I'm not one of you <Frans>

CHAPTER 10: Its Safer at Home

9:30 a.m.

As soon as the live report came, it left. The tv them proceeded to display snow on the television, filling the house with its horrid noise. Chara didn't move.

I guess the television company shut down the channel for now. I would have too. I wonder just how many people saw that live footage? It's dangerous for that kind of panic to start spreading, especially because of the high tensions between us and Europe.

I quickly raced over to the remote in annoyance, seeing that Chara wasn't going to turn the television volume down any time soon. I quickly just pressed the power button, neutralizing the rest of the sound with a single click. The house was then filled with deafening silence.

There was a skeleton. A living skeleton! A skeleton walking around! A murderous skeleton walking around!

There was a moment of complete silence for a moment compared to the television snow on the screen. The raspy sound made it seem like the house had been soundproofed afterwards. "So..." I trailed off, glancing at Chara who was very deep in thought and was in a ponderous state. "I guess I'm not going to the mountain today." I said, rocking on my feet, back and fourth, dropping my pack with a thump. "Anything you would like to tell me?" I growled, sitting down at the table where Chara was still silent.

Her eyes darted around as if she had lost something. Yet, her eyes showed fear and excitement through her crimson corneas. The feeling of loss and gain. Her lips moved ever so lightly, only a hoarse whisper coming out of her mouth. It was so soft and subtle, the deafening silence covered up her voice. "Chara?" I spoke, looking at her worriedly. Her small, parted lips gradually and slowly became a grin as she stared, wide-eyed at one particular spot on the floor. A long, ear to ear, mechanical grin. It had almost resembled the one on the skeleton's.

I stood up, backing away slightly, when my phone started ringing loudly. It make me jump, the adrenaline was already kicked in, causing me to help in surprise. My shaky hands quickly reached into my back pocket and held up the Phoenix to my ear harshly. Chara didn't move. "What?" I spat, still recovering and breathing heavily.

My heart is pounding out of my chest a mile a minute! Why am I so afraid? Chara isn't that skeleton. She wouldn't do anything like that, would she?

"Oh! Thank goodness!" Dr. Hudson's voice rang through the phone. My nerves relaxed a bit, every once and a while, I would glance at Chara to make sure she hadn't moved. "Did you go to the mountain?" He asked urgently. "Oh please tell me you haven't left yet!" He exclaimed.

She's not moving. Is she okay? Signs of a seizure? What's going on with her?

"No. I saw the news, thankfully." I said, biting my top lip with anxiety. "I would have if I didn't stop to sit by Chara this morning." I sighed, "I'm truly grateful that I stayed. I would have never known what was awaiting me there at the mountain." I said. "Did you get any reports on how many died?" I asked. "Yeah, it was live, but there were a lot of people there! There's got to be people rushing to help them!" I exclaimed, glancing at Chara once more.

"No. No specific number of casualties yet." He said. "There are police officials rushing over on choppers and such to the scene to arrest the vigilant. I'm frustrated Chara told me there was nothing there." He spat. "I cannot believe her! A lot of people could have gotten hurt if they went into that cavern earlier in the week!" He exclaimed. "And it would have been our fault! They already have suspicions about us hiding more from the outside world." He growled. "I wonder if the entire civilization is made of these skeletons?"

"I'm not sure." I said. "And no. It's not fair Chara hid this from us." I snapped. "She knew what was down there and proceeded to hide it from everyone. Dangerous or not. It's not our ways!" I exclaimed. "I'm hurt that she still proceeded to say nothing when she knew I was going underground. When she knew I would meet that... thing! That monster!" I said. "He murdered all those people without hesitation! And he's still out there!" I waved around my arms, talking with my hands.

"I know." He said. "I'm most likely firing her when this is over." He said, sadly. "This cannot go without punishment." He spat, obvious frustrated. "Now, on another subject note..." He said, changing subjects. "You are not to go the mountain unless you are asked as a scientist. You are to stay indoors until this skeleton is caught." He said. I was disheartened slightly, but it was honestly for the best at this point. "I know you were looking forward to this trip, but it will have to be for another time."

"I understand completely." I said, still saddened. "I'd rather be able to live the rest of my life today, than to die trying to get samples in this moment right now." I said. "I'll make sure Chara doesn't wander outdoors too. She likes to leave the house at specific times. I'm guessing she gets stir-crazy." I said. "I hope you are safe too, Doctor." I said.

"Thank you." He said. "I will call you if more details arise about the situation and your trip. I will let you know when we are back on schedule with our projects and research. For now, stay safe." He said, saying his goodbyes. I said mine as well and hung up the phone, pitting it in my back pocket.

"That comedian thinks he's so smart.." Chara mumbled. "He thinks he's one step ahead of me, but he's not!" She giggled. "He's coming for me. Did he really kill the entire underground so I couldn't?" She said, grinning. "That's HILARIOUS!" She laughed, gradually getting louder. "Does he think he's the one in control still?" She said crazily. "Does he think he has all the determination now?!"

"Chara?" I asked, walking closer to the mumbling girl. "Are you okay?" I asked, extending my hand to put on her shoulder slowly.

"He should know not to mess with me!" She mumbled, talking faster and louder. "Ill get it back!" She laughed. "I'll get the button back! I'll get it back and kill all his friends and family in front of his eyes! It'll show him not to mess with me!" She laughed.

"Chara? Are you—?" I touched her shoulder and gasped, her head quickly snapping into my direction, and smiling.

"Frisk." She grinned, singing my name slightly and holding out the 'sk' at the end. She got up slowly, cracking her neck in the process and contorting her smile more. "What's that look for?" She grinned. "You look like you've seen a ghost!" She said, a streak of black liquid rolled out of her mouth in a single drip, and her eyes weren't just the friendly red eyes I had always known. They were angry and hateful.

What is that stuff?? Is this the result of the genetic mutation? What's happening?!

I went pale, looking at her up and down and backing away with wide eyes as she slowly neared me. "C-Chara! What's wrong with you?!" I shook, terrified at what she was going to do. "Don't come any closer! I-I'm warning you!" I said, backing up against a wall.

"I'm so glad something new is happening." She grinned, going in for a strike with her right fist. I ran to the left, swooping under her fist and tripping over my bag that I had previously lied in the middle of the room. "It was getting so boring." She said, as her fist went into the wall, leaving a hole. "I almost couldn't stand it." She grinned, she bent her back, looking at me upsidown since I was behind her, and sent me a crazed grin. "Now I have something new." She laughed, her mouth was filled with the black substance.

My eyes widened in fear, scrambling to get up after she removed her hand from the wall. She ran to tackle me, but I moved to the side and she stumbled into my room. I closed the door shortly after that, my breath was pounding hard. "YOU CANT ESCAPE HIM FRISK! YOU MIGHT AS WELL CONTRIBUTE TO MY SHARE OF LOVE!" She screamed, pounding on the door. "JUST DIE ALREADY! LET ME SHOW YOU FREEDOM!" She screamed, banging on the door as I helplessly held it shut. "LET ME SHOW YOU LOVE!"