(Second Opening Theme: Blood + Opening 1-Tears of Heaven Performed By Takashi Hitomi)
Rachel and Eddie reached the next room, and needless to say they were both a bit shocked. The room they had entered and they were surprised by the sight of it. For inside the next room, it had contained two tables; each separated with a metal fence and two tables sat in the very middle of it.
It didn't contain much, expect two needles filled with a substance neither of them were familiar with. The only way out had been the doors on the opposite end, but of course they had been locked.
"... What kind of a room is this?" Eddie wondered aloud, "Why the syringes…?"
Rachel looked to the otherside of the fence, noting it had been empty.
"... I wonder where Zack and Kristen are…" Rachel said, "... I wish we could go and look for them."
"...Yeah…" Eddie said, "... I'm worried about them too… But I'm more worried about Faith. Who knows what Cathy could be doing to-"
The two of them had been startled, when the other door opened; Kristen and Zack stepped through it.
"Guys, there you are!" Eddie exclaimed with relief, "Rachel and I were getting worried!"
Rachel soon noticed the look on their faces, as they appeared to be exhausted emotionally.
"... Is everything okay?" Rachel asked.
Kristen turned to her as she reassured her, "Don't worry sweetheart. We're just a little tired, that's all."
"...Oh." Rachel said, though her voice still had been strained with worry.
"The fuck kind of room did we walk into now?" Zack asked as he took notice of all that surrounded them.
"We don't know." Eddie replied, "But looks like both of the other doors are locked."
The four of them had been taken back, when the music started up again; that's when they looked above their heads and noticed they saw an observation deck blocked with windows. The doors within the observation deck provided opened and a familiar woman stepped inside.
It was Cathy.
"Hello~" She said in a sing song fashion, "How nice to finally meet you all in person!"
"... Oh, terrific." Kristen couldn't help but say sarcastically.
"Hey sadistic bitch!" Zack yelled, "What the hell do you want now!?"
Cathy gave a fake yet dramatic gasp, "How rude of you Zack! You would dare take a tone with such a beautiful lady? I can understand someone like Krissy, but moi?"
"WHAT THE FUCK DOES THAT MEAN!?" He yelled in a pissed off tone, while Kristen just looked to him surprised.
"Where's Faith?!" Eddie said, "We want to talk to her!"
"Oh don't worry about her Edward!" Cathy said, "She'll be joining us in the next room! As I told you, I have a special punishment in mind for her~!"
"... Than what do we do next?" Rachel asked her.
"Why, that's simple really!" She said before pointing towards the syringes on the table, "All you have to do is give yourself a shot, and the doors will open for you." The four of them looked to the syringes on the table; Kristen picked up hers on their side, while Rachel took the one on her and Eddies side as they looked to the substance.
"... It can't be that easy…" Kristen said under her breath, before she looked to Cathy, "... What's the catch to this?"
"My, my, you catch on quick Krissy." Cathy said cheerfully before she explained, "The syringes you see before have different types of drugs. One contains harmless vitamins… The other… Has a dangerous drug."
The groups eyes widened at this as they looked to the syringes again. "Well than which is!?" Zack said to Cathy, "Which ones got the vitamins!?"
Cathy gave a laugh, as she held onto her stomach, before she lost it, "I'm not telling you… In fact, I forgot!" She soon got her smile back again, "Inject every last drop of it into your veins, and I'll happily open the door for you all."
She soon gave a bow as she said, "Other than that, best of luck to you all, and remember… Faith is waiting for you~"
Cathy soon took her leave, as the four of them had been alone once again. "Rachel." Kristen said approaching the fence, "Let me see the syringe."
Rachel nodded and approached the fence, holding the syringe through the gap between the fence; Kristen held the syringe in her hand as she compared it to the one she had.
"... They both look the same." She thought to herself, "There's no way to tell which one has the drug. Meaning… There's only one way to know for sure."
"So than…" Zack said, "... Do any of you have an idea which is which?"
"No." Rachel replied.
"Sorry, graves are more my speciality." Eddie said.
Zack clicked his tongue, "Damn it, I figured. I can't tell either."
The group had suddenly been taken back when Kristen took the syringe from Rachel's hand; she started to back up from Zack as she removed the gun and knife from herself, "Hey Kris, what the hell are you-?!" Zack started to say.
"Just stay back!" Kristen told him as she held both of the syringes to her arm, "And if at all possible… Be ready to stop me."
"Woah, woah, hey!" Eddie said, "What are you going to do!?"
Kristen looked to the kids, as her gaze softened a little; they could see her hand had been shaking a little.
She told them after she gulped, "... I'm going to inject myself with both of them."
Rachel and Eddie gasped in horror while Zack looked shocked. Kristen continued on, "I don't know what's going to happen… I don't know what it'll do… I don't know if I'll be the same person… But just promise me…You'll find and save Faith."
"Bu-But-" Eddie started to say as his voice shook, "-The drug-It might-!"
"Kristen don't do this!" Rachel said, her voice changing a little, "Let me take them instead!"
Kristen laughed softly, "You know fully well I can't do that honey. I told you I would return the favor to you, and if it means doing this, than I'd do it again a hundred times over."
"Kris-!" Zack said as he stepped forward, though Kristen only moved back as she held the syringes closer to the skin of her arm making him freeze.
"Zack…" She said to him, "... I'm sorry, but I have to do this to keep you all alive. If this does kill me, than look after them for me. Make sure they get out of this place."
"FUCK THAT SHIT!" Zack shouted, "YOU JUST TOLD FIFI AND THE SHITTY BRAT YOU HAVE A FAVOR YOU HAVE TO RETURN TO THEM! NOT TO MENTION YOU TOLD RAY YOU OWED RAY ANOTHER! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING TO HAPPEN IF YOU DIE!? ANSWER ME THAT!"
Kristen stayed silent this time; it brought relief to the two kids when they saw her slowly taking the syringes away from the veins of her arm.
"... If I die…" Kristen started to say, "... Than I can't return it to them… But after that… I'm not sure."
"What the fuck do you mean your not sure!?" Zack shouted.
She soon lowered her hand as she held the syringes loosely now; both of them nearly slipping from her fingers.
"... Zack…" She started to say, "... Don't you get it? Everyone on the outside of this place basically abandoned me. Even if I do make outside… There's nothing waiting for me. My parents are gone… My own Aunt stabbed me in the back… Hell, if I went to the courthouse now… They probably still wouldn't believe that I never committed that murder and probably sentence me to death, or imprison me for life." She soon looked to Rachel, as the child's gaze changed slightly, "... Maybe I'm the one that's got nothing left to live for…"
Zack's eyebrow twitched before he gave a laugh, taking them all back. "Are you hearing yourself right now?!" He said, with a smile, "Now you're basically saying you want to die? You're beginning to sound like Ray over there!" He soon lost his smile as his whole demeanor changed, "... I don't know whether to keep on laughing or just find that really fucking sad. Hell, what am I saying…? It's goddamn pitiful, and it makes me want to throw up."
Kristen only gave a look of confusion as she clenched her hand on the syringes. Every second she spent with him, he only just kept on surprising her. And if she had to be honest with herself, it only confused her a lot more.
"... Damn it all…" Zack said, "That bitch was right… We are tools to each other."
Her eyes widened at this, "You know that's not true!"
"Is it?" He said, as he stepped close to her, making her back up, "We all have our reasons for being in this place, we all want to get out of here, but we're pushing our desires onto each other-"
Kristen held the syringes to her arm again, though Zack didn't stop this time, "Sto-Stop!" She told him, "I mean it Zack!"
Zack completely ignored her as he continued on, "-You're basically in debt to those brats, and Ray wants to die once she's outside… I don't know what I swore to God to, maybe she'll be satisfied when she does die, but as for me..."
"I'm serious-!" She told him, "-I'll do it, I swe-!"
BAM!
Kristen flinched when her back hit the wall and Zack slammed his fist just next to her head, startling her, Rachel and Eddie as they watched helplessly. The sound forced her to shut her eyes as if she was expecting to get hit. Though when she opened them again, she found Zack in close proximity with her; She could practically feel his breath as well as heartbeat.
"... The brat… Can't make a satisfying like you when she dies…" He said, as he leaned towards her, face to face, making her blush a little, "... Looking at the dead expression on her face pisses me off! And now you saying you got nothing left to live for is pissing me off even more so than you going on about how your eyes are a fucking curse! The very idea of being used as a tool by not one, but two dolls is just boring as hell!"
Kristen had been paralyzed, before she had been snapped out of her trance when the syringes were taken from her hand; Zack soon backed up from her and held the syringes to his arm.
"Just this once…" Zack said calmly, "... I'll let you use me just as you want."
"Zack wait!" Rachel called out.
"Don't do it!" Eddie told him.
"You can't!" Kristen said as she went to grab the syringes out of his hands, "I won't let you!"
Zack stopped her when he put his foot in front of her chest to keep her at a distance.
"Just watch me… Red Eyes." Was all he told them. He put the syringes into his veins, and whatever had been inside entered his blood stream. They heard a click on the door as Zack tossed the syringes away. The doors opened and Zack went on inside, leaving the group frozen.
"... He took all of it…" Kristen said shocked, "... Oh God he took all of it…"
"... This is worrisome." Rachel said.
"...So…" Eddie started to say, "...What happens now…?"
"... I'm not sure…" Kristen said.
It hadn't been long before she went through the door after retrieving her gun and knife, and Eddie and Rachel went through their own. Kristen had been met with a dimly lit hallway, as she walked cautiously. It hadn't been long before she heard labored breathing from Zack.
She followed the sound till she saw him, leaning against the wall, grasping his head. As she stepped closer she noticed that some of the bandages on his face had been a little drenched, most likely due to the sweat.
"Zack?" She said softly as she approached him, "Are you alright?"
Zack didn't give a response, as he let out a groan, as he pushed himself from the wall, he nearly fell to the floor, were it not for Kristen who had been able to catch him in time.
"Zack answer me!" Kristen pleaded, "Can you hear me!?"
Rachel and Eddie soon came from around the corner, as they noticed the way Zack had been acting.
"What's happening!?" Eddie said.
"Is Zack okay?" Rachel asked as she had been about to approach them.
"Stop!" Kristen said stopping her, "Just stay right there okay?"
Right when they were about to ask, Zack suddenly stopped struggling as he stood straight; Kristen took her hands away from him, though she had been hesitant in doing so.
"Zack…?" She said.
She noticed that his look had changed entirely; the look to kill had appeared in his eyes once more. In the very next second, Kristen found herself gagging and gasping for air when Zack's hand latched onto her neck, causing Rachel and Eddie to jump.
"I… I wanna kill…" He said before shouting, "I WANNA KILL, I WANNA KILL, I WANNA KILL! IT'S SO BAD, I FEEL LIKE I'M GOING CRAZY!"
Kristen made no effort to grab her weapons; she kept her hands to her side as she clenched her hands, motioning Rachel and Eddie to stay where they were. She shut her eyes as she did her best to speak.
"I-If you're going to kill me…" She said, "... Tha-than make it quick…"
She felt his grip tighten on her neck, "ARE YOU ASKING TO DIE FOR REAL YOU RED EYED BITCH!?" He shouted.
"-Bu-But before you-" She gagged, "-Before you take my life-Can I ask you-Just one thing… Are YOU okay with this…?"
"WHAT WAS THAT!?" He yelled.
"... Re-Really think about it-" She started to say, "... Yo-You haven't made it out of this place… Besides… You-" She took a moment to cough before she picked the sentence back up, "-You said before didn't you…? If I die-You're-You're chances go down the drain… Right…?"
"ARE YOU THREATENING ME!?" He yelled, "HUH!? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE DOING RIGHT NOW?!"
Kristen did her best to shake her head, "I-I'm trying to… Give you something-No one else never even bothered… To give you-I'm not-Going to tell you-To do anything… I'm not-Going to give you… Any orders… I want to-Ask you… One thing… Are YOU okay with doing this…?"
Zack's widened slightly as he felt something click in his head. The red that clouded his vision seemed to have vanished altogether; the only red he saw was the the color of her eyes, and even then… They couldn't be more clearer.
He let go of her neck as he lowered his hand and his scythe. He couldn't help but smile and give a soft chuckle.
"... No matter what you just keep on surprising me… Don't you…?" He said, "... It's really hard to hold myself back… You know…?" He chuckled again, "... But than again… If I could hold myself back… I wouldn't be in this situation to begin with… But you should know by now… Even I can't stand to tell a lie…"
He suddenly grabbed Kristen by the neck of her shirt and pulled her to him, making her gasp.
"Zack wait-!" Rachel exclaimed before her eyes and Eddie's widened by what happened next.
Kristen's eyes widened in shock when she found her lips on his own; her face heating immensely as he explored her mouth a little. He soon pulled away from Kristen as she only looked to him just completely stunned by what had just occurred; he pulled her in for a hug as her face rested on his shoulder.
"Hey Kris…?" He said into her ear, "... You'll do anything to keep them safe… Won't you?"
Kristen snapped out of her daze; still too stunned form words she could only nod her head.
"Good…" He said with a smile, "...Than… I have a request for you… Don't let me kill any of you."
Before Kristen could answer, Zack gave her a good hard shove making her stumble and almost hit Rachel and Eddie behind her. He started to groan, as the drugs started to take hold of him again. "Kristen…" Rachel said, as she helped her to stand, "... What do we do now…?"
Kristen watched as Zack's look to kill came back again; she lost the red in her face, as her look changed. She turned the kids and only told them one thing.
"... Run."
With no hesitation Eddie and Rachel took off running down the hall; Kristen only took one last concerning look to Zack before catching up to them. Though her mind had been contemplating on what had just occurred, she had more important things on her mind right now.
It hadn't been long, before Zack started to give chase as he began to laugh.
-Years Ago-
"Even a monster like that can turn into a good useful tool if you let him live."
"I see, that's certainly convenient."
"That thing is a tool!"
"Such a tool!"
He heard the two gave a laugh, as Zack's body shook at the word. Tool-That word he hated most of all.
Suddenly out of the corner of his eye he saw something strange. Some of the dirt nearby started to move on it's own. This was strange to him, as he could've sworn, there had only been corpse buried here. The adults had been distracted at the moment, so it couldn't hurt to see what it was.
Zack approached where he had seen the dirt move on it's own again; dragging the shovel just behind him. Just as he went to take a look, he had been startled when a hand shot up out of the ground, causing him to fall back. Another hand shot up from the dirt as whatever had been pulled itself out.
Zack had been shocked.
What was before him was another child, barely alive, covered in mud. The child had been skinny, and their lips looked to be dried up, their hair had been disheveled and covered their eyes.
All Zack heard from them was the sound of groaning, like they had been a zombie or something and tried to stand. They only failed as they fell in the mud, staining more of their clothes and hair.
At this point, Zack didn't know what to do. He never dealt with this kind of problem before since he had been here. This child, another child like him had been alive before his very eyes. The only ones he had seen were the ones that were dead and buried in this very yard.
He didn't know what he should do.
He flinched when he felt the child grab his hand. With the last of the strength the child looked to him, and Zack… Had been taken back by the color of their eyes.
He had been put into a trance like a snake that had been charmed. He had never seen them in that color before… It couldn't help but intrigue him.
The child finally spoke, their voice hoarse, and raspy as they gasped.
"...H… e…. l…. p…" They said, "...H… e… l… p… P… l… e… a… s… e… M… o… m… m… y… D… a… d… d… y… H… e… l… p… m… e..."
Zack looked to the child as they continued to beg, before he looked back to the house. He didn't know what happened, but the next thing he knew he dropped the shovel and pulled the child onto his back; the child had been light due to the fact they had been emaciated. He managed to sneak back in as the adults had been too distracted by the TV as well as each other.
He knew he couldn't bring them back into his room; the adults had been in there all the time when they needed him to perform a task. They would spot them for sure.
He took them to the one place they never ventured to in their own house… That had been the attic.
He made up into the attic and quickly found an old yet, somewhat comfy mattress, He set them down gently as they groaned with agony, before Zack had caught his breath. Finally taking notice of the mud and water on them, he quickly went to retrieve a towel from the bathroom, and started to do the best he could to get it all off of them.
Occasionally he kept looking to the stairs of the attic to make sure the adults didn't come up or were close by.
"What am I doing…?" He soon thought as he was careful as he cleaned them, "What am I even doing…?... This isn't my problem… Why am I even doing this…?"
He felt the child take his hand again, as he couldn't help but freeze. He could almost swear he heard them trying to cry.
"M… o… m… m… y… D… a… d… d… y…" He heard them say, "W...a...n...t...To...Go...H...o...m...e…"
Zack couldn't help but sigh, as he soon found a thin blanket, and pulled it over their body; though it barely covered them, it had been better than letting catch a cold.
With a sigh, he stood up and headed back down the stairs of the attic, to go and find whatever had been edible as he still couldn't help but contemplate on why he was doing this kind of thing.
(Second Ending Theme: Another Ending Theme-Anamnesis Performed By annabel (anNina))