Of the Twisted and the Lost

Chapter 42:

Junjie only needs that one sound to know what has happened: the murderer is here. 

I'll catch him, he thinks feverishly. Then Sera will be safe. Then I'll be relieved, knowing that she's able to be found. 

"We sneak up on him," Junjie whispers, as they both sprint under the glowing moonlight. "And we tie him with a rope." 

"Again, terrible idea," Sam grouses. "A murderer can totally escape a measly rope." 

Junjie struggles to find something to say, before settling on a glare. "Well, if a rope doesn't stop him, we'll use knives." 

He digs through his bag, pulling out a knife. 

Sam lets out a yelp. "Where the hell did you get that? Put that away before you cut someone, or worse!" 

"Sam, I've been handling murders since I was six. I know how to use a knife." 

Junjie doesn't mention that the knife is made out of plastic. 

"So what do we do?" Sam pants, before stopping short. "Oh my God." 

A strangled gasp escapes Sam's lips, as his face crumbles in horror. Emotions flurry through his face, as he stares at the scene. 

Junjie looks on as well, unblinking. 

It's the blue hood man, this time holding a sword, as he slices through an old man. 

Sam makes a choking sound and in a flash, Junjie knows, realization slapping him in the face. "You know him, don't you?" he whispers, pointing at the man who's getting repeatedly stabbed. 

"My grandpa," he says, absolute horror drenched in his features. "He— I— We have to help him!" 

"He's already dead." 

Junjie looks away, knowing and hating that he's right. 

"You don't care about him!" Sam starts to move towards the bloody scene, as red spills out slowly. "You didn't know him, so you don't care! But he's my grandpa, and I'm not letting him get stabbed to death!" 

He's already dead, Junjie thinks. It's too late. . . 

Heartbreak. 

It's the one thing you can't stop, yet it intertwines with life. It rolls through your world, destroying everything, causing your heart to shatter and crumble and crack just like glass. 

It makes a tear slide down your cheek, so innocent and so vulnerable. So open. So easy to break. It makes your nails dig into your palms, makes you hard outside, but broken on the inside. It makes your blood roar hotter than fire. It makes the insides of you scream until the pain is too numbing. 

And right now, it's all displayed in Sam's expression. 

"You bastard!" Sam screams as he reaches the old man. "How could you do this to him? Why? How could you?" 

The blue figure freezes for a moment. 

Junjie sighs. 

Well, he thinks. Our plan is certainly going off track. 

He launches towards the blue figure, rope in hand— 

Only to have the blue figure move out of the way, neatly sweeping Junjie's legs towards the floor. 

"Ow," Junjie grunts, face smashed against the ground. 

He stands back up, dusting his clothes off and grimacing at the bitter taste of pain. 

"Who are you?" Junjie demands, aware that the pleas coming from Sam's mouth are not helping with the threatening part. "Why are you killing innocent people?" 

"Wouldn't you like to know." The voice is cool, smooth, icy — and it makes unease swirl through Junjie, though he still lifts his chin in challenge. "This is ironic, isn't it?" 

"What is? You murdering people? You know that's wrong. Why are you doing it, then?" 

The figure lets out a low laugh. "You've changed oh-so-much, since the last time I've seen you," the person purrs. "So naïve, now. So vulnerable. So stupid." 

"Lies," Junjie spits out. "I'm not naïve or vulnerable or stupid." 

"Oh, really?" The voice is taunting him now, throwing a string at Junjie and daring him to play. "Darling, you've changed. For the worst, I'm afraid." 

"Don't 'darling' me," he fires back, anger bubbling through him. "And have I ever met you before?" 

"Of course we've met, darling. You know, I've missed you." 

"A monster missing me?" Junjie makes a face of mock-horror. "I feel flattered." 

"Ah. I finally see one thing that hasn't changed. Your sarcasm and addictiveness to danger." 

Junjie grits his teeth. "You're killing people," he says, moving closer. "Don't you feel guilty? I know you do, underneath that cloak. But why are you doing it? Does it quench that feeling of worthlessness? Or perhaps because you're bored? Or maybe it's because you need to stab out your anger?" 

"So clever, that's what you think," the figure says quietly. "I'm surprised you haven't already connected the dots already. Maybe you aren't as strong and smart as they all say?" 

"No," he puffs. "I'm better than they say." 

"There it is. That ever-so huge ego that inflates when you solve a crime." 

"Oh, shut up!" Both Junjie and the figure look down, to see Sam scowling. "Junjie's smart and he's going to figure out who you are, with my help!" 

Junjie gapes, slightly stunned. 

"Oh God," Sam mumbles. "Did I seriously just say that out loud?" 

"Sam Sato," the figure whispers, something like awe slipping into their voice. "I thought you hated him." 

There's something surprised and vulnerable, something familiar about those words. 

Junjie narrows his eyes, trying to figure out where he'd heard those words before. 

"Well, he's my partner!" Sam says. "Maybe I hate him, but we stick together." 

"Are you okay?" Junjie asks, squinting at his partner. "When you ran, did you hit your head or something?" 

"Oh, screw off," Sam growls. "I'm trying to help you, you idiot." 

Junjie smiles, and it's finally genuine. "I know," he says simply, before turning to the figure. "I don't know what you're doing and why you're killing all these people — but we're going to stop you." 

The figure pauses as time stands still, freezing, as he reaches out to pull down his hood— 

Sera. 

"Impossible," he breathes, taking in Sera's familiar face — from the perfectly straight dark glossy hair, to the pale skin, to her crimson-red lips that quirk into a wicked grin, to her eyes. . . 

Which are not familiar at all. 

It's as chocolate and beautiful as always, but there's something cold and unfamiliar, like she's staring at a complete stranger. 

"I'm not going to let you stop me," Sera murmurs, and for a moment, Junjie's memorized by the moving of her lips. "Because I'll stop you first." 

And with that, Sera whirls around, cloak flourishing around her. 

Then she's gone.