Hey guys,
Another chapter for you, and I know I've said it before but my gosh the support on this story is truly inspiring. I was not expecting so much positivity when I posted the first chapter but you guys are so amazing and I love you all 3
Also, for anyone interested in checking out my fan art, I added a link on my profile to my Tumblr page (I tried make it clickable but it didn't seem to wanna work for me), which is where I post my sketches and final drawings, so feel free to check it out and leave a comment that you came from reading my story!
Nobody: I'm ecstatic that you can feel the intensity building in the story! And I truly am grateful for your love for my story so far, Zack's brain may be slow on the uptake with the signals that his body is sending him about his feelings, but that will soon take a turn! :D
FiveftFury: Thank you for you're support and I'm glad you feel my story is sticking with the authenticity of Zack's character!
234myname: You are right indeed, things will definitely be heating up very soon ;) So happy to hear you enjoyed the chapter and I completely agree, Zack and Ray are so pure and pull at my heartstrings 3 And truly I can't express enough how much your support means, your words keep me inspired, so it's the least I can do to reply to each of you and thank you for your kind words 3
DramaDragon2: I'm so glad to hear you're enjoying Zack and Ray in this, and check out my link for the fan art! Thank you again for the continued support!
Spunky Kitten: Awesome, link is in my bio! :D
JustSomeRandomElsaUnderstudy: Very real indeed o.O haha Zack is precious and so very innocent 3 Please do visit my Tumblr to check out my sketches!
Whew, more reviews than the last chapter! Thank you guys so much!
And now…
Chapter 4
Panic seizes my chest, my heart and lungs stuttering to a stop. This feeling is something I haven't ever experienced outside of when I'm mid-fight and know I'm about to get cut down. It's absolutely mind-boggling for my panic to extend to someone else's well-being. Before I have a moment to analyze these strange developments, instinct is pushing my feet towards Ray's motionless figure, curled in on itself, over on the floor. Something clatters to the ground with a bang, and it takes my brain a minute to register that it was my scythe, my hands completely abandoning the grip I had on it in my pursuit of her.
"Ray! Hey, quit fucking around!" I don't know why the words come out of my mouth, I know she's not playing dead. But my frantic state is spiking my adrenaline and I can't possibly sort through the thousands of thoughts whizzing through my brain all at once. My rough hand pushes the fringe out of face before it comes falling back into place along my forehead, my hood long forgotten and resting on my shoulders.
I bend down and can see the subtle rise and fall of her chest, my own breath that I didn't realize I had been holding comes whooshing past my lips, slowing the pace of my erratic heart momentarily. My thoughts clear a bit, now that I realize she's only passed out. Tch, she must have worked herself so far up in a tizzy that her body shut down. Fucking idiot, panicking for no reason and making me worry. What a pain.
I hang my head, letting the rush leave my body as the tension uncoils from my veins. My hand grips her shoulder, pushing her body back and forth gently in a feeble attempt to wake her. "Hey! Wake up!" My efforts go unacknowledged and I huff another sigh, before lifting my head and tryna think of what the fuck to do with her. I sure as hell ain't just gonna leave her lying on the floor. That fucking nut job doctor is still squirreling around somewhere and I know he's got eyes for Ray. He can go to hell, he ain't touching' a hair on her pretty fucking head.
I glance back to the bodies propped up on the couch behind me and make quick work of shoving them harshly onto the floor with the heel of my boot. Their bodies go flying, sticking together in an unnatural way that I don't have time to think about before crashing into the hardwood. Well now that the garbage is out of the way…
I refocus my attention back on the blonde passed out on the ground and don't even question myself before slipping my fingers underneath her unconscious form. My right hand grips the juncture where her thigh and calf meet, the feel of her bare porcelain skin against my touch just as I thought it would be. Smooth as silk. My other palm adjusts to bear the rest of her weight as I lift her, slipping into the small of her back as my fingers grip the side of her ribcage deftly. She's surprisingly soft, and as I pull her body against my own and begin to move her, I notice other things about Ray that were lost on me before.
She's actually quite beautiful. What the fuck am I thinking? But her body is so delicate looking, my body overwhelming her's in size. I get the urge to consume her, it's strange and alarming and I start to wonder if I've acquired cannibalistic tendencies in my time alone. But I shake that thought as soon as it enters my mind, it's not like that. I don't understand the feelings that threaten to overwhelm me as I hold her close, but they aren't savage in nature, it's…something else.
I veer away from those dangerous thoughts and instead focus on my actions at the moment. My legs bring me to the center of the couch, I bend slowly at the waist, lowering her form onto the disgusting cushions of the couch. My face grimacing slightly at the fact that I'm essentially laying her in somebody else's blood before considering that it's better than the cold, hard and also bloody floor she was on before.
I take a minute to stare at her small face, surprisingly, her expression is so much different in sleep than it is when she's awake. Instead of that hysteria that I was seeing moments ago, or even her usual boring look, it's serene. Her features are full of gentle slopes as opposed to harsh lines, relaxed and untouched. The gentle wisp of her eyelashes resting on her cheeks makes me feel like a pansy for admiring anything about the little twerp. I shiver at my own actions. Yeesh, get ahold of yourself.
I'm reminded of the words she shouted just as she passed out, "Her 'God?' She fuckin' talking 'bout me?" I mutter to myself, not like she can elaborate while she's knocked out cold on the couch. The item on the floor next to where she fell catches my attention.
Looks like a book? Couldn't for the life of me tell you what the fuck's it about, but I think it may have been what Ray was staring at before she took a nosedive into Snoozeville. I pick up the thing like it's carrying a disease, leafing through the pages quickly in vain. Ain't no pictures, guess I'm shit out of luck. I toss it across the room like yesterday's trash, not willing to contemplate something I won't understand.
Suddenly a gentle clanging sound begins, steady in its rhythm and unyielding. I'm cautious about leaving Ray, but decide it's for the best that I confront the disturbance where it stands. The noise draws me to the door I had originally entered through, I make sure to grab my scythe where it laid forgotten before continuing my approach, and I'm surprised to find it shut when I could have sworn neither Ray nor I closed it after coming inside. My brow furrows at the suspicious situation, and I gently open the door to peer outside. I'm met with the relentless pinging of some kind of toy clasping two cymbals together. Tch, really? Way to get my panties in a twist for nothing.
I step close, and slice the fucker in half before I can think twice. Before I can even release a breath and turn around, I feel a whoosh of air and catch a glimpse of light brown hair as it cuts across my peripheral vision. Then there's a deafening slam that sounds directly behind me. My body immediately screws around to face the door that swung shut. I go to test the handle, only to find that it wont budge. What the fuck? I Try again, using more force. Useless. "Hey!" I shout in warning to the motherfucker who locked me out.
I attempt to throw myself at the door, willing it to open as my heart begins to pick up its pace. Muffled laughter suddenly sounds from the other side of the door, making my heart rate reach its crescendo of the evening as I clearly recognize who it belongs to. "Oh Zack, don't you know by now that breaking things isn't the solution to every problem?" Comes his sarcastic reply, the teasing tone making my teeth clench in anger. That fucker tricked me!
I ignore the dig aimed at me, and continue to try and force my way into the room. That psychotic freak is alone with an unconscious Ray. "Hey you fuck! Don't you dare touch, Ray!" The blood pumps so fast in my veins at this point that my body begins to tingle, and I'm gettin no where fast trying to bulldoze this fucking door.
He shushes me obnoxiously, "Tsk, you need to be quiet, Zack. You don't wanna wake sleeping beauty do you?" he giggles at his own words, "Or maybe I should be prince charming and wake her from her slumber with a smooch?" He chides condescendingly.
I rage at the thought of the pervert defiling Ray in her vulnerable state. "You Bastard!" I seethe, "You lay a finger on her and you're dead!" my voice bellows through the door, channeling all my rage at unhinging this plank of wood standing between me and the psychopath.
"Aww~ Did I hit a nerve, Issac?" he coos at me through the wood, splintering little by little as I slash at it with my scythe. He's riling me up and I can't stop myself from taking the bait and reacting in malice.
He's got Ray.
"Open the door you fucker!" I shout, chest heaving from the exertion, my forehead falls on the still very intact door in frustration, this thing's fucking solid.
"Sure thing…but not right now, all in good time."
His response does nothing to settle the nerves, my stomach clenching in desperation. "Yes, we're finally alone Rachel, you've done an excellent job my good girl," I strain to catch his whisper to her, my hackles raising as I deduce that he's getting closer to her.
"You do anything to her and I'll kill you, Dirtbag!" I yell once again, growing nauseas at the idea of his hands on her.
I hear him hum in amusement, "Haven't you tried that a few times already?" he goads me. Before I can scream anymore expletives at him he continues, "Fear not, I wouldn't harm Rachel. No, I am only here to present to you a task! You are an ignorant fool, sticking by Rachel's side, not even knowing anything about her past!" He scoffs harshly, "She even considers you her God," spitting the last statement as if it left a bad taste in his mouth.
"Quit your fucking mumble-mouth bullshit, Prick!" I grit out, my agitation increasing with every second this fucker continues to breathe.
"Now now, Zack, calm yourself."
"Go and explore this floor, it does belong to Rachel after all," his statement bewilders me, how could this be Ray's floor? She was introduced as the sacrifice. Wasn't she? "Uncover all of its secrets and maybe then you can truly appreciate Rachel, the way that I do," he sighs wistfully, "once you learn of her very essence, I'll let you decide what you think is right for her and depending on your choice, I may just let you escape!" Giggling conspiratorially he continues, "Minus my beautiful Rachel though, of course. She's going to stay with me. Forever, isn't that right, Rachel?" He directs the end of his statement to her, ignoring my growl at his words.
"What kind of ass backward explanation is that you freak!" I rear my leg back and wage war on the door with the heel of my foot. I make no headway but the effort soothes just a smidge of my pent-up anger. "Ray! Wake the fuck up already!" I shout desperately, floundering for what to do in this situation without her brains to help me.
"It's no use, she slumbering so peacefully, her eyelids guarding such precious jewels!" His tone is much too eager for my comfort zone, the stress is reaching its peak inside me.
"Cut the Bullshit!"
My foot is pounding against the wood now, to no avail. I hiss out a breath when I'm met with no response. Seeing no other option, I turn on my heel with every intention of tearing this place apart. This fucking floor won't know what hit it after I'm done. Tch. What the fuck could that wack job know about Ray? The idea of her hiding something from me creates an irritation apart from all of the other frustration building in my body.
I break into a sprint, not wanting to waste anymore time on useless thoughts that aren't going to get me out of this situation. Skidding to a halt at the bottom of the staircase that I had passed on my way onto the floor, I glance up into the seemingly endless darkness. I can't even see where the stairs end. Each board creaks with my weight as I ascend to the second floor. I'm met with two doors on my right. I go to try the first one, only to find it locked.
I try kicking the thing open with my foot, maybe break off the door knob or something, but all the doors in this godforsaken place must be reinforced with fucking steel! What the fuck! I give up and move on the next one. This one surprisingly opens with ease, I peak inside to be met with an ordinary looking room, I spy some pictures along a chest of drawers. Sliding further into the room, I observe the first frame, "The people who live here?" I question quietly to myself.
The floor and the walls begin to rumble as if a bomb went off, all of a sudden the ceiling is kissing the floor and it's raining debris all around me. Before I can be caught in the rubble, I throw myself into a forward tumble, narrowly making it through the threshold before the exit is sealed off with the catastrophe. Before I even have a moment to take in a lungful of air, something is whizzing past my face, very nearly catching me in the cheek before it imbeds itself in the wall behind me. I spit out a curse and then suddenly I'm weaving through projectiles aiming to skewer me like a shish kabob. I dance around the shit-storm, hurrying to the wall in front of me where they appear to be originating from, hurling the point of my blade through the wall to cease all flying objects.
The assault stops with my deathly blow, and I heave out a sigh before glancing at my surroundings once again. This place must be fucking boobytrapped. What a fucking pain in the ass. Seeing no other options before me on this floor, I make my way back down the staircase to investigate down there.
Rounding the corner of the stairs, I'm met with a seemingly normal looking dining room, "Is that a pizza?" I don't even know why I'm speaking to the air, but the food has caught my full attention and that's all that matters to me in this moment. My stomach growls in consent at the idea of eating food. I quickly eat up the space between me and this delicious looking nourishment, reaching for a piece and shoving it in my mouth. I expect bliss and am instead met with agonizing pain as the ungodly hot piece of food blisters the inside of my mouth. I spit that shit out real fast.
"What the fuck! Even the food in this hellhole is trying to kill me?" I shout incredulously, feeling utterly betrayed. I can't catch a goddamn break! I hack the table and the remaining contents of the pizza to shreds, leaving the scraps to simmer in my rage as I move the fuck on. Fucking tease.
I stop in my tracks as my eyes meet the newly uncovered trapped door that was once being masked by the table I just turned into saw dust. "Breaking things isn't the solution my ass…" I mutter indignantly, thinking back to the taunting words of the crazy Doc.
I approach the door, fully expecting some type of shock gag to be attached to the handle or something stupid like that. Tch, this floor is gonna be annoying as hell, I can already tell.
I hesitantly test the door, receiving no shock which I am pleasantly surprised by, only to be annoyed by the fact that the door is locked. Yeah, just keep throwing me bones, just to take 'em away you Fucktards! Huffing, I abandon the door, having already learned full and well that the doors here are made of fucking lead and clearly indestructible.
Meandering down the hall a ways, I find a bathroom. I sigh for the umpteenth time, going in knowing I have no choice but to look around and see what I can find. Ray better worship me until her last goddamn breath with the shit I'm doing for her right now. After stepping through the doorway, I look to my left to spot a toilet. I bypass it only to be halted and drawn back when I see something reflecting inside the bowl. Oh, you gotta be fucking kidding me!
There, underneath the gross ass water, mocking me with its glittering silver reflection, is obviously the key to the locked door. Now I gotta be elbow deep in the shitter in order to get where I need to go? Tch, I'll take some groveling along with that worship I ordered please, Ray. Exasperated, I let myself fall to my knees, cringing at the idea of having my arm soaked in the toilet water. I grit my teeth and submerge my appendage, quickly swiping up the key and ripping my arm the hell outta there, lest there be any more surprises at the bottom of the bowl. I gag.
Wielding my newfound treasure, I quickly slip it into my pocket and hurry to the sink to try and rinse off the evidence of my task. I'm met with the realization that this fucking place doesn't seem to have running water. I am truly blessed.
Kicking the base of the sink in agitation, I turn around to be met with a bathtub. I guess that explains where all the water in the house went, this thing's fucking overflowing. I turn off the faucet, contemplate whether or not I should blindly stick my arms in the dark tub and decide to hell with it. It's gotta be better than being saturated with toilet water.
That would be my second mistake of the night.
My arms are barely fully submerged in the water before I feel a pinch on my finger. Followed by about a thousand more, increasing in speed and ferocity, like someone's trying to gnaw my fucking arm off! Fuck! An incoherent curse escapes my mouth as I rip my arm outta there faster than you can say uncle, only to find one of those motherfuckers still attached to me and happily chomping away at my flesh. I snag that bitch and toss him on the floor, before squishing it into a paste beneath my boot. "Take that, Asshole!" I shout to what once must have been some type of flesh eating fish. I spit on it for good measure.
I glance at my hand to inspect the damage, it's dripping blood from the multiple gashes that those fuckers left me with, but otherwise not too worse for the wear. Still better than the stinky potty water. I make my way out of there quickly with my prize and make quick work of the lock.
A few moments later I'm descending into some basement type place. I don't know what the point of this fucking goose chase is, all I'm learning is that whoever designed this place knows the art of build-ception for Christ's sake. I'm learning jack diddly squat about Ray.
I'm bombarded by my next practical joke almost immediately, mangey mutts are snapping at my feet before they even touch the floor, but I make quick work of them with my trusty weapon. Slicing and dicing their heads clean off before they give me fucking rabies. I stand my ground, proud that I didn't let this obstacle overcome me like the last two, my chest puffing out a bit before I make my way deeper into the dingy hallway. Take that you filthy mongrels, tch.
I feel slightly bad for taking out the poor pups, but its survival of the fittest around here and I don't got time to be wasting. Plus, their bites weren't exactly friendly, whoever is using pooches like that has definitely got some wires crossed in their brain. Even I ain't that cruel.
This is Ray's floor though, right? I'm coming across all this random ass bullshit and I can't make sense of any of it. What the hell am I supposed to be taking away from all of this? She likes to fucking joke around? 'Cause believe you, me, she doesn't have a damn funny bone in her petite body, that much I'm sure of.
I'm shuffling along as my mind swirls with what messages could possibly be pulled from these situations, but before I can harp to long on it, the floor boards beneath me give way. And suddenly, I'm free-falling.
Fuck.
And there you have it! I'm honestly surprised at myself with how fast I'm blasting through these chapter, but so long as the words are flowing, I'll keep writing! Hope you enjoyed and be sure to let me know what you think!