Our feet splash through the puddles of cold and clotted blood, the air has become nauseatingly contaminated. The abundance of bodies that once lined the ground have shrank in numbers, the remaining are not grotesquely ripped apart or gutted, taken out in a more human manner, simple, quick, some too quick as they still wiggle weakly and groan.
Living patients roam the halls further through the containment, their obvious destination being the front lobby. Jack and Jonathan side eyed, greeted, or deviously smirk at few of the passing strangers, it is good knowing that we have accomplished in releasing a few excapies they know.
Jeff and Clockwork have been making good progress, and, with plenty ward doors being thrown off the hinges, bent, or nowhere within the vicinity, I can assume we were not the only ones freeing the patients.
"Getting busy in here", Jack comments, his head tilting from shoulder to shoulder as his elf-like ears twitch, his gnarled lip is curled in a stark snarl, "Getting loud... and smelly."
My horribly tractionless shoes had failed me once again, I have half a mind of simply running barefoot through the slick tiles. I had the terrible misfortune of falling once before, I was unable to catch myself and ended up re-soaking my damp clothes, my two companions had a good chuckle at my expense. Though my pride was hurt I had been more concerned about the open hole in my abdomen, the strain of my ab muscles during the fall irritated it enough for it to fill the cloth clogging the well. Jack assured me once more that I am needlessly worrying.
Regardless of the circumstances things appear to be progressing well enough.
My party gives a pause as a heavy and hearty giggle erupts from a room further down the hall, a loud and exaggerated laughs that tickle the hairs on my neck. It is familiar.
Jonathan scoffs, rubbing the bridge of his nose with a sigh, looking as though he had inexplicably become exhausted.
He gave me a pleading glance, a grimace twitching at the corner of his mouth, "can we just walk past, we don't have time to deal with his shit right now."
"I don;t know Jonathan, I am highly curious."
He frowns at my playful demeanor.
"Just a peek, i'll make it quick, ya?"
He flattens his hand over his face in defeat as I brush off his plea. With a bright grin I place my fingers flush against the hard door that appears to have been kicked in, swinging back into the frame while leaving a fist sized hole to replaced the handle and lock.
The door is lighter than I imagined, taking little effort to move the door ajar, the hinges squeaking in a subtle cry.
The room is trashed, debris covering the ground as remanence from my physical I had the day prior. The interior is dark, while it lacks emergency lights a sickly sweet burn from a single scented candle is enough to brighten the silhouette of the two individual who stand before it.
Laughing Jack stood before the flame, his grandiose figure straight, the shadows flicking over my cover in a way that mesmerizes my eyes. Eerily his body curves imposingly over the one in his grasp, the fire light outlining each and every pointed fang that lines his crooked mouth. He is proudly holding someone high off the ground, his claws effortlessly curling around the parsons neck using a single outstretched arm.
I can hear him talking over the others chokes and sobs, his words indecipherable whispers.
I can feel Jonathan place himself over my shoulders to share my view, he scoffs, mumbling an insult to the demented clown before us.
His weight doubles, Jack becoming intrigued enough to wish for a peek himself. He clicks his tongue at the display, with a drown out groan he throws the door open the rest of the way, the hinges giving in to the added battery and breaking under the strain, releasing the poor door to fall on its face.
Eyeless Jack has exposed us before a very surprised clown. Laughing snears at the blue mask, offering a hearty greeting.
"Jack."
Eyeless nods as stoic as ever, his bare feet shifting in place.
"Jack."
I flinch as Laughing's lifeless eyes trail over me, "We meit' again littl' thing, happy to sei yau remain breathing."
"Ya well, I am not an easy person to kill", my smile twitches, "unfortionuitly."
My gaze lingers on the figure in Laughing's grasp, their feet weakly kicking. There is something familiar that tugs at me, and when they turn their borderline blue face toward us, my eye widen.
"Pfft, HA!", I spit with a chuckle. In Laughing's tight grip flailing like a hooked fish is Heather, her eyes begging, drool and snot dripping off her chin and around the hand that tightens ever so slightly.
Laughing is amused with muy reaction, his pointed cone nose curving as his gums bare at the woman he has hanging off the floor.
"Sweit' thing is she not'? I do hop' yau wauld not' mind me taking the initiativ'."
I scratch my chin but inevitably concede, flashing him a grin, "Nah, all yours", my lips flatten as I glare into Heathers eyes, "Shouldn't have tried to be a smartass Heather. Shame really, you started out so nice.
I scrunch my nose in scorn as I make my exit, beckoning the other two enamored companions to accompany me, bracing myself on the frame with a grip tight enough to mar, "That was before you tried to have me killed by Jeff the fucking killer."
Jonathan made a comment to the clown, something I can't make out through the ringing in my ears, his degrading words pulling a chuckle from the clown.
My jaw clenches as I leave Laughing to his merrymaking. While it is a shame such a thing is happening to the woman she definitely started the spark, it makes it less troubling on my consiounts to leave her gurgling in the room we first met.
'Like we never met', the thought is constricting, but acceptable.
Truly my remorse stems from knowing she had feeling for Dr. Morales, he was obviously blind to that fact, but I am sure the soul reason she attempted to remove me was her protectiveness of him. The thought of allowing her to slip by the impending chaos had crossed my mind and I can't bring myself to blame her for her love filled intentions, I draw the line at messing with my personal affairs. At another time, in another life, she may have been someone I could have considered a second mother.
It's not something I can picture.
I caught Jonathan side eyeing me, he opened his mouth before closing it again and shaking his head, he averted his gaze when I cocked my brow in question, refraining to spill whatever has been on his mind.
I dismiss the action, though I know Jonathan has something on his mind he can always tell me later.
"Fucking took you long enough."
Jeff greeted us while lazily leaning against the wall beside the open door to Item containment, his uniform soaked red, and playing with the adjustable blade of a construction knife he holds at his thigh.
"Just finishing up here, Jane and Clockwork are pocketing the CP's that can't... be real", he snickers, "their going to owe us good after this shit."
Jeff's smile seems to widen as his stare slides over Jack, he props himself with his shoulder, poking the tip of his blade with his finger as he speaks.
"Holy shit, look who the cult dragged in, surprise, surprise~, gotta say no eyes, I thought you dropped dead years ago.~"
If the mans words did anything to Jack he did not show it outwardly, his hum's are amused, teasing even. I catch a glimpse of Jacks fingers flexing in rhythm, debating, before relaxing at the beasts side.
"More surprising your still alive, stopped showing up at my doorstep four years ago, figured you had either been caught or your detestable personality got you killed, shame."
"I agree, such a shame."
Jane exits Item Containment with a garbage back thrown over her shoulder, she gave me a smile and a nod, opening the liner for Clockwork as she dumps a few last objects into the bag.
Clockwork pumps a fist in the air, spinning on the flat of her shoe while yelling, "All packed and ready to go! Now that we are all here lets JTFO!"
Jonathan stretches, "Finally get to get some fresh air, is it just me or is this place stifling?"
"Actually, i've got something to do, i'll catch up with you guys later."
The group pauses at my words, facing me where I stand behind the group as I refrained to take those promising few steps to freedom.
Jonathan raise a concerned brow, scrutinising, digging into me with a gaze that makes me sick with the idea he knows something I wish he did not.
"What are you going to do, (y/n)?"
"Not sure exactly, either try to get rid of the thing that started all this or take it away so it won't happen again", my eyes flick over Jane, "might not be to late so save Nathan either."
The air is silent, each of the others ponder my words, expressions hardening in tight concentration.
Jonathan's gaze hardens, his eyes scanning my firm expresion, "I'm going with you."
I blink up at him, flashing a grateful and relieved smile, "Thank's Jonathan."
The man's expression softens just a little, his eyes widen with the foreign words of genuine gratitude.
I take a deep breath, giving the others a determined grin, knocking against the false door with a solid knuckle, "See you on the other side guys."
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Have more chapters then I initially thought there would be, just have plot points popping up where I didn't know I needed them.
I am going to make another rough guess of three more chapters. I know I said that like three chapters ago though :P
Anyways, It took a little longer to post this chapter as my computer has been having some problems, its old so I cant blame it.
Thanks again friends, go get that Masky Plush from makeship if you haven't already.
Have a great day and hope you all had a great Easter!