Dead Or Alive |Laughing Jack X Masky|

Three Words & Dream Words

  LJ was determined to keep his promise to himself. In order to remain Laughing Jack, he would have to kill somebody. Anybody. As much as Masky obliged, due to the fact they were on a tight schedule, he finally caved in, agreeing to help find a victim for the depressed clown.
  They stood up above on the hill, overlooking the small, dusty town Masky had previously mentioned. He wasn't lying, he couldn't see a single car. Horse stables, bike racks, small, cabin-like businesses. It was like they stepped into the 1800's.
  "Two days," Masky said, facing straight forward. "I can only give you two days."
  At that LJ was grateful, though, for he believed two days was all he needed. He took in a deep breath, the smell of dirt and probably horse shit, he wasn't too familiar with the scent, filled the air. He noticed Masky do the same, though in a more distasteful way.
  "Shall we sleep?" Masky asked, looking from side to side, as if to decide where.
"Yes," LJ replied. "Until night fall."
  And so the two climbed up a twisted, shady oak tree on top of the hill, settling themselves on a branch way up high, which overlooked the entire town. The houses, which looked more like cabins and huts had smoke whistling out of the chimneys from what could only be a fireplace, or perhaps a wood stove. LJ felt content as his bloodlust settled at the pit of his stomach, taking over his mind and twisting his thoughts into scenes of corrupt murders. I can't wait for the night to fall, his monstrous thoughts whispered. I cannot wait.

LJ was awoken with a light shake which almost led him to roll himself off the high branch, just barely catching himself with a quiet yelp. "Christ, Masky," he huffed. "Might as well have shoved me off."
  Masky stared at him with his blank masked expression. LJ sighed, looking back over the town. He could see small figures moving around, most going into their homes. The sun was setting, and LJ's excitement bursted.
  "Let's go," he grinned.
  The two began to slide down the tree, landing flat on the ground below. LJ stretched his arms above his head, letting out a muffled groan. After he shook himself off, he grinned over the town, the sun almost completely down now. The small figures that were people were almost all inside of their tiny homes, all but a man and a little boy.
  "Him," LJ nodded towards the boy. "I choose him."
  Masky's gaze closed in on the small child, crossing his arms over his chest. "He looks like a good one. How will you do it?"
  "I'm going to deceive him."
  Masky looked up at the clown, his head tilted to the side. "You know you have just two days, right?"
  "I'm persuasive."
  "You're off your game."
  LJ felt his temper stirring in his gut, his jaw clenched shut tightly. What's with this fucker? He thought to himself. One fucking minute he's all over me, the next he's criticizing me like I'm the biggest fucking idiot he knows!
  "Stop."
  "Stop what?" LJ snapped.
  "Over thinking. I can see the damn smoke steaming from your ears."
  He scoffed, jerking his body away from Masky's.
  "I'm only trying to help, Laughing Jack."
  The fact Masky had said his full name instead of his much used nickname set him off ease. He squinted his eyes over at the small proxy, debating on whether or not to call him by his real name. He decided he'd rather not cause a big fight and ignored him, trudging down the hill, towards the small remote town.
  He could hear an annoyed sigh emitting from Masky, though chose to ignore it. It was his time, after all. It was his time to go for the kill. He slid on his way down more than once, as the hill was mostly dry, dusty dirt. Masky was close behind him, on the lookout for the first sign of trouble.
  "Are you positive you need to do this?" He spoke wearily.
  LJ stopped, spinning around to face him. "Excuse me?"
  Masky took a small step backwards, obviously taken aback by LJ's sudden outburst.
  "It's just...dangerous. We have others to think of too, you know. We have to find Slenderman and put a stop to the Federals."
  LJ glowered at him, his hands clenched at his sides. "Listen, Tim, you don't know a single thing about me! Half the time, you're somebody completely different than who I'm used to! It's all 'kill him!' and then 'maybe we should focus on the others!' Make up your mind!"
  Masky dropped his arms, which were up for defensive reasons. He hooked his thumb under his mask, pulling it off. "Fine," he said. "If you want to call me Tim, I'm Tim. I've changed my mind and I want to go straight through this town and onto the next, until we find Splenderman's home."
  LJ gaped at him, utterly confused. It was as if this person was completely different. Masky, no not Masky, Tim turned his head, unable to look at the dumbfounded clown. He anxiously scratched at his sideburns, feeling oddly uncomfortable.
  LJ didn't know what to say, so he did not. Instead he went on his way, ignoring just about everything Tim had just said. That's not Masky, he though to himself. I will not call that man Masky.
  The sun set rather quickly, and soon enough he could not see most anything. There were no street lights, just the illumination of the lights through house windows. He could hear the quiet crunch of Tim's footsteps from behind him, suddenly feeling guilty for his outburst.
  "Mas-"
  "Sh!"
  He shoved LJ against the side of a wall, suddenly standing very still. His mask was on once again, and his aura felt more like Masky than Tim. Masky had his hand pressed against LJ's mouth, as if he were about to scream.
  "Hello?" A small voice cried out. "Is somebody there?"
  "Isaiah, come inside. It's dark out and it's almost time for bed!"
  The two heard the small footsteps start to fade, and then the shut of a door. Masky uncovered LJ's mouth.
  "It was just a small child, Masky." LJ said. "It wouldn't have done much."
  "He could have screamed. He could have gotten the whole damn town in a riot."
  LJ huffed, rolling his eyes. "Right."
  Masky said nothing as the two stood there. LJ was looking down at him, his head tilted to the side. He stared at him, Masky completely unaware as he was too busy checking for intruders.
  "I love you."
  LJ felt the words roll off his lips, never before have spoken them. He felt afraid, for why he wasn't sure. He wasn't quite sure why he spoke those words anyways, but he had. Masky had not said anything, and he seemed rather uncomfortable.
  "I'm aware."
  LJ didn't press the subject any further, instead he stayed silent, staring straight out ahead of him. They stayed like that until the last light went out, and then they bursted into action. The two darted from one house to another, crouching under windows and pressing their ears to doors.
  "What house was the boy in?" Masky whispered, looking up at LJ.
  "I dunno..."
  "Alright."
  Masky stood, walking around the small cabin before poking his head through a window. "Not this house, that's a girl."
  He continued to peer through windows, more than once seeing more than he wished, before finally coming across a boy.
  "That's him," LJ whispered.
  "Do your stuff."
  LJ nodded before crouching behind the shrub-like bush, and closing his eyes. He could feel Masky next to him before his consciousness faded out, and he was entering the boys dream.

  When he opened his eyes, he was in a creek. A cold, rough, flowing creek. "God damn it."
  He trudged to the shore as quickly as he could, having no idea where to find the small child. It was damn near impossible for him to hear anything over the creek and the many sorts of animals.
  He's around here somewhere, he thought. I never get brought in too far from my victim. When he finally got to the shore, he looked down at his soaked shoes and trouser's, a sudden hate for the child that caused this erupting.
  "Mista', what's a man like you's doin' out here?"
  LJ looked up, meeting the gaze of the boy from before. He was wearing ripped knee high pants, which LJ supposed could have been shorts, too. A stained white shirt with a tear in the left sleeve and the buttons missing at the top, some kind of baseball hat that looked like something from the 50's, and surprising, no shoes.
  "Hello? Do ya need directions 'r somethin'?"
  The accent in the boys voice almost made LJ cringe, though he stopped once remembering he came from a farming village. It wasn't his fault, the boy, he supposed.
  "What's your name?" LJ asked, ignoring his previous questions.
  "David."
  "David? What a nice name for a nice young man such as yourself."
  The boy grinned, showing off his almost toothless smile. "Thank ya, mista'!"
  "Tell me, David, what are you doing out here?"
  "I'm gon' fishin'!"
  LJ blinked, a fishing pole suddenly clenched lightly in David's right hand. He had intruded on several different dreams in his lifetime, though never before had he intruded in on a dream about fishing. Wet dreams, nightmares, terrors, restless dreams, sad dreams, but not one about fishing.
  "That's lovely," he finally said.
  "What's yer name?"
  "LJ."
  "LJ? Thassa odd name, don't ya think?"
  "That's an abbreviation for my full name, David."
  "Which is?"
  "Laughing Jack."
  The boy seemed to be remembering something, staring down at his bare feet with his face twisted in some sort of expression. "Laughing Jack? I've heard that before..."
  LJ held back a malediction as he smiled at the little boy. He had forgotten that most everybody had been warned about both LJ and Masky before giving him his name. He figured he would be fine, though, as dim witted as this boy was.
  "Can I call you Jack?"
  "You sure can, David!"
  LJ talked with a boy for what seemed like an eternity. It wasn't at all hard to get the boy to trust him. He would have no problem sneaking in through the window the following night. As the two kept talking, he could begin to hear Masky's voice in his conscience. He tried to ignore it, but realized it's best if he listened; it was probably nearing sunrise.
  "David," he spoke. "I have to go now. I would like to visit you again, yes?"
  "Really?! Well, sure, Jack! Don't forget about me, ya hear?"
  "Of course not, David."
  LJ gave him a smile as he closed his eyes, allowing himself to hear Masky's voice.

  When he opened his eyes, Masky wasn't Masky, he was Tim.
  "Hello, Tim," he said.
  "Shut the fuck up, I'm still Masky. Your idiotic self wouldn't wake up, and there's only so much I can do with this fucking mask on."
  LJ stared at him, deciding if it would be appropriate to kiss him at that exact moment. He decided Masky would prefer escaping over it, and hopped up. "We better start running."
  So the two began to run, barely making it behind corners before doors of hardworking men opened, and barely making it up the hill before the entire damn town was awake.
They scoped up the tree, their fingernails digging into the hard bark, trying to get the right leverage to pull themselves up. At last they made it, their bodies concealed by the leaves.
  "Did it all go to plan?" Masky asked, once he caught his breath again.
  "Definitely. We'll be out of here by tomorrow morning, back to the original plan."
  As much as LJ thought that true, things were not easy. Things could only get worse, would only get worse. But LJ, completely unaware, smiled at Masky. He took the opportunity to press his lips against the others in a peaceful, normal matter, completely un-killer like. Masky responded in the same manner, his arms wrapped tightly around his neck as their bodies pressed together. The two didn't know of what troubles lay ahead, nor did they want to at that moment.

 
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I apologize for being gone so long. This chapter was supposed to be longer, though I decided to save the rest for the next chapter. I hope all 7 of you haven't given up on me yet. I also have yet to go through and correct any spelling errors, as I wanted to get this chapter updated before I went off to school.