I Can't Sleep (Jeff the Killer fanfic)

Chapter 7: I Said No!

"TOBY, NO!" Jeff yelled. I held up my arms and closed my eyes as Toby swung the hatchet down on me.

There was a loud thump and I opened one eye to see that Jeff had tackled Toby before he could make contact. I wanted to get up but I was frozen in place, staring at them. Why did Jeff save me just now?

My body finally responded and I shot to my feet, taking off into the woods.

"Reese, wait!" Jeff called after me. I heard his footsteps following behind me but I didn't look back. I just ran as fast as I could. I had no idea where I was going but I knew I had to get as far from that place as possible. I thought about all of the torment I'd been subjected to. The cuts that still lingered on my chest. The slaps. His repeated attempts at molesting me.

Then there were the times when he'd been nice to me. Making food, reading to me and sparing my life when he'd attacked me. He had even stopped Toby from hacking me to pieces.

Tears pricked the corners of my eyes, blurring my vision. Why did I feel like my heart was breaking?

"Reese!" Jeff's voice echoed. I ignored him like I was ignoring the pain in my feet. I came to a halt at a creek and looked back to see that Jeff wasn't far behind. I took a deep breath and stepped into the water. The water came up to my waist and was freezing despite it being the middle of summer. I waded through the river as quickly as I could but it was difficult to place my steps correctly.

Then I did the stupidest thing I could do. I slipped and fell. My head cracked against a rock at the bottom of the river. My vision went out and I began drifting in and out of consciousness.

I was surrounded by the cold rush of water, filling my lungs. I couldn't move or try to hold my breath because I had no air left. Then I felt nothing.

- - - - - - - - - - -

The next thing I knew air was being forced into my mouth, windpipe and finally my lungs. I coughed and spit up water before taking shaky breaths.

Someone scooped me up in their arms and began carrying me bridal style. I couldn't open my eyes to see who it was. I felt completely exhausted.

"What is wrong with you, Reese? You're such a fucking idiot," the person said. I recognized the voice as Jeff's voice. "Why would you do that? I thought . . ."

His voice trailed off and he didn't say a word until we returned to the cabin. By then I'd mustered enough strength to open my eyes and look up at his sad face. I knew that if it took so much to open my eyes then I wouldn't have a chance of getting away from him now. I let my head rest against him as he entered the cabin and slammed the door shut with his foot. I caught sight of Toby, sitting in one of the chairs with a blank expression on his face. Jeff took me into the bedroom and laid me on the bed. Then he left and returned with a change of clothes. He stripped me and replaced my soaked clothes with dry ones. I didn't bother trying to stop him. I had no strength to do it.

"Go to sleep," he commanded as he covered me up.

". . .Th-thanks," I managed to say.

He glanced back at me in surprise before he smiled and left.

- - - - - - - - -

I woke up with Jeff sitting at the bottom of the bed. I sat up, freezing in place as I saw the knife in Jeff's hands. He looked at me and to my horror, he started cutting the smile on his face deeper. Blood gushed out and leaked down his cheeks, dripping onto the sheets.

Before I knew what I was doing, I lunged forward and slapped the knife out of his hand. Then he pushed me back on the bed and pinned me down. I stared up at him and noticed that his eyes were red and puffy as if he'd been crying.