Chapter 20: Being Watched
He was handing Layla a few things for her to carry in the basket she was holding, it filled to the brim with different kinds of food for them to eat.
Of course Layla was going to steal them, they didn't have whatever currency this dimension had. Even though no one suspected of them stealing anything, Ford still felt as if he was being watched. Paranoid, he kept glancing around, him feeling like he was back in Gravity Falls, slowly descending into madness.
"Ford," Layla hissed at him as she put something in his hand to put in his coat. "Stop looking around like that… you're gonna make us looks suspicious…"
Ford then points out, "We're two people dressed in black trench coats, wearing goggles, and we are wearing scarves. How we are not on the floor being shot at I have no clue."
Layla slaps his arm. "Well, don't jinx it, dummy!" she tells him as she continues putting things in the basket and her coat.
Still, Ford had an uneasy feeling in his chest. While Layla wasn't looking he did keep looking around, seeing if someone was watching him. More than a few times he thought he saw a pair of glowing gold eyes. He shakes his head at the sight of this, but the eyes are gone.
He scratches his face, feeling how thick his stubble was, and he continues to follow Layla and put things in his coat. Slowly, but surly, he was getting better with stealing, although he had a feeling he'd never be as successful as Stanley when it came to that…
The thought of his twin and the argument that he and Layla had made his chest ache. Growing up the two were always compared to each other by their father.
Stanford, why can't you throw a punch like your brother, Stanley?
Stanley, why can't you be as smart as Stanford?
But it seemed as kids Stanley was always getting the short end of the stick. The boy was only praised for his fighting skills, and really nothing more, by their father. Whenever they would get grades back from tests, even if Stanley managed to get a C he was still scolded for not being as intelligent as Ford. That was probably what made Stanley just stop trying in school, him thinking that he could never live up to his twin, so he just slacked and only got good grades in gym and woodshop.
Ford then sighs to himself, thinking that maybe he shouldn't have bashed his brother about not being as intelligent as him. Stanley was smart… he just didn't apply it very well. When he took a standardized test he actually ranked above average, proving that he was smart, but Stanley just thought that he was screw up and had to act out the part that he felt was handed to him. In a way it was Ford's fault too… he really never encouraged his brother to keep up with his academics, he helped give his brother the role of being the "dumb twin".
The back of his neck suddenly tingles… like he was being watched.
Ford spins around, trying to find whoever was watching him. Oddly, there was no one there, which made Ford quite uneasy. He absolutely hated it when he felt like he was being watched, or being followed, or just in general feeling like he was being stalked. It made his paranoia grow just like back in Gravity Falls, his hands beginning to sweat as he glances around him through his goggles.
A soft cackle.
Ford spins around, knocking something over which caused him to get yelled at by some merchant. He mumbles an apology and picks the items up, but not before snagging a few and putting them in his coat. Slowly he walks away from the stand, but he thought he heard his name so he spun around once again. Again… no one.
"Ford!"
Instinctively, Ford does a side-sweep behind him, tripping whoever was behind him. He hears a grunt and a moan that was a mixture of pain and annoyance. When Ford looked down he saw that it was Layla sprawled out on the ground, her goggles knocked off and her scarf no longer covering her face. Whatever was in her coat had spilled out, causing merchants to start yelling and grabbing for some sort of weapon.
"Oh shit!" Ford gasps as he offers her hand. "I'm so sorry! I didn't realize it was you!"
She grasps his hand and hoists herself up, but she then grips his hand tight and starts running. Ford gasps as he was suddenly tugged, him looking behind and seeing some sort of pistol being aimed at him.
"Told you not to make us look suspicious!" Layla growls as she and Ford duck into an alleyway. She then grabs for her gun at the holster at her side, it was one of the newer pistols that she had stolen back when Ford stole the infinite sided die. Layla pops up and aims to shoot, Ford following her lead by getting his own gun out.
His gun was much like hers, the same sleek dark grey look, some blue lights on the barrel to accent its design. However, he had made a few modifications to his while he was on watch while Layla slept. Ford had managed to add new plasma beam intensities, some being either narrower or wider; he also managed to add a few elemental things such as freezing as well.
"Sorry!" he apologized frantically as he just barely dodged a red plasma beam that was precariously close to face. "I was distracted…"
"With what!?" Layla demands, her shooting her gun and hitting a merchant monster square in the chest, causing a sudden spray of dark green blood to cover the others next to him. The woman saw this as an opportunity and taps Ford on the shoulder and gestures with her head to run while they were distracted.
As the two ran there was a shimmer in the distance, a new portal opening. It was against a solid wall, but they knew they wouldn't harmed in any way and ran at it with full speed. The two humans made it through and the portal closed behind them, the two panting and trying to catch their breath.
Layla panted, "Mind telling me… what the hell happened back there?"
Ford glances at her, noting that her usually pale face was flushed a deep crimson, whether it be from running or anger he didn't know. "I… I thought I was being watched by Bill…" he admits, him glancing around as if he was expecting the dream demon to appear before him.
Layla glances around too, her eyes widening slightly. "Y-you think we are being followed…?" she asks Ford, her voice wavering with worry.
"Possibly…" Ford informs her, his tone equal to hers. "He could've noticed who we were at the plaza." He noticed that she was glancing around quite nervously, making his paranoia seem like it was nothing. "Layla…? Have you… dealt with Bill before?"
"Once," she says curtly, making it clear that she didn't want to talk about it.
"Layla…" he says softly.
"I'll tell the day you do, Poindexter."
Ford raises a brow, clearly agitated. "I told you, I met him and he tricked me!" he snaps.
"There's more to that… I can tell." Layla insists. "You're a smart guy, you simply didn't get 'tricked', there was something more to the point where you cut him off and felt betrayed."
"You want to know!?" Ford snaps again, gesturing his hand in the air in exasperation. "I found his stupid wheel and spell to summon him in a cave in Gravity Falls, and despite the warnings saying not to I did anyway! I was desperate as I hit a roadblock in my anomaly research…! So, I made a deal with him… I let him into my mind where he had full possession over me to aid me, and he told me the portal would be the answer!
"I thought he was my friend! But he used me! That's when I descended into madness… I felt like I couldn't trust anyone… I've began hearing and seeing things… I needed someone… so I invited Stanley and he came to my house. I was so paranoid and worked up that I aimed a crossbow at my twin brother! Bill had me so worked up that I could've killed him! Stanley and I got into a fight, the portal activated, and I'm here now!"
Ford was panting when he finished his rant, he had been pacing and gripping his hands in his brown hair. He had an insane look in his eyes, as if remembering what happened was bringing the madness back.
"You… let him into your mind!?" Layla shouts in shock. "W-why… you let a demon possess you…!"
"Now you know why I have trust issues…" Ford mutters darkly. "Well… actually my brother betrayed it first."
"What did he do?"
"Nuh-uh," Ford chastised, pointing at her. "I told you about Bill… now you tell me yours." His eyes were narrowed angrily.
Layla glares at him, her expression hard. Finally, she gives a sigh and her face relaxes. "My father let Bill into his mind too… he was possessed. Bill… enjoys killing, very sadistically and inhumane… My father wanted test subjects for his research, but he never had the guts to get them until Bill came along. Even after Bill was done possessing him my father would go and torture his subjects.
"I was little… I want to say about eight years old when I was dragged to one of those… murder baths," Layla's eyes softened, as if she was going to cry. "Bill suggested to my father that children may be better subjects as their cells were still technically new and fresh… and I witnessed that. I never wanted to believe my father would agree to it, so I just made it seem like Bill was the bad guy. But… it isn't true… it never was."
Ford instantly felt terrible for her, his heart aching. That's why she freaked out about Bill possibly following them. That was why she freaked out when he said Bill possessed him.
"I can assure you…" Ford whispered gently and honestly. "That I have never killed anyone under Bill's control, or has he influenced me to kill anyone without him possessing me. And I never intend to…"
Layla gives him a look of doubt. "Are… you sure?" she slowly asks, timid.
Ford gives her a gentle smile. "Trust me," he says simply, him offering a hand.
The woman gives her own smile and takes his hand.
They went and explored the dimension they ended up in after going through the portal, noticing that they were in a very large city landscape. The buildings were tall and a stone gray, but instead of being straight up they were built as curves and diagonals. Inhabitants of the dimension, which they looked a lot like the mythical creature Chimera from Greek mythology, crowded the streets busily, often bumping into the two human travelers.
"Have you ever been here?" Ford asks Layla in a hushed whisper.
"Once or twice…" she admits. "I don't know my way around though." As another inhabitant went to bump into her she avoids his tail flawlessly. "Whatever happens though… don't get bit by them or bit by their tails." She points at the tails, them having a black ball on the end with beady red eyes with a mouth that occasionally opened to reveal sharp teeth and a wicked purple tongue.
Ford was then intrigued. "Why not?" he asks her curiously, his scientific mind now spinning.
"Because it's poison," she replied curtly, annoyed that he would be so fascinated by it. "It won't harm them, but it will potentially kill us."
"Potentially?"
"You either fight through the poison to survive… or you die."
Ford couldn't believe that. "Isn't there any medicine or antidote for it?" he questions, figuring maybe they should steal some just in case.
"No." Layla doesn't say another word and continues on slightly ahead of him.
As Layla walked ahead of him, he kept an eye out on her and himself, making sure he didn't get whacked by a tail and get poisoned. Layla turns around for a brief moment, seeing if Ford was still behind her. Her electric blue eyes widened, causing Ford to get confused and his confusion deepened when she started running toward him.
Ford then turns around, seeing what Layla was freaking out about, when he saw a pair of glowing golden eyes in front of him in the form of one of the monsters.
"Hello, Fordsy! I can't believe you're still alive here!"
Ford was speechless and tried to take a step back, but the tail of the monster Bill was possessing wrapped around him, making him immobile. The scientist tried to struggle, but the grip only got tighter and tighter, making him grunt in pain. The head of the tail was then in front of his face, it opening and closing its moth with audible clinks from its teeth.
"Let's see… should I give you a torturous death or keep you alive until you beg for it?"
"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Layla then screams, taking her gun out and shooting the Bill possessed monster in the face. The monster screeched painfully, the last moment its eyes losing its golden glow, and a thick golden blood pulsed from its face. The tail that gripped around Ford was released and he fell to the ground. Layla runs to him and helps him up, but not before the dying beast lashed its tail and hit Layla on her right side. She grunted in pain, but nonetheless helped Ford to his feet and the two start running.
As they ran, some of the members of Bill's head henchmen were blocking their path, one them being a pair of giant teeth that looked like those plastic joke ones. Another was a tall, bright magenta colored being that had a feminine shape to it, its head looking like old gargoyle statues but with one eye in the center and sharp, white teeth. Pink flames licked up its arms and legs, it looking almost like a design to special gloves and leggings, but they were real flames.
They weren't going to get past them…
Ford grabs Layla's hand and dashes to the left, going through a door that looked like it led through some type of restaurant. The two ran between the tables, knocking them down, and the sounds of shattering plates roaring behind them. It seemed to slow down the two demons though as Ford and Layla made it through the kitchen and out the back door within a short minute. There was a wall in front of them in the alleyway they exited the building to, so they had to quickly scale it, although it was extremely difficult to its curved structure.
Once they were at the top, that was when Layla collapsed, a hand to her side. She was panting heavily, and her pale face took on a sickly grey color. Ford skidded to a halt and turns around, seeing her state.
"Layla!" Ford shouts. "What's wrong?!" He notices that her hands were covering a spot on her trench coat, so he gently removes it, revealing a small hole in the coat. He moves the coat fabric aside and sees her navy blue sweat with a small hole but heavy with blood and something else. "I'm going to lift up your sweater slightly to see it okay?" he tells her, but he didn't wait for a response as he just lifts the sweater enough to see a small, but highly inflamed wound.
The wound was pulsating blood, but also a thick dark green pus. There was a set of small puncture holes, small green lines slowly spreading from them to get to the other parts of her body. Some lines were already thick and crawling up toward her heart… and they were running so her heart rate was spreading it.
Poison.
"Oh no… oh shit!" Ford gasps in horror. There was a shout from behind him, Bill's henchmen starting to scale the building after them. "Shit…!"
"Leave… me… behind…" Layla gasped between her pants, her eyes were beginning to flutter.
"Like hell I will!" Ford stubbornly replies. He then gently picks her up, her in the bridal carry position, her arms weakly wrapping around his neck. She lays her head to his chest, her soft moans of pain and distress being muffled. She was extremely light in weight, so him holding her was effortless, and it made it easier for him to start running on the top of the building to get to the roof door and descend the stairs. It seemed to be some kind of apartment or some other housing building, and Ford broke down one of the doors to make it look like he ran in there.
He goes through the building actually finding one of the model ones to show someone how the space was. Immediately he goes in and shut the door with his foot behind him and quickly sets Layla on something that resembled a couch before he went and locked the door and set a chair underneath the door handle. For a moment he stood there trying to catch his breath, his heart slamming against his chest as blood roared in his ears. Hopefully they would be safe.
A soft moan of pain interrupted his thoughts and he ran his way back to Layla. Her face was a deathly pale, her electric blue eyes seemed to be dull, and her black hair was mated to her forehead from sweat. She was shivering violently and when Ford put a hand to her forehead it was burning up.
Ford explored the model apartment, seeing if he could find any blankets, and he finds a room with a very large bed. He kept forgetting that the inhabitants if this dimension where lion-sized creatures, so of course the beds would be large. There were thick blankets on it, and the bed looked soft and inviting. Once again he made his way back to Layla, him gently picking her up, although she moaned in protest that it hurt her too much. He makes his way back into the room and sets her in the bed, moving the blankets around to cover her. Because of her small frame it looked like a baby being placed in a king sized bed.
"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…" Ford whispered to her. "It's my fault… I wasn't paying attention, I should've ran as soon as I seen your face when you looked at me the way you did… just fight this okay?"
Layla looks at him, a ghost of a smile on her lips. "I'm… fine…" she insists weakly.
"No, you're not." Ford sternly tells her. "You just to rest a bit… you'll be fine…" He didn't know how she would be fine, there was no antidote. Like Layla had said you fight it and live, or you die. Gently, he takes her left and holds it with both his hands, all twelve fingers wrapped around her small hand.
"I'm cold…" she barely whispered. Her body was now weakly shaking.
Ford didn't want to leave her side in this state. So, without thinking he climbs into the massive bed with her, pushing his body against hers so that his body heat will help warm her. He even gets under the blankets himself, trapping his body heat with hers. Her shaking stops, and she instinctually curls up next to him.
"You're… warm…" she murmurs, her eyes only half open. Ford wraps an arm around her, his hand gingerly on her waist where her wound was. "Thank… you… I'm going to… sleep now…"
"Just promise me you'll wake up…"
"I will…" her eyes flutters shut and she starts weakly snoring.
Ford kept his arm around her, ignoring the tingling of his arm falling asleep. Occasionally she moved and adjusted herself, but she always kept getting closer and closer to him, eventually wrapping her arms around him as if he were a giant teddy bear. So, he lied next to her, watching her sleep, praying to whatever gods he threw away long ago that she would wake up and be fine.
Despite her faults, and despite his faults, he didn't want to lose her. Every time he looked at her while they were traveling he felt something lighten in his chest, or his heart raced, or he felt like he was back home and happy.
His heart pounds at the realization that he may be in love with her, something he never experienced before in his life. With that he tightens his arm around her, careful of her wound, and with his free hand gently brushed her hair back away from her face. He then shuts his eyes, feeling truly relaxed, something he hasn't felt in quite some time, and falls asleep next to her.
