The Mother of The Hollow

chapter 02: why won't you believe me?!

Dylan's POV:

I walked the prison halls, aimlessly, boredom gnawing at me like a constant hunger. My mind kept drifting, searching for any distraction, any kind of entertainment to stave off the relentless monotony. Then, I heard it—Jace's voice faint across the corridor. Was he talking to himself? Muttering some random gibberish? I couldn't resist. I crept closer, quiet as a shadow, hiding behind a wall as Jace continued his quiet monologue. His words sent a chill down my spine."Them. Those guys are trying to take Lucy... I know what happened to Kasper might happen to me, but I'm smarter than him, smarter than all of them. I'll start with that fucking cave ape. I'll get rid of that bloody weapon-making piece of shit..."

My suspicions were confirmed. My gut twisted in fury, but I quickly backed away to avoid making a sound. This place had an echo that could betray you with a single wrong step. I wasted no time. I ran to find Lucy, needing to warn her. I burst into her room, breathless. "Lucy! Jace has gone mad, and he's planning to get rid of me, Kai, and Moon!" Lucy turned to me, her eyes full of disapproval. "Dylan, Jace has been with me from the start. He's been the closest person to me. He would never do something like that."

I gritted my teeth, desperate to make her see the truth. "I'm telling you the truth—"But she cut me off, her voice sharp, like a blade. "Enough of this shit! How fucking dense are you? Jace is an innocent guy, so leave him alone!" Her words hit me like a blow to the chest, and for a moment, I could hardly breathe.

I turned to Max and Polly, hoping they'd believe me. Polly stared at me, her eyes wide with disbelief. But Max, she was different. She came to me, offering a small, comforting hug. "I believe you, Dad... don't worry too much," she whispered, her words laced with quiet reassurance. At least someone trusted me.

I turned back to the group, my voice tinged with desperation. "Does anyone else believe me?"But they all turned away. Everyone except Mel. "Mel... please tell me you believe me..." My voice cracked, but she only gave me a sorrowful glance before turning away too.

Tears stung my eyes as I looked around at the cold indifference surrounding me. The silence felt suffocating. But Max's trust was a small light in the dark, so I walked to the forge I'd built myself, the steady rhythm of the work giving me some semblance of purpose. I molded weapons out of clay, shaping them piece by piece—a circular saw, a sickle blade, shears, a maces ball, parts for a man catcher, a deadly injection knife, and a layered trap designed to kill without mercy. My hands moved with precision, and each creation felt like a small piece of my revenge, a way to make them all understand.

Jace's POV:

I stalked the halls, looking for Dylan. I needed to find him before it was too late. Finally, I found him in the forge, surrounded by the tools of torture he was creating. This was my chance to act. I rushed back to the group, heart pounding.

"Everyone! Dylan's gone mad! He's in the forge, making shit to kill me!" I shouted, my voice laced with panic but quiet enough to keep Dylan from hearing. Within moments, the group was in motion, rushing toward the forge. Lucy was the first to arrive, her eyes scanning the room as she saw the weapons Dylan had crafted. Her voice trembled with disbelief. "What. The. Fuck... I thought you were better than this, Dyls..."

Dylan opened his mouth to speak, but Lucy cut him off, her words sharp as steel. "Y'know what? Get your stuff and get out." Dylan's expression withered. He didn't argue. Without a word, he extinguished the forge, gathered his creations, and walked silently back to his cell, cleaning out his belongings as if he were no longer part of us.

I could feel the victory settling in my bones. For now, I was in control. No one could stop me. The others swarmed around me, their concern evident. "Are you alright? Did he hurt you before this?" Lucy asked, her eyes filled with genuine worry.

"I'm fine, just shaken up... there was a psycho living with us," I said, my voice trembling. "Luckily, I told. I couldn't imagine what that cave fuck would've done to us."It was over—for now. But I knew the storm was far from finished.