Another Love

Another Love

Chapter 8: Someone to stay

Previous <-

warnings: mention of suicide attempt

Jessy's POV

– Do you know that she saved me?

I whispered, looking into the distance. The sky wasn't beautiful. It was overcast so you couldn't see the stars. It was dark, gloomy and cold. It accurately reflected my condition as well as my companion's.

– Not only you. – Jake replied, his voice was hoarse

I looked up through my teary eyes at his face, which was illuminated by the moonlight, to see the shadows under his eyes have become even more pronounced. He was so tired.

– A few days after Richy's funeral, I wanted to die. – I started again without looking at him. All the walls around our broken hearts have fallen, leaving only the truth. A devastating truth. – I drank myself into unconsciousness even though I hadn't done so in a good few years. And I was standing there. On the bridge, swinging over the edge. I..

The hacker was tense. It was probably one of the few conversations he had with another human being. But I had to confess my sins. They've weighed heavily on my heart for too long, and Jake seemed like the only person who would listen to me at the moment.

– I was already wondering how far I would fall. How long will it be before I die? Will it be immediate or will it be endless agony? - I sniffled, fighting tears - But suddenly I heard a MC behind me. She screamed not to do it. To come home with her. What home - I thought then? Duskwood was no longer my home since I found out that the person closest to me was someone else entirely. He was a liar. Richy kidnapped and held Hannah, and a few hours later he would come to the workshop and joke with me like he always does. He did all that and then he just gone.. He killed himself and left me alone.

We were both silent for a while. I looked at his profile out of the corner of my eye. He stared at the sleepy, unlit buildings before him. I think he was very lonely. Lonelier than he lets on. Maybe lonelier than he even realizes.

– Then I felt her touch. She didn't yank me, but lightly touched my arm to make me turn around. And then I saw that she was crying too. That I wasn't the only one suffering. – my voice started to crack – It was soothing. And you know what we did then? We sat there and started drinking what was left in my vodka bottle. We drank and cried because that was all we had left. At that time, we were convinced that the people we loved the most in the world had been taken away from us. But I'll never forgive myself for what I did the next day.

I could barely speak through the spasms of tears. I was all red and trembling from them.

– The next day I packed up and left Duskwood without telling her. No apologizing. No thanking for saving a life.

I hid my face in my hands, feeling despair and shame again. Jake sighed heavily, probably hating me even more.

– I'm sure she understood.

– Of course she understood! – I burst out – I came back after half a year and when I talked to her, she didn't hate me. She said she fully understood me and that I had the right to do so. Leave, forget and come to terms with what happened. MC is the kind of person who will stay with you no matter what. She is the sun when the storm is spreading chaos all around. That's why I know I don't deserve her. Because when I left her alone, she welcomed me with open arms.

I swallowed and felt his intent gaze on me. He listened to me but did not judge.

– I've hurt a lot of people, Jake. After what Richy did, I completely changed. I pushed Dan away. MC. Everyone. I preferred to be alone so that I would never be disappointed in anyone again. To never experience the same emptiness, griefing. But it was a mistake. I was an egoist who forgot the existence of others. I forgot that Dan, Thomas and Cleo lost a friend too. I forgot Hannah was being held by a friend. And I forgot that MC lost you.

Something in his face moved. I could see how despair gripped his throat.

– So please don't make my mistake again. When you find MC, and I know you will, don't leave her. This special person who saved us all needs someone to stay with her too.

Another Love

Chapter 3: Runaway

Previous chapter <-

warnings: none i think but if you catch any, let me know in the comments!

A week has passed. 7 days, 168 hours since I last saw Jessy. I tried not to think about it, I was absorbed in preparations for the upcoming wedding and bachelorette party. I forgot my behavior in the car and the messages from Lilly I received on the evening of the ill-fated day.

Lilly: I know it's hard for you

Lilly: I know you see him too

Lilly: But that's impossible.

MC: I won't let you make me insane. Not this time.

Lilly: I'm not saying that at all. But it's impossible that you saw him.

This message was followed by a minute of silence, followed by another heartbreaking one.

Lilly: You can't see him because he's dead

I did not reply. In fact, the blonde didn't even wait for an answer. She simply closed the newly opened wound, which was slowly sticking together.

I looked at my reflection, searching for the old sparks that I knew had left my brown eyes forever. I scanned my body clad in a red dress that reached my mid-thighs. Seen view.. was decent. I was like a rose, though not fresh and fully bloomed, but dried up. Tonight was supposed to be a good evening. I was supposed to drink, play, dance and forget about God's world. Have fun like there's no tomorrow.

I heard a loud horn of a car that approached my block. I came down and immediately recognized Dan's black Volkswagen. I walked inside and breathed a sigh of relief as I smelled a familiar scent that only reminded me of this man. It had a very distinctive perfume, and in combination with the air freshener it calmed my senses and heart.

– Well, well, well. Someone struced up like a rat for the opening of the sewer.

I looked at him with narrowed eyes, but my feigned indignation couldn't last long once I saw his expression. I burst out laughing, nudging his shoulder hard.

– Gallant as always. – Dan chuckled and drove out of the parking lot. – You know, you keep on being nice to me, and I'm going to think you like me.

The man looked at me again, his other hand lowering his sunglasses to the tip of his nose.

– Who says I don't like you, honey? – he said, deliberately lowering his voice to sound like a lover in a cheap romantic comedy

I rolled my eyes, but there was a wide smile on my face.

– Eyes on the road, Jack Daniels.

I loved those moments when I got into that car and forgot about everything. Sometimes it was friday nights, other times we disappeared for the whole weekend. There was nothing dirty or romantic about our relationship. Of course, it was true that Dan was trying his luck by asking me out to watch horror movies together two years ago, but I'd never agreed to that. We realized that our connection is only platonic and that our hearts belong to someone else. Dan was unlucky in love with Jessy. He confessed this to me six months ago when I drove him drunk from Aurora. It was our first meeting with the whole group, even though I had been living in Duskwood for a year and a half at the time. I had no contact with them all this time, because the group completely shut down. Jessy was experiencing Richy's death, Cleo and Thomas tried to help Hannah in the meantime assimilating with the whole situation. Dan told me everything. About how he tried to be there for the redhead, but she rejected him.

The pack of friends was rapidly falling apart and no one knew how to fix it. I flew to Duskwood two years ago for Richy and Jake's funeral. And I don't even know how or when I stayed here until today. I left my old Californian life behind for a small town. In the States, I had no one worth staying for. I didn't have a family, and a handful of friends accepted my decision rather quickly. I thought it would be different here. That I will start all over again.

– And here we are. – he announced in an optimistic, cheerful voice getting out of the car – I'll bring alcohol and I'll take Tommyboy on the best party in his life.

Hannah's bachelorette party was to be held at her house. It was big enough to party, and she didn't want to do that in Aurora. We walked into her place and I was immediately hit by the loud music. I said hello to each person and showed Dan where to put the crate with various alcohol. We were still standing at the kitchen counter, discussing the evening ahead. We stay here, while Thomas and his friends go to Aurora.

Finally our eyes fell on the opposite end of the room where Hannah and Thomas were. They were joking about something, looking into each other's eyes while looking so happy. They looked like fulfilled lovers who overcame many adversities to finally stand on the wedding carpet and connect for life.

– How sweet. – Dan mumbled, and I immediately sensed the irony in his voice

– You have to be a jerk your entire life. Why not take today off? – I replied teasingly as he rolled his eyes

Although we always joked and turned it into sarcasm and irony, deep down we envied them a lot. That they succeeded and we did not.

– Oh, MC, you're here! – I heard a loud scream of Cleo who came over to me and hugged me – Hi Dan. Shit, I forgot to bring my phone upstairs.

– I'll bring you. I have to go to the bathroom anyway. Will you make me a drink? – I suggested to which she immediately agreed.

I did my physiological business and went to Hannah's room where the phone was on the bed. Picking it up, I saw that she was calling and showing her mother's number. I started to head to the ground floor of the house, where I heard loud screams. Looks like they're having fun already.

– Where the fuck have you been?!

I recognized Dan's voice, who was furious. I stood on the penultimate step looking at the group of people in front of me.

– Cleo, your...

The woman turned to me, and only then I saw the person standing in front of the front door. A shiver ran down my spine and my feet dug into the ground. The man was dressed in dark colors, and the hood of a black sweatshirt slightly covered his face. But even from this distance, I knew who he was. He was a ghost who haunted me on what was supposed to be my stepping stone. He couldn't let himself be forgotten.

I saw him lift his head, look from an enraged Dan to me. I felt his blue eyes piercing me. Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, I heard his voice.

– Hello MC.

I knew that voice was the thorns decorating my tense body. That voice was the beginning of my end. So without thinking, I turned around and started running upstairs, leaving them all behind me.

I ran away from him although once I would run for him.

me and the fbi want the same man

Another Love

Chapter 9: Panic room

Previous <-

warnings: physical and psychological violence, abuse of bodily integrity

MC's POV

I woke up and was greeted by complete darkness.

My body was tense, probably from lying indefinitely on the cool cement. I shook my neck and heard the characteristic snap of bones. I felt a great thirst. Is it because of the drugs they injected me? They probably caused dehydration of the body. I strained my eyes, trying to see anything that would tell me where I was. Unfortunately, the room was unlit, and the only thing I knew was that it was cold in here and that I was lying on cement.

I stood up on shaky legs and immediately had to lean against the wall because of the dizziness and headache. I haven't been standing for the last... Exactly how long have I been in this darkness? How long has it been since that early morning when I left Jake? I cursed myself deep down for ever leaving that fucking motel. After a few minutes I regained control of my body, so I headed towards the door where I saw a small window, which unfortunately was covered with bars. A streak of light suddenly shone through that small window. So someone turned on the light in the hallway.

I stood in front of the door and pounded on it with all my strength.

– What do you want from me?! – I screamed, still pounding until my knuckles started to burn

Less than 5 minutes passed, and I heard footsteps, and the door flew open forcefully pushing me from the exit. Four men dressed in dark shades entered the room. They had hoods on their heads, so I couldn't see their faces. My heart began to beat mercilessly fast, painfully pounding against my chest.

– Sleeping Beauty has finally graced us with her presence. – one of them said, and his voice made me shiver with fear. But I wasn't about to give them the satisfaction.

– Who are you? – I asked again, trying to control my voice. – What do you want from me?

The man who had spoken earlier took a few more steps to stand in front of me. I could feel his warm breath on my cheek and his hand touching it.

– It's nothing personal, birdie. – he said, his thumb grazing my lower lip. – But your lover got under our skin. Tell me how does it feel to be his whore?

I clenched my jaw, trying not to let my anger influence my behavior. I might have done something I would regret.

– I don't know what you're talking about.

– Don't pretend to be dumber than you are. – he growled with undisguised anger – Fucking Jacob. But you probably prefer to call him Jake, don't you? What else do you call him? Jakey? Sweetie? Or maybe my lion?

You can see he was a Game of Thrones fan.

I felt him staring at me intensely, but I remained silent.

– Are you silent now? – he asked with dripping irony. – I'm sure those pretty lips can make a sound. Your dear Jake has heard them already?

– Screw you.

I felt a hard slap on my cheek, which made my face contort the other way. The force of the impact made my ears stop, but in the background I heard an unknown man shouting something to the others. Suddenly, my eyes stung terribly as the lights in the room turned on.

I had to blink a few times to get used to the brightness. I didn't even have time to register how the other two men grabbed me by the arms and pulled me towards a chair I hadn't seen before. I was kicking like an animal, scratching their hands and screaming senselessly for which I got another punch, this time in the stomach. I tried not to cry out in pain as they tied my ankles with rope to the legs of the chair.

– We'll hurt you worse if you won't shut up. – one of them said, moving away from me

I moved my bound limbs to see if it would be possible to get out of the grip of the ropes. Well, it was a miracle. I looked up, meeting the man in front of me. Now I could see his face. He was about 40 years old and had a beard on his face. His eyes were the color of spring grass.

– You want to get Jake, I already know that. But what did he do to you? – I asked, subconsciously contracting my muscles to loosen the bonds just a little

– You think you know him, but the truth is you don't know shit about him. – he answered shortly, and I saw that he was holding a gun and a hunting knife in his belt. – Didn't you know that your hero Jake has something to do with an organization that sells organs?

– You think I'll believe you? – I replied as he raised his eyebrows and smiled genuinely

– You are naive. You think a hacker with skills like him will waste his time hacking games or some shit? – he asked looking me straight in the eye. I swallowed. – Darling, Jacob helped us find people with the healthiest organs. You probably know that he's capable of finding all sorts of information about people, right? Health cards, jobs, private life. He gave it all to us on a platter so that later other people would properly take care of such a unit. He knowingly sent them to certain death.

It's all lies. Don't believe them, MC.

My heart stopped and my stomach twisted in unpleasant spasms. I was starting to feel stuffy.

– That's true, birdie. – He walked over to me and crouched down so our faces were on the same level. I dully and stubbornly looked at my lap, but his firm grip on my jaw made me look at him. His strong touch almost crushed my chin. – We don't have to cut you. You just need to tell me where he is.

– I don't know. – I answered immediately – Even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you anything.

A soft laugh escaped his lips before he gripped my hair tightly and pulled my head back. I groaned in pain.

– I totally understand why he likes you so much. – he muttered, holding on tight – I'd like to tame such a wild girl too. See her begging for mercy.

He let go of my hair and took a knife from his belt. I began to breathe faster, watching as he cut my dress with a decisive and quick movement. He ripped it off my body leaving me in my underwear. I flinched and thrashed in my chair as he devoured my almost naked body with his gaze while his knife wandered over it.

– Enough.

I lifted my eyes to the door where a man a little younger than the others was standing. I realized that he was probably in charge of the entire organization. He had a distinctive mustache and piercing brown eyes. He raised his hand, and the man in front of me reluctantly moved away.

– Sorry, they still haven't learned any manners. – he said to me, and there was some crazy smile on his face – How’s it feel to be in here, princess?

I shivered as I smelled his scent. His aura reeked of blood and corpses.

– I'd prefer my bed, but it could be worse. – I replied making him chuckle

– Little miss sassy. – he muttered under his breath and walked over to me. I held my breath, expecting the worst, but with a sigh he crouched down and untied the ropes. As much as I wanted to fucking move my limp limbs, I was frozen like a stone, afraid to move. – You can call me an Artist.

I nodded my head slightly. He looked at me with some madness in his eyes. He must have been imagining me with my throat slit or my guts torn out.

– You must think we're monsters. – he said, and his tone was appallingly sad and serious. – Look at it another way. We help people in need. We save the lives of people who urgently need a transplant, and waiting in hospital queues would kill them.

– By killing others? By depriving them of choice? You are ruining the lives of their families as well.

Artist clucked impatiently.

– You're very pessimistic about it. – he admitted and his fingers began to move over my body like a brush on a canvas. – You will be my greatest art, dear MC. You don't know how long I've waited to have someone like you here.

And then he left with everything else. He slammed the door shut and I immediately ran to it and slammed it with my hand.

– Let me out! – I screamed. – I won't tell you anything, so you might as well kill me right now!

I will not give them control.

In the window I saw the man who had torn off my dress earlier.

– Don’t scream, you’re only wasting your precious energy. – he said, licking his lip disgustingly – Or scream. It's turning on and no one here will hear you anyway.

I slid down the wall, no longer holding back tears. I felt bile in my throat, because through the eyes of my imagination I saw my own death. Slow and painful. I was shaking, unable to catch my breath.

Soon after, the lights went out. They tried psychological tricks, trying to break me. They gave me apparent freedom by getting rid of the ropes, but by locking me in complete silence and darkness, they knew they had control over me.

I never thought that silence could be louder and more overwhelming than screaming.

Then I swore one thing. I won't let them break me even if it means that they will kill me.

I cannot wait for chapter 6 from Another love. 🫣

No pressure at all, just admiring your writing! 😳

your wish is my command🙆🙆

but seriously, sorry for the lack of a chapter, i'll try to make up for it as soon as possible! you know burnout, lack of writing inspiration and stuff like that

would you be interested in a story about MC and Jake in the world of angels and demons? i'm playing a different game and i have a lot of ideas to combine duskwood characters to it