[Hey everyone! Welcome to another update. I also wanted to give a shoutout to artificial-soul for making a playlist on Spotify for Jellie. It makes me really happy to see people do all this cool stuff for this series. I really appreciate it!

Song in the MM is Art of Sleeping - I'm Not The One.

Enjoy!]

Stay Creepy, My Friends!~

Chapter 34

Jeff's POV

A long day of doing nothing. I'm laying on my bed, staring up at the ceiling, earphones in and listening to the music coming through. I keep rubbing my thumb over the back of the iPod, not thinking about much. The music is nice on my ears, with a gentle electric guitar rhythm that puts me in a trance at the first note. I'm caught up in every sound, which is why I'm a little bugged when I spot a familiar figure show up out of the corner of my eye.

With a sigh, I pause the music and take out my earphones. Sitting up, I spoke to Death, "What's up?"

The silver-eyed entity pulled down his black hood and said, "Hello to you too."

I yawned and glanced out my window. It was already kind of late. The sun went down about a few hours ago. The rest of the mansion seems quiet. I would usually get some sleep by now, but my sleep schedule has been off for weeks now. Knock out at 4am and sometimes don't wake up until 2pm in the afternoon.

"What do you want, besides my soul?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"How are you feeling lately?" Death inquired.

I shrugged. "Alright, I guess. Still take medicine. Still feel like shit sometimes, but everybody does."

"Why don't you take on a hobby to pass the time?" he suggested.

I pointed to my Rubik's cube on my nightstand. He shook his head and added, "Something else..."

"Like what?"

"What do your friends do?"

I shifted my eyes to the side, thinking about that. Read books, play video games, play dollhouse, draw and paint, drink tea, be a ho...I mean, those all seem okay. Kind of. Maybe. Not the last one. That's strictly Ben's repertoire.

"I'm okay for now," I muttered. Death stifled a sigh but didn't push the subject further.

Staring at him, I said, "You didn't answer my question. Why are you here?"

"I'm stopping by."

I bore my gaze into him, unmoving and silent. He stared back with an equally  drab expression and I suddenly wondered if I could keep a staring competition going.

Finally, Death had enough and frowned. "Enough with that look. You look like a dullard."

"What...?"

"Anyway," he interjected, "I might as well be forward. I'm here regarding the offer I made to you on my previous visit."

I recalled that day when he told me he could take me out of here, but only for a short time. Intrigue snatched me and I leaned my head in my hand, elbow on my knee. "What of it?"

"Have you thought about it?"

"Yeah..."

"And?"

Tapping my fingers against my cheek, I twisted my lips and shrugged. The silver-eyed entity looked about ready to smack me. I never noticed that his right eyebrow twitches. Huh.

"I see. Well, if you're not ready, then we can postpone the offer for another time," he responded nonchalantly. Then, he pulled up his hood again and turned away. Wait...he's gonna leave? Just like that?

Before a cloud of blackness could consume him, I straightened up and said, "Wait."

He turned his head to glance at me, just barely. For a moment, I hesitated, eyeing his black cloak and thinking about his offer again. I actually did give it a lot of thought since the last time he was here. The idea of getting out of here to explore other places was sort of tantalizing, yet terrifying. My heart raced every time I thought about seeing other people--complete strangers--and crowds of those complete strangers. The outside world is daunting to me now more than ever before. At the same time, though, I wanted that thrill, or whatever I'd get, as long as it's not what I feel when I just lay in bed in total silence.

Furrowing my brow, I gulped and said, "I'll do it."

"Do what?"

"Let you take me out of here. Just for tonight."

He cocked that scarred eyebrow of his. "For this night only."

"No. Maybe. I'll have to see..."

Death held my gaze for a few more moments and then he pulled his hood down again. Facing me completely, he ordered, "Get changed then. I don't want you going out looking so haggard."

Tentatively, I got out of bed and opened up the drawers of my dresser to get some clothes together. While I was reaching for the hem of my shirt, I looked at Death as he stood idly eyeing his fingernails. Awkwardly, I said, "Could you, uh...turn around?"

He looked up at me, then swiftly turned around, probably still inspecting his fingernails. Quickly, I changed into a normal t-shirt, pants, and my boots, and donned a black jacket too. When I gave Death the go-ahead to turn around, he did so and handed me a black, cotton surgical mask. I tilted my head and murmured, "What's this for?"

"To cover your scars, obviously," he replied as he kept pushing it toward me. While I put it on, he gave me a pair of sunglasses too. I held onto them and asked, "Won't I look weird?"

"The surgical mask is a fashion statement nowadays. You'll be fine," he stated knowingly. I didn't question him about it.

"Are you ready?" he questioned.

Suddenly, it hit me that I'd be leaving the mansion. It's not for forever but I still feel intimidated. How will things be? How will I even feel?

Refraining from jumping back into bed, I nodded and said, "Yeah. I'm good to go."

Death stood still for a few seconds, then remarked, "You don't have to go if you don't want to."

"No," I mumbled, "I'm alright. It's time for a change of scenery."

Nodding, the silver-eyed entity grabbed my arm to take me away. Right before we left, I piped up, "Hey...can you do something for me?"

"What?"

A grin formed behind the mask he gave me and my nervousness made way for a little excitement.

...

Death stood beside me as I checked my motorcycle that's been stored in a shed connected to the back of the mansion. Everything seemed to be in good condition considering the thing hadn't been used in a long time.

"Do you still even know how to ride that?" Death asked.

I glanced up at him and saw that he kept messing with the buttons of his coat. He got rid of the brooding cloak, settling for some formal-casual look that still made him stand out, even if he was trying to look like a normal human. At least he'll look like a human with style, having suited a coat, button shirt, slim slacks (wow, he actually has legs), and sleek shoes. A part of me doubted he dressed up like that on accident. He didn't want me to look "haggard" yet I bet anyone would next to him. Show-off...

"Of course. I wouldn't wanna take this along if I couldn't drive it," I answered.

The now plain-gray-eyed entity said, "I don't think you should have to worry about driving it in your state, let alone with your glazed eye."

"My eye is just fine," I retorted (it's sort of fine), "And, I've been wanting to take this ol' thing out for a ride for a long time now. This'll help lift up my spirits, which is what you want, right?"

He sighed and waved his hand at me, dismissing the argument and letting me continue what I was doing. A few minutes later, I patted the seat of the motorcycle and said, "She's looking just fine."

"Shall we go, then?" Death replied.

I hopped onto the bike and grabbed onto my helmet, tucking it under my arm. Holding out my arm, I chimed, "Let's go."

Death gripped my elbow, and then everything went dark. It felt strange, whatever magic this was. My head buzzed and tricked the rest of me into thinking I wasn't physical, yet I felt Death's hand on my arm just fine. I was a bit relieved once light swarmed my vision and I felt the air on my skin again.

Scanning the area, I recognized it was a back alley. Water stained buildings towered over us, and far ahead waited a parking lot, and a city beyond that. The air smelled different here, more open, yet still the smell of a city. I'm actually out. Wow...

"Where are we?" I asked.

"Somewhere," was all Death answered with. I suppose I can't complain.

"Come along," he added, motioning for me to follow him out of the alley. I hopped off my motorcycle and led it beside me. Once we were out, I gazed around at the open lot in front of me and at the buildings beyond that seemed to stretch forever. The city lights were so dazzling and so multitudinous that even dark areas like we were in now had a residual glow to it. Above, stars couldn't be seen in the night sky, which disappointed me a bit. I liked looking at the stars back at the mansion. Oh well..

"Where to?" I spoke up as we walked.

Death glanced at me and said, "Wherever you want to go. This night is yours."

I gawked at the city again, feeling a little overwhelmed. My grip tightened on the handle of my motorcycle, fingers reacting to my nervousness. Death kept walking with me, unfazed by my silence. Suddenly, a low grumble came from my stomach and I placed a hand against it. It hasn't been that long since I ate dinner, but I guess my appetite's been more demanding lately (I don't know if it's my medicine or what...).

"Food," I said. "Food first."

"Where do you want to eat?"

My stomach growled again. "Anywhere. I just need to eat already."

Death stifled a chuckle and remarked, "Alright, but don't be picky."

One we found an exit out of the parking lot, I started putting my helmet on. I got on my motorcycle and started up the engine. As it rumbled, I looked at Death and said, "Are you coming with me?"

"On the bike?"

"Nah, through the sewers like a ninja turtle," I deadpanned. "Yes, on the bike. Get on."

With some reluctance, he hopped on behind me and shifted awkwardly. Craning my head, I told him, "Hold onto something or else you might go flying off this thing."

Death took a moment to think before placing his hands at my waist. Once he was ready, I revved the engine and started forward into the street. But, the second I moved, Death spazzed out and I abruptly hit the brakes. Unfortunately, he ended up jerking forward and hitting his head against my back. The gray-eyed man groaned as he held his nose.

"You good?" I asked.

"Peachy," he muttered.

I couldn't help but smirk and tease him, "Is the formidable Death scared of a little motorbike ride?"

"Of course not," he stammered.

Just to taunt him, I hit the gas for a second and watched him silently freak out again. He glared at me and hissed, "Let me remind you that you're here in the first place because of me."

"Fine, fine," I said. I grabbed his arms and wrapped them around my waist more securely. "Hold tight, and keep your feet up."

The gray-eyed man didn't reply and kept close to my back this time. Taking a deep breath, I shook my hands and grabbed the motorcycle handles again. One press on the gas trigger and we were off. In a few minute's time we were out of the dark, lonely roads and heading into the more bright and populated streets. I kept my eyes focused ahead of me, but every now and then I'd quickly glance at our environment.

Seeing all of the colorful, vibrant, city lights reminded me of the two years I spent on the search for Ellie, having gone on road trips to so many places to hunt Corrupted. I missed the rush of the wind against my skin, too. The bustling nightlife around us sounded muffled with my helmet, but I still enjoyed it. A part of me wished we were driving on open road, that way I could drown out my surroundings and not have to worry about crashing into anything.

When we came to a red light, I took the chance to check on Death. His eyes were cast off to the side, watching the city go by too. Something about him seemed odd, though. There's no way he could actually be scared of riding a motorcycle, could he? Is this his first time?

Soon my driving around got us somewhere and I parked the motorcycle in the parking lot of a large plaza. To my joy, plenty of shops were still open, including restaurants. My cranky stomach can finally be sated..!

Death and I got off the anchored bike and I removed my helmet to bring along with me. While I put on the sunglasses Death gave me, we began walking to the nearest restaurant. As we strolled on the sidewalk, passing by other people enjoying the city-nightlife, I gazed at everything without paying attention to where I was going and accidentally ran into a random man.

"Crap, I'm sorry," I told him while Death steadied me.

A musk of alcohol clung to him and I barely smelled it through my mask. He glowered at me and slurred something like, "Screw off, homos."

Taken aback, I kept silent and watched him walk away. Just when I was about to talk shit, Death made me face forward and advised, "Forget it. The man's obviously drunk."

"The 'homos' bit was still a little unnecessary for a drunk," I grumbled.

"Don't worry about it. Besides, he'll die within three weeks."

I chuckled wryly. "Alcohol poisoning? Drunk driving?"

"Drunk driving, yes, but he won't die in the crash," the gray-eyed man explained. "Tonight, a driver of the car he crashes into will receive critical injuries, thus he will have to compensate for his transgressions and his insurance rates will skyrocket. He's already a financially struggling man, recently divorced, his kids despise him, he'll be fired from his job soon. He'll hang himself in a dingy motel bathroom and that'll be the end of his miserable story."

Silence weighed heavy between us as I gaped at him, appalled by his knowing description of that man's fate. Death broke the tension and muttered, "You wanted to know."

"Uh, not really."

"Oh. Well then."

I looked back at the stumbling man meters away now and commented, "Wouldn't it be the best thing to prevent his death?"

The gray-eyed man stared at the drunkard behind us, pondering. Then, the both of us looked at each other and simultaneously said, "Nah." Food is more important to me right now, anyway.

We picked a restaurant to enter and Death told me to go ahead and take a table. Apparently he'll pay with money that he has, somehow, though I guess I shouldn't question it if he managed to magically get himself new clothes too. I waited for him to finish ordering food, and kept taking notice of the other people in the restaurant. A group of friends, some couples, a few families. One little girl kept staring at me over a booth and I tried not to feel bothered by her big, gaping eyes. Why do kids like to stare so damn much?

Just as I couldn't bear the little girl's intense gaze anymore, Death came to the booth I picked out and sat across from me with a number card in hand. "How are you feeling so far?" he questioned.

"Pretty good. I'm mostly really hungry," I answered. I didn't feel like mentioning the creepy kid.

The gray-eyed man leaned back and scanned the restaurant. His attention was caught on a TV showing some soap opera, probably a rerun. Looking bored, he remarked, "You humans and your television drama... I never understood why you would prefer to watch other people's lives, no less fictional lives."

"Those shows make their crazy stories seem real," I said. "And I guess some people like to live vicariously, to get away from their own bullshit."

"You all are complicated creatures," he murmured.

"It's how we live."

"Apparently so." He went quiet for a moment, and then, "That dress looks hideous."

I looked to see what he was talking about and cringed. One of the actors wore a green, sequin dress that kept sparkling in every shot. "Yeah," I agreed, "that looks like crap."

A little while later, a waitress came to the table with a tray of food. I thanked her briefly as I grabbed the tray, but then noticed her eyes dart to my left hand. Right, I'm missing an entire finger.

Uncomfortable, I tucked my hand under the table and quickly looked away from her. The lady went on back to the counter, leaving Death and I alone again. He seemed to notice what had happened and grabbed at the straw that was given to me. As he unwrapped it and crumpled the paper, he spoke up, "Are you okay?"

"Uh...yeah. Just didn't like how she looked at me. Got bothered, is all."

With sincere eyes, he said, "I know it's late to say this, but I'm still sorry for never being able to reclaim your finger."

I lifted my left hand onto the table, eyeing the space where my ring finger used to be. My uneasiness lessened and I managed a quiet sigh. "It's whatever."

"Is it?" Death asked, dropping my straw into my glass of water.

I furrowed my brow. "Not really. I'm hoping it will be if I say it out loud."

"Jeff.."

Not wanting to dwell on the subject, I picked up the plastic fork provided to me and interjected, "Food time."

I didn't care about having to pull down my surgical mask to eat. No one really paid attention to us (besides that damn little girl that's still taking peeks at me) so I figured the scars near my mouth could go unnoticed. At the rate at which I was gorging on my food, we'd be out of this place soon anyway.

"You didn't get any food for yourself?" I asked Death, in the middle of chewing.

"I have no need to eat," he answered simply. "And don't talk with your mouth full like that."

"Sorry, mother," I replied, still doing exactly what he told me not to do.

While I was eating, the gray-eyed man began messing with the napkins, folding them with a focused expression on his face. Gradually, he made them into figures, one by one. Our table had about five paper flowers by the time I finished my meal. I took a sip of my water and mumbled, "What are those?"

"Lotus flowers," he retorted. As he folded his sixth flower, he elaborated, "Lotuses are said to come from the bottom of muddy waters. Every night they retreat into the water, then rise to the surface the next day to open up once again. Despite their murky homes, they always bloom unsoiled and pristine."

"That's neat," was all I commented.

Death wasn't annoyed by it and continued folding the napkin into a lotus. Still focused, he demurred, "There was a time when I used flowers to help broaden my understanding of humans."

"Why?"

Completing the sixth lotus, he continued, "They are often similar to each other. Some flowers are delicate, and some flowers are tougher; some flowers grow quickly, and others take time to bloom; some flowers are colorful, and others come out dull; some flowers are harmless, while others are poisonous and untouchable. And like this lotus, I know there are many humans that have come up from muddy waters of their own, still thriving to bloom every day."

He lined up the paper lotuses on the table, making minor adjustments to some. All of them looked so carefully made as if they weren't folded within six minutes. I carefully picked up one flower and held it in my palm. "I'm guessing I'm a lotus."

"In a way, yes," he said. "In your case...you're still trapped under the water, trying to reach the surface again."

With nimble fingers, he picked up the rest of the flowers and left the booth. When I thought he'd saunter out of the restaurant, he actually went up to the other tables and gave away the lotuses. Even that weird, little girl got a lotus, and she stopped staring at me afterwards, more occupied with the flower. After all of his little creations were gone, he came by my table, leaving a tip for our waitress. "We should go now," he stated, making his way for the exit.

I eyed the paper lotus in my hands. Deep down, I wanted to take it with me, but I knew it'd get crushed in my pocket and look like crap. So, I left it on top of the money for the waitress, a tip of my own.

Outside, Death asked me, "Where do you wish to go now?"

Scanning the city ahead, beyond the plaza, I felt an urge. Answering Death's question, I said, "Nowhere, really. I...I miss riding my motorcycle. I kinda want to do that for a while."

"It is a nice night for it...," the gray-eyed man commented.

I smiled and quickened my pace to get to my bike sooner. A few minutes later, the both of us are on the vehicle for another trip. I took off my sunglasses, put on my helmet, and made sure Death held onto me properly a second time. As I started up the engine and felt it rumble, I got that rush of excitement again. I took a deep breath before triggering the gas and exiting the parking lot.

Like earlier, the rush of driving on the streets thrilled me, and nostalgia came over me like an ocean wave. The city at night was amazing, what with all of the lights for shops, clubs, and other institutions, but I didn't want to look at all of those colors anymore. I craved the open road. I craved to be in those places where there's rolling fields on either side, stretching on for miles. In those areas, I don't have to worry about people, or checking out scenery, or speed limit (sometimes). It would just be me and the bike, just driving, just getting away. For tonight, though, Death would be here too...

So I kept driving. Driving and driving, taking red lights and stop signs every time like a law-abiding citizen, being wary of other vehicles that came around. And eventually the city lights began to fade in quantity until we were at the outskirts. Only the headlight guided me though the darkened streets; moonlight was faint. Every now and then we'd come across lonely homes, but other than that, the environment was open, just like I wanted.

Since I didn't have much to focus on, I took notice of Death again. This entire time he was silent. I could easily forget he's with me if his grip on me wasn't so intense. When I told him to hold on tight, I guess he took it seriously. I wondered if he was liking this joyride. Then again, there's not much to look at around here, which was what he busied himself with earlier. He might be bored...

"You okay??" I hollered to him as best as I could.

"What?" he yelled back.

"Are you okay??"

"What??"

"Are. You. Okay???"

He paused. "....What???"

Never mind.

After who knows how long of driving on open road (possibly hours), I took one peek at the fuel gauge and saw we were running low. Time to stop somewhere. Thankfully, I had begun circling back to the city we were just in, so a gas station came into sight eventually. I pulled into the lot and parked at a fuel station, which wasn't time consuming since the rest weren't busy.

I took off my helmet and sighed, feeling the fresh air on my face. Turning my head to Death, I said, "Could you go in and request a fill-up at station one?"

"Sure," he replied, hopping off the bike, seemingly relieved to be walking again. I watched him saunter into the convenience store, and took notice of some late-night shoppers leaving and some coming in. Death walked in after a chatty group of teens who probably shouldn't be out at this time. Their risk, I suppose.

After I prepared the fuel hose for my motorcycle, the machine began working. I stood waiting, and waiting, and waiting, until all the gasoline was given and I set the hose back. I snapped the fuel door closed and put on my sunglasses as I headed for the convenience store. Inside, I found Death inspecting one of those shirt racks with the design previewed on the side. One of them was a picture of a grim reaper reaching forward and holding a scythe, with the words 'Angel of Death'.

"Admiring yourself?" I jested next to him.

He grimaced and responded, "No. The cloak here is red. I don't wear red. I also don't have any angels, as far as I'm concerned, nor am I the angel. And that scythe is looking brittle and worn, and isn't suitable for battle at all."

"So critical."

"Someone has to be."

I chuckled and went off to walk around the store, seeing if I wanted anything (which I don't, I just like to look). As I looked at those colorful, big-eyed toys, thinking that Sally would like one of these, I heard a thud from the café section. I turned to see the group of teens sitting at a table with a cup of soda spilled on the floor next to them. One of the four teens chimed, "Oops," in a not-so-apologetic way while a store worker came over to clean the mess.

Taking a good look at her, I froze when I realized...she kind of looked like Ellie. But it wasn't Ellie. This girl was a little shorter and had short hair up to her shoulders. She had striking blue eyes, though, just like Ellie's (before the golden eye). There was also a softness to her face, like Ellie's. Her hair was straight and dark, like Ellie's. Her skin was pale, like Ellie's. Shit...I'm staring too much.

Just when I was about to look away, another one of the boys made a light whistle and placed a hand on the store worker's thigh. She yelped and stepped away, wide-eyed. As if the scene hadn't looked bad enough, another guy jibed, "Lookin' good back there. I might just spill another soda to keep you 'round...!"

Too uncomfortable to say anything, the store worker hung her head and reluctantly kept mopping up the soda on the floor. It took me a couple of minutes to notice I was strangling one of the plushies in my hand.

Then, an idea came to mind and a devious grin pulled at my lips. Casually, I went over to the shelf of tumbler cups and picked out a few stainless steel ones. I also got a bunch of cans of food, then went over to the check-out counter. Another store worker came out from the back to ring me up and Death came over to see what was going on.

"Hey, I need money," I told him.

"I see that...," he muttered.

"That'll be fourteen-ninety-nine," the cashier said.

I gestured for Death to give me money and he released a heavy sigh. He slapped a ten and a five on my hand and I gave it to the cashier. Without hesitation, I told the man, "Keep the change," and grabbed my bags. Death and I walked out of the store, leaving that Ellie-look-alike girl to silently deal with those teenagers--for now. Death walked on ahead of me while I grabbed one of those water bottle packs sitting on a stack outside and placed it in front of the door.

The gray-eyed man noticed my delay and asked, "What are you doing?"

"Uh...redecorating," I said nonchalantly. He gave me a brief, suspicious glare before moving on.

I glanced inside the convenience store, making sure the teens were still occupied. Rolling my shoulders, I took my chance and walked up to the car they came here in. I put one of my bags inside the other, making a much heavier bag, then lifted it over my shoulder. Without a care, I swung my bag-turned-blunt-weapon into the car's windshield and broke it on the first hit. Quickly, I moved onto the driver's side window, then only cracked the backseat window, then shattered the rear window.

Death responded all too late, barking, "What the hell are you doing?!?"

"Redecorating," I repeated, kicking out a taillight. The teens inside finally noticed my vandalism and made their way to the door. Unfortunately, they were blocked by the pack of water bottles I cunningly set down. Cackling, I put up a middle finger at them and tossed the heavy bag aside. Adrenaline raced through me as I grabbed Death's coat sleeve and said, "We're leaving."

"No shit! Are you daft?!?"

"I don't know what that means, therefore, no."

"You--!"

"Less talking, more escaping," I interjected.

By the time the teens finally shoved their way through the door, Death and I were already on my running motorcycle. In a flash, I sped the bike out of the lot and back onto the road. My heart was racing the entire time I drove, and I couldn't help but revel in the pissed-off expressions of those asshole-teenagers. I also hoped that girl was doing alright. I wondered if I would've risked vandalizing a random car if she hadn't looked alike to Ellie. Either way, what's done is done. Fuck those kids.

Soon enough, I made a stop at a bridge built over a canal in the outskirts, far away from that convenience store so we wouldn't get chased down or anything. Joyfully, I yanked off my helmet and gave a triumphant howl to the sky. "Fuck yeah!!!"

"You idiot!" Death scolded, shoving himself off the motorcycle.

Frowning, I muttered, "Do you really have to kill my vibe?"

"Your vibe? You vandalized a car in the open!"

"It was worth it."

"It was foolish, is what it was," he hissed.

"So what if I fucked up that car? It's not like I'm gonna be around this place to potentially get caught after this. What, did I alter those kids' fates and cause them to have an early death? Because I could give less of a fuck if those assholes die."

"It isn't that."

"Then what? What are you so mad about?" I said, exasperated.

"Hmm, I'm not sure, maybe that you abruptly attacked a vehicle??" he quipped, sarcastically holding his chin.

"It was fun. I had fun! Isn't that the point of this whole fuckin' date we're having, huh?!"

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Yes, but to commit a crime on your first night out?"

"Shit, my bad, I forgot to follow the damn 'third date' rule," I grumbled.

"It's not healthy for you," he argued.

"And you think being confined to the mansion is? You think having to take medication that makes me dull is?? You think fighting my suicidal tendencies is???"

"Jeff--."

"Who the fuck do you think you are, trying to tell me how to be normal again? You have no business. No one does!"

"I'm only trying to help.."

I scoffed. "Yeah, sure, help. If you wanted to help, maybe you could've taken me out of the mansion sooner."

His eyes narrowed and he replied, "You know I was only waiting for you to be in the right condition."

"Bull. Shit," I growled, stepping up to him. He flinched just a bit.

"Jeff, don't do this."

"Why? Because I'm supposed to be having a good time? Well, fuck that, apparently. You killed the fun with your 'good morals'! And since you claimed this night was mine, I'm gonna shit-talk you all I damn please! Hell, I'll fuck you up right now!"

Without warning, I shoved him toward the railing of the bridge. Silent, he only gaped and did nothing to stop me.

"Does this bother you? A stupid mortal like me treating you like shit? Huh?! Why should you care?! You're an infinite entity! You don't need to be here! You're fucking dumb to be here! Ooh, what'll you do to stop me? Finally let me die? Fine! But guess what, you're too much of a pussy to do that now, aren't ya?! Noooooo, I'm destined for 'greater things'! Oh, what's with that look on your face? If you're so tired of this, just send me back to the mansion!"

And just as I finally got him against the railing, half-leaning over the edge, I yelled, "Take me away from here! Take me away from here like you couldn't at SCP, where all of this shit started, where I became this fucking mess you're so willing to fix all, too, LATE!!!!"

There I stood, glaring daggers in the face of Death, my heart pounding with rage, and my hands clenched tight. He just leaned against the railing, staring at me with angered and surprised eyes. Seeing him look at me like that just pissed me off, but even when I had the urge to raise a fist and sock him across the face, my arms were locked in place at my sides. I couldn't bring myself to do anything, yet I wanted to lash out. Frustrated, I huffed and backed away from him. As I walked away, I growled, "Take your stupid sunglasses back!," then hurtled them toward the ground where they broke. Then I yanked off the surgical mask, crumpled it up, and threw it aside too. Seething, I stormed off down the bridge, not knowing where I was going. I was too blinded by anger to think properly as I trudged off into the night.

Although I was mad, I didn't end up getting as far as I thought I would. I ended up stopping at a ditch and taking a seat in the dirt. When I glanced back to the bridge...I was only about eight yards away. Shit.

I was too exhausted to keep going. Who knows what time is now. I glared at the ground, ripping up the only remaining grass in the dry dirt. Suddenly, Death broke the ambient silence and said, "I know an apology won't ever suffice for what I failed to do a year ago. I know I can never give back what has been taken from you. Nothing I do will fully heal you, since I'm to blame for your misery.

"I was...I was a coward," he admitted. "I kept you alive to endure torture and rescued you when it was too late because I was a damned coward, afraid to face what scared me the most."

Death? Scared? As if...

"Even beings like myself can be afraid of something," he said, as if he knew what I was thinking. I grit my teeth, annoyed that I was actually intrigued by his words. I gave no response and kept listening.

"Zalgo was the only thing that kept me from saving you. If I confronted him...he could've killed me. And that would've been the end for you too."

Flashbacks flooded in of that agonizing experience in the SCP facility. Suddenly, all of the scars on my body ached at the memories, and I could vividly remember the sound of my own crying and screaming. And Ellie's too. And Zalgo's manical laughter as he broke me down again and again. But I knew I couldn't dwell on my trauma or else it'd be hard to get over, so I focused on what I was reminded of when Death mentioned Zalgo. That chaotic bastard had barked on about Death being weak, and a disappointment; that me being tortured was to spite the silver-eyed being for being disloyal.

I stood up and sauntered back to the bridge where Death still stood. As I came up to him, I muttered, "What the hell is with your relationship with him anyway?"

With his hands gripping the rail, he responded, "He is a demented Lord of Chaos. What more is there to dislike? Besides, I thought you were mad at me."

"I am, but my question feels more important," I grumbled.

"I've given my answer."

"That's not it," I muttered as I maneuvered to seat myself on the railing, my arms dangling over the top bar. "I can sense there's something more."

Death inhaled deeply, strengthening his composure further. After staring off into the distance without saying a word, he cleared his throat and confessed, "I am fearful of him because he used to be my master. If not for him, I would not exist. He created me."

I put the pieces together, mumbling unconsciously, "Death spurs from chaos..."

"Yes. Having come to this realm, he needed an aid. Human souls were piling up, polluting the air, and he grew tired of dealing with them. He created me to handle the souls, and that has been my occupation since, even after I've fled from his dominion."

I stared off into the distance with him, listening to his voice go on, "He made me with the inability to truly feel positive emotions so that I would hold only contempt for humans, but exposure to them made me realize there was more to experience, more to learn. I am unable to feel all of the good things you humans preach: happiness, love, self-worth. Ironically, it was this deficiency and my knowledge of humans that caused me to resent Zalgo for what he does. He was a war-monger and sadistic toward all life, good or bad, and immensely controlling. Centuries ago, we fought, and centuries ago I finally became my own entity. Yet it seems I can never truly escape his influence. I am his creation. If we crossed paths again, he would surely smite me down in a heartbeat because I strayed from his authority. Even with this in mind, what I failed to do for your well-being cannot be forgiven. There are no excuses; I was a coward through and through."

Although I was still angry with him, I felt some guilt after hearing his backstory. I couldn't imagine having to deal with Zalgo 24/7 for millennia. In a way, that bastard is Death's...dad. Geez, even an infinite entity has daddy-issues.

"You fucked me over big time," I muttered. "And I'll never get over what Zalgo did to me. He took my damn finger...! I wouldn't be so pissed off if he took any of the others, but my ring-finger! Anyway, yeah, I'm still mad at you...but I guess I can understand how you may have felt too."

Out of the corner of my eye, Death looked at me, and I saw some relief in his features. "Thank you."

"Sure...," I grumbled. Then out of nowhere I hissed, "You're a fucking bitch, though."

"Here we go..."

Shoving his shoulder I said, "Lighten up. Cussing helps me. So does yelling. For example..."

Clearing my throat melodramatically, I looked up to the sky and hollered, "DEATH IS AN ASSHOLE!!!"

"Charming...," he muttered.

"AND ZALGO CAN GO FUCK HIMSELF!" I added with more energy. I lowered my voice and suggested, "You try."

"I'm not yelling," he protested.

"Try it," I urged.

He groaned and spared a moment to think. Next, he took a deep breath and yelled, "JEFF IS A STUPID CUNT!"

"There you go!" I praised. Then I thought about it and grumbled, "Hey.."

"You are."

"Fuck you," I laughed.

Death went on, yelling, "AND ZALGO CAN GO CHOKE ON NAILS!"

"Yeah!"

"AND RAZOR BLADES!"

"Woo!"

"AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS SHARP OBJECTS I CAN'T THINK OF RIGHT NOW!"

"Preach!"

The gray-eyed man panted and bore a light smirk on his face. Nudging his arm, I said, "See? Doesn't that feel good?"

"It kind of does...," he responded, almost surprised.

Feeling better, I leaned my elbows on the bridge railing and stared at the canal water below. I started messing with the hair band on my wrist, the one I always use to tie up my hair. Quietly, I said, "I'm pretty shitty, aren't I?"

"...Are you being sarcastic or serious?"

"Serious."

"Hmmm. Honestly, yes. But considering what you've been through, I think you deserve to feel angry at the world."

"I'm angry with myself, too."

"Why?"

I paused, remembering Ellie, remembering the promises I made to her which I've broken. "I'm not good enough."

"No one is, Jeff. That is why people continue to live. To get better."

I accidentally snapped the hair band and sighed as it dangled in my fingers. "Do you think humanity is worth it anymore? Is Ao's work worth it to continue the human race? I mean, we're all shitty, so...?"

Death shrugged gently and replied, "Well...if everyone died out, I'd be out of a job fairly quick."

"But...people will die. That's what you handle."

"Yes, there would be an abundance of souls to collect, but gradually, as time passes..." The gray-eyed man waved his hand and I understood. "Yes," he continued, "Out of a job. But on a serious note, I do believe humanity should persist."

"Why?"

After taking a moment to collect his thoughts, Death explained, "You and many others may view your existence as a futile one. You and many others may see the human race as a horrible, fear-mongering species with little to contribute to the known universe. But I, and many others, believe in much more."

"Like...?"

There was a comprehensive expression on his pale face and he elaborated, "I don't think scientists and revolutionists should view the future of humanity as the most logical outcome. Many factors play into what exist in the here and now. Magic is possible, different realities and realms are possible, and I know that universes are of a multitudinous quantity--I've been through them. Humanity's future doesn't lie within facts, correlations, estimates, and logical outcome. Though you all are stupid as hell, sometimes, you have the potential to be intelligent.

"I believe...that humanity can advance to something more than they know now. One day, they may be able to transcend into a higher state of existence or consciousness that's currently inconceivable. Maybe in the future, humans won't even be humans, because they will have crossed over into a new reality, a new existence, a new biology, a future that's not so logical like everyone makes it out to be. Slowly. Bit-by-bit. They will pick away at every corner of this existence and dissect into the next. That is how they are. You cross boundaries with technology, so what's to stop you all from crossing the boundaries that divide universes?"

I broke down his explanation and was left in awe. So much so that I couldn't give a response. I just wanted to let his words sink in.

"Besides," he remarked, "even if you all faced cosmic annihilation, you cretins would still find a way to persist..."

"We're fuckin' cockroaches," I joked.

"Only worse. And with opinions."

"Just awful."

"Completely wretched."

Both of us shared a tranquil moment where it seemed like we were calm again. A yawn escaped me and Death asked, "Would you like to go home and rest?"

Despite how tired I felt, I shook my head and answered, "Not yet. I just want to stay out for a while longer."

He didn't respond after that. We stood on the bridge, just staring off into the darkness, while a faint moon and stars hung above. Seeing the constellations reminded me of Ellie, and how life would be peaceful if I could live out in this kind of place with her, where no city can touch us. That'd be nice...

At some point I had fallen asleep sitting on the railing and Death woke me up by lightly tapping on my shoulder. I stirred and looked at him, and noticed that the sky was lighter than before. How long was I out?

"I think now it is time to go," he said.

Another yawn slipped out from me, followed by the grumble of my stomach again. "Can I eat something first?"

He sighed yet managed a small smile. "Sure."

After he helped me out of the railing, I woke myself up some more and stretched. As I turned to him, Death gave me what looked like a new pair of sunglasses and the cotton surgical mask.

"Where do you take these from?" I questioned curiously.

"Somewhere," he retorted bluntly.

Just as I was about to get in my motorcycle, he grabbed my arm and stated, "I'm not risking you falling asleep on me. Stand still." The gray-eyed man held onto the vehicle and I was suddenly enveloped in blackness. When my senses came to, we were again hidden in a shadowed alley. Death told me to leave the motorcycle behind and he walked me into a shop next to us, which was a quaint café. Wherever we were, it was getting early morning and the place seemed to have barely opened for the day. Only a couple of other patrons were inside and Death had me seated at a table in the corner. I had covered my face again, so no one else really looked at me. I sat quietly with my head in my hands, listening to the sound of the coffee machines behind the counter and Death's voice ordering something for me.

A few feet from me, mounted on the wall, was a TV showing a morning news program. The volume was low, but the shop was quiet enough for me to hear.

"...I can't...remember much. I blocked a lot of it out...because it was too much..," a young girl was saying in an interview. She sat on a hospital bed, looking roughed up and frazzled. The title card at the bottom of the screen read A Young Girl Claims She Saw a Monster Save Her. She continued, "But I can't forget...what happened to my kidnappers and...who had rescued me. I keep having nightmares, and she's always in them, so I can't forget. She...was dressed in black. Had black hair...she was slim...her skin looked pale, I guess...b-but her face was covered in...something. It made her look like a demon. And she had one red eye that I could see. And when she talked to me, part of her...mask...came apart. Her voice wasn't human. She spoke English, but...her voice was warped..."

"Were there any other defining...features?" someone off-camera asked the girl.

She stared ahead, wide-eyed, and visibly gulped from nervousness. "Big, black hands... With claws... Maybe fifteen feet tall... They came out of her back... They grabbed at the men and..." The girl looked like she was going to be sick. "She and a mysterious man killed them...and then they took me to police...and vanished. I feel I should be grateful...but a part of me is scared. My mom used to say God punished those who commit sin...but I don't think he would've sent that demon..."

The interview with the girl cuts away, and a news anchor explains that the crew who went to speak with her were asked to leave for the girl's stability. After that, I blanked out, my mind focusing on the description of said "monster".

That demon...sounds a lot like Ellie.

My thoughts were so distracted that I hadn't noticed Death calling my name for two minutes straight. When I finally reacted, he said, "Here's your food. I figured you wouldn't be picky with whatever I got... You look startled. Are you okay?"

My mouth had dried up somehow, so I waited to speak, then croaked, "Yeah. Uh, thanks for breakfast."

Once I had a fork in hand, I scarfed my food down faster than I or Death expected. The whole time, my mind was racing with worries and ideas and 'what-ifs'. But I wasn't concerned if it was Ellie. I was concerned because I know it was--it had to be. If so, where is she, what is she doing, why hadn't she showed herself to us, and who was this other man??

By the time I finished my meal, I felt more queasy than satisfied.

...

"Take care of yourself, Jeff," Death told me. We we back in my bedroom just as daylight was starting to shine. Death returned to his regular look. The motorcycle was back in the shed as if it was never taken out. Everything was back to how it was.

"Thanks for all of this. It helped more than I thought it would," I murmured.

"I'm glad to hear that. If you wish to do this again, just say so. Rest well, and goodbye for now," he said, dipping his head respectfully, his silver eyes shining. Before I could say any additional comments, he disappeared in smoke and crow feathers. I was left standing alone in my room, back to the place that feels even more dull now that I've had a taste of the outside.

I tossed my sunglasses and mask on my desk, then took my jacket off. As soon as I tossed it at the foot of my bed, there was a scratch at my door. Tilting my head, I walked over and opened it to see Smile sitting patiently outside. His eyes seem to shine brighter and he stood with a wagging tail. "Hey boy," I mumbled, pulling a smile and scratching his head.

Suddenly, I hear Ao's voice down the hall exclaim, "You're here!"

She comes into view with an utterly relieved expression but looking tired too. Just when her arms were raised and I expected her to hug me, she realized what she was about to do and stops two steps away from me. Smiling, she chimed, "I'm so glad you're here...! Earlier this morning, I checked on your room and saw you were gone. I've been looking everywhere for you and Ben went out to search beyond the mansion and...b-but you're here...!"

"Oh... Well...you found me. Sorry I wasn't stuck in my room like I'm supposed to be," I muttered lowly.

Immediately, she was put off with my tone and her shoulders slumped. "I didn't mean it like..." Obviously, she was tired already and it seemed she wanted to say more, but couldn't. Instead, she rubbed her neck and murmured, "I'll leave you be, then. I didn't mean to offend. I just...I was really worried."

And with that, she shuffled away to leave me be. Smile stared at her until I stepped back into my room, then he followed me in. He did a little spin next to my bed and I chuckled. "My room's a mess. Give me a sec."

I pulled on my blanket to fold it, but something tumbled out of it. Looking down, I saw a packaged Rubik's cube. A 5x5. Just like Ao had suggested a while back....

My cold feelings disappeared, making way for...guilt. I set the blanket down and patted the bed to beckon Smile onto it. Once he laid down comfortably, I commanded, "Stay, boy," then hurried out of the room.

I ran into the hallway and rushed towards the direction Ao had gone. This led me through the hall, down the stairs, and into the main room, where she was talking with Ms. P, and Sally was in the room playing with her toys, and Ben had come back and was stretching on the couch like a bum, and Masky and Hoodie were playing cards. And then they all looked at me simultaneously. The scene was so casual, just like old times, but I haven't been in a room with more than one mansion-occupant in a long time, so my chest tightened with anxiety.

But I focused on Ao and saw she held the doleful expression she gained from me striking her down earlier. I stared at her, trying to find words to tell her but none came to mind. All I thought about was Death's advice saying that no one in this world will ever be good enough, and that's why they have to keep living to achieve more. I'm shitty as shitty can be, yet I'm tired of being angry and bitter at a world that's fucked me over. I don't want to be like this anymore. Especially if it means pushing away my only friends. I need to get over my fears and anxieties. I need to be better.

Without a warning, I came up to Ao and wrapped her up in a big hug. She squeaked for a second, taken off guard, but warmed up to my embrace with no protest. She's so small. I've never been close to her like this. I'm...actually trembling. My heart is racing. This is a lot. Too much, maybe. Shit.

"I'm sorry," Ao murmured.

Why is she sorry? She didn't do anything wrong. She got me that new Rubik's cube! She didn't have to but she did!

Yet I didn't tell her anything. I left her without a response, but I kept hugging her. And my heart's racing so hard it might explode out of my chest. And I think she knows. It's hard stand upright; my legs feel wobbly. I want to run away, but I shouldn't.

I was breathing heavy now, but I managed to finally sputter out, "D...Don't...be..."

Her arms tightened around me and she stifled a light chuckle.

If a girl like Ao can still believe in me after I've been an asshole to everyone, then maybe I have a chance again...

I can be better.