Ana felt the fingers of her hand hit something soft and Astrid recoiled. Then she felt the sharp sting of the glass shard slicing across her palm as a result of Astrid's panicked flailing.
Ana yelped in pain and pulled her hand back away from the dangerous swings of the other girl, who attempted to turn and run deeper into the dark, but the parasite threw itself out and managed to catch hold of the collar of Astrid's leather jacket. Ana could feel the warm trickle of blood in her palm as she lunged forward and grabbed Astrid by the hair.
She didn't know what the other girl was planning but she knew she had to get the glass shard away from her.
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Astrid's head and chest yanked back as Ana and the parasite grabbed her. Her feet kicked into the ground, trying to arrest their own momentum and keep balance while she tried to twist herself around.
"- NO." She snarled, keeping her shank hand near her side while clawing her other hand over her shoulder at Ana's. She writhed sideways and her foot knocked into a wooden crate. "FUCK OFF."
"- NO." She snarled, keeping her shank hand near her side while clawing her other hand over her shoulder at Ana's. She writhed sideways and her foot knocked into a wooden crate. "FUCK OFF."
Ana managed to catch hold of Astrid before she could slip free from the parasite. Astrid reacted violently, bucking and writing in their combined grip. One of her hands reached back to scratch and claw at Ana's own and the fingers found the cut on her palm, ripping and tearing at it. Ana let out a small cry of pain and instinctively pulled her hand away from the pain.
Astrid snarled at her like a starving animal, all fury and desperation. One of her legs kicked out and connected with something in the dark. The sound of their footsteps scraping along the concrete filled the room as they scrambled around.
The parasite meanwhile had no such issues, it was hard to hurt something that was formed from liquid metal and harder still to dislodge. Ana could feel it stretching out and reaching for Astrid's neck, looking to do the same thing as it had done to Isabella. In response, she panicked and reached out again for Astrid.
"No!" She said her voice wavering and pleading with the both of them, "Stop!"
Astrid snarled at her like a starving animal, all fury and desperation. One of her legs kicked out and connected with something in the dark. The sound of their footsteps scraping along the concrete filled the room as they scrambled around.
The parasite meanwhile had no such issues, it was hard to hurt something that was formed from liquid metal and harder still to dislodge. Ana could feel it stretching out and reaching for Astrid's neck, looking to do the same thing as it had done to Isabella. In response, she panicked and reached out again for Astrid.
"No!" She said her voice wavering and pleading with the both of them, "Stop!"
As Ana let go, Astrid tried to push herself forward, only to be yanked back by the parasite again. It began pooling around the back of her neck. Her hand shot to her throat, and she kicked out against the floor again. Her eyes widened slightly.
Ana grasped at her again, grabbing the hair at the back of her head. Astrid grunted. A band of mercury started to form across her throat. Her spine arched.
"Joel!" She managed to choke out. Her foot knocked against the crate again as she blindly thrashed the glass shank backwards from where she was holding it.
Ana grasped at her again, grabbing the hair at the back of her head. Astrid grunted. A band of mercury started to form across her throat. Her spine arched.
"Joel!" She managed to choke out. Her foot knocked against the crate again as she blindly thrashed the glass shank backwards from where she was holding it.
The parasite didn't listen to her and kept tightening itself around Astrid's throat, it had sensed that she was in danger and was intent on removing the threat. It was just like with Isabella except Ana wasn't in fear for her life with Astrid. The girl was dangerous but she wasn't Isabella, she wasn't August. She wasn't that one guy she had heard about who turn into a giant acid monster. She was just a girl in the dark with a glass shard.
Then Ana felt Astrid's arm stabbing backward and the shard sink into her leg. She shrieked in pain and stepped back, feeling around on her thigh for the cut as the anger she had felt previously for Astrid rose again. Anger at everyone she had met and abandoned her, boiled up in her chest. Noah and Sayuna for ignoring her for all that time, Isabella for trying to kill her when they only wanted to help, August rejecting her for saving his life and then nearly killing her when he decided to blow himself up, Austin only staying for a brief time and not helping guide her out. And Astrid trying to gaslight her and then trying to kill her.
Her hand that held Astrid's hand clenched tight and she finally asserted full control over the parasite. She used that control to send another tendril down the arm that held the glass shard and made it form a cuff around Astrids' wrist. Then with the help of the parasite and her free arm gripping Astrids' hair, Ana pushed the other to the ground. It wasn't a practiced or elegant movement and both girls landed on the cold, hard floor with a loud thud. Momentarily Ana lost her grip and fell to the side of Astrid, but the parasite kept Astrid's wrist down to the ground, while Ana scrambled up and pressed her knee into Astrids' back.
Her bad arm stayed tucked into her body but she used her good one to push up off the floor so she knelt with one knee on Astrids' back and one on the concrete floor. Then once she was stable her hand grabbed hold of the hair at the back of Astrid's head.
"Leave! Me! Alone!" She screamed down at Astrid, lifting and slamming the girl's face into the hard concrete floor as hard as she could to punctuate each word.
Then Ana felt Astrid's arm stabbing backward and the shard sink into her leg. She shrieked in pain and stepped back, feeling around on her thigh for the cut as the anger she had felt previously for Astrid rose again. Anger at everyone she had met and abandoned her, boiled up in her chest. Noah and Sayuna for ignoring her for all that time, Isabella for trying to kill her when they only wanted to help, August rejecting her for saving his life and then nearly killing her when he decided to blow himself up, Austin only staying for a brief time and not helping guide her out. And Astrid trying to gaslight her and then trying to kill her.
Her hand that held Astrid's hand clenched tight and she finally asserted full control over the parasite. She used that control to send another tendril down the arm that held the glass shard and made it form a cuff around Astrids' wrist. Then with the help of the parasite and her free arm gripping Astrids' hair, Ana pushed the other to the ground. It wasn't a practiced or elegant movement and both girls landed on the cold, hard floor with a loud thud. Momentarily Ana lost her grip and fell to the side of Astrid, but the parasite kept Astrid's wrist down to the ground, while Ana scrambled up and pressed her knee into Astrids' back.
Her bad arm stayed tucked into her body but she used her good one to push up off the floor so she knelt with one knee on Astrids' back and one on the concrete floor. Then once she was stable her hand grabbed hold of the hair at the back of Astrid's head.
"Leave! Me! Alone!" She screamed down at Astrid, lifting and slamming the girl's face into the hard concrete floor as hard as she could to punctuate each word.
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He was useless. Completely fucking useless. He just wanted to help people and save his friends and people he cared about, and what happened? He missed a threat right in front of him because of emotions. Had to put a guy out of his misery for that mistake. Spent a day talking with a girl about Survivor only to end the day with seeing her get crushed under a collapsing ceiling. Wake up the next day to find someone he cared about had died and had a temper tantrum about it. Finally found another person he cared about and had hopes of getting a plan, only to break down again when another friend died.
He was so much better back when it was family issues. He missed it so bad. Hearing Sasha sing a song she barely knew the words to, seeing Fox try out a new parkour move, feeding the Olive and Ace and making silly noises, just talking with Martin about everyday things. He wanted to get away from it all, but he'd take having it for the rest of his life if it meant this never happened. If he never had to worry about all but one of the people he cared about here being dead. If he didn't have to witness death after death that was unjust. If he didn't have to be terrified about the one person he could protect dying-
And just like that, the pity party was over.
The short boy scrambled over to the door, looking in to see what caused the distress.
And he saw red.
As Ana slammed Astrid's face into the cold concrete again and again and again, Joel was running. Whatever the blonde said was in one ear and out the other as he ran toward the two, a look of rage settled on his features.
He didn't know the exact details, but he knew what he had to do. And his mind was filled with only two thoughts.
Astrid good, Astrid good, Astrid good, Astrid good, Astrid good, Astrid good
Ana bad, Ana bad, Ana bad, Ana bad, Ana bad, Ana bad
She would fucking pay.
He was so much better back when it was family issues. He missed it so bad. Hearing Sasha sing a song she barely knew the words to, seeing Fox try out a new parkour move, feeding the Olive and Ace and making silly noises, just talking with Martin about everyday things. He wanted to get away from it all, but he'd take having it for the rest of his life if it meant this never happened. If he never had to worry about all but one of the people he cared about here being dead. If he didn't have to witness death after death that was unjust. If he didn't have to be terrified about the one person he could protect dying-
And just like that, the pity party was over.
The short boy scrambled over to the door, looking in to see what caused the distress.
And he saw red.
As Ana slammed Astrid's face into the cold concrete again and again and again, Joel was running. Whatever the blonde said was in one ear and out the other as he ran toward the two, a look of rage settled on his features.
He didn't know the exact details, but he knew what he had to do. And his mind was filled with only two thoughts.
Astrid good, Astrid good, Astrid good, Astrid good, Astrid good, Astrid good
Ana bad, Ana bad, Ana bad, Ana bad, Ana bad, Ana bad
She would fucking pay.
"NO-"
Whumph.
"No-"
Whumph.
Wheeze. Her free hand groped around on the floor.
Whunk.
Astrid's back spasmed. She let go of the shank. Joel's flashlight illuminated a splatter of dark liquid near her head.
Her hand grasped around a glassware beaker laying on the ground. Something about the weight on top of her shifted.
She lifted her head up and screamed some blood out onto the floor. Then, she twisted to the side, propped herself up against the ground with the arm the parasite was restraining, and used her other arm to smash the beaker into Ana.
Whumph.
"No-"
Whumph.
Wheeze. Her free hand groped around on the floor.
Whunk.
Astrid's back spasmed. She let go of the shank. Joel's flashlight illuminated a splatter of dark liquid near her head.
Her hand grasped around a glassware beaker laying on the ground. Something about the weight on top of her shifted.
She lifted her head up and screamed some blood out onto the floor. Then, she twisted to the side, propped herself up against the ground with the arm the parasite was restraining, and used her other arm to smash the beaker into Ana.
Ana felt the energy flowing out of her as Astrids’ face connected with the concrete again and again and again. It was a flash flood of anger, her emotions overflowing out of her finally. But then she felt something hit her from behind and then someone trying to pull her away. As Joel heaved her back her weight lifted off of Astrid who lay in a slowly expanding pool of blood.
But then with the weight of her own body taken off Astrid she was free to move and she whirled away, glass beaker in hand. It impacted on Ana’s forehead just above her left eye, then the jagged end was dragged across her face, slicing the skin on her face and tearing through her lip, as it went all the way down to her neck where it stuck then suddenly tore free.
Ana began to yell out but it was cut off and she instead fell backwards, the parasite released it’s grip on Astrid to instead wrap itself part of itself around Ana’s neck in an attempt to stem the bleeding while another part of it wrapped around Joel’s arm, as it did so it sharpened itself and cut into his flesh, it spiked up and stabbed itself into his wrist finding its way into his vein and began to follow it back to the source.
But then with the weight of her own body taken off Astrid she was free to move and she whirled away, glass beaker in hand. It impacted on Ana’s forehead just above her left eye, then the jagged end was dragged across her face, slicing the skin on her face and tearing through her lip, as it went all the way down to her neck where it stuck then suddenly tore free.
Ana began to yell out but it was cut off and she instead fell backwards, the parasite released it’s grip on Astrid to instead wrap itself part of itself around Ana’s neck in an attempt to stem the bleeding while another part of it wrapped around Joel’s arm, as it did so it sharpened itself and cut into his flesh, it spiked up and stabbed itself into his wrist finding its way into his vein and began to follow it back to the source.
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He made contact.
He wanted to scream, but held back.
He pulled Ana off of Astrid, adrenaline pumping through his veins as he slammed the girl to the floor.
He felt pain in his arm as it was cut and-and something was fucking inside of him, it was fucking running through his blood stream, and it was fucking horrific-but he kept breathing, and the anger kept coming, and he wasn't stopping it.
"Not. My fucking. Cousin. Bitch."
And he slammed his elbow-the one not with blood dripping and something fucking wriggling around inside of it-into the side of her neck, into the thing-the fucking mercury thing that was alive and it was in him, it had to be what was moving around inside his arm, hit it enough and it should stop fucking around and it would find out, right? Can mercury shit like this die, or was he about to be fucked? If he was fucked, he's at least taking Ana down with him, it's what she gets for trying kill Astrid when he was gone, you don't fuck with his fucking family.
He wanted to scream, but held back.
He pulled Ana off of Astrid, adrenaline pumping through his veins as he slammed the girl to the floor.
He felt pain in his arm as it was cut and-and something was fucking inside of him, it was fucking running through his blood stream, and it was fucking horrific-but he kept breathing, and the anger kept coming, and he wasn't stopping it.
"Not. My fucking. Cousin. Bitch."
And he slammed his elbow-the one not with blood dripping and something fucking wriggling around inside of it-into the side of her neck, into the thing-the fucking mercury thing that was alive and it was in him, it had to be what was moving around inside his arm, hit it enough and it should stop fucking around and it would find out, right? Can mercury shit like this die, or was he about to be fucked? If he was fucked, he's at least taking Ana down with him, it's what she gets for trying kill Astrid when he was gone, you don't fuck with his fucking family.
As Ana was falling back she was forcefully grabbed and thrown down to the ground by Joel. Meanwhile, she could feel Astrid start to crawl away from her. Her right shoulder exploded in pain again as it was jolted around by the impact, potentially dislocating again as it suddenly went cold. And Joel stood above her, holding her down, yelling in her face.
Then he elbowed the parasite and her neck. Due to having a good portion of it snaking through Joel's circulatory system, the parasite was reduced on her neck and didn't cushion the blow thoroughly. Ana's head was bounced off the floor by the impact and she covered up with her left arm, as stars burst to life in her vision.
She didn't know if Joel was in on Astrid's plan. They had been talking in the dark for a while. They could have come up with a plan to kill her in that time.
Her blood was spilling out of her throat still. She could feel the warmth from it on her chest, soaking through her top and her hoodie. All of it despite the efforts of the parasite, which reacted to Joel striking her with an escalation of its own.
It continued to force its way upstream through his vein, all the way up and to the center of his body where it found his heart. It pushed its way inside and felt around, probing for an area of weakness. Once it was satisfied it formed itself back into a spike and thrust itself into the muscle and sinew, it pulled back and stabbed again, and again and then it burst through. The dam broken and its work done it withdrew, and it was not delicate as it left.
Ana for her part still tried to keep Joel off her. She pulled her legs back into her own body and then with a shout of defiance kicked out with both of them into his chest as hard as she could.
Then he elbowed the parasite and her neck. Due to having a good portion of it snaking through Joel's circulatory system, the parasite was reduced on her neck and didn't cushion the blow thoroughly. Ana's head was bounced off the floor by the impact and she covered up with her left arm, as stars burst to life in her vision.
She didn't know if Joel was in on Astrid's plan. They had been talking in the dark for a while. They could have come up with a plan to kill her in that time.
Her blood was spilling out of her throat still. She could feel the warmth from it on her chest, soaking through her top and her hoodie. All of it despite the efforts of the parasite, which reacted to Joel striking her with an escalation of its own.
It continued to force its way upstream through his vein, all the way up and to the center of his body where it found his heart. It pushed its way inside and felt around, probing for an area of weakness. Once it was satisfied it formed itself back into a spike and thrust itself into the muscle and sinew, it pulled back and stabbed again, and again and then it burst through. The dam broken and its work done it withdrew, and it was not delicate as it left.
Ana for her part still tried to keep Joel off her. She pulled her legs back into her own body and then with a shout of defiance kicked out with both of them into his chest as hard as she could.
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There was blood, Joel finally noticed. Not just his own from the metal thing that was crawling inside him, it was inside him and going further and further into him. There was some from Ana, too. From her neck. Around where his arm hit. He had her blood on him now. How did it get there? How did she start bleeding? He'd been focused on getting Ana off of Astrid and sending each a type of luck-
Was it that? Had he been a part of it? It had done heinous shit before. That guy-Rick, from the competition-his leg was fucked up from his gift. Dad had nearly fallen down the stairs, when he was younger. And it was why he never did anything when anyone was near the stairs, he didn't want anyone falling and breaking their neck. And when he wanted it to be good, it was really good. Fox never broke a bone, despite all his stunts. He'd apparently helped with births when he was younger, back when Martin was born. Was it a twofer? Had Astrid's good luck affected Ana's bad luck so bad it would kill her? Had he just helped e
oh fuck
oh fuck of fuck OH FUCK THAT HURT
His chest-was his chest fucking exploding? He wasn't bleeding like his chest was exploding, but it-fuck fuck, what was going on, why is it happening?!
The thing, the fucking metal-fuck fuck fuck, it hurt more, why was it hurting more, make it stop, it fucking hurts.
Joel coughed, and blood stained Ana's face. His blood.
She kicked him then, right in the chest. It hurt, and he fell like a sack of hammers, because he was scared to move. His arm-the one with the fucking monster dug into-it was on fire. It was being ripped apart from the inside.
It left him. Went back to its master.
And he was left a coughing mess on the floor. Blood spurting from his mouth with each fit. He was bleeding-bleeding internally.
He was going to die. It had killed him. She had killed him.
And all he could do was cough more blood and feel tears well up in his eyes.
Was it that? Had he been a part of it? It had done heinous shit before. That guy-Rick, from the competition-his leg was fucked up from his gift. Dad had nearly fallen down the stairs, when he was younger. And it was why he never did anything when anyone was near the stairs, he didn't want anyone falling and breaking their neck. And when he wanted it to be good, it was really good. Fox never broke a bone, despite all his stunts. He'd apparently helped with births when he was younger, back when Martin was born. Was it a twofer? Had Astrid's good luck affected Ana's bad luck so bad it would kill her? Had he just helped e
oh fuck
oh fuck of fuck OH FUCK THAT HURT
His chest-was his chest fucking exploding? He wasn't bleeding like his chest was exploding, but it-fuck fuck, what was going on, why is it happening?!
The thing, the fucking metal-fuck fuck fuck, it hurt more, why was it hurting more, make it stop, it fucking hurts.
Joel coughed, and blood stained Ana's face. His blood.
She kicked him then, right in the chest. It hurt, and he fell like a sack of hammers, because he was scared to move. His arm-the one with the fucking monster dug into-it was on fire. It was being ripped apart from the inside.
It left him. Went back to its master.
And he was left a coughing mess on the floor. Blood spurting from his mouth with each fit. He was bleeding-bleeding internally.
He was going to die. It had killed him. She had killed him.
And all he could do was cough more blood and feel tears well up in his eyes.
As soon as she kicked him he coughed a red mist into her face. Her face scrunched up in disgust and her good arm instinctively came up in a protective position, too late to be of any use. Luckily for Ana, Joel crumpled backward as the parasite withdrew itself from his arm, slick with blood. The tentacle that had been created for the task merged back into the main mass at Ana's neck as she shuffled backward using her feet and one good arm.
She could hear Joel having coughing fits as she did so and she understood what had happened, but she couldn't find any sympathy for him. The parasite continued to press at her neck but Ana could sense her vision going hazy and gradually the sound of Joels coughing started to become muffled.
Shakily she tried to stand, good hand pressed against the parasite and her neck but she couldn't find any strength in her feet and slumped back to the floor. Upon inspection, her hand was soaked red, as if it had been dipped into a bucket of bright scarlet paint up to the wrist. As she stared at it Ana slumped onto her side on the floor. The parasite reacted with panic and tried to tuck her back up, but she was dead weight in its grip.
It sent a part of itself—the size of a small cat—off to start poking at her face and Ana could only give a weak smile.
"It's okay buddy," She gently whispered, stroking the smooth top of the parasites' appendage. "I think it's over." Then her eyes slowly closed. The parasite sloughed off her neck and curled into her arms.
Eventually, her hand fell to the floor.
The parasite raised itself up and prodded her face, trying to goad out a reaction but none came. So it tucked itself in closer to her, nuzzling up against her face.
Then slowly it lost its form.
And in the end, Ana's blood and the parasite mixed as one on the floor.
She could hear Joel having coughing fits as she did so and she understood what had happened, but she couldn't find any sympathy for him. The parasite continued to press at her neck but Ana could sense her vision going hazy and gradually the sound of Joels coughing started to become muffled.
Shakily she tried to stand, good hand pressed against the parasite and her neck but she couldn't find any strength in her feet and slumped back to the floor. Upon inspection, her hand was soaked red, as if it had been dipped into a bucket of bright scarlet paint up to the wrist. As she stared at it Ana slumped onto her side on the floor. The parasite reacted with panic and tried to tuck her back up, but she was dead weight in its grip.
It sent a part of itself—the size of a small cat—off to start poking at her face and Ana could only give a weak smile.
"It's okay buddy," She gently whispered, stroking the smooth top of the parasites' appendage. "I think it's over." Then her eyes slowly closed. The parasite sloughed off her neck and curled into her arms.
Eventually, her hand fell to the floor.
The parasite raised itself up and prodded her face, trying to goad out a reaction but none came. So it tucked itself in closer to her, nuzzling up against her face.
Then slowly it lost its form.
And in the end, Ana's blood and the parasite mixed as one on the floor.
S036 - Ana Ford
Deceased
Deceased
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AnimeNerd
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He wanted to breathe, but it hurt.
He wanted to speak, but it hurt.
He wanted to just last a little longer, but it hurt, it hurt, IT FUCKING HURT.
Joel kept coughing. He kept bleeding.
But he needed something.
Someone.
Just to make this moment more bearable.
"As-"
Hacking.
"Astrid-"
The white diamond stained scarlet.
"Pl-ease-"
Vision getting blurry.
"I need to-"
Tears rolling.
"Need to-to talk!"
How much time did he have left? He didn't know, he just wanted it to be used right.
He wanted to speak, but it hurt.
He wanted to just last a little longer, but it hurt, it hurt, IT FUCKING HURT.
Joel kept coughing. He kept bleeding.
But he needed something.
Someone.
Just to make this moment more bearable.
"As-"
Hacking.
"Astrid-"
The white diamond stained scarlet.
"Pl-ease-"
Vision getting blurry.
"I need to-"
Tears rolling.
"Need to-to talk!"
How much time did he have left? He didn't know, he just wanted it to be used right.
Clack. Clack.
Slowly and unsteadily, the sound moved toward Joel.
Clack. Clack. Splack. Splack. Splack. Splack.
It stopped.
Quiet, heavy breathing; only through the mouth.
A hand squeezed his.
Slowly and unsteadily, the sound moved toward Joel.
Clack. Clack. Splack. Splack. Splack. Splack.
It stopped.
Quiet, heavy breathing; only through the mouth.
A hand squeezed his.
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AnimeNerd
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She was there.
She was with him.
He held back the coughing for a moment, pain amplifying the tears as he tried to smile.
His teeth were red with blood.
"Tell them-I love them. I love them so-"
Coughing-he aimed it towards his chest, away from Astrid.
"So much. Just-just please, tell them I-"
He hacked again, blood splattering.
The diamond had only spots that were white.
"I love them."
She was with him.
He held back the coughing for a moment, pain amplifying the tears as he tried to smile.
His teeth were red with blood.
"Tell them-I love them. I love them so-"
Coughing-he aimed it towards his chest, away from Astrid.
"So much. Just-just please, tell them I-"
He hacked again, blood splattering.
The diamond had only spots that were white.
"I love them."