Chrysalis (Jeff The Killer) DISCONTINUED

Chapter 31: Twist

I don't think the term 'cruel' ever applied to me on a personal level, not as much as others would wish for. Sure, people called me all kinds of things to see if they were able to break me down and whatever remained of my self-respect, yet they were unable to. 'Cruel' only went as far as the rest of them did, which meant not that far. I always knew better than to let such petty things get to me, but for some reason, I was starting to doubt how far into the abyss I had truly fallen. I wanted to save people, to help them, I wanted to keep Jeff from harming them, but now I was starting to grow apathetic again. I said it to Samantha out loud like those words had plagued my chest for longer than I could bear, but I was wondering; what if they were they true?

For all my life I kept telling myself that I didn't need others to survive. I could do that on my own, even if the entire world turned their back to me. I could stand up and make it through another day as long as I kept relying on myself, but why was I becoming reluctant as of lately? Did I really want people to die even though I hated them? No, I couldn't possibly take it to have people die on my account, or was it really my responsibility? I tried for so long to make them listen, and whenever they turned their heads the other way, something bad always happened. It was their fault for not listening, for not sticking their heads out from their asses. Did I really wish to take on responsibility and guilt that wasn't even mine to start with?

As unbelievable as it sounded, I reminiscent upon what that thing had told me. The thing I saw, that inhumane creature with those onyx-coloured eyes, It told me that it would take something from me in exchange for a chance to win this game, but at the same time, I had to exchange my life with another one to keep my end of the bargain. That meant it would have to be Jeff's. It couldn't be anyone else's, just his. He was the tainted one, the one who truly deserved death as his retribution. But that meant I had to be his executioner, the one to kill him. In which case I would not be any better than Jeremiah. It was either that or watch those I wanted to protect die.

No, it wasn't real. Why was I even thinking about it? My body and mind alike had surely just endured some kind of trauma that made me dream of such obscure images. Seriously, there was no way for it to be real. It couldn't be. Either way, it didn't matter. Jeff would not win this game. This Game we had begun, and the same game we would finish. Either one of us would make it, or none of us would. That certainly wouldn't be him. No fucking way in hell!

I browsed through another book in bed, my eyes scanning through each word until I made it to another page. Being free from school had both its upsides and downsides, the latter consisting primarily of boredom. Samantha had been kind enough to provide me with the works of Stephen King, and I was currently reading the last of Carrie. I genuinely pitied the poor girl but also envied her. She had the ability to take vengeance on her tormentors and she did it well, yet at the same time, she wasn't a cruel person. She was just broken, and her fanatic mother didn't ease the situation any better. If I had such incredulous abilities such as that, sure I would've been tempted to exploit them in such manners, but I knew better.

Fighting back? Maybe a little, but there's something else tempting me:

I would run. Just get the hell out of shitville and never to be seen again. Yes, that would've been the perfect solution. Did I want to run now? Truth be told, I wasn't sure. I just didn't want to be a coward. But I didn't want to... Stay bold. It had caused me nothing but trouble, but it was who I was.

Knock, knock

"Come in." I put the book down as Johnson entered the room, still accompanied by those wretched crutches. I still felt guilty but said nothing as he sat down on the chair next to my bed. "'sup?" I asked casually.

He shook his head. "That new girl came to visit me. Fucking strange," he said, and I understood he meant Croft.

"Yeah, she came to me too," I explained, and he tilted his head with an exasperated grunt.