The Nine- A Slipknot Story

Chapter 4

"Good, now drop the guns," he says.

"First, you drop your knife," I say. He drops his knife in the snow and I set my guns down in the snow and reach out for Corey. I grab the collar of his shirt and pull him to me, Paul walking to us.

"I would say something cool, but what's the use," I say, kneeing him him the stomach. I push him back and he falls to his knees, clutching his stomach. I turn to Paul and he has brass knuckles on.

"Fighter with brass knuckles," I say, him trying to punch me. 

I dodge it and dart behind him, backing up for a start. He turns and I kick him in the jaw, spinning and kicking him again in the stomach. He stumbles back and I switch legs, kicking him in the jaw again, but more powerful since it's my left leg. That made him fall unconscious. 

He collapses in the snow and Sid runs to me. I flat foot kick him in the chest, making him stumble back. He rushes to me and I grab his wrists, flipping him over my back. He lands on his back and tries go get up, but I kick him in the side of the head hard enough to knock him out.

Clown swings his bat at my head, but I block it. He swings at my side and I block it, grabbing his head and kneeing him in the nose. He falls and I grab his bat swinging at his head, knocking him out. 

Chris lunges to get the bat and I drop it, kicking it away from both of us. He grabs my shirt and I grab his wrists, going low and kicking him where it hurts most. He falls to his knees and holds it, giving me the opportunity to kick him. I instead knee him in the head, knocking him out.

Jim takes longs strides to me, reaching down to grab my shoulders. I dodge it and slide under his legs, kicking his ass to make him fall. I grab the bat and swing at the back of his head, knocking him out.

Mick lunges and grabs my shoulders, picking me off the ground. I wiggle out of it and start jogging away, making him chase me. He runs after me and I pick up the pace, darting behind a few apple trees. I pick one of the frozen apples and wait for Mick to round the corner. He does and I chuck it at him, hitting him right in the forehead. 

He gets knocked out cold and I peek out, only seeing Joey. I feel someone put me in a headlock, but I wiggle out of it and run back into the open, seeing Craig running to me. I pick him up and drive him headfirst into the ground, getting his spikes stuck in the frozen dirt. He tries to get out, but I don't stay to see it happen.

I turn to Joey and he starts running to me. I jog off into the woods, hearing him swear and run after me. I go into a dead run and jump up, climbing a tree to get away from him. He runs past me and stops a few feet away, looking around for footprints. 

He doesn't see any and starts looking up, spotting me and jumping up to grab a branch. He starts climbing, so I stand on the branch and walk out, seeing him get to my branch as I walk to the end. I put two fingers up in a salute and jump off.

"NO," he yells, reaching out for me.

I grab a branch and stop falling, dropping down and looking up. He quickly climbs down, but I start running again, straight out to the thicker part of the woods. Only I have been able to weave through those, but I'm sure Joey's up for a challenge. 

I get to it and hear his footsteps getting louder. I enter the thick woods and weave through the trees, hearing Joey weaving through them as well. I hide behind a big tree and he weaves past, stopping a few feet away and climbing up a tree next to mine. I climb mine and I see him looking around for me.

"So, how was the run a few hours back," I ask, him jumping a little and whipping his head to me.

"My legs shut down after I got back. What happened to you," he asks, not seeming to want to get me.

"I passed out from blood loss and exhaustion. I got my leg stitched and my cheek cleaned, but as you can see, that didn't and doesn't stop me," I say, sitting on a branch to get comfy. He does too, which was surprising.

"Why aren't you trying to get me," I ask.

"Because Corey's fucking crazy if he thinks you're going to want to be converted. He's also a fucking liar about that. You have to be born a Smoke Demon to be one, you can't be converted or turned into one. If he tried that, he would've killed you," Joey says.

"Then, why did you chase after me a few hours ago," I ask.

"I didn't know what he wanted you for. So, I did what he told me to and tried to get you back to him. I'm honestly, now, glad that you didn't pass out when I got a hold of your coat. Not so much with the kicking me in the chest, but I kind of deserved that," he says, scratching the back of his neck after.

"Were you actually going to shoot Corey or Chris," he asks, me shaking my head.

"Even if they're crazy, I would never have the guts to do it. I would never shoot any of you," I say. I shiver and look down, jumping again. I catch myself and land safely, Joey climbing down.

"Would you stop that? I almost had a heart attack," he says after he steps down into the snow.

"Mmmm... no," I say, him sighing and shaking his head.