Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

An all too familiar sound of yelling caught Anthony’s attention, a scoff leaving him as he could hear Anne and James going off about something again. He assumed it was Megan, his ‘mother’ had made quite the show of saying there was something wrong with the young girl.

It was amusing, watching them bicker about the youngest child when he was in the home. However, the arguing used to amuse him and now it just made him annoyed. Like all the others, this version of them all, the Clarke’s, had grown boring. Toying them was losing its charm. Anne and James could only argue so much before it got boring. Tanya was always visiting that boy of her, hardly anything like her quivering past self. There were the twins, but Dennis and Regina weren’t as interesting as their originals either. No. He enjoyed toying with David and Rosemary, but both were long gone.

Ignoring the banter and rants from his ‘siblings’, Anthony got up making his way to the kitchen. “We once again find ourselves trapped in a loop. Well, time for the circle to begin again.” Anthony made his way to the kitchen, passing a mirror in the process. He caught a glance of his reflection, groaning as he stopped. “Soon.”

He had been playing the role of ‘Anthony Clarke’ for over a decade now and it became boring. Making their lives miserable did not hold the same joy as it did when he first joined as a ‘child’. He was beginning to miss the devilish roots, but soon he would have to wait no longer.

Struggling to suppress a smirk, Anthony made his way over to the stop. “This performance is going to be quite the show. It just needs the right spark.” He held up his hand, a grin growing on his face.

“Anthony, what are you doing?” Megan asked, peaking into the kitchen.

Turning his head, he resisted the urge to roll his eyes upon seeing Megan there. “I’m making mom some tea to calm her down. Everyone in this house is extra tense.” Anthony lazily gestured to where their dad was watching TV and Regina bickered with Tanya.

“Dennis is being extra mean.” Megan huffed.

“Hey, don’t worry, squirt.” Anthony ruffled her hair, “It’ll all be over soon.”.

Finally managing to shoo Megan away, Anthony turned back to the stove. “Now, I can get started.” Snapping his finger, a flame appeared on the tip of his fingertip. A devious grin formed on his face, blowing the flame at the wall, watching it take flame immediately. “Show time.”.

A maniacal grin grew on Anthony’s face, starting to spin as the flames climbed up the walls. Snapping his fingers, he heard the locks on the doors to snap. No way for them to escape, soon he’d hear their beautiful screams once again. 

It didn’t take long for him to hear them, confusion coming from upstairs over the smell of smoke. “Hey, Anthony! What’s going on down there?!” Dennis shouted.

No response came from Anthony, watching the fire grow quicker and quicker. “What’s going on down there?! I can’t get back inside!” Tanya yelled, struggling upstairs on the upper balcony. 

“I don’t know, I’m going to check!” Regina hurried down the stairs, letting out a horrified gasp, “Oh my god! There’s a fire!”. Regina tried peering into the kitchen, her eyes widening at what she saw in the center of the fire. “Anthony…?” The terror that laced her voice was practically intoxicating towards him.

In her terrified distraction, the flames had spread to her legs, quickly beginning to consume her. Screams began filling the air as he had expected, Dennis struggling to escape the basement, Tanya trapped on the balcony, Megan probably hiding in her room, Anne locked in the bathroom, James confused in a drunken stupor, and now Regina being consumed by the fire.

With things finally kicking into gear, it was time to finally drop this stupid disguise. Anthony closed his eyes as the flames began making their way up his body, starting to spin in the fire. Screams echoed in the air, all of them trying desperately to escape. The flames made their way up the man’s body, his clothes changing into something older than of this time. It took a matter of seconds to return to his true form, a heavy sigh leaving him.

“This is much better.” Abraham smirked, adjusting the cuffs of his shirt, “It has been all too long.”.

Leaving the kitchen, Abraham took in the carnage surrounding him. James had tried to escape, but it only resulted in him being trapped under the roofing. Anne’s struggles to escape the bathroom had stopped, while it wasn’t the same as drowning, she had died by suffocation. It wasn’t how he hoped, but it would have to do. There was a scream that came from outside that was suddenly cut off, through the window he could see that Dennis had fallen onto the fence just like his past versions had. Tanya hung from the balcony, her treasured scarf being the very thing that killed her. Then there was Regina whose burnt husk he had to step over. Hah, so much for trying to reveal his secret.

One last scream caught his attention, letting him look towards the stairs and see Megan drop to the ground. “And then there were none.” Abraham grinned, listening to the frantic screams outside and the sounds of sirens making their way over. “Well, this has been fun, but it’s time we part ways. But don’t worry, we’ll all be reunited soon enough.”

His curse would ensure that. He was excited to see how they would turn out this time, what personalities each would have. 

“Until next time.” And with a snap of his fingers, he was gone in the flames.

But don’t worry. The devil always returns to Little Hope.

Chapter Text

Just as he had promised, they were all back at it again, all the reincarnations alive and his newest identity made. 

Taking up his new identity, Abraham decided to go for a meek college student. Andrew Wyddings. 

Someone who couldn’t stand their ground on personal matters, to be a naive and shy coward. It was wonderful. Some of them bullied him and others pitied him. Heh, he had become a favorite of the professor, John. It was amusing, it was like how Joseph treated him centuries ago. Trusting Abraham with his life and it ended with his death. 

However, there was one problem that he realized after a while. Little Hope had become a ghost town quite a few years ago. He’d have to find a way to convince them all to go to Little Hope. As he pondered in class, an idea suddenly came to him. It would require some manipulation, but it wasn’t like John was hard to ‘encourage’.

After class, Andrew made his way over to the professor’s desk. “Ah, Andrew.” A smile formed on the older man’s face, looking up to his star student, “What can I help you with?”.

“Hey, teach. About this latest assignment, I’ve been really struggling. I have a solid idea on what I want to write about but… the spark just isn’t there. I don’t know what to do.” Andrew responded, messing with the pages in his notebook as he waited for a response.

No matter what version he played, he detested ‘technology’. Bah, so primitive and barbaric. Relying on some obsolete machine that could be replaced in a few years to do everything. It took so much energy to not destroy every human he saw walking around with their faces buried in their little boxes. Nothing felt more satisfying to use than a quill and paper, alas, he could no longer use his old quill. Oh well, a pen did just as nicely to write their horrific stories again and again.

“I see. Well, what are you planning to write about?” John asked, tilting his head in curiosity.

“Witch trials. But not Salem. I want to focus on something less heard of, something… more supernatural. Don’t laugh.” Andrew quickly said, noticing the shift in his professor’s features, “Have you ever heard of the curse of Little Hope and its tied lands?”.

Pondering for a moment, the professor pushed aside the paperwork he was currently working on, “Okay. Enlighten me Andrew.”.

Just like he had hoped. John could never resist a good legend or two.

“From what I’ve read, it all started in the 17th century. Peak witch trial era. There was this group of colonists that was supposedly falsely accused and all seven of them were burned at the stake. Joseph Lambert, Amy Lambert, Rosemary Weinshall, David Milton, Taylor Milton, Mary Milton, and Abraham Alastor were the seven victims tried by Reverend Carter. The worst part of it was that whatever real evil lied in that town clung onto the victims. It brought them back every few decades to repeat their horrible deaths. And it’s still happening, to this day. Or at least the story says so.”

John stared at his favorite student for a moment, taking in what he had told him. “Well, for a small town legend, I have to say that this one is probably the most creative of them. So, Andrew, what do you think will help you through this project?” He questioned.

“I was thinking, what if we go to Little Hope? A small school field trip to get the minds flowing and really get in deep to the source. You always tell us we should feel passionate about what we write. What isn’t more passionate than going to the source of this horror?” Andrew explained.

There was a moment of silence, the professor clearly mulling it over before looking back at Andrew. “I don’t see a reason not to. If it’ll help your paper and get the other’s interested, I say we do it.”

Andrew had to suppress the urge to grin, simply nodding towards his professor. “Thanks, professor. I can already tell this is going to be a great trip. One to die for.” He remarked.

“Seems like you may be too invested in those legends.” John mused, “I’ll talk to the department about authorizing this trip. I can’t make any promises, but I’ll keep you updated.”.

Giving his professor a nod, Andrew made his way out the classroom. Now that he was alone, his grin grew. “This is going to be perfect.” He smirked, making his way out of the building, “We’ll all be home soon enough.”

These fools had no idea what was waiting for them. Soon enough, this glorious cycle would come to another beautiful end. Off to Little Hope they go, a place where these copies would find little hope of surviving.