• ν α η ι s н •

27

|||||||

Sunday 26th November ~ 3:58am

Mark's POV:

"Please let me help you."

I stepped forward yet Jack shook his head.

"I just... gimme a sec."

Jack was taking breather against a tree for the second time in the past five minutes, even though he wasn't visibly out of breath. Every so often I watched him bite back a whimper.

All the moving was doing nothing for his chest pains.

"I'd just be helping you walk, Jack. We've been going for hours, we'd go faster if you just-"

"I can do this!" Jack said, though the colour had left his face. "Surprisingly my legs still fockin' work."

The Irishman took his hands from the bark, yet he was hunched over as though he'd drop any second. When I approached him Jack tensed up. "What're you-"

"We can't afford to let Anti catch up to us." I said, taking his arm and looping it around my shoulders. Jack didn't fight the action but wouldn't meet my gaze. "I'm not about to let you get yourself killed."

"-Why won't ye' tell me what Dark said?"

At this question I fell silent. Whether it was because it'd been like Jack throwing a curveball at me, or the fact that I held no good answer, this much was unclear. All I could do was avert my gaze and begin walking, supporting Jack along with me.

"See-? You pulled this shit when I asked before." Jack said, voice raising. I stared off into the trees but it didn't keep the guilt at bay.

After a moment's quiet he let out a huff.

"I'm not a dumbass Mark! We're both in the same fucked up boat as each other, it makes no fockin' sense to keep shit from me or-"

"Alright!"

Images of Dark's leering stare flashed in my mind as I cut Jack off. I allowed myself to hesitate, too many parts of me protesting before I'd even opened my mouth, but Jack wouldn't stop pushing for answers. It was in his nature.

"Dark just said that he wants to make - some kind of- a 'serum' that - I don't know-" I started, cringing. "-would let them possess us 'easier' or some insane shit like that."

I let out a grunt, adjusting my grip on Jack before pressing onward. When I stole a glance at him I was met with his narrow eyed gaze. Like he could accuse me with looks alone.

"I didn't tell you because it doesn't matter - it's total bullshit."

The walking wasn't too much strain on my body, yet my movements were sluggish. I couldn't keep this up forever.

Especially with how heavily the tension was weighing on me.

"Don't gimme that." Jack said. "If it didn't matter ye' wouldn't-"

During his pause Jack let out a stifled cry, and not even the near darkness could hide his grimace. I stopped without taking my eyes off him.

"Jack, we talked about this - you were seriously hurt! If you collapse-"

"Don't-" Jack shook his head, and with how his jaw tightened the fire in his tone caught me off guard. "D-Don't change the subject, we - we need to-"

"THERE you guys are!"

Behind us leaves rustling and twigs snapping made my blood run cold.

"SHIT!"

|||||||

Anti's POV: (BLOOD AND GORE WARNING)

The flash of a blue hoodie was all it took for me to break into a sprint, unable to control my giggling as they ran. My prey didn't want to give up so easily.

And that's what I loved about it.

The thrill I got from their struggle was immeasurable.

Weaving through trees I broke into a clearing, the pink hue of neon lights breaking the darkness around me.

I was at a gas station?

I didn't care. My mind was set on finding my kill.

I sprinted past the gas pumps and cars, bursting through the door to an anxious store clerk who couldn't take his eyes off me. The rest of the store was empty.

I grinned.

"You know where they are, don't you?"

The teenager gawped at me, as though I didn't belong here. As though I was a freak. His face made my blood boil.

"I... I...?" He stuttered.

"Well?"

The boy shook his head, hands clasping the counter in front of him. He was scared of me. I smirked and his eyes grew wider.

"I don't appreciate liars-"

I hurled the knife into his eye socket, his body slamming back into the wall with a splatter of red. The blood poured out, the scream dying in his throat as the air left his lungs.

The knife must've went straight through to his brain. He was dead in an instant.

The body collapsed onto the counter.

I couldn't help but burst into peals of laughter, lugging the blade from his head. That rush in my gut was like a bolt of lightning.

"aHAhaHahAHahAHA! That was-!"

I only came down from my high when there was a clatter of metal against tile.

The smile tugged at my lips. My eyes fell to the tins rolling out from an isle on the other side of the room.

"Mmm, I wonder where they could've possibly gotten to?"

This was going to be too easy.

Yet now I craved more of that feeling.

Murder did that to me.

Did it have to end with Jack?

||||||