Chapter 6
"How do I know it's not poison?!" Zoe snapped crossing her arms at the table; Roslind had a distinct look of displeasure on her face.
"Now, now Zoe…I will not poison you. Jane would, but I wouldn't." She snapped, there was never a hint of anger in her beautiful voice, yet there was a small hint of irritation. Zoe looked around at the table of strange faces. E.J who had sat a few chairs down from her, Slender at the head, with Tobi, a man in a mask, and the hooded figure beside him. Roslind all the way at the other end. The young girl across from her, and the blitzed clown beside her…yet there was someone missing.
"Where's the cross dressing elf?" She asked, chewing her bottom lip.
"I heard that you dike." Ben shouted back, flopping down on the chair next to Sally.
Sally glared at Ben, she lightly pinched his arm.
"Stop it! That's mean! Zoe's really pretty!" She snapped. Ben looked at Sally, and both started to stare at each other. Slender cleared his throat.
"Now, now…our new guest will not be allowed to leave this mansion till further notice." Zoe's head snapped to Slender, her eyes widened, yet she remained silent. She started to clench her fists under the table, as she gritted her teeth. Looking away, and down at the empty plate in front of her, she tried hard to let gravity hold back her tears.
"But, that's not fair!" Sally shouted for Zoe, Slender shook his head.
"Now Sally, you must do, what I say. Or else…Zalgo will NOT be happy to know were holding a human in our home." Sitting back, he crossed his legs, placing his hands casually on his knee.
"So, I need to think about this for a night or two…to see what I can do for this…" He looked Zoe over. "This…problem of ours."
"Now Adrian, you must calm down and take this in strides. Everything happens for a reason." Roslind spoke up, placing the beautifully baked goose on the table, with mash potato's gravy and green beans. Slender tilted his head up at his wife.
"Roslind…dear, please. This is really, really important. I truly had no worries about Zalgo with you…since well you're not human." He rubbed his chin.
"She however, is…and this is very problematic. Since I can't kill her…not in or outside of this house, since she is NOT in my jurisdictions…" An intense silence filled the dining room, as everyone went silent.
"She's Tobi's victim. It's just a matter of when…" Slender leaned back, as Roslind started placing the goose on each plate. Tobi himself seemed to be pale, trembling and a cold sweat broke out across his forehead.
E.J looked up from his raw human liver, and looked at him. Though no worry was on his masked face (of course) but there was some leaking into his voice.
"You don't look so good Tobi…" And it was true, he didn't feel good either.
"I…I…" He couldn't speak. Yet, the corner of his eye started to twitch. Masky, and Hoodie readied themselves.
"Tobi…" Masky whispered.
Each person in the room, watched as Tobi started to tick.
"I…It's not fair…" His brow twitched, following the corner of his eye. His upper lip, twitched.
E.J started to stand, worrying.
"Tobi…calm down. You know better to start ticking." E.J's voice was calm, serene almost. Zoe looked up from the plate to Tobi. At once, her heart started to hammer as she watched him unravel.
"This…this life isn't fair…I never CHOSE to be a murderer…I snapped…that's all. I was abused…and I snapped." The sound of his voice showed he was unraveling coming undone. Slender abruptly stood, taking Roslind's arm and pulling her to the side. Instantly in defensive mode.
"Take Tobi out. He needs to kill."
"NO!" He screamed, slamming his hands down on the table, knocking the plates away.
"I can use this moment…" Zoe thought, yet she was physically distracted by Tobi's outburst. Something, about him…seemed…completely wrong.
"I'M NOT LIKE YOU!"He screamed, cupping his face with his hands.
"I'm not like you…" She watched him collapse.
Falling.
Crashing.
Breaking…
Crumbling…
Yet her eyes showed no sympathy, even if her heart seemed to be breaking. The words, the complete torture in his voice…the fighting…she had to turn away, look away.
"This is an ORDER proxy…get out there and slaughter someone!" Slender shouted.
Shhhhhhhhhh
Static blared in her ears; the drums popping…her nose bleeding. Placing the palms of her hands over her ears, she closed her eyes….and in that darkness she could see the static…it was killing her head.
"Oh come on…" L.J groaned, shoving a piece of the goose in his mouth.
"I love soap operas but this is too much!" He let out a hysterical laugh, shoveling food in his mouth. Ben cocked a brow, crossing his arms.
"I'm going to take my food to my room…" He looked at little Sally, who wouldn't stop weeping.
"Come on Sally, you can play monopoly with me in my room…I don't want you seeing this…" He stood, taking her plate with him.
As the pasta's started to leave the dining room, Zoe took this time to slowly creep out as well. Though static kept blaring in her ears, she had to leave.
This…was too much.
She couldn't live this life, as a captive or not…she wouldn't allow it.
"You. Are. Not. Leaving!" Slender shouted.
"Masky, Hoodie!" He screamed. Zoe turned, sprinting to the front door.
…
She made it, she slammed the door open and was running. Running as fast as her legs could carry her. Trees high, and brier bushes cutting at her legs. She wouldn't become like them.
"I'm not like them! I'm NOT capable of murder!" She almost wanted to scream. Yet she held strong, pumping her arms, harder. Harder…
"FASTER! I NEED TO GO FASTER!" She mentally SCREAMED. She HAD to get away from the forest. Get away from…this hell. She wasn't like them, and would never be. Even if, the sound of Tobi's pleading made her heart ache…she wouldn't give him sympathy. He killed her parents. She knew it…she just knew he was the one who spared her. She could tell in the way he held her when he comforted her…out of guilt.
"Fuck this shit!" She panted. Nothing looked familiar…nothing struck out to her. Everything was in brown, black and green blur. In the middle of fall, it was still warm and the air tacky and humid. She will get her freedom. Even if she had to kill herself, she'll get it.
WHAM!
Face first into something solid, knocking it and her down. She slammed hard against a rock, yelping she dared herself to look at the thing she knocked over. Eyes glowed red, the small light of a camcorder.
"Stop, please." It was a whisper. It was a male, and he looked DOWN at her. Taller than most, yet thin and lanky, her heart stuttered as she shook her head.
"N…No!" She screamed, scrambling to her feet and sprinted at full speed again.
"Please." He whispered again.
"I…I want to help." And he was behind her, running faster catching up with ease.
"NO!" She howled. She wasn't going back…not without a fight.
The sudden movement to her left caught the corner of her eye…fight or flight.
"I always choose fight…"
As she slowed her pace to a fast walk, she stopped right behind a beautiful cabin anyone would want to live in. But as her heart hammered, and her breathing lagged, she turned around and faced the two men who followed her.
"We want to help you…" Masky spoke through intakes of air.
Zoe clenched her fists, her body held back a shiver from how cold his voice was.
"Lair…" She thought.
"Lair…" She whispered.
"LAIR!" She screamed.
Masky flinched at her voice. Her loud scream made him want to cringe. And as she stared at him and his brother, he felt the hate, the malice in those ethereal eyes. She was pissed. Holding up his hands to show he had no weapon, she still didn't trust him, or believe him.
"Lairs…all lair's…I TRUSTED him! I believed he wasn't like you!" Tears clouded her vision, as she took another step back, something hitting her heel. She took a second to glance down. It was a big stick…something was better than nothing.
Hoodie stepped up, putting the camcorder away, he raised his hands. Hardly ever speaking, this was in fact a rare moment.
"Zoe, I promise, we won't hurt you."
She laughed, and laughed in his face.
"Right, like you don't want to keep me captive either!" She screamed.
Both Hoodie and Masky looked at each other, they were stuck. They had no way of convincing her to come with them…except…
"We didn't want it to come to this…" Masky whispered.
At once, they both lunged for Zoe, hidden weapons raised and ready to draw blood.
…
Tobi kept his eyes closed, his skin felt hot, sticky and wet. He couldn't move, his body wouldn't let him. Refusing him to even open his eyes, or let him breathe properly. He wanted, needed Zoe, but she hated him…so what was the point? Maybe he should just go out and kill.
"Daddy…please…please I'm begging you…let me kill…let me go on a murder fest…please!" He pleaded, he begged…he needed the release before he hurt someone he cared about, like his brothers or Roslind…even little Sally, hell Ben too.
"Let it go then." He whispered.
"Let go…?" He thought.
"Is that what Jeff did…?" He finally opened his eyes, trembling, his tick so bad, if you didn't know him, it would almost seem like he was having a seizure.
"No…he betrayed us. All you have to do…is stand up, take my hand…and I'll take it away...even just for a moment." Slender, softly pushed Roslind aside as he knelt down to Tobi, extending his hand.
"Take it…and I'll show you paradise…" He whispered into his ear.
With a trembling hand, he took his, and finally…for once in his 21 years of life, he felt the power, he had always wanted.
…
She breathed hard, holding the stick in her hand. Both, Masky and Hoodie lay on the leaf blanketed ground. She slung the stick one last time on each of their heads to make sure they were out cold. Tossing the piece of wood to the side, she held her bleeding arm. It stung, but she could deal.
"God…I've never, ever had to fight like that before." She breathed out with relief. At least now, she can go home and relax…at least just for a little while.
"It feels….feels like it's been forever since I've been home." Looking back at the laceration on her arm, the thought of a hospital, but then figured it would be a waste of time.
"After all, who knows how long it will be before I'll be chased again…might as well enjoy the little bit of freedom and solitude that I can." It brought tears to her eyes, but she really didn't have much time…she was…their captive now.
