Highstrung Robot

Chapter Four: Dangling by a String

"According to them, I'm a fat little piggy." She started, her voice still broken and quiet. "According to them, my dark spots are too noticeable." She got a little louder, practically seething with sadness and anger. "According to them, I'm too hideous to be fixed!" She almost screamed, the tears now steadily rolling down her face.

Jake's expression changed in an instant from concern to full out rage. His entire body tensed as he looked at her crying right beside him. "Who said that? Specifically, I need names." He said through clenched teeth, his entire existence looking and feeling terrifying to be near.

"If I tell you, you have to promise not to hurt them." She looked up at him seriously, trying to wipe away the tears that kept coming.

"I don't promise that. What are the names?" He asked again, still through clenched teeth. He balled up his fists by his sides, his right eye shimmering.

She gave in, her whole body taken over by sadness more than anger now. "The lady we saw earlier. And another woman named Minette."

Jake's eyes widened with anger. "That blonde bitch from earlier? Seriously?" He chuckled, sounding psychotic. "Of course she did. What's in your hand?" He was staring at her fist hanging at her side.

She didn't say a word, only opened up her hand to show him, revealing two pills, one slightly crushed.

Without a second's hesitation, he was almost running back to the dining hall, seething with anger. He bounded through the doors and kept on going to the room where the rest of the ladies were, ignoring the surprised looks and gasps coming from the men in the room.

"Jake! No...!" She ran after him, sobbing for him to stop. She got into the room, trying to ignore all of the judgemental stares she got when she walked in.

He pushing through the doors, letting them hit the walls roughly, the handles slamming into the walls and leaving holes. "So, that's what you do? Make fun of people who aren't sickly looking like you?" He asked in a scarily quiet voice, heard very clearly since all talking stopped as soon as he came bursting through the doors. He mouth twitched as he whispered something under his breath looking the blonde lady dead in the eyes. "You bitch." She looked at him terrified as he moved a little closer, and she began coughing harshly.

Minette rushed over to her, supporting the blonde lady. "Well don't get mad at us for seeing the truth."

Addie stepped forward, holding his wrist. "Jake..."

He ignored Adelaide, completely focused on the woman in front of him, now coughing even more, gripping at her throat. He squinted, glaring daggers at her and she fell on the ground.

"Jake! Stop!" She cried out, harshly tugging at his arm. "Stop it right now!"

A full blown smile spread across his face as he watched her writhe around, gasping and choking for air. He didn't drop his gaze once, slowly closing his hand into a fist by his side making her start to cough up blood.

She marched in front of the woman, pushing her and Minette back so that they were shielded behind her. She looked Jake straight in the eyes, tears flowing down her cheeks. "Do you wanna hurt me, Jake? Cause I'm right here!"

Jake dropped his gaze from the woman on the ground, but kept his fist clenched so that she still couldn't breathe correctly. He looked at Addie, slightly confused as the smile faded from his face. "What are you talking about? I'm not going to hurt you."

"Then stop it right now!" She screamed, slapping him straight across the face. "You don't fucking do this to people, Jake!"

His head jerked back from the slap, his cheek turning a bright pink. He released his fist and the blonde lady started gasping, taking in as much air as possible. Jake stared at Adelaide in shock, looking at her to the girls going and swarming the lady and back again. He didn't say anything to her but the shocked expression still stuck to his features.