The Shapeshifter | Deleted Chapters

50

Jack winced as he heard Cheryl scream in the distance, being cut down by Amanda mere seconds after the gates had been powered. As bad as he wanted to go help her, he knew she was too far away and had already been hooked twice so far.

What was mainly peaking Jack's interest was how Cheryl went down in one hit. He could've sworn it was always two. No more, no less. Without dwelling long on the matter, he ran towards one of the doors near the saloon.

The gate control looked very steampunk compared to the electrical ones of other realms. Jack was actually a little interested by that slight change as he grabbed the handle and pulled down, beginning the opening process with one hand and holding a flashlight in the other.

He could hear the sound of shuffling nearby, making his head turn. Steve walked over, his head turned in the direction of the hook as Cheryl was sacrificed.

"You good?" Jack asked, having not seen him since the start of the trial. The other male hummed, turning to him before nodding.

"Yeah, yeah. Just kinda wish we didn't lose Cheryl." Steve said remorsefully. "Where's Feng?"

"No clue. Haven't seen her since she got me stabbed in the back." Jack rubbed at the side of his face. Steve looked at him with a raised eyebrow, but Jack just waved him off as if it was nothing.

The original question started to get an answer as the killer's presence began to pick up. The door was only about 60% done. Fast approaching footsteps came bursting around the corner and down the outside stairs of the saloon. Feng came barrelling along with heavy breaths.

Jack groaned as he watched Amanda in the distance behind her. "Yo, Steve." He motioned for the boy to take his place. Steve walked over and grabbed the door control as Jack ran along to go help Feng.

"What are you gonna do?" Steve asked, getting a flashback to the first time he had met (Y/N). He could've sworn he did something like this.

"Something stupid." Jack shrugged.

Feng eyed him with mixed emotions as he went past her. She was just as bemused by what he was doing as Steve was. Jack stood between her and Amanda, one hand in his pocket as the killer snorted at him.

"Hey, look. I think we got off on the wrong f-" Jack began, holding his other hand up to show he was being friendly to Amanda. But the woman just slashed him across the chest with her arm blade, making him fall to the floor instantly.

"Heh. No One Escapes Death. A pretty little thing, isn't it?" Amanda chuckled. Her head turned towards the remaining two survivors, but as the gate slid open, she saw them as a lost cause.

Feng had paused at the door to look back at Jack. She hadn't expected him to give his life for hers. Or was he just stupid and didn't realise the killer had NOED? Either way, she was silently thankful as she walked away.

"Shit. I'm sorry, man." Steve backed off as Amanda held her blade up as a warning. He hesitantly left the trial with Feng, leaving Jack to sigh from the ground. Amanda knelt down beside him, rolling him onto his back and peering down at him.

"Now... What do I do with you?" She thought aloud, her calloused fingers trailing over his face. Jack stared up at her warily.

"The polite move and let me go?" He spoke meekly. He only managed to get a louder laugh from the killer as she pressed his head down against the floor.

"And why would I do that?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Because you're secretly a really nice person?" Jack joked, lightly swatting at her hand until she released him and stood up at her full height. Her head turned towards the sky as she thought about it. She could hook him or mori him. But the latter would probably get her punished by the Entity. What if she did release him? A show of goodwill since that Feng Min had sabotaged him.