[art by madpatti go check them out their art is awesome, they have Tick Tok/tumbler/and Instagram!]
My eyes widened at the sight before me, what on earth was going on here?
Three tall- well tallish men stood before me, two holding one up that was sprung up between them looking hurt, there feet dragging on the floor, who the fuck just got into my house.
Getting into a ready stance I growled and quickly flicked out my knife from my waist band and held it in a reverse grip, crouching lower I hissed now not caring about my split lip as I hissed loud, I was not going down easy in my own house.
The second tallest looked rather taken aback as I did this, neck scrunching down like a turtle and free hand coming up in surrender.
"Wait , wait, wait!," a familiar voice called out, making me pause and head immediately cocking to the side in suspicion, what the hell.
" Will it's me, Nathan, they talked me into this damn monkey suit" the free hand, gesturing to the leering mask and long black robe, I wanted to whack him for scaring the everloving crap out of me.
I slowly put away my knife but I did not run to go help him with his burden, trying to seem casual I leaned on the living room door frame.
Then Nathan spoke up again, sounding as if he still thought I was going to tear them apart, it was the voice he used when he was in trouble or trying to pacify someone, most often me after he had made a mess or got caught and I had to jail break him.
"I can explain Will, we were off- wait what happened to your leg!" his pitch rising at the end as he practically dropped the person he was half supporting, leaving the other man staggering to recover.
He was all splattered with blood and dirt he had twigs and leaves in his hair as he tried to grab my leg with his blood soaked, leather gloves to examine the stitches, his masked face coming close to my skin still dripping congealing blood.
His mask was the replica of the others, just newer, he must have bought it when they were out and about. He better have paid cash.
Having a few drinks in my system and being tired I stumbled back and swatted at his hands as if he was no more than a fly.
He took on a rather defensive stance as he quickly pulled his mask off and tossed it half haphazardly onto the coat rack, it hooked on something as it did not clatter to the floor.
His gloves were then shoved into the hamper quickly as if it would make it any better.
He threw on a fake sullen look but I didn't fall for it as he moved slightly closer trying to go for a look without touching it, I wasn't getting infected just because he wanted to check my stitches with those gross hands.
" no, no, no your hands are gross" I said as he attempted for a second time to lift the side of my shorts higher to see the rest of the wound.
The person who was now supporting the slumping man called out angrily, slightly muffled by his mask and what sounded like some kind of voice modulator, because there was no way that small of presumably a man had that deep of a grating voice.
It was a cliche scream mask, the same as the other, how tacky.... Well, It would have been if they weren't stained with blood, smeared and scratched looking with new and old blood.
or the damage and gore that was on the front, it might have just been plain carelessness and paint, I had seen a fair deal of people playing mystery killers in the recent years.
"Nathan stay focused, she looks just fucking fine!" the shorter one shouted as the bigger slumped onto him, making him lean down further than what looked comfortable.
My eyes bore into the now definitely identified male and his counterpart rather accusatively, his body posture changed slightly, his head rose like a snake and he puffed his chest the best he could considering.
Nathan the scatterbrained man himself whipped around and pointed at the male sounding annoyed as I backed away towards the stairs making room incase of attack, only a few steps though, i did not trust the men invading my house, my hand slowly trailing to my waist band the comfortable handle of my knife warm in my palm within moments.
Yes I did trust Nathan with my life actually but he was reckless, i'm not even sure if these are his friends or just some children he picked up along the way, who knows who these kids are.
"Billy, be nice! Keep being an asshole and I will call Hann!, after all tonight was Michael's kill night!," He said, voice sounding muffled yet dangerous under his mask before he went and took up the person's other side.
The billy kid's modulator crackled before he replied "It would be on all of our heads if Hann found out, you know that Nathan" he hissed, making Nathan glare but not respond to him as he looked at me.
" Will, can you go get the med kit from under the couch?" Nathan asked as they passed me and went into the den, where they laid the man down on the couch closest to the kitchen.
Narrowing my eyes I went towards the couch and the coffee table, needling down I stuffed my arm under the couch and felt through the dust and lint to pull out another classic white and red crossed case.
Gathering up my photos I pulled out a black box filled with older hunt photos, putting them in with the others I stuffed the box back under the short coffee table to be sorted out later, they were just in the way at the moment taking up space Nathan would need for helping the kid.
Cracking the case open on the table I pushed it to Nathan's side and stepped away as I had no clue of his issues or what his injury was, I was not up to being stabbed today if he woke up.
This Billy character was pacing and glancing at the other, his body language evident of worry and stress as Nathan dug through the kit before returning to the man.
He had bandage scissors in hand as he cut away the thin black robe leaving the man in his jeans and a dark red shirt.
But to my shock as Nathan cut away his shirt peeled it away to be able to dress his wounds, the back of the shirt was a gray that contrasted with the gaudy red, now that was gross, but I must admit the view wasn't.
Grabbing my brandy off the small table I went back to the hall to watch and assess the situation from afar, just to be safe.
Taking a small sip from the bottle I watched assessing the kids before me, dismantling them both for any threat in future or now, the billy kid I could dispatch easily if he attacked, he was just a tad bigger than I was but did have some muscle, not like Nathan though so little threat with him.
The other man, if he was not hurt might be an issue, he was quite a bit bigger than I was, not sure on muscle mass as he was fit but he didn't have gym muscle.
The man Nathan had called Billy reached up and took off his scream mask to reveal a teen boy with his brown hair only to his ears and his green eyes trained on the man that Nathan was tending to with almost manic fear as he ran his hands through his hair.
I was useless in medically helping others so I retreated back to the foyer,slipping up the stairs and down the hall to my room with the bottle in hand.
Shutting the door behind me I then took a few steps and crashed into bed holding the bottle close only to stare at the wall blankly trying to process what I just witnessed.
After all it wasn't every day a dying man and his friend came crashing through the front door with your god brother in one day scaring the crap out of you.
Getting cold slightly I resorted to grabbing a gray pile from the side of my bed where it had been left this morning, changing into the sweat pants I slumped back to the bed letting worry and confusion flood my mind in frantic swirls that were slowly slipping into a headache.
I sighed angrily,chewing my bottom lip before I glanced at the brandy next to me.
I Could just go to bed, that sounds like a good idea after my indefinitely confusing and hectic night.
Sitting up I popped the cork on the half full brandy and chugged, savoring the citrus that still had quite the burn causing me to cough lightly for a moment.
After a few minutes I felt the wave wash up into my head making me humm, soon then the walls moved in waves and my head felt heavy and strange, falling back to the sheats.
I watched as the dim lights swam and shifted before darkness overtook my body, losing my mind or what was left.
~Dreamscape ~
A laugh giggled before my face before I had opened my eyes to see a black void laid out before me like a flat plane.
Getting up timidly, I looked around before looking down at myself.
I was still in my pj's yet there was something off, the pendant beneath my shirt felt heavier then I remembered.
Digging it out from beneath my shirt, it was what seemed to be a medium, unrecognizable key.
I looked at it curiously, it was an odd little thing with a blue eye in the hilt, covered with bronze wires and a small,decorative chain around the eye.
How strange? A cough to my left caught my attention, making my head shoot up towards the noise.
Shadows danced at the edge of my vision, some were female, some were male, some shambled in a circle while others stood stock still just staring, all staring.
Unease pricked my skin as one stepped forth, her tattered dress swaying in a long stagnant wind and her hair done up in flating curls.
Her make up was smeared and dripping as she opened her mouth to speak.
"Welcome !! Welcome home honey!!" in a low, croaking wail that was laced with malice and sarcasm that made my blood freeze.
It sounded like her, it looked like her yet it wasn't.
It couldn't be, I watched her die, I watched her be put in the ground for fucks sake.
I should have expected this again in all honesty,.... at least by now.
The shadows sturred almost excitedly as she shambled closer, glassy eyes getting wider in what almost seemed energetic excitement.
"Wwwwwwiiiiiilllllllllllllloooooooowwwww!!!" she said almost mockingly, reaching out a weathered hand in a claw-like grip that made the botchy flesh stretch tight and tear slightly, revealing maggots that squirmed and writhed.
My Eyes went wide in horror as her rotting skin almost brushed my throat, my only thoughts were horror and disgust as bile rose in my throat making it burn.
I do the only thing I can think of at the moment, besides ignoring the urge to
vomit.
I shut my eyes tight, and screamed, my ears ringing at the sound of my own garbled, messy voice, , if this is a dream Nathan had to hear this, I was no match for her here.
Something hard collided with my chest and throat knocking me down to the black ground, eyes snapping open I saw her leering face, she grinned showing off her yellowing rotten teeth before her eyes rolled back and she screamed.
Her scream scared me as I flailed, socking her in the face and bucking my hips making her fly off of me, her scream cut off as she crashed to the ground, a sickening crack sounded out making me wince.
"hahahahahaha! Oh that was fun!" she cackled, blood spitting everywhere from her bloody maw, her head was hanging limp as she got up to all fours, I backed away.
Her head lolled at an unnatural angle as she looked up at me, not a moment later she lept at me again with her hands going for my throat.
I screamed, feeling the edge of her hands brush against my throat before everything dissipated.
~End ~
Hissing left my mouth as I struggled against her arms that held me, she was here! She was real! She was alive again!, I wasn't going to let her hurt me any more!
My chest felt tight, my palms slick as they scrambled against the shirt of my attacker, was she here! Could she even do that!?
Eyes coming into focus I take in brown hair and stark blue eyes full of worry as Nathan stared wide eyed down at me, he was saying something, what was he saying?
Slowly the sounds became more prominent, I could barely hear the soft words he was trying to placate me with.
"Willow,will, will it's ok, your ok" he said trying to get me to look at him as i scanned the room looking for her ugly face, there was no way....
Chest heaving I glanced around in a frantic last sweep before burrowing into Nathan's arms, hugging him like I used to, and muttering sweet nothings to myself that probably to Nathan sounded like gibberish.
" Shes just fucking with you, shes sick like that, you know her" I muttered while cressing my bruising neck and feeling a chain run through my fingers.
His arms tightened around me comfortingly before I heard someone knock on the door frame lightly " Nathan yall good up here?" it was the Billy kid from before I think.
A rumble sounded in Nathan's chest before he replied in a rather pissy tone that I appreciated at the moment, it was like we where in the good old days with him telling max to go fuck himself when he tried to pick on us younger kids.
" Nothing Billy go tend to Stu" he hissed while exaggeratedly flicking an arm out to point him away.
It seemed to work as there was no retort from Billy but I didn't care if he did, Nathan or I would have probably ripped him a new one for being nosy.
"Are you alright?" His voice said softer this time and more concerned, I mean I can't blame him, I'm not a cuddler in any sense, at least not with him, not even after the worst of the nightmares or turns.
I nodded into his shoulder before speaking my dreaded words, "She came back again..." I muttered as I pressed my head into his shoulder and shakealy took in a breath trying not to sob.
He froze, staring straight ahead before replying softly as if I was to shatter, "She is dead Will, she can't come back we have gone over this, you're just drunk dreaming you know how you get close to this time" he said condescendingly.
He was always fucking condescendingly with me, what was this shit, growling as tears raced to my eyes i shoved him away, we often argued or talked about our nightmares, yet he never waved my fear off like that, i never did that to him?
Did I?
Standing up with a vicious glare as all he did looked solum, like he knew what he did, yet he did not apologize as I grabbed my brandy and took off down the hall to the stairs not really caring about anyone seeing me at the moment.
All I could feel was the stretching and shifting of my leg and the stitches as I moved, it was better than yesterday but it still hurt like a bitch, it didn't help that a headache was coming on making my head hurt, damn hangovers, setting my teeth into a grimace i pushed on to the stairs.
Quickly and carefully walking down the stairs the quickest I can and to the left to the library, my safe place where Nathan was mostly shooed out because he left books everywhere, not including the time he brought a girl in there because his room was a mess as usual.
Shaking my head in disgust at the thought, I continued on shoving the door open easily, they were the same size as the front but I kept up the hinges, looking around I took in one of my favorite sights.
Shelves covered all the walls while a metal spiral staircase led to the second floor and more shelves, bean bags were left in most corners and several hanging chairs hung from the metal library stairs at varying heights.
It was my heaven in a world of hell, too bad it was one of my design.
Going to the hanging chairs I threw the brandy into the lowest one with a rather lucky throw and started to climb up into it without too much hindrance from my leg, the one I was going for was a soft green and was full of blankets and had what looked like a plastic sleeve of books on the back wall.
Clambering in, I rooted around until I found a book that I recognised, it happened to be one of my favorites, an old horror book, it was of a girl that was getting chased by a killer, cliche I know but i liked cliches sometimes, just depends on what ones of course.
Starting to read I got lost in the pages of her adventure, smiling at the happy parts and grinning at the bloody end of her family, it was rather creative I must admit, the author rather out-did themselves on this book.
I was just getting to the high of the suspense hours later when raised voices entered the library making my eyes slowly look up and at the offending wall of the tent obscuring my glare from the intruders, who the hell was here now?
"Guy's remember, you aren't supposed to be in here, wait outside, you're just gonna piss her off" Nathan said sounding rather ticked off, what was going on? Was he mad I brought up clare?
Another person spoke up, it sounded like a man " calm down Nat its all fine" the voice purred making my skin crawl, who the hell sounds that creepy on the day to day? Sounding like a whole ass kid predator.
' freddy shut the fuck up will you!, it's bad enough you all are stuck here!' Billy grumbled sounding mad as Nathan tried to calm the storm rising, these must be the ones Nathan had made friends with when i was gone.
"you both shut up and get out before you break som-"
A crash silenced everyone, and dreaded stabbed my throat making it tighten and adrenaline spike.
The only thing made of glass here was a small paper weight, a rose/wate display I had gotten nathan, and something far more important, something Nathan was given by his sister before she died.
Peaking my head out slowly I saw Nathan looking at the display or the bits that were not broken, while Billy backed away from the water spreading across the floor, he was being dramatic and lifting the hem of his cloak like a dress.
It was almost laughable but my main focus was Nathan who slowly looked from the glass on the floor to a man in a red and green striped shirt and brown hat, an odd glove adorned his left hand.
"Fred's I suggest you run," billy said rather snarkily, the kid was grinning like he was excited to see what was going to happen next
Then I saw the signs signaling imminent destruction, Nathan's shoulders squared, hands at his sides unclenched but kept tense as he shifted his body forwards to the balls of his feet, he was going to pounce on that man and whoop his ass.
It warmed my heart a tad that he was willing to hurt someone, a friend no less over what i had given him, perhaps he really did like it when i gave it to him many years ago, i never would have thought.
Movement made me glance at the low shelf that was pushed up against one wall that once had the glass ball on it for the past twenty years, a rose slipped to the floor off the wood with a plop, how had that man broken it?
The freddy man seemed to see the same signs as me as he took off, perhaps he had seen what Nathan could do when he was mad like this "OH SHIT !" he yelped as he disappeared out of the library, throwing the door shut behind him.
Nathan lunged after him crashing out of the library with the doors bouncing off the walls, i need rubber bumpers for those dont i?
Seeing the water get close to my bookshelves I had to act, closing the book and slipping it back in its place in its spot, the moment it was safe I set about tossing out a blanket and climbing out to the floor.
' enjoy the show?' Billy asked while sidestepping to look at me head on and crushing a rose under foot, he had a smug grin on his face as he looked me up and down.
My eye's twitched but I refused to respond, i do not like this kid, so i simply ignored him as I mopped up the water while collecting the roses.
After that was done I encountered a problem, he was still standing on the poor rose not having bothered to move and help me as he stood there, cloak still held like a dress above his ankles showing off thankfully clean shoes and jeans.
Looking at him in an incriminating manner, I said or rather demanded "can you get off it" a warning bite to my words as i said this, i restrained the urge to glare at what he did next.
His eyes narrowed and he slowly sidestepped off of the poor plant, grabbing the last rose delicately I sat it onto one of the few tables along with the others safely away from my collection of literature.
Scooping up the shards I stacked it onto the table under Billy's annoying gaze, it was like he was a buzzing fly just out of swatting range, I needed a swatter for this man, i would just stab him and be done but he is nathan's friend, still a tempting plan.
Trying to ignore him was a chore but I managed, he made my nerves feel as if they were on fire, not in a good way might I add, finishing up cleaning I went back to the glass and roses and scooped it up before heading to the doors to the library.
"Damage a book and I will stab you,Nathan's friend or not" I said with a threateningly blank statement before leaving the library and going to the foyer slightly limping, Billy chuckled lightly, he must think i'm joking.
Going into the living room I almost dropped the glass in surprise, there was a familiar face staring at me from the couch, but it was not one I wanted to see again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[ in this chapter I wanted to show a bit of willows backstory and what makes her, her, she is a complex critter, and I can't wait to continue with her]
I also want to say my friends haven't edited this yet but I'm late as is to posting this but I will update with an edited version soon.
~5087 words! ~