Chapter Text
"Are you going to fall asleep? I know it comes quickly for you survivors," Danny said, his voice reverberating throughout your body.
Your eyelids were indeed drowsy as you leaned back on Dannys bare chest, you both relaxing on a lush sofa that was located in one of the houses in Bedham. Your knees were pressed together as your bum was nestled between his legs, your hands in your lap.
You briefly adjusted the sleeve of your dress, wishing you could change clothes, feeling dirty in more ways than one.
"No," you replied as you stare at the ceiling of the living room, the back of your head resting on his upper chest and neck.
You felt Danny shift underneath you to bring his hands up behind his head comfortably. You knew he was waiting patiently for you to tell him about your burn marks, you being hesitant, as talking about this specific trauma upset you, naturally. You closed your eyes with a sigh, feeling Dannys steady and rhythmic breathing.
"I was burned as a child trying to save my little sister, Eevie," you said suddenly, your voice quiet.
"I was only fourteen at the time and she was ten. See, she was fascinated with fire. Obsessed. Everything about it. From the look, the feel, the smell...she even tried to taste it. On multiple occasions." You smiled shaking your head at the memory.
"It wasn't that bad at first. Sneaking a candle into her room to light it, just to watch the tiny flame and the wax melt. Or sticking anything she could get her little hands on into the fire pit we'd sometimes have in the summers, entranced by its embers." Your smile slowly faded as you continue to speak.
"But as she got older she started playing and experimenting with more dangerous things. Hair products or gas from the stove. Even gasoline at one point. Our parents, especially my father was terrified. Afraid she'd hurt herself or even me." You folded your arms as you brought your knees up closer to your chest, Danny shifting his hips under you slightly.
"They tried everything. Hiding anything that could start or cause a fire. Anything that remotely resembled a fire or flames. They took her to therapy and towards the end, had her on medication. It wasn't until my fourteenth birthday when everything went horribly wrong. She had snuck a couple of candles from the cake and a match that had been left out on the table, keeping them a secret until the next night."
"None of us noticed the missing the candles and definitely didn't notice the missing match. My parents had cleaned up everything that night, making sure to do a sweep of the house as they always did. My parents decided to go out to see a movie, it was not unusual for them to do something together once in a while and leave me in charge. I was old enough and there were never any problems before."
"I was in my room, playing the new game my parents had got me before I smelled smoke. I ran to the hallway to see a fire had already made its way up most of the walls. I ran to Eevies door and tried to open it, but she had moved something in front of it...."
You paused to swallow the lump that had formed in your throat, your lips quivering from emotion.
"I still don't understand why she would do that, block her door. It haunts me. It tortures me not knowing. I remember reaching in when I had cracked it enough to fit half my body through, hoping she would grab my hand, or yell out for help. But there was nothing. No response."
You lifted your left hand slowly in front of your face, turning it side to side to observe your marks. You stared at them with glazed eyes, your face expressionless.
"I don't even remember feeling the pain. But I do remember the smell."
You closed your eyes as you lowered your hand in your lap.
"The investigators stated that Eevie had technically made two fires. One in the hallway and one in her bedroom. Both caused by two small birthday cake candles. The irony. They tried to suggest it was thought out, like it was calculated. Her setting the hallway on fire as a means to keep me from getting to her bedroom. I remember their faces and how they looked at my parents. With such pitty. Pitty that they had a child who they believed was suicidal. But I don't believe it. I don't believe she would do that...."
Your shoulders shook gently as you began to cry and you felt Danny bring his hand down your arm and place it on top of yours which remained in your lap. There was a long moment of silence as you rested on top of Danny, you sniffling occasionally while wiping your tears.
"Many of us aren't made for that world and we know it. The world where society deems what is right and what is wrong, you having no say in it. Seems your sister was ahead of her time." Dannys voice was low as you listened, you feeling his words through his chest.
You frowned at his statements, knowing what he was suggesting. It sounding all too familiar.
"You couldn't save her, as much as you tried. It was out of your control, life is unfair like that." Dannys words felt cold as he spoke, simply stating facts.
You suddenly longed for Jake's kind words and his warm eyes. You sat up shifting in Dannys lap to turn to face him, his face inscrutable as he returned your stare.
"Its still a wonder to me how you are able to keep them here, in the Entity's world. Are you not curious?" He asked, his head tilting to the side.
You blinked as you heard Jonahs words echoing in your mind, the pain they caused still lingering.
"No, I'm not and I don't care. I'd like to go now," you said frustratedly, your face troubled.
Danny sat himself up as his legs remained under you and he brought his hands to your waist.
"I'm sorry if what I said offended you and I thank you for sharing," he said quietly.
You stared at him warily, suddenly feeling terribly ashamed for the act you both committed not too long ago.
Danny smiled briefly before pulling you closer, his eyes trailing down to your lips.
"I need to know your name, Clumsy," he whispered, nuzzling his face into your neck.
You frowned as you placed your hands on his shoulders, pushing him back off of you with great force, feeling extremely uncomfortable and agitated.
"Stop. Danny, stop....," you said, shaking your head.
Danny pulled back away from you while removing his hands from your waist.
"I want to go, please," you said as you stood to your feet with your eyes lowered to the floor, unable to return his stare.
Danny remained on the couch as he looked up at you before also standing to his feet, his confusion palpable.
"Of course," he said, before turning to walk out of the living room and into the front hall.
You followed him with your hands folded in front of you, your hair a mess. He waited for you at the front door before turning to head for the main road with you following a couple of feet behind him. You felt strangely guilty as you stared at his muscular back, your scratch marks from earlier bright red against his skin.
Danny approached the hatch which projected a dark mist, not too different from the mist of his cloak. He came to a stop before turning around to face you, his hand held out gesturing towards the hatch. You pulled up in front of him and he watched you curiously, his eyes slightly narrowed.
The pit of your stomach suddenly ached as you looked into his dark eyes, not wanting to leave him. Dreading how long it might be until you see him again. You couldn't understand what it was that he had on you, but you were too tired to explore it any further.
Danny lowered his head slightly as you both held eye contact, a smile forming on his face.
"I'm sure we'll see eachother soon. Go and enjoy your sleep and think of me when you do."
You smiled feebly at his remark, remembering that Killers cannot sleep. You turned to face down at the hatch, it yawning wide and you jumped in with familiar ease, the darkness surrounding you.
***
"How is he doing?" You asked Claudette, you both standing in the broken down storage shed.
Claudette shook her head while adjusting her glasses, her eyes more tired than usual.
"I don't know. It's not so much him getting sacrificed as it is him getting triggered by it, causing him to yearn for his family. He is struggling to let go all over again about his life before and I don't know if I can bring him back down from it this time," Claudette said, her arms loosely crossed.
"Maybe he just needs more time?" You asked.
Claudette shook her head sternly while pinching the bridge of her nose.
"No, this is different. It's been too long. For Christ sake- David, Meg and you have already moved on from your recent deaths. Felix is falling apart at the seams and I'm afraid I can't hold him together."
You frowned as you took a seat on one of the small hay stacks, resting your head in your hands. It had been a very long time since your last trial with The Ghostface, many trials happening since. He hadn't visited you since you slept the last time and you had wondered if your actions had offended him in some way. You recalled how you had told the group that you had been sacrificed that trial, them wondering what happened when you didn't show up to the survivor camp for some time.
Though guilt still remained with you from your actions, you found it was less overwhelming to bare.
"Well, if there is anything I can do to help, I will. Though I'm not sure what. I know you two are close." You smiled as you looked up at Claudette, it quickly fading when you saw how visibly upset she was.
"I don't want him to lose it. To lose himself." Claudettes words were filled with sorrow as she covered her mouth with a trembling hand, her teary eyes wide with worry.
"It's not gonna happen. He's strong, Claud. You and him have support. You have us," you said quietly.
There was a brief moment of silence where Claudette sniffled a couple times while trying to hold back more tears.
"I'm here to help with inventory!" A voice erupted from the sheds entrance prompting you and Claudette to turn and face it's direction, Jane walking quickly inside.
Jane slowed to a stop when she reached you and Claudette, her smile fading.
"Oh, sorry. Is now a bad time?" She asked, her eyes darting between you both.
Claudette cleared her throat while waving her hand in the air dismissively.
"No, it's fine Jane. Thank you for taking over for me. I'll leave you two to it." Claudette said before glancing at you with a weak smile.
You and Jane watched as Claudette left the shed, the air heavy.
"Felix?" Jane asked as she lowered her gaze to where you sat.
You nodded, your face grim.
Jane sighed as she placed a hand on her hip, her eyeing the shelving lined with med-kits and flashlights.
"Listen, I've been wanting to talk to you about the other night. What you said about Jonah."
You raised your head to return her stare, your expression concerned.
"You're right. There is something off about him, even though you won't tell me exactly. Hes...different than he acts. Something is dark inside of him and I forget that even though we are victims here, a handful were bad people before. I'm sorry for storming away from you."
You raised your eyebrows in shock as her description of him wasn't quite what you expected but you eventually nodded once with a warm smile, thankful Jane came to her own conclusion.
"You ready to get this done? I'm tired just looking at it," Jane said, rolling up her sleeves. You stood to your feet with a sigh before you both situated yourselves at separate shelves.
***
What felt like a couple of hours had passed before you and Jane had completed inventory, you both feeling beyond exhausted.
"Im worried for Claud, I haven't seen her this low in a while. It's hard enough to keep spirits lifted in a hell like this, but watching Claud try to dig Felix out of an endless pit concerns me," Jane said as you both meandered your way to the sheds wide exit.
"Me too, I can't deny it. But I feel we should just make it known we are here for them both. The best that we can be, anyway," you replied, you both stopping when you reached the large doorway.
Jane half smiled as she combed through her hair with her fingers.
"I couldn't agree more. Well, I'm headed off to sleep. I feel like shit," she said before yawning.
Your eyes drifted behind her head to see Jonah standing in the distance and she turned to follow your gaze.
"Oh, I told him to meet me after I was done here. Don't worry, it's not what you think. We have to have a talk."
Jane raised her eyebrows before saying goodnight and turned around, walking towards Jonah.
You stood with your hands in your jeans back pockets as you watched her go, her eventually stopping to greet him. You watched him nod once to her before they both turned to walk even farther away from you, Jonah turning his head around to eye you briefly.
As they walked out of sight you sighed before turning on your heels to make your way to your own designated sleeping area. You smiled as you thought of Jake and how he was there for you when you had returned after the last trial with Danny. Him being there to talk with you about your trauma from your previous life, knowing the right words to say.
You understood that Danny lacked certain emotional qualities that Jake and really any other survivor had. You reflected how when you would stare in Dannys eyes there was an evil that was deep routed, fused within his being, though he claimed to feel different with you.
As you approached your tattered sleeping bag you removed your shoes and lowered yourself to your bum, sitting cross legged.
You yawned loudly while reaching your hands to the sky, your back cracking as it arched. You stared blankly ahead with eyes burdened by fatigue, your thoughts drifting to your sister.
Why would you block the door, Eevie? Why?
You lifted your hands to your temples, massaging them before opening your sleeping bag and slipping inside of it. Your eyes were heavy as you blinked slowly, thankful you were able to fall asleep at all. You eventually succumbed to sleep, your last thought being of how you would not even want to imagine what it was like to be awake a hundred percent of the time in a place like this.
***
A snapping small branch stirred you from your slumber and your eyes opened groggily. You shivered slightly while you remained in your sleeping bag as you strained your ears to listen. The sound of another snapping twig bounced off the surrounding trees followed by crunching leaves and it was clear someone was walking closer to where you were.
You slowly lifted your self up into a seated position, your eyes squinting in what you thought was the correct direction of the approaching footsteps. Your heart suddenly fluttered and you straightened up more in excitement.
"Danny?" You whispered harshly.
When there was no response, you frowned before snapping your head towards the other side of the small clearing where the sound of another twig broke. Emerging from the tree line was a dark silhouette and you struggled to see it clearly, your vision blurred from sleep.
"Jake?" You asked loudly, a small smile forming on your face.
"No. No Jake here, I'm afraid." A low voice came from the silhouette as it walked closer and your heart sank to the pit of your stomach as you recognized the voice as Jonahs.
As he approached a few feet away from where you sat, you raised your eyes to his face, his dark shades covering his eyes and you wondered how he was even able to see at all.
Your eyebrows knitted together in anger as your shoulders immediately tensed.
"What are you doing here?" You asked, your eyes trailing down to Jonahs hand which squeezed around an unknown object.
"You really are one stupid bitch, you know that?" Jonahs voice barely audible.
You scoffed as you went to immediately stand before feeling Jonahs hands come flying down to your shoulders, shoving you back down harshly.
Your legs crumpled under you and you grunted from the force. You looked up at him in sheer shock before you went to stand again and he shoved you back down for a second time.
You lifted your head, appalled.
"You just had to ruin the one thing I told you not to. Were you also deaf in your life before? Maybe that shit carried over too. Jane doesnt want to see me anymore and I can only imagine why not." Jonahs words were like ice as he spoke.
You shook your head in disbelief, your mind racing with thoughts.
"Fuck you. I didn't say anything to her, she figured it out on her own how shitty you are." Your expression, livid.
Jonah remained silent for what seemed like minutes, his fists balled at his sides.
You shifted on your legs and went to stand up again, this time Jonah taking ahold of your shoulders and shoving you down while also falling to his knees. You were thrown off by his sudden movment as he slammed your back against the ground, you gasping hard from the wind being knocked out of you.
You grabbed and clawed at his arms as he pinned your shoulders down, bringing one of his knees to your other side, straddling your waist. Your legs went flailing and kicking under him, his body being dead weight on your own.
You grunted through clenched teeth as you flailed and kicked and you opened your mouth to scream.
"No! Get off of me you bastard!" You screeched, your body losing energy quick.
You felt Jonahs hands wrap around your throat and for the first time other than in trials, you felt truly afraid.
"Shut the hell up," he growled as he tightened his grip.
You continued to scream, you calling out Jake's name now.
Jonah then lifted your neck up off of the ground while simultaneously lifting your head and slammed you back down mercilessly against it, your teeth chattering from the force. Immediate white hot pain flowed from the back of your head and you blinked furiously, your vision blurred.
"Jake isint coming to help you. No one is coming to help you. You should have just taken a fucking hint." His words barely registering as he lifted your neck and head again, slamming them down even harder against the dirt.
Your scream was cut short, you gasping from the pain. Your head throbbed from the back and white flashes clouded your vision when you opened your eyes, Jonahs face blurry.
"Keep screaming and one more blow will knock you out. Look, I brought something for you, something I think will remind you of home." Jonah brandished a small pack of matches in front of your face as he remained straddled on top of you.
You groaned as your head struggled to remain facing forward, it rolling from side to side.
"You'd be so fucking hot without those burns, though I can see the appeal. Let's add to them here, see if this one sticks." You heard Jonah strike a match and your chest tightened as you began to hyperventilate.
"No...no...don't...," you mumbled, your head pulsing in time with your heart.
"Where do you think you are? You think you're in your hometown? There are no rules here...."
Jonah lifted his chin to the sky as he laughed bitterly, his shoulders shaking. He slowly brought the lit match under your chin, holding the small flame to your skin.
Your body flailed under him from the pain of your skin burning, your feet kicking wildy at the dirt. You gritted your teeth before crying out in pain, Jonahs laughs filling the small clearing.
Jonah finally removed the match from under your chin and angled his head to see the damage.
"Oh nooo, that's going to leave a mark I think. But I wonder for how long?"
You began to sob quietly as you remained pinned on the ground, the skin under your chin raw and blistered. You heard Jonah mumble to himself incoherently before he snickered.
"I was supposed to get laid tonight. I guess you will just have to do." Jonah said sinisterly.
You groaned shaking your head back and forth realizing what was going to happen.
"Jonah, please dont," you said, you now just beginning to see clearly.
Jonah stared down at you with such hatred in his eyes, you knew then, that there was nothing you could say to change his mind.
"I asked you not to do something too, and yet you did it anyway. So here we are."
Jonah suddenly lifted off from your waist and flipped you carelessly onto your stomach, you being too weak and injured to put up any real fight.
"No, no, no...," your voice muffled from the ground as you sobbed, your jaw clenched. You were forced to turn your face to the side with your cheek pressed into the cool dirt.
"You need to be taught a real fucking lesson. None of that bullshit that hippie bitch or that british fuck goes on about. I'll teach you," Jonah grumbled to himself and you heard him unzip his shorts.
"Please, I didn't say anything to her! Please don't do this!" You sobbed, your voice strained and hoarse.
You then went to push yourself up with your hands, your arms wobbly. Jonah was quick to place a hand on your upper back, shoving you back down. Your head throbbed as you felt Jonah take your hands and pin them behind your lower back, your arms hurting from the awkward position.
"Truthfully, I've been wanting to do this, but I thought it would be under different circumstances," Jonah said, laughing bitterly.
You started to twist your body when Jonah grabbed the top of your jeans and began to pull them down hard, grunting when they clung to your bum briefly, before he eventually yanked them down to your knees.
Your arms were losing feeling fast as he continued to pin your hands down on your back, your body being pushed to exhaustion.
"I don't see what they see in you. They say they see hope but I only see a freak," Jonah pulled your panties down to your knees, revealing your bum and you screamed through gritted teeth, your head swimming from pain. You pleaded one more time before you felt Jonah placed his knees between your legs, pushing your thighs outward.
You then felt the full weight of Jonah as he pressed on your lower back, positioning himself behind you. You could barely breathe by his sheer weight and your priority shifted to inhaling air, trying not to pass out.
"Yea, I'll teach you...," you heard him whisper to himself.
You clenched your eyes as you braced yourself the best you could before suddenly hearing what sounded like choking. You felt Jonahs hand shift on your back and the weight he was applying decreased. You opened your eyes wide and heard him gasping for air, his hand and weight completely lifting off of you now.
Your hands and arms fell to your sides limply as they had lost feeling completely and you tried to push yourself up using your face. There was a quiet struggle happening behind you and you strained your neck to see, it being in your peripheral. There was the sound of Jonah gasping for one final breath before you heard his body crash to the dirt, followed by silence.
You felt the familiar cool touch of Dannys glove as he placed a hand on your shoulder gently turning you on your back as he knelt beside you, his mask removed. He brought his hand to the back of your neck gently while lifting your head and torso up. Your arms were regaining their feeling and you reached your hands up to his neck weakly, pulling him closer.
You couldnt stop the flood of tears as you buried your face in his chest, thankful and relieved that he intervened when he did. There were no words exchanged for minutes as he held you and as you pulled back your eyes drifted to Jonahs body which lay limp nearby on the dirt.
"Is he dead?" You asked, your cheeks red and wet from tears.
"No. But he will wish he was every time he has the displeasure of seeing me in his trials, and he will be tormented in his sleep," Danny said as his eyes trailed down to under your chin where it was still very blistered and you looked at him with a confused expression.
Tormented in his sleep?
Dannys eyes softened as he observed your visibly perplexed face.
"You asked me once how I am able to move between yours and my domain and my initial answer was truthful, but there is more. I am tasked with drawing from the suffering of survivors nightmares, harvesting it for the Entity. I am able to keep them sleeping longer if their nightmares are particularly painful, in order to get the most out of it." Danny gazed down at you as you wiped your eyes and nose.
You blinked up at him a few times, digesting his words.
"Do you know what we dream of?" You whispered, afraid of the answer.
Danny shook his head slowly as he pushed your hair out of your face.
"No," he replied and you lowered your gaze, concluding you believed him.
There was a brief pause before you raised your eyes to meet his again and you knew he was waiting for you to ask.
"Did you use my nightmares for the Entity?" You asked.
Danny stared at you with restrained emotion but his eyes were rich with character.
"Yes, in the beginning. That was actually the first time I saw you, but of course, you didn't know. I stopped when I saw you had marks. When I saw you were different. I had lost the desire to harm you, that is the truth."
You exhaled shakily as you pressed the side of your face back against his chest, his cloak feeling smooth to the touch.
"So, you don't come here to visit just me...?" You whispered.
Danny didn't respond immediately as you both embraced on the ground.
"Technically, no. But you were the only one I came to watch. The only one I wanted to be close to."
You adjusted your head against Danny as your eyes closed, your brows furrowed.
"(Y/N)," you whispered.
Danny leaned down closer to you, his expression slightly confused.
"What did you say?" He asked.
"(Y/N). My name is, (Y/N)...." you repeated, your voice trailing as you fell asleep.
Danny held you for a few more minutes before lowering you back down onto your sleeping bag as he sat next to you, you sleeping soundly. His eyes were gentle as he gazed down at you but his face was grave.
"(Y/N)?" He whispered to himself.