We did end up seeing that movie. Alice wanted to see some romance comedy. What was it called?....... “There’s something about Mary” I didn’t hate it. Actually, I really enjoyed the movie.
It was pretty late and we’d just gotten off the bus. The closest we could get was about ten blocks away. Alice was tired and yawning at my side.
The area we were strolling through was mostly composed of shops. As time went on, the town seemed to be slowly turning into a city.
It was still considered small, so just about everything was closed now. Aside from a few of the more adult oriented joints.
Such as the local bar my dad would visit frequently, or the strip club deeper in town…. That…. my dad…. Would visit frequently.
My thoughts were interrupted by Alice's sleepy voice. “Hey Izzy” she let out a cat-like yawn.
“Yeah” I could feel her snuggling up to my left shoulder, like she was trying to use me as a body pillow.
“Do you want to spend the night at my place? I don’t wanna be alone. My parents are out of town right now. They left this morning.” She nuzzled her cheek against me.
The thought “Wow! Girls are REALLY soft!” made its way through my… other……. head. I ignored my primal instinct. It’ll go away eventually.
For the time being I walked a little slouched, and with my hand in my pocket. No particular reason.
“I don’t know… if I don’t go home mom might get mad.” Mom hasn’t gone psycho for a while. It felt long over due.
I wasn’t sure what might tick her off, but if she gets to angry then she might try something regardless of Alice’s façade.
“Oh, I see.” She sounded disappointed. “I just didn’t want to be alone tonight… I don’t like being alone. I’m always alone.” She was really trying to guilt me into spending the night.
Wasn’t it usually the guy that’s supposed to do that? Should I try to stay with her instead? I was so tired though.
Not to mention she was starting to annoy me. It’s not like I didn’t like her anymore. Its just I need time to myself. She’s always around day and night.
She sighed. I didn’t react. She sighed again this time a little louder. I tried to ignore her but then she dug her nails into my arm and sighed even louder. Her hint was so obvious she might as well have just said it out loud.
I gave in. “Okay, okay! I’ll stay the night, but I don’t want to share a bed.” She shifted next to me and I could tell she was flustered.
A moment later she voiced her thoughts. “Who said anything about sleeping in the same bed? You can sleep on the floor.” It looked like I was the one messing with her now.
“Nah, I’ll sleep on the couch then.” This also didn’t sit well with her.
“Izzy no! You have to sleep in my room otherwise what’s the point.” It appeared my fake girlfriend was very needy. I never thought I’d be in a relationship like this. Even if it is fake.
I don’t get it. She’s my friend but she’s really clingy. It’s like the reverse of a friend with benefits, as in a girlfriend without benefits.
“You don’t want to be alone. I can understand that.” When did Alice become so attached?
It was probably a result from being bullied by everyone. I was the only person in her life that didn’t mistreat her.
Wait, was I taking advantage of an emotionally damaged person? Hmmm… you could say the same about her.
I'm also emotionally damaged. Possibly even more than she is. Yeah, but I was also a dude so…… my pain didn't really matter.
“Hey, Alice.” I called to her.
Her voice was like the whispers of a child about to fall asleep. “Yeah.”
“What am I to you?” The question seemed to hang in the air for a second like a wet fart.
“Don’t be insecure! You’re my Izzy. My friend.” Her friend. How could anyone be mad at that.
If she’d of said something strange like “my hero” or “my savior” then I would of ended it there and then but…. Being just friends was okay.
My concern was simple. I didn't want our relationship to be held together by a life debt. Instead it was two people backed into similar corners.
Without conflict Alice and I would of never gotten along. She could of easily become my bully.
Maybe we were closer than friends…. Honestly, friends just seemed like the most accurate way to describe our strange relationship.
Who knew someone like me could ever become friends with someone like her. I guess the only way someone like me can get a sports car is if it’s used…. That’s an ugly way to think of it. Forget the metaphor.
I didn’t get to finished that thought. My body lurched forward as I felt something hit the back of my head. There was this flash of light and I lost all since of balance.
Whatever it was, it was enough to knock me down. All I can remember was the sound of Alice screaming, and the darkness of the night coming to claim my sight.
Alice
It happened so fast! I wasn’t sure what was going on! Izzy was hit! He fell and landed on his face. I felt something warm splatter against me.
It was his blood.
A bloody bat gleamed under the soft moonlight. He was tall. Taller than both Izzy and I. I knew him. In fact I hadn’t seen him in what felt like forever.
How come out of all the people in this town, he’s the one that shows up. Not Tiffany and the squad.
Not Darrick and the boizz. Not Whitney and that part time cook. Hell, Izzy’s mother would have been more welcomed.
No, this was no one other than Jack the bean stock. The guy I’ve been ignoring for like a month. Of all the days he could of come after me. Why tonight?
Izzy was laid out on the ground. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone sleep so soundly. He couldn’t be dead. No way.
Not Izzy! Not the guy that jumped out that window! Not the guy that threw that plate! Not the guy that had taken a beating from his mother just about every day of his life!
He was messing with me, right? Izzy doesn’t get knocked down. Izzy’s the one that knocks people down.
Izzy has survived so much worse how could he go down just like that? This wasn’t real.
That wasn’t possible! “Izzy get up!” I felt a tear run down the side of my face. “Your joking right?” my voice quivered. Izzy wasn’t moving.
Jack spoke up. “Oh, that guy? Yeah he’s dead. There’s no way he isn’t. I hit him in the back of the head. Home run and all that jazz.” He swung his bat as if to show off his form.
blood lashed out wetting the asphalt. His smile sent shivers down my spine. This person was deranged.
I looked to Izzy. “Izzy! Wake up!” he was unresponsive. I rushed to his side and got on my knees.
“Izzy please! Wake up you dummy!” I tried to shake him as makeup coated tears flung themselves from my cheeks. He wouldn’t respond.
I checked his breath. He wasn’t breathing! I checked his pulse. There was a heart beat!
Rolling him over I tried CPR pressing down on his sternum. I even tried breathing down his throat. I needed to keep oxygen flowing to his brain.
I could hear laughter as I blew air down Izzy’s throat. It was that asshole. “Shut up! This isn’t funny call an ambulance!”
He yelled back “Shut the hell up or I’ll bash your brains in to!” his bat hit the ground creating sparks startling me. “Tell ya what, how about you blow me for it.” He ended with a laugh.
I pulled my phone out and was about to dial when jack used his bat to knock it out of my hands. “aaah!” my fingers flared up in pain. Something was definitely broken.
He spotted the phone and smashed it with a single strike. “if you scream I’ll just have to smash your head in and then both of you will die, but if you give me what’s rightfully mine. I’ll let you call that ambulance and maybe you can save your client” he held his bat like he was ready to hit me again.
“Client?” it slipped off my tongue.
“Don’t play dumb with me! I know all about you. You go around selling your pussy to the school. I don’t understand why you didn’t put me on your list, but that’s okay. You can do it now.”
This guy was insane. “I don’t have clients! I don’t know what your talking about! I’m calling the cops!” the guys eye seemed to twitch.
“Oh sure call the cops and tell them how you’ve been selling your body to every student in school! I’m pretty sure prostitution is illegal!” Where was he getting all this from.
I remember Jack being a nice person. What happened to him? Where the hell was he getting these delusions?
Jack looked like he was about to bring his bat down on my head. I held my hand up trying to protect myself.
“Come on have sex with me and I’ll let you go, if not I’ll bash your head in for all the shit you put me through!” He rested the bat on his shoulder.
I looked around. There wasn’t much around here. It was mostly businesses. At this hour they were all closed.
There wasn’t even anyone walking around. Did he plan this? I wish I didn’t live in such a small town.
Through tears I nodded my head. He smiled. I don’t care what I have to do. I need to save Izzy. I can’t let him die. Izzy is everything to me.
Isaac
Darkness
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
My head was hurting. My body felt like it was made of lead. I couldn’t move or say a word. This was like that dream I kept having where that thing crawls over my body.
That dam centipede. Surely enough I felt it. On my leg slowly making its way up. It’s needle-like appendages stabbing into me as it crawled.
I couldn’t do a thing. It inched its way up to my ear and whispered to me as it’s legs dug deep inside me.
“Isaac…. Your broken….. it’s okay…. I can fix you…. All you have to do…… is let…. Me…. Feeeeeeeeeed…..” It’s words were absolutely repulsive.
Like nails being driven through the fingernails of a screaming child. I tried my best to ignore it.
The sound of Alice crying was all I could hear. That guy. That asshole was planning to do something to her. I have to get up!
The centipede looked off in their direction laughing. “I seee…… that girl…. You wish to save her?” it adjusted its legs digging itself deeper.
“If you’d liiiiike…. I can help you….. but only…… if you let….. me…. feeeeeeed…. Just one soul and I’ll leave you aloooone….” What the hell!
What was this thing talking about!? It’s not real!? It’s only a nightmare! It can't actually do anything! I need to stand up!
I tried to move my body, but it wasn’t working. No matter how hard I tried I couldn’t get up! I have to! I have to! Come on!
It was as if there was something holding me down. I did get hit pretty hard. Maybe it was the centipede holding me here. Like some kind of paralysis demon.
“You are a fooooool….. do you reeeally think….. this paralysis is a result of mee ee e…. Your body is broken…… you cannot save anyone….. useless…… This is something only I can fixxxx…… now let me fixxx it…. Let… me… FEEeeEeed….” Since when did this thing talk.
There was nothing I could do. I had to give in.
I don’t care! Save Alice! Can you do that!?
It responded almost in a hiss. “I can do that…. Do you accept the terrrrms…… One soul for that mortal girls liiiife….. deal?”
I did not hesitate.
DEAL!!
It’s body wrapped itself around me and I felt it’s toxic needle-like legs dig into me. It hurt like hell.
Shortly after, my body was afflicted by an itching sensation. Like being bitten by a million mosquitos.
That did not last long as cold numbness began to spread. I felt my body rise in a way that reminded me of a vampire waking from its coffin.
It was as if I was a puppet and someone had lifted me by my strings. My body. I couldn’t feel it. Was I moving it or was it the centipede doing it?
Either way it was absolutely disgusting. I felt violated. Like the fucking bug was using me like a condom.
That wasn’t important. What was important was Alice. All the pain I felt before was gone. All that was left was pure anger.
I felt so much of it festering inside me. It was like a cold flame burning through my veins.
My body moved on its own making it’s way over to that asshole with his fucking pants down.
He still hadn’t managed to do anything. The poor sap was having performance issues.
“Shit! Hang on give me a minute. I swear this is the first time it’s ever done this!” He seemed to be flapping it with his back turned to Alice, ass cheeks fully on display.
As if letting her see its shriveled up form would somehow make him look less of a man.
If dad was here he would have wrapped a chain around his neck and used his Harley to dragged this guy halfway across town.
Alice cried big wet tears. Though to my surprise they were not those of someone about to be humiliated, but those of someone who was stricken with worry.
Through tears, she kept mumbling my name. It only served to fuel my rage. I could feel it bubbling inside me like an angry beast.
I tried to speak but it came out as a grunt. The guy turned my way in shock. Alice did to.
The look on their faces. I must of looked like the walking dead. A real live zombie.
Hope flashed behind Alice’s eyes. “Izzy!” She almost fell over trying to run to my side.
That asshole stepped forward pushing her to the ground. She fell to the floor crying.
He then glared at me like I’d done something wrong. “You shit! Cant you wait your turn! You can’t hog her all to yourself!” He came at me with his stupid bat.
I held my arm out as he took a swing at my head. It slammed into my palm. My hand tightened around it. For a moment I swear I could feel the aluminum creak under my grip.
I could feel the centipede strengthening my arm. In fact it also was responsible for catching the bat. It was as if my paralysis demon was guiding my hand.
His eyes widened in fear. “What the fuck! Let go!” He tried to pull the bat away but was having trouble. With little effort I managed to rip the bat out of his hands.
The bat spun in my palm like a propeller until I was the one holding the handle. The blood on it splattered on the walls and asphalt.
“Hey man don’t!” He held his hand up in an attempt to protect his face.
The centipede took over and I was totally okay with that. Both our goals aligned and our minds were in perfect sync as I hit him with the bat crushing his arm.
That asshole cried out in pain pulling his arm away. It felt so good. He tried to back away but I hit him again.
This time on the other arm near the shoulder. The crunch of bone breaking was music to my ears.
Now immobilized I hit him again and again but these swings had less power in them. I made sure not to strike his head.
Instead I focused on his body. The swings were heavy enough to inflict pain but not enough to break him. I wanted him to hurt.
Hurt like how mom made me hurt. Hurt like how Alice was hurting. I was going to pay him back a hundred times over. Death by a thousand bludgeons!
“pwees stwo” he cried unable to make words anymore as he coward on the ground.
“Mercy! Fuck that you almost killed me and what about Alice!?” The next one went for his head.
He went down. I kept hitting him. Putting more and more strength into my swings. The sound of meat being squashed resounded in the alley.
By the end all I could do was continue to bash his head in.
The guys head looked like a squashed watermelon. When I finally got a look at Alice’s face all I could see was horror. It was directed at me. I dropped the bat and looked at the blood all over my hands.
“What… the hell… I didn’t… Alice….” My wet eyes met hers. My eyes went wide as her fear became mine.
“No… don’t look at me like that! I’m not crazy! He! He tried to kill me! He almost made you…” somehow my words did something.
Her fear changed to pity.
The blood and gore at my feet. On my clothes. It all finally clicked. The centipede collecting its meal vanished and I started to feel….. everything. I vomited immediately.
This wasn’t right. This was All wrong. I don’t kill people! I don’t do this! Why in hell would I do this!
All I had to do was hit him once. Why didn’t I stop!?
I couldn’t….
All that anger and pain. It all swelled inside me and I couldn’t stop. I didn't want to stop. There was so much there.
More than just what he did to us. Anger from before. It all came to the surface. I didn’t even know it was there.
I leaned against a wall then slid down onto my butt. There was one more thing I needed to do. I pulled my phone out and called officer Davidson.
The phone rang a few times. Alice wouldn’t look at me anymore. He finally answered.
I felt tears run down my face as I said “Hey, uncle Todd….. I killed someone.”
As if saying it made it real I lost control and started crying even harder. I guess Alice wasn’t to upset because somewhat hesitantly, she came to comfort me.
I felt her arms around me as I told my uncle where I was.
Alice
It’s been about a month since Izzy….. killed Jack. I still don’t know how I feel about it. Jack was an asshole, but I don’t think he deserved death.
Hear me out. The majority of people would say yes, but I felt a bit different about it.
What I do know is that he deserved to at least go on trial first. That’s why we have them.
Since I was a kid, dad has always talked about the justice system. He says that it doesn’t matter how many people you kill.
You deserve a trial. That’s just how I was raised.
It was about two weeks before Izzy and I started talking again. There's a bit of distance between us, but we're slowly getting closer again.
Izzy says he was really angry when it happened. He says he wanted so badly to save me. Apparently he heard everything Jack said but he couldn’t move.
The doctors got a look at his head. They have no idea what happened to him. From the looks of it, the bat only knocked him out for a bit.
That seemed unbelievable to me. I was sure he had died. There was so much force behind that blow.
There’s no way it didn’t at least crack his skull. There was so much blood. They found Izzy’s blood mixed in with Jack's, but the weird part is….
Izzy… he didn't have a wound. That was impossible. I know I saw him bleed! I know it! It's insane…. I'm insane. Am I… insane?
Izzy knows something but he won't tell me. Maybe someday he'll feel comfortable talking about it, but for now it was a mystery.
The other thing that happened was Izzy’s secret got out. One look at Izzy’s body told everyone at the hospital what was going on.
Nothing happened.
They questioned him, his mom, his brother and sister, but everything is the same.
I don't get it. Why didn't they take him away. Even Izzy doesn’t know. He said the church got involved.
I never realized how much power is in the church. What was it called again? Church of the true cross. Izzy’s mom is somehow connected to it.
I couldn’t believe it. Even when everyone knew no one did a thing. I couldn’t even help Izzy anymore. I hate this fucking world.
I guess…. Its not all bad. Izzy should of died that night. I don’t know what to think. Some people called it a miracle from god. Others say Izzy is the devil for what he did to jack. I’m just happy he’s okay.
He was the only good in my life and I hate seeing him hurt.
After I showed the cops all the texts and voice mails Jack sent me. They pretty much got the message.
What Izzy did may have been over kill, but the guy basically tried to kill him, and tried to force himself on me. The cops had very little sympathy for Jack.
People have also been saying all kinds of things about him. I know he did something awful but he was also once my friend.
The Jack I knew was kind and funny. He was like a gentle giant. How did he change so much? Was he always like that?
I went to his funeral. It didn't go well. His mom got so mad. She basically ran me out of the cemetery.
Still, I went back and put flowers on the grave. Not for Jack the asshole but for Jack the bean stock.
Every now and then I see his blood on Izzy. Its strange. I blink and then it’s gone. Izzy seemed to be really upset about what he did. I’m glad he feels something. It means he’s not a monster like everyone says he is.
Izzy’s cut back on the vengeance thing. I got bullied again and this time instead of fighting he just stood there and took hits.
Most people know not to mess with me anymore since they know Isaac the killer is my boyfriend.
I was upset to but at the same time I’m happy that Izzy is alive. Life is shit. You have to find the diamonds in each terd that’s handed to you and for me that diamond is Izzy.
I feel like without him I’d have nothing to hold on to. It would be like before. I’d just continue to spiral out of control until I hit rock bottom.
I no longer smoke. I don’t have to anymore. Though it did take a bit before I could stop. Turns out there actually pretty addictive.
I can even run for longer now. I’m not at the level I was when I was in track, but I’m getting there. I started to run every morning.
I believe I quit smoking a week after Izzy jumped from that window. That was because I thought the smell was what made Izzy run away from me.
I hope I provide the same level of comfort and stability to him as he dose for me.
Present day
“So then what happened!” Shadow took hold of my shoulders and shook me.
I got a little dizzy. “Hey! Haven’t you ever heard never shake children!” I backed away from her.
“Shadow don’t break her neck! Wait till she finishes the story!” said Luca taking out a handful of popcorn and stuffing it into her mouth.
Apparently she made a bunch of it and stuffed it in her inventory. Since time didn’t move In there the popcorn was still fresh and warm.
“Well not long after that Izzy’s mom decided she didn’t want us dating anymore and she tried to take Izzy to some religious training camp…” What was their name again? That whacko cult.
“Uh anyway…. I don’t know what the camp was about…. Point is. She died on the way there. She fell down some stairs. Izzy says he doesn’t remember what happened. He says he blinked and she was on the floor.” I’ve always wondered if it was an alter that took over for him.
I didn’t get to finish that thought as a pillar of darkness erupted from a few blocks over. Right where we knew Izzy to be.
Oh poo, I didn’t even get to the part about Centa or the mental hospital. That’ll just have to wait.
Shadow sprung into action drawing her knife and jumping in front of me. I was a bit surprised. Why was she protecting me? I thought she didn’t like me.
I know a bully when I see one. I felt a gust of wind almost carry me off, so I wrapped my arms around Shadow’s leg to keep myself grounded.
I managed to take a peak and what I saw was insane. There were these giant black bug-like serpents, expanding in every direction.
I don’t know how to explain it. It was like the giant version of snakes in a can. Only these weren’t snakes! Their body’s had sleek black spikes coming out of them.
It looked like hundreds. Thousands! No billions of sharp leg-like needles covered their bodies like giant millipedes!
The millipedes expanded like solar flares. Enormous arching bodies stretched across the city. They tore through buildings and people alike! Leaving behind rubble, blood, and destruction in their wake!
One of which was coming right for us! I jumped left, Shadow went right. Luca… I wasn’t sure where she went but she was gone.
The giant mass separated me from them. It was closing in on me like a game of snake.
I ran on top of the roof tops, but it broke not just the building I was standing on, but all the ones on this side of the road.
I kept jumping and running. It looked like I was keeping away from it. Eventually it came to a stop. I tried to catch my breath but I was panicking.
“What the hell is that thing!?” There were so many of them. They took up most of the sky and the land.
You couldn’t go anywhere without trying to cross over their massive bodies. I was trapped.
That’s when I realized. This wasn’t the attack of multiple millipedes. This wasn’t a millipede to begin with.
It was a giant centipede and if it’s name tag was accurate we were so fucked.
RAID BOSS: DEMON CENTIPEDE (Squirmy)
BOSS RANK: 3
LEVEL: ???
That was no good! How could something like this even happen!
“Hi there Alice in slutland.” The voice came from beside me. It was a girl. Her name tag was buffering. I’ve never seen that before.
Her hair was styled in a bob. Strands so dark it was as if light could not escape it. There were these red horns coming out of her head.
What really drew my attention was those glowing ruby eyes and the red hearts imprinted over her iris’s.
She was around my height. Dressed in a black and red dress. She held a black short sword. One look at her and I knew she was a demon.
The girl smiled from ear to ear. The name tag over her head finally finished loading. It read. “Squirmy”
Squirmy? Really?
“Izzy?” I called to her.
She giggled like a little girl. “No, silly! That fool is long gone. All that’s left is Squirmy.”
I don’t remember that alter. Where was Centa?