Sounds So Sweet - Ticci Toby X Reader

Chapter 6

After the funeral, you lost touch of reality. You dropped out of school, sell all your belongings, get a job, and pay for the new, cheap apartment you reside in. It was as empty as you felt, and nothing seemed to comfort you anymore. The constant agony you feel is hard to mask to passerbyers. Nowadays, head down, hood up, no talking. It was the only thing you could do without risking the chance of an unintended outburst towards strangers.

One day, as you make your way to your gas station job, you accidentally bump into someone who happened to be looking down as well. You utter a sorry and continue on, but something felt off about his striped jacket. It almost felt as if you knew the kid, but you brush it off as mere coincidence. It's probably a student from school. Finally, you think you have arrived, but once again, you end up at the woods. This was a daily occurrence for you. Walking to work consisted of walking to the woods absentmindedly, but eventually dragging your feet back on your way. Each time, the ringing in your ears would begin and your head would throb, but it was such a common thing that it did nothing to you anymore.

The best part was during the job, when you heard the voices. Every so often, you would be filling up a gas tank (yes, you're in NJ for the sake of the story hehe (: ) and the people in your head would whisper things to you.

Why don't you bring a lighter to work? The rancid smell of burning flesh seems so enticing, right? one mentioned.

But don't ya think you could easily take someone here? Think about all the blood you could spill, a laugh from another.

The worst was the third voice. It was booming, such power behind the words spoken. This one gave you urges to act. You couldn't shake these ones away as easily as the others, it was almost impossible to, and the worst part was that they hurt. The voice would threaten an action rather than suggest one, and this scared you the most. It was the small things such as stealing small things from peoples cars, scratching at side doors, even stealing from the gas station itself. It was an impulse that you couldn't shake. Each day got worse and worse, but one day took the cake.

You managed to make your way to the lake today, and had to run towards work to avoid a reprimanding from your boss. Upon arrival, you felt ringing in your ears, and the throbbing commenced. The car you were filling up happened to be filled with a family. The mother was driving her three kids to their older brother's Saturday morning football game. The child in the front seat chatted with you for a while until their mother came back in from the convenience part of the gas station, and began to tell you more about their athletic brother.

Do it. Kill them all. The powerful voice boomed in your mind, earning a wince from you.

The child didn't seem to notice the wince, but rather turned her head towards the woods.

"Momma, what is that thing?" she points ahead, but the mother responds that it was the woods.

"Yea, ma, that thing standing over there. He's really scary." the boy in the back slumps back into his seat, peering at the thing mentioned.

You look up, and you're sure that everyone can see the color drain from your face.

Do it or I will. You back up against the pumping station, and stammer over your words.

"Uhm..I..thank you here's your receipt have a great day at your son's game!" you rush her away, and the kids begin to tear up.

"Mom, let's go. I don't like the guy. He's really scary." one cries out, and the mom pulls away.

You stare down the figure in front of you, and watch it's limbs protrude from its slender body. Your head pounds, and you take a deep breath.

You can't control me. You try to take everything from me, but I already know my lack of worth. Go away and I'll consider not hunting you down for the rest of my life. You glare back, disregarding the rising pressure in your head.

The ringing gets more intense, and your knees begin to wobble. You have an outburst and maniacally laugh, finding the growing tension in your mind a breaking point. Although you couldn't see his facial features, you feel the smirk growing on his absent lips when he says his last words before disappearing:

Challenge accepted. Enjoy your last moments in paradise, child.