The halls seemed silent. Too silent. Usually there'd be one or two Corrupted walking around, but it was just me. There was a sense of uneasiness in the air, as I pursed my lips and clenched my fists. It felt like there was gonna be a monster around the corner ready to rip me to shreds. The only sound in the halls were the thundering heartbeat in my ears.
THUMP
Following that dull thunder, was a pair of muffled shouts. One sounded like it came from a terrified woman, another an angry man.
Fresh? Was that Fresh?
Then who's the other girl?
What's going on?
I tried to follow the origin of the clamour, tracing it to the best of my ability. Until I realised it was coming from the dining hall where I had my meals. When I tip-toed my way to the door, I stopped. Do I want to know what's behind this door? Would it be like that time I heard Fresh talking about the people who corrupted him? Would my curiosity kill the cat? The mahogany pink door glared down at me. It was almost like it was mocking me for me being scared.
But I opened it just a peek, and cautiously peered inside.
I do not have a good feeling.
The moment I did look inside I started to regret everything.
In the middle of the room, standing on top of the table was Fresh. It was undeniably him, with the popped collar and bright pink hair. His back was facing towards me, and his torso was rising and falling in quick succession, like he had just broken into a sprint.
And collapsed against the wall opposite him was a Corrupted man.
Austin.
The now Corrupted Austin now had the same colours as Fresh. What wasn't pink was black, and what wasn't black was pink. And now that I look at the two of them, I see the similarities. Popped leather Jackets, spiky hair, chain on pants. But that's where the similarities end, Fresh's the real deal, while Austin's more of a poser. Comparing the two is like comparing a kitten to a lion. Austin's a lord, while Fresh is a king. I guess that power imbalance was apparent in this room, because Austin was slumped over a crater in the wall with a stain of pink running down his forehead. His eyes were closed. He was not moving. I've only heard the fact that Tetra bet up Austin, and saw their battle wounds before, but I've actually never, ever seen Austin lose a battle. And from the looks of it, it was an one hit K.O. He looked so vulnerable like that. Austin didn't even stand a chance.
What was Fresh doing?
Now that I look at his clenched fist, there was a stain of pink liquid covering his knuckles.
And I now have a clear idea on what he was doing.
But I didn't realise that there were more people there until I heard the shouting of a desperate, cornered little girl.
Sugar.
The emotionally manipulative Sugar was obviously playing the victim in this situation. I know that posture all too well. Knees locked together, arms tightly against her chest, a look of fear smothered across her makeup-covered face. But somehow, I feel like this is genuine. Maybe it's the look in her eyes, the look of a terrified little bird. Her knees trembled as she froze in place, not even daring to move in case the movement would cause Fresh to go after her. But something about her was different. The last time I saw her, her eyes were pure black, gaping holes that was typical of all the Corrupted. Now, they're humanlike and emotional. Did Fresh give her free will?
"OH MY GOD SOMEBODY HELP ME!!! HELP!!!! HELP!!! THIS MAN IS CRAZY!" She screamed in a high pitched squeal for help. "THIS MAN IS ATTACKING ME, HE'S MOLESTING ME!"
Sugar loves to play the victim. At first I thought she experiences fear like anybody else and reacts the same way as anybody else, but that last part just made my blood boil. This was not the first time she had accused someone of molesting her. And Fresh wasn't even within 10 meters of the girl. Maybe that last part was just routine, was what she usually screamed when a man was acting all threatening towards her or around her.
Fresh's head just whipped around, and he glared at her. The look in his eyes took even me by surprise.
I had never seen such a cold, unforgiving, intense gaze in my entire life.
His single, black eye that I can see from this angle can easily freeze the blood of any human, and can even cause a feral wolf to whimper with its tail between its legs.
And Sugar just yelped.
He turned his body towards her and started walking. At this point, she just collapsed onto the ground, knees giving way. She tried to scramble back against the wall, eyes desperately darting around to room, trying to find anything to protect herself with. But Fresh's gaze stayed fixated on her. His prey had nowhere to run.
But then, I saw a figure start running towards him.
Ryleigh.
Her footsteps were silent, like her feet were made of feathers. In her left hand, she held a candelabra like a knife, with a look that was a mix between rage, fear and desperation in her pink, humanlike eyes. She also had free will. Her free hand clutched her shoulder like she had hurt something. And on closer inspection, there's a speck of pink blood on the side of her head. Was she smashed against the wall? That might he what woke me up.
I was just about to yell out, warning Fresh, when he just raised a hand behind him right before it was too late. Without. Even. Looking behind him.
Ryleigh screamed as Fresh's thick fingers closed around her skull, and he effortlessly tossed her towards Sugar, like she was nothing but a mere stuffed toy.
The two girls screamed as they collapsed on one another. I heard a crack, and I knew it was not good news. Ryleigh collapsed into Sugar's lap, groaning as she clutched her shoulder.
Then, Fresh started pacing towards the two, picking up a chair with a look of pure rage and hatred in his eyes.
When he raised it, Sugar screeched in fear as she cowered, using Ryleigh's body as a human shield.
I didn't realise that I had practically threw the door open until all three of them were staring at me.
What am I doing?
They're going to get what they deserve. So did I just throw the door open like that?
"(Y/N)???" Ryleigh and Sugar both shouted at the same time. Ryleigh with a look of disbelief, a look that had been tinged with hatred, like she can't believe it's me, while Sugar a look of relief, almost crying tears of happiness, like she can't believe it's me.
'Fresh.' I blurted out. Fresh himself just stared at me, eyes wide. The look of hatred in them had subdued itself somewhat when he laid eyes on me. Like he was purposely controlling it for my sake. 'What's going on.'
"This is none of your business, Sweetheart." He snapped as he lowered the chair slightly. "Leave."
'Sweetheart?" Ryleigh laughed. Fresh's attention refocused back to her, and the blaze in his eyes rekindled itself. "I didn't know you got yourself a Sugar daddy."
I swear I saw Fresh's shoulders suddenly jolt slightly as his grip on the chair tightened. Sugar almost looked like she wanted Ryleigh to stop.
'H-He's not a sugar daddy!' I refuted. 'He-'
"Oh, please, you're not fooling anyone. Of course you're the type to get a Sugar daddy, you're just a big, fat, lying whore-
It was at that mention of the word whore that Fresh finally smashed the chair against Ryleigh's spine with a sickening crack. Sugar screamed as the chair barely missed her face by a single centimetre, hands covering her mouth as she hyperventilated. Ryleigh just yelped in pain as shrapnels of wood flew out in all directions. That chair didn't even survive that hit, it just fell apart. He swore under his breath and threw it away. Her torso heaved up and down like she was in pain. Fresh's own chest was heaving up and down, nostrils flared and eyes burning with the fire of ten thousand hells. I had never seen such a raging beast before. Is this what he's like when he's pushed towards the edge? Is this his anger? Had he been hiding it from me all along? I knew exactly what she was getting at. In her shoes, I imagine that she's directly provoking him to attack her as much as possible so that later she can get him arrested, the more damage he inflicted the harsher his prison sentence. But as smart as she is, she's also as prideful, not really paying too much attention to the extreme strength and potential to kill her that Fresh had. And I don't think she realises that There is no law enforcement here. Only Fresh. Only the monster whose wrath she was incurring.
"You. Take. That. Back." He growled, voice tinged with a cold ire.
'You now it's true.' Ryleigh laughed.
"Leigh-Leigh... Please..." Sugar started crying as tears of fear streamed down her face like she's a little girl. "Please... Just be quiet, you're just angering him... H-He'll... He'll kill us..."
'I know you're just being nice to her for her body.' Ryleigh completely ignored Sugar. 'You don't look the type to love someone for who they really are. No, nobody would ever love that Whore. She's even dressed like one, nobody's gonna be impressed with that. I bet it feels nice, huh? That warm, tight little-'
A loud roar filled the room, and what happened next was a bit of a blur.
Sugar just completely broke down at this point, crying as she rolled up into a hyperventilating ball. I think she may have wet herself. Ryleigh herself was hoisted up by the throat, Fresh's strong fingers completely cutting off her air supply. Her face looked strained as her fingers pried at the clamp at her neck, but to no avail. Fresh himself... His back was facing towards me, but I can sense an animalistic, demonic rage emitting off him, like he had every intent to bash her skull in. His muscles were tensed, with one arm raised to his eye level as he hoisted the girl up above his head. And then he started striking her.
Every hit landed itself sit a sickening crack, as Ryleigh's face was bashed in. There were a couple strikes to her stomach as well, causing her to instinctively recoil with an "Oof!"
I almost felt each fist on my own face. On my own stomach. It was sickening to watch. I dunno why, I've always dreamed of this day coming, but now that it's finally come... I expected myself to cheer Fresh on, I expected myself to smile gleefully, I expected myself to join in, so why... Why am I hyperventilating? Why am I wanting him to stop?
When he stopped, his torso rose up and down as deep breaths filled his lungs. Ryleigh's eyes were clamped shut as crimson red bumps covered her face. Her nose was bleeding profusely, and she had a split lip. Fresh's monster-like aura had intensified.
And he was just about to continue the battery, when my body started moving against my own will.
My legs threw themselves forward, yanking my body toward. And my own scrawny, stick-like arms squeezed the large, beefy ones of Fresh. And just like that, his fist stopped mid-air just before it hit Ryleigh's already battered face.
I shouldn't be sympathising with them.
I shouldn't feel sorry for them.
I shouldn't, I shouldn't, I shouldn't.
I should be happy this is happening to them.
The pain, the raw emotion, the fear, I should be happy, I should be enjoying this.
I've been dreaming of this day for as long as I can remember, the day where they'd finally perish. But... why aren't I happy now...?
"Please..." I manage to blurt out. Fresh's muscles relaxed. "Please... stop this..."
I heard a faint grunt followed by a thump and I know he's dropped her to the ground. He turned to me, the animalistic flame in his eyes now extinguished, replacing itself an anxiousness tinged with mellow undertones of warmth.
He leaned into my ear and whispered "Please, leave, I don't want you to see me like this."
And after that, I heard the sound of Ryleigh vomiting.
Followed by a laughter.
"REALLY?" She cackled, looking up at me. Her nose was bleeding like Niagra falls, coating her face in a crimson shower. She had gone completely off the rails at this point, eyes deranged as she glared into our souls. Never thought I would find a girl crouching over a pile of her own vomit be so disturbing. "WOW, JUST WOW! HAHA! I KNEW IT! SHE HAS YOU ON A LEASH, THAT SLUT! THAT FUCKING SACK OF SHIT HAS YOU ON A LEASH! YOU'RE JUST LIKE AN ANIMAL-"
Her sentence was interrupted by a boot to the face.
And then Ryleigh fell silent.
Sugar just whimpered, having witnessed the slaughter that happened right before her.
Not once did Ryleigh snow any sign of fear.
Then Fresh directed his attention to her.
The moment he looked at her, she just started hyperventilating further. Her arms were wrapped protectively around herself, cowering in fear. And the look in her eyes was that of a animal right before it's gonna be slaughtered. She was the opposite of her companion, Ryleigh never really shut up, not showing a single sign of fear, while Sugar barely spoke a word and fear was smudged all over her face. I felt almost sorry for her.
"God anything to say for yourself?" Fresh glared down at her.
'Please... Please, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry... I'm sorry for-'
"For what?" His voice was stained with an even deeper rage than before. Sugar realised this and covered more.
'For... um... Whatever I did to piss you off...?'
"So you're not really sorry."
"I-I-I-"
'Do you know why I'm pissed?'
"N-No?"
He sneered down at her.
"Don't tell me you forgot those things you did to my precious Butterfly." He glanced over at me. Sugar's eyes widened in fear and realisation that this was vengeance.
Vengeance.
Vengeance, like the icy cold inferno that rages in your heart upon seeing the blood of a loved one
Vengeance, like the bitter, soulless happiness that erupts like fireworks when your enemy is stricken dead
Vengeance, like the curse that poisons even the most innocent of children into the most cold-blooded killers
'B-Butterfly...?' She stammered.
"So, Sugar, I have a question to ask. Are you sorry?"
Immediately, Sugar started nodding her head like her life depended on it.
'I am! I'm so sorry, I'm sorry for hurting (Y/N), I was-I was just bored, it was all Ryleigh, it was all her! She convinced me to do this, I'm sorry, now please let me go, I'll be much nicer to her from now on and I'll get Leigh-Leigh and Austin to do the same, I'll be good, I won't even tell the police, just please let me go-'
But her sentence was interrupted by Fresh walking away.
For a moment she thought she was gonna be spared.
And so did I.
But then he came back holding another chair by the legs, and threw it at her.
Sugar and I both shrieked at the same time, her from pain and me from fear.
'FRESH!' I screeched, knees frozen in place. A sudden surge of adrenaline sent my heart beating faster in a panic. What was he doing? I couldn't even blink my eyes were so wide.
Sugar's back was facing Fresh, as she was sobbing and crying. There was a red mark on her shoulder, as well as a few depressions in her skin.
A moments of silence filled the room, only sound being the sobs of the poor, poor girl known as Sugar.
"FRESH WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" I screamed. I really hoped he didn't notice now much my voice and knees were trembling. I wanted to move. Move. Just move, but my feet were frozen solid. There was not a single muscle in my body that was willing to comply with my brain's orders.
"I absolutely despise people like you." Fresh snarled at the miserable coward in front of him. "People who say that they're sorry only because their life is in danger. People who commit horrific deeds without a single bit of remorse all of a sudden start apologising once a gun is held to their head. Hoping that their attacker would fall for it and let them live. But they're not really guilty, they never are. They just want to live. Pathetic. Just pathetic."
He smashed the chair on her back yet again.
I needed to run.
Whether it's to stop Fresh's torment on the poor, poor Sugar or to just get out of here, I don't know.
"What kind of MISERABLE coward takes apologising as a last minute "get out of jail free" card? And what kind of FOOL ACCEPTS IT???? I KNOW THAT LOOK IN YOUR EYES, THERE'S NOT A SINGLE BIT OF SINCERITY, THERE'S ONLY FEAR. YOU'RE NOT REALLY SORRY, ARE YOU? HUH? YOU'RE ONLY APOLOGISING BECAUSE I'M ATTACKING YOU RIGHT NOW. You don't regret a single thing. You think that if you show enough regret I'll let you go, huh? YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO SAVE YOUR OWN, PATHETIC SKIN." He yelled again, bashing the chair back on her again. She let out an agonising scream.
"FRESH, STOP IT!" I finally managed to yell as I closed my arms around his.
But to my surprise, I was met with brute force.
"Get OUT OF MY WAY."
I felt something crash against my ribs, like someone had thrown a boulder onto me. And the next thing I knew, I felt myself crashing against the floor in a blur.
My eyes stared into the distance with an adrenaline-filled terror.
The pain
Oh god the pain
It rattled me so much I actually couldn't move. Every movement felt like needles jabbing into my flesh. Just simply breathing felt like trying to lift a ten ton weight.
My vision blurred like I had put on a pair of glasses that didn't have the right focus for me.
And sound started returning to my world.
The shouts of an angry man. The sound of wood breaking. The pleading and screaming of a scared girl.
I tried to sit myself back up but to no avail. My arms trembled under my weight and it felt like every muscle there was magically turned into jelly.
Then the shouting stopped. The screaming stopped.
And I felt a pair of hands hold me up by the shoulders, propping me up.
"(Y/N)?" I heard a voice say. It was deep, soft and quiet, comforting and kind. It was tinged with an undertone of panic, but it wasn't obvious straight away.
I tried to focus on the pink shape in front of me as I just groaned. And when it finally came into focus, I saw Fresh's terrified face.
"Are you okay?" He asked quietly.
'I... I...' I managed to spit out.
He just hit me.
He just hit me across the ribs. Do you have ANY idea how much they hurt right now? I think I might've broken one or two. And he has the nerve to show his face in front of me, asking if I'm okay. He. Just. Hit. Me.
"I'm so sorry, (Y/N), I can explain, I was just- I was too caught up in the moment, I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to hit you, I just-"
'Get your hands off of me.'
Fresh blinked.
"I-I'm sorry?"
'Get your hands off me, Fresh.' I sternly repeated myself.
I don't know Fresh.
I don't know this guy
Was this the anger he had been hiding underneath that layer of kindness? Was this the monster underneath?
That horrifying showcase of pure, unadulterated, animalistic rage sent more than just shivers down my spine. The trembling in my knees, in my heart and in my soul made my ribcage rattle. There was a cold darkness clenching my heart like a fist. It was fear.
"H-Hey, (Y/N), I can explain-"
'IS SHE EVEN ALIVE???' I shrieked, trying to point at Ryleigh's limp, bleeding body. 'WHAT DID YOU EVEN DO TO HER?'
A black tendril of fear clutched at my chest, sending all my other organs plummeting to the bottom of my feet.
'(Y/N)-'
"WHAT EVEN ARE YOU? YOU-YOU YOU JUST ATTACKED HER WITHOUT EVEN HESITATING, SHE COULD BE DEAD RIGHT NOW! IS THIS WHAT YOU WOULD'VE DONE TO ME IF YOU HADN'T FORGAVE ME FOR SMASHING THAT MUG AGAINST YOUR HEAD?"
Why am I shouting? Why am I so scared?
'Butterfly, you know I would never do that to you-'
"AND HOW CAN I BE SURE OF THAT?" I didn't know that I was crying until my vision started blurring and a warm waterfall streamed out of my eyes. Was I hyperventilating? I'm hyperventilating, I can't breathe properly, it's like someone's holding a clamp on my lungs.
"YOU'RE A MURDERER!"
The word murderer echoed through the room as everything went silent. Fresh's eyes widened with a stroke of pain, anxiety and fear. His eyes shook. His breathing quickened. I've heard that some people have a specific word, a trigger word that sets off unpleasant memories they'd rather forget. I guess "Murderer" would be Fresh's trigger word.
And then he just walked off.
He turned on his heel and started walking away towards the door in a hurried pace.
"Where are you going?" I shouted after him. He didn't answer me.
"Hey! Fresh?" I shouted again. He still didn't say anything. He just left the room and slammed the door behind him.
Leaving me terrified, crying in a room with two unconscious, possibly dead people, and one crying girl.