The Marionette of Madness

19

After a stop at McDonald's for dinner, they all needed a little normalcy, the three returned to Tim's apartment. Unfortunately, when they got to the door, it was wide open.

There, sitting on the couch and waiting for them, was Mari. He flashed them a toothy grin.
"Welcome home honey."

"How the hell did you find where I live!?"
Tim placed himself in front of the others, always the protector.

Mari held up Tim's drivers license, and Tim recalled feeling something grab at him before. How he got it out of Tim's wallet though, he had no clue.

Mari must have noticed their defensive poses.
"Relax, I come bearing no weapons."

Toby used his nonbroken arm to gesture to the strap on Mari's back.
"You have a ma- machete."

Mari nodded absent-mindedly.
"Okay, a come bearing one weapon. Not the point. Point is, I'm not here to kill you."

Tim inched forward, listening but not trusting.
"Why should we believe you?"

Mari dropped his smile for a more serious face. He ticked a few times before responding.
"Ask Toby, he can tell."

The others turned to Toby, who was confused for a second before he understood.
"H-he's not being c-c-controlled right now, he c-coughed up that weird green stuff, and those creepy strings are gone. And I don't think the demon lady is here because he keeps t-t-t-ticking."

Tim and Brian weren't entirely convinced, but they all stepped into the room anyway.

"How did you open the door?"

Mari rolled his eyes.
"You forgot to lock it. Idiot."

"Oh."

Brian was the first to sit, taking a chair across from the couch. His eyes stayed on the stranger, calculating. Toby just stared at him.
"You made me forget. I can't remember her name anymore! Do you know how awful that feels?!"
He was crying again.

Mari's gaze wouldn't meet his.
"I didn't do that, she did. I told you not to tell her anything." His words were accusatory but his voice was remorseful. "And yes, I do know what that feels like. Do you know how many names and faces I don't have to hold on to anymore?"
There was a beat of tentative silence.
"Her name was Lyra by the way."

This prompted a still sniffling Toby to sit, taking the only other chair.

Tim, not wanting to sit next to Mari, chose to stand.
"Okay, yeah, very heartfelt. Now why are you here?"

Mari laughed.
"Because I fucking hate working for that bitch of a demon. Because I sold my soul to bring my brother back from the dead, and when he died again a year later, you know what she had the balls to say to me? 'Cancer comes back.' I've hurt so many people for her. I fucking had sex with her, I was so high on my own pain and that stupid potion of hers that I had sex with a fucking demon."
He was on the verge of yelling, sharp teeth bared. He took a deep breath before he continued.
"I'm tired of dealing with her. I figured you three were in a similar boat, so you'd help me."
He ended with a smile, like he hadn't just been on the verge of punching the wall.

Brian, who had not spoken up in a while.
"You had sex with it?"

"Not the point!"

Tim shook his head.
"Ignoring that, why should we help you? You tried to kill us, you kidnapped Toby, and you broke into my apartment! What would helping you get us?"

Mari took a few deep breaths, his tics had gotten a bit worse with his outburst, and he was trying to calm them.
"Because I might be able to get you out too."