Think of the Devil

Eight

Jane broke into a sprint towards the men by the van. She wanted to shout at them, wanted to scare them off, wanted to save him, but her throat felt like it had closed up. All she could do was run, praying she'd make it in time. She strained to hear the men's thoughts over her own heartbeat thundering in her ears.

The one holding the metal pipe raised it, ready to strike. She couldn't hear the words he was thinking, but she could get a feel for his smug satisfaction. Her blood felt like ice in her veins as she passed the halfway point. She tried to yell again, but she couldn't amidst her heavy breathing. The attacker seemed to notice her, though, hesitating as he registered the girl down the block sprinting towards him. His arm hung in the air as he watched her in confusion.

A police siren sounded behind her. Jane thought it comparable to a heavenly choir at that moment. Miraculously, it spooked the two men. The would-be killer dropped the metal pipe and jumped into the passenger side of the van as the other turned the key in the ignition. They sped off, lurching around the street corner and down the next block, leaving the Man in the Mask in the street.

Matt deflated, sitting back on his heels, and his devastation hit her like a punch to the stomach. She didn't have time to think about it, though. The sirens were approaching fast. When she reached him she almost knocked him over, not able to slow down until she was right beside him.

"Get up, we gotta' go," she commanded breathlessly. He tilted his head, seeming to have only noticed her at that moment, but otherwise remained still. She glanced back at the sirens, now accompanied by red and blue lights at the other end of the block. Her adrenaline was at an all time high. For once, his unfiltered thoughts couldn't beat out the volume of her own panic. Her mind was scrambling, so she did the only thing she could think to do. She bent down, grabbing him around his torso, and vainly tried to lift him. He stirred then, letting her help him stand.

"What are you doing here?" he rasped, his voice thick with his own blood.

She could barely think, let alone find the correct response for his question. I was already planning to look for you, and you managed to find me instead? Or, I happened to be walking by and saw you getting your ass handed to you? What about, I'm here because I just watched you ask a criminal to put you out of your misery?

Jane settled for words that tasted bitter on her tongue. "I'm being a really good friend. Let's go." She tugged his arm in the direction of her apartment. He stumbled into her and she braced herself to stabilize him, and then she was pulling on him again. This time he made his feet work, keeping right on her heels as she raced towards the closest alley. They ducked into it just in time, using the darkness to conceal them from the swarm of emergency vehicles arriving.

It was easier than Jane would've thought to get Matt upstairs. She figured once they were a safe enough distance, he'd pull away and run from her again. Instead he obediently followed her, trailing behind like a lost puppy, holding her gloved hand more confidently with the material between them. He even waited at the door as she found her keys to unlock it. She could still feel his indecision when she turned to him just inside the dimly lit shop. It lingered as he stepped in behind her, locked the door, and followed her up the stairs.

Once they were inside her apartment, her nerves began to hit her. Her adrenaline finally slowed, giving way to the anxiety she would've been facing before. She almost jumped when Scooby met them in the living room, wide eyes gleaming at them when she turned on the lamp. She set her keys on the side table, right where he'd set his glasses not so long ago. After some contemplation, she removed her gloves and put them there too.

Just like the other night, they stood and watched each other for a few long moments. This time she stood near the lamp and he by the kitchen. His stance now was somehow more terrifying than when he'd been only a silhouette in the dark. With the mask pulled over his eyes, blood staining everything below his nose, Jane felt intimidated by him for the first time. He'd never managed that before, even with the imposing red eyes of his helmet and the impressive ways she'd seen him fight. Back then, she figured she couldn't be intimidated by a man she knew so well. But now...