Chapter Twenty
Unauthorized system shut down.
Preparing system reboot…
…
Reboot successful.
System restart.
Before Johnny’s eyes even have a chance to blink open, he immediately notices that something is wrong. His gloveless fingers wrap around his shackles. His bootless ankles wiggle in their braces. He opens his eyes and examines his situation.
He’s upright, shackled to an old, metal bedframe. His wrists are above his head, the chain connecting them wrapped around a brace. His legs are spread apart, his ankle chained to the bottom corners of the frame. His jacket, boots, and gloves are gone.
“A bedframe,” Nny grunts, “how redneck.”
“Oh, you’re awake. That’s surprising. With all the drugs they pumped into you, I didn’t think you would wake up.”
Johnny looks up and examines the room. It’s mostly empty except for a table and a zombie. He’s facing him with a blank look on his face.
“I don’t suppose you remember me. It has been a long time,” he says.
“Of course I remember you,” Johnny argues, “you were the only victim I ever had a meaningful conversation with, Edgar Vargas.”
Edgar sniffs and pushes up his glasses as he hobbles over to Johnny. “I’m flattered.”
“I’m not gonna lie, it’s nice to see you again, Edgar,” he says, “even if you are horribly scarred. But I suppose that’s my fault. It really takes me back, though, the two of us captured here.”
“You’re the only one who’s captured,” Edgar points out.
“You think? It doesn’t look that way to me,” Johnny mutters.
“The tables have turned, Johnny. Now you’re my prisoner,” he growls.
“Physically, perhaps,” he nods, “but mentally, I think we’re both prisoners.”
Edgar blinks and looks away as he adjusts his glasses. Then he groans and glares at him.
“Forget it. I won’t let you mess with my head the same way you messed with Tess,” he barks.
“Tess? What are you talking about?” Johnny asks.
“You said things to Tess. And because of what you said she disobeyed Lady Zoli and helped you get away,” Edgar explains, “she was punished brutally for it.”
“Helped me?” Johnny questions. He thinks about the time he met Tess in Hell. How Squee had found the keys to his handcuffs. Then it hits him.
“Tess left the keys for Squee to find,” he exclaims.
“I won’t let you get to me,” Edgar declares, “no matter what you say.”
Johnny glares at him and sighs. “It’s sad. Before I killed you, you were so sure that you would go to Heaven, that I would be punished for being evil. That you had nothing to fear. But now look at you. You’re just a zombie, a puppet for an even stronger force of evil.”
Edgar seems to be ignoring him as he absentmindedly taps the table.
“Edgar, where’s Devi, Tenna, and Squee?” Johnny asks.
“I don’t know,” he replies, “Krik and Dillon took Squee and Jimmy took Devi and Tenna. I didn’t think it was a good idea, but he is our second-in-command.”
“Jimmy has Devi and Tenna!” Johnny exclaims.
A thousand bad feelings erupt in his gut. He squirms and growls.
“Don’t worry, he can’t kill them. Not until Lord Nightmare siphons their imagination,” Edgar says.
“There’s a lot he can do that doesn’t involve killing,” Johnny mutters darkly. He takes a deep breath and exhales slowly.
“I’m sorry, Edgar. I was having a nice conversation with you, but I’m afraid I must take my leave now,” he sighs.
“You mean escape? How are you gonna manage that?” Edgar asks.
“Before I even woke up,” Johnny smirks, “I had begun my escape.”
He grips the chains of his shackles and pulls hard, tearing the chain links off the frame’s brace. He falls forward and slams his hands into the floor. He swings his bottom half around, taking the bedframe with him. The force and weight is enough to tear his ankles shackles off the frame and sending flying right into Edgar. They both slam into the opposite wall.
Johnny jumps to his feet and races for the door. He kicks it open and runs down the hall, his bare feet slamming against the stone floor and the chains of his shackles jiggling quietly.
He has no idea where he is, or where the others are. But he can’t think about that right now. He has to find the girls. Who knows what that disgusting prick Jimmy is going to do to them.
Actually, Johnny does know. And that makes him run faster.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the mysterious building, Devi’s eyes blink open. It takes her a minute to register what’s going on, but when it all clicks, it clicks hard.
She’s sitting on a floor in a large room made completely of stone. Her ankles are chained together and her wrists are shackled to the wall above her head.
“You’re awake. Are you okay?” a familiar voice asks. Devi looks over and smiles with relief at Tenna. She’s in the same position, right next to her.
“Yeah, I think so. My head hurts a little though,” Devi replies, “where are we?”
“I don’t know,” Tenna replies, “but I think it’s connected to the Nightmare.”
“Right you are, sweetheart.” The girls both jump and look up at the voice. Jimmy is sauntering into the room through an open doorway. He grins a sickening smile as he stares at them.
“This is the Nightmare’s home base,” he announces, “pretty soon your precious imagination will become nothing more than sustenance to my lord. But before that, Lady Zoli said we’re allowed to have some fun with you for all the trouble you’ve caused us.
“Where’s Johnny and Squee?” Devi barks.
“Shush, shush,” Jimmy coos, “now, now, darling. There’s no need to concern yourself with those two. Right now your thoughts should be completely focused on me. Well, soon enough they will be.”
“What are you-?” Devi starts to ask but suddenly stops when Jimmy straddles her, setting himself on her thin legs.
“Get off of me!” she barks. She tries to squirm, but he has her held down tight. She can barely move.
“Now, now, Princess,” Jimmy purrs, “there’s no use struggling. You are mine for the next few hours.”
He runs his fingers along her cheek. She whimpers and turns away, her eyes squeezed shut.
“Don’t touch her, you bastard!” Tenna shouts. Jimmy just laughs in response.
“Don’t worry, sweetheart,” he smirks, “you’ll get your turn.”
He runs his hand from Devi’s face and down her torso, before sticking it up the bottom of her shirt. She squeaks from the feel of his cold hand on her bare stomach. He traces his fingers higher and higher. She trembles underneath him, on the verge of tears. It’s like a thousand beetles are crawling all over her skin. It’s nothing but disgusting.
“I can’t believe you were two shirts. What a prude,” Jimmy grunts. He reaches behind him and pulls out two knives. Devi immediately recognizes them: the large blade, the neutral smiley face on the round guard. They’re Johnny’s knives.
Jimmy takes one of the knives and slices through both of Devi’s shirt, right down the middle. Then he tears the rest of the fabric off, revealing her white bra.
“They’re so tiny,” Jimmy laughs cruelly as he cups one of her breasts. Devi whimpers and flinches.
“What an innocent reaction. Are you virgin?” he guffaws, “somebody you’re age, still a virgin? How pathetic.”
Devi squeezes her eyes shut and whimpers as Jimmy runs his cold, snake-like fingers all over her skin. She can feel tears dripping down her face. She’s never felt this terrified, this helpless. Not even when Johnny attacked her.
She flinches when she feels Jimmy’s fingers run over her bra clasp.
Oh, God. Not like this. Please stop. Somebody, please. Stop this. Please. Help me.
Jimmy licks his lips as he fingers her bra clasp. He stops when a leg suddenly appears in front of his face.
Johnny slams his shin into Jimmy’s head, sending him flying into the opposite wall. Devi’s eyes fly open and she looks up at him with surprise.
“Juh-Johnny,” she whimpers.
Johnny looks down at her. “You okay, Devi?”
She nods numbly.
He stands directly in front of her as Jimmy clambers to his feet. “You didn’t actually think I’d let this prick do anything to you, did you?”
She can only look up at him with shining eyes.
“So, what are you?” Jimmy scoffs, “her knight in shining armor? I don’t think that suits you very well.”
Johnny just glares at him. Jimmy paces in front of him, like a wild animal as he twirls his knives around his fingers.
“What are you going to do, Nny?” he asks mockingly, “I have your knives. You’re defenseless. You can’t beat me.”
Johnny grips the chains of his shackles. “Weapons don’t matter. I’m still going to kick your ass.”
Jimmy laughs and charges him. Johnny jumps out of the way, away from the girls. Jimmy follows him and swings the knives wildly. Johnny dodges almost every attack, but still gets scratches and cuts here and there. Jimmy isn’t fighting seriously. He’s just playing with him.
Johnny is suddenly pressed against a wall. Jimmy laughs and swings at him. Johnny dodges and slams his fist into Jimmy’s jaw. He gags and stumbles back. Johnny prepares another attack but Jimmy reacts faster. He stabs a knife through a chain link of Johnny’s right shackle, pinning him to the wall. Johnny tries to pull the knife out, but Jimmy attacks him before he can.
Johnny slams his left arm against Jimmy’s keeping him from stabbing him with the knife.
“Now what are you going to do?” Jimmy laughs, “you only have one hand.”
“I told you before,” Johnny snarls. He slams his foot into Jimmy’s stomach, forcing him to stumble back a bit. Jimmy charges him again. Johnny grabs the chain of his left shackle and spins it around. When Jimmy swings the knife, Johnny wraps the chain around the blade. Then he slams his foot into Jimmy’s chest and yanks the knife out of his hand.
Jimmy stumbles back and looks at him with surprise. Johnny smirks as he holds up his special knives.
“I’m ambidextrous.”
Jimmy growls and charges him again. Johnny lifts his knives and slices through Jimmy’s shoulders like butter. He spins around him and slices through his legs at the hip. And finally, he cuts off his head.
The severed pieces fall to the floor, his head rolling all the way to the doorway.
“Edgar, you douche,” Jimmy barks as he stares up at the other zombie. “Couldn’t you have tried to help me?”
Jimmy looks over at Edgar as he jogs over to the girls.
“Of course not,” Edgar grunts, “I’m not a fighter.”
“You fucker! You let him get to you, didn’t you?” Jimmy shouts, “you and Tess are both so weak!”
Johnny ignores them and focuses on the girls. He quickly cuts off the chains on their wrists and ankles, setting them free. Tenna immediately helps Devi to her feet. She takes off her first t-shirt and hands it to Devi, who slips it on.
“Are you okay?” Johnny asks.
“Yeah,” Devi replies, “thanks.”
Johnny shrugs and looks over at the zombies. Edgar is leaning harmlessly against the doorway while Jimmy tries to repair himself. He’s shouting at his body as it wanders aimlessly around the room.
Tenna runs up to him and shouts, “bunt!” as she kicks his head down the hall.
“What now?” Devi asks.
“We have to find Squee,” Johnny replies, “Krik and Dillon have him somewhere.”
“Where are they?” he asks Edgar.
“I don’t know,” Edgar replies, “I don’t know my whole way around this place.”
Johnny sighs, “fine. I found you two. Finding Squee won’t be that hard.
“After we find Squee, then what?” Tenna asks as they exit the room.
“We take out the Nightmare.”
