Jao: Hopefully FFn won't kill my formatting as much as it had last time. I want to re-upload chapter 4 but I'm not sure if it'll erase the reviews I've received for that chapter…
Drown by Limp Bizkit from their Results May Vary album.
Paragon
Chapter five "Drown"
Slipping a hand around the doorknob Ron took a step inside. Where blood had slipped and flowed from unknown sources it was now clean--spotless in the dim lights of the house. The floor made no sound as he treaded through to the living room.
"Welcome, Ron Stoppable." He turned to see the same woman from before, but her appearance wasn't grotesque. She seemed real, alive, and healthy. "My name is Sarah, Josh's mom." It was strange, for the mother of an 18 year old; Mrs. Mankey didn't seem over the age of 25. She walked around him, looking him over. "You're here to see Josh?" Ron met her with a slightly frightened gaze.
"What's going o-."
"Your questions will be answered before you leave. Don't you worry. Josh is busy at the moment. Preparing." Ron opened his mouth to speak but she covered it with a chilling hand. "He's preparing for you. You needn't ask anything. I know what you're thinking. I can see into your soul through those eyes of yours, I know every dark secret, every awful little thing you've ever thought. And you think of quite a lot of them. Behind your gentle exterior you can be quite brutal inside and not on just yourself but on others."
The giggle that followed Sarah's words didn't come from her but all around Ron. Her appearance changed back to that which Ron had seen before; red eyes and gaping flesh, dripping blood onto the white white carpet. She took his chin into her cold, wet, rotting, and bone-exposed fingers and focused his terror filled eyes into her own.
"I'm sure you'll enjoy your stay here."
With a jerk Ron had freed himself from her and ran to a different room finding it pitch black. Back pressed against a cold wall now, his heart pounded. Trying to make sense of his thoughts Ron calmed himself. The light flipped on revealing another woman sitting on the kitchen's small island. Long black hair flowed beside a pale face. A simple black tank top and black shorts adorned her thin thin frame.
"How nice." Her voice was so quiet that Ron almost didn't hear her. "Why did you come? To save Kim?"
"How did you- I've never even seen you before-."
"You're not very quick are you?" With fluid motion she opened a drawer on the island and pulled out a large knife. "My name is Rose. I died two years ago."
"How did you…?"
"The same way everyone else here has…the same way you will. What did you think you'd accomplish coming in here alone? Big strong Ron coming to save the day. Heh." She slid the blade across her palm allowing a stream of blood to splash against white tiles. "Pain is so nice, don't you agree? Emotional pain, physical pain-it proves you're alive. I miss it a lot. For you it gives you something to complain about, something to gain attention from."
"That's not-." Ron barely moved fast enough to dodge the thrown knife. When he regained himself and looked her way her corporeal appearance had disappeared to one laced with cuts and words carved into flesh.
"You're telling me that you wouldn't use it to gain her attention? After all, Kim loves Josh far more than you and you know it. You want her to notice you so much that you'd do anything to get her attention-you'd kill for it. Spill blood for it, be it your own or someone else's-and don't deny it. I can see in your mind, somewhere in there you've thought it. Like when you came in here. 'I'm going to save Kim by stopping Mankey no matter the cost.' As if you were going to do it out of friendship, loyalty and love. But in that part of your mind that you don't hear between your ears, you said: 'That'll teach her to doubt me when I prove I'm right. She'll see how great I am.'"
"There in lies the truth, Ron," Rose continued as she clawed at the now gaping wound in her palm. Digging through her own rotting flesh. "You have to prove you're better. Better than Mankey, better than Kim and you have to teach her a lesson. You're no hero. You're just as shallow as all the people you've grown to dislike."
"Who or whatever you are I know you're not real-this can't be happening." Ron's chest heaved as his mind was resisting. Trying not to take in nor believe anything he was seeing or hearing. Ghosts weren't real, they weren't real, they just weren't-
"Not real? Ron, the dead are just as real as the living. Look outside thru the windows. Look and see-the skies are filled with phantoms."
Reluctantly and without moving his back towards her in fear of another air borne knife, he made his way to the large windows and throwing back the white curtains Ron gasped in shock. It was like an ocean in the night sky, a moving flowing mass of mutilated humanity. The trees full of autumn leaves didn't move due to wind, but from the spirits that passed through. The people they touched shivered and pulled coats up to protect their skin.
A hand on the back of his neck made him jump and turn around to see Rose but inches from his face. She smelled like death, her flesh peeled back in so many places. She slipped a hand on his cheek.
"The living are always so blind. All we had to do was open your eyes." She held up a knife and in the metallic reflection Ron gaped in horror. His own eyes had turned from light brown to black. "The veil is pulled back for you forever, Ron Stoppable. You have a gift. The dead will always find you, will always touch you and you'll never be alone again. A true Paragon." Franticly he pushed her aside, cutting the top of his right hand in the process. Stumbling, scrambling he found his way into more darkness.
"Are you sure you haven't heard from him?" Mrs. Stoppable shook her head.
"No, Kim, we thought he was with you. Is something wrong?"
"No, nothing's wrong, I'll keep you posted ok? You and Mr. Stoppable just sit tight." Kim's optimistic smile disappeared as soon as the door closed. If Ron wasn't home by now where could he be? As her mind ran over all the possibilities, the other part of her made up worst-case scenarios. After all, it had begun to rain a little after the argument and Ron did have a mild concussion. Wh-what if he passed out in the road or was face down in some gutter? No—getting upset right now over what-if's weren't going to help her. But…but if something did happen to him she'd never be able to forgive herself.
Next stop was Bueno Nacho. Now and then Ron would go there and gorge himself when ever he was down. Maybe maybe he'd be there.
No such luck. The cashier shook his head sadly, and it was no surprise all the BN staff knew who Ron was. Kim sighed and sat herself down in a booth.
"Hey Kim." She looked up to see Josh, leaning suavely on her table. "Why the sad face?"
"I can't find Ron and I'm worried he might be hurt."
"Ron's a big kid, Kim. I'm sure he can handle being by himself."
"But he's…he's…not himself recently." Josh sat down next to Kim and took her hand.
"He's only adjusting. Ron's so used to you holding his hand through everything he needs to find his own footing. If you help him it will only make things worse." She rested her head against his shoulder and sighed.
"Maybe you're right." Josh grinned as he stroked Kim's hair.
"I'm always right."
Mankey couldn't help but to let a smirk dance 'cross is face. In the fewest words to be said and Kim followed his whims. She was already forgetting about Stoppable. A week ago Kim would have kept looking, she wouldn't have shrugged off her friend's disappearance like that. But now Josh was her world and that was the way he liked it. That's the way it would stay.
Gently he moved her chin to force her eyes into his own. Emerald eyes that reflected him so brightly…perfect. He bent down and gently kissed her thinking she tasted like death. Sweet.
Bitter.
Blood always was. Bruises, cuts and various scratches covered Ron's face. Fatigue racked his body and it seemed as soon as Ron had walked into this damned house he was running. If only he could just find Josh…
Carefully Ron peered around a corner recognizing the next room was the living room. That meant the way out was just a few feet away. There'd be another chance to confront Josh; right now he had to leave with as much sanity as he could. Creeping as silent as possible, Ron made his way to the door, relieved that some mutilated soul didn't come to torment his body or dive into his mind. Door knob in hand now all he had to do was twist it and he was—
The door swung open and Ron fell to his knees, hearing a faint splash as he did. In…in the driveway was Monique's car-smashed completely. In the middle of the yard tho stood Josh, holding what Ron could only hardly recognize as Monique.
"It's about time you came out here, Ron. I wanted to talk to you."
"You Bastard!" Ron was on his feet and was ready to deliver a running punch to Josh only for Josh to toss the limp female into Ron's arms. He caught her and due to the blood and rain soaked yard fell backwards. Josh stood over and smiled, tossing the blade not far from Ron.
"Aren't you happy? You never did like Monique did you? Another person who stole Kim's attention from you. And that argument you had with her before your came into my house-didn't it make you mad? She called you slow. You know she's just like everyone else, hiding behind a smile but says shit behind your back." Trapped between complete sadness, consuming anger and overwhelming nausea Ron's voice escaped him. There were countless gashes in her skin; on her right arm was carved the word "bitch." Her eyes stared back at him in silent, still and dead horror.
"You'll never get away with this!" Ron yelled, not looking up at Josh. From Josh there was only laughter that trailed off to the sound of police sirens.
"Put down the girl and stand with your arms in the air!" The command made Ron look up to find himself alone with the cops and a corpse in his arms. "I'm not going to tell you again! Put her down, step away with your hands in the air!" Ron did as he was instructed, feeling himself shaking under the entire trauma. In a moment's notice there were a number of police officers restraining him and dragging him to the patrol cars.
"You've got it all wrong! I-I didn't-." Ron was silenced as he was shoved against the car and patted down in search for any weapons.
"That's the boy!" An elderly woman could hardly stand on her own as she stared at Ron. "T-the girl and he were fighting and then I hear her scream, I called you all as fast as I could-I-I just wish it was in time. Youths these days…" An officer led her away and recorded some more information.
"I came as soon as I-." Ron didn't need to see who it was; he could feel her heart stop. "Who did this?" Kim's voice was cracking with emotion. The officers that had gathered round the suspect separated and they forced Ron back into a standing position in order to face her. "R-Ron? You…you did this?" Her voice was so quiet.
Her eyes, filling with hurt and threatening tears, burned into him searching for the answer. It was too much--just too much. Ron adverted his gaze from her to the ground, feeling tears of his own. Everything was disappearing so quickly—the future he had dreamed of, his friendship with Kim, his life all together.
"You did, didn't you?" The words hit him in the chest, stinging like any knife.
"Of course not! You of all people should know I would never kill someone, KP!" She turned her face away, a hand holding, cradling her throbbing forehead.
"I used to think that, but the way you've been acting, the things you've said-."
"Kim, Kim look at me!"
"That's enough. It's time to go to the station," an officer said, opening the patrol car door. Ron struggled, trying to reach Kim who still had her back turned.
"Kim! Please! You gotta believe me when I say I didn't do this!" She turned to him slowly, not bothering to wipe away the tears that pooled in her eyes and spilled down flushed cheeks. The officers stopped and allowed Kim to advance towards him.
"Then who did? You were here weren't you?" Ron opened his mouth to shout out the truth, that it was Josh but in that moment Josh had walked up behind Kim placing a hand on her shoulder, grinning mercilessly at him. Josh was clean-no blood, not a trace and that's when Ron knew it was hopeless. No one would believe him, especially not Kim. Heh. He even began to second-guess himself. Taking a deep breath he hung his head in shame.
"I don't who did it."
There was a slam and the cars soon drove off.
"Are you ok?" Kim wrapped her arms around Josh, burying a tear soaked face into his shoulder. "Shhhh…" He stroked Kim's hair trying to calm her, smiling all the while. He took in her scent thinking that she smelled like death to him.
Sweet.
Jao: Now now, before you think this is going to end like Secrets, let me tell you we're only like ½ way thru. Next chapter coming soon along with a lot of answers to questions you guys must have.