Red Tears (Ticci Toby X Reader)

Ch. 1 | Good Grief

A sliver of moonlight illuminates the path as I wander for hours, contemplating what led up to this point.

I talked to her yesterday; she was fine yesterday! How could someone come and just... snuff out her life like that? She didn't deserve it. She didn't deserve it. She didn't deserve it!

Tears fill my eyes as I let out an angry scream. My fist connects with a tree, but I immediately regret it when pain shoots through my knuckles and up to my shoulder.

A string of curses leaves my mouth, and I check my knuckles. They're split and bleeding, but not broken.

I lean against the tree as sobs start wracking through me, shaking me to my core.

I've never cried this hard. Nothing has ever affected me this badly.

But how could I not be affected? My wonderful, kind sister, who was only a day away from turning 18, was gone, never to experience the freedom of being a legal adult.

After what feels like hours, I stand and start to head back the direction I came.

However, the snap of a twig stops me in my tracks.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" I call out. After glancing around and finding nothing out of the ordinary, I sigh and shrug it off. It was probably just an animal.

However, the hairs on my arm and neck stand on end, and the feeling of being watched overwhelms me, despite there being no one else here. I mean, what normal person would be at the park at this hour?

I observe my surroundings again, this time with more scrutiny, and that's when I see a crouched figure, though just barely.

Time slows to a crawl as we lock eyes. It's only for a second, but it feels like forever.

The person emerges from the bushes, but I'm unable to identify a face.

Oh, fuck this.

I make a mad dash to a thick tree and hide behind it for a few moments, heart in my throat. I hear his heavy footsteps, slow and steady, like he was taking his time. I dart from tree to tree until I think I'm far enough.

Once I think I'm safe, I peek around the side.

It's clear.

Relieved, I take a step back.

My back collides with something hard and...wet?

Before I can register the situation, I get yanked against the stranger. A hatchet is held to my throat, silently threatening me.

I frantically struggle against him, but he only tightens his grip around my small frame. I try to scream for help, but nothing comes out.

"It's no use, half-p-pint," he twitches and stutters, his tone terrifyingly cold. "You ar-aren't escaping me."

I freeze. I need to fight back-to survive-but I remain rigid.

Suddenly, a phone rings. It takes a second to figure out where it's coming from.

"G-give it to me."

Shaking, I follow his demands. He wrenches the object from my hand and throws it halfway across the park. The ringing stops when it hits something with a thud.

Ah fuck. I suppose there's no hope for me now.

The man then raises the butt of his hatchet and bashes it against the base of my skull. I yelp as bright colors invade my sight, then total darkness.

~***~

The sound of scraping metal echoes in my ears, magnifying my throbbing headache. Then it stops, and I'm left in blissful silence.