Chapter Text
What a time to move to Mandela County, of course just a month after, this all had to happen...
Earbuds in, I walked down the street towards my home. Was this a stupid idea? Yes. Did I care? No. Did I have a choice in the matter? Again, no.
A number of life altering, shattering incidents, some technically my fault and some not had led me to moving to the cheapest house I could find with no job or help of any kind to speak of. Not really, anyway, I had no family or friends left. In hindsight, considering it all, it was likely so cheap because the police were hiding not so subtly what was about to explode.
"Hey, buddy." I whispered, making sure I wasn't actually heard, watching from afar an alternate bumbling around across the street. "Stay over there."
They seemed to range anywhere from docile, barely coherent just existing and mimicking what they saw around them, to intentionally malicious and wanting to torment and tear everything it could apart. The more innocent ones, I actually found a bit interesting, though still made sure to follow the guidelines.
Except, I still had my phone, but I decided the risks were worth it as I needed music to keep myself sane. 'M.A.D' was already an issue, I considered this a medication I had to use sparingly to prevent it. A double-edged sword, if I was just being spoilt and dumb, I did not care.
"It looks so creepy," I said to myself as I passed the gigantic church much too big to belong to such a small town, "Beauty hides a myriad of things."
I wasn't even sure where that had come from, but it didn't make it untrue.
"It looks so creepy."
My blood went cold when I heard the attempt at mimicking my voice, it was from across the street behind me. The alternate from before must have heard, turned and started to follow.
"Beau... Beauty hides hides hides-"
Quickly, I ducked into the church, hiding myself by the little vat of holy water you were supposed to cross yourself with as I slowly peeked out.
"It's a docile one, I think?" I said to myself.
It was just standing in the middle of the steps, an amalgamation of different people and what almost looked to be animal parts, it seemed. All wrong in some manner, just mangled together trying to act as one... Thing. I wasn't going to test if I was right or wrong, so I was staying in the church for a bit.
Walking around the pews to the wall of glass windows depicting one half of the story of Christ, I couldn't help but laugh as my phone changed songs. I'd almost forgotten I had earbuds in, the adrenaline of rushing in here making everything but that voice go quiet.
"Hung pictures of patron saints up on my wall," I found myself singing along aloud, looking at the giant crucifix.
I wonder if they even miss me at all, wonder or care if I'm okay. Probably not.
"To remind me that I am a fool."
Sitting at the front pew, I sighed, but before I could continue the song I caught sight of the screen on my phone changing. Looking down, dread crawling in my throat, I saw a bunch of 3's and static consuming it. But, the music still played in my ears, now heavily distorted.
"Tell me where I came from, what I will always be-"
I tore out my earbuds and threw my phone on the ground, jumping to my feet, but jumped when I thought I saw something by the alter for just a moment.
"Just a spoiled little kid who went to Catholic school."
My phone completely shut off then, but the feeling of being watched was still there, coming from the alter area.
Taking a few deep breaths, I stood my ground, squinting to try and see in the darkness. I hadn't realized til now, the candles that would normally be lit were all out. But, in the little amount of light from the stained glass windows, I thought I could see a vaguely human shape where the priest would stand. Watching, waiting, I very highly doubted it was human.
"When I am dead, I won't join their ranks, because they are both holy and free." The distorted music suddenly started blaring from my phone again. "And I'm in Ohio, satanic and chained up. And until the end, that's how it'll be."
You aren't going to break me.
"I said make me love myself, so that I might love you." I whispered, hoping it would calm me down despite circumstances which was likely insane, keeping my eyes glued to that spot.
I thought I saw it tilt it's head, it looked like it had long hair.
"Don't make me a liar, because I swear to God-"
"I am He." It said, voice a strange blend of calm and mocking.
Definitely not human, it's voice was jagged, the most human out of every alternate I'd witnessed but still so very off. It almost sounded like it had lost it's voice, yet was able to somehow speak normally regardless.
"When I said it, I thought it was true!" Raising my voice, I continued almost in argument.
The alternate stepped out of the dark and I swear I felt my heart stop. It looked like an angel, at a base level I suppose, but it was so very wrong. Colors muted and dingy, it looked like someone lowered it's saturation yet simultaneously increased it's lighting in the middle of the space, it looked like it was straining itself to keep a neutral expression.
"You are a strange little lamb."
It clasped it's hands like a traditional painting and leaned in towards my face, observing me. It seemed to be listening to the song still, somehow, its head bobbed just barely side to side.
Then, it's face changed, eyes and smile going disturbingly wide. It was stark stiff as it leaned in even closer, it's nose just an inch or so away, it didn't breathe and neither did I.
"Can you still sing, lamb?"
It's trying to infect me with M. A. D.
"Saint Calvin told me not to worry about you!" I was still more screaming it than singing.
That made it's expression falter just a bit, I saw it's lip twitch in irritation for only a moment.
"But he's got his own things to deal wi-" I felt a wave of nausea and dread. "With!"
It reached a hand out and jabbed a finger at my chest, right over my heart. "This is about to burst, isn't it? Useless organ, isn't it, if it can't handle enough to truly save you when you need it most?"
"There's really just one thing that we have in common!" I ignored the attempt to further make me paranoid as best I could.
Now it just looked plainly angry. "Stop talking."
"Neither of us will be missed!"
It wrapped it's hand around my throat and I felt it lift me off of the ground. It went back to smiling, but got out through clenched, too sharp teeth. "You know of me, yet you live. You have seen my face, you should be dead."
"Saint Bernard sits at the top of the driveway-" The line was rasped out with my last breath, and I immediately realized it was a mistake.
Black spots appeared in my vision and I thought I heard the distorted music answer me as it's grip tightened like a constricting snake around a mouse. "You always said how you loved dogs."
I don't know if I count, but I'm trying my best-
When I'm howling and barking these songs.
* * *
"Fuck!" I gasped, sitting up in bed, my hands immediately flying to my throat.
A dream- nightmare?
"Fuck..." I sighed and chucked my headphones onto my desk, turning off my phone.
I need all of the ice cream.
So, I climbed out of bed, grabbing the heavy wooden cane I’d gotten because it looked a lot like the one my grandpa had carved and checking every corner of the house before I made my way to the kitchen.
"Clear."
Flicking on the bathroom lights, the last room to check, I saw my reflection in the mirror. Bruises around my throat in the shape of two thin, inhuman hands.
"Such foul language, Isabel."
It's voice came from behind me but I couldn't see it in the mirror.