Alastor x Reader ~ Hazbin hotel

You can run, but never hide.

Your POV.

I finished chopping the wood. I wiped my forehead to rid it of the build up of sweat. Hello. My name is Y/N L/N. I live in New Orleans, Louisiana. I am in the middle of the Great Depression, and somehow lucky enough to have wood. I am 17.

Looking over at my mother, I frowned, disappointed. She was sewing. "Mother, why can't I sew? I'll help you make currency!" I reasoned. I've been begging to help get money with her ever since dad left. Then again, most people have forgotten about money. All they cared about was their own skin, just like me and my mother. "I've told you. You keep us alive. You have the muscle and I have the grace." My mother repeated the exact same line she used whenever I ask about sewing clothes for money. "For fuck's sake." I muttered under my breath, just quiet enough so mother couldn't hear. Swearing was an an uncommon sin that was extremely vulgar and improper. But it was necessary. I guess chopping would and getting oil was, too. "I'm taking a break, Mother. I finished." I said absentmindedly.

Skipping down the path through and into the deep forest, I looked around. Slowing into a walk, I smiled. This was the only place I could be happy. In the midst of all of this, the animals seemed to be happy. The only happy things. As I walked, I peered through the trees, looking for wildlife. There! A deer! Inhaling sharply in pleased shock, I stopped immediately and went still.
It swung it's head slowly towards me. It seemed extremely focused and accurate until it saw me. The deer was frightening, honestly. It was bright red with plum-ish dark red ears, cheek fur, legs, and underbelly. It's crimson eyes seemed to soften as it watched me. I felt myself doing the same. We were both lost in the moment, feeling connected. I couldn't stop staring at the beautifully odd pools of red in it's eyes. Well, his. He had small and uneven antlers crowing his head. We were completely in sync, and it felt like time had stopped all around us. I didn't hear anything but my heartbeat.

Then a gunshot. Loud. It rang in my ears. Like a scream. Like how I shrieked in terror. Time went in slow motion as the deer toppled to the ground, hidden by the underbrush. I screamed but I couldn't hear it. My world shattered back into reality. I was running. Running as far and as fast and my nimble feet could. I didn't even feel the tears streaming down my cheeks as I ran as far away as I could. Looking at the ground, I forced myself to stop. A tuft of red fur. The deer's. It must've blown from where it was. Smiling a half smile, I pocketed it. Nature was beautiful, and it was such a shame these men had to do this for their money and fame.
I didn't hear anyone, so I slowed to a walk. That had made me feel like my heart was full, and now it was carved back out into the empty, angry void it was before. I chuckled inwardly, my footsteps becoming faster and more of a stomp. I didn't care about looking around. I needed out. And now.
But... the only problem was I ran in the opposite direction down a path I haven't travelled to get away from the poor mysterious deer. Quickly remembering the way, I dashed down the path.

Bursting from the forest, I saw my mother look up from her sewing, eyes moist and gleaming with worry. "Y/N, sweetheart, there you are!" Picking up her skirt, she gracefully ran over to me and wrapped me in a gentle hug. I hugged her back with a little squeeze, laughing quietly. "What took my little flower so long?" She asked, worry creeping back into her voice. I lowered my head, feeling sorrowful once again. "There was this deer, mother. I must've distracted it. I felt connected, somehow, and so calm. But then it got shot by hunters.." I sighed, looking back up. "Tsk, that's a shame. I'm sorry to hear your adventure. It's late, you should head to bed." My mother tried being sympathetic, a skill she was never good at. I mean, no offense heh..

Crawling into bed with my freshly cleaned hair, body, and teeth, it didn't take me very long to slip into unconsciousness.

Surprisingly, I fell into dreamland. It was the same forest, but the trees were all dead and surrounded by a thick red smog. Fear swamped my mind. It was so lucid. It felt... real. Walking slowly, I looked down to see the dirt clumped with blood. I shuddered. Looking up, I stopped as fast as I could. I saw the deer. It was the same deer. No blood, no bullet hole, and bright red and dark red/plum fur. I slowly reached my hand out. The deer stayed calm. As I brushed my palm against it's nose, I screamed. Blood poured out of its sides. The male deer morphed into a man at least 7 foot with deer ears, wide eyes with a radio dials for pupils spinning rapidly. Blood poured from his manic smile, and he had an enormous oversized rack of antlers crowning his head. "WHAT are you?!" I shrieked, trying to scramble away. "Dear, I've been dead since the beginning of the year. Something about the taste of deer meat brought me back, just once. I quite fancy the taste of human flesh, too." His voice was filled with static. I recognized it immediately. My favourite radio host, who died near the start of the year and was later found guilty of countless murders. Under the static I somehow heard it. His body was shadowy, I only saw the outline of his mouth and eyes, and the silhouette of his body. I felt his clawed hands grab at my shoulders. Glaring again, I spun around and ran, crying in shock even though I didn't want to, through the bloody and dead forest. "I love a good chase for my prey. You can run, but you will never be able to hide." The words filled my head, swamping through and sticking to my mind. It echoed.

I bolted upright in my bed, snapping out of my dream land.

To be continued.