𝚂𝙼𝙸𝙻𝙴𝚈 𝙵𝙾𝚇

𝚂𝚙𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚛

Paul sat on the couch waiting. Ace had called him not that long ago about the cameras in the cell Eric was in. He had been there the whole night.

Paul was still baffled, if anything he was even more scared of the person, this thing that would come to his house every night. He hated being there now. He was looking for new places to move to, but something in the back of his mind said... What if it follows? If that thing found where I lived before, it'll surely find my new pad within days or hours.

Paul constantly looked at his watch, making sure it wasn't late. That thing normally came around at 1am, it was 6pm so far. He shouldn't have been worried then, Ace had all the time in the world to get here. The only problem Paul had was winters illusion of such a dark cold evening sky, it made him want to sleep.

𝙺𝚗𝚘𝚌𝚔
𝙺𝚗𝚘𝚌𝚔
𝙺𝚗𝚘𝚌𝚔

Paul was awoken from his daze at the window and prances over to the door.
He opens it to find Ace and Eric. Paul clutches onto the door, hes very hesitant to slam the door in Eric's face. But Ace walks in to quickly for Paul to decide, Eric follows in right after.
Paul backs away from the pair of the, his hands begin to shake. They both see how uncomfortable he is.
"Paul, I need to know what your seeing but.. I know you don't want me here" Eric made his way back to the door, but Ace grabs his arm. "No you need to be here."
Eric went to reply, But Ace cut him off "I was worried this might happen, so in order to make you feel a little safe around Eric." Ace yanked out a pair of handcuffs from his pockets.
"What the fuck, where'd you get those?" Paul asked.
"Wait those look very similar to the cuffs in the- Did you take the handcuffs from the station- how did you even get those?!" Eric complained.
"That's not important" Ace said, snapping a cuff onto Eric "right where should he go?"
Paul took a while to speak, slurring his words at first "Erm.. I guess in the bedroom since that's where it always happens?"
"Alrighty then!" Ace drags Eric to the bedroom and snaps the other cuff on the headboard of the bed. "Uhm" Eric managed to scoff out, still confused to what just happened but Ace moved away before he could finish. Eric sighed and sat on the bed, crossing his legs.
Half an hour goes by and Ace finally gets Paul to sit next to Eric, they're bith on the opposite ends of the bed, practically sitting onto the edge but it's a start.
"Look, I'm sorry that this is happening to you." Eric sighed. Paul put his head down "you shouldn't be sorry."
Eric titled his head, his eyes widen. "Wait, you finally belive its not me?"
Paul sighed and shook his head "I honestly don't know anymore, my brain feels like it's rotting... I wish it wasn't you, I feel so guilty when I treat you like a monster. I shouldn't be afraid of my own friend...im sorry."
Eric sighs and leans his head on the headboard, he leans back a little too quick and hurts himself, he lets out a small groan.
Paul passes him a pillow, Eric accepts it and lays on it.

Hours go by, after reading magazines and watching TV, telling eachother stories... it is now 1am.
Ace sits on the end of the bed, he has a can of hair pray with him. He didn't tell Paul why he took his hairspray all he said was "you'll see."

Paul closes his eyes.

𝚃𝚊𝚙
.
"Uh...Paul"
𝚃𝚊𝚙
.
"Shit."
𝚃𝚊𝚙
.

Paul opens his eyes, and there he is. Paul looked over at Eric. Eric's eyes had never been so wide, he looked terrified, his jaw dropped slightly.
The other Eric, stared directly at Eric, he smiled more wider, his eyes brightened as if he was happy to see Eric. He giggled in some low gruffly voice.
Ace slowly walks over to the door.
"Ace what are you doing!?" Paul asked.
Ace keeps am eye on the thing, he slowly unlocks the door and back away, his hand still clutching the hairspray.
'Eric' looks at him, tilting his head with a smile still printed on his face.
Ace gestures to Eric to come in. "C'mon then!" He tries to whisper, but his voices scratches in a broken yelp. "You wanted in didn't ya? Come get us then!"
The thing grabs the door handle, making Ace flinch back even further. He slowly turns the handle and opens the door.
It sits there by the door frame on its knees, supporting itself up but holding onto the sides of the entrance... the heavy breathing returns.
It crawls inside. It pounces at Ace letting out a low screech.
Eric and Paul both yell in fear. Ace pulls out a lighter, lights it up and shoots the hairspray. The blast of flames hit the creatures face and it cries, falling back.
Ace still sprays the flames at it. It hair catches fire, it rolls around the floor.
Patches of the orange fur coat it war burnt black. It tries to crawl away, it's cries mixed with an inhumane sound, and Eric's own voice.

"𝙽𝙾𝙾! 𝚂𝚃𝙾𝙿! 𝙰𝙲𝙴 𝙿𝙻𝙴𝙰𝚂𝙴 𝙸𝚃𝚂 𝙼𝙴 𝙴𝚁𝙸𝙲! 𝙿𝙻𝙴𝙰𝚂𝙴 𝙳𝙾𝙽𝚃 𝙷𝚄𝚁𝚃 𝙼𝙴 𝙰𝙽𝚈𝙼𝙾𝚁𝙴!"

Ace tried his best to ignore the screams, looking over at the real Eric, whom was pushing himself close to the wall as close as possible, his eyes never leaving them. The blood from his hand faded from where his wrist was strangled by the handcuff as he tried to yank himself out of it.

The spray quirted out a few more times until it couldn't cough out anymore, the flame grew smaller and smaller until there was nothing. A part of Eric's stolen face was burnt bad, his cheek was chalk black and was peeling away, his lips were cut, his chest were covered in burns and blood, the roange fur coat was falling apart at the seams.

The thing pounced up, grabbing Ace and throwing him to the wall. Ace smacked his head against it and shut his eyes for a moment, groaning.
It didn't go to finish him off though, it slowly turned to Paul and Eric and smiled.

"..Paul get me out of these! Quick!"
"I don't have the keys! Ace where are the-" Paul looks at Ace, he was out cold. Eric struggled hard, he began to hyperventilate. Paul got off the bed and backed away.
"Paul help me! PAUL GET ME OUT PLEASE!"
The thing got closer and closer to Eric, crawling onto the bed. It's face nearly touches Eric's, Eric looks away breathing heavily, whimpering and shutting his eyes tight.

Paul sees a lamp on his night stand from the corner of his eye. He immediate grabs it, ripping off the cover and shoves it into the things face as hard as he could. The bulb shatters in its face, causing it to scream and back away.

Paul used what he had left of the lamp, to stab it in the back when it turned away. Paul runs out to the balcony. It follows him back out, but it is now crawling on all fours, weak from the attack.
"That thing likes to climb right?"
Ace's voice beamed in Paul's memory, he pushes it onto its back and stabs it in the stomach. The thing tries to swipe at him, but Paul stabs him in the hand.
At this point the creature is screaming angrily at him. Paul grabs him by the coat and swing him over the balcony.

It goes to grab onto the railing, but Paul kicks it's hands. Making sure it falls to its death.

Paul grips on tightly to the balcony. He looks down, breathing heavily.
Eric cheers to Paul "You did it! you did it!"
Ace groans, his head hung low, his legs fidget around to get comfy. Ace eventually awakens.
"Ace!" Eric calls.
"Hu?...oh! Keys!" Ace staggers over to Eric and fiddles with the cuffs. His wrist is finally free.

Paul leans against the balconi, he smiles at Eric and Ace as they argue about what just happened. He chuckles.
A burnt chalk black hand runs through his hair and yanks him over.