Of course, I did end up waking up. It was strange, as my eyes had been open the entire time. It was Jerry's chilling voice that woke me from my slumber, which I hadn't wanted. The longer I could stay asleep the better. I still couldn't move any part of my body, so I relied heavily on my poor hearing to locate any signs of life. As my sense of smell somewhat returned, I began to sense something was burning. It stung my throat, but I couldn't cough. The loud cheering and shouting of Jerry and his crew became deafening as they entered the room obnoxiously. Jerry maneuvered towards me, hovering over me awkwardly.
"Alright, let's get you up and running again, we're about to go on a little adventure," Jerry spoke, placing his hand on my chest. I wanted to swat it off, but seeing as I had no choice in the matter, I let it happen. In a wave of heat, I was suddenly able to move my limbs and joints. I shot up in place, instantly taking note of my current state. I had been dressed in a sparkly dress, was wearing a piece of metal costume jewelry, and wore a crown atop my head. How did they manage to get this all on me without me knowing? I did recall wearing this outfit to Liv's eighth birthday party, which made me realize what they were planning.
"Why am I wearing this," I breathed.
"We thought it'd be nice to watch you suffer the way we initially wanted: as a child," Arthur replied. I narrowed my eyes at him, becoming very uncomfortable.
"Now I suggest doing everything as I say, or I will have no choice but to start knocking off the souls of the animatronics. You wouldn't want that, right Vic?" Jerry asked as I got to my feet shakily. I shook my head slowly, feeling blood rush to the rest of my body. I was still in a weak state, and was feeling sick to my stomach. I looked at Luke, who stared at me back.
"Vic," He mouthed, tears welling in his eyes. I didn't want him to see me like this, so fragile, weak, and tormented. It hurt me to see the pain in his eyes.
"Well c'mon, we don't have all night," Sasha called, walking out of the room. Jerry nudged me forward, staying closely behind me as I trudged after the rest of them. My mind had gone completely blank. I didn't try and formulate an escape plan, because I knew it was pointless. Everything was going down the drain.
Once we reached the front doors, Kevin and Arthur pushed them open, revealing a terrible scene I wasn't prepared to see. Hayesville had been completely destroyed. I gasped, covering my mouth. The police station and nearly every single trailer home was ablaze. The lawns had been torn up, and blood splattered most everything. Smoke filled the air, and made my eyes water. I stepped into the parking lot, surveying the damage. All of Hayesville's police calls were directed to that police station, and it was burning to the ground. Graffiti was everywhere, reading terrible things like, "VIC HALIFAX WUZ HERE" and other crass terms and phrases. I stared at what was left of my hometown, my mind not wrapping around the severity. I was far too tired to understand my loss.
"Why," I started, trying to understand what was going on. My mind had drawn another blank.
"Because this is how it was supposed to be. You wait right here, we're going to give you a little show," Jerry spoke, moving out into the parking lot.
"You'd like that, wouldn't you?"Sasha continued, following him. I was completely encircled between all eight of the cultists, and Luke had been pushed to the middle with me. As we walked through the burning rubble, I was able to get an idea of the extent of the damage.
"Why destroy my town?" I asked quietly.
"Why not?" Camilla shrugged.
"I lived here,"
"Keyword 'lived'. You live with us now, your part of your family," Jerry replied.
"I will never be a part of you guys," I hissed, folding my arms. Jerry chuckled.
"We'll see if you're still saying that after we finish off your soul. You're going to join everyone else in a never-ending slumber,"
"I-"
"We're going to enlist a little help, too," Arthur sneered. I was quiet, not wanting to provoke them any more. I could barely see through the thick smoke as we kept walking. It seemed like everyone left town, because I couldn't hear anybody. That, or Jerry got to them first. I was guessing the latter option. I normally enjoy the smell of burning wood, but this was too overpowering. I was definitely going to need a shower.
"And we're here," Jerry shouted, stopping. My stomach dropped as I saw where we were. We stood outside of Jed's Auto shop. "We know you're in there, Jed, come on out and say hi to Vic and Luke,"
A gun cocked in the background, as Jed emerged slowly.
"I don't know what y'all think you're doing, tormentin' our town and rippin' apart Vic and Luke, but that has no place here," Jed growled, aiming a hunting shotgun at Jerry.
"We're feeling bold today, are we?" Jerry teased.
"Willy, you have no right comin' through here killin' off these good folks, and tricking poor Victoria into thinkin' she had friends with you," Jed spoke, not lowering his gun.
"Hate to break it to ya', old man, but Vic was right," Jerry started, "My name is Jerry Willis, so please refer to me as such,"
Jed paused, glancing at me.
"I don't want any trouble, please just leave this place alone. These good people have nowhere to run," Jed pleaded.
"Exactly the point. We don't need escapees. The more souls the better," Jerry shrugged, not seeming to care in the least about Jed.
"Vic, what's goin' on?" Jed asked, lowering his shotgun at me. I stared at him, tears welling in my eyes.
"I-"
"This is my fault," Luke interrupted. Jed and I looked towards Luke. "I was the one who brought them back,"
"You know I'd love to sit here and listen to y'all catch up, but we've got business to tend to," Jerry spoke, moving around Jed and into his shop.
"Now just you wait a minute Wil- I mean Jerry, this is my shop," Jed shouted, aiming his gun at Jerry. I held my breath as the other cultists maneuvered into the shop.
"Try me," Jerry sneered, puncturing a gas tank with his hand. The compression and pressure in the can caused it to erupt, spewing gasoline everywhere. I winced, feeling it coat my face.
"Hey, hey, stop that! That stuff is expensive!" Jed shouted, walking quickly towards the tanks. Jerry and Kevin walked along the sides of the shop, destroying each of the massive gasoline tanks, spraying gasoline around the entire shop and all over Jed's project car.
"Jerry please," I breathed, spitting gasoline out of my mouth.
"We do have to thank you, Jed," Sasha started, circling Jed.
"Without you, Vic wouldn't've come back to Willy's Wonderland," Gustav added.
"She went there to do her job, not be spited by a bunch of grown adults who act like babies," Jed shot back. Jerry turned towards him.
"We're just about done here anyways, we do appreciate your business," He smirked. With that, Sasha kicked his knees, sending Jed to the ground. Jed screamed in agony, trying to get to his feet. I moved to help him up, but Jerry swiftly grabbed my arm with his gasoline-covered hand.
"We're done here," He spoke, pulling me away. The other animatronics followed closely behind us, all laughing and joking about the terrible turn of events. I was relieved, for Jed's sake, that he wasn't hurt much worse. My relief soon ended, however, as Kevin pulled out a lighter from his pocket. It was my lighter. Luke must've taken it. With a swift click of the flame, Kevin tossed the lighter straight towards the auto shop. I screamed, breaking from Jerry's grasp to run towards Jed. He spotted me, but not the lighter. He must've thought I had broken off from the crowd to escape to his protection, as he lowered his gun.
"Vic," He called, extending his arms, "I'll protect you, come he-"
In a sudden explosion, I was thrown backwards. The fire burned my skin and eyes, causing me to salivate. I rolled to the ground, quickly picking myself up. Jed's Auto Shop was gone. Jed was gone. I covered my mouth, feeling my arms burning from contact with the scorching rubble.
"Jed!" I screamed, feeling tears streak my face. There was no use in trying not to cry at this point, holding it in was too exhausting. "I just want Willy, send me back," I cried.
Jerry caught up to me and swiftly grabbed my arm to pull me away from the scene. I tripped over my feet, still staring at the damage.
"If I send you back to my mind, you know I'm going right back to eating your soul," Jerry sneered.
"Whatever, just do it," I coughed, choking on my own tears. Jerry hadn't the time to respond, before Tex swerved his Cadillac in front of us. Jerry stopped walking as Tex rolled down his window and aimed his revolver.
"Is everyone in this damn town a concealed carrier?" Carlos asked. Luke shrugged.
"Willy-" Tex started.
"For the last time, my name is Jerry!" Jerry boomed.
"Whatever you are, you better pray to the heavens they don't send you spiraling straight into the deepest pit of hell," Tex hissed. Jerry groaned loudly.
"Anyone else need to come out of hiding? Time's a tickin'," Jerry called.
"Vic, why'd you get yourself tied up with this?" Tex asked, shaking his head at me.
"I've been telling the truth, the animatronics are sentient and-" I tried to speak.
"And you're about to die," Sasha interrupted, causing Tex's attention to turn towards her.
She lunged towards Tex's windshield, causing it to crack upon impact. Tex pushed himself backwards, struggling to get himself out of the door. His foot was caught in the seatbelt as he tripped to the ground. Sasha climbed over his car as Arthur began to pursue him.
"You took good care of my restaurant, pleasure doin' business with ya,'' Jerry called after him. Sasha fumbled with another lighter, trying to find the gas tank on the car.
"Please don't," I cried, my eyes stinging. I could barely see, and Jerry's grasp on my arm was definitely going to leave a mark. I hadn't time to prepare myself for the next explosion, before Sasha was thrown backwards in an eruption of flames. Jerry and I were far enough back that the heat wasn't too intense. The flames still burned, though. Arthur had finished with Tex, as he had returned covered in blood.
"Now, where were we. Ah, the restaurant!" Jerry started, turning towards Willy's Wonderland. Luke and I looked at eachother, before being drug towards the restaurant again. The heat from the flames stung my back and burned my throat. It was nothing compared to the sinking guilt in my chest, knowing all of Hayesville had fallen into a pit of destruction, and I hadn't the single idea how to stop it.
"It's time to deal with this eyesore that's been keeping us in Hayesville for the last eleven years," Jerry spoke as we stopped in front of the restaurant. I gazed up at the cartoon logo of Willy, before turning around again. Seeing all of Hayesville again was something I wasn't quite prepared for. From Willy's Wonderland, you could practically see the entire small town. It was the only raised area, so seeing out was easy. Taking in the sights was hard, though.
"We gotta deal with this eyesore, first," Arthur spoke, nudging me forward.
"In due time, my friend, in due time. She needs to get us to Ely," Jerry replied.
"We should save the restaurant for last, just in case Vic doesn't hold up," Gustav mentioned. Jerry nodded.
"In case we need a fall-back place to hide, which we won't, right Luke?" Camilla asked. Luke shook his head quickly.
"Now, Vic, this is your queue to drive!" Jerry yelled in my ear. I another word, I took my broken pride and walked towards the semi truck still in the parking lot. A pair of keys hit the back of my head painfully, as I stumbled forward.
"Thought you might want those," Camilla teased. I didn't bother to look back at them. I simply picked up the keys and unlocked the truck. Luke got into the passenger seat, shaking rapidly. I listened for the trailer hatch to close, before cranking the engine. A glimmer of hope shot through me as I realized we were nearly out of fuel.
"Jerry?" I called through the window, "We need gasoline,"
"What the-" He started, "Oh, I completely forgot these things run off fuel. Well get to a station quickly, I'm growing increasingly impatient with your slowness,"
"Maybe if you saved some of my soul for later, I'd have the motivation to move myself," I muttered.
"You've got eight lives resting on your capability to use a fuel pump, don't blow it," Sasha hissed.
"Or do, it's not like it'd hurt us," Kevin laughed. Jerry's crew erupted into laughter as I pulled out of the parking lot. I rolled down my window, still trying to take in what was going in. Flooring the gas, I didn't care if I hit anymore tire spikes. I just wanted to get to the gas station. The nearest one was in Ely almost five minutes from the Walmart.
"Where did everyone go?" I asked, my senses telling me everything was far too quiet.
"They're dead, Vic," Luke whispered. I felt a pain grow in my throat as I tried not to cry out in sadness. I believed Luke completely. All my friends were gone. All my neighbors were gone. Everyone I knew in Hayesville was gone. My speed reached one hundred miles an hour as we barreled down the road. I kept my eyes glued to the road ahead of me. The Hayesville town limit sign had been torn to shreds, and swung lightly as I blew past it.
"Looks like old habits are gonna die hard, aren't they," Ozwald spoke, snaking his head through the window towards my speedometer. I didn't reply. I had nothing to say at this point.
Pulling into the gas station, I drove along one of the several trucker lines until the front tank reached the fuel line. Luke's stomach growled with pain as he clutched it.
"You humans need to eat, don't ya'," Sasha spoke, hearing Luke's hunger.
"Go get something from the gas station, I don't want you making that noise all night," Jerry barked.
"I don't have any money," I replied softly, closing my eyes for a moment.
"You don't NEED money, Carlos will go with you," Jerry replied happily. Luke pursed his lips, opening the door.
"I don't have money for gas, either," I reiterated. I had lost Dad's credit card with my wallet somewhere in transit with Jerry.
"Well go inside the gas station and wait for Carlos to do his thing," Jerry replied, sounding annoyed. I slid from the driver's seat, shutting off the engine. I paced in front of Luke, hoping there would be a way to get everyone in there out.
"Let me try, okay, I'll see what I can get, maybe we don't need to kill anyone," I spoke. If anyone saw a six foot animatronic walking towards them here, they'd know it was from Hayesville. It's what the town has been infamous for since Jerry's ritual hit the news.
"Since I'm going in alone, I'll give you five minutes. It'll take a bit of work to fight all those humans off," Carlos replied, stepping towards the side of the gas station, holding Luke's arm. I nodded, entering the gas station. The fluorescent lights burned my eyes as I tried to see where I was going. There weren't many people there, but the people who looked like they were all out-of-towners. When living in such a small area, you come to know everyone else living there whether you like it or not. They stared at me and my stupid outfit, some of them making rude jeers. I ignored them, trying to make my way to the front counter to bribe my way into free gas. Upon reaching the front counter, the man stared at me awkwardly.
"Can I help you, miss?" He asked, a deep Western accent lacing his voice.
"I need fifteen gallons on pump seven," I replied hazily. That should be enough to get us to the next gas station.
"That'll be forty three ninety five," The man replied. Gas prices had skyrocketed since I last had the Mustang filled. I wonder if the Mustang is okay.
"I don't have my card, is there any other way I can pay?" I asked, hoping there wasn't. The man smirked, opening his mouth to reply, when a familiar voice beat him to it.
"Vic?"
I turned around slowly, facing the speaker.
"Liv," I breathed, running towards her.
"Hol' up, Vic Halifax? As in, Hayesville's Halifaxes?" The cashier started, "Get the hell out of my gas station,"
I didn't listen to him.
"Oh my gosh, what the hell is going on over there?" She asked, embracing me in a hug. I hugged her back, crying into her shoulder. "And what are you wearing?"
"I-I don't know, but you're all about to die if you don't get out," I started, sputtering over my teary words, "Hayesville is gone and-"
"Woah, woah, slow down, what?" Liv interrupted.
"Jerry is back. He's killed just about everyone in Hayesville, made Luke a part of his cult, and I'm about to be killed and so is everyone in Ely," I explained. Liv blinked.
"It's about time you met someone," She breathed, motioning for a man to step forward. He was tall, and wearing a black leather jacket and aviators. "This is my friend, his name is Nick,"
"Nice to meet you," I coughed, trying to figure out where his eyes were behind the sunglasses.
"He doesn't say much, but I figured y'all had been struggling with Willy's after we left. The news blew up with attack reports within the last hour, but then they just stopped," Liv paused, "I guess we know why now,"
"I don't have much longer, we need to get everyone out of here," I panted, looking for an exit other than the doors in the front.
"If what you're sayin' checks out, Halifax, there's a door out back," The cashier grunted. Anyone in their right mind was cautious of Willy's Wonderland. The last time there was big news, everyone went into a lockdown. The customers in the store murmured and whispered amongst themselves.
"I thought you'd be out of Nevada by now, what happened?" I asked Liv.
"We were heading out when we got the news about the animatronic attacks at Hayesville. There's only one person I know who likes to get tied up with that, and that's you. So I decided to come back," Liv shrugged. I forced a smile. "And, of course, the Facebook post,"
I sighed.
"The animatronics were sentient before Jerry came back," I went to explain.
"I know, Nick told me all about that. I'm sorry for not believing you initially, did you ever get through to Chris?" Liv asked. I paused.
"I did,"
"He's dead, isn't he," She asked quietly. I nodded my head. We were both silent for a moment.
"I'm supposed to be getting fuel to get Jerry and his gang into Ely, there has to be some way for you or your friend to get a hold of a spell to send them back," I spoke, pushing my hair from my face. Liv glanced at Nick, before he nodded his head slowly.
"We might have options, how much longer do you have before-"
In a sudden shatter of glass, Carlos and Luke were standing in the doorway.
"Hola mis amigos," Carlos sneered. I was glad the attention was redirected from me to Carlos, as I hated being stared at.
"Well that answers my question," Liv whispered. Carlos lunged forward, causing everyone to scream in fear. I took a step back, trying not to get caught in the stampede of people heading for the back exit. Fortunately, Carlos had only picked off one person in the front. She didn't stand a chance. Nick stepped forward, appearing before Carlos.
"Ah, so we meet again?" Carlos spoke upon seeing him. Nick didn't say anything. Liv seemed to be holding him back. I watched as Luke shuffled through the candy section, finding a bag of chips he liked.
"Luke," I breathed.
"What? It's not like I need to pay for them," Luke shrugged, "Plus, I can't remember the last time you paid for something at a gas station,"
I shot him a rude glance, before returning my attention to Carlos.
"I told you I was getting the gas," I hissed.
"My patience only runs so far, senora," Carlos replied, "And Jerry is getting annoyed,"
I rolled my eyes.
"Well, you've scared off the cashier," I spoke, glancing back. Everyone had vacated the premises, with the exception of Liv and her friend.
I moved behind the counter, putting 15 gallons on my gas pump. I hardly knew what I was doing, but it wasn't like anyone would care at this point.
"Mind if I ask about your outfit again?" Liv asked, snickering as I walked past her.
"It's best you don't," I replied, trying to smile. I was hoping Liv wasn't going to pester me for any more details, as Carlos was watching both of us very carefully. She seemed to get the idea, as she and Nick stayed quiet. For the first time that day, I was happy to see a familiar face. That may have stemmed from the fact she wasn't dead yet, so I was hoping Jerry would let her off the hook. As Luke bundled more snacks into his arms, I bent through the broken front door glass to get back outside. I was hoping Liv understood the severity of my situation. I didn't have much time to explain anything to her. I knew her better than to be someone to back out of a task, so I decided to put what little trust I had left in her. If she had any faith left in me, she would help me out. That's what friends are for, right?
Luke's POV:
"So, um, Mr. Carlos, how did you get tied up in all of this?" I asked. Never in my life had I expected to be forcefully teamed up with a group of possessed animatronic murderers who are set on ruining my sister's life.
"Please, just call me Carlos. In this group, we're all familia," Carlos replied, watching the front door of the gas station. I doubted Vic actually needed to put gas in the truck tank, as she had spent her entire driving career running the Mustang on empty. She told me the Mustang had at least sixty miles left on an empty tank, so I could only imagine what the semi had left. Vic's life was at stake though, and she was fully aware of that. Fortunately for her, Jerry was somehow unaware of how cars worked. I guess that's what happens when you spend your afterlife wandering around a restaurant.
"My life ended just as the others' did," Carlos continued, watching a family exit the gas station.
"Are you gonna kill them?" I asked, anticipating his attack.
"Not yet, amigo, there's strength in numbers," Carlos replied. I had come to trust Carlos. If I was going to be stuck in this cult forever, might as well make the most of the situation. I felt bad for Vic, though. She was always looking at me like I had the ability to fix this. I was just as helpless as she was. In fact, I'd been forced to kill people while she sat there watching.
"I mean, like, before you came to the restaurant. How'd you get a job there?" I reiterated. Carlos thought for a moment.
"I was a pickpocketer. My life had revolved around stealing from others in order to support my own family. My wife, Maria, was unaware of what I was doing. She thought I had a job," Carlos began to explain, "We lived in the backwoods around Willy's Wonderland, living off the compassion of passers by. Since the restaurant was so close, I would often make my rounds through the restaurant grabbing whatever I could find,"
I watched Carlos, as he continued to stare at the door.
"One day, Sasha, one of the party bouncers, found me sneaking out a wallet. She ratted me straight to Jerry. That woman hasn't lost a bit of her bossiness, even in the afterlife," Carlos chuckled.
"Was Jerry mad?" I asked.
"No, the man was more than delighted to offer a homeless man like myself a job," Carlos laughed, "In fact, he even asked me about my pickpocketing skills,"
"Did you get paid?"
"Oh yes, I got paid greatly. Maria had no idea, as she merely assumed I had always worked there,"
"Did she ever find out?"
Carlos paused for a moment.
"Si, Maria found out. After we moved into a trailer, she stumbled across some tax returns from that year. She realized I had only received paychecks for a few months," Carlos began, "The day she finally approached me," He paused.
"What happened?"
"I hit my limit. I had returned from a long day of work to be greeted by Maria. She was very mad. She blamed me for lying. She spat in my face and cornered me. I don't consider myself a violent person, no, but when she pushed me,"
Carlos paused. I didn't say anything.
"I pushed her back, and she fell down the front steps,"
"Is she okay?"
"No, chico, her spine was permanently damaged after her head struck the bottom step wrong. She died upon impact,"
I paused for a moment.
"I am so sorry that happened,"
"For weeks after that, I cried after her. I wanted her back. I missed mi amor. That was when Jerry approached me. He asked about my situation, and told me there was a way I could see her again,"
"Through the cult?"
"Si, through the cult. He promised me there was a way to see Maria again if I submitted my soul to his will. I obliged,"
"What happened?"
"The night of the ritual, I was terrified. I didn't know if I wanted to go through with it. I stood in, the, um, como los dices (how do you say it) Super Happy Fun Room with all my friends. They had become my new family at that point. Unfortunately, Jerry had gotten in some trouble with the health inspector. After some mismatched reports came through, the health department decided it was time to send in the big boys,"
"The SWAT?"
"Si. Jerry assured us that we were doing the right thing as he poured us each a glass of poisonous fruit soda. We lay in the middle of the room, and drank it. I drank it for Maria. I wanted to see her again. We all had a reason for being there, and Maria was mine. In a few moments, the toxins kicked in,"
"You did it all for your wife?"
"When you truly love someone, Luke, you want to be with them forever. Into the eternities and beyond,"
My thoughts instantly turned to Vic.
"Did you ever see her again?"
Carlos paused for a moment.
"After we woke up, we realized the plan had not worked. Jerry was most upset about it all. His ritual took our life forces and gave them to the animatronics, when it really should've been our souls to transfer," Carlos continued, "We walked those halls for years, living as shadows in the limelight of the animatronics. I never did get to see my beloved Maria again,"
"So all this time, you just wanted to be with your wife again? And have a family?"
"Jerry promised me family, and family I received. My friends in the cult are the family I wanted with Maria. Camilla even helped me get adjusted to the lifestyle change, seeing as I hadn't been too familiar with the crew before then,"
"Are you happy being with them?"
"I am happy, yes, and now I want to return the favor, and help you become close to this new change,"
I thought for a moment. All this time, Carlos just wanted a place of belonging. He's lived regretting the death of his wife, and now, all he wants to do is be part of a family.
"It's time to move, Vic's five minutes is over,"
Willy's POV:
This. Can't. Be. Happening.
"Why," I groaned, pacing across the floor.
"It's not like the rest of us aren't concerned for Vic too," Sara spat back, cartwheeling aimlessly.
"You don't understand, this is my fault," I continued.
"None of this is your fault, we did the best we could to keep Jerry away for this long," Ozzie stated, approaching me.
"I obviously didn't do a good job, Vic is literally about to die," I replied.
"She's sticking through it like a rat to cheese, she's gonna make it," Gus spoke, turning towards me. I watched the awful projection of Jerry's field of vision, seeing Vic struggling to keep her balance. Jerry was forcing her towards the massive truck parking outside the restaurant.
"We're all going to die in this sicko's mind," I complained, "I should've kept myself out of Vic's business. Now she's tormented with the idea of anything happening to us, and it's-"
"Oh, quit your whining. What happened to ya'?" Arty barked, punching my shoulder, "You've gone soft over a girl, and now you're loathing in self-pity. Pull yourself together man!"
"Look, I'm trying, it's just-"
"We know, we know, you care about Vic. We all do," Cammy interrupted.
"We're in the same fate she has, at least we'll all go out together," Ozzie shrugged.
"We had a good run. Eleven years of living," Cammy continued.
"Eleven years, and not once did I learn how to play pinball," Ozzie sighed.
"Is that why ya' got Vic to do it?" Arty asked.
"Yup. And I still don't know how to play," Ozzie replied.
"Aye, Willy, do you know what will happen to us once Jerry is finished with our souls?" Tito asked. I glanced at him, shaking my head.
"I ain't got a single idea,"
"Well there's no use in crying about it, even if Jerry sends Vic back in here, there's still a chance she knows what she's doing," Sara comforted.
"I'm not cryin', Sara, I'm just-" I argued.
"Your wallowing in self-pity over a girl. Do you know what they like to call that in the human world?" Arty teased.
"Oh shut up, you know very well I don't like seeing Vic tormented like this. And she ain't the only thing I'm worried about. I grew connected with y'all. I'm really gonna miss you guys," I continued.
"I shalt also miss my fellow soldiers," Knighty added.
"This night isn't over yet, Vic still has a few hours before her soul is gone," Sara spoke. I couldn't stand seeing Vic being drug around like that. She was the last person who deserved to be treated like that. I genuinely hoped she knew what she was doing. All of our lives depend on it.
Vic's POV:
What am I even doing? I had spent the last few minutes trying to come up with a plan. Anything at all. My mind had gone completely dead. I held the gas pump patiently, listening to someone's hard earned money being poured into the tank. Wasn't mine. Luke and Carlos had returned from the gas station shortly after I began pumping the gas. Luke was looking a lot better than before, probably because of the food.
"Are you done yet?" Jerry asked impatiently, cornering a station wagon trying to leave the parking lot. With some shattering glass and screaming, Jerry moved to the next escapee.
"This thing holds three hundred gallons, I'm doing my best," I replied. I didn't dare tell him I was only putting in fifteen. I had watched the front entrance, seeing both Liv and Nick leave in a really nice Camaro. I knew it wasn't Liv's. The people from the gas station scurried to their cars as well, speeding out of the parking lot like their lives depended on it. That was the case, as the cultists had taken a great delight in chasing after the leaving cars.
The pump clicked, signifying it was okay for me to close off the tank. I returned to pump to the handel, before getting into the driver's seat. Luke wasn't in the passenger seat.
"Where's my brother?" I shouted to Jerry. In the truck headlights, I could see he was covered in blood. They loaded themselves into the trailer, before considering responding to my question.
"He's back here with his family," Camilla replied, snickering.
"You guys are not-"
Before I could continue, Jerry had begun to speak.
"Get us to the nearest building, we have work to do, and your time alive is beginning to run out," He hissed. I nodded my head, cranking the engine. The semi roared to life as I pulled out of the gas station. I could see the Camaro racing towards Hayesville, which is the exact opposite direction I thought they would head. Breath, Vic, Liv will hold out.
Pulling onto the highway again, I tried to remember Ely's layout. The next nearest building was the Walmart, and that wasn't for another few miles. My heart sank thinking about all the people inside the building. They were open all night, so the only thing I could hope was business was slow this time of night. I could hear laughter from the trailer, some of which I could place as Luke's. They're making him think he's one of them. I pumped my brakes, causing several thuds to hit the trailer. Jerry appeared in the window.
"Pull a stunt like that again and I'll have you burning up inside Walmart," Jerry threatened.
"Luke will never be a part of your cult," I hissed, speeding back up to the limit.
"It's too late for that, he's already becoming close with us. After all, he's going to be spending eternity with us," Jerry replied.
"No he's-"
I was interrupted by my own coughing fit. My throat was dry from all the smoke I inhaled. "Do you have water?"
"No food or water for you, you won't need it for where you're going," Jerry replied. All the cultists laughed as I turned to face Jerry. Luke still sat content along the edge, eating his chips. Turning back to face the road, I was sickened to see the sight of Walmart coming into view. I pulled into the parking lot carefully, haphazardly parking horizontally. No one would care. I listened to the trailer door slide open as I watched Jerry and the rest of the cultists though the side mirrors. It was too dark to see what all was happening, but I noticed they took Luke with them. Taking the keys from the ignition, I jumped down from the driver's seat.
"Luke!" I tried to call. My voice had become weak, and my legs weren't working properly. Stumbling to the ground upon impact, I scarcely had the energy to pry myself to my feet again. I moved towards the Walmart, trying to see what was going on. It was a miracle we didn't careen off the road, as my vision had become severely blurry. I strained to see the bright Walmart logo in front of me. It looked like they were closing up for the night, as hardly any cars were in the parking lot. That, or I was right about their slow hours. Screaming could be heard above the soft buzz of the crickets in the desert rocks surrounding us. I hoped Cason was okay. At that point, all I could do was hope. My body had been rendered completely useless. I stood in the middle of the Walmart parking lot, swaying slightly in the wind. I didn't bother to wipe my hair from my teary face, as it kept blowing right back. Through my daze, I could faintly see the lights inside began to flicker as several splatters appeared on the windows. I couldn't tell where or who they were coming from. My eyes stayed locked on the store. I wanted to go and save the town, like some hero miraculously emerging from the rubble. But I couldn't. I wasn't that person, and I could never be that person. I had to sit there and watch as my town was destroyed beneath me. My mind was stuck on what was left of Hayesville. I had taken my life for granted, and now, it was about to end. Hot wind swept my feet out from under me as I was flung backwards. A deafening boom shook the earth, causing my ears to ring loudly. I tried to scream, as the pain from the char was burning my skin. Everything became a blurry mess of flames as I sat in the parking lot watching Walmart burn. I could hear Jerry and the others laughing through the screaming of the Walmart employees. I shivered, looking around at my surroundings. I held my knees, beginning to sob again. Jerry and his crew approached me through the flames, like a group of badass actors emerging from a burning wreck.
"Please," I started, hardly able to speak. Jerry crouched down to meet my eyes, his knees cracking.
"Look at you now, helpless. Pathetic. A shadow of your former self," He spoke.
"Just send me back, I can't do this anymore," I pleaded, holding my knees tightly.
"Can't stand to see what you've done, huh? Can't stand to see all the lives you lost? All the homes you destroyed?"
"None of this was my fault," I hiccuped.
"All of this is your fault. You're the one who came back to the restaurant in the first place. All thanks to you being too broke to afford to repair a car," Jerry hissed. I shook my head slowly as Jerry tilted my chin upwards. I could barely see over the intense glow of the fire behind him.
"I've waited a very long time for this moment, Vic. Maybe if you had just let it happen all those years ago, it wouldn't have come down to this," Jerry spoke, pulling me harshly to my feet. My legs shook beneath me, as I barely had the muscle strength left to keep myself upright.
"I'm not the one taking innocent souls," I growled, as Jerry walked behind me.
"I'm the one being honest about it. Your little robot friends have kept this charade up for the last eleven years. Call it hypocritical," Jerry replied, running a very sharp claw down the scar on my back. I arched my back in annoyance, causing a sharp pain to shoot through my hips. I had no response for Jerry's comment. For the first time that night, he was right. "Care to say any last words to your sister, Luke?" Jerry asked, turning towards Luke. Luke stared at me from in between Camilla and Carlos.
"Please don't kill her," He whispered, his eyes cloudy.
"Luke, whatever you chose to do after I'm gone, just remember I love you. You'll always be my favorite brother," I started, knowing very well this was the last time I'd ever be able to see Luke again.
"I'm your only brother," Luke replied, forcing a smile.
"Doesn't matter," I sneered back, "And please, for the sanity of the rest of Ely, don't trust Jerry. Don't trust any of these-"
"You've got ten seconds left," Jerry interrupted. Luke ran towards me, crying. I hugged him as tightly as I could, feeling his sob against me.
"Luke, it's time," Jerry spoke. Luke nodded, stepping away from me to wipe his eyes. "It really has been fun, I can't remember the last time someone dared argue against me," Jerry laughed.
"Please don't hurt Luke,"
"In case you forgot, he's part of OUR family now. And family always stays together," Arthur replied.
"He'll fit right in. Possessing animatronics has its perks, you now," Sasha sneered. I widened my eyes at her. Luke didn't seem to care.
"You can't-"
"We can, Vic. And we already have," Jerry replied, returning to my front side. I began to hear sirens in the far distance.
"You know what, Luke, take Chris's word. None of them will ever be family to you," I started, raising my voice, "And Jerry, you make me sick. You really are nothing but a big, fat, slobby, psycho who gets his kicks out of bullying,"
Sasha seemed to facepalm herself. Jerry growled, grasping my lower jaw.
"Any last words before I rip your sweet little soul clean from your body?" He spoke, the sharp claws piercing my face. This was it. This was the last moment I'd be experiencing on earth before...my life was over. There was so much I still wanted to do. So many places to go, so many people to meet, so many things to say, but now, it all comes down to this. A fiery, torturous, crime scene, where I'm being held by a psychotic murderer. If I'm going out now, I might as well make it last.
"Seeing you lose to an eight year old makes me smile," I grunted, feeling Jerry's grasp tighten, "Can't wait to see it again,"
"Why you little-"
"Fight me,"