AN
Sup!
I'm a first time writer, so I'm all for constructive criticism to help me because I know I'm going to need it.
I don't expect this to be popular at all, it is just that my mind keeps coming up with scenarios that I think are really cool and/or interesting and I want to pursue them, honestly because having them stuck in my brain is making me restless.
Please tell me what's wrong and what's right with this so far so that I can become a better writer and put out better content.
Not all exclamation points mean that they are necessarily shouting or increasing the volume of there voice in any way. The exclamation point just signifies that there is more emotion in what the character is saying.
Enjoy!
...
There was a quiet knock on the oak wood door in the secluded hallway. Nothing more than a quick rap of the knuckles.
An intense silence filled the air and replaced the noise that the figure behind the door made. After a calculated couple of seconds a deep, male, precise and commanding voice urged the fellow sinful soul to come through the barrier separating them.
"Nightmare, please do come in, I have waited for your arrival."
The being now known as Nightmare entered the door with a sluggish pace until they were situated behind a chair opposite of the man in charge.
"Sorry I had some... subjects to deal with because they wouldn't submit! Ah, but that's for another time. You needed me for something?" A voice responded to the person, which now can be declared as male because of his deep gravelly voice.
"I do indeed need you for something, but first I must ask. No costume change?"
Nightmare took a second to blink at the man and look down towards his own outfit. Nightmare personally liked his appearance, with his shiny bald head, thick circular glasses which were actually useless but hey, he liked them so whatever.
Lower on his body was the pitch black and shaggy jumpsuit he donned which he will admit, to the untrained eye looks eerily similar to a pair of pajamas but, in actuality, they were his workout clothes, that double as his all the time clothes.
Over the jumpsuit was his favorite coat, the classic white lab coat. It may be generic but he loved it so much. Especially the spots he spiced up to make it unique to him, like the name tag over his right breast with his name 'NIGHTMARE' in all capital letters and his trimmed cuffs to expose his milky white and calloused hands more.
He didn't really care for shoes so usually, he traversed around barefoot but when the situation calls for it he likes simple white or black sneakers with velcro laces. Velcro because who has time to tie their shoes when they can just strap them! But alas barefoot was what Nightmare sported as of now because he was in a rush, as to not be later than he already was to meet with the man in charge.
In Nightmare's opinion, his getup is one of the best out there but he understands the man's concern, considering the whole thing was littered with holes from head to toe.
"No, I like it."
The man in the chair couldn't help but sigh at the attitude of his subordinate and feelings of attachment towards his ridiculous outfit.
"Very well then, let's get back on topic," the man started but paused and narrowed his eyes towards the underling, at least Nightmare thought he was narrowing his eyes, for dramatic effect and so that Nightmare understood the significance of his next words. The narrowing of the eyes (again Nightmare just had a hunch but what else would the man do saying it like this) was an obvious implication that there would be punishment for incompletion of what it was that he wanted. "I presume you know of The Scorcher and his family, yes?
Nightmare started to nod his head in response that yes, he did know the irritating man but the last part him by surprise. So as to indicate his confusion he tilted his head to the side somewhat and raised a thin eyebrow upwards.
"Ah so you know of him but not the family. Well, he has a wife and a child. The wife is a rather loving woman and the child is like a ray of sunshine even though anyone else in his situation would be reasonably depressed, but enough about their personalities that is not what you need to know..."
Nightmare waited patiently as the man shuffled his hands around his desk and collected papers to put in a folder.
He honestly didn't know how he was moving his hands with such accuracy seeing as to how the man's mask fully covered his eyes but who knows, maybe there is a different type of material over his eyes that let him see. Either that or it was the work of a quirk. Once the man finished collecting the papers he neatly set them in front of him and motioned Nightmare forward.
Nightmare hesitantly trudged towards the desk. When Nightmare was close the man continued talking.
The man slid the folder over to Nightmare. "What you need to know is all in that file right there. I expect satisfactory work."
"Of course, is my work ever unsatisfactory? So what is it that you want me to do."
The air around the man switched to straight malice and he chose to talk lower and deeper as he responded. "Kill the women and burn the apartment down, leave no trace of it or her!"
"And the child? What shall I do with it?" inquired Nightmare because he was eager to get a new subject to practice and test with and this was a perfect opportunity. All Nightmare could hope for was that he was told that he could do whatever he wanted with the child.
"Do whatever you want with it, but make sure that it is never a threat to me, am I clear?"
"Crystal!" Nightmare was happy, no ecstatic at his situation right now, not only does he get to brutally murder a helpless woman but he also gets a subject to do whatever he wants with. For Nightmare, this is the best day ever!
Nightmare was going to collect the documents when a thought came to him.
Why?
Why would this man actually want something like this done?
The man was far from civil but even this was an outlier to his normal behavior.
"Wait, how come your going through all this trouble for some riff-raff anyways."
Nightmare knew he was out of line asking this question but he was the one completing the assignment so doesn't he get to know this information.
It couldn't hurt to ask, either the man tells him why or the man doesn't. It wasn't like the man would kill him after going through all this trouble and he does have a rather high success rate.
Once the words left Nightmare's lips he instantly regretted. Not because he was hurt in any way but because the man across from him not only got angrier but the malice chart skyrocket. The man's entire body tensed until it looked like it would pop.
The amount of malice he was generating caused Nightmare's eyes to show utter and complete fear, for his throat to gulp without his consent and his whole being to shiver. Nightmare wanted to get out of there as soon as possible, forget about the question.
The man spoke in with a blood-curdling voice. That would cause any fearful child to piss their pants.
"Let's just say he has been ignoring me for a while and he's doing it on purpose! I taught him not to ignore me last time but I guess he forgot all the lessons, so it's time for another one. He will respect me!"
Nightmare was too stunned to really process those words that the moment. He jerkily nodded his head repeatedly. Even if he had processed those words he knows that they would only trigger some more questions and if he wanted to live, no more questions were to be asked.
So as fast as his lanky legs could carry him he exited the room, took a right at the end of the corridor, entered a bar and took off straight out the front door without a word. He didn't stop until he was sure he was not going to be the next person to encounter that man and maybe incur his wrath.
The only thing Nightmare knew was he needed a nap as quick as can be and hopefully forget all about the ending portion of his meeting with that man.
Nightmare guessed that the meeting had drained him even more so than he thought because he had slept an entire day! He knew he had better get started with his assignment but that man has an unsaid rule were everything must be complete within a week unless stated otherwise. So he has plenty of time!
Nightmare really had no clue as to how the rule came about but he had a few theories. One, maybe for a long period of time the man just kept giving out missions to all his clients where they had a week time deadline and eventually, everyone just assumed that was the criteria for all missions. Two, the man literally told everyone at the beginning of his supremacy that all assignments will have a week deadline unless said otherwise, and the rule was passed down until it wasn't even questioned anymore. Three, everyone has been conveniently completing the jobs within a week since the beginning and now everyone just assumes a week is the deadline. Out of all the theories, numbers one and three are his favorites and most probable choices because honestly number two would make the man just plain weird.
Either way Nightmare now only has 6 days left to complete the job and he has a lot of materials to get. Like gasoline and matches or maybe a lighter to start the fire. Also, he needs a machete, no he has that already, umm... a chainsaw maybe, nope has that too.
Whatever so maybe all he needs is gasoline and matches, but so what this is hard work like figuring out a time when they're all at home.
Oh, wait, probably in the middle of the night he can just burst in through the front door and do the deeds. Or he can go the silent route, in that case, he'll need a lockpick.
The frontal attack it is!
Who wants to buy a lockpick? Not Nightmare that's who!
This is looking good for Nightmare he should probably go get that gasoline and matches right now or he can sleep some more... He has 6 days, sleep it is!
Ok, maybe sleeping wasn't the best choice because now he only has 4 days left to complete the job and no gasoline or matches in sight.
But first, breakfast. Usually, Nightmare likes to feed of off screams of total despair (clichè as hell right but actually though) but he is out of subjects so a simple burger from a local fast food shop works fine.
A burger because he can picture and practically feel the screams of the cow as it was getting slaughtered to pieces to become the juicy slab of meat on his tongue.
It takes him a while to digest all those screams so he just relaxes at an arcade near the zombie machine. The zombie machine has a tendency to make children scream of fear. It also has that weird grumbling noise zombies make which is oddly satisfying, if Nightmare has a say.
The bright moon was starting to peak its head up by the time Nightmare remembered he had plans and things to do today.
He quickly exited the stupid, but the admittedly fun revolving door and strode to the nearest hardware store.
Once he entered the store he immediately knew where to find what he was looking for. He was a regular customer here. They have so many torture devices! He meant building tools, building tools. But he didn't recognize the new worker that the front counter.
The store was situated in 5 rows with the cashier counter near the entrance of the building in a sizable alcove. The gasoline and matches were in the 4th row so Nightmare made a beeline for what he needed until he came across a black and white bowie knife in the 2nd row that looked perfect for licking someone or somethings blood off of so he added that to his shopping pile.
Moving to his original destination he found the gasoline, the infamous red jerry can. Easy purchase right there.
Continuing on to the next thing in his list, matches. The matches were easy to find because the store was relatively organized. But instead of focusing on the matches he needed, his eyes kept glancing at the lighters. Something in him was telling him lighters would be much better, so he grabbed a handful of them and proceeded to the cashier.
Nightmare unceremoniously and nonchalantly places all his (deadly) items and waited for the price to come up.
It was obvious the worker was hesitant to let one man buy all this but it wasn't in his power to question it so he just did his job.
"A bowie knife, jerry can, and 4 lighters. Anything else, sir?"
It was clear the student worker wanted to go home and sleep or maybe do homework or a little bit of studying. Nightmare didn't know nor care. Nightmare could have easily just killed the dude and stole his items but even though he is a very sinister being, he still pays for his things. Who doesn't?
"Nah."
The worker bagged up all the items and handed it to the creepy man and was about to go back to playing on his phone before he remembered that he had to say certain things before the customer left or he might get a deduction from his pay if someone caught him slacking.
"Come again please."
The only response the boy got was the chime of the bell hooked up to the door signaling it opened and closed.
Nightmare finally got back to what he likes to call his 'Laboratory' when in reality it was just an abandoned building in a desolate part of town.
He dropped his bag on the floor and hopped on the couch to sleep. No need to change, his clothes double as pajamas.
Nightmare knows he has 3 days left but he's growing restless. So he decides that the man won't be upset if he completes his mission early, right. The saying 'Better early than late' right? Threes days early never hurt anybody.
Except maybe the woman he's going to kill and the kid that's going to become a subject but the irrelevant. Now Nightmare is off to the apartment complex that houses Scorcher's wife and kid.
It took him a while to find the building but he eventually found it. He walked through the building until he found the door and figured the layout of the whole building so he can make a quick escape.
Personally, he could care less if the whole building burns down with the one apartment but it would cost him more money to buy jerry cans and more time.
Nightmare exited the building and waited in an alleyway nearby until the day turned to night and became dark. That was when it was his time to strike.
With his bowie knife, and lighters in his utility belt and the jerry can in his hands he entered the building. Climbed the steps one by one until he reached the door that he had identified as the targets home.
He braced himself.
With a set countdown in his head, he started up his charge.
Three!
Two!
One!
On one he buried his left shoulder into the door and took it right off the hinges.
With no time to spare he untwisted the cap on the jerry can and with shocking speed wet everything.
Everything within sight was wet with fluid.
The carpet, the couch, the chairs, the shoes, everything Nightmare saw he wanted to burn. He needed everything to burn to succeed with his mission.
Just as the jerry can be emptied he heard rushed footsteps. Chucking the can down the hall he prepared for his main target.
The pudgy women entered the room with wide terror filled eyes that immediately started to water.
Nightmare wasn't sure if it was because of his presence alone or the shit-eating grin plastered across his face, but either way, he didn't care. He was just too damn blessed at the moment to care.
The woman screamed.
He lunged.
The first stab forced a painful shriek from her throat. Nightmare could have let it be a merciful death but he had plans.
He put his palm over her face, covering every inch with his massive hand and used his quirk. Immediately a dark red gas-like substance was emitted from his hand and pushed into all access areas on the woman's face. Within seconds the screams harshness and intensity doubled.
Nightmare was done with her, for now. He will get back to her later but for now, he has to make sure that this whole place burns.
He got up from his crouched position and unclipped one of his newly bought lighters. Nightmare flicked it on and off just to admire the flame for a minute before flinging it into the wettest area of the apartment.
He knows he only has about 5 or so minutes before the whole place is engulfed in flames but that's plenty of time for what he wants.
Now all he has to do is have fun with the dying woman and wait until the child comes down to witness true terror.
Nobody escapes Nightmare!
...
So, how I do?
I know it may be a little confusing but I tried to leave enough clues so that everyone knows who the people are without me really having to say.
Any skills I need to work on or better yet anything grammar wise to fix. I went back and re-read the whole thing to check for mistakes but hey, nobody is perfect. So just correct me and I'll go back and fix it and try my best next chapter.
I bet it's obvious but anybody wants to guess as to what is happening right now?
Oh yeah, not entirely sure what's in a jerry can besides the fact that it's highly flammable so heh
I bet I'm talking to nobody here but whatever :)
Any and all comments are appreciated, except for excessively hateful ones those are just uncalled for.
Next chapter coming soon!
I hope you enjoyed it and review!
