Californian Ghoul (A CrankGamePlays fanfic)

Twelve

The next few days were quiet. Nobody was out hunting or even hanging out with one another like we always did. Nobody was even hunting, which surprised me. I thought Mark would be spending a good majority of these next few days trying to hunt down the ghoul that killed his best friend, but it looks like he hasn't even moved a muscle. I kept myself isolated from everybody else as well. It helped though because I could control my hunger better and I did not have to go out and hunt these next few days.

However, after about four days of what felt like absolute silence from Mark, he had finally called everybody into the living room for what he called an "emergency meeting".

"Thank you guys for coming on such short notice." Mark began. 

"What's going on?" Kathryn asked.

Mark was silent before speaking again. "I believe it's time that we start investigating this ghoul that murdered Jack."

"Yeah, no kidding." Tyler responded.

"I got a call from the police department, they want us to go up there and monitor the area tonight." Mark explained.

"Why tonight?" Amy asked. "Why couldn't they have asked us to do it the night after the murder actually occurred?"

"I don't think we would've done it anyways." I responded.

"Ethan's right." Mark agreed. "I feel like it would've been too soon for us to do something like that. But I think it's time we get back into action."

"Alright, so what time will we start heading out?" Tyler asked.

"Around sunset, we'll gather our equipment and start heading out." Mark responded. "I'll assign your duties when we actually get there."

"O-Okay..." Kathryn responded.

After our "emergency meeting" ended, we left the living room. Kathryn and Amy had a look of confusion and concern on their faces. I didn't blame them. I was also confused.

"The police want us involved in something?" Kathryn asked.

"And why did Mark talk almost like he was a sergeant or something?" Amy asked.

"Only less quieter." Tyler added. 

"Do you think it's still too soon to have Mark do this?" I asked.

"It probably is." Amy responded. "But I mean I guess you have to get back to the job sooner or later."

"I hope he's not hiding anything from us..." Kathryn added.

"No. He wouldn't!" Amy immediately responded. "Mark has been telling us everything since day 1!"

"It honestly wouldn't surprise me if he has." Tyler remarked. 

"B-But if he has... what would it be?" I asked.

Tyler shrugged, "I'm not sure... but it's definitely gotta be something big..."

------

As the sun started setting, we began gathering up the equipment that we haven't even bothered touching for the past week. For some reason, even though I've only ever used this equipment once, it felt good being able to use it again. For me, it was a symbol that Mark and the others trusted me, even though I was using it to kill my own kind. 

We went outside and put all of the equipment into the van before finally heading out. Before we actually left though, Mark spent about 10 minutes with Chica. It's weird seeing him do that. He's never done anything like that before when we hunt.

"Usually when he does that, he's fearing for his life." Tyler remarked. "I wouldn't blame him though, considering this is his first time out since his friend's death."

Finally, Mark came out of the house and headed into the van.

"Okay, let's go...."

-------

As we pulled up to the building, I began to feel uncomfortable as the flashback of me killing Jack rang through my head. I hated being back here. I wanted to leave. But I knew I had no choice.

The five of us left the van and went behind the building. There was still crime scene tape along the back of the building and through the alley way. I looked down at the blood stains I had left behind that had stickers with numbers underneath them, which the police considered evidence. 

"There's no police here." Amy stated.

"Yeah..." Mark mumbled.

"Shouldn't the police be here to tell us what we have to do?" Tyler asked.

"No..." Mark said. "In fact, the police never called at all..."

"Then why the hell are we here?" Kathryn asked.

He didn't say anything, and he didn't speak.

Suddenly, without any warning, he took out a gun. And without any hesitation, he pointed the gun directly at me, firing a bullet, and striking me directly in the chest.

The bullet pierced through my skin followed by the feeling of burning. It felt as if my lungs were on fire. With every breath I took, it became more difficult to breathe.

"MARK! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" Kathryn screamed.

"Are you people fucking stupid?" Mark asked. "Do you really think I would've shot him if he was human?"

Everybody was silent as they looked at me as I continued to gasp for breath. 

"Y-You mean..." Amy said.

"Yeah..." Mark added, taking out a blade. "He's a ghoul..."

Mark approached me. I tried desperately to escape, but with the pain I was already in, I could barely move an inch. Next thing I knew, Mark was on top of me. His foot pressing against my neck, crushing it.

"You were also the one that killed Jack..." Mark mumbled.

"I-I-I'm..." I stuttered, trying to say I was sorry. But nothing else could come out.

"Sorry isn't going to bring anybody back..." Mark responded.

Mark raised the blade high in the air before striking it down on my body. With every stab throughout my body, I felt the need to scream, but nothing was able to come out. 

I could suddenly feel blood begin to swell up in my throat and come up through my mouth and run down the side of my face.

I suddenly could no longer feel any pain I was receiving. Everything was numb. I could feel darkness surrounding me. I tried my best to fight it and stay alive. To try and see if I could get another chance.

But before darkness completely overcame me, I could see the whole group surrounding me. I could see the look of shock and disbelief as well as complete upset on their faces. The friends I once knew, and the friends that once trusted me, and that I had trusted, no longer believed who I was. I knew they thought I was a monster.

And that was the last thing that came into my mind before I completely blacked out.

I was a monster. Nothing but a monster.