Breaking the Glass || Agent 38

Chapter Four- Closed Doors

⚠️THIS CHAPTER INCLUDES:⚠️
Blood/ injuries
Panic attacks
Vomiting
If you are uncomfortable with these topics, this chapter might not be for you! So sorry!

Heavy, fast-paced footsteps hit the damp pavement of Inkopolis Square. An octoling, whose pink tentacles were tied into a bun, looked around with panicked orange eyes. The surrounding cityscape and sounds attacked her senses, overwhelming her.

She didn't check-in for work that day; 8 meant to, but she was taken over by anxiousness. She felt like the pattern and the memories would repeat. Instead, she thought a walk around Inkopolis would ease her mind, but in the end, she was wrong. Her only goal now was to get home to her friends.

As she walked, hyper-focused on getting home, she didn't notice her surroundings well. The sound of speeding cars and taxis was mudded with the chatter of inklings and octolings around her. She made sure to stay focused on her path home, ignoring the city and the overwhelming tiredness.

She rounded a corner and paused. Agent 8 felt her throat close in fear as her heart began to pound against her chest. Her hands trembled as the cityscape morphed into the dreadfully familiar central station.

"No..." She mumbled, "Leave me ALONE!" 8 shouted.

She shook her head violently and kept walking, the feeling of being watched hanging over her head. Her vision began to blur with tears as her head hung low. The concrete sidewalk underneath her constantly switched between the Inkopolis streets to the central station platform in her eyes, increasing her panic and fear. She struggled to breathe as panic and nausea settled in.

Eventually, her world stopped switching. She blinked and within seconds was back inside the same glass walls she feared.

"Wait!" She screeched in a hoarse voice, "I made it out! We all did- I- I survived," she denied the situation happening in front of her.

She flinched at the sudden blast of music and sirens surrounding her. The octoling's eyes widened in fear as the blade above her screeched and lowered. 8 put a hand up to the glass and started screaming once again.

"HELP!" she shouted.

The thundering music and earsplitting sirens harassed her ears. Her body violently shook as panic, nausea, and tiredness crept in. She felt too tired to scream, and her throat fought against it, yet she still shouted hopeless pleas.

"PLEASE," Agent 8's eyes stung with tears. "I don't understand why this is happening, I beat him, I LIVED!"

The blade was right above her head.

"LET. ME. LIVE-" Agent 8 shouted as she mustered up her strength and clenched her fist, driving her hand into the glass in an attempt to break it. But instead of shatter, she heard a loud crack.

The agent toppled over in pain as the music and sirens came to a stop. Muffled whisper and conversation replaced the noise as inklings, octolings, and jellyfish looked down on 8, wondering what had just occurred. The octoling struggled to catch her breath, her lungs feeling like cold fire and pain shocking her hand numb.

She stood up, trying to keep balance as her head spun. She looked to the right of her and noticed the exterior of a shop wall; in small batches, there were pools of blue blood that trickled down the brick texture. 8 looked at her hand and was immediately sick at the sight of her torn and tethered knuckles caked in her blood. The octoling stared at the civilians with fear, opening her mouth to say something before toppling over in her sickness. The crowd grimaced and gave disgusting remarks at 8 coughing up her meal.

One inkling girl with blue pigtails stepped forward. "Miss, are you okay?" She asked, not knowing what to say.

Agent 8 wiped her face with her sleeved. The inkling put her hand on 8's back, causing the octoling to flinch. She snatched her hand back, not wanting to start anything up again.

"I just- I need to go back," 8 paused, letting a hiccup save her from another lost meal, "home. I was going home."

"And that is?"

8 hesitated. "Inkopolis's apartment complex. #210."

The Inkling nodded. She went to help 8 up, but the octoling stood up on her own. She thanked the inkling before walking off again, blood dripping from her knuckles onto the sidewalk. The Inkopolis citizens looked around in a mixture of confusion, concern, and entertainment as they saved the event to their camera rolls.

וווווווווווווווווווווווווו×

The apartment door slammed loudly. 8 was about to go to her room before a light in the small living room caught her attention. Agent 3 sat on the sofa, a pissed-off expression on her face. She crossed her arms and looked at 8 in anger.

"Are you serious? 8, it's 1:00 in the morning. What's up with you??" She asked, standing up and leaning on the wall with her arms crossed. "This has been happening for a little bit over a week now, sometimes you don't even show traces of coming back until the morning. Explain yourself, now."

8 hiccuped and wiped her eye. "I didn't mean-" she began.

3's eyes widened as her face went pale. "Holy shit..." She mumbled as she noticed 8's condition.

The octoling was shaking violently. Her fist was caked in blood and her lip and shirt were splattered with her blood and vomit. 3 stood there, speechless for a few seconds as her angry face softened into extreme concern. 8 noticed her behavior change and made a run for her bedroom.

"8, WAIT," 3 shouted as she weaved around the furniture after the octoling.

The octoling swerved behind the door, slamming it shut as the short inkling caught up to her. 3 tried opening the door, but 8 already locked it from the inside.

"8, OPEN UP," 3 shouted in a panic. There was silence on the opposite side of the door. "8, PLEASE!"

Agent 3 knocked on the door, desperately wanting to know what happened and what caused her so much distress. Agent 4 came out of her room, confused and startled by the commotion.

"What's wrong? Is something happening to 8?? Do I need to call Marie?!?" She questioned, panic creeping in with every question.

Agent 3 paused. "4, go back to bed," she let go of the doorknob, "please."

Agent 4 hesitated before nodding and heading back inside of her room. Agent 3 sat down on the outside of the door.

Agent 3 breathes in a rattling breath before speaking. "8, please, if you can hear me, open the door. I know you're scared right now but I'm not here to judge or harm you, I only want to help."

There was an uncomfortable silence at the door. 3 anxiously picked at her thumb as a shaking hand touched the doorknob.

"8, please," 3's voice cracked. "I'm begging."

There was a long moment of silence. 3 sniffled and wiped her cheek before she sat down with her back pressed up against the door. She folded her arms and leaned her head against the door.

She was at a loss for words before mumbling, "Just let me know when you're ready to talk."

And with that, she felt the door peel away from her back. She looked up and saw a tired Agent 8 on the other side. She was wearing a grey t-shirt and had cleaned off her face to the best of her ability. There were dark circles under her eyes, and she was still clearly shaking.

3's panicked expression washed away slightly. She stood up and reached a hand out to the anxious octoling. She slightly flinched before reaching her hand out for 3 to take. 3 smiled, which would normally be rare for the stoic agent. She tried her best to pretend to not notice the wet blood on 8's hand.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up," she gave a weak smile.