Freaks (Ticci Toby) ((Sequel to Outcasts))

Chapter Fifteen;

Chapter Fifteen

Kerigan

The reflection in the mirror was that of a broken girl. I had at best a reverse mo-hawk and at worst a gene for female-pattern-baldness. I looked away before Isaac could see me tearing up, and he searched for, and found, the black box with hair cutting tools inside.

"Here, sit down." He instructed me towards the bench that hid the laundry shoot, and I pulled it out, revealing the metal door. I sat down and he pulled out a buzzer, and slowly and carefully started shaving what was left of my hair off.

I had lucked out. My bangs weren't long enough for him to have grabbed, so while the rest of my head was shaven bare, I had long floppy bangs that were a nasty dirty blonde with light-purple tips, or more like tye-dye purple/pink/white/blonde/blue/red tips.

"I can't believe he grabbed me like that." I whispered insecurely as Isaac worked on a cool design on the sides of my head.

"He... Has temper issues. But he shouldn't have even thought of touching you. He slapped you too?" I nodded, which earned and cluck of his tongue so I would stay still.

"Y-Yeah... Then locked me in the room. He's never gotten... Violent with me before." I whispered, and Isaac stopped, stepping back to look at his work, but I noticed how his jaw was clenched, his eyes were hardset, and his cheeks were red in anger. "I-Isaac..?"

"He doesn't fucking deserve you." He snapped, then closed his eyes and covered his mouth before dragging his palm over his eyes. "I shouldn't have said that. I will not be a fucking girlfriend stealer." He said, his ashamed pout then turning into an enraged grimace. "But goddammit how fucking DARE he harm you!" He snapped, and I felt my body flinch away from his voice, and my hands were shaking, curled into fists in my lap. He winced as he noticed and kneeled down in my hair, hugging me tightly. His touch was warm and gently, but just hard enough to show he needed the consolation just as much as I did.

"It's really not that bad.. And I did kick him-"

"No. No, no, no! Do not justify him!" Isaac snapped as he pulled back, grabbing my cheeks and pressing them with his palms. "You don't deserve to be pushed around and hit and pulled- no one does- don't make excuses for him. He's a fuckface that can't see how amazing you are. He doesn't appreciate you."

I stared at him, and suddenly recognized the look Toby had given me. My nose ached.

It was the exact same look Derek used to give me when he would push me around and abuse my mother and I.

I felt my eyes filling with tears, and I realized I should retract my earlier proclamation; I didn't love Toby anymore. Or I couldn't. I wouldn't. I refuse to let myself love someone like FuckFace. My chest was aching. But I knew it was gonna be a lot harder than I thought to let him go, but it was suddenly super easy to want to let him go.

"Isaac..." I whispered quietly.

"Yeah, Couch- Yeah, Kerigan?" I stared at him.

"Do you have to have an... Underrealmer... To get through the Earth Well?" I asked, my voice quiet and shaking.

"Y-Yeah? Why?"

I closed my eyes and whimpered, covering my face with my hands.

This is it. I could die right here. Right now.

"Isaac... Be at the Earth Well at midnight. Three nights from now." I whispered, hoping he would get the hint and simultaneously hoping he wouldn't.

He stared at me and then his eyes lit up in understanding, and confusion. "How - where would you- but-" he stopped, and frowned further as I held up a hand.

"You won't be able to return through that Earth Well. I think there's different ones but that one is going to be destroyed."

"How are you- oh Jesus Christ Kerigan." He suddenly got why I needed C4. I smile slightly and stand up, staring in the mirror. I didn't look broken anymore. I looked alive. I had a plan, a set time, an initiative.

"It looks awesome." Isaac commented, with a smile.

I had a partner.

-(✖️)-

That night, I was curled up in the chair downstairs, watching TV. Toby was locked in his room and grounded until noon tomorrow, and I had no where to stay. Footsteps creaked the staircase behind me.

"Cmon, kid." LJ yawns, grabbing my blanket from my lap and turning back towards the stairs.

"Hey!" I jumped up, and he rolled his eyes.

"You want to sleep down in the living room?" He asked, cocking a hip. I flinched and shook my head, following him towards his room, where he had set up a comfy looking blanket bed for me on the floor. He tosses my blanket down and I sit on the fluffy cot.

"Thanks, LJ."

"No problem Sis..." He whispered, facing the wall. I laid down in bed. "Hey, um, Kerigan?"

"Yeah, Jack?" I asked, my eyes closed.

"Just- be careful okay?" He whispered, and I frowned in confusion.

"With what?" I sat back up, but he didn't look at me.

"Just be careful. And safe. Night, sis." He said in a way that implied the conversation was over. I finally allowed myself to lay down and fall back asleep.