Under Control (Ticci Toby X Reader)

Chapter Twenty-One

        Time flies when your busy running for freedom with a murderer. We made it into a backyard and Toby had quickly put his goggles on and mouth guard.

        "Won't that attract attention?" I asked, my breath heavy and the air tense.

        He nodded, "They'll already be suspicious about us r-running from t-there. Here." He tossed me a bandana from his packed pockets. It was the same one from that one night when I saw the... Err... Pile of limbs to say.

        Quickly I adjust it, covering my mouth and flipping the thin hood that connected loosely to my jacket. So we ran, using backyards of people's tall, beautiful homes to use as an route. 

        Soon, Toby came to a stop- us hiding behind a large tree. I was about to question why we were stopping, however, Toby pulled me to the side and raised one of my hands up. "What happened?"

        I backed up a bit and shrugged. Had he just noticed the blood? I mean, seriously, my sleeves are stained with it.

        He gave me a questioning look, "How d-do you not know?" I shrugged again, only making him seem more suspicious of me.

        "Alright, my question now: What happened? What's with the static? And what was that?"

        Toby's expression relaxed and stared at me, then gave me a sorrowful look. He stayed silent.

        "Toby I only remember one thing," I gave him a stare that I hoped would break him. "I remember holding that damn switchblade... That thing- it was...," awkwardly, I tried to explain but the memory kept becoming more foggy as the more I thought about it. "Leaning over you?"

        "Do you remember?" I pleaded him with wide eyes and an innocent look. "Toby, stop, stop being all silent. What good is that!? Tell me!" I frowned, crossing my arms. As the annoying silence continued I looked around.  This was a decent backyard to a really wholesome-looking home. A lovely porch decorated in plants and a pale blue swing set of two. It looked so nice. Like everyone here loved each other. Smiling behind the bandana, I imagined a young girl, smiling brightly and eyes gleaming innocently. She'd be pushing another- much smaller- girl on the swing. And a mother and father would be watching proudly and holding each other with passion.

        "Daddy!" It was as if it was imagined. It was not. A girl cried out, noticing us from the porch. Had I not seen her or something? Instantly a middle-aged man came walking out the door holding bags with his arms carrying them. "C'mon, Jane! We have to go!" He told the girl.

        The girl then stared at me with a confused look then pointed at me, instantly Toby grabbed me so I hid behind the tree with him. However, the action was late to the show.

        "Who the heck is there!? Jane, get to the car with your backpack," Instantly, the girl trotted inside. "Now, as I said, who the heck is there!? I know your hiding behind that tree," Toby, tried to get a look of the man without to much movement.

        Slowly and gradually, the man began walking, setting the bags on the ground. Now that I was able to see him fully, I instantly recognized him.

        Well, fuck me. It's the guy I beat in the bar fight. Now if he's drunk, it'd probably be easier to take him down. However, he looked sober and he looked like he can turn steel nails into Frosted Flakes with strength and a bit of determination. 

        "On three," Toby whispered, signaling of our next move. The man was edging closer and closer to us, his stance ready to fight a bull. Toby raised one finger, then two. "Alright, get out!" The man barked.

        Toby hesitated then rose the third. In that instance, he lunged out from the tree's hiding and lunged at the man. Toby rose a fist to hit him but the man had already grabbed hold of his wrist and flung him on the ground. Not even twenty seconds into the fight, Toby was over powered by the man.

        I know fighting is something I'm actually good at. Verbal and physical. It's what happens when middle school sucks and fighting is considered the cool. Along with having wicked scars and new bruises. Despite being a girl, I got into many hair-pulling fights.

        Smirking, let this be the second time I beat this man. I quickly wrapped my arm around his neck and cut short of his breathing with a fist to the back. He clawed at my sleeve to let me release him, however my grip only tightened. Toby slipped from under the man and neatly used the butt of his hatchet to whack him upside the head, clearly losing a tooth as the man rolled in a senseless state. Thank goodness it was becoming dusk. I frowned, staring at the woods. "If the fire doesn't calm and get put out. It'll be over here."

        "That's there p-problem. We have o-our own," Toby muttered, brisk to take my hand by surprise. "We should g-get on the move."

(Dang, I've been updating quite frequently now.)