THE CHAIN, simon kalivoda

iii. freak in a skull mask

Sydney had spent the night over at Kate's as promised. The second night, she had to babysit so along with Simon, Sydney helped her.

"Hey, do you think the twins would eat tacos if I made any?" Sydney asked, holding up a box on taco shells.

Kate gave her a disgusted face. "Have you ever eaten your tacos?" She asked her. Sydney hit Kate's arm with the box, making Kate grab the box out of her hand and stuck it under her arm. "They already ate anyway, if you're so hungry ask Simon if he can make you something." She told her as she went into the kitchen to put the taco shells back.

Sydney sighed as she walked into the room Simon was in. "Hey." She waved a little. Simon smiled at her but didn't say anything. "Can I ask you something?" She asked. Simon nodded, still not saying anything. "Why do you think I don't like you? I feel like I'm pretty nice to you." She said.

Simon sighed. "Because you aren't exactly nice with other people. The way you talk to Deena and Kate is entirely different from how you talk to me." He explained. "Plus, we barely talk to begin with." He added.

Sydney smiled a bit. "Well, I don't hate you." She assured him, making Simon also smile a little. "And I would like you even more if you got me food." Sydney told him, easing her way into getting him to get her something to eat.

Simon was about to agree but Kate walked in. "Simon where's the box?" She asked him. Simon stood up and gave the box to Kate, who took it. "And can you sort the laundry?" She asked him. Simon nodded as he turned on the TV.

Kate left as Sydney sat and watched whatever Simon had put on. She wasn't the one asked to sort the laundry so she could watch the TV.

Kate came back after a short time and stood in front of the TV. "What happened to sorting this?" Kate asked Simon. Simon didn't answer. "Lights and darks, and watch for stray socks." She told him as she dumped out the laundry basket.

"Remind me what's in it for me again?" Simon asked her.

"No." Kate shook her head at him. "Sydney can you help as well?" She asked, Sydney nodded not complaining. Simon jumped up from the couch and took his jacket off. "Jesus, are you still wearing the same clothes from last night?" Kate asked him i  disgust. "Did you wear that to the grocery store?" She questioned.

"I had to work a double shift and this was all I had in the car. So, yes. Yes, I am." Simon defended himself.

Suddenly Kate's pager began beeping. "That's disgusting. You're disgusting." She told him before leaving again.

Simon watched her leave and looked upset about the whole shirt situation, so he took it off. Sydney tried not to look at his bare chest but it definitely was hard and her eyes ended up trailing their way to him.

Simon looked at Sydney, noticing her staring. Sydney noticed him noticing so she cleared her throat. "Are you still gonna get me that snack?" She asked him.

Simon smiled and nodded. The two left the room and they happened to find a bowl of chips. It definitely wasn't waiting for them but the two took the chance and began snacking. The food was definitely for the twins but neither of them really cared.

It took Kate maybe 3 minutes to come back to the two and she immediately noticed Simon not wearing a shirt. "Jesus! Put something on." She ordered.

"What? Make up your mind, woman!" Simon said to her, mouth full of food.

Suddenly the three as well as the twins hear a smash in the window, causing them all to turn their heads in worry. "Stay here." Kate told the twins with a smile. The twins nodded as Sydney, Simon and Kate all went to check out what the noise was.

They could hear banging and rustling as they got closer to the intruder. They began getting closer and closer to the noise in silence. "Maybe this isn't a good id-" Simon tried to warn before being cut off.

"Shhh!" Kate shushed as they were now to close to be talking. Finally, they saw it was someone in a skull mask who they could only assume was someone from Sunnyvale trying to fuck with them. "Hey, creeper. What the f-" Kate began as the skull masked person turned around.

Simon grabbed both Kate and Sydney away from the weirdos eyesight. "Are you crazy?" He asked.

"It's just that Sunnyvale asshole." Kate told him.

Kate and Sydney both went to look at the guy in the skull mask only to realize that he had left. They scanned further into the room the freak had been in. Kate looked out the window as Simon looked at his shirt. It had definitely been cut up, and seemed to be the only thing that was.

Kate knew it wasn't safe for the twins to be there, so she decided to take them to Mrs. Lane's house for the time being.

Mrs. Lane had noticed the blood on Simon's shirt, clearly alarmed. "Are you...you sure everything's ok?" She asked Kate.

Kate looked back at Simon and Sydney, causing Simon to quickly zip up his jacket to hide the blood on his shirt. "Totally! I just have to run out really quickly and..."

꧁꧂

"Kill that pervert!" Kate yelled in anger. The three teens had gone over to Deena's house after dropping off the twins.

Deena and Kate both began pacing. "Why would he break in there? I just don't understand what he was doing." Deena questioned.

"He was acting all shifty and shit." Simon told her. "Like going through the laundry." He explained.

Sydney nodded. "And now the laundry is all wrinkled! He's such an asshole." She mumbled the last part.

Kate nodded in agreement. "You need to get some groceries, man. We have an incredible sale at the store—" Simon said to Josh, sitting next to the younger boy.

"He broke into the house! He had a knife!" Kate continued telling Deena.

"Whoa! With the kids there? That's wack!" Josh commented.

Kate nodded. "That's fucking right, Josh. It is wack. Thank you." She said to him before turning back to Deena. "There were kids there. Ok, and what? He thinks just because he's balling Sam, he can come here and prank us on our own turf?" She questioned.

"That's exactly what he thinks!" Sydney pointed at Kate. "He's just some Sunnyvale prick who thinks he's better than us!" She said.

"Hey, you know what? You're right." Deena agreed with the two. "Fuck this. Fuck Peter." She said.

"Hello? Don't forget the most important part. Fuck Sam." Kate reminded her.

"Yeah, fuck her." Deena agreed yet again. "She needs to get her psycho boyfriend in check." Clearly Deena was more upset than before as she grabbed her keys and walked out the door.

Simon, Sydney and Kate immediately followed out the door. Shortly after Josh did as well.

They were going to the hospital to end this once and for all.