#dr. jack

All Chase could see was the faint outline of the walls and the area of floor before him; illuminated by a light coming from seemingly nowhere. It was right to call this place the void. The only thing that could be heard was the erie ticking of a clock on the wall; other than that even his own heartbeat was silenced.

 Is this what it was like for Henrik all that time? Deafening silence, except the clock reminding him of the passing time. Even after only being here a few hours Chase understood why the doctor hadn’t wanted a say a word about this place, and he wasn’t in even the worst of it yet.

 There was a figure in front of him, standing in the shadows past the light. He wasn’t sure if they’d just shown up or it they’d been here the whole time.

 “Who are you? Speak!” Chase cried.

 There was more silence until a voice cut through the darkness. It didn’t sound human, more like a cheap text-to-speech robot. It only added to the creepiness.

 “Chase Brody,” they, no it said. “It’s so good to see you.”

 “What the fuck?”

 “Language.” No emotion or anything in it’s voice.

 “What are you? Do you work for Anti?”

 “Ha ha ha,” it laughed, sounding even more robotic. “Guess I played the character too well.”

 It threw something into the light. A detailed puppet, strings and all. Even though Chase had never seen the demon the others called Anti, he recognized the puppet.

 “Wh-a what?” Chase was dumbfounded.

 “I was hoping to make the doctor part of my collection, sense he needed a friend,” Another dry laugh, “but I got too wrapped up in toying with him that I didn’t notice the days passing by.”

 “You sick fuck!” He screamed loud enough that it hurt his throat.

 “Didn’t I say something about language? We ought to shut that mouth of yours.”

 For a split second he could see the light reflect off of something. A sewing needle.

 A spool of thread landed on the floor in the light and he could hear the snip of scissors.

The ticking of the clock got noticeably louder then it stopped. The sound of static filled the void and there was a loud sound similar to a whip being cracked.

 The clock bagan ticking backwards at an increased speed.

 Negative three hours, eight, ten. Days went by backards.

   T̨h̶͡ r̶ ̡͝ ̡͜ ̀ e̸̢͠e̕ ̢ ̴̡ ̨͝͝ ́ ̴҉̕d͠͏a ́͜ ̡͢ ̨ ̨̨́ y̧͞͠ş̀͢ ͢͠ear ̢̧l̀ ͠ ҉ ̕͘ie̛r ̴͜

There is an old saying, “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” Well it’s bullshit. Well only half-bullshit.

 Chase has been in many a long distance relationship, and he can tell you “Out of slight, out of mind,” is more fitting. That is until someone you’ve relied on for so long suddenly goes missing. Then it’s more like “I haven’t seen you in nine months and if I saw you now I’d hug you and never let go.”

 The the moment Chase was stapling missing posters to every phone pole, tree, wall, bench, and anything else he could. Three months ago the police told him it was a loss cause. Two months ago Marvin took the sign off of Henrik’s door marking it was his. Even after that Chase refused to let him move anything inside the room.

 It seems silly to have gone to the police. Everyone knew who took Henrik and the police would be no help getting him back. It was most likely a spur of the moment thing, maybe to give everyone a slight bit of hope before it came crashing down.

 The only other person who hasn’t given up hope yet was Jackie, or Greyson, his actual name. He would swoop around the city everyday searching for any sign of him. He still somehow kept a smile even when it came to delivering the news that there was no sign of him.

 It was nice though, even though Henrik’s disappearance tore everyone else apart, it seems like the two of them have gotten even closer. Guess that’s the weird thing about tragedies, sure life sucks but you still got to live it.

 He’d finished putting up the posters and was heading back home to Septic inc. when through the glass door he saw an old timey man standing around, looking a bit lost.

 “Need a hand, or a guide?” he asked, letting himself in. The man jumped and stumbled a bit.

 The stranger, most likely a new ego since no one else could enter this building, wore a white button-up shirt and a black vest over it. He also wore black dress pants and shoes and his right eye was slightly darker shade of blue than his left. He also had mint green hair and a bowler hat.

 “You new here?”

 Marvin also appeared in a the doorway, looking tried and a bit disheveled. He brightened up at the stranger.

 A black-and-white slide appeared in the stranger’s hands, reading: “I am new. I am not sure how I got here.”

 “Cool slides. Are they magic or something?” Marvin asked, examining them closer.

 The slide changed. “Magic? I don’t know, I can just summon them without much thought. I use them to communicate.”

 “Cool, bro!” Chase winked, giving awkward finger guns.

 “You got a name or do you just wanna be Dapper man?” Marvin jokes.

 The dapper stanger looks almost offended for a split second, or maybe it was just Chase overreacting. Next second he’s smiling again and the slide says something different.

 “Jameson Jackson. Pleased to meet you!” He holds out his hand, holding the slide in his other.

 “Marvin. And this is Chase.” He tips his cap at his name.

 “Why don’t I take Jameson here on a tour. Greyson’s waiting for you on the roof,” Marvin said, grabbing the newer ego by the arm.

 “Alright, just don’t freak him out,” he replied, noticing a slight look of distress on the dapper ego’s face.

 “I won’t.” The magician gave him a sinister smile that didn’t help Chase’s paranoia.

 With that the two disappear through the doorway Marvin just appeared from, pushing the button on the elevator first.

 On the roof, standing at the edge stood a man in jeans and a bright red hoodie. The hood was down relieving a head of grass-green hair and a blue mask.

 “Grey!” he called, a grin forming on his face. The man spun around a grin also painted on his face, but weaker.

 “So I’m guessing no new news?” The man’s expression drops and he turns back towards the edge.

 Chase would step closer but he doesn’t trust himself not to tumble right over the side. It’s only a three story drop to the ground, so he could survive but who’s gonna take the chance.

 “It’s been almost ten months and still not even a ransom note or something!” He draws in a long, shaky sigh.”I’m thinking… what if An- you-know-who didn’t take him and he just left.”

 Chase felt like he was just stabbed. For a second the tumble to the ground didn’t sound so bad.

 “How could you say that! Henrik would never do that, and even if he did he would’ve told someone or left a note!” He had to stop himself from going into an angry rant.

 Greyson held his hands up in defence. “I know, I know. It was just a theory, he would’ve also taken some of his stuff as well.” He audibly gulped and wiped the sweat from his brow.

 “I’m just saying,” he continues looking down at the street, “that if you-know-who did take him, he would probably be de-” he suddenly cuts off, his eyes growing wider.

 “I know he could be dead right now but you can’t really be giving-” Greyson punches him lightly and frantically points at someone below, stuttering to get anything out.

 There on the sidewalk, marching forward like he was hired to kill ironman, was Henrik Von Schneeplestein in the flesh. From here he looked normal but they could see large purple marks peppering his skin.

 They scramble for the elevator before silently deciding the rush down the stairs. They made it to the bottom just as Henrik opened the door.

 His eyes were bloodshot, his nails and hair long and dirty, his coat torn to shreds, his glasses cracked, overall he looked close to passing out or just straight up dying on the spot, yet he still held himself up.  

 They were too stunned to speak. He wasn’t sure when, but at some point tears started spilling from Chase’s eyes.

 Greyson moved forward to hug him put he raised his arm up to stop him.

 “I’m sorry, I’d love to hug you but if I do my legs will give out or I’ll start bleeding again.” He hissed with pain just from moving his arm. It was taking a lot of energy and concentration just to keep from falling over right now.

 “It’s been nine months,” Greyson squeaked, barely a whisper. He himself felt like he was about to pass out, he’d already joined Chase in crying.

 “I’m aware.” Nine months of seemingly being tortured and he’s still a smart-ass. Chase could help giggling a bit, which soon dissolved into full on laughter.

 Greyson soon joined him and so did Henrik, but for him it turned into a coughing fit. There was blood on his hands and none of them were sure if he coughed it up or if a cut on his hand reopened.

 “There’s a new guy isn’t there?” the doctor asked.

 “How did you know about that?”

 He didn’t respond, instead he pushed pass them and stepped into the hallway. The two glanced at each other before following.

 Right as they stepped in, Marvin rounded the corner holding onto Jameson. Jameson was holding his hand over his right eye. Chase could see blood soaking through his fingers.

 “Jackie! Chase! Henrik?!!” the magician panted. “I ah- wait- I didn’t. Henrik!”

 He let go of the dapper man and stared dumbfounded.

 “Marv,” he stated quietly, his voice cracking.

 The magician swooped him into a hug without a second thought, forgetting the newer ego clearly in need of some help.

 “I umm.” He clears his throat. “I thought you were dead.” Tears ran down his face.

 “I thought I was dead to.” The doctor mumbled, barely a whisper, before he fell apart and collapsed into Marvin’s arms.

 Jameson on the other hand was looking more and more antsy. He tapped on Marvin’s shoulder and another slide appeared.  

 “Hate to break up whatever’s happening here but I have a little problem.” The slide floats as he points to his eye.

 “Oh right. Ah, Chase! Jackie! Take JJ here to the hospital wing and have Dr. Septiceye patch him up,” Marvin commanded.

 “Doctor who now?” Henrik groaned.

 “Not important right now,” he hushes, carrying him off to his room.

 As much as they want to stay with the doctor, Jackie and Chase obey and lead Jameson up stairs.

 Chase had only ever been the the hospital wing once after Henrik’s disappearance and that was just to show Dr. Jack Septiceye around. Now it looked nothing like the old E.R. Henrik ran.

 Everything had been replaced, everything that made the room homey, everything that made the room Henrik’s. The cozy pull-out couch that he would sleep in often was replaced with another hospital bed and the vintage wooden desk was replaced with a cold, metal, new one.

 Just opening the door to this place sent a shiver down the father-of-two’s spine.

 Dr. Septiceye himself was currently hunched over said desk. He was trying to look like he was doing work, but from what Chase knew about the man, he was probably doing a coloring sheet.

 Greyson cleared his throat and the “totally-real-doctor” spun around while stuffing whatever paper he was working on under a pile of other papers.

 Chase smiles half-heartedly, guestering to Jameson’s problem.

 “Ah, yes leave him over there.” He points to a hospital bed, not seeming too interested in doing his job.

  They comply. The doctor sighs before getting up and grabbing some disinfectant and bandages.

 “Can you tell me when and why your eye started bleeding?” he asks, carefully cleaning the blood off his hand and face with a small cloth.

 The dapper ego shook his head.

 “You two can leave,” he says offhandedly.

 ***

“Today's been pretty chaotic hasn’t it?” Greyson asked. The two were now sitting back on the roof, Greyson with his feet dangling over the edge of the building and Chase sitting a safe distance away.

 “It most certainly has.” He lets out a deep, tired sigh.

 “Something up?”

 “I just… feel like I should be a bit happier about Henrik returning and JJ showing up, but instead I’m just scared.”

 “Scared? How?” The hero scoots a bit closer to him.

 “Now with Henrik back you-know-who is going to try and get him back or attack JJ here and…” he trails off, putting his head in his hands.

 “I might have a solution!” Marvin said, appearing from seemingly nowhere.

 “Solution? What do you mean?” Greyson asks. The two of them now standing up.

 “Well I can’t put my idea into effect till tomorrow nor can i really explain without it sounded really bad, but with a bit of magic I can get us some help.” He twirls his finger in the air. “Of course I’ll need one of you to help me.”

 Chase and Greyson glance at each other before either of them spoke.

 “I’ll help you out. Grey’s gotta do hero work anyway.”

 Marvin clapped his hands together. “Alright, meet me at the cemetery tomorrow at eleven a.m. sharp.” With that he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

 “D-did he say the cemetery?”