Summary: "There's a place in the dark where the animals go

You can take off your skin in the cannibal glow

Juliet loves the beat and the lust it commands

Drop the dagger and lather the blood on your hands, Romeo"

-MCR (The Black Parade 2006)

A Monster, a Jedi, and some freaks walk into a school in the middle of the night. What could go wrong? That's right, everything

A/N: hello hello! I wanted to update on my posting anniversary, but I got caught up in some exciting work stuff!

First, I want to dedicate this chapter (and the forthcoming epilogue) to my friend and ardent supporter, Autumn. Thank you for your passion for this story, babe. You're such a wonderful friend, soundboard, and fellow writer. I'm so glad we're friends.

Second, thank y'all for joining me on this journey, I couldn't have done it without you.

Third, I've published a BOOK! /d/5cifBW6
This is why there has been radio silence on my end (other than some personal stuff I've discussed in other chapters and in the comments with a few of you). I have been asked several times if I'm working on something, and HERE IT IS! I hope you guys check it out and review it on Goodreads and Amazon if you get the chance. It would mean the world to me.

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. As the author I do not always agree with the actions the characters take. The MC has Haphephobia. The depiction of such in the story may not be entirely accurate and I do not claim it to be so. The depictions of anxiety and OCD are based on my own personal experience and do not apply to the illnesses as a whole. As always there is a violence and gore warning. There will be mentions of various sensitive topics which are updated in the tags, read at your own risk.


Shouts reverberated down the corridor towards the cafeteria. And of course, Mads ran straight for them instead of hiding like Eddie wanted. It wasn't like Pam was there with a shotgun or anything. What could she say though, she had a hero complex.

So, begrudgingly, Eddie stomped after her, rifle ready to shoot at a moment's notice.

Salt still stung her wounds, but nothing hurt more than the throbbing in her head. 001 had wanted to use her mind, her body, to wreak havoc on the outside world. Use her to free him. And she had walled him up in her mind – another kind of prison. Her binds on him would hold so long as she didn't waver in her resolve. 001 was clever, too clever. He would figure out a way to torment her, to break through the barrier Mads walled him up in.

She already knew he could hear her thoughts, feel her feelings. She could hear and feel his. And she would use that to her advantage, just as he would.

The fucking bastard.

At least now it seemed as though he was too busy throwing a temper tantrum to do anything about her deception. The chess game they had begun would have to wait. She had kids to protect.

With Eddie and his rifle on her heels, Mads rushed around the corner just in time to see a swarm of armed agents surrounding Pam and the kids. The sight of the primal fear on their round little faces – of a bruise blossoming on Pam's cheekbone as she held her shotgun defiantly at the ready – sent a wave of white-hot rage crashing through Mads, stronger than she'd ever felt before. Even stronger than the anger she felt when she melted those agents' brains in the junkyard.

That agonizing pain in her head returned, as though it were being split open from the inside. Felt it right where 001 had put his claws in her skull. White stars and black holes danced across her vision, but her body didn't sway. Shivers ran up her spine as a flood of power rushed through her veins, coursing through her heart and mind. This power was not her own, she could tell. It felt twisted and wrong in her body, like a bone that hadn't quite healed properly – like a parasite taking root deep inside of her brain. Then the agents before her began to ascend into the air, dropping their firearms to the floor.

First came the cracking of bones among the flickering lights, like a symphony of horror in her ears that only fueled her bloodlust. Only wetted her borrowed appetite for death. The woman in the front, Mads remembered her. Her name was Connie something… It didn't matter. She was a mean, mean woman. She would help punish Peter on the occasions Papa would get fed up with his attention on Mads. When Mads wasn't yet Mads.

A twist of her head and Connie's rapidly breaking body turned towards Mads in mid-air. Terror and recognition bleed through the pain in Connie's face and Mads smiled at her before she snapped her spine. They could all see the silent scream that attempted to escape Connie's shattered body, but nothing came out.

Next came the horrific squelching of blood and organs as El lifted her hand into the air, her power reaching into the body of the floating agents and squeezing. This time, the eyes didn't disappear, but blood ran in thick, viscous rivulets down the faces of the dying agents.

The power surged through Mads, taking hold of the men watching in horror in the background. The squelch of their eyes crushing and the splintering of their bones beneath the weight of her stolen ability.

And as quick as the power came, it left her, and she fell to the floor along with El and the agents they murdered, her body drained of its energy like a dead battery. Ghostly fingers caressed the side of Mads' face, filling her prone body with the same terror as those agents surely felt. She had let go of her control too much, allowed 001 too much freedom. That had to have been the case. There was no way he could have expanded the cage she trapped him in on his own.

Quickly, Pam rushed over to Mads as soon as she saw that El was safely in Mike's arms. Placing the shotgun gingerly on the ground, Pam pulled Mads to her chest and began patting her cheek – wiping the blood from her face – keeping her in this realm of consciousness. The sound of rapidly approaching footsteps sounded faintly in Mads' ears as Eddie too knelt to the ground and attempted to rouse her.

"Mads," he whispered fiercely, shaking her arm. "Mads' c'mon, don't do this right now. We've gotta get out of here! C'mon!"

Blinking away the bleariness in her eyes, Mads tried to sit up but was held fast in place by both Pam and Eddie. A warm, sticky feeling was soaking the ground, into her already wet clothes. Mike's shout of protest jolted her from her stupor and a familiar voice caused her to freeze.

"Eleven," Papa – she didn't even bother to correct herself this time – called. "Eleven, can you hear me?"

El's faint murmur of, "Papa?" reached Mads as she lay in Pam's arms. Thankfully, the only guards Papa brought with him were focused on keeping the shouting boys restrained and weren't paying attention to the woman and teenage boy holding a soaked, barefoot girl. Or their loaded guns. That could only last so long though.

"Let her go, you bastard!" Mike nearly screamed, thrashing against the man restraining him who was three times his size. "Let her go!"

Papa ignored him, holding El close the way Mads had longed for him to do before Peter had shown her just how special she was. How much more important she was than the others. Had shown her that Papa's opinion didn't matter.

From her place in Pam's arms, Mads didn't even feel a pang of jealousy. Only disgust for the way Papa cradled El close. He only loved her because she was valuable to him. Because she was the only one left. Or so he thought.

"Mike," El called feebly over Papa's coercion. "Mads… Mike…"

Then the lights began to flicker again and Mads realized the scent of blood in her nostrils was not just her own. Now knew that the wet feeling on her clothes wasn't just saltwater, that the sticky feeling pooling beneath her feet was the blood of all the people she and El killed.

And there was a predator on the loose.

"Eddie, Pam," she hissed weakly, attempting to rise. "Guns, now."

Oh, thank God, they listened and listened quickly. Once armed, Pam pulled Mads to her feet and Eddie held her upright, ensuring she didn't slip on the blood-slick floor. They rushed for the children just as the wall behind them began to crumble outwards, the school's logo coming apart to reveal the burned, mottled skin of the Demogorgon. Its wrathful warble filled the space as Mads threw her arm outward, throwing the armed men that held Mike, Lucas, and Dustin to the side, freeing the boys.

"Run!" Pam screamed at the boys, pushing them when they hesitated. "I've got her, run!"

Papa stared up at Pam, confusion on his face. Then at Mads as she all but tore El from his arms, barely registering the barrel of Eddie's rifle in his face.

"Coral?" he whispered, blinking up at the two women – older and young.

A sneer marred Pam's elegant features and she swept past him after the boys. Eddie started to follow but paused. Mads wanted to stay behind, to say something cutting and clever, and hurt Dr. Brenner. Hurt the man who brought her up to live a life of fear and subversion. Her Papa. But there wasn't time. So, she clutched El to her chest and spat at his feet, before turning on her heel and running after her new family, Eddie following close behind.

They ducked into the chemistry classroom, Mads laying El on one of the long tables as gently as she could. It reminded her of the scene in Disney's "Snow White", staring at El laying there on that table. She looked so peaceful. What Mads wouldn't give to join her in that reprise.

Pam and Eddie were quickly barricading the door behind them – like that was going to do anything to stop that monster – the latter cursing up a storm, praying, begging God to save them all at once. Mike had bent low over the table, whispering to El. Saying sickly sweet shit that Mads tried to tune out. They were just kids, there was no need to get romantic and sappy.

It made her feel lonely.

But she wasn't alone anymore, was she?

The scrape of claws against her brain told her that much.

001 was still raging at her trickery, despite allowing her to steal his power earlier. And she was just waiting for him to retaliate. It was only a matter of time. The sounds of gunshots were getting fainter and fainter. The soldiers were dying. Papa was most likely dead – she couldn't bring herself to reach out and check. Was scared to find him dead and even more scared to find him still living. He has seen her face after all.

Called her by her mother's name.

Mads had known as soon as Pam said her niece's name. Hope. Fuck. She didn't need this right now. She wanted to do what she did best and run. But there was nowhere to run. Not now. Here, in this classroom, with a handful of the people she actually gave a damn about, she was trapped like a rat.

And then came that terrible warble that made everyone's blood run cold and the hair stand up on the backs of their neck.

Mads' headache was returning.

"Get back," she whispered, gesturing for Pam and Eddie to stay away from the door.

"We can shoot it," Pam started to argue.

"You think that thing could have killed all those men out there if it wasn't impervious against bullets?" Eddie interrupted, voice climbing to a near screech, scurrying back against the cabinet-lined wall.

"Besides," Mads continued, swaying on her feet as she faced the door. "It's me it wants. Me and El."

Mike shouted in terror at her words, but it was quickly changed into a scream as the barricaded door was smashed into the floor and the Demogorgon's shriek filled the room. Mads stared down into its teeth-lined maw, watching the muscles in its mouth contract against its rage. She didn't feel fear. She didn't feel anger. In fact, she didn't feel much of anything but the searing pain in her head.

When it lunged for her and Pam shot it in its side, Mads flung her arm out almost as if she was on autopilot, yanking it towards her – its target. She didn't want anyone caught up in this that didn't need to be. Not Pam, not Eddie, especially not El. Not when she was so weak. Not that Mads was any stronger at the moment.

It was almost a relief when the Demogorgon's pond-scum and rotting meat-smelling body collided with her, knocking them both into the wall. Its scream of delight filled her ears, making them ring. Sharp claws dug into her marred flesh and pinpricks of her blood welled up under her clothes. She could smell the raw flesh of its last victim on its breath.

Her teeth bared at the monster when the petals of its lips parted. As the pain in her head hit an explosive peak. Slowly the Demogorgon's head lowered to her face, those needle-sharp teeth inches from her skin, and she reached up to place her hand on its chest.

Boom!

The power exploded from her in a shockwave, shattering through the Demogorgon's skin, creating a crater in the classroom floor and wall. Her fingers dug into the screaming monster's chest, shattering, cracking, pulverizing its bulletproof skin and bone. Until she reached its black-blooded heart.

Mads could feel her power draining rapidly. 001's would only keep her standing for so long before he realized the connection went both ways. And the Demogorgon, despite its wound and Mads' fingers inching desperately towards its heart, was so close to eating her fucking face off.

She couldn't hear anything but the monster's cries of pain, but she knew the kids were screaming. She knew Pam and Eddie were shouting her name. Black, rancid blood ran down her arm and dripped from her elbow into the hole in the floor shed created. Splattered her chest and face.

Just a few more seconds. She begged herself. Just a few more fucking seconds and then you can rest.

Then Mads' fingertips reached the Demogorgon's thundering heart, and just as she was about to crush it in her fist like she did that stupid apple all those weeks ago, her mind exploded with pain.

It happened in slow motion. She saw her hand slip from the cavity of the Demogorgon's chest. Felt as her blood-soaked body began to fall. The monster's clawed hand swiped at her, knocking her away as though she were a ragdoll. Pam and Eddie attempted to rush toward her, but the boys grabbed them, attempting to wrestle them back.

And as the flower-shaped mouth opened over Mads once again, dripping black blood on her face in a foul waterfall, she smiled.


"You think you can steal my power and get away with it?" 001 raged from the cage Mads trapped him in.

She lay on the floor of her mind; it was Mandy's room in Jamie and Pam's farmhouse. 001's bricked-up prison sat where the bed would have. Odd that her mind took her here and not somewhere like her last hideout with Kali, or the Lab where she spent most of her life.

"I thought we were sharing," she said tonelessly from her place on the floor, staring up at the ceiling.

His answering growl and rattling of the walls of his prison told her the remark had landed as intended.

They were silent for a while, Mads waiting to die and 001 sulking in the only place he was free to go in her mind, but unwilling to leave it all the same. She was the only living person he'd had access to in years, and the only one she knew he was obsessed with enough to stay for. It was pitiful really.

"I'm going to die," she told him finally. "You took your power back to punish me, and now I'm going to be eaten by your little creature."

"No, you're not." His voice was gravelly and ugly, but his image was the same as it had been before she ran away. Whole. Beautiful.

He sounded annoyed.

"Yes. I am. That monster is going to eat me. Then eat all my friends."

001 scoffed at the word. Or at the idea of her being eaten. Mads wasn't sure which. She sat up and glared at him, still waiting for the pain of the Demogorgon's teeth biting into her skull to register. Perhaps she was already dead and she just didn't know it.

Maybe this was Hell. 001 was here, so it might as well be.

"It appears that the creature is dead," 001 said finally.

Mads brows furrowed and she stood, stomping towards 001's prison. "What do you mean?" she demanded. "You can see out there?"

He smirked at her, a heartbreakingly beautiful expression.

"No, you made sure of that didn't you, Little Spider?" he taunted, pressing his hands up against the window she had made in the walls to see him through. To keep an eye on him. "I can only see what I'm allowed, and back in my own realm. I see that creature was sent back, not by you or I. I assume it was 011? It returned a corpse. Which is fine by me, it ruined enough of my plans."

"What?" Mads gasped, elated. "You're not lying?"

"See for yourself," 001 offered, pressing his palm directly in front of her. Inviting her to share in his power once again.

Mads lip curled and she backed away. Like she was going to fall for that.

"You took your power back from me and I could have died," she snapped.

001 appeared nonplussed, an odd sight considering he was locked in a prison in a teenage girl's bedroom. "I had no way of knowing."

"I'd only take what you had if I was in danger," Mads hissed.

"Would you believe me if I told you I was sorry?" Through the window, 001 tilted his head to the side innocently. His golden curls cascaded delicately around his face with the gesture. He looked the picture of perfect goodness. Looks were deceiving.

She didn't believe him.

No, she needed to wake up. Turning away from 001 and his rage-inducing face, Mads sat on the ground, crossing her legs like she did when she was traveling. Soon, though 001 was pleading for her to stay – taunting her – her consciousness began to fade into her body. The walls of Mandy's room began to fade from view and ever so slowly, Mads opened her eyes.


"El!" Mike cried, desperation and fear crashing over his expression in waves. "El! El, where are you!?"

"Mike…" Pam attempted to soothe him, though she didn't know what had happened either.

When Mads awoke, Eddie was standing over her, mouth agape. She knew something was wrong – wrong with El – but she didn't know what. She couldn't see. And everything hurt. It hurt, it hurt, it hurt.

"Mads," Eddie whispered, half relief half dread. "Mads, it's okay, I've got you."

"You always do," she whispered, her voice rough but full of affection.

It was true. He always had her back.

As he helped her up from where she had fallen, she realized that he must have thrown his body on top of hers. Another rush of affection accompanied by a scraping of ghostly nails in her head washed through her. Eddie was always there for her, ever since she first came to town. He had become so brave. There was no way she could ever repay him, and it hit her with a jolt as he placed his jacket around her shoulders to keep her from shivering, that she would never have to. It's just what friends did.

"Where's El," she whispered, looking around the destroyed room. At the crater in the wall. It was deeper than when she first put it there.

"Mads…" Eddie started, and from the look on his face, she knew.

There had been a glimmer of hope when 001 had told her El had sent the Demogorgon back dead – hope that she wouldn't have been caught up in whatever she did to send it back. Mads had never tried to send it away herself, so she had no reason not to believe El wouldn't be okay.

"I'll figure something out," she told him.

Eddie pursed his lips but nodded. Neither of them felt like talking just now. It was hard to imagine that any of them did. But when Mike saw Mads was awake, he tore away from Pam and rushed at her.

"Bring her back," he pleaded, desperation in his voice. "Please, bring her back."

"I…" Mads began, looking over at Pam, then back at Eddie who shook his head imperceptibly. "I can't promise anything. I won't promise you anything," Mads put a finger to Mike's mouth when he began to protest. "But I can tell you that the only other person who wants her found safe more than you is me. If I can do it, I will."

"That's all you can ask, dude," Dustin said, coming up to wrap his arm around Mike's shoulders.

"It's all we can all ask," Lucas echoed, looking up at Mads with a resigned, but grateful expression. Almost as though he knew why Mads couldn't go looking for El.

No one but she knew that. And no one else would.

She would take it to her grave.

That loomed before her, a yawning hole telling her that her demise was far sooner than anyone her age should be paraded before Death. Mads had beaten it once though. She could do it again. Would do it again.

They were all silent as they picked their way past the bodies of the fallen agents – ones killed by Mads and El, others by the Demogorgon. Mads couldn't bring herself to look for Dr. Brenner among the bodies. Fear gripped her tightly; he had seen her face and was smart enough to put it together that she wasn't Coral but 009. The baby girl he had stolen from a drug-addicted mother.

It would have made sense to confirm that he was dead. She should have done so, but that would lend a finality to a part of her life that she wasn't sure she could so easily let go. Besides, the Demogorgon had to have killed him. There was no escape. It was an apex predator the likes this world had never seen.

At least, that's what she told herself.

Before she exited the building with Eddie and Pam, before she surrendered herself to the fact that 001 was rooted in her brain like a parasitic demon, she used the dregs of her powers to open up a little hole between the Veil and this world. Praying with all her might that El would find it before it closed or anything else crawled through. Blood was running down her face in rivulets, but no one would know, she was covered in so much of it.

"Mads! Eddie!" A familiar voice cried with relief.

Soon, they both were enveloped in a cloud of rich perfume and the acrid smell of housefire as Tris threatened to crush the remaining life from them in a hug. Tears dripped down her sooty face, revealing the freckles underneath.

Quickly, Tris pulled away, only to wrap her arms around Mads once again, pressing her lips into Mads' bloody, salt-crusted hair. "God, I was so worried," she breathed, relaxing her hold once she was sure Mads wouldn't disappear.

"I'm okay," Mads replied bashfully, praying her friend wouldn't let go too soon. There were tons of law enforcement and emergency officials arriving on the scene now. The last thing she needed was to be recognized again.

But the only people who would, were dead now. They had to be; she was safe.

And when Tris let Mads go, she found herself wrapped in Pam's arms while Tris grabbed Eddie and held him close, whispering something Mads couldn't make out and wouldn't eavesdrop on.

Pam had returned the boys to their parents, keeping her shotgun close by in case anyone tried anything funny. Pam's arms were warm and comforting, but they did little to dampen the disquiet in Mads mind. Or the fear when she saw the weary, almost fearful expression Eddie sent her way over Tris' shoulder as they embraced.

Once again, Mads became fully aware of how she had endangered everyone here just by existing. How she had destroyed entire worldviews and ruined lives with just a breath. Now, it seemed to be sinking in for the others as well.

A pleased hum at the back of her skull sent a terrible shiver down her spine. Someone was happy about her unintended destruction. But 001 was always happy about those things. Chaos, destruction, little girl's tears. All that good stuff. He could get fucked for all she cared.

It was the fear in Eddie's eyes while he held Mads' gaze that made her stomach turn and her heart deaden in her chest. She should never have come here. Never had formulated that half-assed plan to destroy the Lab. Kali really was right. Mads was a fucking idiot.


A/N:

Again, even though there is the Epilogue left, I want to thank y'all for joining me on this journey. You've been amazing and I can't wait to share book two with everyone.

Please don't forget to check out my book ( /d/5cifBW6)!

Title is from "The Sharpest Lives" by MCR off the 2006 studio album "The Black Parade", as is a portion of the summary.

Thank you for the comments, encouragement, kudos, subs, and bookmarks. They mean the world to me. Please don't forget to comment your thoughts!

Also, here is the mini mixtape for the final chapters!:
playlist/2w0Fg6UPmVvj5L3EIMRYfw?si=fd523c888f364bc5

This is the "mixtape" I created for this fic. It's not entirely period accurate, but I feel like these songs fit the theme of the show and characters.
playlist/2w0Fg6UPmVvj5L3EIMRYfw?si=d8e38810c96f4875