Chapter 67

Corrupted Mind

As soon as Cray lead Fisk, Detrikov and Nick to the room and opened the door, the thing that had disturbed Cray so much was very visible, very striking, and very sickening.

No-one had any words as they stared at the glass container at the end of the room, filled with ice. Inside the ice was the frozen, mottled form of Jennifer. The wounds on her neck, hands and feet were rubbery and red; open wide with beads of blood frozen into rubies. The crown of thorns was still on her head, her position still a sick imitation of Jesus.

It took a few seconds before Nick found his voice, with a simple, "…My God…"

Fisk put his hand on the glass over Jennifer's blank face, a solemn expression on his face. "There is nothing worse for a man to see the woman he loves dead again and again. This I know…" Fisk sighed. "I would guess Jason would be locked in this room. No matter how much he would not have wanted to, he would have continued to look at her, knowing that he could do nothing." Fisk's fingers went over scratch marks on the glass. "He tried to get her, but there was no hope." With another sigh, Fisk turned to Cray. "Was there any sign of Jason?"

"I couldn't see him, not here nor any of the other apartments." Cray was still pale, but seemed better in the company of Fisk. He motioned with his hand at the walls. "Though there are these."

Fisk drew his eyes away from the grotesque scene in front of him and looked to the walls, seeing multiple shapes. It took him a few seconds to register they were actually letters written in what seemed to be paint.

I AM NOT HIM, HE IS NOT ME

GET HER AWAY FROM ME

WE ARE ONE AND THE SAME

IT HURTS YOU, IT HURTS ME, IT HURTS US

GET OUT OF MY HEAD

I AM IN MY HEAD

I AM NOT ME

MYERS. JASON. TOGETHER. WHO AM I?

These eight phrases were written again and again on all four walls, in multiple different paints.

"What do they mean?" Nick asked, looking at the phrases.

"I do not know." Fisk answered. "It is Jason's outlet, the way he writes phrases like this. If I were to guess, Jennifer's death was a use for Myers to hypnotise something into him. What that is I don't know. The shock of seeing her dead, then the continued horror of being locked with her corpse would have made his mind fragile. Susceptible." Fisk turned towards Cray. "Is this the last or first apartment you searched?"

"It's the last." Cray said, before reaching into his pocket. "I, uh, I found this." Cray pulled out a small diary and gave it to Fisk. It was a simple, cheap notepad with plastic rings keeping the paper together. Fisk quickly flipped through it, and seeing only one relatively short entry, started reading.

He's here. Not physically here, but in my head. He is… telling me things, telling me what to do, how to do it, when to do it. I don't even know who this Gregory Fisk is… but I do know, because he knows… because I know. He keeps Jason like a pet dog. I've seen Jennifer as well, dead… like the others. He tells me this and I'm not sure I believe me… him, but I have to. If my mind tells me, then it's so, correct? This is… I thought writing down my thoughts would help but it's not helping me… Its times like this I wish my parents were here… with us… me…

Passing around the note, Fisk stroked his chin. "It's interesting. The fact the person knows Jennifer is surprising. I'd understand Jason if they were captives together, but I doubt they have talked. And even if they did that Jason would be even capable of talking about Jennifer."

"His mind sounds broken. Much like Jason's words." Detrikov said.

"Yes." Fisk agreed. "Cray, was there anything else?"

"Only one more thing." Cray reached into his pocket and bought out a mask. More specifically, a mask with a blood red skull adorned onto it.

"A mask?" Fisk stepped forward and grabbed the skull mask. "Why would such a mask be here? It is like a cheap Halloween toy."

"I… I know that…" Detrikov muttered. Fisk turned towards him, looking at his friend with a questioning look.

"You have seen this before?"

"I…" Detrikov seemed to be struggling with something. One hand started shaking but his other quickly clamped it down. "It's…" Detrikov stumbled back, hitting the wall. "…When you see the skull, then you shall act as I have taught you…" Detrikov recited slowly. "He… when did he tell me that?" Detrikov's other hand started shaking, reaching towards his hip, seemingly without him registering the movement. "Gregory… I hear… Myers…" Detrikov looked up to Fisk. "Why do I hear Myers?"

Fisk stepped forward, a serious expression on his face. He placed both hands on Detrikov's shoulders. "Vladimir. Vladimir, listen to me. Somehow, Myers has gotten to you. He has obviously programmed something into you via that skull. What did he do?"

"I…" Detrikov clenched his teeth. "He wanted me to… to… Something… now…"

"Now?" Fisk's eyes narrowed and stared into Detrikov's own. "Listen to me, Vladimir, listen… listen to me." Fisk moved his hands up to Detrikov's cheeks, holding Detrikov's head still. "Look into my eyes. Fight this. I do not know what Myers has done but it cannot be good especially if it shall happen now. Fight it. Fight his orders. We can fix this, so fight this."

Detrikov slowly nodded. "I… yes… I can…" Detrikov murmured. "I can keep it within myself… If your eyes were not open… who knows what would have happened. To see my old friend open his eyes made me happy." Detrikov managed a smile that Fisk hadn't seen in too long a time. "Thank you, Gregory."

BANG

Fisk's eyes widened suddenly, his eyes still looking into Detrikov's own. "Vl… Vladimir…"

Detrikov was more than confused. He looked left and right, taking in the shocked expressions on Cray and Nick's face. Then he looked down to see his hands covered in blood. The same hands holding a pistol into Fisk's stomach, freshly fired. Detrikov's face darkened in horror as he took in the deep wound that had no doubt hit vitals. "No… No, I…"

Fisk managed to take a step back and give a shaky, grim smile. "It seems that… that Gerald Myers continues to grieve us… even after death…"

A/N: Thanks to PrincezzShell101 and Bookreader2010.

Okay, a couple of things:

For some reason when I first wrote this chapter, I had written a mass death scene that included Cray, Fisk, Detrikov and Nick. It's fair to say that I didn't go with this, I had no idea why I wrote it in the first place. Perhaps I was feeling particularly grisly. Anywho, that's why the chapter is shorter than usual since I cut the super death scene out.

Updates from here on out for the next couple of months are going to be… hectic. Not only is it the Christmas holidays, but I'm finally going out and actively seeking for a job (My God!) I'll for two chapters a week, but if I don't update, well, I'm getting busy O.O

An update for the time off for original stories: It's going brilliantly. I'm ready to start writing two of the original stories I've got planned, with a third in the works. Isla Do Maldito has seen some big changes, but it's looking to be awesomely awesome. Awesome. Also I got (Beta name) The Gameshow, and that'll be my first submission to fictionpress.

Thank you guys for reading, for reviewing, and for (one would hope) understanding! 'Till next time!