Chains

Chapter 11: The Story Behind Toby Erin Rogers

Toby didn't look at me as he grabbed his mouth-guard and ran into the woods, away from the Mansion. I shoved Masky away from me and ran  after Toby. I then stopped and said

"You know Masky, I never really loved you. I only dated you, and "Married" you just to win Toby over. By the way, You can go back to Zero now. I won't be talking to you any time soon...Or ever."

I left Masky with his jaw open, looks like he will be catching flies.

I ran deeper into the woods, it seemed to grow darker with every step I took. I heard my heart pounding in my ears as I ran to find where Toby had ran to. I resigned to slowing down, then coming to walking cautiously... I had been running blindly for hours! Not even knowing where he had gone! I'm lost, I'm never gonna find my way back.

I wandered in woods for what seemed to be eternity, I then heard a familiar voice.

"What are you doing here?"

I looked over to a stream, and found Toby staring ahead. He must've heard me coming after him.  I wheezed

"Looking for a boy that ran off about 3 hours ago, have you seen him?"

Toby sniffed and said

"He died as soon as his secret was uncovered..."

I crepy towards him, and said

"What do you mean? What were you hiding all these years, that could be possibly that bad?"

He said

"As soon as you see it, you'll think of me as a freak, an outcast, a FUCKING NOBODY THAT NO ONE WILL EVEN THINK TO TAKE A GLANCE AT!"

He stood up, and faced me. My breath caught in my throat, and my eyes widened... Tobys' left cheek was gone...it looked whatever happened to him was very agonizing,  and fucked up.  I could see his left canine, to the back where his molers were. I stumbled over my feet and fell. He helped me up, I then asked myself

'Why didn't I see it when he kissed me?...Did he pull the mouth-guard over his mouth immediately after we broke the kiss, or was it when Masky scared us?'

He sat on a rock, and said

"I was fourteen, I had a great l-life...My mother, sis, and dear old dad..." he chuckled "He's dead n-now... Mother left him due to his aggressiveness, and hatred of us when he drank, al-always beating us. She wanted to take Lyra and I with her, D-Dad wouldn't allow it...So...He killed h-her, he threw her into the wall...but it was too late. She died on im-impact, her brain turned to mush, her skull shattered into fragments of dust...Lyra and I were out at the time. That's when a d-drunk driver collided head-on with our vechile. I woke up and looked over to my beloved sister...
My eyes welled in tears. The steering wheel was f-forced into her chest, exposing her ribcage, her legs twisted, and distorted in o-odd angles. Her jaw shredded from the windshield... Her eyes locked on mine...I went to the h-hospital, and got released the next night. My father was drunk again. He screamed and s-shouted that it was my fault... M-MY FAULT THAT HIS BELOVED WIFE AND DAUGHTER DIED! THAT I B-BROKE THIS FAMILY! THAT I RUINED HIS LIFE... THAT HE'D WISHED THAT I WOULDN'T HAVE S-SURVIVED THE CRASH! He then shoved t-to the ground,  and cut my cheek out, then the p-psychotic bastard tried to burn it shut, I then snapped... I had E-ENOUGH! I pushed him off of me, grabbed the hatchets off the wall and decapitated the bastard! I laughed like a mad man...that's when the voices stopped...The static started, M-Master was close. I knew that I had to destroy the evidence! I grabbed a book of matches, two gallons of gasoline. I then ran to my bedroom, and grabbed my mouth-guard and fled the house. Turns out the neighbors called the police, and they had me surrounded,  I r-ran,  I got shot a few times, but because of my rare condition of CIPA...I can't feel pain. So I lite the n-neighbourhood on fire to escape from the police, But the flames surrounded me... I was about to give into my own death,  but that's when Master a-arrived and saved me. He said that it wasn't my end, that it was just the beginning of my journey... and he was right. I only remember that night, and forward. I can't imagine what ypu you must think right now...You know I know it's a lot to process but it's my story; and nothing is going to change it...Nothing..."

I stared at him wide-eyed, and sighed. I then hugged him, and told him

"I'm so sorry Toby..."

He said

"It's okay. We should get going bef-"

I heard howls in the distance...

Toby stood up, grasped my hand,  and pushed me away from him.

"RUN! A-AND DON'T STOP UNTIL YOU'VE REACHED THE M-MANSION!"

I yelled

"WHATEVER THEY ARE WE CAN FIGHT THEM TOGETHER!"

He said

"NO! GO NOW!! BEFORE-"

I heard a snarl, I turned around and saw a black dog. Toby pushed me behind him. I screamed

"What are they?!"

Toby yelled

"HELLHOUNDS SENT UNDER THE ORDER OF ZALGO!!"

Toby decapitated one, and gutted another. There were 5 of them left, and there were 2 of us. Toby met one halfway and killed it.I then got pounced on,  I screamed as loud as my lungs would allow, as the Hellhound sunk it's teeth into my shoulder!  It slashed iys claws into my stomach, and tore into my thigh.. my vision was darkening. But I kept screaming!

~Toby's P.O.V~

I killed the the 6th to last Hellhound,  I hear Astrid scream...I whip my head around to see her being attacked my the last Hellhound. Her shoulder is crushed,  her thigh is exposed and oozing blood, and her stomach is shredded. I fuel in anger as I tackled the last dog, I gripped it jaw,  and prided ot open until I ripped it's lower jaw completely off. It died of blood loss. I rushed over to Astrid with tears streaming down my face, and I craddled her body on my arms. I shakily brushed her pink hair from her face, and say

"Don't go... I miss you here by my side But, darling I can't help but  feel like a bastard for not protecting you like I should have...Please come back!"

She was pale as snow, making the specks of blood seem to glow darker. I cryed and cryed for her to come back...

~Astrid's P.O.V~

I could hear his voice,  beckoning me to come back...I wanted to respond, say something, do anything to assure him that I was still here! I could feel his fingers stroke my hair,  and his tears as they fell on my face. I then heard him sing a song I've lobeed to listen to everyday since I've met him.

Toby sang:

"Oh, sweet catastrophe
Where have you been
I've looked for you so desperately
Inside this pen
You're the answer I've needed
The question I've feared
I know light is your mother
But darkness I fear

Sits inside of you silently
Just waiting to crawl
It's way back to the surface
Like an infected scar
I feel balance is gone
Please somebody save us
Please somebody come

Oh, catastrophe
Leave me to fade out the light
And uncage the night."

I opened my eyes,  and saw Toby's beloved face. When he moved it looked like he was a ghost, he smiled, and was trying to keep me awake. I heard him say

"Hold on Astrid! Help is on the way."