Jim dragged Toby along with him, moving swiftly and silent through the eerie hallway. Sweat trailed down his neck as every breath seemed to echo, his ears straining to hear beyond his rabbit heartbeat. Screams and cries became background noise as he listened for stumbling footsteps. Just a few minutes ago everything was normal. Just a few minutes ago, everything went wrong. 'Schools aren't supposed to be so empty. Schools aren't supposed to hold so much despair' Jim thought as he glanced around, his eyes stopping on Toby for a moment, 'Toby's not supposed to look so scared'.
"Jim. I-I need to stop" Toby gasped as he watched his best friend pause for a second before continuing on at a faster pace. His breath became ragged as he was pulled along. "Jim!" Jim came to abrupt stop when Toby tried to pull his wrist from his iron grip. "Jim, stop!" Toby pleaded. His voice rang through the hall causing Jim to flinch. Jim glanced back, his gaze wild before looking forward, moving to continue before Toby pulled him back. "Look at me. Jim, look at me! Please." "We don't have time for this Tob-" "Then make time!" Jim reluctantly turned around and let go of Toby, his gaze to the ground. Toby gently lifted Jim's chin to meet his eyes. "Jim, look at me." Jim slowly looked up, meeting Toby's eyes. No judgement nor disgust shown through those emerald orbs. Bright red stood as a stark contrast on papery sallow skin, hazy eyes shiny with unshed tears.
"Jimbo, these thunder thighs won't be able to keep up. No diet is going to change that." They both released a shaky laugh that faded too quickly. They gazed into each other's eyes for a long moment until Jim broke eye contact. The haunted and terrified look exaggerated the dark circles under his eyes, making him look gaunt and hallow. Rasping breaths filled the hall as the silence created white noise. The chaos around them faded. They filled their lungs and took a break, leaning side by side against the lockers. Jim glanced at Toby's hand, bruises already coloring the tan skin. "I'm sorry about your wrist." Toby glanced at his hand then at Jim, a snort leaving him. "What bruises, all I see is my best friend's friendship bracelet." Toby sighed when he got no response. "I mean, where the hell does that strength come from! You're a frigging twig." Jim's lips quirked up. "Must be the weather up here, the views not bad either." They looked at each other, Toby gaping with mock indignation while Jim grinned smugly, amusement radiated out of them. They burst in quiet fits of giggles. Jim draped over Toby's form while he leaned up against him. Fondness bubbled in Jim as he watched Toby enjoy himself.
Determination and acceptance steeled in him as he memorizes this moment. A ghost of a smile fluttered like a butterfly's wing beat on his face. His choice and will fettered, he felt like the burden of the world lighten up a bit. Young Atlas indeed.
Walter twisted his pen around, clicking it every so often. Whispers filled the gym's walls, students and teachers occupied the space, each every so often peeking at the locked and barricaded doors that kept them separate from the nightmares outside. He scanned the room once more; worry dominated his thoughts before he ruthlessly crushed them. He shouldn't be concerned. The Trollhunter and his friend know how to take care of themselves, he shouldn't wonder if they're okay. And if they can't, even better. His plans would progress a lot easier. 'No', he thought, 'They wouldn't.' His plans weren't feasible since the world decided to dig itself into a hole. A very deep, very dark, bottomless cesspit of a hole.
"M-Mr. Strickler, um sir?" He jumped slightly, relieved to be pulled from his deep pondering. He looked down at the frail boy, his glasses cracked and askew. A few scrapes highlight his inquisitive eyes that did not match his nervous fidgeting. He slumped his shoulder a bit and smiled reassuringly to seem easier to approach. It worked, for the boy straightened his back and raised his head a bit. "Yes, Mr. Pepperjack?" Walter would admit he was a bit curious. Eli always had the most intriguing queries.
"D-Do you think J-Jim and Toby are okay?" He blinks in surprise at the small boy, his chocolate eyes glassy with tears. "Be-Because they're the only ones not in our year to not be here. I'm scared of the p-p-possibl," He hiccups here, tears threating to spill over. "And Jim was the only one nice to me, and Toby would sneak me candies when he noticed me upset, and they genuinely list-listened to my t-theories, and," his voice breaks and he stops, tears silently slipping down his cheeks; sobs building up his throat and fighting to get out. A tear slips out of his own eye to his shock as he kneels to be level with Eli, a hand placed gently on his shoulder. His eyes burning with unshed tears, Walter chokes out worthless platitudes and sweet nothings. They both know that every word is false even as Walter allows Eli to hug him for comfort. His snot and salty tears stain his blazer. "They're resourceful. I'm sure they're fine" The word fine scalding like black tar in the back of his throat. He finally gives in to his despair when he remembers the other night.
The Amulet's frigid touch in his blazer's pocket brands itself to his heart. Ice spread through his veins, dread buries his blackened soul. They will be fine.
Trapped in a storge closet with five others, Barbra fights to stay strong. With no signal, she has no way of knowing if her baby is alive or not. Overwhelming grief consumes her heart, her mind tumbling over worse and worse what-if scenarios, but she knew she had to stay calm and think. She clears her throat and states in a neutral voice, "I need you all to pull yourselves together. Guessing won't help anyone. Now I need to examine everyone of injures and bites, please cooperate." Barbara scans the cramped space, finding the most worrying person was heavily pregnant. She looked ready to pop. She briskly walked toward her only to get yanked back by whom she guessed was her husband.
Furious red spread over his face like a disease, his dark eyes blazing. She stared calmly at the man huffing like a charging bull, her features impassive as he stepped closer to possibly try to intimidate her. He faltered at her reaction, his face showing brief insecurity before he shoves it away for more anger. "Don't get near her." The man growls. Barbara just rolls her eyes and goes to move pass him. His eyes widen in rage before narrowing. He bellows, "I don't care whether you're a doctor or not! I'm not letting some uncaring bitch check my sister! She doesn't need you looking over her like some prized heifer." Barbara feels her eyes widen at that. Her night sky orbs hardened and become steel. She moves forward until her lip almost brushes his ear, a hiss escaping her. She whispers and he backs off. Fear and respect wage a war on his face as he slumps like a scolded puppy to his sister.
Though still concerning pale, the woman has amusement and curiosity running of her in waves. Tension between everyone lessens, some whispering in low voices while others stay silent, justifiably wary. The woman rises a brow and smiles brilliantly, "How did you do it?" Barbara let her shoulders slump in loss tension and smiles slyly. And in the back of her mind, she just knows her baby is no longer the same; that he's gone though some aspects of him remain. Her baby is no longer living, and she shatters deep inside, hidden behind denial and anger and heartbreak. She won't accept, she'll never fully accept it.
Douxie let loose every offense spell he had at the creatures, urging civilians to the bookstore. His familiar Archie covering his back with firepower. At times he had to run into the epicenter to save someone or…or give them mercy. Exhaustion pulled on him. Dark spots and hunger pangs engulfed him, but he had to continue. "Douxie! We need to get inside!" Archie yelled; desperation colored his tone. "We can't, we need to save more people!" Douxie threw up a last-minute shielding spell, stumbling and panting. "Douxie!" He grunted, throwing up the same spell; the spell taking the last of reserves.
The creature was thrown backwards, its decaying body knocking into others. Snarls came from the horde. He frantically looked around for more people in trouble but found none. Douxie made a run for it, Archie flying at his shoulder. He ran the fastest he conceivably could with how exhausted he was and even then, it was almost not enough. He slammed the door, hurriedly putting up the wards. With a moan, one of the rotting things got its fingers through. He grunted with effort to close the door, Archie pulling his considerable weight on it; it still wasn't enough. "We can use some assistance here!" Two broad men hurried over to help.
With effort it closed, trapping its putrid fingers inside. The wards activated, the body snatchers quickly lost interest and went off to the unknown, but a few greedy ones stayed until even they eventually left as well. Archie shifted back to cat form and draped himself around his shoulders, a comforting presence. With reluctance, Douxie turned around and smiled his best customer service, though it was more like a grimace. "Any questions?"
He looked around with great urgency, his forever fading away on his back; a weight he'd gladly accept whenever wanted and need. Skidding to a stop, two small hordes of as Toby termed Zombies, surrounded him, preventing him to get to sanctuary. He looked behind him and found the door to the boys' changing room behind him. Fear threatening to drown him, he turned his back to the monsters and ran faster than he ever had before. Pounding reverberated from the door. He didn't have much time. He carefully lowers the concussed Toby to the ground before grabbing his bruised arm and hauled him along, analyzing rows until he spotted an open locker that was empty.
Jim coerced Toby into walking into the locker. Before Toby could blink the fog away, Jim gently and lovingly pecked his lips. "I love you Tobes." Before pushing him in fully and slamming the locker closed. Toby cried out as his head hit the metal behind him, waking him fully and clearing his head. "Jimbo? Jim?! Jim, what are you doing?!" A sob escaped his lips, the echo of Jim and him sharing their first kiss causing his lips to tingle. He pounded at the locker; his mind too overwhelmed to remember that he could get himself out. A half-choked whine escaped Jim as he curled as close as he could to Toby. "Jim?" "I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry."
Toby gazed at Jim though the grates, the light behind him framing his face perfectly; his mind and heart feverishly memorized his features and expressions. A laugh turned sob escaped Jim, tears emphasizing his everchanging icy blue orbs. He was beautiful. Tears of disbelief, grief, and forlorn created scorching raging rivers down his soft cheeks. He loved him. He loved Jim and he loved him back. He slipped his fingers though the slots, Jim's fingers coming to join his. "Remember the day we met." "Yeah," Jim chuckled. "You just move across from us and went exploring in the woods behind my house."
"And I remember you silently crying in a clearing with this clear brook in front of you; you were hidden in the shade and to get to you, I had to cross the brook." Toby closed his eyes, picturing their little hideaway with the Grandma Willow Tree that hid them from the world and the refreshing stream that wash away our sorrows. Where we learned songs of nature and basked in the cooling breeze. We both flinch at the loud thud, warning us that we had little time left. "You made it across and sat next me. We sat there for hours without saying words, feeling at peace and nature. Then you began to hum, and I joined you, then you began to sing, and I listened. Once you finished, you began again, and I joined you." They smile at each other, their eyes filled with love only for each other.
"That was the first time I smile that day." Toby hiccupped and tightened his grip on Jim's fingers, "We carved our name into the Willow and when we needed to go home, we crossed the creek hand and hand; I slipped and would have gotten wet if you didn't catch me. We laughed and walked home. I knew since then that I'd be by your side forever. We didn't even exchange names until the next day." Jim smiled luminously yet full of torment, leaning his forehead against the barrier where Toby's would be. "I love you, too Jimbo." The barrier between him and the creatures gave one final groan, splintering with an earsplitting crack. They locked pinkies before Jim irrevocably let go, giving the most tragic and delicate smile Toby's ever seen; he ran off taking his heart, mind, and half his soul with him, the man-eaters following close behind. Toby listened in devastation, the concussion and desolation finally dragging him into a weary rest. The last thing he felt was something snap in him.
Jim led the decaying to the shower room and grabbed the mop that was always in the last left stall. He let one last tear flee before he was swarmed.
In a dark tomb made for a father, master, and eccentric uncle figure, Merlin woke, deep in anguish and faith. Taking a moment of silence for the child ended too early and the soulmate that awaits him, he laments in regret. He gathers himself and retrieves his staff, planning on paying Arcadia a visit.
Mary watches the remaining students and teachers, her phone off. Her gaze was barren and her face blank. She tunes out what her friends talk about, whether if their families are okay, when they'll be rescued, or how are they going to survive. Her parents didn't care enough about her, so why should she waste time worrying. Rescue is not going to come, they never do. Why worry about the future when you need to be aware of the now to survive? Her interest peaks when she notices Eli approach Strickler. She's never liked him, especially when it came to Jimmy~Jam. She strains her hearing to eavesdrop but regrets it after. She remembers in the 1st grade, Jimmy~Jam and her were BFFs. He would come over and talk about boys, girls, and who's their type. He'll let her paint his nails, do his hair, and make-up. When she had a bad day or a horrible break-up, he'll be there. He was there for the Event. When she wanted to cuddle, he did it with extra enthusiasm. He's the only one who could touch her without warning. 'What happened to us Jimmy~Jam? Why did I let high school change us, change me?' She hysterically glimpses for a sign of Jim or Toby, but he wasn't there. Neither of them were. Her vision fades in and out while air seems impossible to inhale. Her hands shake and perspiration seeps into her hairline. He was her rock. He always somehow knows when she needs him, but he wasn't here. Toby wasn't here either. 'Where are her BROTHERS!'
Toby wakes up with a sense of dread. He stares at the locker door with a weird feeling of agony and sacrifices. He parses through the fog clouding his memories when clarity hits him. He listens for any signs of movement in the silence. Nothing. His throat closes as his heart drops to his stomach. As fast and quiet as he can, he unlocks the locker and runs to the shower room; he looks back once and his mouth fills with cotton, the door was demolished. He slows when he gets there, bile rising to the surface. There was no clean spot. Body parts, organs, and blood was everywhere. Iron and a sickly-sweet scent permeate the room. Swallowing down the bile, he gathers what courage he had left. He needed to find Jim. On a look out for Jim, he enters the room and checks every place he could think of. When he spots him, his heart stops before beating rapidly to his trepidation.
"Jim?" Toby listens for any response, searches for any sign Jim was still here. "Jim?" He whimpers. Kneeling next to Jim's turned body, Toby places a shaking hand on his shoulder and gives him a nudge. Sniffles evade his shaking will as he collects Jim's cooling frame into his arms, Toby howls out his pain and shattered self. Toby weeps into Jim's unmoving chest, the twitch of his pinky going unnoticed.
It blinks its eyes and yawns, licking his fangs with his tarnished long tongue. Hunger is the first thing it knows. It stays limp as it looks around. Copper is the first thing it sees. Agonized wails are the first thing he hears. Rainfall and cats with a pleasing musk is the first thing he smells. Supple skin with soft coverings is the first feature he touches. Salty water, delightful red liquid, and a satisfying something that leaves embers are the first things he tastes. The One holding him stills. He tilts his head and breathes in the aroma the copper on the One's cranium. The One slowly starts to move away, taking the fluffy copper with Them. He growls a warning; he's not done smelling yet. The One releases a breath and stays still. He buries his face into the Fluff and bares his teeth in a facsimile of a grin. He purrs. He flicks out his forked tongue to taste it. He nods assured and goes limp once more, allowing the One to do what He wants.
Toby stills. He swore he felt movement. He waits a moment or two, despair threatening to consume him once more. His head moved. Hope soothing the sadness, he moved to sit up fully but stopped. Toby's heart stops and ice fills his veins. 'No' Foreboding ran chills up his spine. 'Not Jim, no. Not him. Not him.' The menacing snarl stopped. He frees an exhale, holding his breath. Once Jim goes limp, Toby slowly sits up. Horror fills his being from Jim's appearance.
The dead blue eyes that show nothing, his razor-sharp teeth, the blue tint to his pale gray skin, his flesh-tearing claws, his disfigured knees, and his long thin bladed tail. Color left his face. On reflex, he drops Jim's body and backs away, uncaring about the black rotted blood that stain his clothes. When Jim snarls and contorts his body into a unnatural crouch, Toby looked into his slitted eyes and saw nothing but feral bloodlust and hunger. He stopped backing away and smiled sadly in acceptance. Time slows for Toby as he watches the ravenous Jim leap at him, tail wrapped around his waist. Toby closes his eyes, compliant to his fate. "I love you, Jimbo." Toby flinched when Jim collided with him, keeping him flat on the ground. Silence filled the showers. Drip, Drip, Drip
"I…lo-ve yo-u too, T-Tobesss" A familiar yet strange voice stated so softly that if the room was not quiet, would have been inaudible.
Walter examines his changeling key. Centuries of planning and for nothing. Walter considers his surroundings, filled with stressed out teachers and fearful kids. He discreetly sniffs the air. He brings his hand to his blazer pocket. He pauses, unsure. He flits his hand over the runes before taking it out, assessing it in the available moonlight. Walter takes a deep breath, then another. The amulet had dim to a worrying degree and ticked sluggishly. Black is rapidly consuming the blue gem and rot could be smelt emitting from it. He frowns deeply, but sighs resignedly. There is nothing he could do now but wait. He places it back in his pocket, the changes growing the more confusing and concerning. Walter goes back to contemplating, leaving unobserved a recording on Mary's phone.
Toby wretches open his eyes, disbelief and hope shining like a beacon from his hesitant smile. Jim was straddling his waist, his teeth bared in a facsimile of a smile. His blank blue eyes had a spark of recognition and adoration in them. Toby laughed joyfully and hugged Jim tightly, afraid that if he let go that this would just be a hallucination. Jim faltered before embracing Toby in a stiff hug, confused on what's going on. Jim whines from deep in his throat. Toby pulls back until he could see Jim's face. "Jim, what's wrong?" Toby gently cups Jim's face before studying it. "Are you hurt? Where?!"
"N-N-o-t…Not huuuurt" Jim swallows, licking his teeth. He tilts his head as he thinks on how to say the words. His voice deeper and raspier than before. "W-Whi…Whhi" Jim growls in frustration, eyebrows pinched as he thinks, "Wha-att… did y-you…j-j-jusssstt do?" Toby processes the words for a bit before he got. "It's called a hug. It's where you express your feelings like happiness. Hugs are a comfort used to make you feel better." Toby falters before he barrels forward, "What do you remember before you died, Jimbo?" "Y-you… ahhh mommmmah, n-n-n-ah-na… n-nanah…c-c-coook-k-k…ing. T-Trol… Hunnteer…mmmosstly y-you… ahhhh Mehmee…M-Mareiee?"
Jim adjusts his position and then grins proudly. "K-Kick-k Grronn…Kut-tss." Toby laughs at the last one. "I love you, dude." Jim grins smugly. He made Mate laugh. Mission accomplished. Jim delicately placed a kiss on Tobes. It made him change colors. Jim rests his forehead against Toby's warm one and hums their song absentmindedly.
"Lo…Lovvve y-yoouu…T-Toe-b-be"