{AP}Memories of shadows haunt me

  “So who are you here for?” At first, Evan thinks it must be an outright lie. After all, who else? The only other person that lives here is…? Steph. Wait, was this fucker after Stephanie?

  Evan isn't sadistic. It’s not like he would outright hurt someone, right? So why does he feel like hitting this ASSHOLE in the face? He doesn’t want to say anything that may allude to his girlfriend. He doesn’t want this bastard to know anything about her. 

  “How about I call the cops instead?” He wasn’t going to do that, was he? Probably not. “What? Are you gonna have backup coming after my ass, asshole?”

“You better fucking believe it.”

The fact was that it would never allow this idiot to do any real damage to him. The worst Alex would get was a few minor injuries and some lost time. He wasn’t keen on that though. Time and his sanity were about the only thing he had left, so he’d rather not waste either of them. 

The static in his head had turned intØ unintelligible whispers. Backup was on its way already.

@staticdrowned

There was nothing left in the world except the mission. Alex Kralie was little more than a a tool meant to bludgeon the Operator’s influence. Even though his efforts would most likely prove fruitless. he knew that better than anyone. It had already destroyed everything that made Alex who he was. He was living because he had to. he was the only one who could fix this now. He was alive out of necessity. If his responsibility didn’t hold him here, he would have left this world long ago.

The words were unexpected, to say the least. Funny considering what happened just a few minutes prior to this. Now that this intruder was duct taped to a dining room chair, he didn’t seem as bold. Evan’s heart was still racing, panic not totally leaving him. He managed to get Steph out of the house. Whoever this was, he wasn’t silent. Evan managed to hear something shady happening, that’s why he elected to hit him hard in the head with the lamp that now laid in pieces on the floor.

 He chokes out a laugh. This situation was not funny, but hey, he had to cope somehow. It would be in his best interest (mentally) to call the police and assume this was a normal break-in. But he just couldn’t convince himself this wasn’t related to the fucked up shit happening around them.

 “Oh yeah sure, let me just untie you pal.” He says sarcastically. The gun he took from whoever-the-fuck-this-was sat on the table next to him. Evan knew it was loaded. Evan knew this guy didn’t come here to rob him.

 “What the fuck are you doing here?”

“Take it easy, pal. I’m not here for you.”

Alex wasn’t particularly worried for his safety. This was ultimately just a waste of his valuable time. If this idiot would just cut him loose he could get back to business, but instead, he wanted to play Cops and interrogate him first. If he hadn’t been so careless he wouldn’t be in this mess, though. He cursed the static in his mind that kept him from hearing his assailant until it was too late.The stinging wound on the back of his head served as a reminder to pay attention next time. 

@baited-breath

Jay Merrick was Alex Kralie’s oldest friend. Of course, that didn’t include family, but Jay always felt closer to him somehow. Maybe it was because he chose Jay, and his family was amicable to him by nature. he never really thought about why, though. Why Jay? Out of every other film geek Alex knew, he picked Jay Merrick to be his best buddy. Of course, nobody ever wonders why their friends are their friends. What matters is that they are engaged in the action of being your friend. The why is a non-issue. Alex had no illusions of the kind of guy he was. he had a tendency to be an abrasive dick. He reacted with cruel jabs and sarcastic quips where a soft hand was probably more appropriate. Jay was the opposite. He was always softer, the skinny kid everybody pushed around. Alex could see it in him from the day they met. Weakness, a tendency to be controlled and trampled on by others. Maybe that was always Alex’s intention with Jay. To use him to prop himself up. To apologize for him when his rough edges hurt the people around him. Maybe it was just because he was okay with holding the camera quietly while he and his cousins made their short films. 

Honestly, it was the honesty that Alex respected. Jay Merrick was a man who knew seemed to enjoy his own company. Alex hated being alone. he was always the kind of guy who wanted a lot of attention. He thought of Jay as someone who was weak, but in reality, he was a lot stronger than Alex. He didn’t need someone else to validate him. He was okay with who he was and had a serious talent with a camera. All Alex really wanted was for him and Jay to make movies together. Now, Jay Merrick was no longer the skinny kid everybody pushed around. He had a wild look in his eyes. His hands were wrapped around Alex’s throat. Alex was no longer the kid who wanted to be the next great filmmaker. He was a soldier engaged in a one-man war that he was losing.

How had it come to this?

Alex tried to struggle against the grip of his childhood best friend, hoping to kill him first. Jay still wasn’t very strong. His grip was firm, but not crushing. Alex could still breathe, but only just. Beneath the madness and His influence lay the shattered remains of the wannabe filmmaker who chose Jay Merrick as his best friend. Alex wasn’t sure which of these facets of himself spoke up, but he did manage to choke out a few words between his labored gasps.

Alex fell flat on his back, clutching his knee like a child who fell on the playground. Brian’s swing had missed his head, but it had shattered his kneecap. His ruined flesh shot waves of pain up his spine. He shouted and cursed, but nothing made the searing agony fade. 

he was utterly at the other’s mercy, and they both knew it. His vision was clouded, and his whole body seemed to tremble to the beat of an earthquake only he could feel. He had watched enough movies to know that this was a sure sign he was going into shock. Soon the pain would fall away, and he’d black out. Probably for the last time if Brian had his way.

But then, He came.

His arms were Ⓧpen and invited. In his clouded state, He felt like he was seeing Him for the first time as he was. Not something to be feared, but an Angel Of Mercy on crooked wings. He wrappedAlex in a cold embrace and they were alone in the world. The pain was gone now, all corporeal suffering was nothing before His grace. He whispered to Alex in a voice that he couldn’t hear, His ears were bleeding and he couldn’t hear anything anymore. 

Alex awoke with renewed purpose. He set to work immediately in the hospital room he’d found himself in. He had a long time before his ruined kneecap would be whole again, but he needed the time anyway. So many people needed to understand the thing that crawled from the forest. The silent watcher who sprang from the minds of his chosen ones. He tried to scre3am, but his cold embrace was too strong. All he could think any more was the words that He had whispered into his ear that night. The same words he’d heard in his mind that night so many years ago on the set of his film.  The words that came from his own mouth. The words of the faceless thing that owned the meat that the world called Alex Kralie.

How the fuck was she so strong?

At last I'm alone, I pity myself Though I am the cause of my pain Always I try to blame someone else My presence is a big ugly stain