SUGAR | Eyeless Jack x Reader

Shadows

Reader

          You had never been in the back of a police car before. You weren't really the type to get into trouble, not even back when you were a kid. As a child, while your peers tiptoed the line of mischief, you preferred to fly under the radar, a silent observer, always avoiding the limelight. That night, though, the universe seemed to have other plans for you. 

          When the police arrived at that alley, they promptly questioned you, forcing you to recall the disturbing sight of the body once more. You had chosen to omit the part about the person you felt creeping up behind you, although you weren't entirely sure why. Maybe you thought they wouldn't take it seriously. For all you knew, it could have just been a draft of air. From what you heard on the news, it didn't seem like the killer stuck around at their killing grounds. But a part of you was confident that you felt a presence behind you. It was a feeling you just couldn't shake.

          The officers were kind enough to offer you a ride back to your house. It was only a ten minute walk at most, but you gladly accepted anyway. You observed the two officers through the partition that separated you and them. They were speaking softly, but if you listened close enough, you could make out what they were saying.

          "This is the fifth body this week," the young officer in the passenger seat noted worriedly.

          The driver, an older man, grunted in response. "This organ thief is becomin' a real problem. Chief was talkin' 'bout a curfew. As if that'll work."

          The younger officer frowned. "Nothing we do seems to deter this guy," he muttered. He raised his tatted arm and ran his hand through his hair, messing up the perfectly styled brown locks. His tired blue eyes flicked towards you, the discouraged look turning into faux reassurance when he realized you were listening. "We'll find him," he told you, forcing a smile. You didn't miss the doubtful glance the driver flashed his partner.

          The car slowed to a stop as it pulled into your driveway. The young officer hastily exited the vehicle, opening your door for you before you could get to it. You slid out of the car and made your way to your front door, the officer trailing behind you. You unlocked the door and stepped inside, turning to thank the officer. He smiled and held out a small, folded slip of paper. You unfolded it and read what was scribbled in scratchy handwriting.

"Officer Alec Grant

(xxx) xxx-xxxx"

          You glanced back up at him with a questioning look. "If you need anything, shoot me a text," he offered, leaning against your doorframe. "You know, if you have any questions or anything. Or if you just need some company." He winked, flashing you that bright smile once more. "Oh, uh, thank you," you could feel your face heat up. Alec was definitely handsome, but you wondered if this was really the time to be flirting.  

          Your thoughts were interrupted when Alec straightened, stretching his arms and putting his hands behind his head. "Well," he started. "You have a good night. Stay safe. And really, text me if you need anything." He turned and started to walk back to the police cruiser, only to turn back to you after only a few steps. "Oh, and don't worry. We're gonna catch that guy," he stated, the moon shining in his determined eyes. You watched as he got into the car, and they pulled out of your driveway. 

          You turned into your house and closed the door, locking it. You looked down at the paper Alec had given you. You considered it for a moment, then pulled out your phone and added his number to your contacts. It might be nice to get back into the dating scene, you thought. It had been a while since you were involved with anyone. Your job had kept you far too busy to even consider a relationship. You didn't have much time to meet anyone. Alec was nice enough, you figured. You shook your head. You couldn't believe you were thinking about this after what you experienced earlier that night. You sighed and made your way farther into your house to get ready for bed.

---

          You woke up sweating, your heart pounding. Your dreams were haunted by images of that body. You tossed your covers to the side and stared up at the ceiling, the only light being that of the moon drifting through your window. You tossed and turned for a while until you decided that you probably weren't falling back to sleep. You dragged yourself out of the bed and left your room, walking down the hall and stepping into your kitchen. You opened the fridge and pulled out a water bottle. You popped it open and chugged down most of it.

         Just as you were about to head back to the sanctuary of your room, a faint sound from your living room caught your attention—a soft, rhythmic tapping. Holding your breath, you crept towards the source. As you peeked around the corner, the sound came to a sudden stop. You glanced around, eyes landing on the window. The noise had to have come from that. Quietly, you stepped towards the window, carefully examining the dark scenery outside of it. Seeing nothing, you let go of the breath you'd been holding. The events of the night must've made you paranoid, you decided. The noise was probably just the wind.

          You were just about to return to your room when something caught your attention from the corner of your eye. The clouds had retreated from the moon, allowing the light to reveal a dark substance on your windowsill. You cautiously opened the window to take a closer look. The substance was black and appeared to be tar. Puzzled, you dipped the tip of your finger into it, only to find it still wet. You frantically looked for anything that could have caused tar to appear on your window but still found nothing. You closed the window, locking it before retreating to your kitchen to wash the substance off of your finger.

          It just didn't make any sense, you thought. Tar doesn't just show up out of nowhere. You racked your brain to try and come up with a reasonable explanation, but nothing seemed to check out. You turned off the sink, glancing back towards the living room. Maybe you were just on high alert after what happened, you reasoned. You decided to go back to bed for the night, but before that, you sent Alec a quick text, asking him to meet you for drinks the next night after you got off work. Maybe he would be able to make sense of the tapping and the tar.