PART 2 - CHAPTER 9: An Old Friend Returns

Strapped down with rusted chains of defilement Jack struggled against the wooden chair that reeked of the vile stench from the Dark Ages. A single candle provided dismal light within the darkness that engulfed him, yet it gave off enough light for him to see his friends and family standing in front of him. His mouth drooled of black while the look of confusion and haziness gleamed off his face. The pulsating rhythm of his exposed heart echoed into the never-ending darkness. Both his parents had cracked eyes and black goo trickling out from their mouths. They both pointed at him, their hands wavering in the bleak atmosphere of depression.

Jack lifted his head and stared at the people he still loved. They looked at him with disgust, which made Jack groan out of horror.

“Why Jack?! Why did you let us die?!” his parents shouted in unison, the black liquid in their mouths squirting on his face.

Jack tried breaking free from the chains by rattling them like crazy. He tried to stand up out of his will to confront his dead parents face to face, but the bonds were far too strong. “Mom… Dad… I didn’t… I didn’t let you!”

Continuing with his futile attempt, Jack thrashed himself within the confines of the chair, tossing himself every which way, trying so hard to break free from his chained prison. He was wrapped up in guilt, but he fell along with the chair to his side and stayed there all motionless and broken. “I couldn’t do anything… I was just a kid. I didn’t let you die.”

Veronica stepped forward. Her eyes were gouged out with disgusting black substance leaking out too. She slowly lifted a finger and laughed at him. “You’re a disgrace. I hope you rot, you sick bastard.”

“Veronica… No. No… Stop!” Jack shouted. He tried to close his eyes, but something kept them open.

Sarah rose from the darkened ground like a zombie and threw a knife at Jack’s arm, penetrating his flesh and making him scream. “I hope we never meet again, you worthless pile of filth…”

Jack bled out black. He ground his teeth out of frustration. “Sarah, not you too…”

The insanity was overwhelming. Jack was just laying there, wriggling, and listening to his closest friends calling him such awful names. It made him feel that it was nothing but the truth, a truth he knew for so long, but no one had the courage to tell him directly to his face of the monster he’d become.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry!”

Jack wiggled intensely on the floor. The chains started tightening more around his body, driving him to finally snap and slam his head on the ground. He kept slamming it repeatedly until he saw Anna, who actually seemed normal, walking towards him with a distraught look on her face.

“Anna… Help me, please!” Blood poured out his head and trickled down his face.

Everyone else behind Anna dissolved into black liquid. The wicked black substance gathered unto itself and climbed upwards, slowly forming into the girl with the white dress. Anna stopped a couple of inches in front of Jack looking so worried and afraid. The girl in white walked behind Anna, caressing her hand over Anna’s jaw and forcing Anna to look at her smoky face.

Anna whimpered, making Jack feel furious towards the girl. “No no! Please, leave Anna alone, I beg of you!”

She only giggled and looked at him for a second, then Anna’s chest thrusted forward a bit, which brought her whimpering to a stop. Jack was confused until he saw the girl’s hand explode through her chest. Blood splashed all over Jack, coating him with Anna’s warmth. He screamed out of immense fury then snarled at the girl. Using all his might, he kept trying to break free from the damned chains.

She laughed and slowly retracted her hand to Anna’s exposed heart, then grabbed it out of her chest and pushed aside her lifeless body. “You’re mine, but only to control your actions of the past and subdue your desires, Anna.”

“Anna, no!” Jack growled like mad. His eyes were bloodshot and his teeth were grinding furiously. A crack trickled through some of the chains, which surprised the girl.

She snapped her fingers and made Anna’s body dissolve into blackened mist. After placing Anna’s heart in a box made of graphite stone and had carvings of ancient letters that looked foreign. She slowly approached Jack, who wanted nothing but to get his hands on her.

The girl in white got down on her knees and patted his head. “We’re finally together, so you can finally use me again. To think that big oaf would let me go too!” She giggled and caressed Jack’s cheek.

Growling like a madman, Jack tried grabbing her but the wretched chains that refrained him from doing anything were growing more resistant to his movements with every thrust or grabbing motion.

“Oh how I’ve missed your soul, your warmth,” she said, while grabbing Jack’s heart and massaging it. She rubbed his heart against her ghostly face. “Especially your wonderful, cold heart.”

Jack’s breathing simmered. His boiling blood got cool and his pupils dilated as if he were high on euphoria.

“Did you miss me? No wait… You did, didn’t you darling?”

Jack couldn’t feel the immeasurable pain of his heart being caressed. He continued to struggle quietly as she kept stroking his pumping heart.

“What do you want from me? I thought I’ve already given myself up to you… What more do you want?” Jack asked.

She stopped caressing his heart and lowered her arms as it continued beating in her hands. “What I want, what I want, what I want…” She rocked herself from side to side with his bleeding heart resting on her lap. “Hmmm, let me think… Oh wait, I don’t have to. I want you of course. Just like how you promised me all those years ago. Nothing more than that.”

“What does that mean? I don’t understand where you’re coming from. How could I have made a promise like that? I did promise you about giving myself up to you, but this other thing, what is it? What is it!”

Jumping out of fear, she shivered and wrapped her hands around herself, watching Jack’s heart splat onto the ground. “Don’t you yell at me. I don’t like it when you yell. It sca-scares me.”

She picked his heart back up and then placed his heart back into his chest. Coaxing her hands around the gaping wound, she healed the broken flesh. Jack had a look of confusion on his bloody angered face as he frowned.

“Please don’t yell at me,” she muttered as she clutched her head and trembled for a moment.

Jack stayed still, wondering if she was the same person who’d been haunting his life for years.

Finally calming down from the dormant fear she had, the girl in white extended a hand to his chest and drifted her cold fingers up towards his lips. “B-But you’re mine now, and that’s all that matters. No-No need to be afraid…” She shook her head, stood up and patted her dress, dispersing Jack’s blood off her elegance.

Jack couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Never before had he seen the scary girl in white act like a frightened girl that was deserving for her age. For once Jack thought she might be just an ordinary girl. Her tone, her reaction to his yelling, it was deserving to even call her human.

“If you need me you know how to call. I do apologise messing with your head again, but I can’t help it…” She lowered her head and looked away. “Especially when you treated me so cruelly before…” Raising her head, she teasingly waved at Jack as she started fading away. “I’ll see you soon. Bye love…”

And then Jack erupted into a black inferno.

He screamed in agonizing pain until he was nothing more than a charred skeleton, which left the chains and chair he was strapped to intact on its side. Jack woke up in his bed, breathing intensely from the pain he felt. First, he checked to see if his flesh was still intact, then he pinched himself. Jack sighed with relief, noticing that he was back in his room.

Feeling angry, Jack slammed his hand against the wall. “Why does she keep messing with me like that? Crazy bitch. Damn you.” Jack furiously got up from his bed and walked into the living room, then spotted Eric reading the documents he’d collected that were laid out on the coffee table. “What’s up? Have you found anything yet?”

Eric gripped his chin and continued reading the documents. “It’s about time you woke yo ass up. Shit… Making me do all this reading myself fool!”

Jack smirked. “My apologies. So where do you think this location is?” Jack asked, pointing at the blueprint for the new facility.

“Hmm, from the looks of the blueprint, it seems to me that it’s probably at the other side of Flint, see!” He pointed at the neighborhood closeby. “I used to do big gang shit up in that neighborhood before I was locked up for ten years.”

“I see… So what happened that night when that girl was on top of the facility?” Jack asked as he sat down next to Eric.

“Girl? I remember us driving and all that spooky shit inside, but not much after that.” He grabbed some documents to get a better read, laid back, crossed his arms, and kicked his feet up on the table while raising his brows. “All I remembered after the spooky shit was how my ass was in the car driving, then somehow you were in the back of the car with the papers and knocked the fuck out. That shit was fucked!”

Jack remembered what the girl told him a couple of months ago. I can wipe memories out as I please.

Eric waved his hand in front of Jack. “Hey, yo!”

That’s what the girl said if I remember correctly. Damn her for messing with my head!

Jack noticed the hand moving up and down, so he apologised, stood up and put his jacket on. “I’m going out for a bit. I gotta go grab something. You want anything to eat?”

Eric sighed. “You do owe me, fool. Get me some damn tacos, you bum.” He chuckled and tossed Jack the keys to the car. “Be careful, we’ve got lots of enemies now. Who knows who’s out there to getcha besides your past.”

Jack smiled. “Don’t worry, I got this boss, I’ll be back.”

Walking outside, Jack made it to the car and decided to head into a different town for once, one that was close to the city of Flint. It was close to night, and driving during this time seemed the most peaceful time for Jack.

After driving for a couple of minutes Jack arrived at the town and parked near a local coffee shop. He went inside and grabbed his order, then sat next to the window which faced the street. As the coffee steam warmed his cold face, Jack watched the townspeople walk past the window, living out their normal lives. Watching these people made Jack come to a realization, which was how such poor people had no clue that there was an entire world they were completely oblivious to. And he knew how scary that side of the world was since it’d been hidden from society.

Who knew about these certain things beyond what science could explain and what our eyes can actually see exist… How stupid…

Jack continued to drink his coffee, thinking of a strategy to rescue Angela, but then he spotted someone strange. They walked all feminine like and had really expensive flashy clothing on. Chuckling at how ridiculous the person was acting, Jack noticed how they looked similar to someone he knew.

Curious about this person, Jack finished his coffee, stormed outside and followed the funny person while making sure they wouldn’t notice him. They appeared to be a woman from how they walked and from how they were dressed, but something seemed off about them. Jack overheard the person’s voice and it sounded all too familiar.

They said something that Jack remembered all too well. They were arguing with someone who said, “You boo boo bitch!”

Jack immediately knew only one person who said things like that. He rushed up to them and surprised them by grabbing their broad shoulders.

“Hey! Who are you and why are you…?” The person observed Jack and checked him out from head to toe, then gripped their chin in amusement. “Ooo damn, you might look scary looking but you look so mmm, mmm good, honey!”

They snapped their fingers afterwards. “Hey fine thang, can you be so kind as to let go of me…” He eases to Jack, hovering the edge of his hand to his face. “Unless you want to have a good rough time sweetheart hehe.”

Jack took his time examining this person. They had very pretty blue eyes that sparkled more than the ocean would on a sunny day. Their skin was very pale but was smooth and well taken care of. Lastly, they had the body of what a Victoria Secret model would have, with elegant curves in all the right places.

“Sorry, it’s just that I know who you are, I think?” Jack said excitedly.

“Ohh, then who might I be, sweetheart?” the person asked, placing their hands on their hips in a girly fashion.

“You might not happen to be Candy, right?”

The person put their hands out, bugging their eyes out and nodded. “Woah?! How do you know my name, Mr. Strange, sexy, tall guy? Hmm.”

“It’s me, Jack.” he said, patting his chest.

Candy observed Jack thoroughly, checking his legs, feeling his arms, and looking a bit too close to his face for Jack’s liking. He wasn’t sure at first, but the more he stared into his eyes, Candy knew those dead fish eyes right off the bat.

His eyes sparkled with joy and he lunged at Jack with excitement. “Boo boo! I can’t believe it’s you! To think you would grow up to be such a strong good looking sugar daddy. Mmm!”

Jack laughed. “It’s good to see you again, old friend. You still know how to make me laugh after all these years.”

Candy giggled, but he noticed something wasn’t right. He checked behind Jack and lifted his long arms. “Sayyy… where’s uhh… where’s lil momma?”

Jack’s smile faded and he didn’t say anything. He glanced at the people walking at the other side of the street. They seemed happy with their families, loved ones, and friends. Watching these people laugh and smile brought back the dark cloud that usually hung over Jack’s head, which constantly reminded him of his failures.

“What’s wrong, boo?” Candy asked.

Jack looked back at Candy with a bitter face and clenched his fists out of guilt. “She’s gone. They-They took her away from me.”

Candy gasped and covered his mouth. “Noo! You mean that fiend got her?! Oh honey, I’m sorry to hear that, boo boo.”

“Don’t worry about that, it’s only been a month. A long, excruciating month, but I’m figuring out a plan to get her back.”

Candy smiled and apologized for killing the mood. Jack didn’t mind though. It wasn’t his fault for asking something so obvious.

“By the way, what happened to that school? But more importantly, why’s your hair black now?” Jack asked.

Candy flipped his black hair, then blew on his purple nails and stared at their pedicured beauty. “Shoot, beats me! I got kicked out of that place when I exposed my dingaling to that pop bellied fool!” Candy gestured to his hair. “Oh, and this? Well, I wanted something to remember you guys by, so I dyed my hair black to resemble lil momma. Chu like?”

“Is that so? I’m not surprised since you did help us get out of that place.” Jack grinned, “And you look good. It suits you much better in my opinion. Really brings out your eyes.”

Candy’s face turned red. He giggled and covered a hand over his mouth. “My, how bold of you, honey. Heehee.”

“How’s life been treating you?” he asked as he gently slapped Candy’s arm.

Candy grabbed Jack’s arm. “Why don’t we finish this conversation inside that coffee shop huh?” He winked to Jack as he pointed to that drinking establishment.

Jack nods. “I just came from there but why not, let's catch up, old friend.” The two started walking while Candy still clutched onto Jack’s arm with a smile.

When they walked into the coffee shop, they took a seat close to where Jack had been beforehand, the table close to the shop's street view window. Candy pulled out a small mirror and made sure his hair was groomed properly, then he applied Chapstick to his lips.

Jack couldn’t help but laugh. “Man Candy, your looks scare me to the point you even rival some girls in beauty so misconception isn’t far off when it comes to a first greeter.”

Candy’s eyes twinkled out of joy. “My! Don’t fluster me more, you fiend!” He looked back at the mirror and cleared his throat. “So boo boo, from what I can tell by all the scars on your hands, possibly more hidden beneath that jacket of yours,” He put away the mirror back into his man purse and rested a hand on his face, “you’ve had it rough, haven't you?”

Jack pulled up his sleeves one at a time to glare at every scar, reminiscing every one of his failures. He chuckled and looked back up at Candy. “You have no idea. My stories are too long, so why don’t you go first?”

Candy sighed with a smile. “Oh well, I guess I can brighten the mood a little. Let’s see, to make a long story short, I got married to a rich white lady like two years ago for her money, sooo I have a sugar momma! But you know me, sweetheart.” He slowly tried creeping his hand towards Jack’s, making his fingers walk all spider-like. “I like big, tough, delicious, strong, beautiful men. Mmm, mmm, mmm!” Candy grabbed Jack’s hand, but Jack retracted it and flicked his forehead. “Oww! Watch the face. Why you gotta be so rough, sugar?”

“My bad, it was just a natural reaction. Anyways, yes, I’ve had it rough… Too rough to be honest.” Jack turned to the window and his smile faded. “I wish my life was as easy and laid back as these people. I mean, look at them.”

People walked past them with smiles and laughter, enjoying one’s presence, strong family bonds, and being unaware of the dangers outside their privileged town.

“But I guess not everyone’s lucky. There are those who are chosen to suffer just like me.”

Candy sipped his coffee, trying to hide his face from Jack. His bottom lip was sucked in, his chin quivering, even squinting his eyes momentarily.

“Hmph… it’s whatever anyways,” Jack said.

Candy couldn’t stand it. He wanted to resist himself but couldn’t. He set the coffee down, then leapt out of the chair and hugged Jack. “Please don’t beat yourself up like that, boo boo. It’s okay! Not everyone has the privilege in life like most folks do!”

Jack smiled. “It’s funny you say that, when in fact I once had that privilege, but it was taken away from me.” Jack continued to stare out the window. He sighed and stood up. “That was the past. But I can't help and always continue to ask myself this, what did I do to deserve this? Does God hate me? If that’s the case, then I detest this so-called God I used to worship.” He frowned momentarily, eyes narrowing whilst they rattled to the growing hatred towards the creator of life.

Jack’s face turned still as he began to walk past his old friend, patting Candy’s shoulder. “It was nice talking to you old pal, but I have to get going.”

Candy grabbed Jack’s arm and prevented him from leaving. “Even if there is a God, I don’t think he’ll hate you enough to make your life miserable. It just happens Jack. That’s just how life is.” Jack turned around and looked down at Candy.

“You’re not gonna get rid of me that easily, boo. Let me help you get momma back. What do you say?” Candy extended his hand out, making Jack’s dead eyes glisten momentarily.

“Just like old times, hmm?” Candy smiled widely, wiping away some of Jack’s darkness wrapped around his soul.

Jack smirked and shook Candy’s hand with force. “I hope you’re ready Candy. People might die. Are you prepared to follow through?”

Candy felt a little nervous. He gulped. His hand started to tremble. “I-Is that so? Uhh, tell me Jack, have you seen people die?”

Jack’s smirk faded. His gaze turned sharp. “Of course I have. I’m the one who ends their life.”

Candy let go of Jack’s arm. He couldn’t believe Jack had said that with such a straight face. His breathing intensified as he started having flashbacks from when they were in the mental institution. He couldn’t believe someone like Jack, who was once an innocent boy, was now a murderous, cold-blooded killer. Candy didn’t care though, he wanted to help get Angela back into Jack’s arms.

Relaxing and taking a breath, Candy smacked his hands against his head and extended his arm again. Jack smiled and shook it with such force that he made Candy yelp like a girl. People around them noticed and thought that Jack had hurt a woman.

Candy eased the tension to the folks around them by patting the air. “Sorry everyone, I’m just being dramatic that’s all hehe!”

Jack welcomed him aboard with a huge smile. They walked out and hopped into the car. Candy couldn’t stop thinking about how Jack had said that statement so calmly. He felt uneasy being around Jack and didn’t have a clue how many people Jack had probably killed. Just thinking about it was enough to give him goosebumps.

When they arrived back at Eric’s house, Jack introduced Candy to the house. He wasn’t impressed, but Jack didn’t seem to care by laughing it off and shaking his head. They walked in and spotted Eric. He stood in front of the fireplace, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. Jack tried calling out his name, but he didn’t react. Instead, he stared at the flames, thinking how they represented his anger towards whoever killed his friends and who took Angela away.

Jack grabbed his shoulder. “Are you alright?”

Eric looked at Jack and sighed. The moment he turned around, Candy was flustered and red from the sight of a man like Eric.

Eric’s face twitched out of annoyance. “Who’s this beautiful woman you brought into my home?”

Jack told him the entire story of Candy. Eric wanted to throw up. He was disgusted that a man this feminine existed, let alone was friends with a man like Jack.

Eric wasn’t too pleased to hear who this guy was, but one thing that pissed him off was the fact that Jack was clueless how this guy was gay. Eric cleared his throat after being dramatic for the first few minutes of their conversation.

“So uh… fruit cup? Are you sure you want in? I mean, you did help them escape when they were little, but exposing your junk to another man? Come on yo, that’s gay as fuck.”

Candy giggled and crossed his legs. “That’s how I am, baby! I forgot to mention that I do like chocolate, especially ones as big and muscular as you!”

A vein popped out of Eric’s forehead. He felt revolted hearing him making a compliment about his body. “Stop! Don’t say any more gay shit like that unless you wanna get your ass whooped, boy!”

Candy blushed, then placed both hands on his face and wiggled them. “Oh my! I do like it rough, so don’t hurt me too good, Daddy!”

“Yo Jack, control yo boy, man! He’s making me feel uncomfortable.” Eric noticed that Jack was laughing quietly. “Oh! You think this is funny, dumbass white Mexican boy?”

Jack couldn’t contain it any longer. He finally broke out into laughter. “I-I’m so-sorry! I-I just can’t! Candy, you’re hilarious as ever, man!”

Candy chuckled sexually, then sat down elegantly on the couch. “Well you know me, boo boo. I know how to make all the men fall for me. Yes, yes, yes, baby!”

Eric stood up out of annoyance. “Aight, that’s enough!” Everyone shut up from his serious shouting. “Alright! Now then! Are we gonna keep fucking around, or are we gonna figure out a plan?”

They agreed and started planning. Candy felt out of place and only listened to what they had to say. As Jack and Eric continued planning and discussing, Jack handed Candy the blueprint he’d found in the facility that night.

Candy examined it and recognized the building. “Oh this place! I remember it being near it a while ago when it was still being constructed” He gripped his chin and eased the paper to his face. “If I recalled sweethearts, I tried asking one of the workers what they were building, but the answer I got was that they were building a new factory to build for medication, supposedly!”

Eric knew something was fishy from Candy’s description. “Shit, we now know that answer was full of shit, but good thing though that I know the area they are building that place at.” Everything was starting to come together until Jack heard someone scream. He stood up and looked out the window. Eric and Candy looked at him as if he was crazy.

Jack’s head started hurting and he fell on one knee. Eric raised his brows, titling his head. “You aight boy?”

Candy got up slightly and reached his hand out. “Boo, do you need help or are you finally losing it?”

Jack groaned and took a deep breath. “I’m-I’m fine, just feeling a little light headed, that’s all.”

Is that you, girl? Are you the one screaming inside my head?

Jack waited for an answer, but the only thing he heard was muffled whimpering. “What’s wrong, huh? You finally feel bad for messing with my head now? Huh?”

Eric raised an eyebrow out of concern. “Yo, are you cool? Why are you talking to yourself?”

“Honey, if you need someone to talk to, we’re here for you, boo!”

Eric turned to Candy with a disgusted look. “Man, why are you so damn gay? Why did God have to create you? You’re a goddamn trap! Anyone could easily mistake you for a female yo!”

Candy gasped dramatically, then crossed his arms while he angrily puckered his lips. “Hmph! You’re just jealous you can’t be as sassy and gorgeous like me, sweet, hunky, chocolate, mmm! Maybe you secretly want a piece of me after all, baby boy!”

While Candy and Eric continued arguing with each other, Jack stood up and walked into the backyard because he wasn’t feeling well. He sat on the tree stump and stared at Randolph’s grave. Massaging his head, Jack closed his eyes for a second. He took slow deep breaths and relaxed his mind, trying to figure out why she screamed all of a sudden. The moment he opened his eyes, the girl in the white dress stood in front of him.

“What are you doing here?” he asked nervously.

Her dress was mesmerizing to stare at this close in reality from it’s detailed precise accents on it to the white color on it slightly glowing from how fresh it looked beneath the moon’s light. Her skin was so chalky yet it shined with beauty, but this time he was finally able to stare at the ghostly, smoky face. At least she wasn’t faceless like their previous encounters. Her glowing purple eyes, though. Just staring at them closely made him nervous, yet this wasn’t the first time he’d felt such an emotion.

They stared into each other’s eyes as dogs howled, gunfire echoed, and crows quietly cawed around them. Her dress slowly fluttered out with a calm breeze. For some reason, Jack opened his arms out and nodded his head downwards, granting her permission to sit on his lap.

She slowly came towards him and gently sat down, resting her ghostly head against his beating chest. Jack slowly ruffled her hair and eyed the dark forest behind the house, staring into the darkness as he leaned his head against hers. Jack stopped and held her tightly, making sure she wouldn’t go anywhere. He wanted to use the opportunity to get some answers, even if it meant he had to pretend to like her.

“So girl, what are you doing here on this fine night? It’s already weird enough that you’re in my dreams, torturing me like you did last night. But now you’re here, outside of my mind.”

She let out a deep sigh. “I understand you’re still mad at me. I want to apologize. That’s why I’m here.”

“Apologize? What for?” Jack’s fingers started clenching on her arms, as he remembered all the suffering she’d caused. “Are you sorry for making me mentally unstable, messing with my dreams, causing me brutal, undeniable pain?” he shouted, which scared away a couple of crows that flew away into the cold night.

She hunched from his mild shout and stayed quiet. She could feel his anger towards her just from his grasp alone. She tried breaking free from his grip, but it wasn’t long till she stopped resisting and cried.

“I’m so sorry. I had no idea you’d turn out like this.” She looked at the same forest he was staring at. “But you deserved to be punished at times, that’s why I do those terrible things to you. It’s what I am now.”

Jack felt bad and a little annoyed, but he loosened his arms to ease his grip. He decided to stand up and carry her in his arms, which surprised her.

“I have no idea who you are, why you showed up in my dreams as a child, but I do know this…” He looked into her ghoulish purple eyes, feeling her gaze swallowing him. “You do help me in the worst situations. I may have lost consciousness those times, but I’ve witnessed the carnage afterwards. It was you who helped Angela and I, correct?”

She wrapped her arms around Jack’s neck. “Yes, it was all me. I don’t do such vile things unless you’re in trouble… I do it because I don’t want you to die, along with Angela, but for personal reasons.”

Jack gasped. She managed to make his heart skip a few beats. For once, he actually smiled for her. “Thank you, I mean it,” Jack said in a gentle voice.

He couldn’t tell but her eyes glistened from his soothing compliment. All of a sudden, her face erupted in light. Jack looked away from how bright her face was, then all hell broke loose. The environment around them grew chaotic, the skies roared, breaking the sound barrier, the ground beneath trembled, a chill came from a mist that appeared out of thin air, and winds started blowing, faster than that one winter storm when Jack was getting himself and Angela to scrounge for shelter. She flung off of Jack’s arms and floated in the sky above him. A huge ball of white formed around her, creating a flashing light of pulsing white. It was so bright that it made Jack cover his face.

Candy and Eric came out, wondering why everything was shaking and falling apart. They saw the giant light pulse and shot out black plasma sparks into the sky, which destroyed houses and ripped apart the environment around them. The strikened skies cracked, exposing a purple aurora beneath it. The dimension around them was rippling, as swirling winds greater than typhoons blew everything apart from the ball’s intensity. Eric and Candy screamed from the growing winds, while Jack stood still in the midst of chaos.

Trees fell, the ground beneath them got ripped open, and the ball expanded, then finally exploded. Everything flashed white, everyone screamed, and Jack closed his eyes as the world around them was engulfed by the white flash. Once everything settled down and was silent, Jack opened his eyes, noticing that time itself had come to a complete stop.

“What in the actual fuck just happened?!” Jack looked around. The world had returned to normal, but everything was black and white, besides him and the other two men paused in their screaming state.

What did she just do? Jack thought.

Trying to figure out the situation, Jack gazed up at the sky and noticed the ball of light was still there. It hovered close to Jack then expanded again, this time there were purple and black swirls circling around it. After a brief light show, the ball pulsed as if it were dying. Standing there amazed and confused, Jack saw someone glide out of the light.

“I don’t… believe it…”

With her arms spread out, the girl in white fell out of the light as it disintegrated behind her, creating dusty purple sparkles. Her hair fluttered while the dress she wore changed to a more sexual appeal for Jack, which exposed more of her long beautiful legs. She had a change in height again. Her body became that of maturity, but what stood out the most as she descended to Jack was the fact she was no longer the faceless girl. She now had a face. A lovely face, one that would make anyone fall in love with her amethyst purple eyes of profound beauty, perfect nose, her glistening lips of lovely purple, and an innocent smile that belonged to an angel.

Jack felt captivated by her gorgeousness, because he felt that such beauty should be criminal. With the feelings he was experiencing he couldn’t understand them whatsoever, though they felt nostalgic. Jack brought his arms forward to catch her. She gently landed into his arms. Jack stared directly at the being who made his life a living hell.

As the two stared at each other, Jack found he was mostly staring at her light, glistened, pinkish, purplish lips. He felt hypnotized by their shine. Jack wondered if he’d felt this way about her unknowingly for a long time.

He remembered the times when he was a kid where he would always get nervous around her, but not because he was afraid. It was because of his feelings towards her. Was this the reasoning why he allowed her to take over his mind and haunt his dreams?

Jack leaned close to her face, causing her to blush. “So this is… the real… you?” Jack asked nervously.

Her mouth slightly opened and she moaned softly. As her eyes glistened, she nodded. “Yes… this is the real me, Jack.”

Jack’s eyes moved erratically as he studied her. “Hmm. It’s hard to believe you’re the very person who’s been making my dreams a living hell.”

She didn’t reply to Jack nor say a word. Instead, she blinked.

Jack nervously crept closer to her gorgeous face. “Tell me something… can you teach me what love is?”

Her eyes widened. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Jack wants me to teach him about love? That brought so much joy into her darkened soul that she almost cried out of pure happiness.

She leaned close to him and felt his warm breath. “As long as you breathe, I’ll teach you anything. Even how to use me in any desire that your mind seeks.”

“I don’t mind, but I can’t promise to be yours yet. Perhaps someday.”

She grinned. “That’s okay. As long as I’m on your side I’ll wait an eternity for you. I’ve done it once, I can do it again.”

Jack sat back down on the stump and caressed her cheek. “What if I learn what love is and pursue someone else?”

Drifting a hand out from behind his neck, she placed it on his face and caressed his cheek. “Then I’ll show you something greater than any punishment you’ve endured so far… Because I love you that much, Jack. And when that day comes, when we can truly feel each other’s warmth, even my body will become yours.”

Jack closed his eyes as well, remembering how kissing Alexandria made her happy enough to move on from this world. He wondered if it’ll be the same case for her, hoping that this would be an end to her existence.

As the two were leaning in for a kiss, she started screaming out of pain. A flow of black sparks shot out of her body and burned Jack’s arms. The crows around started crying, sharing the same pain as her.

Jack bit through this burning sensation and smiled. “What’s wrong?”

Being in so much pain, she accidentally grabbed Jack’s face and scratched his cheek, leaving a horrific permanent scar in a ‘y’ shape. She faded away and the crows faded as well.

Reality turned back to normal and time unfroze. Eric and Candy rushed to the backyard, all flustered and looking around wildly.

“Where’s all the screaming coming from?” Eric shouted.

Jack looked at them. They both noticed the bleeding scar on his cheek. It was red and looked fresh.

“Yo, what happened to your cheek?” Eric asked as he walked towards Jack.

Jack massaged his cheek and felt the burn. Retracting his hand, he saw the blood smeared on his hand. “Let’s just say…” Jack glared up at the moon, gazing at its fullness, “I have two people to save now.”