TEDDY BEAR, ethan landry

interlude. the devil's grasp

✧ — scream v. flashback

INTERLUDE — the devil's grasp

WARNING/S ~ blood and detail of injury

     "BYE, MOM. I LOVE YOU TOO," Judy placed a soft kiss on her daughter's cheek. As the woman exited the house, Wes locked the door as ordered. Growing up with a cop for a mother sure had its bonuses.

"I'm going to take a shower," Wes announced as he walked up the stairs.

"Yeah, you definitely should. I have to call Amber back." Hayden headed up to her bedroom, putting her earbuds in. She clicked on Amber's contact expecting the girl to answer but she never did. Hayden frowned and threw her phone back onto the bed.

Hayden heard a door creak from across the house and peeked out of her bedroom door, assuming it was Wes.

After more pointless minutes had gone by while Hayden waited for her friend to call her, she headed back down the stairs and into the kitchen. Her mother should be back soon with dinner.

She grabbed three plates and a few napkins, placing them down on the table. She opened the pantry door, taking out chopsticks and soy sauce. Hayden jumped back when she saw Wes standing behind the door.

"Jesus, Wes!" Hayden hissed at her brother and held her hand over her racing heart. Wes snickered as he walked past and to the fridge, ripping a written note off the metal door. "Lemon square?" The boy smiled, taking out a tub filled with their mother's famous treats.

"Yes, please!" Hayden gladly accepted Wes's offer, her mouth watering at the thought.

Another creak was heard and Wes turned his attention away from the glasses he was placing ice cubes in. He and Hayden shared a confused look.

"Mom?" The boy called out. When he received no answer, he slowly walked over to the doorway, holding his sister in place while he went to investigate.

After a moment of silence, Hayden heard the front door shut and the lock click but the girl's peace was soon disturbed when the sound of her brother screaming sent panic through her body. She dropped the lemon square in her hand and ran to the front door.

Hayden could only watch as Ghostface forced her brother against the door, fear had not yet taken over as her dominant feeling. Instead, she found herself leaning very much so into the freeze side of her fight, flight or freeze response. Which was highly unlike her, she was known to be quite the fighter.

But when it mattered the most, she froze up.

The blade was inches from Wes's face, his muscles flexed as he struggled to shove the masked killer away. The boy let out a scream as the knife was at the bottom of his neck.

"Hayden! You need to run, Hayden!" Wes emphasized what would be his last words. His sister watched in terror from the stairs as the blade cut through her brother's neck. His eyes widened as the knife was pushed further and blood spilled from his mouth. Hayden had never seen so much fear in her brother's eyes.

The girl let out a scream as Wes slid down the door. A dark stain trailing on the door after him. While Hayden still could, she bolted from the stairs down the hallway. With Ghostface on her tail, she headed for the back door, gripping the handle for dear life.

Hayden let out a screech as the killer wrapped their arms around the girl's waist, dragging her back from the door.

This time, she fought.

She was able to get out of the killer's arms but only for a second as she was once again trapped under Ghostface. In one swift motion, the blade cut through Hayden's side. She writhed in pain as the knife was twisted and then pulled out. Tears began welling up in her eyes as her baby-blue shirt was now a deep crimson colour. Hayden was not about to die, not like this. She kicked and punched doing everything she could to be freed from the devil's grasp.

The killer picked the girl up from under her arms, resting her against the counter. Hayden screamed in agony as she reached for the glass vase on the counter with her bloodied hand. With all her might she smashed the glass over Ghostface's head, knocking them to the floor.

Adrenaline filled her veins and she scrambled to the other side of the kitchen towards the back door. She took a quick glance at the front door, where her brother's dead body lay. This time, she was able to pry the door open with her free hand while the other clutched at her wound. Hayden did not stop, she sprinted from the house even as her entire body burned and a thick layer of sweat settled over her deadly pale face.

✧

Authors Note: Still heartbroken over Wes and Judy's deaths! They should have lived. Anyways, I really struggled to write the beginning of the interlude. Hopefully, it is okay!
- ghost

word count: 847

published: 2/4/2023
edited: