The Skin That Crawls From You [A Jonathan Crane Fan-fiction]

What If I Scream?

It's the smell that hits me first. The nose singeing reek that I can feel on my tongue. I wake up, gasping, darkness filling my every sense; thick enough to choke me. I go to stand, frantically, but a wrenching shock of pain radiates through my skull as I slam into something metallic. I reach upwards, squatting in the pitch and find a set of bars directly above me. I then push my arms out to explore around me- finding rows and rows of bars.

A cage.

A thin rectangular stream of white light sits directly in front of me; as if it were the light beneath a door, I reach for it and squeeze my fingers through the thin cage bars.

What if I scream?

As I reach, the rectangle of light begins to stretch, moving with a loud creek. A white fluorescent glows blinds me suddenly, I rip my hand through the bars of the cage painfully and shield my shocked eyes.

A dark silhouette walks into the room, a man I believe and I begin to shake. I can just pretend to be asleep, I don't have to face this- I can't face this.

I gently maneuver downwards, the cage rattling slightly with my shaking movements and I lay down into fetal position.

"Oh come on!"
A familiar voice squawks.

"I heard you wake up already!"

I don't make a sound. I refuse to move.

"Did you know that most Grizzly bears won't attack if their prey already looks dead?"

"Unfortunately I'm no grizzly bear."
The voice chortles obnoxiously.
It's (without a doubt) the scar faced man from the van.

I swallow a sob.

"Get up."
He warns in his manic tone.

I can't move.

"Get up!"
He yells, this time his voice filled with something so dark- I can't help but let out my sob. He grabs my cage and violently rattles it.

"GET UP."

I push up from the ground and stare into the bleak nothing. I can't see a single thing- but his voice sounds like it's just behind me. I can't bring myself to turn around.

A small light flickers, a flashlight, and he shines it directly onto the back of my head. The light glares off my peripheral as I work to steady my shaking- but it's completely useless.

"Now turn around,"
He sings.

I force my body to shift within the tiny cage, I hit my matted hair on the top of the bars and feel it get caught. It rips out a few strands- but I keep moving.

"Good girl!"
He praises. The light shines directly into my eyes now. I stare right back into it.

"Whats your name little girl?"
He asks.

I try to speak, but my lips shake and my throat is clogged with stifled screams.

"Hmm?"
He asks- his tone darkening once more.

"Raven."
I manage to say, my voice weak.

"Mmm, Ironic."
He observes.

A single tear falls from my eye and I don't dare move to wipe it away.

"Raven and the scarecrow. "
He giggles.

"So, it's perfect that I put you in a cage then!"

The light is still trained on my burning eyes. I look away. The direct shine casts shadows just below me upon the bottom of a dog crate filled with feces. It's bottom tray packed full of large specimens- I don't think they were produced by dogs.

He redirects the light onto the bottom of his chin as I stare back at him. He looks like a camp councilor preparing to tell a scary story, but his face is pale and caked in paint. Beneath his eyes lay two black circles, and his lips and scars are painted a bloody red. I swallow hard.

"Although- i should've gotten you a perch! Little birdy."
He cracks a smile slowly and I have to look away.

"I've always wanted a birdy. Especially one as rare as yourself!

Rare? My 'meta-abilities?'.  Is that what he means? Wait, I could just reach out and grab him, I could end this and free myself.

I try, desperately. But I can't move.

"See a tweety-bird like you is in high demand these days. Well at least by people like Dr. Crane. It seems he will do just about anything to get you back."