Why won't you save me? (Book 2 of the Misguided Killer Series)

Chapter Three: Control

'Come on Jeff think! Zalgo has to be controlling them...well, at least Lost Silver and Herobrine. As for the other two they're sadistic enough to do this on their own.' He chewed on his lip, glaring at the Creepypasta watching him. Zalgo had put Herobrine on watch duty, and that blank stare was getting to him. The rings that Sonic.exe had created were still restraining him, so he simply settled his chin on floor. 'Think goddammit. What am I missing.'

"I can hear the inner workings of your mind screaming from overuse," Zalgo taunted, suddenly in his peripheral vision.

'Ignore him,' Jeff told himself, 'he's just trying to trick you. Just think already dammit!' Zalgo chuckled at him, circling like a predator who had finally caught his prey.

"They're never coming for you," he hissed, "they never even started looking."

'Come on, just ignore him. Don't play his games.' Jeff tuned the demon out, much to Zalgo's annoyance.

"Fine," he growled, "ignore me. Just know that soon you'll give yourself over to me." The demon vanished, leaving Jeff to think over his escape plan. It hadn't come together yet, not even close. Yet Jeff knew he couldn't give up. If he did that meant Zalgo had won.

'I just have to hold out long enough for Slenderman and the other Creepypasta to arrive.' A seed of doubt bloomed in his mind. It was one that Zalgo had planted, and now it began to fester like a disease. 'What if...what if they never come?' The thought floated through his head for a while, nagging at his unconscious mind. 'I'll just have to find a way out. On my own.'

<•><•><•><•>

"What in the hell is going on here?" Ben surveyed the scene before him. Masky and Hoodie sat side-by-side, Masky with a whiteboard in his lap and Hoodie without his signature mask. Jack say across from them and black eye sockets trained on Ben.

"Wanna show Ben what we've been practicing?" Hoodie asked. Ben quirked a brow, glancing at his boyfriend. Jack flashed a sheepish smile, sharp fangs glittering.

"H-Hey...Ben," Jack said softly. Ben stared at him before breaking out into a grin.

"Wow," Ben said, "this is incredible." He hugged the cannibal, both smiling.

"His vocal cords just need use," Hoodie said, standing, "other than that he's fine. It's more a fact of working his confidence to talk again. Me and Masky have some work to do. See you both later." The pair exited without pause, Masky murmuring something that made Hoodie snicker. Ben shook his head.

"They're strange," Ben said. Jack hummed an agreement.

"That they are," he said. His voice was still soft and hoarse, but even without being at full strength Ben knew he was going to enjoy hearing Jack speak more. "We should...keep searching for Zalgo's hideout."

"Yeah," Ben said, taking Jack's hand, "plus we should get you a new mask. Zalgo's kinda wrecked yours," The cannibal frowned, cocking his head to one side. Ben felt the tug of Jack's unmoving form, turning back to look at him.

"Ben, do you...do you prefer me with my mask on?"

"What are you talking about?" Ben asked, "it doesn't matter to me whether you wear your mask or not." Jack pulled his hand away, looking away slightly. He blinked, black fluid dripping down onto his cheek.

"No one else has...has commented on it," Jack explained, "so I thought it was okay. But...if you'd rather I get a new mask...then alright." He turned away, wandering off.

"Jack?" Ben questioned. The cannibal didn't turn around, head hung a bit and shoulders slumped. Ben bit his lip, jogging after him. He grabbed his arm, pulling him to a stop. Jack looked at him, a saddened expression on his face. "You don't need to hide your face," Ben said, "I didn't mean to have it come off that way. You just...you always wore your mask from the moment I met you. I thought maybe you'd be more comfortable with it on." Jack smiled, squeezing his hand.

"I hid behind my m-mask," Jack said, "because I was...wasn't comfortable showing my face. I'm still not, just as I'm not comfortable eating in front of people. But...somehow you've all seen my face now so...it doesn't matter as much." Ben nodded.

"Alright," he said, "let's go find Jeff. No mask required." Jack grinned.

"Let's head over to the place where Zalgo's took Jeff," Jack offered, "I might be able to t-track him from there."

"I thought you couldn't track Zalgo?" Ben asked, "something to do with the fact that he's a demon." Jack smirked, the look feral.

"Not Zalgo. Jeff."

<•><•><•><•>

"So...I hear you've got something to tell me." Jeff glanced up at the demon standing before him. His followers stood gathered around him, blank stares focused on nothing.

"You mind?" He asked, nodding to the rings around him. Zalgo nodded and Sonic.exe made the rings vanish. He rolled over, stretching out his sore muscles. Ruby eyes watched his every move, that overwhelming pressure pushing against his mind.

"Let's get to the agreement," Zalgo said, pressing harder against the killer's consciousness. "Give yourself over to me, and I'll give you the freedom you deserve. The freedom you crave."

"You need to do more than that to convince me to be your puppet," Jeff commented, getting to his feet, "I let you take me over and then what? I just trust that a demon keeps his word?"

"I can make you a contract if you wish," Zalgo hissed, eyes narrowed. Jeff gave a small laugh.

"Right," he said, "cause a contract will help." Zalgo growled, the sound sending a chill through Jeff's blood. 'Just stay calm. What's the worse this guy can do?'

"Demons like me are bound by our contracts," Zalgo stated, "even Lucifer himself is bound once the contract has been forged. Any contract we make will be held as truth." Jeff took a breath to steady himself, looking the demon in the eyes.

"Why do you want to control me?" He asked, trying to sound bored, "you want another puppet for your half baked army you've been building." Zalgo glanced at the group surrounding him.

"They have their uses," he commented. Jeff eyes them as well, brain racing to figure out how Zalgo was controlling them.

'What do they have in common?' He thought, 'They're all male...I think. Pikachu.exe is tough to call after all. But it can't just be gender can it?'

"Tick tock," Zalgo said, "your time's running out little killer." His heartbeat quickened, slamming against his chest.

'Think...it can't be gender. He's trying to make a contract with me. I doubt he made one with the others or he would have told me. So what do these four have that I don't?' Zalgo placed a clawed finger beneath his chin, nudging his head up.

"You're wearing out my patience," he said, "do we have a deal or not?" Jeff glanced over the other Creepypasta again.

'Herobrine, Sonic.exe, Pikachu.exe, and Lost Silver...what do they share? Not danger level for sure.' And then it hit him. The answer smacked into his brain like that bullet he'd taken so long ago. Zalgo pressed harder, nicking the skin.

"Well?" He prompted. Jeff looked him square in the eyes.

"No deal," he said, "your other followers...they're all Creepypasta's linked to games of some sort. Their partially digital entities. That's why you can control them." Zalgo looked mildly surprised, stepping back. Jeff swallowed, sterling himself. "And that's why you can't control me. Not without my consent."