Shepherd’s room was real uncomfortable to stand in for the most part. You’d think with all the dead bodies that it would’ve smelled weird, but it didn’t. However it did leave a nasty image of death and decay in your mind, along with the taste of mildew. I knew he was a freakish kind of guy, a true nut-job, but this sent it over to a true head-case. We were literally standing in a room from an exorcism movie; dead bodies, candles, and a freaking cross.

Kobra had worked up enough strength to stand by himself and eventually moved closer to Party, Jet stood close behind our shaken friend. When Ӓllur started to remove the covers, I had to walk away. The last sheet was pure red, and sticking to his body. Zed went on to say that Party was lucky to be alive right now. Evidently he as Stacked, though not completely sense there was no exit wound from the poll.

I couldn’t face them, face Party like that; I wandered around Zed’s room to keep myself out of their conversations. I wandered over to the cross; it just kind of drew me over by it. “A crucifix without Jesus?” The cross had three sets of holes, on the arms and down where the feet would go; thorns were wrapped around the top, but there was no body actually on it. Just blood stains and candles.

“It’s not one for Jesus, but for the sinner. It was mine, how I became part of the Black.” Zed was preoccupied with mixing drinks and some weird salts, that would help heal Party once Ӓllur finished stitching up the giant opening. “Now, if Kobra has calmed down enough. Mind if I get to work on your brother?” Kobra had previously thrown a fit about letting Zed have access to Party. Ӓllur insisted that Zed just wait a bit before he actually got to work, just to let Kobra calm himself a bit.

Kobra closed his eyes, he knew he couldn’t have Party wait much longer, he wouldn’t hold out. Shepherd told Kobra that the longer the memories suffer from corruption, the more likely Party is to forget moments in his life, can even cause his brain to actually shut down; and Ӓllur confirmed that would lead to an untimely death. Kobra sighed, “Fine, but if you fuck him over, I will fucking skin you. Got it?”

“Wouldn’t even dream of it.” Zed rolled his eyes, walking to the other end of the table that Party laid on. He moved some of Party’s loose bangs off of his face, gently cupping his face with both hands. Zed bowed his head as he stroked Party’s cheeks with his thumbs, taking a deep breath. Ӓllur sat back in his chair after applying the final dressings to Party’s wound. His head was bowed leaning slightly forward in his seat. Zed placed his thumbs on Party’s forehead, taking a shaky breath and closing his eyes.

I felt something poking my back, slightly pulling on my vest. I was still standing away from the group, the closest person to me was Dawn; but he was sitting on the table in front of me. I hesitantly turned around, nobody or anything was behind me; just that damn cross. I felt something nudge my hand, natural reflex I swatted at it, looking around me finding nothing.

“Dawn, I think I’m going crazy.” Dawn looked back at me, giving me a questioning look. “I feel like someone keeps touching me. Like someone is poking me, and pulling on my hand.” I rubbed my arms as I spoke, folding them across my chest. Dawn looked me up and down before looking around me, setting his gaze on the cross behind me.

Dawn chewed on his lip, looking back at Zed working with Party before scooting closer to me. “When you looked at the cross did you see a face?” he leaned over the table a bit to whisper in my ear, his voice was a bit shaky.

“No- well I don’t think so. I wasn’t really paying that close attention. Why?” I went to look back at the cross, but Dawn quickly grabbed my shoulder pulling me to keep looking forward. “It’s just a cross. A creepy bloody cross, but a cross nonetheless. What’s wrong with it?”

“It’s a gate. The Black guides people to the afterlife, but it isn’t always friendly to living souls. It will destroy you Ghoul, don’t give into it. Don’t believe a single word, or feeling you get.” Dawn squeezed my shoulder giving me a quick smile before going back to watching Party and Zed.

Party’s breathing had settled, he seemed calmer now; like all the pain had left his body. Shepherd on the other hand looked like a pit of misery. His eyebrows were knitted together, a cold sweat dripped down the side of his face. If it was even possible, he seemed to have gone another shade of white. His breathing wasn’t steady, and I could see his hands start to shake. I couldn’t get myself to feel worried for Shepherd, after the scene he made with Kobra, but I was growing a tad concerned for Party. Even though he looked calm and peaceful, I was scared. He seemed a little too peaceful, like he was slipping away; Party Poison was dying in front of everyone who wanted him alive.

I went to take a step closer, stand by Party’s side, but I couldn’t get my legs to move, I couldn’t get myself to do anything but watch and fight back the tears. He was right there, mere feet in front of me, he couldn’t die now, not after all we’ve been through. I made another attempt to get my legs to work, but this time I felt it; something grabbing my ankle. A hand knotted tight around my ankle keeping me still. I dared to look down, not seeing anything but my own feet stuck to the ground.

“Guys, I know now isn’t the best time but…I’m stuck.” I said, hesitant about actually voicing my current situation. I sounded stupid; Party was dying in front of us, Zed was doing something strange, and Ӓllur had just given his last shot at keeping the blood in Party, and here I was unable to move my feet. “I know it sounds kinda ridiculous, but I’m serious. I can’t fucking move!” Trying to prove my point I went to pull my leg up to no avail.

To my horror and almost everyone else’s (minus Ӓllur who wasn’t fazed by a single thing going on) as my foot tugged to get off the ground a shadow hand appeared, gripping my ankle tighter. A growl could be heard out of the corner of the room, followed by a bone chilling laugh from another. Whispers filled the room, too quiet and spoken much too quickly to be understood. I was trapped in a trans from the hand holding my ankle still. An arm appeared in the ground leading down to a body that seemed to be floating under or in the flooring. It was a woman, her features were soft but she seemed sad, scared even. I squatted down to get better view of her face, I almost recognized it. She was a shadow in my memory, and I knew her from somewhere…somewhere before the bombs.

I reached out to touch her face just below the tiles on the floor, as her shaken hand reached up to touch mine. I knew her; I loved her… Jamia…my baby, the love of my damn life! That was her, right there; she was holding me still looking up at me. Then my heart sank, cuts covered her thin arms, her eyes were milk white and held no life, her face had no emotion besides that scared and sorrowed look of loss and grieving. As I went to touch her, to help lift her out of the liquid ground. Something that could only be a dream, right in front of me. The situation around me all faded; Kobra, Jet, Ӓllur, Zed, Dawn, even Party…they all faded. Meant nothing; meant nothing compared to the woman, my Jamia, only mere inches from my grasp.

“Wenches of Lust…my bitches to fuck!” There was a dark laugh at that. “Send them back to Limbo with scars of black blood.” A staff was slammed into the ground, creating small waves in the invisible water, sending Jamia back to the nothingness, leaving the floor with its blood stains. I looked up finding Skratch eyeing up the situation of Party and Shepherd.

I stood up with a light growl as Skratch carried on examining Party and talking to Dawn and Ӓllur. “What the fuck!? Do you have any idea-” I was cut off by a blood lusted stare from Skratch and a near silent hiss.

“No, do you have a fuckin’ idea, Iero? That wasn’t your dearly beloved, it was a wench, a whore, a slut, a cock sucking bitch that would’ve torn your ass up and used you as her newest fuck toy. Got it?” I opened my mouth to protest but quickly shut it when I noticed Party’s breathing was becoming frantic, like he couldn’t get air in his lungs. “I saved your skin, now I’m being so generous and trying to save your friends.” Zed’s fingers had turned a murky black, though he seemed to have settled, his nose was bleeding down his face onto his shirt and dripping onto the floor.

I slowly walked closer getting a better view of Party. His back was slightly arched off the table, and he was trembling. His dirty red hair clung to his face, with a mixture of sweat and blood holding it in place. Skratch was tracing a shape down Shepherd’s arms, making a circle at his wrists.

“Saw! Get your ass down here! I need you to help with Zed!” I was standing in the middle of the room in complete confusion. Everyone was in motion, getting one thing then running to the other side of the room to get something else. Amber was kneeling on the ground with Kobra, whom had his face in his hands violently shacking. Ӓllur stood next to Party, hands folded and pushed against his wound, the gray fabric on his sleeves was turned a shade of red, as well as his hands; staining in Party’s blood. Skratch had one arm wrapped around Zed’s torso and the other playing with his hair. Shepherd’s head was now thrown back with Skratch whispering something in his ear.

“Move it dreamer-boy, not helping any by taking up useful space.” Saw came up behind me, practically pushing me out of his way with little effort.

“Sorry, I just-.” I started but was quickly cut off.

“You were in LaLa-Land, hoping your dead wife would come back. Meanwhile, we’re here trying to keep your fuckin’ friend around, along with our leader. You’re damn lucky that Skratch occasionally has a soft side for smooth-skins. Now get out, and stay out of our fucking way.” Saw stared daggers into me until I walked back up against the wall and sunk to the floor. Amber gave me an apologetic look before going back to Kobra.

“Alright, Saw you know the deal. Zed won’t attack you, but he will rip us to shreds…so do whatever you fuckin’ can to keep him preoccupied until we get Party out of here. Kay?” Skratch’s voice was off, he laughed nervously between words. His previous anger or display of control was nowhere to be found. I could see his hands slightly shacking as he stroked Zed’s hair. Saw looked just as nervous as he nodded in agreement, going closer to Zed.

“Ready, it’s now or never.”

Ӓllur mumbled something about this being ridicules, but didn’t voice against the plan. Skratch took a deep breath as Saw tensed against Shepherd. Shepherd’s fingers were now a completely murky black color up to his knuckles, his breathing starting to quicken as Skratch slowly pulled his arms back. Party lay on the table, clenching his fists until his knuckles turned white, taking sharp dragged breaths; trying to get much needed air in his lungs. Skratch took one last deep breath, closing his eyes before shouting “Now!”

Saw pushed forward against Zed, causing them to fall onto the floor. Some Killjoys rushed over to Party; who was now screaming at the top of his lungs. The rest went over to where Saw fought against Shepherd, trying to keep him pinned on the floor. The two fought back and forth for a while before Zed slowly started to settle; only occasionally pushing against Saw to get off. Party, however, was still screaming his voice raw. Ӓllur was supposed to pick him up and move him out of the room as soon as Shepherd was pulled off; however every time Ӓllur went to move his hands from Party’s wound, he started to gush blood again. Even with the stitches in, the wound was still openly bleeding.

“Amber, let go of Kobra. I need him here.” Ӓllur’s voice was almost desperate; pleading that whatever plan he had in his head would work to save our friend.

Kobra hesitantly stood once Amber released him from her embrace. On shaking legs he walked over to Ӓllur. Party was still violently shaking, eyes rolled back; to Kobra it must’ve been a torture to see his brother like that. In so much pain, and unable to help in any way to make it go away.

“Skratch, I need you to wake him up, capire?” Skratch looked at Ӓllur like he was insane, noticing that it wasn’t passing to Ӓllur, he voiced it.

“You are fucking insane! You think he’s having a fit now, wait till he wakes up. Place will look more like murder scene than it already does! ‘Capire?’”

“Skratch, listen to me or I will send you back to the hole you came from.” Skratch quickly shut up and focused on what Ӓllur was saying. “I know waking him up will send him into a fit. I put him into a deeper sleep because of the fit he had on our way here. Zephyr tagged him, obvious enough.” Skratch looked at Zed who was back to wrestling Saw on the floor, to the now hoarse Party fighting for breath. “He thinks his brother is morto. He started, just crying his heart out, saying how he didn’t want to go back, that he’d rather meet his scrigno.”

“So…you think if he sees Mikey boy that he’d calm down enough for you to get him out?” Ӓllur nodded. Skratch rubbed the back of his neck, looking over his shoulder at Zed trying to wiggle his way out of Saw’s grip. “Fine. You better be fuckin’ right.” Skratch walked up to Party; using his thumb he made a small cross on Party’s forehead, saying what seemed to be a silent prayer, and then Skratch kissed Party’s head where he made the cross.

Party stopped thrashing, his arms relaxed, and his breathing came to a near halt. “Or he could just die…That was an option too.” Kobra nearly feel to his knees, tears starting to trace down his face again. Amber quickly got up rushing to Kobra’s side; punching Skratch’s arm as she passed him. “That actually hurt, bitch. Not my fault he couldn’t take some shed.”

“You son of bitch! He was mine to kill!” A hand landed on Skratch’s shoulder, turning him to face the voice that sounded painfully familiar. Skratch turned to yell something back, but ended up with a mouth full of fist and the taste of metallic as his blood flooded his mouth. Everyone watched as Skratch tumbled back against the table before sinking to the floor holding his mouth closed with his hand as blood leaked out between his fingers.

Eyes slowly shifted up to the attacker who was none other than Shepherd; but it wasn’t Shepherd –wasn’t Zed. His eyes were no longer their off-white color but now full of burning life in a gold/brown color. His voice didn’t change a whole lot, but it was a bit higher, and his tone changed to more of an annoyed snarl. His hair was no longer a blood red, but a chocolate brown. A ghostly image shifted over his own features, revealing a different face, someone we knew.

Party began to breathe again, as if on command. Fangs and blood was the consequence.

}{}{

Notes

This chapter is kinda slow and what not, but it is important to the rest of the story. :P Anyways, hope you enjoy! Rate, comment, subscribe!
Capire: Understand
Morto: Dead
Scrigno: Coffin/Casket