Chapter 74
Jeff's POV
Gouging out the eyes and hearts of Corrupted is relieving, especially when you know that your girlfriend is about to screw the world over because some cosmic douche is her father and wanted to use her the entire fucking time so basically everyone is screwed and so far I'm the only one who can do anything about it.
I need a drink.
Badly.
Scarecrow led the way for me so she could help me get to Ellie. Though she doesn't consider it helping. Of course, we ran into Corrupted wherever we went. I managed to help some people out even though they were freaking out about it because...well...my face...
But sometimes I wasn't so successful. I was trying desperately to hold on to a woman's hand and she did the same. A Corrupted had a grip on her leg as it snarled and spit at us. Scarecrow was busy taking care of a larger sized one at the time so the woman only had me to count on. But, with one jerk, the Corrupted had yanked her out of my grip and into its maw. I froze and watched in utter horror as she was ripped apart. I had gotten angry and charged at it. It just smacked me around but I still persisted. It had lunged forward and bit into my upper arm but I took the chance to stab it in between the beady red eyes. It let me go and I kicked it down to expose its underbelly. Once I did that, I pounced on it and repeatedly stabbed into its chest, over and over again until it decayed. And, as disgusting as everything else, all that remained were black ashes and the remains of the woman I was trying to save.
I accidentally stepped on entrails and nearly hacked up bile. But I quickly got a hold of myself and left the scene behind. Scarecrow had just finished killing the Corrupted she was fighting before and was walking to me, sheathing her scythe. She looked down at my arm and pointed. I sighed once looking through my torn sleeve and at the pulsating black marks and took out a syringe from the drop leg pouch. I inserted the needle into my skin and pushed the cerulean chemical into my system. Once the black marks were gone I took the needle out and put it away.
"Are you okay?" Scarecrow asked. I nodded and took in a deep breath to sustain my nerves. "Let's just keep going," I muttered and trudged on. I heard her footsteps quickly follow after me and we continued on our way. As we walked, I asked, "So, how the hell is Zalgo Elizabeth's father?"
Scarecrow sighed and replied, "He used a part of his essence to give her new life. His blood is her blood, therefore she is his reborn offspring. But I highly doubt she would've remembered that ever happening. Before she died the parents she had were her biological parents. She had their DNA, and all. But when she died and made the deal, she was reborn from Zalgo's DNA, if you could call it that."
"So," I mumbled, "her parents weren't her parents...but they were...yet they still weren't...?"
She patted my shoulder. "Don't start breaking your brain already. You'll need it later." She slightly walked ahead of me and I went my pace, feeling highly confused. "I don't get how this could've happened," I muttered under my breath. Scarecrow heard me and said, "I haven't the slightest clue. I'm guessing Elizabeth's death was an opportunity for him to have the upper hand in battle once this day came."
"You make it sound like she's actually dead," I said.
"Well, technically she is," she answered. "Zalgo is just keeping her alive. Not to be rude, but basically, you've been in love with a living corpse."
I gulped and looked down at the ground, feeling really uncomfortable. But, corpse or not, Elizabeth is my Sunshine and I'll love her no matter what, which is why I'll save her from Zalgo's twisted plan. I clenched my fists and grit my teeth.
I need you to promise me something.
Anything.
Promise that once this is all over that...that you will still be alive. Promise me that you'll make it and I'll do the same. Once this is over we won't have to worry about anything else ever again.
"I'm going to save you Elizabeth," I muttered, "So you can keep that promise..."
...
Scarecrow and I snuck around a corner, having heard Corrupted around here. I peeked around the corner to see that we were right about there being a Corrupted, but only just one. It didn't look too threatening though. It was bony, hunched, very human-like though it was smaller compared to the others. I could easily take it out so long as I'm quiet. I said this to Scarecrow and her cloth face contorted into a slight frown. She looked at it and then back at me. "I don't know Jeff," she said, "You shouldn't underestimate them. I've worked with them before and even if they're small and malnourished they still put up a fight. You never know what it could throw at you."
"Don't worry, I got this. I'll stealth it," I whispered. She gave me a look and I shrugged. I looked back at the creature and began sneaking towards it. My steps were quiet and steady, I kept my head down so it wouldn't see me. I was a few feet away from it and I had enough time to attack it and kill it. I silently snuck up behind its hunching structure and brought my knife down in between its bony shoulder blades. It cried out a distorted shriek of pain and I pulled my knife out. I was about to stab into the back of its neck when I noticed that the wound I just made started opening up wider. I faltered and watched as smaller Corrupted creatures crawled out of the wound, swarming all over the back. I backed away as I watched the little creatures fall and grow larger until it was about the same size as the original.
"What the actual fuck...?" I said. They all looked at me, with wide, gaping bright eyes and hissed. Dammit! The original screeched which seemed to be a signal for the other ones to come and attack me. I should've heeded Scarecrow's warning. But now I'm regretting not doing that, like a dumb-ass. I started quickly backing away to get back to Scarecrow but, like an idiot, I tripped over my own two feet and fell over. This gave the Corrupted a chance to pounce on me and start gnawing on me. I yelped and flailed in a panic and swiped my knife at whatever it could catch.
My movements were no use and I screamed in pain as they kept bitting into my flesh, enjoying it. I looked over at Scarecrow who watched idly. "Don't just stand there! Argh, help me!"
"You said you had it so I'm letting you handle this," she stated and I frowned at her.
I was about to throw an insult at her when one of the Corrupted grabbed me by the hair, pulled my head back and bit down on my neck. I screamed from the feeling of sharp, little teeth grinding against my own skin and muscle. I coughed up blood and growled from trying to push them off of me. I had lost my grip on my knife a few moments ago so I tried desperately to feel for it with trembling fingers. But I only felt ground and clawed at it as the pain of getting bitten intensified. I could feel the corruption flowing through my veins and I raised up my hand to look at it. My fingers were bleeding from scraping them on the ground but they were turning black quicker than I've ever seen.
I panicked even more and tried reaching into my drop leg pouch, despite that I probably won't heal while still being bitten. But as they just kept bitting and bitting I was losing my energy and my hand was going numb. I was on the verge of blacking out when I saw something whizz above me and suddenly the Corrupted stopped bitting me. My vision was blurry and bright for a few moments before it cleared and I saw all of the Corrupted were beheaded. And out of the corner of my eye I could see a scythe blade, dripping with black blood. The scythe whizzed by again, catching all of the Corrupted on its blade and taking them away from me.
I watched them all wither as the blade had hit through all of their hearts and all that was left were ashes, once again. I rolled over onto my side and spit up blood as my whole body ached. I wheezed terribly and watched a figure come up to me and kneel down. Scarecrow opened up my pouch and took out a syringe. Without warning she stabbed the needle into my neck and I gasped. I felt the antidote coming in and working. She got out two other syringes and plunged it into both of my legs, then two others for my arms, and a few more for my chest and sides. I knew she had used too many but I also knew they were all necessary. I was bitten one too many times by a dozen Corrupted. The poison must've started working faster with all of that. Thank god Scarecrow came though...again.
After a few moments Scarecrow took the syringes out and I felt a whole lot better and I was able to sit up. I was covered in blood and bite marks. I need to get treated soon. I looked up at her and muttered, "Thanks."
She sighed as she put the syringes back into the pouch. "I told you not to underestimate them," she said. I frowned and stammered, "Sh-Shaddup..."
She smirked, "Well, now you owe me."
"Since when?!" I said.
"I saved your ass twice and have treated you twice. So you owe me, big time. Once you do two things for me then we'll be even," she stated.
I crossed my arms and cursed under my breath. She helped me up and handed me my knife. I took in a deep breath and started walking, limping badly. "You're not going to rest?" she asked me. I turned to her and said, "Ellie could be out there getting turned into some war machine. I'm not about to rest and waste time."
"You're a fool to think you can save her in your condition," Scarecrow muttered. I glared at her and growled, "I don't care what happens to me! As long as Elizabeth will be able to save this world then everything will be fine! Now come on and help me."
"Jeffery-."
"Shut the fuck up and walk," I snapped at her, "I don't need rest! I need to help Ellie!"
"You can't help her when you're close to passing out," she growled. "You'll die before you can even find her! I suggest you rest and get treated."
"There's nothing you can say that'll convince me to stop," I said.
"You're too weak to do anything right now. You can barely walk! What makes you think you can save Elizabeth in your state?!"
"Because I love her!!!" I yelled. The space around us grew silent and tense. We just kept glaring daggers into each other. Scarecrow eventually snapped out of it and said, "Stop and rest."
"Make me," I said and started walking away, still limping though.
"Jeff!" she called out to me. I didn't turn back. "Jeff!!!" she kept calling. After a while I grew frustrated and yelled back, "You can't make me stop so quit trying to-!"
I was pulled back and I started to choke. I clawed at a raggedy, stitched arm and tried yanking myself out of the hold. "Sorry," I heard Scarecrow say, "but this is for your own good...!" I started getting pulled down to the ground and it took me a while to realize that I was being put into a sleeper hold. I was already feeling dizzy. After a few moments, I stopped struggling and my body went limp. My vision blurred and the last thing I saw was Scarecrow looming over me, and above her the midnight sky, swirling with black and crimson storm clouds.
...
[Day 2: Next Morning-8:00am]
I woke up to someone poking my arm. I pulled through the blurry vision and looked up to see Scarecrow. "Finally, you wake up," she remarked, "I thought I'd have to throw water on you or-."
I immediately bolted upright and firmly gripped her throat. She choked and held onto my arm. I seethed and hissed, "How dare you force me into unconsciousness...?! I told you I didn't need rest...! Now I've wasted time all because you were too stubborn to let me go...! You've screwed everyone over!!!"
She managed to sputter out a few words. "...Y-You're feeling better...aren't you...? Besides...n-nothing has happened yet... I patrolled the area of a-any Corrupted while you s-slept-."
"You wouldn't have had to if you had just let me find Elizabeth!!!" I growl as I tighten my grip. She gasped and still managed to say more. "I-It was for the best...! You weren't capable to help her..! Wh-What if you had to fight...? What then...? And at least be grateful she hasn't d...done anything yet...!"
I glared at her with so much anger, but I eventually let her go. She took in some air and felt at her cloth-made neck. I looked down at myself to see my jacket and shirt were off, and my torso was completely covered in bandages. So were my arms and legs. I reached up and felt my neck, feeling even more bandages. I sighed and asked, "Where are my clothes?"
Scarecrow scoffed and answered, "In the corner, over there." She pointed to the far corner of the room, which was dim with any light and trashed. I got up and started limping my way over there. I picked up my shirt, pants and jacket and started putting them on, despite how messed up they were. My knife was under the clothes so I picked that up too and put it in my pocket. "Where are we?" I said. Scarecrow was by the window, moving the blinds a little to see outside. "We're in an apartment complex. The whole building is empty. The entire town pretty much evacuated already. There could be a few survivors but all and all this town is a ghost."
I adjusted my jacket and asked, "Did you treat me?"
"Who else could have done it?" She remarked and I flashed her a look. She stepped away from the window and spoke up, "Oh yeah, this is yours, I believe." I turned as she tossed me my drop leg pouch. I caught it and opened it up to check how many syringes I had left. I cursed under my breath. There's only two left. I sighed gruffly and strapped it around my thigh. I'm such an idiot! If I hadn't tried taking on that Corrupted by myself and hadn't underestimated it then Scarecrow wouldn't have had to use up most of the syringes! Now all I have left is two...
"Fuck, fuck, fuck," I grumbled. I punched the wall out of frustration and leaned my head against it. I could feel Scarecrow looking at me with those empty sockets of hers. "Let's get moving," I muttered and pushed myself away from the wall. Scarecrow didn't protest this time and grabbed her scythe, which was leaning against another wall. We left the apartment room and started making our way down the flight of stairs, since I had a good feeling the elevator wouldn't work. Also because it was jammed...with a dead body...
I must admit, I did feel better now. I feel a little bad about getting angry at Scarecrow. She did help me. I think I owe her three things now. I'm sore and covered in wounds but I'm feeling better and more focused than yesterday. It's hard to believe that all of what happened was just in one day. And I have a feeling that, if the days keep coming, they'll get worse and worse. Hopefully, I save Ellie before that happens. I'll find her. Especially since Scarecrow is "helping" me out. I really should thank her and stop being such a douche-bag. Everything is just getting to me and I wish I wasn't so sensitive to these bad feelings, like anger and anxiety. But, who wouldn't be at a time like this?
As I went down the steps, Scarecrow walking in front of me, I began to break the silence between us. "Hey, Scarecrow," I started, "I'm, uh...I'm sorry about my behavior. You've really helped out a lot and...I just want to say...I just want to say tha-."
The steps started to shake, along with everything else. At first it was small, but as the seconds went by it got stronger and stronger and more violent. Scarecrow gripped tightly onto the stair rail and I fell over against the wall. I struggled to pick myself up as the tremors got more violent. "What the hell is going on?!" I shouted. "E-Earthquake?!" she shouted back. I wasn't so sure about that. We haven't had an earthquake in years, decades even. This isn't a normal earthquake. I started getting up again when I felt the steps I was on weaken and creak. Before I knew it, they cracked, the fracture racing up the wall and along the ceiling. I quickly scrambled away from it, the crack in between me and Scarecrow. And, to my dread, the crack started getting wider, separating the two sides and us.
Before I contemplate to jump, the crack spread to about five, six feet wide. "Jump!" Scarecrow screamed, holding out a hand for me. I was hesitant as I looked down to see nothing but darkness. Gulping down my nervousness, I brought up the courage to step back a bit and leap towards the other side. But with every second it took, the crack grew wider, which threw off my jump. Instead of landing on my feet on the other side, my feet missed and, in a rapid panic, I reached out and my arms caught the edge, my chest hitting it. My legs dangled and I strained to pull myself up. Scarecrow maneuvered through the tremors and held onto me as she pulled me up. I heaved myself up through the rest of the way and she helped me onto my feet.
As soon as I got up, we heard snapping and crackling. More fractures started spreading around the rest of the untouched areas of the building and we immediately dashed down the stairs to escape. Scarecrow dodged a falling piece of ceiling, I jumped over pieces of jagged wood that jutted out of steps. We were barely getting onto the third flight of steps when a crack appeared, shooting straight up the middle of the stairs. It started growing wider until we had no more room to run anymore. Scarecrow pulled out her scythe and, as soon as we fell down the fracture, anchored it on top of the two separated parts. She quickly caught my hand and held onto her scythe with the other, keeping us from falling any further than we need to be.
I hung on tightly and hoped that she was strong enough to hold on to her scythe long enough. She growled from the effort but still held on while keeping a good grip on my hand. I would've thought we'd have a chance, if the crack wasn't growing wider and wider. The two separated sides drew closer and closer and closer to the ends of Scarecrow's scythe. If this keeps up then the scythe will have nothing to anchor down on and we'll go falling. I watched with intent eyes as more and more foundation started leaving us and the scythe. I could almost see the ends. My grip on Scarecrow grew tighter from my nervousness. I counted the seconds until we would inevitably fall.
1...
2...
3...
And before I could get to four...the tremors stopped. The crack stopped spreading which meant that the scythe still had something to anchor on. Relief swept over me and all we had to do now was figure out a way to get back up. I looked down and saw the second flight of stairs off to the side and got an idea. "Scarecrow!" I said.
"...Wh-What?" she groaned.
"I can see the second set of stairs! If I can swing myself over then you can do the same and I'll catch you if you get into trouble," I explained. She wasted no time to agree and nodded. I looked down and focused on one spot to land on. I started willing myself to swing back and forth. Scarecrow had to strain herself even more in order for me to swing correctly and not slip off. Once I finally had a good swing I yelled, "Let go!" and willed myself forward to leap. Scarecrow did as I said and I went falling towards the second flight of stairs. I landed on the spot I wanted and panted from the adrenaline.
I look up at Scarecrow and shout, "Now all you have to do is swing and fall down! I'll catch you!" She seemed to nod and began swing herself enough to aim towards me. She finally got it and slipped her scythe out of its place. I caught her and her scythe went tumbling down the steps we were on. "Are you okay?" I asked. She nodded and looked at her arms. "The stitching got a little loose," she mumbled. I allowed her to fix herself up and when she was done she patted my shoulder and urged me on. We started making our way down the steps, Scarecrow picking up her scythe on the way down. We finally entered into the lobby without running into any more obstacles and I sighed in relief. "I'm still curious about that earthquake. Or at least I think it was," I said.
"I don't think it was an earthquake," Scarecrow said.
"What else could it have been?" I asked as I pushed open the front entrance of the building. And as soon as I stepped outside I knew that we felt no earthquake. "That," Scarecrow stated, grimly.
The town was wrecked, worse than it was before. Buildings crumbled and leaned, the air felt heavy and it almost seemed suffocating, and the streets were devoid of any life. But what freaked me out was a bright, crimson light flaring in the distance and each time it flashed I could hear tremors in the distance. I looked up at the sky. It didn't change but something kept flying around in the air. Is it...snowflakes? I picked up my hand to catch whatever it was and looked at it. It wasn't snow. It looked like sugarcane ash only it made me feel highly uneasy, and it gave off a light, rotten smell. As more and more ashes floated down, a sudden, shrieking wail erupted and Scarecrow and I jumped. It echoed for a while, sounding like it was coming from all directions. It was a scream of anger, vicious intent and a hint of agony. I know my screams and I know whoever it is coming from is not to be dealt with. The wail kept blaring and then, to my dread, I recognized it. I know my screams...
"Ellie," my voice quivered. Her scream faded to silence and concern flitted through my mind. I looked up at the crimson light in the distance and immediately thought to go there. She has to be there. She just has to. "We gotta save Elizabeth. Come on!" I beckoned Scarecrow. Before I could bolt into a sprint, she grabbed my arm and said something that unnerved me. "Jeff, it's already been done. Zalgo's plan is in full swing now. She...she's not Elizabeth anymore..."
I stared at her, feeling every once of fear rise and crash like tidal waves. I looked down at the ground and trembled from uneasiness. Ellie... My fear of losing the only one I could love this much was becoming a reality. And what's worse is that the one I love isn't the one I love. She's not herself. She's just a tool in some sick bastard's plan! And I'll be damned if he thinks this will go on! She's not some tool!
She's MY Sunshine!!!
Determination filled me and I yanked myself out of Scarecrow's hold. I went running, running and running. I never stopped. I kept going. Because I'll see Ellie again. And I'll save her. Then we'll be together again and we'll end this! Together!
I'm coming Ellie. I'll do what I vowed to do.
Protect you.