AoN: Countdown to Madness

March Onward

Josh POV

It shouldn't be that long now.

    I stand with crossed arms as I look across the street to the school. I actually kind of miss it, despite how dull it was for me. Sure, it's annoying as all hell, but I guess it had a charm. Plushtrap was perched on my shoulder, being the only one other than me who could go out without causing a ruckus. 

"How much longer do we gotta wait?", he asked in a low voice.

"Just a bit more.", I said while mentally counting down the seconds before a bell rang out from the building.

    Not too long afterward, the doors opened and the fodder began to move. My gaze shifted among the crowd, searching from the parking lots on the side to the small groups walking down the street. It wasn't long before I found my target, the mere sight of him making my blood boil.

    Jack looked just as cocky as ever, an irritating grin on his face as he went towards the parking lot. I moved over a bit for a better look, seeing him go to a red pickup truck with two people waiting.

    I could recognize Adam instantly, his black hair nearly shoulder-length and hard to miss. David isn't that different from Jack: blonde hair, stocky build. He at least looks like he studies a lot, since I sometimes see him in the library reading. I barely know them at all, but it's for the best.

    How am I going to do this, though? I'm just standing here, watching them in the open. I wouldn't be surprised if they came over calling me a stalker. I tear my gaze from them and think for a second. If I can turn human because of what Nightmare did, then maybe...

    I look at my hand for a second before raising it in the trio's direction. I don't put any thought into it, just hoping that it might work. Surprisingly, Adam seemed to grab his head and stumble a bit before shaking it off. A fanged grin slowly works its way onto my face.

"Did you just...", Plushtrap asked in shock.

"It was a theory, but now that I know it works...", I turn and start to walk off, "Things are gonna get much easier from here."

"Are we gonna kill him?"

"No. I want them to be alive, and for them to know exactly who they're dealing with."

~~*~~

3rd Person POV

Later that night

    Adam woke up groggily, his vision blurred and mostly dark. There was a single light shining down on him, making him want to move his hand over his eyes but found that he couldn't. Looking down, he found himself bound to a chair, bringing him into a more aware state of mind.

    He couldn't see much, even with his now focused vision. He could tell the floor was carpeted and the chair was placed in front of something, evident by the bumping that ensued whenever he tried leaning it back.

"Where the hell am I?", he asked before a chuckle rang out from the darkness. He tensed up as rapid footsteps echoed around him.

    Just then, something jumped out at him from in front! While Adam couldn't move his arms, his legs were a different story. One of his feet felt the impact, briefly hitting something soft and pushing it back into the darkness with a thud.

"Damn. That looked like it hurt."

He snapped his head to the side, seeing a white-haired boy looking at him with a smirk.

"Y'know, he really doesn't like being kicked around like a ragdoll.", the boy said as a small, bipedal rabbit crawled out of the shadows and up onto his shoulder. It continued glaring at him with beady eyes.

"Who are you?"

"A lost soul who's fallen so far from grace...", came the cryptic reply.

"Would you mind letting me go?"

"Yes, actually.", the boy started to circle him slowly, "You know Jack, right? Tall blonde jock? Kind of a jerk?"

"And what if I do?", Adam asked warily.

"I just want to ask you a few things.", the boy said with his hands raised innocently, "Has he ever talked to you about an abandoned house?"

"Say he did. What's it to you?", his reply was stubborn and almost mocking.

"That house...what if I told you it wasn't really abandoned?"

"Cut the crap, you freak!", he snapped, "Who the hell would want to set foot in some dusty old house nobody gave a crap about? Now let me out of here or I'll—"

"Or you'll what?!", his shoulder was grasped harshly, "You'll beat me up? Find out where I live? That won't happen, because you're dealing with things that are beyond your control. Now you're going to tell me what Jack told you and you're gonna do it NOW!"

Adam didn't know what did it, but he couldn't hold himself anymore, "Fine...he told me to go there and pour a bunch of gas on it and light it. He didn't tell me why, but he said it was important."

A smirk crossed the boy's features, "Who else was in on it?"

"David. He didn't wanna do it at first, but then Jack bribed him into it. Look, Jack's the one behind all this, alright? We just did his dirty work!"

The boy seemed at ease as he stepped away from the chair, "I know that much, but you helped tie up all the loose ends."

"Then you'll let me go?"

"I didn't say that, now did I?", Adam could feel his body tensing, "Like I said, that house wasn't abandoned. It was home to some friends of mine, and they're very...'vocal' about their feelings."

    Another, heavier set of footsteps echoed out from the darkness. Two glowing amber dots piercing through into his eyes, making his blood freeze. It wasn't long before a large, disheveled fox stepped into the light. A sharpened hook shone on one of its arms, slowly swiveling and only making him even more scared.

"W-What the hell is that?", he asked, trying to keep calm.

"Him? He's one of my friends.", came the calm reply, "Unfortunately for you, he doesn't take kindly to vandals— much less pyromaniacs."

"I told you it was Jack's idea!"

"But you did the deed.", the boy held up a finger, "Just as bad as being the mastermind, wouldn't you agree?"

"Aye.", the fox agreed in a low voice.

"You bastard!", Adam struggled frantically, "Someone will find out—"

"Find out what? You got attacked by an almost-albino teen, a little rabbit, and a psycho fox? Good luck with that story. Now if you'll excuse me..."

With a small whisper to the fox, he walked off into the shadows, his footsteps fading into silence.

"Well, lad.", the fox said as he raised his hook, a long metallic tongue slithering out of his muzzle.

"Looks like I 'ave ye all t' meself..."