XXVIII - OCEAN EYES

You're mine, I've decided.

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You spun your head around quickly, upon hearing a door open. You saw Zack walk out of it, his hood down, hair flowing. You felt your face flush red, and you averted your gaze.

Shit, I've to focus, damn it!

You shook your head, walking towards Zack, who snapped his head toward you. "Zack!" you called, reaching him.

"Where did you go?!" you asked, desperately. "The damn priest showed his face and trapped me in some sort of weird place," Zack replied, putting back on his hood.

You sighed. Damn it, Gray..why now of all times? You looked back up at Zack, whose eyes had softened at the sight of your presence.

Or was it just you, who thought his sharp eyes showed a glimpse of love and care toward you? Then again, why would he love someone like you?

"Let's go check on the girl," you said. "Together," murmured Zack, looking at you, who nodded, as the two of you headed back, you still holding your gun in hand, just in case anything happened.

You jumped across the gap, Zack following behind, scythe in hand. "You ready?" you asked, holding the door knob with your right hand, gun in your left. Zack nodded, gripping his scythe.

You went to open it, the door creaking opening. There was Rachel, yawning, her deep, ocean eyes fluttering open.

You motioned Zack to follow, and you walked toward her. "Hey," you said, waving at Rachel. "...Hi," was all she murmured.

Her eyes look so dead...

"I've..a few questions for you," you said. "..If I answer them, will you become part of my perfect family, like mother and father?" the girl replied.

You felt your gut twist at those words as if there was something...incredibly wrong with that.

"What is your definition of your perfect family?" you asked, to clarify. The girl pondered what to answer, then looked back at you.

"I mean..join my mother..and father," she said. "What are your parent's conditions...?" you asked gently, somewhat concerned.

Rachel averted her gaze, eyes darkening. "...Oh," you said. Then it clicked to you. If she meant for you to join her 'perfect family'...then...she was going to kill you!

Right on cue, Rachel noticed you knew what she was going to do, and she took out a gun. However before she fired, Zack readily gripped his scythe, glaring daggers at her as he knocked the gun out of her hand.

"Don't even fucking try it," he snarled, scythe resting on the girl's neck. You sighed, looking back at the girl, whose body was trembling.
He's... aggressive.

"You scared her, Zack," you said. "She tried to kill you!" Zack yelled, a hint of desperation in his voice.

You looked back at Rachel, a concerned look on your face. "Will you answer my questions or not?"

Rachel nodded, mouthing a 'yes'.
A smile formed on your lips upon hearing the response. "There...won't be too many. First of all, do you remember how you got here?" you asked.

"I...remember being brought here down some stairs, but...when I first arrived, this floor wasn't here. It was added later on," Rachel said. "Why were you brought here?" you asked.

"I...witnessed a terrible murder," was all she said. "Did you partake in it? Everyone else in this building has at least killed one person," you stated.

Rachel let out a sigh, knowing the scythe was still on her neck, ready to decapitate her at any moment.

"Don't you dare lie," Zack said, his grip firm on the weapon. "I...partook in it, but, I didn't initiate the murder," Rachel said.

"Elaborate?" you asked. "My mother was killed by my father. I killed my father and sewed the two together, making sure the two were smiling, though it was only their corpses that remained. I also sewed a puppy with them," Rachel explained.

"I've realized from this alone that you are way more fucked up than I ever was, and that's saying a lot," Zack muttered.
She's a mess...

"You...I...okay...!" you said, trying to process this information somehow. "Nevermind that, do you know the way out?"

"The elevator here doesn't lead to the surface, I know that much," Rachel said. "Hah!?" Zack exclaimed, a look of disbelief on his face.

"Then that means..." you muttered. "...the exit is in B2..!"

"Quite correct you are!" a familiar voice said enthusiastically, as Zack pushed you out of the way, the click of a gun entering your hearing range as a bullet almost grazed Rachel's face.

Zack held you tight, not letting go. His heartbeat is so rapid...is he nervous..?

You motioned Zack to let you go, but he shook his head, refusing. "Zack, let me go—"

"No!" Zack said, his grip tightening even more. "Zack, Danny's here, you need to let me go so we can confront him!" you whispered.

Reluctantly, Zack let go of you, his eyes following your every moment, almost like a hawk. "Danny, why are you here?" you asked, standing in front of Rachel.

"I'm here for Rachel!" he said. "Why...?" you muttered. "Why? Because I'm the one who brought her here, of course! I'm the very reason why Rachel is here on this floor right now!" Danny explained, a smile on his face.

"You two don't deserve to even be here, to begin with," he finished.

You son of a bitch..

A glare settled on your face. "Damn you," you muttered. "Get lost," you said. "I think you and Zack should be the ones to leave," Danny replied.

Fuck it.

You aimed at Danny, shooting a total number of four times. "Zack," you turned your head to your companion.
He looked at you as if awaiting what you had to say. "Kill him," you said.

Zack had never seen a cold look on your face before. Almost deadly, like the one you had when you shot Cathy.

"Better make sure the man dies, if he isn't already," you said, your fist clenched. Danny was coughing up plenty of blood, as he tried to stand, but was pushed down by Zack.

Zack glared at the man before him.

"For her, you'd be willing to break any and every rule that stood in your way, right, Zack?"

'Damned bastard,' Zack thought, gritting his teeth.

He thrusted his scythe down, blood spurting out. "Nasty," he murmured.

He lifted his scythe and raised it back to its usual position. Rachel's eyes were wide, upon seeing the murder in front.

"He's dead now. Let's get going, Rachel," you said, putting away your gun. A shadow crept on Rachel's face, the action clearly having left the girl traumatized.

This wasn't Zack's preferred style of killing people, but it was better to make sure that he was truly dead.
Dead is dead, after all. Would it matter how he was killed?

You took Rachel's hand and walked out of the room, Zack following behind. You didn't mean for things to get so bloody, but Danny interfered, leaving you with no choice but to get rid of him.

You never liked him from the beginning, but you would've left him alone if he didn't meddle with your course of action.

. . .May you rest in peace, doctor.

"Now, let's head back to B2, shall we?" you said, still walking towards the same elevator. "Let's pay that damn priest's home a visit."