The Kids From Yesterday ➸ Danger Days

fourteen • becoming the fun ghoul

Fun Ghoul woke up in the most uncomfortable position ever.

Hanging by his wrists with his feet barely touching the floor, he struggled against the chain only to recoil from the pain across his entire body.

Though what greeted him was perhaps all the more terrifying.

Ray Toro was bending over a clipboard and a series of numerous things that could only be described as torture devices. Ray fucking Toro of all people was bending over torture devices. Though that seemed to be true, Ghoul couldn't get past the fact Ray was alive. Was he happy? Was he scared? Ghoul had no clue.

"Ray?" Ghoul's voice cracked as he spoke, coughing once then clearing his throat before repeating the name.

"Yes?"

So it was him. Officially him. "Where's Kobra? Where's Vengeance?" Ghoul pulled again on the cuffs, biting back a screech at the burning sensation that pierced his muscles.

"Melanie is dead. She fell off one of the top floors of this building."

Ray pressed a small button; one that released Ghoul's wrists and sent him crashing to the ground. He pushed himself onto his knees, looking up and feeling the cold, hard tile for the first time. Though when Ghoul looked in the mirror next to him, his jaw nearly dropped. Scars and stitches covered his entire body in various places. Some went over his tattoos, while some went around. The only places he could see that were untouched by needle and thread were his head and neck.

"You have more tattoos than I remember," Ray remarked, scribbling more things down on the clipboard.

"Who did this to me?"

"Me." A woman with dark hair that was tied up kneeled next to Ghoul. She was recognizable, but he couldn't pinpoint where he had seen her before. "You may know me by many names. Jessica Swanne, Madame Mutineer, or perhaps even Red Revenge."

Even Ray stopped writing as he turned to look at the dark haired woman. "That's impossible, she and her sister died in the uprising," Ghoul snarled, careful as he stood up to avoid putting too much weight were there were more scars.

"Perhaps we did, but we were reborn. She returned to the Zones with a new name, while I stayed here. You wonder why they named me after Mutiny," she replied calmly. She stood with him, running her fingers along the autopsy-style scars on his chest. "You really are a ghoul now, aren't you?"

Ghoul took a step back, looking between the two. "What did you do to Ray?" he demanded instead of saying anything else. The curly haired man turned to cross his arms and look at the shorter.

Mutineer hesitated, as if considering what to say. "We opened his mind. He decided to take the pill instead of letting us find you three little rats to torture and kill. But, seeing as you've given yourself to us, I suppose that doesn't really count anymore."

"You're sick. Inhumane! You know that?!"

"No more inhumane than you murders. Have you ever stopped to consider there's a person behind that draculoid mask?" Silence filled the room. "That's what I thought... Ray, darling, have you taken your pills today?"

"Yeah."

"Pardon?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Mutineer nodded, leaving the room abruptly and shutting the door behind her. It was faint, and barely audible, but Ghoul still heard it. "What have I done?" Ray murmured, his mouth barely moving. "Oh, God, what have I done?"

"Wait what?"

"I'm..I'm slipping, Frank. I can get you out of here, but you have to leave me before I try to kill you..." Ray had moved to stand in front of Ghoul, handing him a shirt and his gun.