Jeff leads us down seemingly endless halls of darkness. He stops in front of us and turns. He looks confused.
"We should've been gone by now," he states.
"Where are we?" Vinny asks.
"Still in the place where she took you. Ah, shit. Run!"
I take Vinny's hand so I don't lose him and bolt down the hall after Jeff, static filling my head as that familiar eerie calm void starts up in my chest. I want to scream, but I can't. I want to tell Jeff to run faster, but I can't. I just keep pushing forward.
Maybe if I keep the whole "he can't hurt me" mentality, it will come to fruition.
Or not.
I stop and stumble against Jeff, about to ask what the hell he's stopped for, when I see it too - we've just run in a giant circle. And now we need to go back, back the way we came, which Slendy is conveniently blocking.
Wait. Doesn't he fear me?
So, on that note, I do what Evan would.
I charge the asshole.
"Y/n!" Vinny cries as I barrel past Jeff and towards Slendy.
But I don't hear him, not fully, at least. All I hear is my blood roaring in my ears. All I hear are my own tortured screams as they tortured me.
He vanishes just as I'm about to reach him and I fall down hard, coughing up blood (again) and shaking like a leaf in a storm.
Jeff and Vinny come over to me and help me up.
"I know this place" Jeff says.
"Are you crazy?" Vinny says.
"Possibly. Jury's out." I grin at him, showing off my bloody teeth.
"You are crazy," says Jeff.
"Thanks," I say. "Just doing what Evan would do, you know..."
Vinny shakes his head. "I'm glad they picked you to join us - you're fun."
"Awe, thanks."
"Come on, we have to hurry," Jeff says suddenly. He's looking around like crazy. "We gotta get out of here. Come on, follow me."
We start running again, even though pain shoots through my chest and legs. I've got to keep going - for them. For Habit. For me. I can't keep being a damsel in distress, I refuse to be.
So, I run.
