Project: Titan (Skibidi Toilet Fan-fic)

Chapter 23: The Griefer (Part 2)

—Micheal's POV—

The sound hit us like a punch to the gut, a harsh clang of metal, followed by the echo of voices raised in alarm. I froze, my stomach twisting as I realized what it meant. That was Jarred's voice, mixed with Ella's. They were in trouble.

I looked over at Catherine, who had heard it too. Her eyes widened, her face pale in the dim light of the mall. She opened her mouth to say something, but I was already moving, heart pounding as I scanned the shadows, trying to figure out where the sounds had come from.

"Did you hear that?" I asked, my voice barely steady. "They're fighting. Something's wrong."

She nodded, eyes filled with the same fear I felt tightening in my chest. "They have to be close," she said, already shifting forward. "We need to find them...now."

The silence that followed was unbearable, each second dragging as I strained to pick up any clue, any hint of where they might be. Another crash echoed through the empty hallways, closer this time, the unmistakable sound of a struggle. I could hear Ella's faint yell, desperate but fierce. Whatever they were up against, it was bad.

Catherine and I exchanged a look, fear mingled with resolve. We both knew we couldn't stand by and wait. "Come on," I said, my voice low but determined. I started toward the direction of the noise, not even thinking about what we might be running into.

As we crept down the corridor, the noises grew louder—footsteps, shouts, and the unmistakable metallic screech of something slashing through the air. My mind raced, imagining what could be happening, what kind of thing could make even Jarred sound afraid.

I swallowed hard, reaching out to touch Catherine's arm. "Stay close," I whispered, hoping my voice didn't betray how terrified I actually felt. We couldn't afford to lose each other too, not now.

As we rounded the corner, the scene before us made my blood run cold. Jarred and Ella were locked in a desperate fight with... someone, or something that looked almost human. A teenager stood before them, wielding a crowbar with terrifying precision, his face twisted into a monstrous expression. The vines seemed to pulse and writhe around him as if he commanded them, and the sight of his sharp, blood-red teeth was enough to freeze me in place.

Jarred dodged a brutal swing from the crowbar, barely managing to keep his footing as he tried to hold the thing off. He glanced up and saw us, his gaze piercing through the chaos. For a moment, our eyes locked, and he gave a sharp, urgent nod in Arnold's direction. The message was clear...Go. Save him.

I swallowed hard, glancing over at Catherine. She nodded, her face set with grim determination, mirroring the urgency I felt pounding in my chest. I knew she was just as terrified as I was, but neither of us hesitated. Turning away from the battle, we sprinted toward the nest, where I could see Arnold tangled in the writhing vines, struggling to break free.

"Hold on, Arnold! We're coming!" Catherine shouted as we rushed forward, her voice carrying over the sound of the fight behind us. I could hear the clash of metal, Ella's shouts, and the sickening thud of the crowbar hitting something hard.

Pushing down my fear, I reached for the vines around Arnold, pulling at them with everything I had. They resisted, as if they were alive, twisting and tightening in response. Catherine joined in, tugging frantically at the tendrils that bound him, her eyes blazing with determination.

In the chaos, I couldn't help but glance back at Jarred. He was still holding his ground against the twisted teen, his face a mask of concentration and exhaustion. For a moment, I feared we'd lose him too, but he caught my eye once more and gave the slightest nod of encouragement. Keep going, his expression seemed to say. Fuelled by his silent command, we kept pulling, desperate to free Arnold before it was too late.