Critical Rift

Part Five

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Ivan couldn't remember the last time he had slept this well. He was getting a full ten hours of sleep every night and finally felt he had found some of his sanity again. He still had nightmares from time to time, but he prefered to ignore such difficult thoughts. It seemed now that his entire being revolved around the Society, and anything that would hurt him or his cult was erased.

He went to bed that night, looking forward to an easy sleep. He was out in no time. But his mind stirred to life. A black darkness was swallowing him, and he stirred uncomfortably. A tumultuous voice suddenly caught his attention.

"Oh, Ivan, it is good to see you again!"

Ivan couldn't see who was talking.

"How've ya been?"

"Who- who are you?" The words finally fell out of Ivan's mouth.

"I'm an old friend. I see you've been busy with that gun of yours, Toot-toot."

Ivan was scared but he didn't know why. Was this someone he had forgotten?

"You can't suppress those ugly memories forever. You'll see, Ivan, once I have the power I'll tear into your dimension, and make the biggest rift you've ever seen!"

Rift

Ivan gasped. His memories started to find their way back. It felt as if someone had flicked the first domino and now everything was falling back into place.

Blood still dripped from his shattered ribs and leaked from torn arteries.

Ivan grabbed the sides of his head, trying to comprehend it all.

"I have something that might help..."

It all made sense...

"Bill?!"

"I guess it's all coming back now."

Madness seemed to be seeping back into Ivan's brain. "You're dead! Why are you here?!"

"I was shredded, manipulated, mutated! I'm gonna find my way back to the third dimension, and you are all gonna learn how to party!"

"Where are you?! This isn't you!" Ivan begged, "you've turned into a monster!"

Bill's laughter echoed eerily, "Oh, Ivan, Ivan, Ivan, Ivan, Ivan... You and I, we aren't as different as you think. We both have been hurt and we both want some sort of revenge. Revenge for what this cruel world has done to us."

"That's not true..."

"Oh is it now?!" Bill's voice boomed, "you have wiped people's minds! Crippled them!-"

"It was only to keep things like you in docility!" Ivan yelled.

Bill fell silent for a moment and Ivan was fearful of what he may do next.

"You can't keep me out Ivan," Bill taunted, "Armageddon is approaching, and it's gonna be one hell of a time!"

Ivan was now in a full blown panic.

This couldn't be happening!

He started looking around and seeing dark figures form in the void. Before he could even fathom what they were they were morphing into something else. They began to shift in shape, change color, and then disappear all together...like they were never there. All the while a sadistic voice taunted him.

"A darkness approaches. A day will come in the future where everything you care about will change... Until then I'll be watching you!" His voice began to fade, "I'll be watching you..."

Ivan awoke with a startle. His face was soaked with tears and his scalp was covered in a nervous sweat.

A singeing pain spread over his chest and he screamed as he began to tear his shirt off. He looked down on his chest, now branded with the words "semper vigilantem"

Ivan shook his head. This couldn't be happening. This was all too much! His best friend and colleague was now some sort of demon! He was stricken with pure panic. He hiccupped and choked on his own sobs. He was becoming tired, now in a state of languid vexation. But his mind was constantly stirring and he couldn't fall asleep.

So the days went on, and each night was filled with panic attacks that robbed him of sleep. He began to scream and argue with himself for long periods of time. He didn't notice or care if anyone heard. He had already come to terms with his madness, realizing that restraining it would only drain him more.

He was tearing his flesh apart only because it took away the pain. He even started taking a hammer to all his plates and glasses and taking his couch apart with his hands and feet. The demon could be hiding anywhere and he wasn't taking any risks.

Society meetings were becoming less and less populated, as people had started to notice Ivan's instability. He would twitch and stutter and pick at his skin. Many members had started to converse about him and his condition. He was becoming worried that what had happened to Fiddleford may happen to him as well.

He decided that the only way to do this was to wipe his mind again. What had happened may very well happen again, but it was worth his sanity.

It was that night, when the halls and rooms underneath the town were silent,and everyone was gone, that Ivan decided it was time. As he sat in the chair in the hall of the forgotten, he stared at the gun in his hands. Perhaps, instead of simply wiping his mind, wiping himself from existence might have been easier. But this society needed him. Sane or not, he was going to lead this cult with pride.

The word "Pain" lit up the screen. He took a deep breath, thinking of it all once more before it was truly gone. His time in prison, Bill's death, his insanity, Fiddleford, that haunting peak at the apocalypse- it would all be gone soon. He gently pressed the tip of it to his head. He slowly pulled back the trigger. He sobbed a bit, fearing of what pain he may have to endure in order to forget this agony. He braced himself as he heard the ray energize, the blue aura surrounding it. A sudden zap to the temple sent a jolt through his entire body. His sight faded out. His body seemed to become enveloped in an inky black. It felt as though he was submerged in a pool of water. He was now somewhat at peace.