Welcome back again. I'm so glad you join us for the final chapter of "The Strange Case of Chase and Spike." It has been quite an eventful story, hmm? But today the mystery will be solved and everything will be explained.

I shall refer you once more to the song mentioned in the first chapter. "Monster" by Imagine Dragons is a very good soundtrack to listen to right now, for this chapter especially.

I know you are all very excited to see what happens, so let us get on with it . . .

* * * Chase's Letter * * *

To Adam:

You've known me for a long time. And I mean a really long time. You know all about my past, and everything about my life. Nothing I did was a secret to you. At least, that's what you thought.

There were some things I did that I am not proud of. To this day I still wish I had never gotten involved with those things, but I did, and once I was in I couldn't get out. I have secrets that destroyed my life; secrets I don't think I could tell you even now. I would prefer you remain blissfully naïve about them.

Regardless, those secrets were starting to destroy me. In truth, a part of me liked the things I was doing. I enjoyed being the 'good kid' around school, but I liked the rebellion as well. It wasn't hypocritical; it was two sides of my own self at war.

The more I thought about that, the more I realized how right that idea was. We all have the two sides to ourselves; one good and one evil. If there was a way to separate them, that might come in handy.

So using my father's technology, I started trying to find a way to split myself into two parts. If I could separate this 'naughty' side from the good, then I would be free of all guilt. This evil side of me could continue doing whatever it pleased while my good half did the things it pleased.

I started experimenting with the technology. Yes, it was dangerous. I knew that. The wires I put into my body had the potential to kill me. But they also had the potential to free me from the impressive amount of guilt and shame.

Then came the day when I activated it for the first time. Using my laptops, I sent a wireless signal to the technology I had placed into my body. It was excruciatingly painful. I was terrified, and everything hurt. But then it stopped.

When I looked at myself in the mirror, I looked very different. 'I' was smaller, more sinewy. Thus Spike was born. He was the evil side of me, capable of devastating acts. Everything I loathed about Chase was shoved into his character. Spike was still me; just a different side of me.

Spike was able to deactivate himself (it was no small feat convincing him to do so), and Chase returned. I was ecstatic at my breakthrough. I was ready to use Spike to his full potential, activating him whenever the opportunity for evil presented itself. I had full intent to keep him under control. And I did, for a long time. Unfortunately, that control was only temporary.

One morning I woke up to a great shock: Spike had possessed my body. I was no longer Chase; Spike had full reign. It took all of Chase's strength to return. I found that arguing with Spike and mentally talking him down was the only way to make him retreat. Spike would grab control of the wires in my brain and use that to transform into himself. I slowly realized that a monster was living inside me.

Spike – for the most part – kept himself out of my life. But there were times when he insisted on taking over, and there was nothing I could do about it. He started making a name for himself around time. There was one time when he pushed some kid, and a girl tried to talk to him – Bree, I think. Isn't she your cousin?

Things started to get even more frightening. Spike was coming out more and more, slowly taking over every fiber of my being. When he got enough control of the technology, Chase would physically change back into Spike and the cycle continued. They would mentally wrestle over who got control.

I wasn't lying to you about feeling sick. I really was. It's terrifying to have two separate 'people' fighting over you. And I was both of those people. Eventually I had to pick the side I wanted to win; I chose Chase. That side of my personality was always the one I would prefer.

So Chase began to win a lot more often. I worked on making him stronger mentally, ready for any attack from Spike. They came quite often. But I soon realized that Spike was there to stay. I had created a monster. That monster was living in the depths of my soul; he would never leave.

Then came that awful night when Spike totally lost it. He went into a horrifying rage for no apparent reason. It was then that he killed poor Marcus, for no other reason except that he was 'in the way.' When I got back to my house, Chase finally took over again. I collapsed in front of the mirror, shocked by what had happened.

The search began for Spike, but both he and Chase were determined not to let anyone find him. I (Chase) was able to win back control, if only by the reasoning that the police would arrest Spike. He may be evil, but he was terrified to face justice for what he had done.

For a while I was able to keep Spike at bay. You will remember that time. I was coming to school and talking with you like nothing was the matter. In that period of time everything was just like it used to be. Like it was before this whole 'Spike' thing even started. Or better yet, like it was before I got involved in all these illicit acts that caused me to create Spike in the first place.

One night I was taking a walk to clear my head, and that was when Spike finally decided to show his face again. I thought he was crazy, risking his neck like that. He was almost caught, too, by none other than Leo Dooley, our old friend.

Fortunately, I was able to win control again. Unfortunately, Leo saw the whole thing. I hope by now you have read his journal. He saw the strange transformation and started screaming like a little girl. I was forced to tell him everything and made him swear not to say a word to anyone. He said the only place he would write it was his journal. I told him I was fine with that, as long as he guarded it with his life.

Spike grew stronger quickly. He was becoming the dominant side, determined to take me over completely. His evil and sadism were to be my own downfall. I never should have done this.

Yes, I've tried taking out the wires. I've tried reprogramming him. I've tried everything. Spike has grown too smart for even me. Then again, he is me. A more strategic, evil, villainous side of me. Nothing I tried worked. Spike was permanently inside of me, a manifestation of my deepest, darkest insecurities and evil desires.

He wants to be in charge. And I realize now that Spike will stop at nothing to make sure Chase disappears forever. Even now he is fighting for control, tying to take me over and become dominant. I have to fight him off for a few more minutes at least.

If Spike comes out while I am writing this letter, there is no doubt in my mind that he will tear it to shreds before it could ever fall into your hands. If I can hold him off for a little while, his own self-absorption might cause him to forget the letter completely.

I don't know what will happen when Spike takes over. All I know is that Chase will not be coming back this time. Spike has grown too powerful. There is nothing I can do. I have tried everything and nothing works. I am ready now to die, killed by my own evil self.

What Spike will do, I cannot say either. He is scared to face justice for his crimes, like I said. Perhaps he will take out his anger on one more target: himself. But I can't say for certain. I am sure by the time this letter falls into your hands, you will know. At this time Spike has either been arrested or killed (or he fled, but I doubt that). If he was killed, it was most likely by his own hands.

Within an hour I will be dead. Chase will be gone. Spike might be too. I sit here and write down my final words. That's horrifying. But Adam, I was never the kid you thought I was. I was not perfect or 'good' or a rule-follower. I never meant to deceive you. That was me as much as my dark side was. I can be a good person; but I can be a bad person too. Can't we all?

Now, as I put down my pencil and get ready to seal up this letter, I bring the life of that unhappy Chase Davenport to an end.

That final line is basically straight from the book, and daphrose takes no credit for it. She just thought it was too amazing to leave out.

For those of you who think it ended rather abruptly, "Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" ended that way as well, and daphrose modeled her story after that one.

Now that you have finished this story, I suggest you go read the real story by Robert Louis Stevenson. It is much better (even daphrose will admit to that) and just as intriguing.

Thank you all once again for joining me in reading this story. I hope you all enjoyed it. Perhaps I will see you again someday. Farewell!

~ The Narrator