After school, Jimmy went to find Lilith, and take her home. He was curious how the rest of her first day had gone, but when he found her, she was power walking to the door. Jimmy quickly grabbed her arm, making her stop in her tracks, the demon turned to him, swallowing nervously, much to Jimmy's curiosity.
"Lilith, where are you off to in such a hurry?" Jimmy asked, watching as the demon burst out laughing in an awkward accord.
"N-Nothing, I am just… just…" Lilith had nothing, as her voice trailed off and instead turned into nervous laughter.
Jimmy raised an eyebrow, the demon was acting strange, and he wanted to know why. Lilith suddenly puffed up her cheeks, and blew smoke in Jimmy's face, causing him to let go of her arm, and cry out as the smoke stung his eyes. Lilith quickly scrambled away, looking around her for any witnesses, but no one seemed to have paid attention.
Lilith pushed passed the other students, before fleeing in the parking lot. Lilith threw herself against the backside of the school, letting her heart calm down, as she looked around her. Lilith took a deep breath, as her horns started poking out of her head. A bright light appeared, and her wings and tail came back into view.
No one was around, and Lilith made a satisfied sound as her wings stretched. Lilith's body sank into the ground, as a large shadow darted across the concrete carrying the demon inside it. Lilith went under cars, no one noticing the creepy shadow swallowing the ground under them.
Lilith's shadow pushed aside a group of teenagers walking home, but they just shrugged and laughed it off. Lilith was shadow traveling, an ability that only demons could use, getting them across the underworld at impossible speeds since they could not be omnipresent.
In seconds Lilith's shadow scaled a building, until a pile of shadows pooled into the center of the roof. Lilith stepped out of the shadow, overlooking Retroville from a tall business building, and watching all the little humans walking below her.
I might be abusing my power a bit, but it does kind of hurt when I don't cause some mischief from time to time.
Lilith took a deep breath, opening her wings as the sunlight warmed her. Lilith felt her fangs poking out from her gums, as her body shifted into her normal demonic form.
Yes, it was quite a leap of faith to even dream up something like this, but I am sure this will be both entertaining, and smart. Jimmy and Cindy often grow closer when they are both in an adventure, I had seen how Cindy had opened up during their island adventure…. and the fun little 'zombie apocalypse,' that had happened when Retroville was watching a mind-controlling TV show.
I am a demon, my powers are something that cannot be matched, haha, I cannot wait until I let my plan unfold.
Lilith knew that her plan was crazy, dangerous, and even psychotic. She wouldn't let it get too out of hand, but it would probably cause some sort of damage to some unsuspecting human.
I will use my power to alter emotions, causing everyone in this town to have undying RAGE. Sure I cannot actually do what that old human did with that TV show, and unfortunately I would have to visit everyone one by one, but once they are filled with rage there will be chaos, Jimmy and Cindy would have to come together just to survive.
The humans will not harm those that are also affected by me, so they will be safe, but Jimmy and Cindy will be in the crossfire, which will make them have to rely on each other. I cannot do everyone at once, or Jimmy and Cindy would be affected, but I can start off by affecting certain places and take on groups at a time.
If Lilith were to do this to a human, usually they would turn savage, bloodthirsty, and murderous. They would rampage, destroying everything in their path, and slaughtering anyone who came near them. She would watch from the shadows to make sure Jimmy and Cindy wouldn't actually get hurt, but she would just push them in the right direction, until they figured out the rest.
Lilith would reverse the effect once she felt they had grown closer, perhaps they would share some secrets if they thought they were going to die. It might seem a little over the top, but Lilith was a demon, and she would act like one at times.
This entire town would be burning in a few hours, I would have to keep the fire from actually damaging buildings. I will be the mastermind hidden in the darkness of night, watching and controlling everything from behind the scenes. No one will get hurt…. okay… if I am being honest, they might get a little hurt.
Lilith ran towards the edge of the roof, before jumping off, and catching the breeze between her feathered wings. Who would she infect first? Oooh, this was so exciting, and Lilith couldn't help but enjoy the feeling of causing some chaos.
Lilith flew over the people below her, hiding herself in the cover of the clouds, as the sun started sinking. Lilith caught in her eyesight the two familiar bratty teenagers, which were friends with Cindy.
Lilith dropped out of the sky, before slamming on the concrete below her from hundreds of feet in the air. Libby and Brittany screamed once they saw the demon standing tall, grinning with her evil sharp fangs casting a mischievous and dreadful aura.
"Hello girls," Lilith said. Libby screamed, grabbing Brittany's hand as they bolted for the nearest place to hide. Lilith growled, ugh, I hate chasing humans, they always think they can outrun the impossible.
Lilith stuck out her hand, and Libby and Brittany tripped over an invisible force, as their bodies started being dragged back. Libby screamed at the top of her lungs as she clawed at the concrete, breaking her expensive fake nails, trying to fight the force pulling her back.
Libby and Brittany stopped at Lilith's bare feet, as the demon closed her mouth, looking at the girls squirming in fear.
"Do forgive my actions," Lilith said, her hands blazing with an intense fire, as her eyes flashed with excitement. Lilith stuck her hand out bending down towards Libby, two down, just an entire town to go!
~A few hours later~
Jimmy sat his room, he just took a shower, clearing his head from all the events from today. Right now it was around eight at night, Jimmy had been staring at the ceiling just wondering about what Lilith had revealed about Cindy.
Goddard enjoyed being stroked, as Jimmy pet the metal plates on his dog's back. Goddard rested his head on the soft blankets on Jimmy's bed, as his master stared off in the distance, lost in a land of his own thoughts.
How could someone be so cold and reject Cindy like that? He could piece everything together, her reaction today, what happened in the past, and why she has always freaked out when it came to being asked about who her current crush was. At Libby's fifteenth birthday party, they had decided to play spin the bottle, and Jimmy had been talking with someone when Libby forced Cindy to play.
Jimmy wasn't really paying attention at that moment, but when someone spun the bottle and it landed on Cindy, she flipped out refusing to kiss him. People started to tease her about liking him, and saying she didn't want anyone knowing about it, but she was so flustered she just abandoned the game and left, not being seen for the rest of the night.
Jimmy had always thought her reaction was justified, spin the bottle was a stupid game, but he would have just declined politely, not storm off and leave the party. It did make sense now, why she has been all weird about romance and crushes and stuff, she must still be insecure about what happened with Nick.
Jimmy couldn't help but glance into Cindy's window…. what kind of things were running through her complicated mind?
Jimmy jumped when he heard something shatter from downstairs, Goddard picked his head up in alarm, but Jimmy patted his head to soothe him.
"It's probably nothing, my dad just dropped something, you know he is a little clumsy." Jimmy said, giving his dog a reassuring grin. Goddard didn't seem too convinced, but he rested his head back down, and allowed Jimmy to leave the room to check it out.
Jimmy closed the door behind him to his room, before casually strolling down the stairs. Jimmy heard strange sounds, as if something were being torn to bits, making him a little nervous. Jimmy pressed his back against the wall, before sneaking into a position to where he could see into the kitchen.
Jimmy's mouth fell open in surprise when he saw his dad sinking his teeth into raw meat. His father made noises as if he were a rabid animal, as he tore into the bloody chunk of meat, hungrily swallowing down a mouthful.
Jimmy swallowed the urge to puke, as he turned his head away from the sight. Jimmy's heart stopped when he saw his mother staring at him, her eyes were dull, almost as if they had lost all human aspects. Her lip curled into a snarl, as her teeth gleamed in the passing moonlight.
She had… fangs! Sharp canines that seemed to pierce Jimmy from afar! Jimmy held his throat, the way she was looking at him, it was as if he were something to devour. She lunged, making Jimmy bolt to the side, and her head slammed into the bottom stair step.
Jimmy's heart was pounding, and he could feel his pulse popping out of his arms! Jimmy kicked himself away from his mother, as he opened his mouth to scream, but could only mutter a few squeaks.
Jimmy felt strong hands rip him off of the floor by his arm, and he could feel his shoulder starting to dislocate as his father threw him against the wall, just below the window. The impact shook the glass, causing it took break and shatter, spilling shards of glass all over the recovering boy genius.
Jimmy heard Goddard's bark, as his dog hopped down the stairs, shining a light in the rabid eyes of his parents. They snarled, as they covered their faces, Goddard looked back towards Jimmy and nodded his head.
Jimmy knew he was buying him time, if anyone could figure out their strange behavior it was him. Jimmy hopped out of his broken living room window, before bolting towards his lab. He plucked a hair from his head, rivers of sweat pouring down from his face, as his fear crushed his ability to think.
He was accepted into his lab, and he scrambled into his computer room. Jimmy's hands were shaking as he tried to activate his giant computer screen.
He had to look at what had happened in his house when he was in his room. They were normal when he got home, was it a chemical? An alien hypnosis? Or some sort of strange radiation mutation?
His dad had impossible strength, the iron grip on his arm could have broken a steal bar in two. Luckily his dad was only interested in toying with him, like any predator would do to their prey, wanting to enjoy the hunt.
His screen lit up as it got ready to play video surveillance of his house, but for some reason, nothing showed up. Jimmy couldn't believe it, someone had deactivated his security cameras! All that showed up was static and a big red word saying 'error," that flashed across the screen.
That was impossible, no one could even begin to know where he had hidden his high tech cameras, unless they somehow managed to go through his mind-
His thoughts were interrupted, as something fell from the spare bedroom in his lab. Jimmy swallowed nervously, he had to be alone, no one could get in his lab, it was impossible.
Something just fell, that was it.
A shadow emerged from the bedroom, dragging its feet sluggishly, as its eyes flicked with curiosity, and soon…. Turning into rage.
Jimmy saw Sheen's skinny but muscular form step out of the darkness, Jimmy's heart stopped when he saw him holding a bunch of wires in his clenched hand. The way Sheen was looking at him, he did not see Jimmy as his best friend anymore.
"Sheen, you have to listen to me, something is happening to you, you have to calm down, I can fix this." Jimmy pleaded, but it seemed as if his words went right through him. Sheen sniffed, before sluggishly walking towards Jimmy, dragging the sparking wires behind him.
Jimmy backed towards the wall, and shielded his face when Sheen ran towards him, leaping into the air and slamming into Jimmy. The boy crumbled on the ground, as Sheen grabbed his shirt and threw him into his shelves full of inventions.
The devices went scattering all over the floor, as the shelves fell on top of Jimmy pinning him to the ground. Jimmy grunted, unable to push the shelves off of him, as he squirmed, desperately trying to get away from his best friend.
Sheen effortlessly lifted the shelf pinning Jimmy to the ground, squeezing his hand tightly on the metal. Jimmy squeaked when the metal bent to his strong grip, as his hungry eyes rested on the boy, making him smile revealing his sharp teeth.
Jimmy hated to do this, but he had to. Jimmy grabbed his freeze-ray from the pile of old devices, and shot a beam of ice at Sheen. His best friend snarled, as he released his grip on the shelf, making Jimmy jump out of the way to avoid being pinned again.
Jimmy turned to fire his freeze ray once again, but it sputtered mist before going inactive. Gas planets, the invention was too old, it needed to be repaired long ago.
Frost and ice covered Sheen's chest, as the teenager glared at Jimmy. He brushed the ice off of him, causing it to crumble on the floor as if it never bothered him at all. Jimmy bolted for his back exit, it was only to be used for emergencies and it ended at the back of a warehouse.
Jimmy ran as fast as he could down the long metal hallway, as Sheen's growls echoed from behind him. Sheen was taunting him, going ever so slow, Jimmy knew the only thing keeping him from being caught, was the thrill of his hunting instincts, judging how he was acting.
Jimmy saw his old jet-pack hanging on a hook on the wall, and he quickly grabbed it, hoping that it would help him escape if he needed to travel by sky. Jimmy stopped when he saw that the exit door was completely busted, and it had been torn apart as if it were paper! It was thirteen inches thick, and made completely out of steel, it would have had to have taken an army battering ram to even dent it!
Jimmy heard Sheen catching up, as his hands started shaking once more. He hated this, it was terrifying! Was everyone in his town like this? What caused it? How could he fix this before he was caught and torn apart?
Jimmy stepped over the broken metal door, before popping out in an alleyway in downtown Retroville. He slipped on his backpack, pressing a button, as his rockets rumbled to life.
He took off into the air, only to have his foot snatched up by something. Jimmy screamed when he saw Sheen wrestling for dominance over the momentum of his jetpack, he kicked at Sheen, trying to make him let go, but his grip was something impossibly strong!
Sheen started pulling Jimmy closer to him, but Jimmy angled his rockets to where the flares started to eat away at Sheen's face. Sheen let go, and he was off for a second, until Sheen jumped up and sank his teeth into his leg.
Jimmy cried out in pain, before spinning around rapidly trying to shake Sheen off, before he got too high. Sheen eventually had to let go, and he fell towards the ground, letting Jimmy start flying towards his unknown destination.
Jimmy couldn't believe this was happening, there was no scientific explanation for this! The only thing he could think of was an imbalanced chemical reaction, that somehow affected the whole town. He didn't know why he wasn't like everyone else, since almost everyone in Retroville was rampaging down the streets!
Fire lit up the night sky, as chaos erupted in the streets. Cars were crashed into each other, and the doors were ripped off, and gas was leaking out of them, explaining why the streets were covered in fire. Citizens flocked together in groups, ripping down telephone poles, and fighting over chunks of frozen meat from the grocery store down the street.
The entire scene looked like it came from a movie about the end of the world! Jimmy felt his jet-pack sputter, as his height started to descend lower, he wouldn't have enough fuel to keep flying around like this, and he probably had one more short flight tops.
Jimmy saw the abandoned Candy Bar sitting in an empty parking lot, and he breathed happily, it was a quiet place for him to gather his thoughts. He landed in the middle of the parking lot, careful not to draw attention, as he ran over to the locked doors and attempted to open them.
The doors did not budge, making a defeated sigh escape his lips. He would have to walk somewhere else, somewhere abandoned, so he could think of a way to solve all this. Jimmy's mind suddenly started to make him panic, where was Lilith? If Lilith was affected by this strange phenomenon, there was no way he was going to survive tonight.
Then again, there is some hope, Lilith is a demon, and she said she was immune to venom, so she is probably immune to behavior changing chemicals as well. Jimmy snuck around Retroville avoiding the stalking citizens, who were clawing at each other, almost as if they were protecting their territory, and their horde of food.
Jimmy hid behind a burning wall, before sneaking past a few girls snarling at each other, as they prepared to lunge towards the other's food. Jimmy could only walk, the bleeding wound on his leg stung, and Sheen's bite force had injured him to where he couldn't hobble any faster.
He rested against a dumpster, his chest rising and falling in a quick manner. He tried to catch his breath, if he was caught, he couldn't run away, and he only had enough fuel for one trip to another destination, so he needed to save it for emergencies.
Was there a bunker he could go to? Some person had to be paranoid about the end of the world, and built a bunker for this exact reason right? Jimmy felt his legs weaken, and his back slid against the dumpster, as he sat down.
Jimmy didn't even want to look at his wound, he could tell by the blood soaking his jeans that it wasn't good.
Suddenly he heard something growling softly, and his heart stopped. Jimmy carefully peered out from the side of the dumpster to see Libby carefully sniffing the air. He wanted to cry, he could tell she picked up on his scent and is tracking him, the only thing he could do now is hope she went away.
Libby turned her head, and Jimmy caught her gaze.
It's over.
Jimmy quickly tried to turn on his jet-pack, but within seconds Libby was on him. Libby slammed her arm against the dumpster, missing Jimmy's head by an inch, and denting the entire dumpster and acting as if it were mere crafting clay.
Jimmy backed up against the back end of the alleyway, he couldn't escape, Libby was too fast, if he were to use his jet-pack, she would catch him in an instant before he could even lift off. Jimmy's leg was trembling, telling him that outrunning her was not an option either.
Jimmy stretched out his arm, using his only means of defense left. His watch laser shot out, hitting Libby right in the middle of her forehead, but she seemed unaffected, as Libby slapped him to the side.
Jimmy felt like the fight was knocked out of him, as he crashed into the other backside of a brick building. Jimmy saw stars, as his body went limp, and the darkness started to creep in the corners of his eyes.
Libby grabbed his arm, her grip crushing his watch, as she stepped on his injured leg. He was too weak to cry out in pain, as his head spun, unable to think of a way out of this situation.
Libby knelt in, her teeth just inches away from her prey's neck, when a voice boomed, causing Libby to cease.
"Libby!"
The music loving girl dropped Jimmy's arm, and snarled at a girl standing in the moonlight, in a very deadly fighting pose.
"Don't make me do this, we are best friends, our friendship is stronger than whatever is causing you to act this way!" Cindy cried out, but Libby shook her head rabidly, before charging towards the blond girl.
Libby swung at her, but Cindy dodged, bending her body to where she could strike at Libby's side. Cindy chopped into Libby's ribcage, making the girl roar in both anger and in pain.
Libby recovered, before slamming her forearm into Cindy's head. The black belt blocked, just quick enough to save the blow from knocking her unconscious. Libby's arm smacked into Cindy's defensive block, making Cindy cry out in pain, since the blow was just so powerful.
Cindy stumbled back, holding her arm, as her bones vibrated from the attack. Libby used this chance to shove her back, making her fly into the brick wall, causing the wall to collapse from the force. Cindy cried out in pain, unable to move, as Libby closed in on her, eager to finish her off.
Cindy watched her best friend hover over her, as the blond teenager struggled to squirm in the broken pile of bricks. The dust swirled around Libby, as the breeze picked up, the hunter enjoying her prey's weakened state.
Cindy glanced over to Jimmy, and for a second they locked their gazes together. Jimmy didn't know if he was just still recovering from his encounter from Libby, or if he was just going mental, but he could have sworn he saw something blaze in her eyes.
Cindy suddenly seemed to ignore her pain, as she grabbed a brick.
"Sorry Libby," Cindy said, as she hopped up, and slammed the brick into her best friend's head. Libby stumbled back, as Cindy dropped the brick, moving towards her unbalanced opponent, before kicking her to the ground. Libby fell on her bottom, unable to recover, as Cindy kicked forward, connecting her foot with Libby's forehead.
Libby fell to the ground, unmoving, as Cindy panted. The girl suddenly started to feel the effects of her fight, Jimmy could see her stumble for a second, clearly disoriented as her adrenaline wore off.
Jimmy was awestruck, in that moment he could say without hesitation that Cindy was the coolest girl he has ever known. Cindy stepped over the unconscious Libby, before her expression shot knives at him.
Jimmy was too weak to really return any expressions, as Cindy roughly helped him up, and let him lean on her shoulder. He was a little nervous, but he was glad that Cindy was not affected, he couldn't think of a better ally.
"T-Thank you Vortex, I don't know what would have happened if you didn't show up." Jimmy said sincerely.
Suddenly Cindy stepped away from him, allowing him to fall onto the concrete, making him cry out in pain.
"I only saved you, because you are the one that caused this, therefore you are probably the only one who can fix it! Any other time, and I would have let my best friend beat you down, without hesitation!" Cindy snapped, as he groaned holding his knee that got injured when his 'ally,' let him fall without warning.
"First of all I didn't cause this, I don't know what did, second of all its okay to care about other people, you don't have to pretend you don't." Jimmy replied, as Cindy clenched her teeth angrily.
"I don't care about you, I CARE about the antidote I am going to force you to make!" Cindy shot back, helping him up until he stood on his feet.
Jimmy wobbled, as the wound in his leg shot painful jolts up his body. Cindy just looked annoyed, as he struggled to make it look like he wasn't injured at all.
"Stop being stupid, I can clearly see you can't walk." Cindy said, as Jimmy's eyes rested on the ground, it was humiliating having Cindy help him, but when he looked back up at her, it seemed like her eyes softened, "come here."
Cindy let him wrap his arm around her neck, as she supported him against her body. Jimmy couldn't remember a time when they have ever been this close to each other, and he couldn't help but feel a little strange. Cindy refused to make eye contact with him, as she helped him hobble towards a safer place.
They walked for what seemed like hours, Cindy refused to look or speak to him as she constantly looked around her to see if any citizens were nearby. Jimmy wanted to break the silence, and really ask her why she wouldn't just admit that she cared, even if it was just a little.
"This way," Cindy said softly, nudging Jimmy a little to the left. They went to a little doctor's clinic, that seemed to be untouched by both fire, and the angry mob of people that were running wild in the city. Cindy tried to open the door, but it wouldn't budge, so she slammed her entire body against it, making the lock break.
The door slowly opened, and the inside was dark, as the two went into a room full of little medical items. Cindy sat Jimmy on the floor gently, as she started going through the cabinets looking for something.
"Umm, not that I am second guessing you, but why would you choose to come here instead of.. I don't know.. a bunker?" Jimmy asked, Cindy threw a cotton ball at Jimmy in annoyance, as she pulled out a large clear box.
"Because you need medical attention, I would think with your IQ you would have figured that out." Cindy retorted, before bringing the box over to Jimmy and sitting in front of him Indian style. He held his breath, as Cindy slowly started rolling up his pants.
Jimmy suddenly squirmed away, making Cindy even more irritated as he spoke, "I-I will do it."
Cindy rolled her eyes, "last time you saw blood Carl had a nose bleed and you almost passed out. It is always better if someone else can take care of wounds for you, instead of you doing it yourself, but I am not going to beg for you to let me do this, so if you don't do it right and get an infection it's not on me."
Jimmy swallowed as Cindy backed off, putting her hands up quickly, and then scooting away. Jimmy rolled his pants up the rest of the way, as like Cindy said, as soon as he saw the wound he felt dizzy.
Jimmy gagged before swallowing hard, preventing him from hurling on the floor. Jimmy couldn't look at the wound, it was so gross and bloody, and chunks of his flesh were hanging off, making it look morbid. Jimmy felt like he was going to pass out, but suddenly he felt gentle hands on his ankle.
Jimmy slowly turned his head to look at Cindy, who was pouring medical alcohol on a rag, and slowly wiping away the fluids dried on his leg. The alcohol stung a little, but Jimmy couldn't help but stare at her, the way she was being so gentle with him, it was not like her at all.
She gently ran her hands down the center of his wound, cleaning of the sweat and loose blood that was starting to dry. Jimmy felt a strange cloud of warmth rising in his chest, which he quickly tried to ignore, even though his heart was beating strangely.
Cindy then looked at the bite marks, before looking up to Jimmy and catching him staring at her. Jimmy quickly looked away, feeling embarrassment take over, as he felt her eyes staring at him curiously.
"You need stitches, but I am not a doctor, so this will just have to do for now." Cindy said, gently wrapping medical bandages around his wound to keep it from being exposed to dirt.
"Cindy, I really want to know why you chose to save me, the real reason." Jimmy asked, the girl flinched a little, stopping her action for a while, before continuing to wrap Jimmy's leg again.
"You had something to do with this, and it's your responsibility to fix it." Cindy said, not looking at Jimmy as she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.
"I remember the way you looked at me, during your fight with Libby. You can act as cold as you want, but you do have a soft side." Jimmy said, his frustration rising in his voice. Cindy ripped the bandage from the source, making Jimmy jump, as she finished with his leg.
"Why don't you stop talking and just leave me alone! I don't want to be here with you, I would rather it be anyone else!" Cindy shouted, making Jimmy tense up at her harsh comment.
Cindy looked towards the floor as she sat back, refusing to look at him, as he spoke, "I've had it Vortex! Why do you keep shutting me out!"
Cindy didn't reply as she ignored him, clenching her teeth so hard he thought she might injure herself.
"Vortex I am serious, look at me and tell me why!"
Cindy didn't look at him, refusing to give him any satisfaction as she crossed her arms and turned her body to where she could hide her face.
"Look at me, and tell me why!" Jimmy repeated, loud enough to where it made Cindy jump in surprise. Jimmy couldn't take it anymore, his face was red and hot with anger, and his hands were clammy, he was nervous demanding an answer from Cindy, but he wanted to know.
Jimmy didn't expect Cindy to snap her head towards Jimmy, with a wildly defensive look in her eye, as she screamed at him, "I shut everyone out, ALRIGHT?"
It didn't matter how hard she tried to cover her voice with anger, it turned on her and he heard a crack in her voice, as if she were holding back tears. Jimmy could see that she was breaking, he saw the look of panic when she realized he was catching on. Cindy huffed, and whipped around to where her back was facing Jimmy and she hugged her knees.
"Why?" Jimmy asked softly, not realizing that his hand rested on Cindy's shoulder gently. He was about to pull away, before she could rip his arm off, but when he felt her body relax when she felt his touch, he decided to stay.
"Please don't make me talk about it," Cindy replied, her voice shaking. Jimmy was shocked to hear the sudden change in her tone, it was gentle and broken, begging him to not push the matter farther.
He didn't know what to do, should he comfort her? Or keep trying to get answers out of her because he was so close? Or should he just sit there, and let her decide what she wants? He was about to open his mouth to say something, when something slammed itself on the door to the room.
They found them…. He could hear the harsh clawing on the other side of the door, taunting them, daring them to make them give chase.
"Come on this way," Cindy said quickly, suddenly jumping into action, making Jimmy's heart sink knowing he would never get that close to Cindy Vortex ever again.
Jimmy knew it was selfish to try and talk it out right now, when their lives were in danger, but she would only open up when they were running away from danger. Cindy helped Jimmy up, before opening the back door and exiting the clinic through the back exit.
Jimmy could see that Cindy was panicking, she had to stop herself from bolting every time something made a sound. The screeching howls of the hunters broke the silence of night, as they advanced, smelling the wound on Jimmy's leg.
"Cindy you have to leave me here, they can smell blood!" Jimmy said, but she ignored him, as she started picking up her speed, heading into a forest where perhaps they could hide. Jimmy knew she was smart, but even though she was thinking about hiding their scents in the forest, how long would they stay there before they had to come out?
Suddenly Cindy looked behind her, making Jimmy do the same. About a dozen people stood behind them, with ragged clothes and rabid foam dripping from their mouths. Cindy squeaked, unable to gather her voice as they took a step forward.
"Neutron run! Ignore your pain and just RUN," Cindy yelled, as she started running, dragging Jimmy along with her, as he tried his best to ignore his wound and run for his life. The people ran after them, howling in glee, attracting more hungry mouths, that were waiting in the shadows.
Cindy and Jimmy made it past a few trees, dodging branches and roots as Cindy pulled Jimmy behind her, not once breaking her contact with him. Jimmy couldn't keep this up, Cindy had always been faster than him at running, but with his wound he just couldn't keep running.
Jimmy saw something ahead, and before Cindy could fall down a steep cliff, he pulled her shirt back, steadying her on the ground. They were trapped, Jimmy collapsed on his knees, his wound throbbing as his head started to spin.
"Neutron you have to get up!" Cindy yelled, but he could hardly hear her as he started seeing her shift into doubles, making his head throb.
Cindy looked around her, as the advancing horde grew closer, running at inhumane speeds, as they slammed into each other, refusing to be the last one to enjoy their reward. Cindy grabbed Jimmy's hand, as she pulled him towards the cliff, slowly helping him get to his feet.
"This would be a really good time for you to use one of your brain whatever!" Cindy said, as she steadied his body against hers.
Jimmy shook his head clear, the only thing he could think of is to jump down the cliff, and hope that the dirt and mud around it would cover their scent, and be too low for the horde to follow.
"We have to jump," Jimmy said, tightening his grip on Cindy's hand. Cindy looked both annoyed, and scared as she looked down the cliff that went towards a small creek.
"Are you crazy? One wrong move and one of us could break something, and then we are doomed!" Cindy said. The horde could be seen now, they had seconds, before they reached them.
Jimmy didn't hesitate to push Cindy down the cliff, he had to. Cindy screamed as her body went rolling down the muddy cliff side, bumping into rocks, and bruising herself, before Jimmy jumped as well.
The two went tumbling down, as the horde stopped by the edge of the cliff. They roared and hissed as they clawed at the two, knowing they were out of reach. Jimmy and Cindy landed on the bottom of the cliff, but Jimmy's heart stopped when he heard a gruesome sound.
Snap!
Cindy screamed, as she squirmed onto her back, looking at her ankle that was swollen and bent strangely. Jimmy crawled over to Cindy, as tears of pain started going down her cheeks. Jimmy was panicking, as he looked up at the horde that was starting to scale the rocks down towards them.
They effortlessly climbed down the cliff side, cackling happily, as they advanced towards the defenseless teens, who no longer had any will left to keep running.
Jimmy didn't know what to do, but suddenly his mind lit up, but at the same time, it made him want to cry.
Jimmy took his backpack off of him, and looked at it, he knew what he was about to do was insane, but he had to.
"Cindy I can use my jetpack to make an escape," Jimmy said. Cindy looked to him; sweat started forming on her forehead as she looked at the ferial killers yipping like animals.
"Well then do it Nerdtron, why the heck are you hesitating!" She shrieked, but stopped when she looked at Jimmy. His eyes seemed to be studying her, almost as if he were trying to remember every detail of her face.
"My jetpack can only make a short trip, because it only has a little bit of fuel, and it's too weak to carry both of us.." Jimmy trailed off, he didn't care that his eyes were starting to tear up.
"W-Wait what are you saying?" Cindy said in a panicked tone, as Jimmy carefully pushed his backpack into Cindy's chest.
"I am saying I can't go with you." Jimmy said softly, feeling panicked tears prick the corners of his eyes, he knew from when Cindy saved him, that if he were to get in a situation where he had to use his jet-pack he would give it to Cindy without question.
Cindy was shocked, her mouth slightly open, as Jimmy looked into her eyes. He would never admit it, but in that moment, he was glad to do this for her.
"Y-You can't do this! You are the only one who can fix this! I can't leave you!" Cindy said, as terrified tears started to form in the corners of her eyes. Jimmy knew she was just trying to act tough, like she always did, but right now he just wished she would just tell him something true, in the last moments she spoke with him.
"I'm not asking you Cindy, you have to leave right NOW!" Jimmy said, looking towards the horde that was now nearing the bottom of the cliff. Cindy opened her mouth to say something, but it looked like she couldn't speak, as time seemed to slow down.
The horde was now running towards them, they had about thirty seconds. Jimmy was screaming at Cindy to leave, but his voice died, when he saw her set the jet-pack aside. Jimmy was shocked when Cindy pushed the jet-pack away from her and embraced Jimmy in a tight hug.
Jimmy tried to push her off, they didn't have time, and if she didn't go right now they both would die!
"Cindy you have to go! Stop! Cindy!" Jimmy pleaded, but Cindy kept him close, as he felt something wet drip on his neck.
"Make an antidote Jimmy, you aren't dying today." Cindy said, as she pushed him off of her, and kicked over his jet-pack. Cindy whistled as loudly as she could, catching the attention of the horde. They snapped their attention to Cindy, as she wobbled on her broken ankle, Jimmy knew what she was doing, she was going to be a human sacrifice. Jimmy screamed at Cindy, but she hobbled away from his hands that were trying to grab her, as the horde stormed towards her.
She was going to let them attack her, giving Jimmy enough time to escape while they were busy killing her. Jimmy was not trying hold back his emotions now, he couldn't help the tears falling down his cheeks. He was terrified, and begging her to run, but she didn't look at him. Cindy slowly opened her arms inviting the horde to her, while closing her eyes.
The people jumped, their hands just inches away from her skin, as a bright light formed in the middle of the battle, pushing the horde back. Cindy was pushed back on her butt, as the people landed a few feet back recovering, and shaking their heads, snarling angrily.
A creature stood in front of Cindy, with long black hair, and a flowing black tail. Her wings stretched out protectively in front of the two teens, as the breeze blew through her loose feathers.
Lilith lit her palms with flames before shooting a fireball at the horde, making them scamper away in fear. The horde dispersed, howling in terror as they fled deep into the forest away from the group.
"Lilith!" Jimmy exclaimed, as the demon turned to him with a grin.
"W-Wha, w-who?" Cindy said, clearly afraid of the demon's scary presence as her red eyes fixed on them both.
"Just your friendly neighborhood demon, that just saved your life." Lilith said, before offering Jimmy a hand and helping him up.
Cindy was clearly confused, but she didn't ask questions, since the creature was clearly friendly. Lilith looked at Cindy before grinning, as her eyes lit up when she recognized her face.
"L-Lilith! You were that demon that kidnapped me!" She gasped, as the demon laughed heartily.
"Yeah I am also Lily, Jimmy's demonic cousin!"
Cindy blinked, she was extremely confused, both Lilith and Jimmy could see her brain trying to wrap around everything.
"Lilith do you know what is happening? Why is everyone acting like this?" Jimmy asked the demon.
Lilith's eyes darted towards strange directions, as an awkward smile tugged at her lips, "I-I have no idea what's going on, what a mystery this is."
Lilith avoided eye contact, as Jimmy hobbled over to Cindy who was shying away from him, not wanting to look him in the eye. Jimmy was furious at her for trying to sacrifice herself, but at the same time his heart was melting from her little act. Jimmy stood in front of Cindy, staring at her, and not moving until she finally lifted her chin to look at him.
"C-Cindy why did you do that? You almost died!" Jimmy shouted, his anger and fear carrying across the night sky. He was trembling, he was so angry, but so scared, he almost watched her die, does she not even care about that?
"Yeah, I almost died, it's not your job to tell me how to live my life!" Cindy snapped, but her argument was weak, just like her tone, it was frail and full of terror.
"If Lilith wouldn't have shown up, you wouldn't have a life to LIVE!" Jimmy shouted, causing Lilith to puff her cheeks out awkwardly. Cindy tried to give Jimmy an angry stare, but he was just so terrified and looking at her as if he was about to fall apart, that she just crumbled.
"No one needs me Neutron, you are far more important! I would have been an idiot if I chose my life over yours!" Cindy spat, her voice hoarse as Jimmy's face fell, his heart feeling like it had been stabbed. Cindy had tried to be angry, but when she noticed she just opened up, her face grew red from embarrassment and frustration.
Cindy scoffed, before trying to storm away, but failing to do so with her broken ankle, and just kind of hobbled towards a tree having to rest. Lilith could sense something…. new. The demon stayed quiet as she observed Jimmy struggling to go towards Cindy, who was panting heavily.
Haha! My plan is working, I sense compassion between those two… Not just from Jimmy, but from Cindy as well!
Jimmy felt like his heart was bleeding, it wasn't true, Cindy was important, and it hurt him hearing that she didn't feel like she was worth anything. Jimmy hated feeling like this, it didn't matter how much she hated him, he felt closer to her than anyone else, if she believed him or not.
He didn't know why he felt the need to save her life over his, it was just an instinct, but wouldn't he do that for all his friends? No, if it was anyone else, he would have figured something out that involved fighting back, but for some reason seeing Cindy like that, he felt urged to get her out of danger as quickly as possible without any way of her getting more injured.
Jimmy stopped when he was just inches away from Cindy, her back was to him, but he could tell she was shaking just as much as he was. He heard small sniffs, as she hugged herself tightly, choking back her sobs.
Cindy felt mortified that Jimmy was seeing her cry, but she couldn't hold it back anymore. When she gave Jimmy that hug, she accepted the fact that she would never see him again, they may fight all the time, but deep down inside she really did care. Of course it didn't matter that they were out of it now, she still won't tell him that! Cindy wouldn't be missed as much as Jimmy, he was a genius! He outsmarted her in everything, was more likable, and was more useful to the world, that's what she kept telling herself to hide the fact that she couldn't live with herself if she let him die.
Cindy bit her lip so hard she tasted blood, he was right there, not saying a word as she held back all her tears. She felt like she was going to explode, she wasn't going to cry right now, not in front of him, he can't see her like this!
"I need you…. Vortex."
His voice was shy, but sincere. Cindy lifted her head, did he just admit that he needed her? Out of all the people in this world, it was Jimmy who needed her the most, and the only one she really cared about needing her. Cindy didn't care that she was crying now, she couldn't hold it back anymore, everything she was feeling just flooded out of her.
She couldn't believe after how hard she has been to him, he was still there for her. She had said no one cared or needed her, yet he did, and she was ashamed to selfishly feel like she needed him too, now more than ever.
Cindy threw her arms around Jimmy, causing him to jump a little bit. She rested her head on his shoulder, she thought she would never see him again! They were going to die, right there, without her being able to tell him that she regretted everything she has ever said to him, that made him feel like dirt. She didn't mean it, she was just scared of letting someone in, especially him.
If anyone could damage her beyond repair, it was Jimmy, his words were her weakness, and she didn't know why.
Cindy just let her tears flow, just letting herself fall apart. Jimmy was scared to move, he had never seen Cindy act so openly, allowing herself to cry on his shoulder. He slowly brought his hands to her waist, embracing her as she squeezed him tighter, allowing him to comfort her.
Jimmy didn't know what to do, but he didn't feel like he was in danger, even though there were rabid people prowling around them. He felt safe with her, though she was his worst enemy, she was also his best friend.
Cindy felt herself feeling… safe? She felt like she belonged here in his arms, her heart was throbbing, but his soothing thumb rubbing her hip made her sigh in comfort. Any other day, and she would have beaten the crap out of him, for even thinking about touching her like that!
Cindy scolded herself, don't ruin this for yourself, you haven't felt this safe in your entire life.
Lilith took a big whiff of air, yes… I can smell it, caring love…
The demon looked at the two, trying to hide their smiles as they shared each other's warmth. It might take a little while, but soon they won't be so stubborn, it will take time, and perhaps a little more mischievous planning from Lilith to break down their stone walls.
Lilith sighed happily, well, I guess my work here is done!