Dead Beat (❌)

Chapter Nine

Johnie

If Alfie wasn't painfully squeezing the life out of my hand right now, the overwhelming stench of whatever the hell we see everywhere would've definitely made me barf all over myself.

Ever since we left the motel and encountered fucking Silent Hill, my stomach has been clenching itself into a ball, but seeing Alfie just as worked up naturally made me suck it up a bit.

Now? Hell, I have my work cut out for me.

I don't really register the man standing on the opposite side of the room as my widened gaze slowly wanders to the deeply stained walls. Those walls being the home to several cages lined up neatly and each containing a man, a woman, or a child.

Every single one is naked, some crying, some bound so tightly that their struggles are useless, and some not moving whatsoever.

The same colored stains on the walls are also splattered all over the floor and bars of the cages, some a disgusting brownish-yellow and some a deep, rusted scarlet.

A shiver skitters across my skin and I immediately clutch back at my brother, wishing he was small enough to just protectively crush in my arms. I don't want him smelling any of this, let alone seeing any of this damn horror show.

Speaking of my twin, he suddenly lurches sideways and loses the fight with his own stomach, leaving me helpless to do anything except firmly pat his back and try to swipe back the hair from his sweaty face while the stranger calls out to us again.

"I am not worthy of such eyes to gaze down upon me, Master Almanza!" he pretty much cooes over at us, his bright red eyes a much different hue compared to Mom's and Alfie's.

Their eyes are what I can only describe as being somewhat like a red robin sitting on a tree. Weird, I know, but hear me out.

A red robin isn't a threatening or dangerous animal, so when you admire those red feathers, you feel relaxed and safe, but not with this man's.

With his gloved hands outstretched and his eyes wide and locked on my own, his two round, bright red orbs reflect back nothing but the image of freshly mutilated flesh, the meat still warm and wet with blood oozing and staining the ground beneath it.

"Who the fuck are you?!" I defensively call back at him as I grasp Alfie's hips while he's still bent over, attempting to guide him slowly backwards towards the door.

Unable to think clearly before speaking, my first reaction is immediate regret. I expect my response to somehow anger the man that is obviously a damn lunatic, but all he does is smile widely, showing each and every tooth.

"Master acknowledges me! I am not worthy!" he repeats again, cupping his cheeks as an expression of ecstasy paints his face.

He doesn't seem much older than our parents, maybe in his 30s somewhere, but I also notice that he doesn't necessarily seem stronger than us either.

Besides his eyes that give off a strong demeanor of absolutely crazy man vibes, he's pretty skinny and kinda weak looking, to be honest.

"Wh-Why is he calling us that?" Alfie pants under his breath beside me, trembling and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. The paleness of his face and the pure fear there makes my chest swell with anger and before I can stop myself, I clench my jaw and glare towards the man.