Treasures of The Damned

26. Unshakeable Footsteps

Briar wrapped her arms around herself, hissing and holding onto her side. It didn't feel like it hurt her too much, but it hurt her enough to make her slow down while she was running.

She turned in a quick circle, trying to see where she could hide. "Three members are dead...that means five more...plus my Dad..." She thought to herself, taking a small little breath as she decided to hide out in her father's area of the park.

As she was walking, she started to hear singing, and she stopped for a moment, hiding in the shadows to listen to the singing. It was faint at first, but it started to get closer to her, and she pressed her lips together, trying to see who it was who was singing.

"I don't know what I was thinking, leaving my child behind. Now I suffer the curse and now I am blind. With all this anger, guilt, and sadness coming to haunt me forever. I can't wait for the cliff at the end of the river. Is this revenge I am seeking? Or seeking someone to avenge me? Stuck in my own paradox, I wanna set myself free. Maybe I should chase and find before they'll try to stop it. It won't be long before I'll become a puppet"

The voice seemed to echo through the halls, and she took a deep breath, pressing her lips together as she stayed hidden, looking up with eyes wide. "I don't understand...that doesn't sound like my dad or any of my ankles-..."

Slowly peeking her head to the side, her eyes wide, she could see the person who was still singing.

"It's been so long since I last have seen my daughter lost to this monster to the man behind the slaughter. Since you've been gone, I've been singing this stupid song so I could ponder the sanity of your mother. I wish I lived in the present, with the gift of my past mistakes but the future keeps luring in like a pack of snakes. Your sweet little eyes, your little smile is all I remember. Those fuzzy memories mess with my temper."

Briar made a small noise when she saw her father walking through the hallway. He's...singing a song about being angry and being a puppet...while being controlled by Hongjoong?

This confused her to no end. While she stayed hidden where she was, she could see Logan, and see that he was in fact singing while his eyes glowed red.

If he's still under Hongjoong's control why is he singing about being angry and under Hongjoong's control...?

She tried to think of reasons that Logan would be able to do that. Then, she remembered what Hongjoong had told Yeosang. "He's not always under my control! I Just have some control over him at all times. But I'm letting him roam semi-freely."

She took a deep breath and paused for a few moments, trying not to convince herself. "Don't do it, Briar...if you do it, you could get yourself killed..." She tried her hardest to stay where she was, knowing everything that these animatronics could do, and how easily they could kill, but she couldn't help herself. This was her father...she couldn't just ignore him.

Logan continued to sing in a soft and gentle voice, but she wasn't able to help herself as she slowly stood up and moved away from her hiding spot. Without even thinking, she rushed forward, and for the first time ever, she didn't let herself think. If she thought, she knows she's going to regret what she's currently doing.

Logan stopped singing when he heard someone around them, and he paused for a moment, looking around. From where Briar was, she could see everything, and she hummed, pressing her lips together. "I'm sorry father..." She quickly stepped out of where she was hiding, instantly finding Logan's on her.

"Birdy! What're you doing here?" Logan, asked, surprised. His eyes were still red, and he couldn't help a little chuckle as he wrapped his arms around his daughter, hugging her tightly and chuckling softly. "I've missed seeing you. Have you been keeping yourself safe?"

Briar couldn't help it. She knew he was evil. She knew that he could kill her in an instant, or he could tell Hongjoong where to find her. But, gods above, it felt amazing to be hugged by her father after 40 some years.

"Papa...don't pretend. I know you're evil. I just want to know why you were singing that song while you were under the control of Hongjoong. You shouldn't be able to sing something like that, right?"

"If you know that I'm evil you should also know that I'm not fully under his control 24/7. That's what's happening. He may think that he's controlling me, but not right now he's not." He smirked softly and chuckles.

"That...makes no sense."

"Don't even worry about it, Briar. It's complicated. Hongjoong is complicated. There's nothing we can really do about it."

"But there has to be something we can do, Papa. Daddy is going to die soon by Hongjoong if we don't!"

"What are you talking about?"

"He's killing off the other members. He's probably going to do the same to Daddy."

Logan paused at that. "I really wish I could help more Briar. But I can't." He hummed softly. "I'm sorry. BUt Hongjoong isn't leaving me any choices. I can't come with you, but I can do my best to help you. By being under his control all the time, I know what he's planning."

"Well, then what is he planning?"

"Like you said. To control me. But he's going to use me to kill the others."

"The others? What on earth do you mean?"

"He's going to use me to either try and capture you to force you to watch the others get killed, or he's going to use me to kill the others. Like Jongho..."

"What's going to happen to Uncle Jongho?"

"That's all I know Briar. I really can't tell you more."

"That...that's all I need to know. If I can find Uncle Jongho then maybe I can keep him safe, not let Hongjoong kill him." She paused before hugging her father once more, holding him close and pressing her lips together, just as Logan did the same. "Thank you, papa...I promise you. You don't be under his control anymore after today..."

Logan chuckles softly but very gently pushed Briar to the side, forcing her to lean against the railing so she wouldn't stumble. "Of course. I trust you, baby girl. You stay safe and careful, okay? I trust that I'll see you soon." He promised gently. "But you go. Find Jongho, and try to get him out of Hongjoong's control. I'll see you later."

Without another word, Briar slowly nodded her head and watched as Logan turned the other way and started to leave silently, leaving her field of vision a few minutes later.