femme!reader x Laughing Jack : arc 2 Paranoia (English)

Chapter 4

          Keith came back home about three p.m... somehow, I thought I remembered Avalon telling me that he was only supposed to be back at six. He went to the kitchen, came back with a bag of biscuits in hand, sat down on the sofa and turned the TV on. On my side, I had just finished vacuuming when I saw him drop crumbs on the carpet I had just cleaned ; I thought that it was time for a first time lesson.

-"Keith..." I called.

-"Quit it frog eater..." he replied as he turned the volume up. Firmly decided not to take any kind of shit from him, I walk towards the TV set and turned it off. "Eh! what d'ya think ya doin', ya not at home here!" he shouted as he rose up. "Ya just the gofer here, so ya stay where ya supposed to and ya shut ya g-" he didn't get the time to finish, I slapped him harshly right across the face.
He put his hand on his red cheek and, like a child, he rushed for the next floor while crying like a bitch... but the crumbs were still on the carpet.
'A baby giving himself airs.. that's what I thought...' He deserved it yet, I still felt a bit of pity for him.... but surely not as much as in the opera....

I stuck man hand in my pocket and picked the two candies out. Nothing had happened to me after I blacked out ; not a bruise, no pain... not even a print. It appeared to me that, sometimes, even ennemies could have understandings... however, this kind gesture still surprised me : why would he cause me such nightmares and hallucinations, just to give me a soporific when asked? I knew him to be a perfect lunatic but, even during his mood swings, he still had a bit of logic in them... 'wait up : Jack having logic? Am I becoming totally bonkers?!' I thought while hitting my forehead.




It already was half past eight when Avalon went back home. She seemed to be elated as she saw the already cooked dishes but, a scowl crawled on her face when she realized that Keith wasn't seated at the table nor at the TV set. She then went to the bottom of the stairs and called for him, but nobody answered. Mumbling angrily, she stormed up the stairs and in his room.
Once again, screams and shouts erupted from the first floor and, rooted before the lone table with my untouched dishes, I wondered how much the little guy could take before his nerves would snap....




I didn't get any trouble to fall asleep this time and, after a few moments, I found myself in Isaac's attic. I walked towards the broken window and peeked at what was beyond ; a siren echoed. I smiled ; I was right, were really were close to the docks.

Lost in the beauty of the gloomy sky, I only felt Jack's presence when he laid his head on my shoulder. I froze immediately but didn't badge an inch ; has did he.

We stayed a long time like this, nose in the air, our eyes lost into the monochrome landscape, that the London of the XIX's century provided. Strangely enough, I was serene, calm, rested and, for once, his presence didn't feel that bad... in fact, I could almost say that I felt relieved.... relieved to be able to bury myself in a literal duvet... away from the cold gusts that arrived on us.


After some time, my eyes began to feel heavy and, as they closed, I let my head rest on his black-feathered shoulder. Sightless, I suddenly felt something heating up against my sternum and, after my eyes shot open, I came face to face with a disgusting picture.
What could have been Jack's face, was covered with cracks... fissures that were letting some red and swarmy thing showing under the skin. In an instant, je saw the glint of claws and dodged it barely. I caught the nearest chair and used it as a shield when he charged again. His taloned fingers stuck themselves in the old, yet tender wood and, as he tried to pry them out, I took the opportunity to get the hell out. I rushed down the stairs and ran for the open door, but it closed right before I could reach it.

I heard a loud noise ; he broke them free.

Panicked, I rushed in the kitchen and, seeing that the windows were slamming themselves shut one by one, I grabbed a chair and swung it at the nearest window.

Footsteps ; he was coming.

I gave a second hit at the glass, trashed the chair behind and climbed out the window ; luckily, we were at the ground floor. I started running through the hollow street and, as I readied myself to take a sharp turn, I saw the cobbled ground give way before me ; I stopped just in time. I locked down below and saw nothing but red ; a true ocean of blood, just like that on time at the London Tower...

At that moment, the heat rose up, burning my skin... 'the crank!' I got it out by the thread and saw that it was pointing at something before me. I looked up, and saw a black cloud advancing dangerously, breaking the lampposts' glasses. I attempted to back up just one step but my hill encountered no ground there ; trapped!

I crackling noise then echoed behind me and, after I turn my head towards it, I saw in the dark mist two glowing blood red eyes. I couldn't do a thing anymore so, as I tried to stay on my guards, I decided to wait for my assailant to come at me.

A droplet hit my forehead then another and again and again.... tons of water was falling on my head ; or at least, that's what I thought it was. Soon, a sickening metallic smell entered my nostrils assailing them with the brute odor of tainted blood.

I directed my sight towards the shady mist, which seemed to have halted there. Suddenly, my stomach started hurting like never before and, as I fall to my knees, I began vomiting. I reopened my eyes, and discovered with great terror, that I had regurgitated a red and moving goo. Another retching and, this time, in addition to what looked like crawling parasites, my still beating heart was laying there, on the floor and those things didn't waste anytime and started munching on it.

-"y.../n..." called a voice that I had never heard. I looked up and once more, I encountered a pair of robin eyes.


BIIIP BIIIIP BIIIIP


I woke up with a start, still reeling from what I had 'dreamed' of. I looked at the clock ; eight o'clock. I got out of bed, took a roundabout route to the bathroom, splashed a bit of water on my face and went down stairs to eat lunch. Avalon was on the phone and it appeared to be a direct call from the college Keith' high school...

-"What do ya mean 'Keith has not come this week'?! Ohhhh this lil' brat's goin to hear me!"

'I really should talk to him'