Duality (slashers x reader)

30. Nightmare

Silence filled the air as no one made a sound, no one dared move, as if movement would mean he could see you. I could feel Noah trembling beside me and I could understand why: he was massive, a tower of a man, and so imposing, that blank expression of the mask staring right through you. He didn't move an inch, just watched us, like a hunter watching his prey. 

'What should we do?' Noah's voice wouldn't stop trembling and I could hear the fear rising in his throat.

'I don't know. Do you think Sarah will let us in to call the police?'

'Maybe. I'll go.' I was a little pissed at Noah immediately volunteering to leave me with him, but I couldn't really blame him and that was definitely the smarter thing to do since I knew exactly who he was and what he was capable of.

'Yeah. Yeah, okay. Just don't run. Slowly back away.'

I felt Noah's presence behind me leave and heard his footsteps slowly retreat. Michael didn't move an inch, but I noticed the steady pace of his chest rising and falling. He wasn't holding anything, that I could see, and he was wearing his iconic blue boiler suit. Sam and Amy were still up in the tree and I locked eyes with them, nodding slightly to signal them to climb down. I saw Sam nod and start moving, and I returned my gaze to Michael. Surprise, surprise, he hadn't moved. I wasn't entirely sure what I expected to do: there was no way I could overpower him and I didn't even have a plan of what to do. I just needed to distract him.

'Hello? Can we help you?' I shouted at him, aware it would do nothing but not really having any other ideas. To no one's surprise, he didn't respond. 'Who are you?' Still nothing. He simply continued to watch me.

Behind him, I saw Sam holding onto Amy's hand as she climbed down the trunk of the tree to land on the ground next to him. He locked eyes with me and nodded, I nodded back, thinking he was saying thanks for providing a distraction. I was proven wrong as I watched him drop the bag off his shoulder to the floor and sprint towards Michael, lunging towards his back and throwing his hands around the giant's neck. 

Michael didn't move at all - not even swaying an inch - with Sam's entire body weight around his neck. It was obvious Sam had expected to take him down or bring him to the ground when he jumped on his back, so in any other situation I would have laughed at Sam's shocked and disbelieving expression.

It felt like forever I was frozen to the spot, watching Sam dangle from Michael's neck but it was probably just a matter of seconds. With one swift movement, he reached around his back and grabbed Sam by the midriff, ripping him off his back and throwing him to the ground. Sam let out a loud cough and writhed a little on the ground. Michael quickly lifted his leg and brought his boot roughly into Sam's chest and a sickening crack echoed in the night. Sam yelled and tears started streaming down his face but his was immediately silenced by thick hands being wrapped around his neck. The sound of his choked sobs and the scratching of his hands at Michael's was all that was heard and I watched as his face turned purple, until he finally stopped fighting and fell back, limp and lifeless.

It felt like time was frozen and I was stook, unable to move or react at all, until Amy let out a shrill, piercing scream and brought me back to my senses. She was shaking violently and had her hands clasped over her mouth, tears crashing down over them. Michael slowly turned his head to face her and she froze, a deer in headlights, her eyes wide. He seemed to consider her for a second, contemplating something. 

He made his decision and rose from his kneeling position beside Sam's body, taking swift, long strides towards her. Amy let out another shriek before sprinting away, towards the other side of the house. He didn't pick up speed, just continued to stalk after her, content in his ability to catch her. It was deeply unsettling.

I wasn't proud of my decision but I wasn't sure what else there was to do. There was no chance I'd be able to overpower him in any way and... Amy's death was inevitable anyway. That's why I chose to run to the house, to the person who had been here since the start. 

I crashed into the door, unable to slow down, and banged my fists against it, almost striking Noah in the jaw when he opened it. He roughly grabbed my shoulder and pulled me inside, locking the door behind me. Sarah was stood behind me, terror on her face as she hugged herself. Noah moved out the way and she wrapped me up in her arms, shaking slightly. 

'God, Y/N, how did you know? Are you okay?'

I swallowed hard. 'Ju-just a gut feeling.'

She let go of me and stepped back, wrapping her arms around herself once more. I cleared my throat and wiped my sweaty palms on my trousers.

'Um, is the kid safe?' 

'Yeah, yeah, um he's hidden in a closet upstairs.' I nodded and we fell into a thick silence. There was no noise outside at all, I couldn't hear Amy's screams. I prayed this house just had thick insulation and that it wasn't the other, much worse reason. No one spoke for a while, no one was sure what to do in this situation.

'What do you th-'

A deafening CRASH sounded from the other room and all three of us jumped from fear, exchanging glances before quickly running out of the room. Sarah was in front, then me, Noah trailing behind.

Sarah stopped abruptly and screamed loudly, but I couldn't see why. I peered around her, to the pile of broken glass coating the floor, the limp, bloody body of Amy sprawled on top. Her arms were twisted at an awkward angle beneath her and blood was pouring from her head. I could hear Noah's heavy breathing behind me and I turned to look at him, mostly because I didn't want to look at Amy anymore. But as I turned, I saw that Noah had moved to the other side of the room, near the window, hidden behind Sarah's shoulder. The breathing still sounded behind me. 

Shakily, I turned round, already knowing exactly what I would see. Behind me was a doorway, darkness flooding it, the only light coming from... the mirror. A reflection from the window. The hall was empty.

Confused I turned back only to see, to my horror, the towering figure of Michael right behind Noah. He didn't see him and Sarah had her head in her hands, everyone was completely unaware how close the danger was.

'Noah!' I shouted, desperate to get his attention, but it was too late. He looked up at me just as Michael buried a knife deep into the small of his back. He groaned loudly and his body contorted like a snake, before he was pushed roughly to the ground. Blood spurted out and pooled around him, his blood still glistening on the knife Michael held firmly in his hand. He turned his head slowly to look at us and fixed his gaze on Sarah, lunging towards her and swiftly sticking the knife into her neck.

I was so blinded and overcome by rage I made the stupidest fucking decision I could have and ran at him, knocking his hand away from the knife, so it stayed in her neck as she lay on the ground, convulsing. Michael grabbed me by the neck and threw me hard against the wall which I hit and slid down roughly, a loud crack sounding when I collided. I felt pain everywhere it was possible to and my vision went black, until it exploded in red as a knife sliced through the flesh of my stomach. 

I clasped open my eyes, my breathing quickly slowing, and saw Sarah, lying on the ground facing me. She was choking as blood was spilling out of her mouth, bubbling and trickling down her chin. Her face was losing its colour and the entire side of her head and shoulder were plastered with blood. Despite this, she found my gaze and locked eyes with me, a slight smile fixing itself on her face as tears began to flow down her face. I could see the light fading from her eyes but still she smiled at me and I smiled back, now joining her as tears streamed down my face as well.

Her bloody smile was the last thing I saw as police sirens began to fill the air, and darkness began to cloud my mind.