"(Y-Y/N-N-N)!!!"
I freeze at the top of the staircase holding up my gun directly at the hooded figure that was standing with their hatchet raised over their head, ready to hack into EJ's skull.
They turned and looked at me beneath my goggles and slowly stepped off of EJ, beginning to approach me as I stare in horror at the reality that was before me; this motherfucker (Y/N) actually went and murdered every damn person in this household.
"Welcome home, (Y/N)," They scoffed at me, their hands outstretched, "you're a bit late to the party, aren't you?"
I flinched at the unusually monotonous, harshness in their tone of voice. What...what changed?
I saw that they were fully clothed in my clothes-not just any clothes but my proxy uniform. They also had on my harness with my hatchets latched to the sides and all my facial gear as well. They had what looked like grenades strapped to their sides, as well as one of my two hatchets gripped in their bloody, gloved hands.
"Yo-ou-u ..." I barely utter out, yet I still keep the gun aimed at their face despite my tics which were more aggravating than usual thanks to heavy stress. "What have you d-d-done...what th-he h-ell have y-ou-u don-e!?"
"You're wearing my clothes, huh. Got comfortable?" (Y/N) casually replied, sliding the hatchet they had in hand back into its harness. Sick.
I shook my head, taken aback by their callous response and spat, "You're wea-r-ring min-ne too, you fu-ucki-ing jackass-s."
They shrugged, "Didn't have a choice. Jane made me so that I'd blend in as you better. But, now that I think about it, Jane really should've killed me when she had the chance..."
They then lowered their head and faced the ground, "You really should've killed me when you had the chance, Toby."
I nod my head, "Trust me. I wholeheartedly agree."
Sally, who I saw was on her knees in the middle of the hallway stared at the two of us with huge wet eyes and a runny, snot nosed face. She looked completely devastated and confused. "What's happening........why did....who is.....Toby....?" She whispered, her eyes hopping between the two of us.
Immediately I lower the gun and spring over to Sally, picking her up in my arms and hugging her tightly. Sally initially screamed and panicked while crying, trying to rip herself out of my grasp, but I quickly began to stroke her hair and shush her while rocking her gently and assuring her, "It's m-m-me Sal, the real Toby. That imp-p-poster...they tried t-to make it seem-m like it was me tha-a-a-a-t went rogue and ki-i-lled every-yone. I would never hu-hurt any of you..."
Hearing my voice, she may have truly understood it was the real me and she stopped thrashing about; she instead wrapped her arms around my neck tightly and broke into a gross, heart-wrenching sob.
My embrace tightened around her and I backed away with her in my arms, refocusing my glance back to (Y/-god I can't stand that sickening name anymore. (Y/*) only stood there, watching us with their hands lowered at their sides. I noticed their eyes from behind the goggles; they appeared to be blank, as if they were stuck for a brief moment inside of their head. Only a second passed and they seemed to snap back, then their eyes trained on me and Sally again.
Unexpectedly, their next move was to suddenly march towards us, their movements appearing forceful and aggressive. I took their approach as a threat and held up the gun with my free hand, my breathing grew heavy. "Yeah fucking try any-anything and I'll sh-shoot your brains o-ut..." I snap, continuing to back up and keep the distance between us. It was the strangest thing ever, feeling like I was being advanced on by a literal clone of myself. I still couldn't bring myself to believe that (Y/*)-even though we only really only bonded with each other for like an hour-was crazy enough to go and murder the other killers. They seemed...nice, at first. How did they even get away with this? Where's Slender...
"I really wish you killed me when you had the chance, Toby..." (Y/*) said, their voice slightly losing the gruff hostility it had and sounding more as I had remembered it sounding before. Their hand trailed back to their side, grabbing a hatchet and it started shaking. "But I...I couldn't...I didn't want anything bad to happen to my Dads...I didn't want you people to hurt them..."
"Stop it, please!" Sally suddenly whimpered out, but I quickly wrapped my arms around her head to keep her silent. (Y/*) continued to advance towards us with the hatchet still fumbling in their hand. I observed how they seemed to be moving slower and slower the closer they got to us, and the hatchet seemed to grow heavier in their grasp.
My back eventually touches a wall and I realized I was focusing so much on (Y/*) that I backed us into a corner. (Y/*), at this point, looked like they were on the brink of collapsing, and their whole body was now fidgeting. They pause a few steps away from us, panting. "I-I want to stop..." They trembled, "but it's too late for me...I have to finish what I started. I have to save them..."
"...No it's not too late t-to stop," I responded after a long, drawn out moment of silence. My eyes darted from their face to the hatchet in their hand, anticipating their next move. I wasn't going to let my guard down by any means, but I felt that maybe being gentler with them might calm them down. I don't know if this "murder machine" side is really them or if they were truly acting out of fear for their parents. If it's the latter, then they're just as I expected them to be-a normal human exposed to way more than they should've been expected to handle.
I should've never ever interfered with their life the way I did. I should've raced back to the woods at the first chance I got. I shouldn't have risked it all for the sake of comfort...for happiness...
...But...would I really take it all back? Those precious, yet short moments I spent being loved on and cared for by a real family? The type of family I should've had? Isn't it selfish to even think about this, seeing now that this cost the lives of almost all my housemates?
"Listen t-t-to me, (Y/-(Y/...N)..." I try conversing with them again, trying my hardest to keep my voice from rising, "it's n-ot too late t-to stop...get ahold of yo-yourself no-w-w before y-y-you make things worse than-n you already h-h-ha-hav-..."
I cut off out of aggravation and stress from my bothersome condition and heave a heavy sigh of frustration, shaking my head frantically as if that would help a fucking thing. Sally slowly reaches up and wraps her arms around my head as if to comfort me, although tremours of distress still wracked her small, ghastly form.
"...A-Am I a hero? Or am I a monster? Did I do the right thing??" I heard (Y/N) start muttering aloud, and I slowly raise my head from Sally's embrace to see them now on their knees, violently quivering as they stared down at their blood-crusted gloves. "Is this still bad? I killed...people who thrive off of the death of others though?? Am I right or wrong??"
The hatchet was discarded on the floor beside them, and for a second I wondered if I should take this chance to unarm them while they appeared to be caught in a state of paranoia. I let Sally go, although she tries to grab me again and pleads with me. I assure her things will be okay, but it resorts to me quietly reprimanding her before I was finally able to get her to stand on her own. I then slowly take small steps towards where my doppleganger was cowered, mumbling to themselves.
At one point I get close enough and bend to reach for the hatchet; the gun is also still gripped in my other hand and ready to retaliate if needed. As expected, as soon as my hand reached out, (Y/N) snapped back to reality and their eyes immediately darted to mine, their hands flying at their sides. I manage to keep steady and don't react as harshly as I expected myself to. I stared them down in the eyes and they stared back at me. Silence graced us both; not one of us bothered to speak nor break eye contact. It was an intense moment that felt as if it stretched on for hours; me looking in the eyes of the one that murdered my friends.
Me...looking at myself. The version of me that had the life I wish I had...
After what felt like an eternity, (Y/N) finally spoke up, yet in a quieter, weakened voice. "I'm...sorry..."
Their next move was to reach into their hoodie for something, and I see them pull out a familiar small clear container out of their pocket. Those damn strength enhancers...? ...
...Of...fucking...course.
No wonder they were able to cause so much damage-how the fuck did they get ahold of those??
(Y/N) held up the bottle and I notice that their eyes widen when they realize that the container is empty. Did they...did they consume the whole damn thing? Did they even know how mentally damaging it is to consume certain amounts in a small period of time?
"No...." (Y/N) mumbled, their hand beginning to twitch, "no...no no nononononoNO!"
They tossed the empty container aside and began panicking, gripping their hair and pulling painfully tight on their brown locks. "NONONO!WhattheFUCKamIsupposedtodoNOW? I'm wrong! I'mwrongI'mwrongI'mwrongI'mWRONG. What did I-what did I DO!?"
"(Y/N) get ahold of yourself, d-dammit!" I shout at them, growing alarmed by how quickly their eyes were sprinting around behind the goggles. They begin slamming the sides of their head as if they've truly lost it.
I reach to grab their arm when they suddenly ripped away from my touch and scooped up the hatchet in their grasp again. Sally's scream rang out and I immediately whipped up the gun aiming at them and prepeared to cut them off before they could even attempt to lunge at me.
Instead however, (Y/N) takes the hatchet and starts running. Running for the stairs.
"(Y/N)!!" I shout again, "Shit!"
I latch the gun to my side and nearly trample over the dead bodies of my housemates, trying to get to the stairs as (Y/N) was now sprinting down them and dashing into the living room.
"Toby!!" Sally cried, and I heard the pitter patter of her footsteps barreling after me. "Sally STAY HERE!" I ordered the girl. "They're gonna kill you Toby, they're gonna kill you, please don't go! Please don't leave me!" Sally panicked uncontrollably, her voice now hoarse and frail from all her screaming. "Don't go please please don't go I'm begging you, I'll come wit-"
"SALLY!" I accidentally roared at the girl, cutting her off completely, and she stopped with her mouth gapped open. "I'm not...fucking-g... joking...stay HERE, and wa-wait for me to c-come BACK. Do you-u understand me!?"
Sally stared at me for a long while in a deathly silence before slowly sliding onto the ground to her knees. She gave a blank stare; tear marks could be seen on her small face as she leered forwards.
"...Promise me you'll come back...Ticci-Toby..." She barely whispered, her voice plain compared to her desperate pleading before. Her green gaze pierced mine with a distant, pained look. "Promise you'll come back..."
I only watched her for a bit before turning my head and looking aside.
"Sally," I uttered in a calmer tone, steadying my voice so I don't scare her, "I promise...I promise not-t t-to give you hope... with th-the possibility of breaking y-your heart..."
Without waiting for her response or reaction, I turn and race down the steps intent on one thing and one thing only.
To catch this murderous Imposter that massacred the Creepypastas...
To catch this outsider who I envy for having the perfect life I always wished I'd had..
To catch...(Y/N) (L/N)...
The kid that stole my face.