[TW] Pyrophobia

Chapter Twelve | "Conflagration"

DUH

Duh took a step back, feeling the newcomer's red stare on his own. What the Hell were they talking about? "Wh-Who are you?"

"I can tell you don't... what a shame, Duh. What a shame." They took another step forward, fully revealing themself. They looked a lot like Scope: covered in the Spreading. However, a rose sprouted from her right eye, and a vine wrapped her left arm. There were also vines along her back that seemed to form like some sort of tail. "I've changed a lot, if I'll be fair. And Scope has taken you away, so perhaps that's affected your memory just a bit..."

Duh twitched his eye. "W-What? How do you know her?"

"I know everyone you do, Duh." They stared up at Duh as the vine that gripped onto his arm rose him slowly. "Scope... Doc... RED..."

Duh narrowed his eyes. "You! You were the one who was working with him!"

"So Scope really did warn you. Perhaps there's some good in that bitch after all."

"Yeah, right." Duh snorted.

"At least we can agree on something." The figure cackled, then leaned forward. "Listen, let me get one thing straight. I didn't get the life I deserved... so I may as well just fucking end it all here! What's the point? But I'm taking you with me. We'll be happy up there."

"W-What?!" Duh tried to squirm out of the vine's grasp, but it was to no avail. "No! You can't just kill me! And what have I done? Who even are you?"

"The true love of your life, Duh. Elaine." She pulled him close with the vines, then summoned one from the ground, shattering the tiles beneath her and throwing them straight to Duh's direction. He slashed at them with his infected claws and fought back, trying to claw at the vine on his arm.

"Don't fight it, Duh." Elaine continued. "This was destined to be."

"No, no... no! It wasn't!" He felt an unwelcome rage enter him. Not again. Not again! Did he have to rely on it this time? Perhaps he did...

"We were truly meant to be, dear love..." Elaine dropped Duh to the floor, stepping back as she let out manic giggles. "We were meant to be one. You were meant to be mine as I was meant to be yours! Don't you see that?"

"I don't see you. Ever being mine." Duh hissed. "I don't see you ever being in my life, Elaine." The memories flashed in his mind. He remembered now. This kid from high school was really still obsessed over him, and for what? "What happened to you? You could've just moved on."

"Why could I ever move on? I'm going to kill us both. What's the point in living in this fucked up place anymore, Duh?"

"I'd go down anytime, but not with you." Duh snarled and tackled her, slashing at the flower in her eye. He felt a petal fly off of her face with his claws, getting it stuck on his hand. She let out a screech of pain, but it ended quickly as he flung her away into the pits of fire and ash.

She reached out for him, crying out in agony through the crackling hellfire. But the swarming flames engulfed her leaving nothing but a shadow and a wisp. Duh didn't look back, instead turning and running weakly.

"You would really just leave her behind?" A voice echoed in his ears, causing him to stop. He felt the flames swarm his face, but he didn't fight it. "You just killed an innocent woman who only wanted to feel your love..."

"She wanted me to die with her. What else could I have done...?"

The voice seemed to laugh at him, and a figure formed in front of her. "How could I let a murderer escape?"

"I have to..." Duh shook his head. He felt tears begin to trickle down his cheeks, which hurt an excruciating amount. "I have to leave!" Without thinking, he rushed through the flames, searching for any exit desperately. His vision blurred and as he reached for the door, he saw a blinding, brilliant light... he collapsed onto a soft grass, and everything grew dull and black.