Inside of a small eco-friendly home where a family of three lived, two people, the daughter and mother who got along like peanut and butter while the other, was that of mustard. The father, a man who’s lived in the same house as the two but barely knew his own daughter and had endless hatred towards the mother. He’s alone in his bedroom, sitting at the edge of the bed, the very same he shared with the vile woman he hated so, basking in the sorrow that’s tailgated him since the day he married her.
He’s waiting to see what she wants to talk about. “Of all times, what could this vile bitch of a woman want to speak about?” He deeply sighed and clutched his head, rubbing it. “She better not use my daughter as a tool to speak with me… if so, I’ll burn this entire country to a cinder.”
Sarah’s father wanted to always talk, look into his daughter's eyes, be in her life more; but her mother’s contract prevented him from doing so. Rather, all he could do was take a glimpse, speak less than thirty words, and walk past her. He would love to look into her eyes, but everytime he did get a glance into them from a distance or watching her go to school through his bedroom window, she had the same wretched red eyes he fell victim to twenty years ago. Ever since that day, he vowed to never look into them, fearing to be cursed again by the woman and bearer of the Sin that is Envy.
“My daughter… why do you look so much like her? Why do you have the same eyes as her?! Why is that bitche’s eyes platinum?! It makes no sense, I need answers, but I refuse to get them from… her.”
He groaned and slammed his fist on the bed. His head started hurting and the father let out a long breath.
“I’m only doing this to help my daughter from those dreadful Exorcists. But… I hope she’s not dealing with the two, one that I despise, and the other—that I fear.”
Feeling nervous, frustrated, tired, he wanted to get up to go grab some coffee, until the door started to open. He smacked his lips and looked away. Sarah’s mother had walked in and patted herself to look appealing in her black gothic dress fitting for a Witch like her. She giggled and that was enough for him to clench his teeth, stand up and quickly walk up to his clothing drawer to get a pack of cigarettes. He pulled one out of his work pants and took a single one out, ignited it with a lighter he always carries and paced back and forth.
Sarah’s mother watched and couldn’t help but be amused. “You okay? Because you only react this way when you're nervous, hehe.”
He raised the edge of his lip in disgust and quietly growled. She giggled again and walked to the bed. He kept smoking and also walked over to the bed but avoided any type of eye contact with her.
“So woman… What do you need to discuss?” Sarah’s father sits at the corner of his bed, puffing more smoke into his lungs. “Because I’m in no mood to speak to the likes of you.” He inhales another huge cloud into his lungs, allowing the cancer to destroy them.
Sarah’s mother sits at the other edge, both not looking at one another. “This is important, like I said, it involves the man who—”
“Stop… don’t even, you’ve already said enough.” He keeps puffing, inhaling his angered emotions. “So what if they’re here? Is that all you wanted to speak about?! After countless years of silence you just want to rub them in my face to remind me of my own goddamn failures?” He sighs deeply, “You wretched bitch of a woman.”
Sarah’s mother wasn’t fazed by such words, instead she just chuckles and clears her throat. “Hoho, if I wanted to rub things in your face…” She grew a vile grin, one fitting for her title. “...Aren’t I doing that as we speak? Besides, although you’re a failure of a Witch, I’m not here to scare you further than you already—”
“SHUT UP!” Her father shouts in anger, blowing out all of the nasty smoke and bites the cigarette in half.
The smoke in his lungs drifted out from the creaks of his teeth and out his nostrils. Sarah’s mother blinked in amusement and sighed.
He digs his fingers into his hair, grounding his teeth. “You-You… are such a… Witch.” He clutches his head, “here you are again, mocking my existence and reminding me of the idiot I am. You wretched Witch, you vile—bitch.”
Sarah’s mother shrugs and doesn't seem to care one bit about his lecture. She seemed too amused and expressed it by smiling.
He quivers angrily. “You haven’t spoken to me in two years, and before that; Ten, and of all the times?” He raises his head, and slowly looks over his shoulder to stare at her backside, “Why do you want to speak to me? The last time you spoke to me it was just to insult my sanity, and not only that… you even went as far as to call me a Witch who didn’t deserve his title!”
She sighs, and leans backwards. “Don’t bring up the past now. You know your place and your manners. So I suggest you simmer down, be a man and act your age. Think you could do that for me…” She brings out the side of her face for him to see her lips, “...Sweetheart?”
Hearing her call him her sweetheart aggravated him, especially hearing it from her calm and timid voice brought insult to injury. Sarah’s father hated her, detests her, and wishes every type of suffrage upon her. Yet in spite of his growing rage towards her, he still doesn’t understand why he’s still in the same household as her, but remembers the contract he fell victim to. A contract in which she tricked him into offering his dignity, soul, and his manhood. The thoughts of hatred ran rampant in his mind, coursing boiling blood of fuming hate through his body. He was ready to attack her, ready to seek vengeance on the being who stole his heart and his life.
Knowing that he stood no chance against her, he was prepared to die today. He’s had enough, feeling enraged since the morning, and having peaked now, he was going to bring back his Witchery powers he laid dormant for more than a decade. He brings out a small spark in the palm of his hand, ignitng a tiny flame that hissed. The spark was small, but enough to wipe out their entire neighbourhood and burn it a cinder. He was about to lay a barbaric attack on her, although she still didn't bother to react to him as he was bringing forth his powers again. Feeling the peak of his frustration, he charges the spark to its max. It spirals faster than sound as it rattles the room, shakes the entirety of the house afterward, and even makes Sarah jump out of her bed out of fear.
He grit his teeth. You’ll pay, pay… for everything! He thought.
Sarah’s father retracted his hand and was ready to shoot it at her. “I’ve had enough of you! Witch and bearer of Envy!”
His palm hurtled towards her direction, the small spark spiralling like a buzzsaw and seeming unstable.
“Today’s the day I have the courage to free myself from your prison!” Tears flew out of his eyes, his palm was inches away from her hair. “Bear your deserving oblivion!”
She frowned and turned to the spark that was just about to touch her vision. “Your daughter was attacked by him...”
He stops, and the small chaos is brought to an end when he hears that. His palm almost centimetres away from her face, shaking violently, his eyes glassy, he was saddened upon hearing that.
“She’s lucky to be alive, and not only that…” She finally rises from her seat and looks at him face to face with those eyes bathed in beauty, the very same eyes though not the same colour he fell victim too. “...I also ran into—William H. Christ….”
His eyes widening, his hand dropping, as he gasps quietly.
“...The sixth, the very one told by our ancestors, and legends.”
For once, she was serious to him, meaningful, and trusting in her words. Not a single lie was told throughout the conversation. Sarah’s father shook his head and sighs deeply, diverting his eyes away from her stone cold platinum serious stare.
“It’s time we fully tell her, and prepare her for any future circumstances. Think you could do that?” She raises her pale hand to him, “Not for me, but for your dear daughter?”
With his head down, face absolutely soaked in sweat, he hesitated. So many conflicts were intertwining inside his hateful mind, but her words were definitely true. Giving it some thought for a moment, he brought his gaze back to her and saw her extended hand. He felt revolted but decided to shake her hand, the very hand he held twenty years ago, the hand that took his life away, the hand that made him into the pathetic man that he is today; Her warmth, her soft skin, everything was flowing so fast into his mind, the past, the dreaded past, for him, it was so unbearable that he let go and looked into her eyes again, with a glint.
They both stare at each other, and he breaks the silence by saying, “Anything for her, but as for you, go to hell—and rot like the evil bitch that you are.”
She softly smiles, and bows her head, walking out of the room and leaves him alone to bask in everything that just happened.
He lifts his hand again, staring at his palm that still had her lingering warmth. He drips a single tear onto it, and closes his hand, tightly. “Though you’re the very Sin of Envy and all the suffering you’ve laid upon the world and especially me…” He hugs his closed fist against his cheek, and moans in anger. “...I’ll always still love you. And never let go of your side.”
He drops his hand, and sits back down on the bed to cry deeply, all alone with his sorrow.
Sarah’s mother had made her way downstairs, walking into the living room to see if Sarah was in there either relaxing or reading their sacred texts. It was empty and she wondered where her beloved daughter could be.
“Sarah? Sweetheart, where are you?” Sarah’s mother looked around and wandered into the kitchen. “Yoo hoo, my precious creation of life? Hm… where could she be?”
Sarah’s mother crossed her arms and went to go look for her daughter. First, she looked inside her daughter's dark room, but found it empty. Second, she went into the attic and also found it vacant. She grew worried and looked at the entirety of their tiny eco-friendly home, yet despite looking thoroughly she still couldn’t find out where her daughter’s at. She stopped and felt stupid because she remembered the backyards existence.
“Duh, goodness me. Why am I like this sometimes?” Walking up to the glass door, sliding it open, she found her daughter sitting below their lovely tree that towered over their home. “There she is, my Sarah.”
Her mother stepped out but felt her daughter's emotions even if her back was turned. She sensed her in a distressed and scared mood. Her mother quickly walked to her and peaked around her face and saw her face blanched, and paler than usual.
“Sarah… What’s the matter…?” Now her mother too felt the same disruption in the air as her daughter, gazing up to the sky. “This presence… why, at a time like this?”
Sarah’s sitting down on the grass, her eyes wide open and shaking, she slowly looked over to her mother. “They’re at it again.” She lets out a single tear of fear, and almost faints until her mother quickly grabs her and stops her from falling.
“It’s okay my love, do not be afraid.” Sarah’s mother brushed her daughter's hair, trying to relax her.
Being caught into her mothers arms, Sarah finally spoke. “Mom… just who are these people, wh-why are they here, and—” She slams her hands against her face and breaks down in tears, “Why do they hate me so much…? Please, enough of keeping things from me! Tell me everything so I could better protect myself and my friends, I beg of you, please.”
Her mother comforts her more, rubbing her back. “Everything’s going to be okay now my love.”
“But, mo-mom, who are—”
Shushing her daughter and rocking her to ease all her scared and worried emotions, she caves in to her daughter's requests. “Okay, I’ll tell you everything, but first, we’re going to talk to your dad.” Hearing her mother mention her dad made her stop crying for a moment, and instead she felt nervous now.
Sarah’s emotions were all over the place, she didn’t know how to reply back to her mom. Although she lives in the same house as he does, they’ve barely spoken, let alone look each other in the eyes whenever they get the chance to. Sarah calmly relaxes herself, wiping away any leftover tears and replies to her mom with a simple yet nervous, “O-Okay.” And brings out a more worried expression, but her mother was the one who didn’t seem scathed or nervous, instead she smiles. Both stood back up, gazed at the sky one last time before going back inside, so they could finally discuss what truly is going on.
Her mother walked back in, but Sarah wanted to stay outside just for one more minute before entering. She just had to bless mother earth, and pray for her friends safety, especially for Jack’s.
***
Back at the hospital, Jack’s been conflicted about facing Angela on her bad news. An hour ago he was about to do that but something stopped him before he could open the door. His heart ached and his mind fogged up with the guilt that’s been a tremendous burden throughout his journey. Jack stopped himself and told the rest he needed to go outside for some quick air. They understood and Jack walked off and took longer than expected, which worried Candy and Eric. When he did come back he walked past them and stared at the door, and did so for five minutes. Eric and Candy watched him and waited on what he’ll do next.
It’s now or never, Jack. You can do this and bear this never ending guilt; accept your mistakes. Jack thought.
Eric and Candy both stepped forward and were ready to go inside without Jack if he decided to stay the statue he’s become. Before any of them could walk back inside, Jack put out his hand behind him, stopping them. Jack instead wanted to go inside alone. He wanted to be sure he was the one to comfort her on her horrific news.
“It’ll just be a couple of minutes, I need to ask her a few things…” Jack said, making the other two back off completely and sigh.
Jack reminds himself of the questions he forgot to ask her from that night when he rescued her from the facility three years ago. “Alone… I need us to be alone…” He muttered.
Jack ground his teeth and crushed his eyelids shut. “You're still hiding something from me, Angela.”
Eric obliges and sits down close to a nearby bench. “Aight, my guy. If it stops you from being a freak right now then so be it.”
Candy shrugs and chuckles. “Oh boo, always worried and acting strange at the most serious times.”
Jack grabs the door knob and twists, opening it. “Thanks guys.” Jack walks in and Candy walks behind to shut the door for him.
Candy deeply sighed and hung his head. “Don’t act strange Jack, she needs the comfort because she’s acting rather strange.” Candy muttered.
Jack stood in place, basking in the growing dark atmosphere. He wasn’t ready to see the look on her precious face. Was he about to walk in and witness her innocent face become a broken mirror of lost hope? Or will her gleaming eyes of blue glittered with her love and happiness might become deserts of lost nothingness? Undoubtedly, Jack knew this was about to happen the moment he walked over that corner; he thought he was ready, but now, he just couldn’t do it. His poor growing rock solid heart wasn’t ready to confront her and be the one to endure her already awful news to then be the one to wrap the final cloud over her head. Jack plays it cool, takes deep breaths, brushes his long hair with his fingers, and lastly, lets out a huge sigh.
“Let's do this Jack.” He relaxes his arms and begins to walk.
It was just a couple of steps to go around the corner, but for Jack, it felt like a long journey towards his depression. As he took those huge steps and was a foot away to get around the corner, his heart suddenly shot out. A sudden burst of pain exploded in his chest, it almost felt like his heart stopped momentarily. With a hand clutched onto his chest, he made sure he didn’t make any noises when that happened. He didn’t want to worry Angela even more. Jack regains his breathing and continues, wiping off any signs of sweat on his face, but why did this pain suddenly happen? It was bothering him, enough to make him stop for a moment and think about it to reach some sort of conclusion, but for now, he’ll let it go. Finally stepping out of the corner, revealing himself to Angela to see, but instead, he got the opposite of what he thought would be reality was only just an assumption, a depressing thought most people would realise and confront, but for Jack; he got something entirely different.
Jack stood there a bit shocked and shaken at what he was printing onto his mind because there she was, not giving off a single worry in the world.
An-Angela? Jack thought.
Angela sat silently with her window open as the skies blew whistles across her face, blowing her huge blanket of hair, and seeing unfazed whatsoever.
Jack watched her, basking in the sunlight with a soft frail smile on her precious pale face. “Why?” Jack said quietly, “Why aren’t you… broken?”
Jack was speechless now, and rather, he was growing unamused to this sight.
“Angela.” Jack shouted, but she didn’t respond. “Angela!” He said a bit louder, a cold tear drop of sweat running down his face. “ANGELA!” He yelled, finally getting a reaction out of her.
Angela makes a sudden moan sound, a moaning sound of relief, a sound in which someone would make if they were the happiest in the world.
Angela turned around as the wind continued blowing her hair, and her eyes shining as greatly as ever. “Good afternoon, brother!” She said with such a soft tone, and enough to relax the most clogged ear drums. “Lovely day we’re having, huh? Especially now that you’re here, it got even better!”
She giggled softly, and Jack still stood there, not saying a single word.
“I missed you brother, I really really missed you!” She eerily opens her arms out to welcome Jack to a warm welcoming hug, “Please, embrace me with your warmth, it’s quite cold.” She giggles again.
This sight, this creepy uncomfortable sight Jack had to endure made the young man feel afraid for his sister's mental well-being. This wasn’t what he was expecting, this was far from it. This is the worst scenario he couldn’t think of imagining, this was something he thought he would only see from his nightmares, the ones from his lost damned childhood. The only person she was reminding him of was none other than…
“Mallory.” Jack said beneath his breath, managing to confuse Angela and lower her arms. Jack’s face was beyond freaked, his eyes mildy squinted and shakened, teeth exposed, he didn’t know what to ask first.
“Angela, why?” Jacked asked again in a worried tone.
“Why what?” Angela replied with a tilt head and a calm face.
“Why are you acting like this? Shouldn’t you… be afraid? Shocked? Especially; broken with no signs of hope?!”
Angela places a finger against her chin, still seeming rather confused. “Why would I be expressing such strong emotions when there’s nothing to make me react in such a way?”
“Huh?!” Jack lowers his jaw even greater, feeling more unamused. “Did-Didn’t you get the news from the doctor though?! You know, that you’ll never—walk again!”
Jack slowly raises his hand again, clutching his chest because the pain was coming back.
“Hmm… Well, to be honest, when I heard it at first I was upset, but I quickly came to accept it and thought about something else that gave me motivation and not made me such a burden onto myself or others.”
Angela crawls closer to the other edge of her bed to get closer to Jack, even though he was still standing at that corner.
“You see brother, the reason why I’m not acting like a lost cause, crying and making everyone else feel bad for me is because…” She sits at the edge, and smiles again. “...I have you.”
The pain in Jack’s chest was rising, enough for Jack to start sweating again and begin slightly panting. “But-But… Argh!”
He begins coughing, worrying Angela She was about to ask about his well-being but he raised his hand to stop her. He didn’t want the subject to be changed.
Jack groaned and clutched her chest tighter. “How-How am I enough for you to wipe away those feelings? I was the reason why you’re permanently crippled now; Me!” He coughs again, and notices black on his hands again. “What-What’s going on with me? Mallory… What are you trying to tell me?! Damn-Damned girl!”
Angela got worried and reached her hand out to him. “Do you need a doctor broth—?”
“Don’t change the subject! Continue and answer my question, Angela, before I get more angry!”
Angela can’t help it though, watching him suffer in front of her, she just couldn’t ignore it, but Jack insisted and indicated to her that his pain was nothing by nodding.
“Okay, then I’ll finish this quickly so you can see the doctor.” Angela brings back her smile, and blinks softly. “The reason why you’re my motivation to keep going is because you saved me, Jack.”
This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
“Wh-What did you just—call me—?”
“Watching you over the years, Jack, I couldn’t help but see you more than my hero, sure you’ve changed over the years… but!”
Jack drops to a knee, and continues looking up at Angela while the pain in his chest grows dire; he wants to hear everything.
“Although people call you the scum of society, a criminal, murderer, and failure, but to me! You’re my hero, my brother… my—everything!”
Jack’s panting, his face sweating profusely as she blinks softly to her affectionate statements.
“As long as I have you by my side, in your arms! I have nothing to worry about, because, knowing that my dear brother is the one to help me whenever I’m in need and for him to carry me in his arms everyday whenever I need him; I have nothing to worry about and be, stay the happiest girl alive!”
Jack’s eyes widened, and he looked angry. “Angela… what are you trying to—?”
“The fact that the matter is… I love you, Jack Samr! And I won’t let anyone step between our close relationship.”
Hearing this pissed Jack off, enough for his eyes to explode.
Angela opens her arms out again, and expresses the most gentle smile in the world. “So long as I breathe and feel your lingering warmth by my side, I don’t care if I can’t walk ever again, heck! I wouldn’t even care if I became a vegetable, as long as you're here, I have…!”
Jack gasps, breathing even harder, shutting an eye from the pain.
Angela erotically blinks. “...Nothing to—!”
Jack grits his teeth, lowering his head in anger.
“To worry about!” Angela finishes with a giggle and triggers Jack to scream out in anger making her jump.
Angela lowered her arms again, and at first was frightened but she quickly overcame it by now humming a song with a stone face. Managing to regain his breathing, and wipe away his drenched face, Jack was feeling well all of a sudden? That pain in his chest went away also when he shouted? Jack couldn’t notice because of his anger towards Angela’s essay of love, devotion, and obsession for him. The one thing that’s pissed him off the most was the fact she didn’t mention about herself, not even once in that love letter of hers. She didn’t even bother pointing out the fact that it was his fault for her being in this state in the first place, even though Eric didn’t think so. Jack stands back on his feet, wipes the black off his hands with a nearby towel, and approaches Angela with a menacing aura of anger. Angela was too blind and lost in her thoughts to notice Jack’s angered walk coming to her, she was just humming and swinging her body side to side without an expression.
Finally reaching her, Jack stops, and reaches his angered hands forward, gently grabbing Angela’s relaxed shoulders. Angela stops her humming and asks Jack if he was ready to give her a kiss on the cheek when she put her face towards his.
Instead, Jack lowers his head, takes in a huge breath of air and groans loudly. “Are you a fucking moron?!”
Angela stops her ridiculous acting, face now all shakened, and her eyes widened. Jack’s eyes quiver furiously as he raises his head to look into those oceans of blue, gripping her shoulders and releasing his emotions out to Angela’s frightened face.
“Why?! Why are you acting this way, Angela?!” He leans closer to her face, making her gasp. “Not once, once! Did you mention yourself or blame me! You shouldn’t talk about yourself in that way, how would you feel if I talked so low about myself, huh? You probably would give me a deserving scolding, words of encouragement, and get me off my ass!”
Angela’s eyes shook and rattled in response to Jack’s heartfelt emotions.
“You’re talking and acting differently than before, you’re not the same as before, but it doesn’t matter because you don't ever, ever! Talk so low about yourself! Not only that, it-it was all my fault that you’re crippled!”
A tear came out of Angela’s left eye and Jack leaned even closer to her. She saw just how angry her brother was, his bloodshot eyes and huffing, she’s never seen him this angry towards her.
“And this talk… All this talk about love? What the hell do any of you mean by that?! Love, me?! Just what the hell is this Love? The love that not only you’ve confessed too, but others have…” Jack gasps and lets go of Angela from figuring something out in his mind, and steps back, remembering something.
Angela, who was left stunned with confusion, at first was all scared and feeling stupid, now couldn’t help but feel envy for those he just mentioned about their confessions of love. Upon hearing his last set of words made her ignore his early ranting and turn her eyes lifeless.
Angela creepily tilted her head and showed her teeth with a still face. “Oh? And who are these others… Jack?”
Jack didn’t hear what Angela just said, he was too busy remembering something that cut off their conversation.
“Hello? Anyone home?! Because if you don’t answer me in the next minute I swear I’ll….!”
Jack suddenly turns back around the moment she sounded hostile, which made Angela knit her brows.
“What’s the matter? Finally gonna give me an—?” Jack then pushes her, making her lay on the bed as he walks bedside, “Wha? What are you—?!”
Jack’s furious, he didn’t hesitate to grab one of her arms and get serious, growling too.
“Jack! My-My arm! You’re hurting me!” Angela yelped as his clutch grew tighter the more she yanked.
Angela’s voice sounded different, and too familiar for him to let go, it was so similar to what he’s heard before that he was beginning to go into a blind rage.
“Why are you calling me by my name?! And your eyes, Angela, they’re not the same as before!”
Jack was starting to grow some suspicion towards her, and expressed a vile frown. Angela whimpered as her brother got more aggressive towards her.
“So tell me, Angela?!” Jack grabs both arms and lifts her up aggressively, “Tell me about the girl in your dreams now! The one who’s made your life a living hell too… OR!”
Jack slowly leans his rabid face towards poor Angela’s frightened face. Angela loathed this face he had towards her, which made her cry. Was this the same Jack, the same self proclaimed guardian angel who saved her life that day back at the yard? Because at the moment, in her eyes, he was the same as those children, doctors, nurses who’ve done nothing but tortured her so long as she can remember her first memory. At the moment, Jack is, if not worse than all those others.
“Ja-Jack… stop…” Angela pleaded as her eyes leaked.
Jack ground his teeth and tightened his grip to max on her fragile wrists. “Is this Mallory possessing my dear sister?! Because if this is, you, Mallory… I’m not playing these games anymore!”
Angela’s eyes were flooding, and Jack stayed serious, not being fazed by her saddened scared face.
“You mentioned her back in the facility, you spoke about her in your dreams, and now!” He squints his eyes, and a glint shines in them. “You’re telling me the connection between the two of you that you’ve mentioned before… wait no, what She! mentioned before!”
There was loud knocking coming from her door. Angela cries deeply, and starts to struggle out of his grip. “Please, brother! You’re hurting me!”
Jack ignores her pleas and growls and yanks her.
“Brother… ple-please, let me go… let me go!”
Jack clutches her poor wrists to the point they might snap, and Angela’s eyes explode in anger.
“Stop, Jack, it hurts!” After screaming her lungs out in that moment, Jack finally snaps out of his mindless anger, and relazises the hurting he was ensuing on her.
Seeming regrettable of his actions, he erases those feelings of rage, and apologises his heart out towards Angela by repeatedly shaking his head, backing away and stares at his scarred palms.
“Why are you acting like this brother! Why do you… hate me?” Angela cried more and covered her face.
Hearing that word, the word ‘Hate!’ brought out a strong reaction out of Jack. He too was on the verge of breaking down because of his regrettable actions. Jack clutched his head and rushed to his sister to hug her tightly, and apologise.
Once he wrapped his arms around her, he saw his hand marks on her poor brittle wrists. “Angela! I’m sorry… I’m sorry, sorry, sorry!” He buries his head on her shoulder, “I’m just mad okay, I didn’t mean to bring it out onto you like that… I’ll leave you now, so you could talk to Eric.”
As he was about to let go of her, she immediately kept them locked together, and quickly forgave him by kissing his head.
“An-Angela…?” Jack muttered.
Angela pats his head. “I know you’ve gone through a lot, brother. I’m sorry for acting weird too, my mind is still not right from being brain dead for so long. I’m lucky to be functioning the way I am now.” She rubs his back, and softly moans. “I’m just glad I’m able to speak and hold you in my arms, so please, if you have anything else to say, tell me, I’m here for you.”
Jack didn’t like how quick she forgave him, especially how he put his hands on her. Jack bit his lip and groaned. “Okay… then answer my question.”
The two were still holding each other, Angela’s face turned back to being emotionless. “To answer your question; To be honest, brother, I don’t know who you’re talking about.”
Jack’s eyes exploded, and he crushed his face, grinding his teeth.
“Nor do I have a clue about it, I’m sorry.”
Jack expresses a broken grin, and chuckles quietly.
“I don’t recall what you said about me telling you anything crazy in that nature of a girl in my dreams, nightmares whatsoever.”
With both siblings still locked in a hug of forgiveness, Jack seemed regretful now, thinking he was wasting his warmth with her at the moment.
Jack gently let off to hide his anger. “No… no… I remember though, you-you said… but then she said—!”
Jack started mumbling erratically to himself, making Angela nervous again. He mumbled for a short time until Angela slightly pushed him off so she could wrap her arms around his neck, so the two could look into each other's eyes.
Jack looked away until Angela gently grabbed his chin to force him to look into her lifeless oceans. “But I can answer the question about love to you, the one you’re so oblivious about, and make you understand it fully.”
Jack looked sad, and averted only his eyes again.
“Brother? What’s the matter?” Angela asked in a soft pampering tone.
“Angela…” Jack said in a saddened tone, “Why do you act this way sometimes? This isn’t the first time you’ve acted this way, but—!” He closes his eyes, and bites his lip, “You can’t seem to remember anything everytime I ask you something of importance. Anything regarding the burdens you seem to carry disappears whenever I have a chance to ask you. It makes me question you even more… even enough to—”
“Regret saving me? Thinking it would’ve been best to leave me alone, back at the facility and leave me to rot and succumb to insanity instead of you during the years potentially leading up to this very moment right now?”
Jack bites his lip even harder, enough to penetrate his skin and a stream of crimson came down to his chin.
Angela saw the small river flow and stopped it from reaching his neck, wiping the blood off, and gently smiled. “It’s okay to think that way. You’ve endured so much suffrage these past years, that’s why I want to be your punching bag and body pillow.” She brings out a soft chuckle, “Come closer, like you did before.”
Jack furrowed his brows and frowned, looking nervously sad. “O-Okay…” Jack did what she said and leaned closer to her face, “...Like this?”
Angela nods. “Yes, now let me answer your question, the more important one, and that is about this love that you’re so confused about.” she said, whispering softly and gently against his eardrum.
“Angela… your voice is softer than before… it’s—”
Speaking so softly made Angela’s eyes regain life as she made Jack feel confused. “Shhh…. Let me teach you, and then we can go back to the others.” She creeps closer, and closer to Jack’s face and seems to be taking aim for his lips.
Jack then noticed about the others? Why haven’t they intervened when they both did all that screaming? “Hey… where is—?”
As Angela was about to ambush Jack with a kiss, it was interrupted by the door being kicked down by none other than Eric.
“Eric?! Why’d you do that?!” Jack says as he escapes her lock, and Angela stays frozen in place.
Eric, who seemed out of breath and afraid, quickly ran up to the two. “No-No time to-to talk, we gotta go…!” Eric pulls his gun out and cocks it, “...Now!”
Jack gasps, and pulls his gun out too. “What the hells happening Eric?!”
Gunshots erupted from the halls, and people started screaming, the hospital alarms started to go off.
Eric went to the window and looked out, spotting multiple familiar white vans pulling up. “Fuck, listen my guy, those bastards in white are back! They’ve been here all along, they were just disguised as regular people.”
Jack went over and saw the past parking everywhere to block the entrance. “No no no no… what do you we do now?”
When Eric turned to look over his shoulder, he saw Angela frozen. “Baby girl, what's the matter? Reaching for God or something?”
The chaos continues down the hall. Glass shatters, people shouted for help, many doors sound to be broken open by blunt objects.
Candy comes running inside and jumps on Eric. “Save me!”
Eric cringed and tried pushing Candy off but he held on like a spider monkey. “Yo! What the living hell, fruit cup?! You must be outta your goddamn mind to be grabbing me right now!””
“Ahhh! Why do you bastards have to bring danger everywhere you go?! Oh God, all of you are freaking maniacs!” Eric pushes him off, and Candy falls. “Oww! Can’t you just let me stay in your big yummy arms and protect me with your amazing boulder type bod for once?”
As Candy stood back on his feet, he noticed Angela in her frozen state as well. Eric wondered why she didn’t respond to his question and stayed quiet. Jack didn’t want to look back, instead keep his eyes on the enemy down below.
Candy placed his hands on his hips and whistled at Angela. “Um, yoohoo? Is lil momma okay? What, is she praying or something?!” He pointed dramatically at her, and noticed the position she was in. “Oh my! Don’t tell me, don’t tell me!” He gasps dramatically as the chaos continues in the background, “Ahem, I think this young girl is up to no good!”
Angela finally comes back to reality, and looks at everyone in a creepy uncomfortable manner, scanning them enough to make their skin crawl. “Oh! Sorry about that… I was just praying, and acting like the virgin Mary, that’s all!”
She giggles, and Eric backed up, going to Jack to ask why she’s acting strange. When he looked over the young man's shoulder, Eric saw how worried his face had turned. Candy didn’t like how Angela was acting and it made him raise an angry brow towards her.
Jack quickly brushes it off and walks up to Angela, and picks her up to carry her in his arms. She leans against his chest, and hums. “Who’s doing all the shooting then, Eric?”
Eric saw how uncomfortable Jack was with Angela in his arms, but decided to keep the change subject afloat. “Second lobby to the main, that’s where it’s all happening. We’ll go through the side emergency door and go in the car. As you saw, the bastards have every other exit blocked, so we don’t have many options.” He diverts his attention to Candy, “I guess you could stay by my side fruit loop.”
Candy stood quiet, keeping his eyes on Angela. Normally, if he heard something that generous from Eric, he would be excited and in heat. Yet, seeing and hearing how Angela’s behaving made him feel concerned and stay serious.
Candy walked next to Eric, keeping his sights locked onto Angela. “Alright, I’ll stay by your side.”
Eric and Jack were caught off guard by Candy’s serious behaviour. With the chaos and everyone’s senses on guard, and stressed out, the two at least were looking forward to a laugh from Candy. Not this time, which brought an awkward silence in the room.
Eric broke the silence by clearing his throat. “Well, let's go. Better get a move on before we become trapped dogs.”
Jack nods. “Yeah, and let's not forget that we still have those other two men to worry about.”
Eric smacked his lips. “Yeah, I already came across dude in white earlier before this. So everyone, keep an eye out and don’t drop yo guard.”
Candy sighs and proceeds to start the run out of the room. The other two raised their weapons and ran behind him, storming towards the elevator and looking at every corner/room they ran past. They reached the elevator and walked in, and the minute the doors closed, they all couldn’t help but feel a bit scared again. Jack on the other hand was worried not only for Angela, but about something else and that something was the girl in the white dress, Mallory.
The elevator music playing was catchy and mainstream at first, then it mysteriously transitioned into music of God and holiness.
Eric felt like he heard this song, the one sung by the kids. “Fucking spooky music…” he muttered.
Candy gripped his chin and heard the song before. “Hmm, I know I’ve heard this song before, but where?”
Jack didn’t like the sound, it made him frown. “Is there a mute button here?”
The music suddenly kept changing through different tones, and sang more about one's sins than God all of a sudden. Candy wanted to break the speaker, but Eric read his mind and told everyone to cover their ears. They did and he shot the speakers out, which stopped the creepy music. The speakers slowly died but tried to return, struggling to play again. Eric had enough and he felt forced to empty his whole mag into them and reload a new one.
After doing so, everyone was relieved, except for Jack who was starting to look rather weak and grew pale. “Wh-What’s going on?” he whispered.
Speaking inside his mind, he sweats, showing the world around him his weakness. Mallory, where are you? You’d normally start speaking in my broken mind and give me a hint on what’s going on, but you’re gone, so what’s the matter now, huh?! Why am I growing weak and this pain in my chest, why do you keep doing this to me!
Jack expressed his pain now, letting out huge groaning sounds, making everyone feel worried for him. Angela placed her small hand on his chest and felt how fast his heart was racing. She was about to ask why he’s in pain, but Jack looked at her and grinned to calm her down.
“I’m-I’m fine… it's-it’s nothing.” Jack said.
Angela spoke out of the most worry, and clutched his chest. “That’s not true! You had the same problems when we were speaking alone!”
Eric saw how weak Jack appeared to be and went up to his nephew. “If that’s true my guy then let me take Angela, it’ll put less strain on that heart of yours.”
Jack obliges to Eric's assistance and he carries Angela into his arms when the elevator finally stops.
Eric gave Angela a thumbs up. “Don’t worry baby girl, uncle Eric’s gonna protect you and not make you get shot like he did.” He chuckles and Angela puffs her cheeks out angrily, “I’m sorry! It was a good opportunity for a joke momma!”
Angela shook her head but grinned. “You guys are too much, honestly.”
Jack’s right eye twitched as his pain grew stronger, but he couldn’t help but bring out a smile of relief. “Tha-Thanks, Uncle.”
Jack clutches his chest, and the doors open, exposing the madness that was ensuing in the lobby. Men in white firing at Eric’s backup crew that were taking cover behind the front lobby counters and metal bench seats.
“Run!” Jack shouted and everyone took cover to something close by.
Eric ran to the closest cover to some of his boys to get an update of the horrible situation with Angela. Jack was taking cover behind the reception desk.
Jack looked over the counter and was almost shot in the head, making him duck. “Fu-Fuck; for once where’s the police?!” He began blindly shooting.
Eric commanded his boys to push forward so everyone could get the frenzy. They listened and began advancing, forcing them to slowly move out the front door one by one. It was quite insane to do such a tactic, but it was working, rather, it was working too well and not to Eric’s liking.
Eric raised an eyebrow. “They’re falling back easily, something ain't right.”
As Eric’s men continued pushing forward and shooting, Eric saw that the men in white weren’t trying to fire their guns anymore and instead they allowed them to advance and push them out the front door. After a short advancement full of shouting and a barrage of gunfire, they managed to push all of them out the lobby and back into their mysterious white vehicles.
Candy raised a fist and shouted “Victory!” and flipped a finger to them. Eric on the other hand didn’t erase his suspicion, this was more worrisome than a celebration of victory.
Eric looked over to his men and Candy. “Alright everyone, get outside and back into your cars, we’re getting out of here before the police arrive!”
Everyone listened to his command and started leaving. Eric looked around and felt the air growing heavy and hard to breath. There was an unusual pressure that made it difficult to stay still without shaking.
“What the hell’s going on? Something ain’t right, and it’s giving me deja vu vibes all over again.” He gasps a little, and recognizes a similar situation. “Like that… man!”
Eric panicked and quickly turned around to tell Jack, but saw the elevator door open, and out came the man in the elegant robe.
Eric’s eyes exploded and Angela saw just how frightened her uncle was. “Er-Eric—”
“Jack! Get out of there!” Eric tried aiming his gun, but instead, he was being forced to leave through the front door by an unknown force, which made Angela panic as well. “Wha-What’s happening?! I’m-Im being pushed by something!”
Candy also appeared beside Eric, being pushed by the unknown force too. “What the hell’s going on?! Why’s this happening!” Candy shouted, he too saw the man in the robe but also spotted Jack hung over the desk on the verge of passing out. “Jack, get up!”
Both Candy and Eric were almost pushed out. Candy glanced at Angela but she mysteriously passed out? It angered Candy, which forced him to reach for her by fighting the unknown force.
No matter how hard he tried, Candy couldn’t out strength the unknown pressure. “Angela! Why are you out cold?!” Candy grit his teeth and knit his brows. “Say something to get your brother to get off his ass and give him strength to get to us!”
Candy screamed for Jack to wake up, reaching his hand out in his direction. Eric couldn’t bear it either, also joining in with Candy. Both men were shot out the hospital doors and fell alongside Angela. The doors slam shut, everything quiet downed and both men got up in a frenzy. The moment they were freed from the supernatural occurrence, the first thing Eric did was run to the door and try kicking it down, but when he did it felt like he was pushing against a brick wall.
“Fuck all!” Eric yelled furiously, “Goddamn it!”
Just when the situation was growing worse, he also saw that neither of them could see the inside of the hospital lobby. It had been smeared by a mysterious thick white fog. Candy made sure to check on Angela to see if she was hurt. She was fine but remained mysteriously unconscious.
“What the fuck man, what the actual fuck!” Eric grasps his head with one of his hands very angrily, and paces back and forth to come up with a plan to rescue Jack.
Candy grabbed a nearby rock and threw it against the glass, but that didn’t do anything either. “What on earths going on, Eric?!”
Eric continued growling and pacing while Candy tried thinking of a plan. Thankfully he quickly came up with something, and ran up to Eric.
He surprised Eric by gripping his shirt and looking serious into his eyes. “You go find another way inside, I’ll take Angela back to the car!” Candy’s tone changed, and his voice turned deeper. “We’re not leaving him behind like that! Understand that, this isn’t over, regardless of how lost I am and whatever's happening—we’re getting Jack back!”
For once Candy spoke correctly, seriously, and looked angry, enough for Eric to take it seriously for the first time since meeting him. Eric stood there, blinking his eyes rapidly, Candy felt like time was being wasted, and pulled him closer.
“Go Eric!” Candy shouted and pushed him away.
It was enough to catch Eric off guard, and return a smile of confidence. “Alright, take care of Angela, and here are the keys. Wish me luck!” Eric and Candy nod.
Eric ran off, and his target was to go around the building and go through the emergency doors. Candy glanced at him then brought his eyes to the doors. “If there really is a God, so help us…” Candy walked back to Angela, picked her up and carried her to the parking lot.
The man in the robe stood near the elevator door, his arms crossed behind his back, and eyeing Jack. “That should’ve done it, sorry sir William, but it’s much easier to force them out instead of their way.” He lets out a chuckle, and walks forward.
Archard heard and sensed Jack in pain, and saw black drip on the ground in front of him from what appeared to be out from his mouth.
“Hmm? Seems you might need some assistance.” He walks behind Jack, and places his hand on his back, “Hmm, looks like the thing inside you doesn’t like our presence so much, enough for it to hide and let you rot from the inside out.” He brings out a nasty unholy grin, “Don’t worry, I’ll fix you up so you can have a proper meeting with Sir William. You’re already vulgar enough, it’s the least I can do for you, poor bastard.”
Archards hand slightly glows, and it heals Jack of his chest pain and makes him scream out in agony and tip forward.
Jack fell face first, and felt his back burning horrendously. “What the—fuck!”
He rubbed his burning back as he stood back up, and saw everyone, even all the damage that was created before he blacked out suddenly was all fixed.
“What’s going on, why’s everything so—?”
“Normal you say?” Archard said.
Once Jack heard his voice, he immediately turned around and freaked out.
“What? Is that a proper way of thanking the person that healed you and made you holy enough to properly meet Sir William?” Archard takes a step forward, and Jack books it! “That’s it boy! Run, run like your miserable life depends on it!”
Archard chuckles, and he walks back into the elevator as Jack runs up to the entrance door which slowly, very slowly starts to open up for him.
Jack’s panicking like mad, and doesn’t understand the current situation he’s in, especially the door that’s weirdly taking forever to slide open.
“Hurry up!” Jack dug his fingers between the doors to force it, and hopefully to open it faster, but it was a wasted effort because it felt as if he were pushing two walls away. “Angela, Eric, Candy, where did you go?!”
Even as he’s doing all this work, freaking out and such, he was starting to hear church bells go off outside. Children hauntingly chanting from out of thin air to join in the holy tortured that scrapped against the young mans ear drums. Their voices of God were in and outside of the building, echoing and bouncing off of everything. Jack covered his ears to block out the torture of God.
“No-No… NO!” As this was driving Jack to total madness, the door finally slid open, and he ran.
The moment Jack laid foot outside, his eyes were flashed by the sun. He covers his eyes, protecting them from the intensity, and at first, everything went dark, he saw different swirling colours, ones you’d see by looking too much at the giant sphere of life. Once Jack could regain his vision and as he lowered his arm; what he saw in front of him was not the outside, the streets of Detroit, or reality whatsoever. Jack was in a completely new world of pure white.
“Wh-What happened?” Jack said, staying frozen in place.
Jack was in an environment surrounded by clouds of the purest white, skies mildly grey and spooky looking, and the ground beneath him was the pinnacle of fogginess and chill inducing. He felt like he was floating, but it was still a solid surface. The clouds and fog slowly drifted from every direction, and the air felt heavy and so crystal clear he’s never inhaled such purity in his life. Jack was so dumbfounded by this, at a loss for words, completely astonished and spooked out of his mind. He frantically looks everywhere to figure out where he’s out or at the very least try to puzzle everything together and see what’s really going on. Yet Jack couldn’t do any of these things because this was too much for him to comprehend, the situation he was in was so baffling that it brought out a sudden chuckle, one which someone would let out in a manic panicked state.
“Wh-Why’s this happened all of a sudden?!” Jack loses his cool, and he begins to frantically yell.
The young man clutched his head and his body shook. His own yelling echoed throughout the never ending reality of nothingness. His own voice sounded hollow, miserable, and sad. This was enough for Jack to bring up the question of death again. He dropped to his knees and laughed.
“Is-Is… is this purgatory?! I fucking hope so!” Jack laughed and then coughed out black. “Fuck!”
Then someone spoke from out of the distance, startling him. “What a silly question you’ve asked yourself my dear Jacqueline!”
A strong english voice erupted the chamber of white and grey madness, making Jack lose his mind even further. “Calm down there, chap! No need to go all insane you silly rascal, but! It’s not so silly to ask such curiosity, isn’t it, dear boy?”
Jack tried to figure out where the voice was coming from, but all he saw was the same shapes and colours he first saw.
“Where you are is not of the importance, but rather… How well can you keep your sanity under control? So please, allow me to answer all those burdens you have carried on your poor broad shoulders!”
Suddenly, in front of Jack, a couple of metres away, a violent storm was approaching and swirling clouds erupting like magma coming from the ground of fog.
Jack covers his face from the intensity and powerful winds that felt like continuous whipping. The young man screams. It was like being in front of a supercell if not worse.
“Stop this madness! Stop it!” Jack felt his skin blistering and the winds were changing temperatures.
The storm grew stronger, grew colder, hotter, and the clouds puffed out and exploded out in front of him, flowing past his feet and feeling like they were freezing them in place. When the chaos was at its peak, it finally died down, and total calmness swept in. Jack groaned, moaned, growled, and lowered his arms, and watched as the clouds drifted aside to expose a path that led to a mountain of stormy clouds. They were of white and grey that reached up into the skies of rainy depression.
Someone’s chuckles echoed in the dimension of white. “Walk forward, dear child. Confront the creator of this madness and face your fears.”
“I-I can’t… This-This is… too much.” Jack refused, and began walking backwards with a horrified face, but as he turned around, the same path was there also. “HUH?!”
He turned to the right, it was there too. And the left, from every corner around.
The voice got impatient and sighed. “We don’t have much time, you bellend. You can do this, come on.”
Jack finally gave in to his command and mustered whatever courage he had left in him. “Okay… I’ll-I’ll walk the path. Just please, no more… I’m tired of all this, of—everything supernatural.”
Jack dragged one of his hands across his face and took big steps, and cautiously walked the path created by the being talking to him.
“Good, Jack, this way you’ll finally meet me properly, and we can have a nice chat, old fellow.”
Jack continues to walk the white path created by the voice taunting him. The young man grew more nervous, trembling intensely and was on the verge of having another breakdown.
“Almost there, just a little more, Jacqueline!” They said.
Jack continues, his body feeling more heavy, and ready to drop to his knees like it was ready to worship a God. Then, he was forcibly stopped by an unknown force.
He couldn’t move a single muscle now, and was forced to take a knee, and bow before someone. “Wh-what?! Huh?!”
“Welcome… Dear Jack.” The man’s voice changed to a very serious yet joyful tone.
The mountain of clouds in front of Jack watered down onto Jack’s feet, and from behind the clouds a light of holy white erupted out from behind them, piercing the skies and purifying the horrid clouds to rain enchanted specs of white. The mountainous sea of clouds swept aside, the fog from the ground waters down back into the ground. And from the last embers of white, rising from behind the clouds and out the ground, out came a figure of a man. It was like watching God himself reveal his true form to Jack. But instead, as everything simmered down, the only person revealing himself to Jack was that of a man in a holy tux of white, hair as blonde as gold, some gold curvy prints over his tux, and a cane made of the purest gold. He slowly rises off the clouds, both hands on the cane, and now, Jack finally could see the man behind this unusual experience and occurrences. It was the man he bumped into a couple of days ago, the one who made his body freak out and not only his body, but made Mallory cower in fear. Jack couldn’t help but feel amazed by the man’s presence, it truly was like being in front of a God.
Jack’s eyes rattled with every bit of fear he was expressing, he let out a huge gasp, and out of those scared eyes came out a single tear. A tear from not sadness, happiness, but a tear from being so afraid. The man raises his head, revealing his golden eyes of the purest hazel, and smiles gently at Jack as he locks his eyes on him who was still on a knee.
He blinks softly, raises one hand against his chest and says his name to Jack, and his name was, “Greetings Jack, I am William H. Christ…!”
He swirls his cane around him, and taps it on the mist he was standing on, evaporating away all the grey that was in this dimension of nothing. Everything was now a hazy white.
“...The sixth! The sixth you might ask? Well…!” He bows as he stares down Jack with those calm yet scary eyes of holiness. “That’s how many centuries I’ve been alive, dear Jack.” He reaches his hand out towards Jack’s vision, and the light behind him grows. “It’s a grand pleasure to finally meet you Jack, it’s truly a blessing and at long last, my own self proclaimed prophecy told to me by a dear friend, my dear boy.”
Winds regained their intensity, blowing white all around Jack as he’s left stunned with the pinnacle of fear and amazement coming from William. He turned his smile upside down, and gave Jack a vile look. A look in which you would give to someone who’s a complete utter failure of his own actions, a waste of life, but more importantly, a damned sinner.