A Dangerous Illusion

Chapter 22

     Geno was laying in bed. Suddenly, he noticed that his shirt had gotten bloody.

     "Aw, dammit," He cursed. He usually bandaged up the gash on his chest to prevent too many curious stares at the bloody line through his clothes, but some days, when he was just relaxing at home, he forgot to change the bandages. Thus, they began bleeding through and getting his shirt bloody. It also happened when he was in a chase or similar instances, where his adrenaline and blood were flowing fast and he couldn't change the wrappings.

     Geno was wearing a green shirt, so the red blood was fairly obvious. He sighed and got up, intending to put fresh bandages on. Suddenly, he heard the doorbell ring. He walked over expecting a delivery or something, but was shocked to suddenly be face-to-face with Reaper.

     "What's up sw- Wait, why are you all bloody?" Reaper asked. Geno paused for a moment then turned and ran back into his apartment. He left the door open, however, so Reaper followed him through.

     As they entered the apartment, Reaper saw Geno's room on the right and what looked like a kitchen on the left. Past that were a bathroom and a living room. He saw Geno run into his room, grabbing a random white shirt, and go into the bathroom.

     Reaper looked around at the stereotypical beige apartment walls. There were a few pictures up with Geno and various people in them. One of them caught his eye. It was a picture of a younger looking Geno with a random colorful skeleton, along with what looked like a younger looking Error.

     Reaper hovered at the open bathroom door, wondering if he should enter or not. Geno sighed and glared at him while rummaging through a cabinet.

     "If you're here, you might as well help," He snapped, pulling some long bandages out from under the sink. He began pulling his shirt off.

     "Wow, I didn't know you were that eager to undress for me," Reaper joked. He quickly became serious again as he saw the state Geno was in. He had bandages wrapped around his chest and torso, soaked with blood.

     "Oh my god, Geno. Are you ok?" He asked worriedly. Geno ignored him and began peeling the bloody wrappings off and dropped them on the floor along with his shirt. A large, bleeding gash was revealed. He handed Reaper the fresh bandages.

     "Help me cover this up," He instructed, lifting his arms. Reaper took the bandages and began wrapping them around Geno's chest.

     When he finally finished, Geno sighed and threw on the white shirt he had grabbed from his room. He tossed the bandages in the trash and the shirt into a laundry hamper, then left the room and walked into the living room. He flopped down on the couch. Reaper sat down by him.

     "Sooooo, care to explain the giant wound on your chest?" He asked. "How did you get it? When? How are you still alive? Why-" Geno held up a hand.

     "I can't just answer each individual question," He said. "I'll tell you the story instead."

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     "Come on!" His friend whined. "We're going to be late for the party!" Geno sighed. He really didn't want to be there. 

     "Do we have to go?" He asked. "I would much rather just stay at home with Fresh and Error."

     "Oh come on," They laughed. "It's your senior year of high school! You got to have some fun. You have barely gone out through your entire high school life."

     "And I'd like to keep it that way," Geno muttered under his breath. Regardless, he let his friend drag him to the senior party at their school. When they arrived, the party was already underway. Music was blasting, people were dancing, the only lights were the rainbow lights from the DJ, and some friends were just chatting on the sides of the room. 

     "Isn't this great!" Geno's friend screamed. He could barely be heard over the loud music and commotion. Geno simply sighed as his friend drifted away in the crowded room. He travelled over to the buffet table. There seemed to be a lot of good choices. Chocolate covered strawberries, crackers, fruit, cupcakes, cookies, and of course, a large assortment of sodas. Geno grabbed some sprite and popped it open. He began thinking that the party might not be so bad after all...

     Suddenly, screams rang out. He could only watch in horror as a few mystery figures barged in. There was one that seemed to be wearing all black with what almost looked like a scythe and a couple weiding knives. After that night, Geno couldn't recall the appearance of the mystery attackers. 

     Except for the one in black. 

     The three created mass panic before beginning to slaughter every innocent monster in the room. Geno could only watch, frozen in terror. His drink fell to the floor. He saw all the other monsters die. He couldn't move as one of the knife wielding monsters approached him. He finally could move again only once the other was close. Geno ran, trying to escape. 

     Right into the one in black. 

     Geno didn't see him in the dark room. As he ran, the other stepped out in front of him. Geno's eyes widened as he was struck with the blade the other held. He fell to the ground, but heard police sirens wailing. 

     "We need to go!" One of them exclaimed. The three of them ran, eluding the police.

Geno could hear the police. He was resigned to his fate, but suddenly realized that he couldn't die. Not yet. He still had his little brothers to take care of. Their mom worked all day, so Geno was often left to watch over his siblings. The thought of Fresh and Error kept him fighting.

     He was filled with DETERMINATION.

     He could barely cling to his life as he heard the paramedics rush in. He felt a needle being jabbed into his arm.

     Then he passed out.

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    When he woke up, he was in a small white room on a bedl. He realized that he couldn't see out of his right eye. He was confused. What was happening? Why couldn't he see? Where was he? A nurse walked in.

     "Oh, Geno! You're awake," She exclaimed.

     "... How long have I been out for?" He asked groggily. She gave him a sympathetic smile.

     "You were unconscious for nearly a week," she said. "I'm sorry to say that you were the only survivor of the attack at your school."

     Suddenly, he remembered. He began shaking and hyperventilating. The nurse rushed to his side.

     "You're ok now," she said, trying to sooth him. "It's all over."

     It didn't feel ok.

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     Geno learned that a paramedic, Alphys, had rushed over once she saw him in the room. She had injected him with Determination to try to save him. The Determination did keep him alive, but it left him with part of the right side of his face melted and with an eternally bleeding gash on his chest.

     Geno had to go to a physiatrist. He had PTSD for a while afterward, but slowly got over it. The experience made him want to help. He wanted to save other people from having the same experiences he did.

     He wanted to become a police officer.

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     "Hey Geno! It looks like we got assigned another case," Ink called. Geno walked over. "It seems to be of some people called 'Glitch' and 'Scythe'."

     As the two watched the footage of the two that they had, Geno's eye widened.

     "It's him," He muttered. "I just know it." Ink looked at him with curiosity. 

     "What do you mean?" He asked. Geno pointed at the screen.

     "He was part of the attack on my school."