*HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE!!! I HOPE YOU GUYS ARE GETTIN' LOTS OF CHOCOLATE, ROSES, HUGS AND KISSES FROM THOSE YOU LOVE DEAREST! AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE SINGLE AND PISSED OFF TODAY, ALWAYS REMEMBER "It's not called being forever alone, it's called being forever available." ;) BUT I LOVE YOU! -rejected- OKAY NEVERMIND. ENJOY YOUR DAY AND THIS CHAPTER AND STAY LOVELY, MY BEAUTIFUL FRIENDS~! <3<3<3<3<3*
Chapter 54
My own grandmother was about to shoot me right in the face, all because I'm the proxy. Fuck my life. I was trembling, ready to beg on my knees, ready to plead for life. But I couldn't say a word, I was too tense to do so. And I feared that if I spoke even one single word, she would pull that trigger and kill me on the spot. I was desperate for a way to escape this situation, but no opportunities came. Before Maribel could pull the trigger and blow my brains out, a hand shot out and smacked the gun out of her hand and into the snow. She dropped me and I fell into the snow, shaking from both the cold and the anxiety of nearly being shot. I looked up to see who had saved me and nearly screamed in joy.
"Jeff!!!" I exclaimed. He looked down at me and was about to speak when he fell over into the snow too. I crawled over to him and said, "Jeff! What's wrong?!"
I looked down to see bandages around his torso, and saw blood staining. Oh shit...! "What the hell happened to you?!" I asked.
"Long story," he coughed, "it hurts a lot."
"Then why'd you get up, idiot?!" I scolded, though I was very relieved to have had him save me and to see him alive.
"I wasn't about to let you die," he said. I looked at him and smiled slightly. Before I could say anything else I heard a gun cock and I turned to see my grandmother pointing the gun at me. I frowned and held Jeff closer to me. "Alright fine," I started, "shoot me. Go ahead. Just know that you're making a big mistake."
"Think I give a damn?" she growled. I've had enough of this already. I sneered and stood up. I walked towards her and stopped once the gun was at my chest. "Pull that damn trigger," I said. We both glared at each other with equal coldness and she put her finger on the trigger. "Just know this," I muttered, "My dad misses you."
She tensed up and faltered. Maribel slowly removed her finger from the gun's trigger and shook. Her stone-cold glare was no more as I could see the sadness in her golden brown eyes. I almost felt sympathetic if she weren't aiming a gun straight at my heart. I kept talking, "He misses you. He had police search for you but they had no luck. Then I was born and his first priority was me and my mom. He still wishes to see you just once but he truthfully said that he feels the same way towards you as he feels towards his unknown father that abandoned the both of you. You abandoned him too, despite the fact that you were all he had. He's perfectly happy now, but I'm not going to give up on you just like he did. But, I can see you don't want me around either. Go ahead and shoot me, but just know that you're only abandoning your family all over again."
With every word I said she shook harder and harder. She was close to touching the trigger again, but she lowered the gun and then quickly put it back in her coat pocket. She looked up at me and flashed me a death glare. "If you get us all killed...then I'll be seeing you in hell." Maribel walked passed me, bumping my shoulder on the way, and walked into the house. I just stared at the door and thought about all the time will spend trying to get her to accept me and the truth. She's a tough cookie. And, I know I'll have to bite down hard in order to get through. God, that was terrible...! I turned my attention towards Jeff, who was starting to get up. I helped him up and he huffed from the effort. I shook my head and remarked, "You seriously need to stop being an idiot."
He glanced at me, "If it weren't for my idiocy you would've been dead countless times."
I huffed and said, "Let's just get inside and get you in a bed." He nodded and I supported him as we walked to the front door. We made it inside and I heard Toby trying to calm down Maribel, but it seemed like he wasn't getting through to her. I heard a door slam and I knew that she was now confined and wouldn't be coming out for a while. Just like me and my dad.
I find the room that Jeff was sleeping in and help him into the bed. He coughed and moaned from the pain. I looked around for some bandages and some peroxide and quickly went to work. I unwrapped Jeff's bloody bandages and winced as I saw his wound. "Seriously, what the hell happened?!" I said as I cleaned his wound. He groaned as I did so and he muttered, "A piece of metal impaled me during the crash...and it went right through...I don't think I'll recover from this for a while...but god it hurts...!"
"It impaled you?! God damn, Jeff!" I exclaimed. I cleaned the wound and had to stitch it up. I found surgical thread and a needle and quickly went to work, making sure my movement was swift and steady to avoid tearing muscle tissue. Jeff winced and groaned and I kept telling him to calm down so I could have an easier time sealing up the wound. Once I was done, I wrapped new bandages to keep the wound concealed and sighed in relief. My hands were bloody and I shivered from glancing at them. I washed them off in the bathroom and ran back to Jeff's room to make sure he stayed in bed.
"Don't you even think about getting up," I warned him. He rolled his eyes and said, "I only got up to save your ass."
"Well, maybe I didn't need saving," I replied with a bit of venom in my tone, despite how grateful I am over his effort. He frowned and said, "It seemed like you were pretty much brain dead to me."
"I was just thinking of a defense plan!"
"I'm pretty sure a defense plan doesn't involve being frozen in fear and nearly pissing your pants."
"Sh-Shaddup!!!"
He smirked and I looked away from him. Now I remember just how irritating he is. How could I have ever fallen for him? Not only is he a killer but he's a pervert, he's possessive and he's a violent, sadistic man who would only get me in a world of trouble, which he's already done! I glanced over at him and could see a look in his eyes. He was examining me. "Take a picture, it lasts longer," I retorted. He chuckled weakly and said, "Please, the camera would break."
"You ass!" I scolded. He chuckled a little harder, which made his wound ache and he yelped from the pain. I laughed and stuck my tongue out at him. "It's what you get!"
He frowned and said, "Careful where you put your tongue, don't want it going down someone's throat."
I flashed him a death glare and felt my face burn so hot that I should've created a new shade of red. I was almost going to yell at him when I calmed myself down and muttered, "You know what? I'm not even going to bother. I have my grandmother to deal with and I don't have to pay any attention to you throughout our time here. So, enjoy your rest in your little bed, and I'll be leaving you here." I spun on my heel and walked out of the room to go find Toby. The twitching man was in the living room, muttering words under his breath. I walked up to him and he perked up and exclaimed, "Is it true?! Are you the proxy?!"
I was taken aback by his sudden outburst and was wondering if telling him the truth would only amaze him, shock him, or scare him. I would have to tell him the truth anyways so I said "Yes". He seemed to sigh in both relief and regret, which concerns me greatly. He took a seat in one of the coaches and I sat next to him. Toby suddenly took my hands in his twitching ones, and turned them over to see my marks. He stiffened and squeezed my wrists tightly, while still twitching. "I know it may be hard to contemplate," I started softly, "but it's true. I never expected it either, but I've been copping with the reality of my new life."
He shook his head slowly and muttered, "Miss Umber was the proxy once before. She told me all about it. It...it ruined her life." I gulped and listened as he continued. "She told me how hard it was to conceal her abilities and how she had to drift away from loved ones in order to keep them safe. She's been through so much. She found a man who loved her, but in the end he left because she was 'odd'. She was committed into a mental hospital but she escaped. She had to make a new start, but soon she had a son and it was hard to raise him while seeming to be a normal mother. Miss Umber tried so hard, but in the end she left her son to live his own life when he was old enough. It still breaks her heart everyday, knowing she left him like his father did. She wishes to go back but, she knows that'll only cause trouble for him. So she went on the run, moving from state to state, committing crimes for her own safety. She's killed before only to protect her identity. And along the way she met me, and took me in when I was on the verge of dying out in the cruel world. I've stuck by her since then and she's been so kind to me. She's the nicest person I've met ever since my...accident. I couldn't ask for anyone better! But seeing her like this...really concerns me and I don't want her to suffer anymore from this proxy ordeal."
I sighed and looked down to avoid eye contact with him. "I'm really sorry about all of this. But, I had to come here for very important reasons."
Toby looked up at me and waited for my explanation. I sigh and start, not wanting to hesitate for any second. "I became the proxy this year, and it's been hard for me too. Not only do I live in a world with monsters but...I have to balance my old life with my new one. I didn't really do a good job, and I nearly got friends and family killed during the process. I've been training with others so I could be prepared for what I'm meant for. I'm sure you've heard of Zalgo, right?"
Toby shuddered and twitched a little more jaggedly. I take that as a yes. "Well," I started, "I'm going to have to fight him one day and I don't know how to defeat him. I know I can't kill him nor can I let him take over humanity. That's why I came here to look for Maribel. She was the proxy before me and I wanted to ask her how she defeated him since she's still alive today. She had to have done something that worked and I need to do the same, or at least figure out a tactic similar to hers. Either way, I'm not leaving until I've gotten advice from her and have gained her total trust. Please, understand the importance of this, Toby. I need your support too."
He looked down at the floor, as he twiddled his thumbs. He looked up at me with those seemingly puppy dog eyes and nodded. "Okay...," he mumbled, "I'll help you..! I-I'll try to convince Miss Umber about this and maybe she'll cooperate. But, not right now. She's a little upset and it's not a good thing to pry in her business when she's upset. I'll talk to her later."
I sighed in relief and smiled. "Thank you! I really appreciate it!" Toby flashed me a smile back and sprang up on his feet. "Well, I should probably head into town! We're running out of food so I'll need to buy groceries!"
"Do you ever NOT have chores?" I asked him. Toby shrugged and said, "I just like to work!"
"Could I, perhaps, come with you? I can't stay cooped up in here. And maybe if I walk around, my soreness will wear off." I persuaded. Toby accepted my offer and ran off to go put on a jacket. I went to find mine and walked back to the living room to leave with Toby. He didn't wear his goggles and mouth piece this time, probably to avoid suspicions from anybody. He doesn't look too friendly with that gear on too. Before we left, he hid a hatchet in his coat and then said, "Okay! Let's go!" He opened the door for me and we both stepped out into the blistering cold. I should've gotten a thicker coat.
...
We had to walk to a small town, which wasn't too far off yet the freezing weather must've made it a longer trip. There was a market that was selling fruits, vegetables, winter gear, work tools and other things appropriate for these conditions. Toby went around looking for food while he told me to find some other things that he said I would need. We split up and I went to look for some clothes. Toby got our bags back but, I'm sure Jeff's and my clothes are probably a little tattered. And plus the weather conditions here are worse than the conditions in Illinois. I searched for some decent pants and shirts for us and some winter boots and scarves too. I walked by a white wool jacket with fur on the inside of the hood. Jeff doesn't have a thick jacket, only that dingy white hoodie, which I'm sure has served its purpose long enough. I grabbed the jacket and put it with the rest of the stuff. I felt that what I had was enough for us and I went to go meet up with Toby. We quickly found each other and I saw that he had gotten food and some medical supplies. "You all done?" he asked. I nodded, not able to say a simple yes because my teeth chattered to erratically. He chucked and we went to go pay at the little checkout lane. As we waited in line, I looked around the market. There weren't that many people and it was a big place. Well, it is placed in a small town so I should've guessed that it would have few customers.
I looked behind me and saw a girl, wearing a black knee-high cloak. She had winter boots on, some tights and a sundress with long sleeves. She must be freezing when she goes outside. She suddenly turned my direction and I felt awkward. I wonder if she thinks I'm weird for staring at her. Her hood was covering the upper half of her face but I could still tell that her skin was very, very pale. Poor girl. Maybe she can't afford any warm clothes. I wonder how she's getting by. I shyly waved to her but she didn't respond with the same simple gesture. She only lowered her head and looked away. I was about to go up and apologize to her for being rude and staring, but she quickly walked off. As I watched her leave, I saw something drop from her pocket. I handed my stuff to Toby and ran to go get it for her. I got it and called out for her but she wasn't around anymore. Damn.
I sighed and looked at the object I just picked up. It was a black rose pendant. This looks expensive and I'm sure she must've cherished it. I just hope I run into that girl again so I can return it to her. Toby finally got to pay for our things and we made our trek back to his house. I swear, I'll be getting a cold soon enough.
...
We made it back to his house and I put my new stuff in my given room and I walked into the one Jeff occupied. As soon as I walked in, I heard laughter and I saw that Jeff and Maribel were having tea together. Jeff was still in the bed and injured but, he looked happy. Huh...
"I know I must've been so stupid to have done such a delirious thing but I was just a teenager!" Maribel chortled and Jeff laughed. She's...friendly towards him? Him? Eh...?
They both finally noticed me and Maribel's smile faded. The room grew uncomfortably silent and I was desperate to have something happen. My prayers were answered as Maribel got up and said, "Well, it was nice chatting with you Jeffery! Get better soon."
"Will do," he replied, and handed her his empty glass for her to take and wash. She walked towards the door, not even taking a single glance at me as she left the room. Why is she nice to Jeff and not me? If anything, it would've been the opposite. What aspect of me does she despise? And what aspect of Jeff does she enjoy? Why him? I'm the one going to work my ass off trying to get her to trust me and help me! This is great! Just great! I take back what I said, she is NOTHING like me or my father. She's...she's just...impossible! Gah!
I turn towards Jeff and scowl slightly. "What went on while me and Toby were gone?" I asked. He shrugged and answered, "She came in and suddenly wanted to know what happened to me. I told her everything and well, one thing took a turn to another thing and we were chatting like BFFs or something like that." I scowled even harder, earning a scowl from him in return. One glance at him and she suddenly acts nice and sweet, one glance at me and she wants to kill me and bury me in the freezing snow! What is wrong with that woman?!
"What's got you angry?" Jeff asked me. I shook my head and said, "Nothing. It's nothing."
He thought for a while and then grinned more and more. "Is someone a little...jealous?"
I felt my face burn and I hissed, "I am NOT jealous!"
"Liar."
"Stop it!" I exclaimed.
"Now you're just being a five-year-old." he remarked.
I growled deep in my throat and threw his new clothes on him. "Here's some stuff that I bought for you because I felt like being gracious! So do me this one favor and appreciate it!" A shirt landed on his face and he just laid there. I had to admit that it was slightly funny, so I snickered a little, but only a little! Jeff grumbled under the shirt, "Thanks..."
I huffed, "You're welcome...jerk...."
He said through the shirt still on his face, "Pansy."
"Bastard!"
".......bitch..."
"You douche!" I shouted and stormed out of his room to leave him with his new clothes...that he should appreciate! He's such a...a douche! Argh, forget him! I need to focus on Maribel for now. Once he's healed and we get back home, I'm going to pulverize him and wipe the floor with that dick's face! And I'll make sure he stays on the ground longer this time!