I haven't updated since July 2016 and I am so sorry for that, you can all message me whatever you feel. Enjoy and many thanks.
Since Dboy's last vision, an undercurrent of tension had slowly poisoned the group, seeping into each member's thoughts. Eff, once so sure of his place and power, had begun questioning his very existence. It was an uncomfortable feeling, one that he refused to acknowledge fully, especially since it would mean giving Dboy too much influence. Reverend, ever the manipulator, had tried exploiting this crisis of confidence but even he knew you couldn't con a conman. Sickness, meanwhile, had enough of the existential angst infecting the group—if this kept up much longer, she swore she'd end them all herself.
It was early morning, the forest around them shimmering under a light frost. Pine and wildflowers bloomed, their scent cutting through the cold, damp air as the four entities resumed their journey. They followed a narrow river that wound through the woods, the weather gradually warming. Sweat beaded on their foreheads as the sun climbed higher. Despite the discomfort, Dboy welcomed the pain, as he always did. It grounded him.
Standing by the riverbank, he finally took a moment to look at his reflection. Black, scraggly curls fell around his face, his skin dark and tan, scar tissue snaking around his neck. His nose crooked from old breaks, and his cheekbones framed dark, brooding blue eyes. He stared at this illusion of humanity. He knew what humans saw when they looked at him, but he wondered what creatures like him, other Voices, saw.
Next to him stood Eff. In his reflection, Eff looked younger, his brown almond-shaped eyes, & had fewer and more faded scars than Dboy's. But to Dboy, Eff's true form was different. His eyes were glossy red, the same paint markings from his days as a styrofoam display etched around them. His curly mop of hair floated, as if underwater. Did Eff see Dboy the way he saw him? As a grotesque reminder of their past selves?
The thought turned Dboy's stomach, but he kept quiet. He hated conversing with them. Leading the group was his way of maintaining distance, keeping ahead so he didn't have to hear their incessant bickering or complaints about his decisions.
For now, though, their internal conflicts kept them distracted.
"Fucking hell..." Sickness muttered, kneeling down by the water. She glared at her reflection, the resemblance to Devi unavoidable. The similarities haunted her—the only differences were her dark brown hair and the countless beauty marks that dotted her face and neck. But to Eff and Dboy, Sickness appeared much more grotesque. Her skin was cracked and chipped like old doll paint, her eyes empty glass-like sockets, and her small lips stretched unnaturally when she spoke. She carried the screws from the cabin in her pocket like some kind of twisted keepsake, a reminder of what she once was.
"What's biting you now?" Eff teased. "Angry because you look like her?"
Sickness rolled her eyes, her usual response to Eff's incessant prodding.
Eff smirked, loving how easy it was to get under her skin. He admired his own reflection, convinced he looked like the ideal mix of tall, dark, and handsome. It was a shame the others didn't appreciate his greatness. "Strange, innit?" he mused, his tone shifting. "Why did our creator do this to us?"
The second question was unusual coming from Eff, sounding more like something Dboy would say, but it carried a different tone—a subtle, almost desperate plea.
"Don't get it twisted," Eff quickly added, trying to reclaim his usual bravado. "I like myself. But I wonder what our creator thinks. Why do you think we look the same to each other, as if we never really changed?"
Reverend, who had been silently listening, blurted out, "So it's not just you?"
Eff nodded, his smirk faltering. "It's become obvious, hasn't it? My reflection—what I really look like to humans—it's different from what we see. Back at the camp, humans saw us differently. I saw the way men ogled Sickness and women giggled at me no matter how dismissive I was. But I get it now."
He walked back to the water, staring at his reflection again. "We look like this to each other because it's easier to forget what we were. To immerse ourselves in this new identity. But when we're around our own kind, we get reminded. Part of me likes it... but most of me hates it."
He turned to Sickness. "I know you think the same. It's not fair, is it?"
Sickness looked down at her reflection. She hated the reminder that inside, she was still the same twisted thing. Frustrated, she balled her fists and punched the water, shattering her image.
Eff, seeing the discomfort he'd stirred, walked away from the group, trying to shake off his own thoughts. He hated feeling tethered to his old mold, the identity Johnny had imposed on him. He glanced over at Dboy and thought about the visions that had been plaguing him lately. It worried him—though he'd never admit it. Something about Dboy's visions unnerved Eff, but he wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because they seemed to be getting worse since they left the house.
Maybe it was a sign.
"Absolute bullshit." he thought, dismissing the creeping fear.
The day slipped away quickly, as the evening sky turned from a soft, billowy blue to an ominous, dark clouded mess. Thunder rumbled like a warning drum overhead while the group trudged through the muddy mountain path. The river alongside them swelled, creeping dangerously close, forcing Dboy to consider their next move.
"We'll have to go up this mountain side if we don't want to drown!" Dboy shouted over the roaring wind. "Follow me, you little shits!"
Though Dboy was indifferent about survival, his hatred for Eff and his desire to see them both dead kept him moving forward. The others, nodding in grim agreement, followed him up the steep, rocky incline. Sickness looked up at the towering mountain with trepidation, her breath catching in her throat. There were enough footholds to climb, but one wrong move would send them plummeting into the raging river below.
As they climbed, the rain pounded harder, making the rocks slick and treacherous. They were a few feet above the swollen river now, safe from its immediate threat, but each step was becoming more perilous. Eff, climbing beside Sickness, made the mistake of glancing down. The sight of the once small stream, now a raging torrent, sent a jolt of fear through him. His heart raced, and he quickly turned his gaze back to the rock face. Sickness, however, was frozen in place, staring wide-eyed at the river below. Her breathing quickened, panic overtaking her.
Lightning cracked above them, illuminating her pale, terrified face. Sickness clung to the rocks, her breaths coming in short gasps. Eff, seeing her like this, felt a strange stirring of emotion. For all their back-and-forth bickering, Sickness shared his lust for life. And now, she was unraveling before him.
"Psst! Hey, Sickie!" Eff called, trying to sound casual, though his own fear gnawed at him. He scooted closer, his voice low but urgent. "Look at me, will ya! Stop acting chicken shit now!"
Sickness hiccupped, her voice barely a whisper over the storm. "I'm... hurting..." She extended her hand, bloody and bruised. Eff reached out to touch it, but she recoiled in pain.
"I'm tired, Eff. I'm too cold, and this climb... it's killing me."
"Shut up!" Eff growled, his red eyes gleaming with frustration. "Don't quit now, bitch! We still got a list of things to do, remember?"
But Sickness shook her head, her grip weakening. "I'm... sorry."
Before Eff could respond, the rocks beneath Sickness's feet gave way. She let out a strangled cry, clinging desperately to the cliffside as her body dangled precariously. Eff lunged forward, grabbing her injured hands, shouting for Reverend, but his voice was lost in the howling wind.
Reverend and Dboy, too far ahead, couldn't hear him. The storm was too loud, too wild. Eff stared into Sickness's hollowed eyes as the rock beneath him began to crack, a jagged fault line racing toward Dboy and Reverend.
"Do you know what shale is?" Reverend asked, his voice trembling as he climbed beside Dboy, trying to distract himself from the storm and the height.
Dboy shot him a dark look, already tired of Reverend's incessant chatter. Reverend was clearly using conversation as a coping mechanism, but Dboy found it grating, especially given their current situation.
"Shale is the most common sedimentary rock," Reverend continued, oblivious to Dboy's irritation. "It's made of layers, stacked one on top of the other, and—"
"Will you shut the fuck up about the goddamn rocks?" Dboy snapped. "This narrow path might kill us, and I want to die in peace without hearing your stupid fucking voice!"
But boy did he go on. Even in the harsh winds Reverend only raised up his voice.
"Dboy, have you noticed how dark this rock is! I mean it's black, but shale is safer when it's a different color than that-"
Dboy held onto the side of the mountain and gave the darkest glare at Reverend, "Will you shut the fuck up about the skull-fucking rocks?!"
But Reverend had stopped paying attention, his gaze shifting behind them. "Did you hear that?" he asked, his voice rising with unease.
Dboy glared at him, ready to fire off another insult. "Yes, it was the sound of me itching to ram my foot up your ass!"
Reverend looked over to Dboy, "No I'm serious I thought I heard Eff."
Just as Dboy was about to dismiss him, a sound cut through the rain—the unmistakable noise of rocks tumbling down the trail. He squinted through the downpour, but the rain obscured his vision. He couldn't see Eff or Sickness at all. Then he noticed the trembling beneath their feet—the shale was cracking.
They were going to fall.
Reverend's voice was a trembling whisper, "B-because it's so black... it means the environment is reducing—"
Before he could finish his thought, the shale gave way. The ground beneath them crumbled, sending Dboy and Reverend tumbling into the trees below, the churning river rushing up to meet them.
Everything slowed down. Dboy had a feeling struck him instantly. Was this his chance? Or was it going to be another trial and error? Since the others might die right now. It was worth a risk as he let go crashing into the surface of the lake- no actually, he gladly jumped into the rushing river and saw the blackness of pine trees above his head under water. For a minute, he felt great euphoria seep around his skull, towards the back of his eyes, and down his spine. The feeling of relief. He didn't have to be in a cursed body anymore. He could cease to exist finally. The last thing he saw was a glimpse of the dark clouded sky. Exhilarated at the sight, that was all he needed was a last beautiful view for him before everything turned black. There was no pain coming from his injuries it was everything Dboy had hoped for and finally he would have it.
The clock had struck 9:00 p.m. as the old bell chimed, signaling the end of an hour. A nurse named Cassie, absentmindedly twirled a strand of hair, a reassuring habit that reminded her the night was nearly over. Working miles away from the nearest city in a secluded psychiatric facility often gave her the creeps. But she wouldn't trade it for the world—because of him.
Todd had been her special patient ever since she started working there at eighteen. Neglected and abused by his parents, Todd was a troubled young man who had been committed to numerous psychiatric wards before arriving at Werdgercrest facility. His case file stated he was seventeen when admitted. Now, six years later, Todd was about her age—around twenty-three. Cassie saw him daily, bringing him medication, helping him with meals, and even taking him outside into the yard to enjoy the expansive, quiet landscape.
Most of the staff didn't believe Todd ever spoke, but he did. To her. His conversations, though strange, were about someone named "Teddy." She humored him, validating his words because she knew it comforted him. The other nurses teased her, saying, "What? He never talks at all! Cheeky Cassie, making up stories." Even the doctor didn't believe it until he once walked in on one of their conversations.
Cassie didn't mind; she treated Todd like a human being, not just a patient. And despite the warnings not to get too attached, she couldn't help it. It was in her nature to care deeply, to make sure everyone around her was okay.
With only an hour left on her shift, Cassie decided to take a break. Pulling on her coat, she stepped outside to check the weather. The rain was pouring down heavily, but her curiosity got the better of her. She grabbed an umbrella and her phone's flashlight, wanting to see if the stream down the hill had flooded.
As she neared the riverbank, the sound of roaring water grew louder, the swollen stream having turned into rapids. She moved her light across the trees, their trunks creaking ominously under the pressure of the wind and water. Then, over the sound of the storm, she heard it—a choking noise.
She froze for a second before her instincts kicked in. Shining her flashlight toward the sound, she spotted what looked like a pile of soggy clothes. But then the choking noise came again, and she realized it was a person. Cassie's heart raced as she sprinted toward them, her feet splashing through the rain-soaked ground.
"Oh my God!" she gasped, kneeling next to the figure. "Are you okay? Please answer me!"
The person was a man, his face pale, lips blue from the cold. His wet black curls clung to his tan skin, and for a brief moment, Cassie's breath caught—he was strikingly handsome, even in this state. Shaking off the thought, she quickly went to work, patting him between the shoulder blades to clear his airways. When that didn't work, she performed the Heimlich maneuver, her adrenaline spiking as she fought to save him.
Finally, the man gasped, sputtering water. His blue eyes fluttered open, dazed and confused. Cassie, still holding onto him, flushed and quickly let go, stammering, "Sorry! Are you okay?"
Dboy couldn't believe it. It was like his worst nightmare had come true—he'd been yanked back into this miserable existence, and the person responsible was now fussing over him. His first instinct was to lash out, to tear her apart for disturbing him. But before he could act, he heard coughing nearby.
Turning his head, Dboy spotted Eff, Reverend, and Sickness lying sprawled on the ground, also recovering from the ordeal. The nurse rushed over to help them, her voice full of concern.
"Are you okay?!" she called out, kneeling by Sickness, who was gasping for breath. Cassie performed CPR on her until the woman finally sputtered and sat up, her bright green eyes snapping open in shock. Cassie moved to the others, but her attention was yanked back when Dboy, still furious, stormed over to Eff.
"This is your damn fault!" Dboy roared, slamming his fist into Eff's back. "If you idiots hadn't fallen behind, I wouldn't have been so cruelly teased by death!"
Sickness rushed over, grabbing Dboy's arm to hold him back, but he shook her off, seething. Cassie, bewildered by the sudden violence, stepped forward.
"Please, stop it!" she shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos.
The group fell silent, and for a tense moment, no one spoke. Then, Eff, ever the performer, shifted gears.
"I'm s-sorry, miss," he stammered weakly, his voice hoarse. "M-my friends and I were hiking, and we…" He broke off, coughing violently, which made Cassie's heart ache for him.
"It's okay, it's okay," she said gently. "You need help. Come with me—I work at a facility just up the hill. They can help all of you."
Eff flashed her a charming smile through his coughs, playing the part perfectly. "Thank you, miss. If it's not too much trouble, could you help me up? My brother here might lose it again if I'm not careful." He motioned toward Dboy, who glowered at them.
Cassie couldn't resist. "Of course," she said, offering her shoulder for support. As Eff leaned on her, they began the slow trek back up the hill, the others following silently, each lost in their own thoughts as the rain continued to pour down.
