Stranger (Johnny slaughter x reader)

Pathos

As time drifted by like a slow, languid river, the dinner concluded with everyone's satisfied sighs, but for Y/n, the minutes had felt like an eternity of torment. The room's flickering candlelight cast eerie shadows that danced on the walls, intensifying her unease.

Dishes were cleared, and conversation flowed around her, yet Y/n remained trapped in her own thoughts, unable to engage with the world around her. The fear that had taken root in her heart refused to loosen its grip, and she felt entirely disconnected from the reality unfolding before her.

The words of her captors, the laughter, the decor that surrounded her—all of it seemed distant and surreal, as if she had been transported to a nightmarish alternate dimension. Every noise, every movement, every flicker of the candle flames intensified her paranoia, making it impossible to even pretend to relax.

She watched them all, her eyes vacant, as they carried on with their bizarre rituals and macabre merriment. Even Sissy's sympathetic glances couldn't bridge the vast chasm of dread that had consumed her.

In that disconnected, timeless moment, Y/n couldn't help but wonder if she would ever escape this horrific nightmare or if she was destined to be forever lost in the shadows of the family's sinister world.

Johnny, sensing Y/n's profound unease, leaned in closer to her, his voice a low, whispered reassurance amidst the dissonance of the room. "Hey," he said softly, his eyes searching hers, "just hang in there, just gotta... go through it."

Y/n met his gaze, and for a brief moment, she saw a glimmer of genuine empathy in his eyes, a flicker of humanity within the darkness. She nodded faintly, acknowledging his words, even as the fear and uncertainty continued to churn within her.

"J-J-Johnny!!"
Nubbins called Johnny out of the room, and as he made his way toward the door, he passed by Sissy. There was an uncomfortable silence between them, and Sissy avoided making eye contact with Johnny, the guilt of their shared secret gnawing at her.

Johnny left the room, and Sissy took a seat beside Y/n. She could feel the weight of guilt pressing down on her, and after a moment, she cleared her throat softly before finally speaking. "I'm so sorry, Y/n," she whispered, her voice barely audible in the room's hushed atmosphere. "I should've warned you about the food. It's... it's different here, with us." Sissy's eyes, filled with a complex mix of emotions, met Y/n's, silently pleading for understanding.

Y/n's response was distant and disconnected. She turned her gaze slowly towards Sissy, her eyes hollow and distant, as if she was looking right through her. There was a profound sense of detachment in her voice as she softly replied, "I understand. It's... it's all so... crazy, you know?"

She then looked down at her hands, which were trembling slightly, the aftermath of the revelation about the chili still haunting her. The events of the evening had left her in a state of shock, unable to fully comprehend the horror that had unfolded at the dinner table.

Sissy, her voice laced with concern, gently said, "Come on, Y/n. Let's get you out of here for a bit. It's been a rough night."

Y/n nodded faintly, allowing Sissy to guide her back to the living room. The weight of the evening's events hung heavily in the air, and both of them knew that some distance from that dining room was desperately needed.

Y/n's world had shrunk to the relentless, echoing sound of the chain that held her in captivity. Every clink and rattle seemed to reverberate through her consciousness, a constant reminder of her entrapment.

Sissy gently guided Y/n to sit on the worn-out couch and took a seat beside her, trying to create a connection amidst the eerie circumstances.

"So, Y/n," Sissy began softly, "tell me more about your life. What's your story?" She spoke with a genuine curiosity, hoping to provide Y/n with a moment of normalcy in this unsettling environment.