Freak ~Juuzou x Reader AU~

Chapter 35: Nightmare

That night, it's Janelle and Sterling's faces that I see.

Both so beautiful, yet so broken, their faces frozen in screams. Tears stained black from smeared makeup runs down their cheeks. Their skin is pale like ivory with lips painted glossy red. Their clothes are ripped, and their skin is gashed.

I try to run from them.

I try to run from that oddly familiar, yet foreign appearance that is them, but I'm not fast enough. Sterling appears in front of me with a flash, her mouth frozen open in a silent scream. I turn and run away, then Janelle appears. She is crying, her lips trembling. Her face is scrunched with pain that breaks my heart. It is her that speaks.

"Why? Why did it happen, Y/N? Why?"

Fear instantly consumes me, the chills running down my spine. My heart sputters as my skin crawls, and my voice wavers.

"I-I...I don't know. What do you mean? Why did what happen?"

"You know what. You know. Why did we die? Why were we killed? Why did they go after us?" She takes a step closer to me, the tears rolling down her cheeks. "Was it because of you? Was it because we knew you? Because we didn't do anything. We were innocent, but then...he had us killed."

"W-who? Who had you k-killed?"

Her lips quiver. "Y/N...you know him. You know him."

"Who? Who do I know?" My voice is wavering. Fear is consuming me.

Her eyes widen. "Key...Clayton Key, Y/N. You know him. You know him very well. You danced for him. You shared meals with him. You almost slept with him."

Her words flow like poison from her lips. Sharp and bitter, her eyes narrowed. I shrink.

"You knew him, Y/N. You knew him. We didn't." Sterling appears behind Janelle, sniffling as Janelle speaks. "You did. So, why are we dead? Why were we killed? Why us? Why not you?"

She takes another step toward me. I recoil. Something is off about Janelle. Her usual bubbly demeanor is much darker – much more dangerous. Her eyes, which were bloodshot and glossy, are growing darker and darker, a veil of black falling over them, which only grows more menacing as her lips twist with rage.

"We died because of you!" she shrieks.

I wince. "I-I'm sorry!" I stumble backward. I shield myself with my arms. "I'm sorry...but I didn't know. I didn't know he was hurting people."

"He killed us!"

Rage. It floats in her tone. Rage and anger and...and pain. Of course there'd be pain. She's dead. Her life was cut short. Unexpectedly ended with not a single warning.

I'd be angry too. I'd be pissed. If I still had so much life to live and someone came up and snuffed it out, I'd be furious. But still, I am terrified. She is angry, lingering close to me with her eyes like polished stones.

"He killed us," she repeats. Her voice is now small. "He killed us, Y/N. He killed us, and he was going to kill you. He was. He would. He would kill you." Her tone drops to a breathy whisper. "He's a bad man. A wolf in sheep's clothing."

Chills. They dart the length of my spine. She's scaring me. I don't like this. I don't like this at all.

"He's a bad, bad man," she continues. "A wolf in sheep's... He was going to kill you, you know. He wanted to. You are who he wanted, not us. You."

I tremble. "W-who?"

She freezes and tilts her head. Her eyes are completely black, looking so hollow. "You know him. You danced for him. You joined him for meals. You almost slept with him."

"W-who?" I suddenly don't know anything. My name. My age. Everything...it all vanishes.

Her expression is blank, a single tear rolling down her cheek. Then, in the flattest tone possible, she replies, "Clayton Key."

**Ello, ello lovelies! So, looks like Y/N is having a nightmare. Would you say it's guilt, or are the dead being restless? Honestly, I almost feel bad for her. I say almost because, well, I'm writing this. I might not have total control, but I still wrote it lol. Anyway, fun fact: at the time of typing this (5/23/2022), I just posted chapter 21. Random, I know. It's nice having this gap. It allows me to kinda chill and not speed write lol. Still, gotta keep the pre-typed chapter cushion there, so I'm gonna keep on the grind lol. Well, thank you so, so much for everything! Y'all are the bestest! Wuv yous!! <3**

-Noel Ross