BatIM Steps of the Survivor

Chapter Two

Jade felt her blood run cold, colder than any blizzard in history. She had failed to sneak out and was caught by none other than Joey himself. What was he going to do now? His slow, calculating steps toward her answered her question. He was the predator, just as Alice had been. Same walk, same stature carried between the two of them. At first, Jade backed away from his advances slowly, and then made a run for it. She could not, would not let Joey get her, not now after she'd come so far. The run in the snow didn't feel all that different from running from the Ink Demon in the rising ink, or running from the Projectionist in the studio. To finish off with the similarities between chases, Jade could hear him running behind her. She pushed herself to run faster to secure a lead. Despite these efforts, she could hear him catching up rather quickly.

"No," Jade muttered beneath her breath. "No, please no." Joey did not listen to her quiet plea if he could even hear it, his steps only getting closer and closer. Jade could not push herself to run any faster, she could feel exhaustion creeping in once more. She was far from properly rested, it seemed.

Suddenly, she felt something snag her right arm and yank her back, sending fiery pain throughout her arm, eyes shutting tightly as she felt the painful sensation. She gritted her teeth and hissed in pain as she hit something warm, presumably Joey's body. The man quickly moved his arms to better hold her back, keep her from trying to escape. When she opened her eyes again, she gasped in horror as she saw a pale, almost white knife raise to her throat. The blade looked incredibly sharp and dangerous.

"You thought you could get away, didn't you? Someone such as yourself can not escape fate." Joey said, a hint of annoyance hid under the triumph in his voice. "Rebels don't receive good things around here. How about I show you exactly what happens when someone gets the bright idea of rebellion?"

"Joey. . . please. . ." Jade pleaded quietly, immediately going quiet as she felt the knife get closer, touching her skin and threatening to cut in with one wrong move. She felt hot tears sliding down her cheeks as she barely even breathed, the ink slowly crawling down her arms.

"On second thought. . . you are new to the system. You don't know any better yet." She could practically hear the smirk in Joey's tone as he removed the knife from her throat. Though relieved that she didn't just have her throat slit, she was still terrified about what could happen now.

"Let's head to the studio," Joey said, more as a command than a suggestion. "Since you're so excited to meet everyone."

"Right now? It's one in the morning!" Jade protested, once again trying to prolong what was now inevitable.

"That's hardly a bother we should concern ourselves with. They can wake up if they're asleep." Joey said, holding her wrist and practically dragging her along.

Jade was a more than a little terrified, trying to resist his tugging as they went closer to the town, closer to main street. Closer to Joey Drew Studios. She wouldn't go down without a fight. She mustered up her voice. . . "Help! Someone, help me!" She yelled, putting up more of a fight.

Joey turned back to look at her and laughed at her fruitless efforts to get assistance. "No one will save a monster like you." Joey did another sudden yank, which sent more pain reverberating through her right arm injury. Jade once again hissed in pain as she felt the scab reopening from the force of the pull, once again blood leaking out of the injury.

Finally, the two arrived at the studio. The wooden building seemed to loom over her even more ominously now than it had before she entered the first time. Perhaps it was because she knew what lurked on the inside, or because she was nowhere near the condition she had been before. Either way, she was terrified.