Chapter 11: Reveling In The Red Puddle

Lucy sat alone by the administrator's office. Her head fixated to the ground before her, hands clasped together firmly while fiddling her thumbs, awaiting her inevitable punishment.

"What are you thinking about?" The doppelganger asked with a smirk.

"Can't you just step inside my sanctuary?" Lucy questioned.

"Yeah… but i'd rather see if you're a good liar or not" The doppelganger confirmed, retaining their smirk.

"*Sigh*, I'm upset"

"About what Luce?" The doppelganger quizzed. Only when Lucy tilted her head up to monitor a pair of steps fast approaching did Lucy's upset become clear.

"Ah… I see, well don't worry about them, just be happy you put on a good show." The doppelganger smiled, laying a hand on Lucy's shoulder. With Lucy turning to meet her double's gaze.

"Yeah… a good show" Lucy replied, snapping her neck to the hallway corner as she heard bickering around the corner.

Lucy put her full attention to that corner. Expecting a big and scary principal to come towering over. Marching straight into his office with the angriest glare she would ever seen. Fortunately Lucy's expectations would be subverted by the presence of Lincoln and Lisa instead. The squeaky prepubescent nature of what she heard now becoming clear. The duo stopped in their tracks at the sight of Lucy.

"Oh, y-you're here already! Hehe" Lincoln remarked, with Lucy scrunching her nose up at poor Lincoln.

Lisa stepped forward cautiously "Uhm, d-do you mind if we-" Lisa paused, "erm,I sit with you?" Lisa inquired meekly.

Lucy ducked her head to where her friend had just sat, unsurprised with in vacant state. "No, I don't mind" Lucy confirmed.

Lisa bravely followed through with her request, her little legs shimmying all the way up and over a chair right next to Lucy. Though once Lisa got comfy, her mind couldn't help but race with the idea of getting out of there as fast as possible the longer Lisa stared into Lucy's open hands. Her red drenched palms, knuckles and wrists.

All the while, Lucy's tired, fed up tone remained unchanging. Like none of what she just did registered at all. As if she were some cold, heartless, monster, who could be capable of only god knows what… no, no-no-no-no, NO! Don't think like that! Try to find something- anything to deny that! There's got to be something, anything to contradict. That idea!

Lisa continuously thought. Continuously wringing her hands whilst a defiant anxiety cycle continued to stack higher, and higher. It got to the point not even Lucy could ignore Lisa's instability, raising a brow at the panic attack ridden genius.

Lisa looked up to Lucy's face, jumping out of her skin upon linking gazes. "Dah!* I-I'm okay, don't w-worry about me…" Lisa gulped, trembling as she spoke, Lucy just scoffed lightly.

Lincoln stared on at the display in extreme worry, until he finally had enough of seeing Lisa like this. "Uhm… yeah, I'm just gonna keep Lisa over here if you don't mind…" Lincoln relayed as he got up to bring Lisa over his side instead.

"Okay" Lucy replied curtly, not even looking at him, swaying her head back to the ground tiresomely.

Lincoln dowered worriedly. "Why didn't you tell us?" Lincoln questioned.

Lucy didn't move though, taking a moment to conjure an answer. "They gave me something to think about, I gave them something back" Lucy replied.

"I see…" Lincoln paused, taken back by Lucy's clear intent "Do you… y'know, feel at least a little bad?" Lincoln continued, Lucy just shook her head.

Lincoln glanced down at Lucy's lap, finding Lucy examining her hands like there were glistening gemstones within those sullied gloves.

Being repulsed by Lucy's indulgent nature he turned away. Finding the principal just around the corner, pressing forward directly in the pathway of his office. Catching a glimpse of the patrons now all glancing at him back, well except for Lucy oddly. Then again Lucy was quite an odd child… but a nice one at that, so he decided to not hold up her lack of acknowledgement against her for the time being, saving that kind of interrogation for the office.

"*Ahem*, Please note that there's no eating, drinking or talking whilst waiting, thank you. Huggins thanked before heading into his office, and everyone left alone to their thoughts and fears.

That is until after what felt like hours upon hours of sitting within perpetual dread that comes with sitting beside Lucy. The parents both arrived at the office, a wave of confusion washed over their faces as they bore witness to Lincoln and Lisa's dreary looks. But then that confusion mutated into fear the moment they bore witness to Lucy's stained fingertips. Rita and Lynn Sr immediately rushed to her side to assess the damage they assumed was there.

Course this went over poorly with Luce, furiously swatting them away, protesting that she was fine and able. Rita and Lynn looked at each other with melancholy before assuring that she was okay. Lucy glared at the two in pure animosity with one foul spoken 'yes'. The parents frowned, shrugging off their worries temporarily, worrying for the reason why she was so feisty.

Regardless of their concerns the parents ushered their kids inside the office after knocking and confirming if they could come in. The kids filled up the seats with Lincoln acting as a barrier between Lucy and Lisa. And the parents scouring for seats, but…

"Sorry, we don't usually have more than 3 guests at the same time, so you'll just have to stand for the time being…" Huggins disclaimed.

"Oh! That's alright, I don't really mind standing, so long as he doesn't" Rita chuckled, gesturing toward Lynn Sr, who didn't seem to appreciate the joke.

"Honey please… this is time to be serious, not funny" Lynn pointed out.

"Right, sorry…" Rita glowered. "Anyways, why exactly is Lucy in trouble?"

"Well, would you like to hear the clean or messy version?" Huggins asked, turning Rita and Lynn's face pale at the mention of a 'messy version'.

"Uhm… I-dunno, is it… bad?" Lynn asked somewhat fearfully.

"You could say that…" Huggins frowned.

"O-oh" Lynn paused, looking to his worrisome wife before turning back to the principal.

"I'd think we'd rather the 'clean' version as you put it…" Lynn requested, repeatedly darting her eyes between her grim daughter's red soaked gloves and Huggins.

"Very well, so… at the beginning of Lunch I'm guessing, just about the whole school started funnelling through the hallways, at first I had no idea what was going on. But all I knew was that I had to get every nearby teacher on the case A.S.A.P. Unfortunately thanks to the massive crowd clogging up the hallways it took almost half of Lunch to get to the center of attention. But as I got closer I could hear absolutely hellish screeching that only seemed to get worse the closer I got. And that got my gut churning with horrible thoughts as you can imagine." Huggins explained, with the parents nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, now, what I saw when I got there was very surprising for a... number of reasons…" Huggins lamented.

"*Sigh*, okay- how do I put this nicely… uhm, Lucy… stood next to a student with their middle digit removed. And Lucy having it… in hand..."

"I… now you hold on a gosh-darn minute. Are you saying that Lucy? Not only hurt someone, but actually ripped their finger off?" Rita asked.

"Well, do her blood-stained hands lie?" Lincoln asked wistfully, pointing towards Lucy's hands.

"I… ts-hehe! Th-this has to be some sick joke, right?!" Rita denied.

"I honestly wish it were Mrs. Loud, but, well we have many eye-witnesses on hand, and many more as recordings put online begin to circulate. Which will be taken down as soon as humanly possible mind you." Huggins confirmed.

"Now, following from that, it is critical that I tell you all that Lucy will not be seen in this office after this meeting is over. Because Lucy will officially be expelled." Huggins elaborated.

"Wha… B-but, you can't do that! W-where will she go?! We can't just homeschool her!" Lynn Sr blurted out anxiously. With a fresh coat of surprise being painted over Lucy's gaunt expression, but after recontextualizing her actions as well as intent behind them. Yeah, there was no way out of this one.

"Well that's gonna have to be a conversation you have with your child Mr Loud. But before you do. Lucy, do you have anything to say for yourself?" Huggins asked inquisitively.

"I lied…" Lucy just barely uttered, her head hung low in dejection.

"About… what sweetie?" Rita asked in a concerned tone.

"You remember that stuff I told you about at the hospital?" Lucy paused, ogling her family's reactions. Witnessing their confusion quickly turn to shock.

"Yeah" Lucy responded, keeping her head hung low.

"But… I don't understand, w-why?" Lynn Sr asked.

Lucy took yet another pause, before spilling the secret, but in a…roundabout way "I… didn't want my… my moose to scamper off amidst my headlights. So… I turned them off, and hit the pedal as hard as possible. To cause as much damage as possible. Although to be fair, every time I let it get away, it would always ram through my windshield and straight into my face. So, I'd say we're pretty even now." Lucy explained, much to the aggravating confusion of her family, barring Lisa who understood and cowered under every metaphor given.

"Oh, and also, that book… yeah while I'm still not sure if it was the straw that broke the camel's back, when it came to sending me into a coma… but, Well I just can't be sure…" Lucy added, confusing everyone whom heard it, but they just decided to brush it off for now. Well, everyone except Lisa, who was the most perplexed.

"How could that thing send her into a coma alone? Then again, it's done stranger things…" Lisa thought.

"I…" Lynn Sr muttered, slowly shaking his head aimlessly in denial. Before he stopped, and tilted his gaze back to Lucy. Faltering his brows into a soft yet repressive scowl at Lucy.

"Well I, I hope you're happy with what you've done" Lynn Sr spoke calmly, not a hint of ire audible much to Lucy's surprise, perhaps he was saving it Lucy pondered.

"Welp, I believe that's uhm, everything from me, unless there's anything else, I hope to see you all later on in a… more positive context." Huggins offered.

"No-no, we're done here…" Lynn Sr declined whilst already getting up, grasping Rita's hand.

"Alright then, farewell Louds!" Huggins cried.

"Yeah, you too..." Lynn Sr replied, already going through the door.

"Lynn, you're hurting my hand" Rita ached, forcing Lynn Sr to look down and see her poor hand turning slightly red.

"Sorry…" Lynn muttered, unlatching his grip, wiping his sweaty palms on his pants before looking behind at Lucy, having the audacity to just sit there like nothing was wrong, at least that's what he saw.

"Lucy, we're going..." Lynn commanded, with Lucy twitching in response. Beginning to make her move.

"Now" Lynn spat firmly, almost breaking his light yet aggressive tone.

"What? I'm moving, see?" Lucy retorted in agitation, throwing her hands out to show she was indeed moving.

"Lucy, don't, give me attitude…" Lynn snarled, keeping his somewhat calm demeanor still. Managing to make Lucy freeze in shock all the same.

"Sorry…" Lucy muttered, slightly shaken if she had to admit.

"Good start… now go wash your gloves, we'll be waiting in the van for you" Lynn informed, turning away into the hallway.

Lincoln and Lisa remained unmoving physically, yet their eyes were very full of uncanny fear.

Lucy looked on at the duo, and back out to the empty doorway… her shock being smothered out by wrath.

"C'mon kids! Don't keep your father waiting!" Rita hollered, to which Lincoln and Lisa got moving, whilst Lucy just blew hot air through her nostrils in retaliation to her mother's voice.

"You, gonna go with them yet?" Huggins asked innocently.

"*Sigh*, yes…" Lucy growled, as she finally got off her chair, and through the office door. And right into the labyrinth that was the Van. Taking a moment to see if she should wash her gloves of the blood and pen ink. But decided against it out of spite.


Rita laid her forehead on the van's glass door. Head spinning a dark rainbow of Lucy related ills. How could Rita have let all this happen? When exactly did she get such a spiteful edge? Why didn't Lucy just listen when told to. Why did she only love that old hag over anyone else? I thought distancing Lucy from her would make her mourning less intense…

*Sigh*, maybe if I did things differently, maybe if I... chose a different man, but had the same kids, then maybe we wouldn't have to worry about things to come. Things would be different. Lucy would be different…

"You okay Hon?" Lynn Sr pried, taking note of her melancholy state.

"Huh?! Oh! Yeah, I'm just thinking about things…" Rita replied.

"Like what?"

Rita didn't answer immediately "Like the parents of those kids Lucy hurt… you think they'll fire a lawsuit?" Rita asked, the question making every vertebrae in Lynn's spine tingle uncomfortably.

"Well I… I sure hope not… They'd sue the school first for negligence right?" Lynn replied.

"Maybe, but Lucy said that she beat up her 'own bullies', so they might just go for our throats instead."

"Well, if they come swinging, at least we have the defence Lucy was put in hospital by her bully, first! I mean- they'd be out of their minds to ignore that, right?"

"We can only hope Lynn…" Rita surmised, turning her attention back to the window when she caught a glimpse of Lucy, but she looked a tad shady with the way she was hiding her hands. "Lynn, unlock the door, Lucy's here!"

"Nope! She needs to pass the test first…"

Lucy used her knee to knock on the van's door. Meekly yet frustratedly asking entrance into the van.

"Did you wash your gloves?" Lynn asked accusingly.

"Yeah…" Lucy answered.

"Come around, let me see" Lynn asked.

"No…" Lucy denied.

"Lucy…"

"Dad"

"Lucy"

"Just let me in already!"

"Lucy!"

"Lynn!" Rita interjected, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Just, let her in… save the discipline for when we get home… please"

"Oh! So I'm supposed to just let Lucy lie about everything now? No repercussions whatsoever!"

"Lynn… that's not what I mean, and you know it" Rita detested.

"Well then what do you mean!"

"Lynn, sweetie, you're not doing yourself any favors by acting like this. So just drop the commando attitude, and we'll deal with this whole mess at home" Rita demanded.

"Honey…"

"Lynn..." Rita scowled.

Lynn along with the back-seaters, Linc and Lisa were left mouth agape. Till Lynn lightly shook his head, shifting his face to mirror Rita's scowl, to which she just narrowed her eyes at him.

"*Heavy sigh*, alright! Fine, you win! Just open the door Luce, try not to leave any stains..." Lynn faltered.

Even despite the invitation. Lucy took up the offer with utmost caution, expecting some sort of extra beratement judging from the way Lynn was looking at her through the rear-view mirror. pent-up anger as clear as his glare whilst she took her seat.

"Can't believe you…" Rita muttered.

"Oh! What now? What else am I doing wrong right now?!" Lynn bellowed.

"Well the way you're looking at Lucy's a good start! Just get off her case already! We've got better things to worry about!" Rita flared up.

" Rita answered.

"What the hell are you talking about?! She ripped someone's finger off!Right in front of everyone like some, gladiator toting their prize! All for some petty vengeance!" Lynn fired back, making Rita stiffen.

"W-well of course that's unacceptable, but…"

"But what? There is no but! Just what she gets back at home! Now if you don't mind I suggest you get off my case dear..." Lynn snapped.

The van froze, except for Lynn of course who laid his contempt-filled eyes on his steering wheel, starting up the van without a word, catching Lucy in the reflection of the back view mirror.

"Oh, and one more thing Luce… you're grounded, for as long as I feel like you are. And that means no friends over, no rituals, no nothing till I say, you're ungrounded. Understood?" Lynn added, but Lucy didn't respond.

"I said, do you understand?!"

"Yes! Yes I get it! God…" Lucy grumbled.

"And no backchat either…" Lynn added, much to Lucy's deep seeded hatred for Lynn growing.

Rita looked back at the kids sympathetically, particularly at Lucy. Glowering in shame at the sight shortly before turning back to the front.

After Rita was done looking, Lisa took her own opportunity to observe Lucy's state. Which was just a simple glower thanks to her bangs still present. Lucy caught wind of Lisa staring and stared back. "What?" Lucy started.

"I-uh, nothing, nothing…" Lisa shut down, turning away upon her reaction. Lucy could handle the stares just fine, but the way Lisa was avoiding the fact she was, started to get on her nerves. But not enough for Lucy to ask why. it was just some pest talking to Lucy, why bother she thought.


Back at home. Lynn sat on the carpet by the TV with Lily, play sets strewn about with the two playing with a toy that had 3 holes for 3 shapes, a square for a cube, a circle for a cylinder, and a triangle hole for a… triangular shape.

"And this block, goes in that hole, like this Lily" Lynn guided as she picked up the block and slid it halfway into the hole. Before pulling it out.

"Now you try" Lynn encouraged, placing the block in front of Lily. She narrowed her eyes at the mystifying object, picking it up with both hands, and slowly hovering the cube over the triangle hole.

"No… a little to the left" Lynn said as she pointed to the left, with Lily shifting the block over the circle, and Lily beginning to grunt as she tried jamming the cube into the circle.

"*Chuckle*, a little more left…" Lynn said, piloting Lily's hands over the square.

"And now…*gasp*, what comes next?" Lynn asked excitedly.

"Hmmm, yah!" Lily cried heroically as she slammed the cube into the hole, sliding it straight in.

"Yay! Congrats Lily!" Lynn cheered.

"Yay me! Ehehehe" Lily mimicked.

"Awe…" Lynn cooed, melting before Lily's cuteness. But before Lynn could get too invested in Lily's cuteness, she heard one of the vans pull up. Instinctively Lynn checked the time via a fitness watch she had, displaying that it was only one fifty-five. "One fifty-five? They shouldn't all be back yet…" Lynn murmured, with Lily looking up at Lynn with the same perplexed look Lynn had.

"Just sit tight Lily, I'll be back for ya" Lynn promised, patting Lily's blonde tuft of hair.

"Alright, let's get- oof!" Lynn winced, trying to get up too quickly. "Right, now where is my crutches?" Lynn mumbled agitatedly. Shifting herself around before hurting her butt on them while twisting around.

"Oh… cool…" Lynn glowered annoyedly. As she grabbed them both and leaned against a coffee table behind her. Utilizing it for support as she heaved herself up high on her back, before folding forth onto her crutches. "Hey… I'm gettin' better at this…" Lynn self-congratulated.

Lynn then heard 3 consecutive knocks at the front door, presumably from Lynn Sr "Lynn? Could ya get the door? We're kind of in a hurry here" Lynn Sr requested.

"Yeah, yeah! I'm coming! God… is it too much to ask please?" Lynn grumbled as she got to the door, reaching up and dangling her fingers at the keys, her back starting to ache the harder she tried to reach.

"Actually, I'll do it Lynn, don't worry" Lynn Sr offered, getting his keys out instead.

"Oh, thanks…" Lynn thanked sarcastically, stepping back to allow them in. Putting on a vain happy face for Lynn Sr's sake. Only for it to vanish in place of surprise and shock at Lucy's state.

"I… W-what the heck happened back there?!" Lynn questioned in surprise.

"It's a long story…" Lincoln answered.

"One that ends with Lucy getting permanently expelled for exacting some vigilante justice against some bullies that turns out, was the real reason she was in the hospital in the first place. There's some here-say about that weird book she had, but the main cause was the bullies I feel." Lynn Sr elaborated.

"Oh… w-wow…" Lynn stammered in astonishment.

"Yeah… now, since she's expelled, she's also grounded, that means no watching the TV by herself, no rituals, no nothing she usually likes doing…" Lynn Sr further elaborated.

"Huh… but, didn't you say she dealt out justice against her own bullies? Sounds kinda backwards if you ask me…" Lynn pointed out.

"Well it would be, if it wasn't for how she went about it…" Lynn frowned in agitation.

"Like I said Lynn, long story" Lincoln added.

"Oh-kay…" Lynn replied in suspicion.

"If you're all done I'd like to go inside now…" Lucy cut in.

"Yes, now if you would be so kind as to erm, let us in? That would be great…" Rita requested.

"Oh! Y-yeah, sure go right on ahead!" Lynn encouraged.

"Thank you dear!" Rita thanked as she went inside and into the bedroom along with Lynn Sr. While Lucy and Lincoln headed to the couch. Which then left Lisa, standing behind where the parents were standing. "Uhm, greetings-"

"Yeah, hi, you gonna come in or not?" Lynn interrupted, making Lisa frown irritably.

"I was, just waiting for everyone is all, thanks…" Lisa answered, stepping inside and up the stairs and into her room, slamming it shut.

"Hmp, bitch…" Lynn murmured, turning back to Lily, awaiting her arrival. "Now, where were we-"

"Lynn? Could you play with Lily somewhere else?" Lucy asked.

"But I-"

"Just do what she says Lynn, i-it's better you do, trust me" Lincoln advised.

Lynn just stood in disbelief at Lincoln's fickle nature on full display, "Pft, alright then… don't suppose you wanna help?" Lynn asked, Lucy shaking her head as her answer.

"And don't ask for mom and dad to help, they'll be annoying too" Lucy advised.

"Alright, noted…" Lynn sneered before lowering herself to Lily's level as best she could. "Lily, can you help me out by taking some of the toys up to my room?" Lily nodded gleefully. "Awesome, I'll help ya out too!" Lynn offered, bending down to gather some of Lily's toys.

While making sure to keep a close eye on Lucy. Especially on how pompous she was acting, just from showing how 'tough' she was to a bunch of schoolyard idiots. While here Lynn sat and suffered doing her bidding while Lucy knew of her state. "Y'know… I could use a little help here… since I'm like, the one on crutches?" Lynn pointed out in clear aggravation.

"Lynn just keep it to yourself, alright? I'm trying to enjoy myself here…" Lucy ignored callously. Adding to Lynn's already building rage. But for better judgment she held it in, doing her best to gather Lily's toys. Initially unconcerned for the loud clanking noise they made as Lynn gathered them up.

"Cut it out" Lucy demanded, making Lynn pause, her hand trembling now trembling with fury, clutching one of Lily's toys in her hand tightly. "*Phew*, just keep it together, keep it together…"

Picking herself up with Lily's toys in hand, carefully maneuvering her way up the stairs, and into her room with the sweet guidance of Lily's tiny hand. Dumping the toys in the middle of the floor and collapsing onto the ground, catching her breath.

"*Huff, puff*, phew, my god the nerve of her, if you, mom and dad, and I guess Lincoln weren't there Lily I would've torn Lucy a whole new one to get upset over! Actually, maybe not that far, but enough to get the point that we mean something! Right?" Lynn declared.

"Play! Play!" Lily ignored, making Lynn forget the whole interaction with Lucy.

"Aw… doh-kay Lily..."


Meanwhile just as Lisa slammed the door entering her room, walking in circles. "Ugh! Why does Lynn have to be so pig-headed. I get why she's like that, but it's not my fault she's acting like the way she is! I may as well have started it-still not sure though. But if I did lead her down this path, then I've already taken all the right steps! Does she not believe me?!" Lisa paused, thinking for a moment.

"Probably. *Sigh*, no matter, I guess I'll just have to back my words up with results, she can't deny results right? But… how do I get them…" Lisa pondered, resting a hand on her chin.

"I could try to get that mind reader working again… but…" Lisa frowned as she leaned her gaze over to the broken window. "Yeah, no, not until I find the reason it's not working, and that could take time. Time I don't have. I mean who knows when Lucy will… *gulp*, act up again…" Lisa shuddered lightly.

"So if not that… then, maybe I could just talk to her? No, no that won't work, she might just lie again, rendering the wool over my eyes pulled… Hmm…" Lisa hummed, tapping her chin with one finger.

But then she stopped, her face lighting up as one last option came to light after recollecting what Lucy said about the book. But grimacing at the memory of the supposed 'possession' caught on camera by Lori, being written off as just a seizure by Lisa, by what? She still couldn't explain, making her lock up the thing just in case it did something equally inexplicable yet again.

Lisa inhaled and exhaled through her nostrils as she stared the book down, filled with newfound determination as she pushed her glasses in.

Lisa then scurried onto a stool sitting by her research note littered desk. Sweeping the papers off to the sides not caring if they fell off. Before leaping from the stool and by the book's reinforced case. Cautiously handling the reinforced case and heaving it onto the newly cleared desk. Rotating the clear case around revealing two glove slots for her hands to go into.

Lisa stared into the book within like a deer caught in headlights. Stricken with paralysis from complete and utter fear. It's title written in a lost language screeching deep into Lisa's eyes the longer she looked at it. As there was one last thing to do, turning to the first page... the step Lisa loathed the most.

"*Phew*, here we go…" Lisa closed her eyes tightly shut, as she finally built up enough courage to dig her gloved fingers under the cover, and twist said cover over, revealing the very, first, page…

And to our surprise, nothing happened as Lisa creaked her eyes open slightly. Witnessing pasty white paper contrasted by it's assumably black-ink writing in the format of a page of contents. Written in an entire new language differing from the cover. All except for a word at the very bottom of the page that said, "more", and an arrow under it pointing to the next page.

Lisa's curiosity peeked at the order, turning to find out 'more'. The next page was largely the same as the last, having the trait of the last page being it was yet another language. Lisa shook her head in confusion before pressing forward.

On the next page it was exactly the same as the last, only the paper looked much more aged. And even more bizarrely offset to the side lay a small bump, outlined by a disgusting strip of yellow. Lisa grimaced unconsciously at what the possibilities behind such a shade of yellow could entail, but decided to brush off those concerns for the time being, as she turned to the next page.

Unfortunately the rotten yellow persisted from the page prior. Having the audacity to spread further out, forming a perfect circle of yellow. And at the center of it all lie the bump ever so slightly increasing in size. As for the page's contents it was strangely the same as the first, stroke for stroke. And bringing into consideration that this book was made far before printing was invented made this trait of repeating pages even more peculiar.

Lisa ignored the contents of the book for now, and sifted her fingers over the seams of each page before digging up the page before what felt to be the origin of the bump. Digging the page out revealed the bump as big a contagion as she expected, all further accentuated by the ugly yellow blighting the whole page corner to corner, with the only content of this page being one crudely written word; "Bone".

Dread filled every crevice of Lisa's mind as she read that word. But against every fibre in her being, she gingerly peeled back the last page, yellow oozing out like the way it looked; bile. Accompanying this entourage of filth, yellowed teeth rained from where the bump began to open up. The teeth falling to the surface of the case housing all this corruption.

And if that all wasn't bad enough, the object codling this bump came forth. As a piece of rotted green human jaw slipped out with the same bile that plagued the book emanating from every pore of it's putrid flesh.

All of this, much to Lisa's… absolute horror, screaming in apprehension as she tore her hands from her gloves so fast and fierce, that force made the stool she stood upon fall backwards. Her head crashing into Lily's crib bars. Giving forth a bright throbbing pain on the back of her head.

Though this quickly subsided after Lisa looked up and saw the book for all it's glory. Her now head flooding with indescribable fear as she backed herself up against the cot, inching along to the door. Until she outright ran screaming out the door when she saw the bile pouring out whilst dissolving the case and desk with it, sprawling out straight towards Lisa.

Lisa skirted around the door and stopping at the stairs and looking down to find no one toys to play with, or anyone sitting at the couch. Lisa turned around back to her room, her eyes sinking as she witnessed the yellow bile had covered half the halfway, and was getting closer to her feet by the second...

She tried to step backwards down the stairs, but heard and felt something wet and sloppy where she trod. Ratcheting her head around she witnessed the yellow filth sprouting out with skeletal arms drenched in bile reaching out to touch her while the sea of yellow swished and squelched, occasional bubbles coming and going.

Lisa began hyperventilating loudly, darting her head around to find some way out, and fast. And whether or not she liked it, there was a perfectly preserved pathway right to her door. Biting the bullet, Lisa leaped forward at the door, clenching the doorknob tight as she twisted it, letting go after hearing the door click. Sure enough the door opened slightly ajar, but just enough for her to squeeze through.

But as she got through, she caught a glimpse of full skeletons reaching from the floor. Some climbed over each other to reach ever closer, but Lisa would not be having any of that, as she slammed the door shut and locked it tight. Leaning against a wall next to the door she squeezed her eyes shut as she slid down to the carpet as the blighted sea continued, with the skeletons beginning to claw at the door, accepting her fate wholeheartedly.

But then, Lisa felt a small yet familiar hand on her knee as someone said something, it sounded cold and rough, but familiar "Hey, Lisa…" They uttered.

Lisa looked up with her teary gaze. "*Sniff*, Lucy?"

"C'mon, wipe those glasses clear, might be able to see something otherwise…" They smirked.

Lisa obliged, unequipping her glasses and using a cloth she kept in her pocket to clean her eye wear flush. But as she put her glasses back on, she noticed the full picture of the person that hand belonged to was not Lisa thought. The first dead giveaway being the fact she could see their eyes at all, as well as the eyes themselves, then again, Lucy was albino but the possibility of red eyes is… slim to say the least.

And the second giveaway was how… welcoming, they were. Far more welcoming then the real Lucy would be considering Lisa's… history, with Lucy. But, if this was Lucy, right in front of her, did this mean that she… forgave her?

"So, you feeling better now?" They asked, raising their brow in that same unfamiliarly caring manner.

"I-" Lisa paused, pressing her ear to the wall, the sound of the yellow sea's horrors appearing to be null and void. "I guess so… but, d-do you perhaps, forgive me? Luce?" Lisa answered hopefully.

"For… what?" They asked, seemingly confused.

"For well, everything, a-at least the stuff last week, do you, forgive me for that?" Lisa asked hopefully, yet still retaining her skepticism close at hand.

"Hmm…" They hummed in thought, raising a hand to their chin.

"Dunno, I don't remember last week… so, maybe?" They cracked a fake smile, shrugging their arms.

That's all she needed, that uncertainty, that's all she needed to know. And with it, all her hopes now dashed away, her face sinking in disappointment. "You're not Lucy, are you?" Lisa interrogated. Making the doppelganger freeze in surprise.

"Well… and here I thought Lucy was the smart one…"

"What, do you mean by that?" Lisa asked.

"I mean like, it took me having to explain that she wasn't me, and that… I'm not her!" They explained.

"Then, what are you if not Lucy?"

"Come! Sit down, we'll talk it over a quick game of… shall we say, go fish?" They said, reaching behind their back and pulling out a deck of cards, pulling out at card by two fingers.

"I uhm-"

"No! I get it, not your speed right? How about… checkers!" They put the cards back behind them, pulling out a freshly laid out game of checkers, the checker pieces sticking to the board like glue as they pulled it out.

"The pieces work just fine, just gotta get down here and play it…" They demonstrated the pieces by picking them up and jotting them around the board, before putting them back the way they were. Resting their hand on their chin with a creepy smile.

"No- stop! Just… slow down a little… I only just got out of… whatever the heck was outside…"

"Outside?" They grinned, chuckling darkly. "Oh no, there isn't any danger there, in fact if you were to open the door right now, you could just walk on out! And there would be nothing to worry about..."

Lisa narrowed her eyes at them in scornful doubt. "Go on" They urged, putting on a lighter smile.

Lisa kept her eyes on them as she slowly backed up to the bedroom door. Twisting the doorknob before swinging her head around to peak out through a crack in the now ajar door. Her once intense suspicion and assurance that the sea of horrors lingered now had been dashed away and replaced with morbid confusion.

"Now theoretically, you could just up and walk out, right now… but, you won't, I know about things you crave answers for, things about… Lucy"

Lisa turned from the door and back to the doppelganger with a firm scowl as she closed the door tight behind her. "What could you possibly tell me about Lucy, that I don't already know?" Lisa interrogated.

"If nothing else, I can let your doubts about her rest peacefully, or rather violently smothered speaking truthfully" The doppelganger smirked.

"I'm… listening…" Lisa confirmed, narrowing her eyes at the doppelganger as she leaned against the door casually, preparing herself for the worst.

"I hope so, anyways, the secret that linger within Lucy's mind? The ticking time bomb yousee her as?"

"Yeah?" Lisa replied nervously as the doppelganger hit surprisingly close home for how little she knew of them.

"Well it's very real. And if left unaddressed, or better yet poked and prodded, then it will tick faster. Until something very. Unfortunate happens…" The doppelganger grinned nefariously, relishing in Lisa's clear fright in what they were implying.

"S-so what you're saying is I, can't do anything?"

"Not at all! It's just that… sacrifices are gonna have to be made. And I'm not talking about the religious kind, but I'm talking about real, tangible moral goods. Whether or not there will be blood to pay? I can't say.

But I needn't worry about something as silly as sacrifice. No the real horror here is Lucy herself!" The doppelganger continued, retaining a creepy smile all throughout, all while Lisa sat and stared in both perpetual curiosity, and fear.

"I'd tell you she had a chance of escaping the valley of sorrow, I really would. That is if not for the fact she was guided there by the very people who wish to save her from it" The doppelganger scowled down at poor Lisa, soaking in guilt from the memory of that now infamous dinner. For no matter how hard Lisa would prove to herself that she was changing for the better, she still set her down the path of destruction, as the doppelganger so eloquently put.

The doppelganger then walked up to the only window in the room and tapped on the glass with the back of their hand. "See, allow me to demonstrate what your family has done to Lucy, via an old friend she once had, what was its name…" The doppelganger pondered sarcastically.

Till suddenly the high-pitch distressed screeching of a bat could be heard fast approaching, to which the doppelganger opened the window for it to come in.

"Ah that's right! Fangs…" The doppelganger smiled as it swooped in, circling around the ceiling before landing onto the doppelganger's forearm peacefully.

Starkly contrasting Lisa's confusion. For Fangs died a long while ago. To which now that Lisa was thinking about it, was about the same time Lucy started to grow more… moody.

But Lisa had seen way less rational events taking place, as well as heard if she was to take in what the doppelganger said.

"Charming isn't he?" The doppelganger said while tickling Fang's chin with one finger.

"I suppose…"

"Well for all intensive purposes he is. And quite beloved by… well, no one at all actually. No one except of course Lucy, from Fang's birth she would take good care of this charming fellow every moment she got. Simply because it was a nice escape from your vile lot" The doppelganger spat.

"But, that all changed, when Fangs tragically perished, of course you all hid that fact from her. Casting it aside as him simply 'moving away' from her flippantly, and never once looking back..."

Lisa opened her mouth to try making a rebuttal, but couldn't conceive of anything that wasn't a reactionary tirade.

"And that's all in the past, but that past has been building, and building up very slowly…" The doppelganger swung their arm around to grab a hold of one of Fangs' legs, and heaved him upside down, causing great distress to the poor creature.

"And now, that ugly past you all have been building up, has only just now" The doppelganger spoke as they grabbed a hold of Fangs' other leg.

"Caught up with everyone… and as a result, has only just now" The doppelganger paused as they began ripping the poor bat in half by their legs.

Lisa clenched her eyes shut as Fangs made eye-contact with Lisa. As if he was pleading for mercy, but Lisa didn't want to burden him with false hope. The sight of his flesh being torn already hard enough to listen to, let alone witness.

"Started to rear its ugly, head!" Till suddenly the bat ceased all screeching, as from the tailbone all the way up his spine, and stopping at the back of his skull, Fangs' guts spilling out from his back.

Lisa creaked her eyes open, putting her hands over her mouth as soon as she witnessed Fangs' state.

"Ah Lis… I can see that you really didn't want me to do that. You wanna help him… yes?" The doppelganger grinned, as they let go of Fangs' legs, and got a hold of his wings, snapping them in two using just their fingers.

"But every time you try to help it, you twist and contort it, corrupting the already horrific situation you put yourself in. Grounding what little amount of life remained, just in the vain hope of salvaging it. When in reality, all you're left with, is a bloody, pulpy, mess…" The doppelganger glared scornfully as the doppelganger finished narrating over their methodical mangling of Fang's corpse. Presenting the crimson flesh mass on one hand.

The doppelganger let it sit still as it leaked blood between their fingers. Letting Lisa soak in every grotesque detail of the doppelganger's brutality, all just to prove a point…

The doppelganger glared straight through Lisa and into her soul."Oh, so now you're scared? Now you choose to recognise my power? That 'seizure' was just some weird coincidence when you read my tome?"

"Your tome? But it's L-Lucy's…" Lisa whimpered.

"Lucy's?!" The doppelganger bellowed, smacking the flesh blob to the ground as they began approaching Lisa, making Lisa inch back against the wall.

"No. And how dare you say it's her book. Cause I'm well and above her equal, that's for sure, but you?" The doppelganger chuckled darkly. "You, You my dear are less, then the rat shit below the floorboards!" The doppelganger growled, causing Lisa to slide down the wall and down to the ground as the doppelganger preached of her worthlessness.

"*Ahem* as for that mind reader? Tsk, I wouldn't put much stock in that thing if I were you.. anyways I'm now sick, of talking to you…" The doppelganger's back suddenly made a loud crunch as they hunched over, Lisa got up to see if they were hurt, but the doppelganger's transformation beginning to frighten Lisa as she inched herself over to the room's door, her hand firmly placed upon the doorknob.

"And so, I'd advise..." The doppelganger continued, stumbling back while they kept their eyes squarely on terrified Lisa. As the doppelganger's body continued to morph as their middle and index fingers conjoined together, while their pinky and ring fingers also conjoined.

"That…" Their body began to grow in width and length, their clothes mutating into long and pointy individual bristles that stretched as long as an adult human's hand. Their head hair also growing into large bristles over the doppelganger's head and shoulders.

"You..." The doppelganger growled violently as they got on all fours as their conjoined fingers suddenly sprouted caws like small scimitars. Their legs reshaping into the large hind legs of a wolf, their arms bulging out into that of a body builder's.

But their face… their glowing red eyes staying locked in place, piercing straight through the thick hair. As their teeth sharpened into curved spikes that were so large, the doppelganger couldn't close his mouth, perpetually displaying an eerie toothy grin.

The doppelganger trudged forward right up to Lisa's face, before breathing a heavy gust of hot wind through their new wolf-snout that sat right at the tip of their face. To which Lisa opened the door just enough for her to squeeze through and out the room, slamming the door shut before bolting down the stairs till she got halfway, and just jumped down to the bottom, tumbling over onto the floor.

Her heart stopping as she heard a loud crash from up the stairs, feeling bits of debris from above as dust fell from the doppelganger's broad shoulders. Who stood all the way to the ceiling on their hind legs as they peered down the stairs. Letting out a deafening roar evoking the terror of a vengeful banshee, and the shrill pain of a wounded bat. Altogether making the entire house shake.

Lisa managed to get herself up as they roared luckily, rushing to the door as she heard the doppelganger leap down the flight of stairs with a loud crunch from the floorboards. Lisa continued out the front door and on the path of her automatically closing bunker hatch. Getting up close to the hatch's keypad and inputting the correct code on her first try. The hatch swinging wide open instantaneously, yet down in the depths laid only empty darkness, much like Lisa's courage.

Although, one quick look back at the doppelganger fast approaching, coupled by the now closing hatch forced Lisa to just suck it up, and climb down the inbuilt metal ladder at her feet. Once down she couldn't see a thing, it was like she was standing directly inside a void, the only light coming from up above in the hatches' opening. Only for it to be dashed away as quickly as the doppelganger came barging through the closing gap, utilizing their jaw in an attempt to lift the hatch up enough for them to slump inside. managing to get their arms through, thrashing their claws about savagely.

The saliva from their snarling jaw spraying all around the bunker, most prominently on Lisa, whom started to back away into the deep void of the bunker. She didn't know where or what she would bump into. Just so long as the savage monster who asked her to play checkers with her a little earlier. The everlasting red glare of their eyes as soul-piercing as they were clear, no matter how far Lisa stumbled back. Until suddenly the creature ceased their struggling as they sat loudly panting at Lisa for a short while, before the red glare disappeared as they crawled backwards out the large gap the thing made.

Lisa fixated her gaze to the ceiling, trailing along where she could perceive the creature's heavy footsteps, stomping around the bunker hatch, before their footsteps cut off completely. In her paranoia now taking center-stage, Lisa darted her eyes to the spotlight at the center of the room caused by the doppelganger's savagery. And just in the spotlight's grasp there stood a stool holding up a small archaic TV set. Lisa scurried herself up to the TV, squeezing herself right into the stool, trying not to tip over the TV set simultaneously, making Lisa feel very cramped and uncomfortable.

She wished she was still inside, she wished things were back to relative normality, she cursed herself out for reading that damn book! And now look what's happened!

But Lisa cut her ranting short upon noticing the outline of what seemed to be a rather large couch up against the very back of the wall. Lisa looked down at her fingers clamping around the legs of the stool, finding them to begin feeling rather coarse and scratchy, along with her legs losing circulation, Lisa hesitated momentarily. But then Lisa figured sitting right next to the only light in the room wasn't exactly the best hiding spot either.

So in better judgement Lisa crawled out from under the stool, keeping close to the ground as slothfully crawled her way over to the couch. Accidentally bumping her glasses into the... harsh bristles?

Then Lisa heard loud panting start up, and it was very close. And with it, the creature emanating this heavy panting lifted and rotated it's head around, revealing that same blinding red glare she saw from the beast outside.

Lisa's body locked up completely, paralyzed from her shoulders all the way down. Lisa wanted to scream, scream her absolute head off, but only found a harsh dry sensation drowning out her throat. Lisa thought I'd be best to face death in the face rather then hide away scared like before, as with an uncomfortable gulp. Lisa stood straight up, trying make sure her fear didn't boil over as she stared the thing dead in it's blaring headlights, only just matching it's height, still having to tilt her head up to meet their gaze.

Though once the doppelganger decided to stand up as well, completely dwarfing meek Lisa. She finally let out all her pent up fright in one echoed screech that was quickly washed out by the doppelganger's entire maw clamping down on Lisa, leaving everything to simmer down to a pathetic whimper, bring everything back to reality, but if we were to be frank, was this encounter with the doppelganger any less stressful then what it already is?