{Reader's POV}
A pain throbbed inside my arms and my neck hung forward. I slowly opened my eyes and squinted as I tried to see through the bright room.
The light was blinding and it took a while before my eyes could adjust to the surroundings.
As I carefully raised my neck, another pain shot through it and made it harder to look up. I felt my body was tense and for some reason I could feel myself being restrained to a...chair?
A chair?!
My eyes popped open and I instinctively craned my neck to the left to see over my shoulder. To my utter disbelief, I noticed my hands and feet were tied to the chair with ropes. I started crying for help but when I heard nothing more than a muffled noise, I realized my mouth was taped shut.
Out of pure desperation, I began struggling and thrashing under the chair's ropes, but I only managed to scrape the floor. Fear overwhelmed me and I began to feel my heart racing inside my chest.
My nerves shot through my body and butterflies fluttered in my stomach as I lost my composure and panicked. The last thing I remembered was passing out in front of the mall...
"Would you calm down? You're safe here."
A voice spoke from afar and I jerked my head up to find Gabriel standing next to a door. I furrowed my eyebrows and gawked at the sandy brunette in shock. And that's when it hit me.
Rage surged through my body and all the fear I felt before quickly faded. I started yelling through the duct tape and thrashing in my seat aggressively.
"Heh, I get the feeling you're cursing at me", he remarked as he stepped inside the room and walked towards me. I glared daggers at the brunette and clenched my hands into fists from the anger.
Gabriel smirked as his hand hovered over my mouth and roughly pulled off the tape. Once a sharp, burning pain spread over my mouth, I winced and shouted in return.
When the pain subsided, I raised my head and growled at Gabriel, "Why the hell did you bring me here?! Tied up to a chair like some criminal no less!!", I bellowed.
The brunette chuckled at me and shook his head as if he were talking to a child, "It's as simple as that actually, I just want to arrest—"
"I'M NOT YOUR GODDAMN KILLER!!"
Gabriel's lips tightened shut and he knitted his eyebrows in frustration.
"I know", he responded bluntly.
I slowly relaxed my shoulders and stared confusingly at Gabriel, "Then why am I here?", I asked suspiciously as my frown returned. The young man let out a sigh as he walked around me and escaped my field of vision.
"Like I was saying before... I want to arrest the killer, and you, (Y/N), know where he's hiding—"
"Oh, so now you're saying I'm conspiring with him?! Where on earth do you get these ridiculous ideas from?!", I scoffed at the young man and rolled my eyes in annoyance.
Gabriel huffed behind me and I could swear he was glaring at me at this point. "Don't try to lie yourself out of this one. You weren't smart enough to trick my dad and you're not smart enough to trick me", he boasted loudly as I felt his hands tugging on the ropes. I smirked at him and chuckled, "And yet he's dead and I'm not", I retorted.
Gabriel growled behind my ear and cut the ropes restraining me. My body reflectively pounced upwards and I tried running away, but Gabriel grabbed my shoulders and slammed me back down on the seat. I slightly winced from the quick impact and watched as Gabriel came back around.
"And why is that? HUH?!", he snarled and clenched his fists, "It's because you're working with the killer! Hell, he's not even human so of course you and him get away with all your murders!", he glowered at me.
My eyes widened and I stared at Gabriel in shock, "How do you know that's true?!", I shrieked. Gabriel's anger suddenly faded and a twisted smile soon replaced his frown. He bent down to my eye level and stared at me with those eyes devoid of any warmth...much like his late father's.
"I saw him", he exclaimed with fascination as madness swirled in his eyes. I leaned away from him and felt a trickle of sweat sliding down my forehead.
Gabriel raised his body and gazed at his hand as if he was admiring something precious, "I watched you that day... It was snowing and you had dropped a...music box", he marveled at the memory, "I didn't think much of it, but out of curiosity I picked it up... And only to have been given the chance to witness the extraordinary scene in front of me...", he returned his gaze to me and grinned wider, "I saw him", he exclaimed again.
I gulped down nervously and frowned at Gabriel's lunatic gaze, "You're insane! I have no idea what you're talking about!", I protested as the young man shook his head. Gabriel chuckled and motioned toward the door with his hand.
"Then... If I were to... well, I don't know... SEND my men to your house and steal the music box, you wouldn't mind, would you?"
My breath hitched in my throat as Gabriel's question stun me. I frowned and stared at the floor with a grim expression, "Go ahead, I won't stop you...", I said impassively as I recalled the bloodbath from the last time someone decided to upset Jack.
Gabriel's smirk widened and he nodded his head, "Wonderful, because when the clown kills all of them, I'll be sure to leave him a note saying where you are!"
My eyes widened and I gawked at the sandy brunette as he howled in laughter. His devilish eyes scanned over the men outside and he chuckled as one of them brought him a note.
"Dear Mr. Clown Man, I have your partner (Y/N) with me tied up. If you bring the music box and hand yourself over (nicely), then I'll let her go. However, if you dawdle for too long, I won't guarantee she'll be alive when we make the trade... From Gabriel Stan."
Gabriel's eyes twinkled as he saw the expression on my face. I couldn't breathe and my heart was racing inside my chest.
"There's no clown! You're wrong!", I started panicking as Gabriel whispered something in the guard's ear, "THERE'S NO MUSIC BOX!!!", I exploded and desperately tried to catch Gabriel's attention as he walked towards the door.
My legs unconsciously started moving and I was soon sprinting after the brunette, but they locked me inside before I could grasp them.
Fear welled up in my eyes and I slump down to the floor, "Jack...", I muttered under my breath as I closed my eyes and grieved.
~*~
{Narrator's POV}
The monochrome clown sat near the window and gazed outside to look at the flurries of snow that had just begun to fall. Jack had taken a short nap on the couch after (Y/N) insisted that he'd rest after last night's kill.
He always found it odd that (Y/N) could be so calm about his past and morbid hobby. She always did have a way of making someone feel normal... Even if they were clearly not.
Speaking of which, when Jack had woken up from his nap, he couldn't find her anywhere.
Sure, she'd often leave to do a quick errand or she'd get called in to work for a few hours... But, this time, he couldn't help but worry. (Y/N) had a habit of calling the home phone to check up on him, just in case anything suspicious could happen while she was gone (like Gabriel coming back to her house).
But, the clown hadn't received a single call.
Jack let out a sigh and shook his head as he walked around the living room. Having the young man's face flash in his head was annoying for him.
When he found out the Officer had a son and that he was after him for revenge, it made him feel so agitated. Poor ol' Jack had killed Charlie and now it turned out the pesky old man still found a way to bother him, even in death!
To Jack, it only felt like he'd have to kill one last person before FINALLY getting some piece and quiet with (Y/N).
*Ding* *Dong*
Jack raised an eyebrow and cocked his head as the doorbell rang. The sound echoed through the entire house a few more times and it only fueled the monochrome clown's confusion.
"(Y/N) has a key... It's HER house after all...", he thought as he gazed at the door with suspicion.
The door kept ringing and unfortunately, Jack's patience only deteriorated.
With a growl, Jack passed through the wall farthest away from the front door and stared at the people waiting at the porch.
He leaned against the house and studied all their faces. The men wore black attire and sunglasses as they loyally stood behind one man in the front... In actuality, the only man who Jack recognized out of the group... Much to his satisfaction...
"Gabriel...", he muttered under his breath and grinned from ear to ear as his facial features sparked bloodlust inside of him. He already killed one sandy brunette and he could kill the next if he pleased.
With a demonic smile, Jack passed through the wall again and excitedly pinned his attention to the door.
With a quick wave of his hand, the door unlocked and opened for the men and Gabriel. The door squeaked as it pulled back and left all the men in confusion—which Jack found EXTREMELY amusing since they had no idea what was coming next.
As the men dressed in black entered the house, Jack couldn't suppress his glee any longer and burst into a raging fit of laughter. Of course, the men heard him—Jack made it intentional—but they couldn't see where the source of the noise was coming from.
Well, all but one person...