Ashtray -Angel Dust Angst

Chapter 2

Angel Dust POV:

Darkness. Pure darkness. I can't see a thing. Not even shadows of things. It looks like I'm in a black void. I can't move my arms. There's something there. ...Rope? Shit am I tied up?

I heard a throaty laughter in the distance. "Who's there?" I shouted. The laughter continued, getting louder and louder until it made my ears ring. I could feel whoever it was's breath on my face, but it was still too dark to see anyone. I felt a hand on my waist. It was cold and slimy. I felt goo drip down my leg but I couldn't wipe it off. It was disgusting, like snot.

"Angellll," the voice whispered in a taunting way. Fuck. I know that voice. "Where am I? What did you do to me?!" I yelled. A bright light flashes in my face. I could finally see, something I regretted immediately. Standing before me was Valentino, but he had slimy tentacles for hands. Green slime oozed from them. "Angel baby. Is that how we talk to our masters? Your behavior has been very poor lately." He scowled at that last sentence, then put back his malicious grin.

I couldn't tell where we were. It was like an abandoned warehouse, but with nothing in it whatsoever. "I'm sorry Val. Won't happen again!" I said with fake enthusiasm, hoping this time he would let me off the hook. His slimy hand collided with my face and knocked the wind out of me. "You know that's not my name, Angelcakes," he said with a huge smile. My face stung. "Yes daddy." I said trying my hardest not to look him in the eye. I can't let him see me cry. I don't want him to think I'm weak.

"Such an attitude Angel baby. Do I need to fix that?" I frantically shook my head. I can't take it again this soon. "Wasn't a question slut," he said as he knocked me out of the chair. My head hit the ground and made one eye see blurry. I did everything I could to try to untie myself, but it was no use. There's nothing I can do.

Val walked over and stomped on my leg. I heard it snap and screamed in pain. "IM SORRY DADDY! I'LL BE GOOD I PROMISE! I'LL WORK LATE AGAIN! I'LL DO ANYTHING PLEASE!" I begged as he forced himself on top of me. "Too late babydoll."

I shot up in bed trying to catch my breath. Where the am I... the hotel? It was a dream. It was just a dream. Everything's okay. For some reason telling myself that didn't make my breathing slow down at all. I tried to calm down but I just couldn't.

"Angelcakes," a voice whispered. "NO!" I shouted as my heart started beating 10 times faster than it already was. "It was just a dream, you aren't real!" I yelled at nothing. "Angel~" it continued. No no no no no no no it was just a dream. He's not real. He's not here. I'm at the hotel. My eyes darted around the room. His silhouette appeared in the corner of my eye.

"No! No no no! Get away from me!" I yelled as the shadow got closer and closer. I fell out of bed and scrambled to my feet. I ran out of my room and slammed the door behind me. I slid down and sat with my knees to my chest. Tears rolled down my face, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. Breathing was still too hard. Existing was too hard. I just kept making weird sobbing and choking noises trying to keep the noise down so nobody heard me. I'm embarrassing.

A figure approached at the end of the hallway. "NO PLEASE STOP!" I screamed trying to back away from it. I guess I kind of gave up on being quiet. It just kept getting closer. A hand emerged from the shadow. It came right towards my face. I shielded myself preparing for the blow. But it never came.

Husks Pov:

Ugh I need to get some sleep. It's too late even for me to be up. Someone was in the hallway. Is that angel? He looks like shit. I should probably make sure he's okay.

As I walked over there he started backing away from me screaming "no please stop." He had really dark circles under his eyes. It looked like he hasn't had a good nights sleep in months. He looked horrified of me, but I don't think it was me he was seeing. I held my hand out. He shielded his face, as if I was gonna hit him. I felt a little bad for him. We don't always get along, but seeing him like this was unnerving.

I saw the look in his eyes. I've seen it before. I understand now. "It's husk Angel." I said sitting down in front of him. His eyes remained fearful, but I think his brain processed my presence. "There's nobody here but you and me. I'm not gonna hurt you." I extended my hand to him again. He was cautious at first, but he took it.

"Husk? I'm sor-" I cut him off. "It's okay. Walk with me." He nodded. He didn't let go of my hand. I didn't shake him off. We walked around the block outside the hotel in silence, hand in hand. It was awkward but I think it helped him so it's worth it. When we got back to the hotel we sat down at the bar. I poured each of us a glass of whiskey.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked. He stared silently at his glass. "You don't have to, but it might help to get the thoughts out of your head. Then at least you can go back to sleep." He let out a shaky laugh. "I just don't know how to explain it. I don't think you would understand," he said, his voice trailing off at the end. "Maybe not. But I can listen." I said offering him a little smile.

He took a deep breath. "It's my boss. He does shitty things to me. I guess now he's in my dreams," he chuckled. "I thought I saw him. I heard his voice. It was so real." I nodded to show I was listening. "I'm sorry. I get it. I mean, for a different reason, but I understand the feeling. I know how real it can feel in the moment."

He rested his head in his arms on the table. "I'm just so fucking tired. It's all too much. And there's no escape. Its not even like I can kill myself here, I'm already dead." He said with no emotion in his voice. I could see tears falling down his face. I felt weirdly sorry for him. I usually don't give much of a shit about anyone. I traced circles into his back. "I know." I said.

"Let's go to bed. You look like you need all the sleep you can get." I said holding out my hand for him. He took it and stared at me for a moment. "Night husk." He whispered as he walked back down the hallway and into his room.