NateMare leaves the manson with a big grin on his face. He walks to Andy's car that stands in front of the manson.
"Where are you going?" Nate asks uneasy. He's scared about what NateMare can do. Other people don't see that it isn't him. They only see his body and not what's inside of it. They will think that it's him and not someone else.
"We are going home, Nate. I need to get some stuff before we can make some progress." NateMare gets into the car and drives away from the manson, towards LA, towards Nate's house.
"What stuff? A knife to kill someone?" Nate sounds annoyed but also frustrated.
"Don't be silly. This part comes later. I just need something I can put the humans into." NateMare answers calm. He drives down the streets of Los Angeles as it is his hometown.
"Put the humans into? I don't have cages at home!" Nate yells suspicious. Why would he have a cage at home. He couldn't harm anyone.
"Cages can have a bunch of forms. A cage don't must be a big net of metal bars." NateMare already arrives at Nate's house and parks in front of it. He gets out of the car and walks over to the door. He pulls out Nate's keys for the door and she puts in the door lock and opens the door.
"Well, well, let's see, what toys our good friend Nate, has here." NateMare walks into Nate's room and looks around, to see what of all this stuff can help him, but he has no luck. He turns around to leave the room as he spots a wooden staff with a glass ball on it, leaning against the wall behind the door.
"I think I found what I needed..." he pics it up and looks at it with a tiny smile.
"What do you want to do with it? It's just a staff! How in the fucking green earth do you want to trap someone inside of it?" Nate doesn't understand how this staff could help NateMare. Trapping someone in there is impossibile!
"Nate, did you forget what I am? I'm a demon. I can make everything with this staff. I could possibly just turn it into a snake for example. That's how that demon thing works, you silly, dumb boy." NateMare sighs and rolls his eyes. He leaves the room and heads to the bathroom.
As he enters the bathroom, he looks at his reflection and starts to smile.
"You're so handsome, do you know that Nate? If I would be a girl, I would tie you up to a chair and never leave you again..." he raises an eyebrow and his smile starts getting bigger.
Nate's just terrified and disturbed of what NateMare just said. He's just glad that NateMare hasn't his own body. If NateMare would have one, the whole situation, would probably be much different. He would probably be tied to a chair, tortured and beaten down and nobody would know where he is.
While he's lost in his thoughts, NateMare starts to put on some eyeliner under his eyes and returning to Nate's room and opening the closet.
He changes his cloths to a red shirt, covered by a black tie and vest, black elegant jeans and black shoes. Before he leaves, he looks in the mirror that stands in Nate's room. He looks like a real gentleman, a magician. So elegant, but also so misterious.
"Looks surprisingly good on you, Nate. What a shame that you never dress up that way."
"Maybe because I don't want to? I don't want to look so dark!"
"But you should try it once, it looks better on you, than the stuff that you wear usually." NateMare smiles slightly and walks out of the room and heads to the door. He leaves the house, the staff holding tightly in his hand, and gets into the car.
"But now, let's have some fun...and I already know where to start first." he drives down the streets towards the middle of the town. As he reaches the middle of the town, he drives into a dark alley and parks the car there. On the other side of the alley is a bar. He walks to the entrance and the doorman blocks his way into the bar.
"Are you on the list?" the doorman raises his eyebrow while looking on the list.
"I think the name Phantom should tell you something..." NateMare rolls his eyes and smiles at the doorman, who immediately pulls the list away and steps aside. This confuses Nate, why does NateMare call himself as Phantom when his name is NateMare, and why does the doorman already know who he is.
"Of course, Mr.Phantom, I'm sorry that I didn't recognize you. I see that you're controlling a pretty handsome boy this time. Does he hear everything?" the doorman accompanies NateMare to his regular place. He's a special guest in this bar. Always when he enters the bar, he looks different. He switches host when he wants and makes him unpredicable.
"Yes, he can hear every single word here, he's pretty handsome indeed, I already said that to him, but he still doesn't want to understand that I'm right." NateMare shakes his head and sits down on his place.
"Well, we have a new magician here. He's an amateur, nothing special. I thought that would be perfect for you." the doorman talks like to NateMare, like they are lifelong friends. The magician steps on the stage with some rings in his left hand. He seems being nervous and excited.
"Multiple performances?"
"Three, to be exact." a smile starts to form on NateMare's face
"Seems like you know me way too good, Paultin. You always know what I want. Funny that you started as a bard. As the first act in here." NateMare stares at the amateur in pure fascination.
"It's my job after all, that bard thing from the past, it was boring. This job is way better."
"Good for you, I always wondered what leads a person to perform here." NateMare still observes the musician's performance. He isn't that good though. The entire audience is silent. Not because all are fascinated or speechless. Because everyone falls asleep during the performance.
"This bar has a good name in the town. Every newcomer comes here. But the worst are always coming in October, your month. Perfect time for you to strike, I guess." a tiny smile starts to form on the doorman's face.
"Yes, and I think this young man, will be the next." NateMare says while still staring at the magician.
"Take the time you need, I wish you a lot of fun with him, I need to go to work again." the doorman takes a bow.
"Sure, see ya later." NateMare says and the doorman walks back to the entrance.
"Phantom? From where did that come from? Isn't your name NateMare?" Nate says confused.
"Phantom is my real name. I switch host when I want, and I change my name and appereance with every single person I possess. I think names like Antisepticeye or Darkiplier should tell you something. I transfer my soul into an object and when someone touchs it, I will possess the person. Pretty easy, isn't it!" NateMare plays with the staff in his hand and smiles towards the magician.
Now Nate understands who he is. He remember the times where Mark, Matt or Seán acted wierd. So strange and psychopathical. It was all NateMare's work, and now he possesses him.
"What are you going to do with him? Will he be the next that you will possess?"
"Oh, no! I only possess important people. This guy just will add my collection. Forever."
"Collection? What do you mean by that?"
"Like Paultin said before, I always come here in October. Around this time, are coming interesting people to perform here. So interesting that I want to keep them here forever."
"Then why isn't Paultin in your "collection"?"
"He was the first ever performer. He was more special than the other ones. I gave him a better job and future. I'm like his friend."
As they finish to talk, the magician has finished his performance. Like predicted, the audience is sleeping. NateMare stands up and takes out a notebook and lies it down on his seat.
"What's that?"
"Nothing that should interest you." NateMare says immediately and leaves the performance room.
The magician goes off of the stage and goes to the seat where that wierd man sat. He noticed that he stared at him fascinated during his performance. It was kinda creepy. His smile wasn't really normal, it was kind of evil. He looks at the book of that the man placed on the seat. He pics it up and opens it. The first page already tells, who this man is.
"Book of Phantom" the title is kinda confusing but he shakes the wierd feeling off and starts to read the book. It was full of tipps and tricks, tutorials to famous tricks and helpful instructions for amateurs. Whoever this man is, he must be really smart and nice.
After he read the entire, he tries the tricks that were explained in the book. He follows every single step that was written in the book. Everything worked perfectly. He was ready for the second show, and he's sure that the man that was responsable for all this, would be there too.
He heads towards the stage with determination. He grabs a tiny cylinder from backstage and walks on the stage. The audience is still a bit sleepy and tired. But he has the attention of everyone. He looks to the seat where he found the book. The man sits there again. Smiling slightly and slowly nodding towards him.
He starts with a simple trick. He takes off his hat and puts his hand inside of it. As he feels something hairy he grabs it immediately and pulls it out. As he sees the shock expression of a viewers, who grabs his head, he looks at what he pulled out of the hat. It's the viewer's wig. He immediately throws it to the viewer and all the other viewers start to laugh and applaud.
For the second trick he chose a pretty dangerous one. He raises his hands and immediately swings them down. A tiny explosion is to be heard as his entire body is filled with pure energy and electricity. The entire audience stands up and applaud. After some seconds they are all in panic and ran out of the room. Everyone expect the man that gave him the book. He's just smiling amused.
He doesn't really know why and notices a wierd smell behind him. He turns around and sees the entire curtain burning. I tries to extinguish it with his hat but with no success. He runs backstage and grabs a bucket of water and runs back to the stage. But as he wanted to throw the water on the curtains, they aren't burning anymore. They fire's gone and also hasn't left traces.
He looks to the seat where the man sat and sees a piece of paper on the seat. He puts the bucket down to the floor and walks over to the seat. He pics up the piece of paper and reads what is written on it.
"Come backstage, I have a surprise for you. A deal, that will make you put on the perfect show." he immediately runs backstage where the man's sitting on a table. Smiling at him and inviting him to sit on a seat. The magician sits down and pushs a feather in a bottle of ink to the magician.
"So, you're saying, the contract, can put on the perfect show?"
"Kid if you sign, give them the show that they will never forget." NateMare rolls out a long roll of paper on the empty table.
"Sign here, here, that's for your social heeere. Yes, right there, right there. Sign here. Any analogies if you have them. The name of your first pet. Aaand done!" NateMare shows the magician every single spot on which he must sign. As he signs the last spot he sighs deeply.
"Now, get out there! Go get out kid!" NateMare says with a big smile on his face. The musician runs out to the stage and places himself behind the curtain. He grabs his hat, a cape and is magic wand. As the curtain opens he steps out to the stage. The audience already applauds him.
He raises his wand and a firework starts to get out of the wand. The audience applauds impressed and fascinated. He then raises both of his hands and closes his eyes and he disappears completely. The audience stands up and applauds once again.
But after some time he hears no noises anymore. He opens his eyes and sees a wall of glass in front of his eyes. Everything through this glass looks so big. As he notices a tiny piece of a finger appearing above him, he turns around, only staring into NateMare's big eyes.
"Where am I?! What have you done!?" the musician yells through the glass.
"You're now part of my collection. You better should have read the small print of the contract." the magician throws himself against the glass, hoping that it breaks, but with no avail. This just amuses NateMare. A little human, trapped in the glass ball of his staff, trying to escape. So pathetic.
NateMare takes out the glass ball and stands up. He puts it in a little shelf of little glass balls. In every single one of them, is trapped a person. A past performer.
"I have good news fellas, you have a shelfmate! Be nice to him! See ya!" NateMare smiles insanely and walks out of the room and to the entrance of the bar.
At the entrance is standing a man who talks with Paultin. He seems friendly. He seems perfect for the next part. Also when he doesn't know who he is, Nate knows him.
"Oh, no! Not Matt! MATT RUN!" Nate starts to get panicly and nervous. He forgets that Matt can't hear him.
"Nate? What are you doing here?" Matt says as he notices "Nate" on the other side of the entrance.
"Do you know him?" Paultin looks at NateMare sceptical, who winks at him, giving the sign that he already plans something.
"Yeah, he's one of my best friends. Hey, Matt, I didn't expect you to be here." NateMare fakes to be Nate and walks up to Matt and Paultin.
"Well, Steph is visiting her family, so I thought I could make a tour through the city." this is getting better and better.
"Cool, do you want to drink something? I'll pay!"
"Would be great, if I can." Matt looks to Paultin, who smiles at him.
"NO MATT! NO DON'T DO IT!" Nate still tries to speak to him, but NateMare doesn't let him.
"Of course, have fun Mr.Patrick." Paultin still has sceptical tone in his voice, but he trusts NateMare that he will make sure that this guy won't leave this place, healthy.
Matt enters the bar and walks with "Nate" to the bar. They both sit down on the cairs at the bar and "Nate" orders the drinks. NateMare winks to the barkeeper while he mixes the drinks. The barkeeper already knows what he needs to do. Chloroform, camouflaged as liquid in one of the drinks. He made this so many times. He knows exactly what NateMare's plan is.
As he's finishes the drinks he gives the normal one to NateMare and the other one to Matt. They both raise they glasses.
"Cheers!" they both say and take a deep sip. As they both put down the glasses, Matt starts to get more and more tired. He tries to fight it, but with no avail.
Then he falls forewards where NateMare catchs him with his arms. This plan always works. He stands up and carries Matt downstairs to the basement. He looks to the barkeeper, who just smiles as happy as always. Pretending that nothing happened. He indeed is a good actor and employee.
NateMare lies Matt down on the ground and binds his wrists and ankles with tight ropes together. How he missed to do that.
"What's wrong Nate? No cursing words? What has taken you your speech?" Nate doesn't answer, he just stares at Matt, crying.
Matt is going to suffer...that is locked in like he in this body...the only question is...how much is he going to suffer and how much can he take in?