28 | eyes; blood-red corruption

Julian crouched down nervously, melted within the shadows as he shuffled slowly towards the main room. Lucas followed behind, ignoring the occasional glances of fear from the former.

The voices ahead were getting closer by the minute, rustling sounds of chatter.

Honestly, Lucas hadn't really given the other much of a choice but to help, pushing the door wide open before Julian could protest.

Pulling out his phone, he saw a new text from Elias. [Updates?]

He quickly tapped out, [I'm inside.]

[Weed: That's not very informative, don't you think?]

[Lucas: You're distracting me.]

[Weed: I know I'm charming, but don't become a phone addict because of me.] came the rapid response, lingering with Elias' signature sarcastic edge. [Do you need me to come inside?]

[Lucas: No. Sit. Stay. Don't move.]

[Weed: Treating me like a dog? I never wanted an owner like you.]

[And I never wanted a disobedient mutt.]

"Lucas." said Julian, gulping down his nerves as he nodded before him where the faint stream of light filtered out of a room. "That's the dining room. There usually is a meeting in the evenings, although we aren't required to go there."

"Is there a way closer?"

Although the mutterings from inside could distinctly be made out, he wanted to hear everything closer and get a grasp on what sort of 'group' August had created.

Everybody there had been 'saved' by him in some way, likely following him out of trust and reliance. If they were dependent on him, then they would be more loyal, more desperate to protect him in order to continue the life they were living.

He frowned. He'd have to get everybody into a panic, perhaps start some sort of trouble so that everybody would be too disorganized to pay attention.

Julian sighed. "I don't think there's a way to get closer. I've always been... I mean, I don't really know. Something feels strange about August, so I never attended the meeting."

"Why do you stay here?"

"Because I'm scared. Scared that I'll be running away to something scarier." shuddered the youth with a paling expression. "I'd rather endure a place I know I dislike then a place that I don't know."

The listening man contemplated that, and in a way, he understood.

With no way of knowing whether or not you'd survive, Julian had stayed in this place where even if he feared the leader, it was an enemy that he knew.

Lucas, too, had stayed with the delinquent group he joined, stayed in that empty apartment he had no attachment to, partially because he didn't want to experience something completely unknown again.

The other reason was that he was lazy, of course.

His eyes darted around the room before landing on a rectangular piece screwed into the wall.

The vents.

It would be a tight squeeze, but they looked big enough for him to wriggle his body into. For Julian, on the other hand, it would be slightly more difficult since he seemed half made of muscle.

But Julian was young, and younger people were capable of incredible things. Or so Lucas chose to believe at this specific moment.

Julian was quick to understand Lucas' glance and shook his head. "I'm scared of small spaces."

The man nodded, unbothered. He wouldn't force anybody to follow him. "I'll go alone."

When he made a move towards the vents, however, a large hand grabbed his sleeve awkwardly and Lucas glanced back at the unnerving sight of a broad, athletic man almost in tears.

"...what?"

"I-I don't want to be alone either."

"....." Lucas stared at him, glancing back down at the hand and back up at his expression. "I'm going. Follow me if you want to, or don't. Those are your only two options."

"You're... abandoning me after dragging me out here?"

Lucas fell silent, feeling slightly like some sort of scumbag that manipulated an innocent person and was now throwing them away.

However, he wasn't about to change his plans.

"You don't want to be alone." repeated Lucas, pulling out a coin to twist the large screws on each side of the vent.

Julian nodded.

"You're also scared of small spaces."

Julian nodded again.

"What are you more scared of?" The metal plate fell easily into his hands, and Lucas placed it on the ground gingerly, not to make any loud noises. He turned back to Julian. "Well?"

The youth hesitated, seeming to decide as his eyes darted back and forth. Finally, he settled on an answer.

"Being alone."

Lucas nodded and pointed to the vent. "Then get the fuck inside."

"W-wha—"

"Five seconds. Five... two, one—"

The scared man almost jumped inside, easily pressured. When he shuffled far enough ahead, Lucas pulled his body up to crawl, feeling the way the metal surroundings grazed his skin.

"Do you want to turn back? We won't be able to later." warned Lucas.

Julian squeezed his eyes shut, muttering mantras to himself. "No, no no no. I... it's okay. It's okay. I'm okay."

"....."

The man had a feeling he'd regret taking along this cowardly youth, sighing to himself before they crawled along the ground.

When the youth in front of him started to quietly rap, Lucas almost turned back.

Was that a coping mechanism? Rapping in a dark, secluded space where whispering was much louder than normal?

Not to mention, his phone kept buzzing faintly in his pocket. He'd muted it, but kept the buzzer in case of an emergency—Elias and Elliot were supposed to be on the lookout, after all.

Not the most reliable, but the only people available, unfortunately.

In fact, it'd been a while since he heard an update from Elliot, the trouble making youth who might be as cowardly as the person shivering in front of him.

Since Elliot deeply feared death or injury, from the way he avoided certain things and only acted crazy in situations that played in his favour.

Finally, when the buzzing became too irritating to ignore, he pulled out his phone. The screen lit up the surroundings in a soft glow of light as they continued to navigate through the vent system.

[Idiot: yoyoyoyoyoyo]

[Idiot: yoooo]

"......"

[Lucas: What? Have you entered the building?]

Elliot's reply came almost immediately, unsurprising considering the amount of spam that filled Lucas' old phone.

[Idiot: I'm inside!!! I'm listening to their meeting right now, aren't I damn cool?]

Lucas frowned, suddenly glancing around. There was no other way to listen closer in that he could think of... so where was Elliot? Was he up ahead, waiting for them in the dark?

[Lucas: Where are you?]

[Idiot: Hey, do you like beautiful women?]

[Lucas: What?]

In front, Julian came to an abrupt stop at a corner turn, where the walls were slightly wider, and turned around on his knees to face Lucas. The latter tilted his head with a frown.

Watching in confusion as the youth started to scoot backwards, eyes still squeezed tight, without a word, Lucas fell into silence.

Was this the generation gap between them?

Julian, noticing that there wasn't a person in front of him, cracked an eye open fearfully. "Aren't you coming?"

"...do you want me to move backwards, too?"

He would, if the youth asked him to do so, simply because he wasn't sure he wanted to ask for the reasons behind whatever strange actions the other did.

It was better to comply than learn of weirder things.

"No!" said Julian in a loud whisper, shaking his head. "It's just, the vent to peek into the dining room is up ahead and we can't turn once we exit that corner, so I'd be blocking your view."

"I see."

Although the youth was correct—they wouldn't both be able to peek through the vent if they were facing the same direction—he wasn't sure whether to consider the other as foolish or smart.

He followed in, albeit reluctantly, and soon they arrived at the source of hushed whisperings and commands.

A spacious room greeted him through the gaps of vision through the vent, filed with tables pushed to the side of the room with the exception of one in the center.

Lucas estimated at least a dozen crowding around August, who leaned back in the chair with a soothing smile, his mere presence seeming to give them life.

It was as if he were some god they praised and worshiped.

Buzz.

[Idiot: I see you!]

Lucas snapped his gaze back to the room, seeing a crouched down figure, hunched in the back of the crowd with a shawl wrapped around their head and a summery yellow dress brushing on the ground.

He paused, wanting to look away, but before he could, familiar chaotic eyes met his and a hand shot out to wave wildly at him.

Really, he was getting old, wasn't he?

Following a youth who was slowly scooting backwards in a cramped vent, while peeking at a cross-dressing youth waving at him in the middle of danger.

He really couldn't understand these brats.

Lucas probably was only a few years older, but he was confused nonetheless.

[Lucas: Are you mad?]

[Idiot: Haven't you heard of hiding in plain sight? Anyway... they really haven't noticed! Something's really weird, I'm telling you.]

"S-sir."

"What?" Lucas moved his gaze away from his phone, but Julian wasn't even looking at him.

No, his wide, trembling eyes remained fixated on the dining hall as if paralyzed. Only, sweat trickled down the side of his face and the colour of his skin paled considerably, a sickening crunch coming from the room.

Lucas slowly turned his head.

And his blood ran cold.

The original, slightly strange yet normal scene of people gathering around August had transformed.

Gleefully, the man's eerie eyes curved as a hand yanked up a limp body by the cheeks. Fingers punched through the fine layer of skin, digging through to reach the mouth.

Discomfort rolled over Lucas as he saw the flex and stretch of flesh as the man pulled, twirling his finger around.

Wriggling in terror, like a worm on a hook, tears streamed down both of the victim's mutilated cheeks. Yet no sound left his throat, blocked and suffocated to hide all sounds.

August's blood-stained stare had warped into something far more sinister, while people groveled at his waiting feet.

"Please forgive me!"

"I'm sorry!"

Under the innocent lights, a smile painted itself over August's lips as he pulled at the flapping skin, spreading the tear out wider. The gape almost reached the mouth now, red pooling down vicious fingers.

Julian violently trembled, making out the glimpses of white teeth and gum through the gap that had been ripped wide open.

With a final shudder, the body fell silent, passed out from sheer pain—or perhaps dead. Lucas didn't think the Spade King would allow somebody to die so easily, however.

"Oh dear. You mustn't have forgotten your daily quota, right? After all I've done to protect you, you're failing to repay me."

Lucas flinched, feeling the man's voice drum in his ears, like an infection eating through his mind.

A similar atmosphere surrounded Elias—a command to fear and cower, enlisted into the viewer's bones regardless of their will. A startling pressure weighed down his back, and danger screeched in his ears.

Yet, it was also different.

In the way that Lucas knew he didn't truly fear the fool before him, as if the terror that burrowed into his mind was artificial, forced onto him, and rejected.

[Don't tell me he's gotten stronger.] cursed Wren's voice in his mind, seething with anger. [If he's gotten that many people to follow him... who knows if he gained a skill or an item? But he seems to be controlling them through fear.]

"One bag of food a day, per person. Remember?" said August, disappointment lacing his voice as he continued to stare, unblinking.

That was how he continued to survive.

Luring people into the base was simple, slowly building their trust would take time. But once their loyalty was set in stone, they became more susceptible to being manipulated, believing and following his orders.

August controlled people through fear.

First, a faint loyalty was built and then he showed them what it was like to live without worrying about being killed, so long as they followed his orders.

Then, he showed them what punishment they would get if they disobeyed.

Forcing the turbulent emotions to put them in a disorganized state of mind, they would fall into complete obedience in order to not get thrown aside.

In order not to get killed.

'It's more like a cult, rather than a unified group.'

"Don't you want to survive? Live another day?" The man's terrible voice echoed in their minds, a constant drum that couldn't be ignored. "I can save you."

"Put your faith in me."

A convincing series of lies, mixed with subtle threats, visions of what terrors would await if they disobeyed, and loving, sweet, smothering kindness.

The wind drummed against the large glass panels, and Elliot's eyes glazed over with a mist of distraction, of unnatural obedience. The surrounding people crowded, like moths drawn to a light, mindlessly shuffling forward.

[He grew stronger, from the amount of bodies he's left in his path.] said Wren solemnly, a harsh scrapping tone against Lucas' skull.

It brought him back to reality, from the fear enlisted into him by August's ability.

"Do you trust me?" continued August in a gentle voice, eyes curved into smiling red crescents. "Will you offer me your lives?"

"Y-yes..." came the dizzy answer, a hypnotic chant.

The fear had spread to Julian, hammered down into his shaking bones, skin paled and mouth slightly parted, taken over by a slight tremble.

Tingles raced through Lucas' skin as he frowned, shaking off the unease that unnaturally settled in his head. It wouldn't be good for the youth if they remained any longer, nor for Elliot, who was stuck in a trance.

In fact, for a person who feared death with a crazy passion, he was likely more easily manipulated by August's strange skill.

They needed to leave. The plan had changed.

Originally, Lucas would've pretended to play the role of an injured man for August to rob, implanting a tracking device to record the other's movements. They would've lured him away, tracking his movements within an abandoned area.

Nobody had assumed for something so sinister to be brewing under the man's innocent face, toying with humans as if he were some otherworldly creature.

"I see you."

A shadow covered the light that was originally shining from the room.

Slowly, Lucas turned his head to the vent. He swallowed, already knowing what sort of distorted sight he'd see.

And two bulging eyes peered back at him, pressed right up against the metal.

August smiled grotesquely.

He jerked back as August backed away, clawing and digging his nails through the fine space before seething. He spun around, looking back and forth for something to unscrew the metal plate.

"Damn it." cursed Lucas, stretching forward to yank Julian's body towards him.

The other was still in some sort of fear-stricken trance. Cursing some more, he watched as August crouched down and found something on the floor gleefully, twisting his body back to face Lucas.

With no other option, Lucas slammed his head forward.

Their skulls connected with a loud, dangerous 'bang!' and Julian cried out in pain. There was no time to waste.

The moment the youth seemed to be back in a relatively normal state, although slightly in pain, Lucas pulled Julian forward, shuffling back as fast as he could.

Just as the other's feet jerked past the vent, the metal was torn away and a wild hand stretched out, brushing against the sole of Julian's feet.

"Kick him! Now!" yelled Lucas as a dizzy Julian obediently responded, kicking his powerful legs out to receive a loud cry of fury.

They rushed out of the dark passage, turning a different direction. The way they'd entered was directly outside the dining room—there was no way of returning in that direction.

He spun around at the corner, hearing the loud clattering noises echo throughout the system.

Suddenly, his hand slipped on a gap and he clutched onto the side of a wall to hold himself up, blinking rapidly. Pitch darkness spread out in front of him, a long drop.

Julian nervously asked behind him, "Uh... sir? I hear noises coming closer behind me. W-what's wrong?"

Lucas furrowed his eyebrows, taking a deep breath. They couldn't turn back anymore.

He pulled himself forward to grab onto the opposite side, legs hanging down the plunge. Was the drop connected to another vent exit? Or another series of passages? He didn't know how a vent system worked in an apartment building.

How far did it go?

"S-sir..."

"Listen carefully." Lucas decided finally, resolving himself. "When I drop, you'll hear the slam of my body hitting the ground. Jump after if it sounds close, but if the echo is distant, that means you won't make it down the drop."

"C-can't you call after me? If you're..."

"I might be in so much pain that I can't say anything. Regardless, shouting will give away our location much faster than a loud clatter of noises."

"T-that doesn't make--"

"There are multiple people in the building that might make noises. But it's only our voices that will confirm that it's us making it."

Julian swallowed, and although Lucas couldn't see him, he was certain that the youth was nodding behind him. He couldn't guarantee the safety of the other, so he didn't plan to say anything else.

With that thought in mind, Lucas released his hands.

---xxx---

[ding! message from lukiyo]

hellooooooooooo!! first, thank you to the wonderful, magically charming readers whose very presence helps me keep on writing~ hope you're all doing splendidly!

secondly, just letting you know that there won't be an update on Saturday because I'm a little burned out lol, so I'm taking time to relax, stuff my face with food and sleep an ungodly amount of hours ^^ see you next wednesday!

thanks for understandinggggg <3

on another note, I actually have a few drawings of some characters from a while ago that I never uploaded here, (view at your own discretion) so without further ado...

our lovely Nora!

and the wonderfully slappable pair, Elias & Lucas!