Chapter 11: Worst choices
Laughs and giggles; it was getting late but nobody was willing to depart. And why would they? Such atmospheres were hard to obtain. Petunia was starting to feel rather uncomfortable. Sure, she loved to chat and cheer over stupid matters, but the fact that she was not in her own home, not being able to act like a host and take care of every detail ... it bothered her to the bits. Every drop spilled, every tissue dropped made her involuntarily jump on her feet. She wanted to do something, yet whenever she reached for an object either Flippy or Flaky would smile and do the cleaning. God, she felt useless.
"Sweetie, you alright?" Came Handy's question as a whisper.
"I'm... I'm fine... just worrying about my flowers back home... I haven't watered them yet..." She smiled uneasy, her voice fading with every word.
"Petunia, we've already talked 'bout that; ya don't have to do all the house keeping in order to feel good somewhere."
"How did you know it was that?"
"It's always that..." He sighted.
The whole room went quiet when three knocks were heard on the front door.
"Uh, did you guys forgot someone on the way here?" Flippy asked trying to overcome the clumsy silence
"No... Cuddles is with the boys at Toothy's..." Giggles responded.
"I'm going to check!" The blue haired stated, happy that she found something to do.
"I'll come with you..." Flaky got up.
They slid to the entrance in their socks, snickering whenever one of them would loose balance. Once there, Petunia looked through the visor and her smile brightened. She turned to Flaky and whispered as if she was going to burst into laughter:
"I have no idea who this guy is...!"
Flaky's face turned blank. They had common friends and acquaintances; if the blue haired didn't recognise the person, how could she? Only if... She stretched in order to reach the visor. The impatient face on the other side bought her shivers.
"It's the... the doctor..." Flaky whispered back to her friend.
Petunia's smirk faded as well.
"What doctor?"
"The one that was supposed... you know... to help with Flippy's condition..."
Knocks were heard again on the wooden door, this time more louder.
"Then let him in. I didn't know Flippy does therapy at home."
"Well... t-the point is that... he does not! The guy... The doctor is kind of nuts."
The sound was repeated with a higher demand.
"Man, he really has the nerves!" Petunia hissed. "Come on, Flake... just open the door and tell him to get lost. It's not his business to hunt you down."
"Yes... Yeah! You're right. I... I should step up once in a while..."
She inhaled and turned the knob. The next instants were fuzzy, as the doctor, in the moment he heard the lock, pushed the door full force. Like domino pieces, the door hit Flaky's head, whose whole body collapsed in her friend's arms, dragging her down as well. The unstoppable force that has just gotten into the house turned its pace towards the living room. The bizarre presence caught everyone off guard, the three friends managing only to stare in awe at the new figure.
"Ich ist here to help du!" His voice announced trembling.
"Who the fuck are you supposed to be?!" Giggles protested as the man casually started unpacking the things he had in his suitcase on the coffee table, making room by throwing everything else on the ground.
Smashing them...
Destroying them...
Flaky was up on her feet in an instance "Everybody get out. Now!"
Without a second thought, the friends rushed to the entrance. Seconds could make a significant difference.
"Do-doctor! Run!" Flaky shouted as she grabbed the man by the arm, helplessly trying to drag him to the door.
"Nein! Nein! Nein!"
The struggle was pointless. She rushed back to the door, her purpose clearing up in her head. Giggles was waiting for the read headed at the entrance, ready to block the way when everyone got out.
"What about the crazy guy?" Handy shouted as he only saw Flaky heading towards them.
She did not answer. Instead she pushed Giggles out and slammed the door and proceed on locking it.
"WHAT THE FUCK, FLAKY?!" Giggles screamed as she hurried into the door knocking with all her force.
"It's okay... see you tomorrow at the cafeteria..." she spoke as she backed away from her friends.
"FLAKE!" Giggles tried one more time.
Petunia reached for her friend shoulder. "I think we should do as she says once. She might have a good plan."
"I doubt that..."
...
"Y-you've just signed your death co-contract..." Flaky sobbed as she headed to the living room.
The doctor just smiled to her as if she was a stupid kid. The way you frown your face when a child says something silly and out of the blue. That's all he saw in the red headed lady - a confused little plod. He could not comprehend her stiff gestures, her insecurity... for the doctor everything that happens between these doors is the treatment of two sick children, just a daily routine in a psychiatry.
The girl stopped and rested her head on the doorway.
"Just get this over with..."
"Oh, Ich bin busy. Das may take longer than du expect."
"I wasn't t-talking to you."
The dumb smile didn't fade. He turned around to the other patient.
"Du hast something to finish?"
With one of the slyest grins you could imagine, the golden eyes fixed upon Flaky.
"I have no idea what she's talking about doc'. Ya can proceed with your so called treatment." He spoke with a cheerful accent.
"Das ist gut. Ich goes to the bathroom, do not create trouble!"
On his way he brushed against Flaky whose thoughts could not quite settle. What was HE doing?
"Ya seem confused." Fliqpy snorted out. "Let me light the bulb in that little head of yours. Ya see... I'll try a different approach."
She remained silent and gulped. Nothing made sense. Since when did Fliqpy have a rational way of 'approaching' stuff.
"Don't ya get it, dandruff? That shit's the problem, you're merely an obstacle. The only difference is that you are like super glue, while he needs to be frightened a little bit in order to stay out of the way."
So that was it. He was going to get rid of the doctor. Why would he find that incompetent a hinder? Unless the German was actually worth something. In that case, she couldn't allow the loss of such a chance.
"D-don't you dare t-touch him!'' She stated with a tremble in her voice.
"Wow... that was lame even for you, thistle. What'cha gonna do, stop me? You're a living stick!" Fliqpy mocked her, not even bothering to get up from the sofa.
"I..." Flaky tried.
"What? Have ya already lost your courage?"
She could not bring herself to speak.
"Thought so. As I've said, merely an obstacle... this is so easy."
"Why are doing this?!" She snapped. "Why are you taking away Flippy's only chance to a normal life? Why wouldn't you just leave him alone? He..."
"Whoa whoa whoa... calm your tits, girl!" He stopped her with a laugh. "Do you even hear yourself? A normal life? Hah... This town is fucked and we both know it. And I like my living the way it is."
"T-this is not your life!"
"Well of course it is. Whose else could it be?"
"You... you are nothing! Y-you're just a disease that will be cured!" Flaky shouted as she aimed for the bathroom key on the counter. She might as well start acting while she still had the guts.
"Why such a rush?" He snickered, still not getting up.
She locked the door. Now she was unsure about her next move.
"To get to the doctor you first have to... have to get through me!" Flaky managed to spit out.
"That wouldn't be a problem."
She stood there. He didn't move either, too busy to look through the medical stuff the doctor threw around. Her mind was a mess. OK, she locked the doctor and now what? She could try bringing Flippy back to normal by... uh... hitting him in the head with something? Or just getting rid of him somehow. But seriously, she wasn't able to hurt a fly, let alone kill someone. The first option seemed pretty viable. Flaky slowly made her way out of the room and headed to the kitchen. She could put a survival kit in this place since she always comes here for security. Every house should have one, really. Her hands opened several drawers and counters when the doctor started hitting the door, trying to break the lock. Great, now she was out of time. She grabbed a plate and ran to the living room, seconds before Fliqpy could put his hands on her protégé. She threw the plate and dragged the doctor after her. Fliqpy ducked easily, yet it offered Flaky some moments to retreat. As she closed the kitchen door, she felt like she could give some explanations to the physiatrist:
"L-look... I am trying to save your life. Flippy is... is not himself right now, so he kind of went on a killing spree..." she began, her back pressed against the door. "I know it sounds stupid, but I... I need you to stay a-alive."
The doctor once again smiled and patted her on the head.
"Lady, Ich know best. Talk to him will help." And he stretched to reach the handle.
"NO!" She screamed as her hand involuntary slapped his. "THIS is complete madness! YOU are a MAD man!" She gestured while shouting. "That person is not FLIPPY!"
As Flaky completed her high pitched remarks, a dagger pierced trough the door, touching her right shoulder, enough to leave a bleeding cut. She hissed as she moved from the entrance, gripping the stinging area.
"WAS IST DAS?!" Heinz screamed, backing away frightened.
"It's... it's Fliqpy." Flaky breathed trough her sobs.
The door bursted open. The soldier stood there, smirking, his hazel gaze traveling around the room.
"Say, doctor..." he spoke as he pointed his knife towards Macher "... how much pain can you endure?" He showed his teeth in a ferocious smile.
"Nein! Nein! NEIN!"
The doctor rushed past Fliqpy, using his arms as a shield, repeating the negation like a broken toy speaker. The hunter didn't hurry. He looked over his shoulder at Flaky and told her, his face wearing a twisted smile:
"Thanks for locking the door, sweetie! It's almost like you've read my mind."
He was gone the next second. She immediately followed. It made no sense, but she felt like keeping up. Heinz was cornered, desperately shaking the handle of the front door. In a jump, Flaky was on Fliqpy's back, gripping her arms around his neck. Taken by surprise, Fliqpy lost balance as his beret slip over his eyes. Rocking back and forth with an extra weight on his back, he started agitating his dagger aimlessly, hurting both himself and Flaky.
"RUN!" She shouted as the amount of cuts increased.
The doctor was on his feet and headed to the closest escape possible - the living room. Fliqpy smashed his head against Flaky's face, causing her to let go. She hit the ground, her nose bleeding. Her head took most of the shock. She tried to get up only to feel the whole place spinning around her. Unfortunately, she had to wait in order to be able to go after the two.
...
Macher tried the next escape he had in mind after the front door failed, more precisely, the window. He opened it wide, but as he was ready to dive trough, his leg was caught by the soldier, followed by a sharp pain, the first hit of the dagger. He screamed on the top of his lungs. He wasn't used to this, pain was something new. The second thud shortly followed, cutting deeper. It felt as if the leg wasn't there anymore. A powerful pull sent him on the floor. He started crying in horror.
"What...? Leaving ... already?" Fliqpy questioned, panting.
The earlier encounter took him aback. By hitting his head he almost turned back to his stabile personality. Not even counting the scratchings Flaky's nails left on his neck and the cuts he so unprofessionally did himself. That didn't matter now. It was his moment to have fun. He lifted the dagger and stabbed five more times, randomly, enjoying the screams his prey escaped.
"Stop it..." it came as a squawk. Flaky crawled to the entrance, one hand trying to hold back the red river coming out her nose. "...please."
It stroke him a little bit, the way she begged him, just a little.
"Fine... I'll let him bleed to death if that's your wish." Fliqpy laughed.
"No... that's not... what..."
"Let it go, thistle, the fact is consumed." He stated as he headed her way.
He grabbed her hair and dragged her to the hallway. Flaky could feel the cold tiles beneath her, but the pain caused by Fliqpy was blurred. She missed the opportunity, the doctor was living his final moments in agony. Why wasn't she ever strong enough to fulfill her goals...
"I'll be honest with ya, Flake. I kinda like you, so I'll do it quick."
What a liar. He was such a heartless beast. She had enough of him. Too bad she was like 'super glue' and wouldn't ever give up. The moment the dagger aimed for her neck she pulled her hair harder, the weapon slashing only her crimson strands. She took the advantage and run once again to the kitchen. He wanted resistance? Fine! The hair would be grown when she would have revived, so this little sacrifice wasn't quite a problem. She pulled out the knife drawer. Let's see how good he was at ducking. As soon as he popped around the corner she threw the first knife. It pierced one of the legs. She was surprisingly good at this.
"What the...?"
Flaky threw another one. It missed. Fliqpy was coming after her. She ran to the other side of the table, continuously firing without precision. Some missed and some scratched, but no serious damage dealt. Left without munition she took the only knife left, dropped the drawer and ran. Out of the blue she felt a sharp pain between her shoulders and fell on the ground. Unfortunately, he had a better aim, and it hurt like hell.
"Ya fight back! That's a new one." He noted as he approached her.
Fliqpy stepped with one foot on her back and forced the dagger out. Blood started flowing and soon was sipped in the blouse. Flaky felt her energy draining.
"Shame, I had no idea you're a masochist, thistle." He spoke as he tried to turn her body around, in order to have a better look at her face.
Rolled over, she faced him and shoved the knife in his abdomen. The warm liquid started pouring, adding to the red puddle already formed. He collapsed next to her coughing. Flaky let out a pitched laugh. At lest she took him down with her. This, or she was also loosing the grip on her sanity. The light bulb flickered over their heads, the artificial light adding a shade of sickness to the decor.
"Isn't it romantic? *cough* We're bleeding to death together..." Fliqpy spoke as he took out the knife from his lower torso.
"I... I hate... you..."
"Hah... *cough* you've told me the opposite... *cough* many times..."
"That wasn't... you... it was Flippy."
"Allow me to... *cough* contradict you..."
She was willing to respond but her hearing faded. She could still see the light, but all her other senses were dead. She could not move nor breathe. Her nerves were not responding. Finally, it all went black.