*Hesitant at first, especially seeing Rebecca in her current state, Hannah took hold of the handgun and handed it to Rebecca. Rebecca grabbed hold of the end of the gun, the heavy weight bringing her hands to almost fall, the cold steel chilling her hands. She stared at the gun silently, a blank expression on her face, before she looked up, her eyes widening as she looked behind Hannah. Seeing her eyes look behind her, Hannah turned to see what it was she stared at. A creature rushing town the hall. A black, slimy body with six sets of hands. The black tar that made up the creatures body was carried by a set of white arms, ones that resembled that of mannequins that moved fast like an insect running from a predator towards them. And atop the black body were a set of three figures. Also the bodies of mannequins emerging from the darkness that was this abomination. The three mannequin bodies had the bodies that resembled that of males, but had no heads. They were only moving, headless torsos, their arms waving around to grab hold of the empty air. The creature rushed towards Hannah, it’s two front arms outstretched to grab hold of her, as well as the arms of the mannequins, before Rebecca stood up, her gun aimed at the creature. She opened fire on the beast, firing three bullets into its black body. The creature groaned, but was not stopped. It rushed towards the two at a similar pace, the bullets not doing anything to harm it. Rebecca gritted her teeth in anger as she aimed again.*
Rebecca: Come on, you son of a bitch! Die! Die already! Fucking die, you piece of shit!
*She fired another bullet, striking one of the male mannequins. The single one gave out a gurgled screech before falling limp, the other two appearing startled now. At the sight of the dead torso, Hannah was able to find its weakness. She took out her own revolver and aimed at the other torsos, the creature now making it to the door of the room. Hannah fired, striking on in the left side of the chest. It gave a similar gurgling screech before falling limp, leaving only one mannequin left. The creature made its way through the door, quickly scurrying toward Hannah. Before she could fire her gun, the creature knocked Hannah down and pinned her to the ground, her arms at both sides. The creature looked down at her, black ooze dripping off it’s body and onto Hannah’s. The single mannequin torso moved down to her, almost as if it was staring at her without eyes. As the creature kept her pinned, almost in a disturbing manner, a gunshot could be heard, as a hole emerged in the monsters body, black tar coming from the wound. The creature screeched, moving away from Hannah as it started to go insane, It’s arms twitched violently, the dead mannequin torsos flailing back and forth as the beast struggled to stand, before falling to the ground, the tar-like body starting to turn into something of a pathetic pile. Hannah got up from the ground, giving a tired pant as she looked at the creature, than Rebecca, holding the gun that she had just fired. She couldn’t respond, she had no words. She was just happy to see Rebecca was still alive. She walked over to her and wrapped her arms around her, Rebecca not returning the hug.*
Hannah: Rebecca, I’m sorry. I didn’t know that this was happening to you
Rebecca: It’s not your fault, Hannah. It’s…. It’s his damn fault
Hannah: You mean Deetz?
Rebecca: I mean…. My father.
Hannah: Your father?
Rebecca: Yeah… Him!
*She pointed to the corpse of the creature, still slowly melting away, leaving the parts of the mannequins behind like a shell.*
Rebecca: He just wouldn’t stop. He just kept at it. Said I deserved it. Said it was my fault that mom left, that all this was happening to me. He just…. Kept going….
*Rebecca fell to her knees, her arms wrapped around her body. She looked at the ground, a look of guilt on her face.*
Rebecca: M-Maybe he’s right
Hannah: N-No, Rebecca. He’s wrong. I know that he is. You aren’t to blame. It’s his fault. You couldn’t do anything to stop it.
Rebecca: But…. there’s no way I can get out. I’m stuck in there. I can’t get out
Hannah: Y-You can’t? Rebecca, where are you?
Rebecca: I’m at my house. I’m locked in there. I’ve been there for two days. After I… I stabbed him… I made mom leave… And then I tried to kill him
Hannah: Rebecca, you did what you had to do
Rebecca: It’s not like that! Have you ever killed a man?
Hannah: …. Yes. I did
Rebecca: Hannah, now’s not the time for jokes-
Hannah: It’s not a joke, Rebecca. I did kill someone. Just recently too. But he was going to kill me. He was going to kill more than just me. I had to do it. If it’s to save your life, than it has to be done. Do you understand? You are not responsible for what happened… Okay?
Rebecca: But……. What am I supposed to do? I have nowhere else to go. I have no one else
Hannah: Please, Rebecca. You aren’t alone. We’ll think of something together
*Hannah extended her hand to Rebecca, trying her best to reassure her. Rebecca looked up at Hannah, seeing the genuine care she had for her. She slowly took Hannah’s hand in hers as she looked up at her.*
Rebecca: A-Alright. I will
*As if in an instant, a butterfly emerged from Rebecca’s forearm, falling to the ground like the rest. And as always, the nightmares faded away from Hannah.*
*Hannah made no hesitation to head to Rebecca’s house. Once she found the house, she knocked on the door, hoping to find Rebecca. She knocked on the door again, and finally, a man opened the door. He was a large man, very hairy as well. His hair went passed his shoulders. His facial hair was unkempt and stained with the scent of alcohol. He looked down at Hannah, his arms crossed.*
Deetz: You’re Rebecca’s friend, right? Well, she went away with family. Don’t know when she’ll be back. Come back another time
*As he slowly started to close the door, Hannah stopped him by pressing her foot against the door. Once he looked down to see it, he sighed and looked at her.*
Deetz: Look, I understand that you’re upset, but there’s nothing else I can say about it. You’ll just have to take my word on it
*Hannah took out Wendy’s phone, showing the messages on it, including the recent ones. She would normally never do something like this if she could avoid it. But Rebecca was in danger, and Hannah had what she needed. She didn’t want to involve William, rather keeping him out of this, so she had something else planned. As Deetz looked at the phone, he looked up to Hannah, and chuckled. He waved her inside, which Hannah did without hesitation. She could see the house was in surprisingly good shape, unlike its owner. Deetz turned to Hannah to talk to her*
Deetz: Is this some kind of joke? You’re the bitch who had her phone
Hannah: What did you have on Wendy that made her guilty
Deetz: Nothing, really. But… high school girls are just more fun, you know? She needed money. I was willing to pay. But I never said I’d film her.
Hannah: What?
Deetz: I’m a businessman, sweety. It helps pay the bills. And there are some people who are willing to buy
Hannah: Why are you telling me this? You know I’m gonna call the police
Deetz: You don’t think I know that? You’re gonna star in my new film
*Deetz walked closer to Hannah, his hands balled into fists*
Deetz: If you be a good girl, and not tell anyone, I’ll just get rid of the films. Squeal, and everyone will see what a little whore you are. It’s too late to get involved now, though. You had your chance to not be in it, but you had to stick your nose where it doesn’t belong. But I promise, once I’m done with you, you’ll still have a face worth fucking
*At the mention of his words, she pulled out her revolver, aiming it at him. Deetz stopped dead in his tracks.*
Deetz: What are you gonna do? Kill me?
Hannah: If you touch me, I’ll do much worse. Where’s Rebecca. She’s not staying with you anymore
Deetz: You really think you two are getting out of here-
*Before he could answer, Hannah shot at his feet, almost hitting him, hadn’t he jumped back.*
Hannah: I’m not screwing around!
Deetz: You little bitch! You threaten me, and you plan on taking my daughter too?
Hannah: Better she leave than be stuck with a piece of shit like you! Get her here now before I blow your fucking head off!
*Deetz chuckled, but he complied. He went over to the door to the side, leading to the basement. He slowly opened the locks, as he looked at Hannah.*
Deetz: Hey, Becca! You got a visitor. She’s a real crude whore, isn’t sh-
*As soon as the basement door opened, Rebecca was standing there. And in her hands was the gun that Hannah had left her. Rebecca was quick to take aim at Deetz and fire, hitting him in the head. Blood came from the wound in his head as he fell to the ground with a hard thud. His body twitched a little, before finally stopping completely. Hannah looked up at Rebecca, and then at the body.*
Hannah: H-Holy shit… R-Rebecca
Rebecca: It had to be done, Hannah. What he did to me. To Wendy. What he said he was going to do to you! It’s like you said. I had to do it. You killed before. This is what needed to happen
*Hannah was now seeing the error of her ways. Seeing that what she had told Rebecca was not helpful to her at all. It only made Rebecca see this as the only option. It only made Rebecca a murderer. Rebecca looked down at the body of her dead father, before looking at Hannah, seeing the fear in her eyes.*
Rebecca: Hannah, get out of here. The police will be here soon. Get out of here before they suspect the both of us. Just go
*Hannah was taken aback, with nothing else to say. She only rushed out the backdoor to avoid witnesses, horrified at the sight. Deetz was a horrible person, someone who deserved what had happened. But it came at the price of Rebecca’s innocence.
*The police arrived on the scene quickly. No mention of Hannah was mentioned to anyone. Witnesses saw no one leaving or entering the house, and only heard gunshots. No evidence of the horrors that Deetz committed were found, but all of the evidence of what was seen pointed to Rebecca. Marcus had reasons to believe that Rebecca was responsible for the death of Deetz, but not the deaths of Wendy or Sam. However, the police department was keen on pinning the crimes on Rebecca as someone who was doing it out of spite for the rest of the world. This information would remain only in with the police until they captured Rebecca. Rebecca’s life in Chestnut Pines had suddenly come to an end.*
*Hannah walked inside The Enigma bar. The sight of what had happened still fresh in her mind. She sat down at one of the stools, looking down at her still shaking hands. Fear, Hate, and Sorrow were nowhere to be seen. She looked around, but saw none of them. She grabbed her head and started to feel all of these emotions for the first time. She started to feel sorrow. She started to feel hatred. She started to feel fear. As she sat there in silence, a voice spoke to her.*
???: Are you ready to be judged, Hannah?
*Hannah turned to see the three behind her. They were standing in order, for the first time, not sulking about in the bar. They all stared at her, awaiting her answer.*
Hannah: How do I stop these nightmares!? I want them to stop!
Fear: That all depends on if you can accept what you are and what you’ve done!
Hate: You were able to forgive your father, despite what he had done. A man such as that should not be forgiven, but you still found a reason to do so. You still saw a reason to care. And yet, you still killed the one who was responsible for the murders. You didn’t even hesitate. You killed him. And now there are those who will never know who did it. Is that justice?
*Hannah sat down, listening closely.*
Sorrow: You were able to save your friend, when she was in her deepest sorrow, when she was at her most alone. You were there to save her without hesitation. But because of your own actions, you have turned her into a murderer. You have made her responsible of changing her whole outlook. Is that true happiness?
*Hannah could feel the weight of their words hitting her hard.*
Fear: Regardless of those such things, you were still able to save them all from the nightmares. The officer, the rich woman, the guard, your father, and your friend. You saved all of them. You braved the nightmares, the horrors that were shaped by the human mind, when most would have failed to grasp the true ideology of the creatures
Hate: She saved a few lives, but she isn’t excused of taking another
Sorrow: She isn’t excused for leading to the death of another
Fear: And yet, they all deserved it, did they not? They were all going to do harm to her, were they not? Hannah, I will say, you have my aid in ending these nightmares.
*Sorrow and Hate, unlike Fear, were unmoved. They had no intention of helping her. Hannah looked at the ground, before responding.*
Hannah: You’re right. I did do wrong. From the beginning, I should’ve done more than what I did. I let Wendy kill herself when I should’ve helped her. I killed a man, and now my best friend is a murderer. Those are my faults. I will accept the blame for what I have done. But I will not let these nightmares continue. I will continue to fight them off for the rest of my life if I have to, if it means that the lives of others are spared.
*Sorrow and Hate looked at Hannah, their arms crossed, before they looked at each other, almost as if they were conversing with each other in their minds, before turning back to Hannah*
Hate: The things you have done, the crimes you have committed, are unforgivable
Sorrow: However, we cannot deny that your true intentions are for the better of the rest of the world. And for that, we will aid you in anyway we can
Hannah: T-Thank you. Thank you so much… But why? I thought you didn’t wish to get involved? I thought you were here to make me suffer
Fear: We were. But only until you accept your guilt… And you have done so. Besides, you are a more interesting guest. We’d hate for your story to come to an abrupt end. Sit, please
*Hannah sat down on one of the stools, and Fear sat next to her.*
Fear: The creator of the nightmares, the being that is worshipped by a cult, known to them as God
Hannah: God? You mean the Christian one?
Fear: No. The cult just calls him God. He has many names, and at the same time, he has no name at all. God is what we call him. He is the creator of the nightmares. He became a real being because humans wish to create heaven, because they want a new heaven. But to achieve heaven, they are told to sacrifice those that wish to be punished or wish to die. You’ve met your own fair share of people who desire punishment, have you not? But heaven is not what it seems. A world where the humans become the very creatures you have fought, a world where the nightmares are your reality. That is the “heaven” this cult wishes to create. And I know you will never allow this to come to fruition, Hannah
Hannah: No!
Fear: As expected. You cannot kill God. You cannot end the nightmares. The nightmares are here forever, because man will always wish to achieve heaven. But they can be taken away for a time.
Hannah: What do I have to do?
Fear: You must harm God in some way. A gun will do nicely. Once he is harmed, the Scarlet Butterfly that rests inside you must enter his wound. It’s a simple task, or sounds as such, but if God is to get close to you, to touch you, to even look at you in the eyes, you will die. This is nothing like the monsters you have seen before. You only manage to have a chance because of the butterfly. Use this to seal him away
Hannah: Alright. I will! I won’t fail
Fear: That’s what I expect from a guest such as you
*Without another word, Fear, Sorrow, and Hate went to the end of the bar. They extended their left hands and closed their eyes, before the wall suddenly caved in, a round circle appearing from the floor and all the way around the wall, appearing as a circular entryway. Once the wall sunk inside the entryway, disappearing into the darkness, Fear turned back to Hannah.*
Fear: This is where you will find God. Go and do what you must
*Hannah stood up from the stool and made her way to the entryway. As she stood at it, feeling a chilling breeze blow past her, she turned to ask a question.*
Hannah: What exactly is this butterfly? Why is it so different from everything else here?
Fear: Let’s just say… Sometimes, the world isn’t always as terrible as you humans make it out to be. Sometimes, something beautiful comes along and makes life a little more worth it. You’ll understand one day, Hannah. Thank you for being a wonderful guest.
*Hannah gave a nod and turned back to the entryway. She slowly stepped inside the hole and made her way through the dark tunnel. The longer she moved down it, the more the cool breeze turned into freezing. She turned back to look at the bar, only to see the hole she started at was a distance away, the neon lights only a tiny spec, as if she had walked a great distance in the few feet she made. She continued down the tunnel, grasping the revolver in her hand, before finally making it to the end of the tunnel, a new light emerging in front of her. She continued to walk, until she found herself in the town of Chestnut Pines, but now rotted away completely. No house standing, no people, and light snow, or rather ashes, falling from the scorched sky. And at the end of the street, Hannah could see a tall figure standing there. The being had clipped wings, bloody, boney stumps left in its place. The creature had a thin body, it’s skin grey and melting against it’s bones. The creature’s face was void of any and all features, only a layer of grey skin over it, but was still capable of seeing as it looked directly at Hannah, before finally speaking.
???: Welcome, child
Hannah: W-Who are you
???: An angel, a demon, a mystery. God, Satan, Death. I go by many names. God is a usual one… But you can refer to me as Dog, if that helps.
Hannah: So, you’re the one who created the nightmares then?
Dog: I am the nightmares, yes. You are the one who refuses the change, correct?
Hannah: The change?
Dog: You fight to stop the inevitable change in the world of man. It is destined for humanity to accept the change and attain the heaven that they so desire
Hannah: Heaven? This is not heaven! This is a hellhole!
Dog: A single differentiating opinion compared to the voices of the world. Humans have come seeking me for heaven. I an to bring it to them. Strip them of all worries, of all emotions, and allow them to experience the world of bliss that they want
Hannah: Then why do people have to die, dammit?! What about them?!
Dog: Those are the sinners that wish to die for the sake of the new world. Heaven is a place that will take only the innocent, ones without death in their hearts. Heaven has no place for the likes of them
Hannah: Fuck that! People died because of this shit you call heaven! What kind of place is that where people have to die just so the rest of the world can be happy?
Dog: I wouldn’t expect an ignorant child filled with guilt to understand
*Dog raised his hands, his hands slightly extended as he walked toward her slowly, his left hand now outstretched, as his torn wings barely floated.*
Dog: Come, child. I will take away all suffering from you. You will be the catalyst to a better world
*Hannah did not hesitate for a moment. She fired her revolver at Dog, striking him in the shoulder. He looked at the bulletwound, before he continued to walk. Hannah looked at him as he walked closer to her, his hand looking as if it were growing longer just to grab Hannah. As she looked at the horrid creature, Hannah could feel a new pain, a searing pain, in her hand, as the butterfly crawled from her hand, this time, with no intentions of returning. The butterfly floated toward Dog, who took immediate notice, and suddenly swung the arm to attack it.*
Dog: No! Not you! Back away, you spawn!
*The butterfly started to move at a faster pace, dodging the attacks from Dog, before landing on his shoulder, and crawling inside of his wound. Dog placed his hands on the wound, his arm digging inside the wound in a failed attempt to get the butterfly out, but it was already too late. For some unknown reason, Dog came to a stop, his arms falling to his side. He fell to his knees, as the world around Hannah slowly started to fall apart. She looked at Dog’s shoulder, only to see a sort of butterfly chrysalis growing from within. Hannah was confused, unsure of what had happened. She saw as the world around her fell apart, before a voice spoke.*
???: Excellent work, Hannah
*Hannah turned to see Fear standing there with a grin.*
Fear: The body of God is now empty. His spirit is trapped within the butterflies chrysalis. The body is now worn and will die along with the rest of this world. I think you may have done it, Hannah
Hannah: But I didn’t do anything
Fear: Trust me, you did so much more than anyone else could’ve.
Hannah: But I have so much questions
Fear: They will be answered in time. I promise you, Hannah. But, for now… Wake up!
*With a snap of his fingers, everything went dark*
*Hannah woke up in her bed, not sure what had happened. She looked down at her hand to see that the butterfly was gone this time, not wanting to be tricked this time. She looked around her room, and this time, she felt as though she really did do it. She climbed out of bed, feeling drowsy as usual, before she looked over at her phone, seeing a new text message. One from Rebecca that read, “Meet me at the bridge heading out of town.*
*Hannah was in her usual attire, the one that she wore at the start of all this. She leaned against the rail of the bridge, looking at the water below, before she heard a voice behind her.*
Rebecca: Hey, Hannah?
*Hannah turned to see Rebecca, carrying a backpack full of supplies.*
Hannah: Hey Rebecca
Rebecca: I guess this is goodbye. With the police after me, I can’t stay here in Chestnut Pines
Hannah: Rebecca, please, just turn yourself in and we’ll explain everything
Rebecca: I can’t, Hannah. They’ll pin the other deaths on me, I know they will. I can’t do that, I’m afraid. I hate to leave you, I really do, but you aren’t alone anymore. You have more friends than just me
Hannah: I know… But it’s gonna suck not having you around
Rebecca: You’ll manage
*The two were able to share a laugh, before Rebecca reached into her pocket and pulled out a flash drive.*
Rebecca: This is the flashdrive my dad owned that had all the footage he took of Wendy. I thought maybe you’d like to know, he didn’t upload it, since she kept quiet about it.
Hannah: Good. I’m glad she can at least have that
*Without another word, Hannah took the flashdrive from Rebecca’s hand and threw it over the bridge, the drive landing into the water below. With that, she turned back to Rebecca, who surprised her with a hug. Hannah returned the hug almost immediately.*
Rebecca: I really am gonna miss you and this… stupid town
Hannah: I’ll miss you too, Rebecca
*With a smile and a wave, Rebecca turned and made her way out of town before anyone saw them. Hannah watched as Rebecca made her way down the road, before disappearing from view. What Hannah didn’t notice was the figure behind her, a man with a fine suit and a bowler hat covering his blonde hair, and an eyepatch over his left eye as he watched Hannah from the end of the bridge with a slight grin.*
???: All will come to you, Hannah. All in due time.
*With that, the man walked down the opposite end of the road, before fading away*
-End
Rebecca: Come on, you son of a bitch! Die! Die already! Fucking die, you piece of shit!
*She fired another bullet, striking one of the male mannequins. The single one gave out a gurgled screech before falling limp, the other two appearing startled now. At the sight of the dead torso, Hannah was able to find its weakness. She took out her own revolver and aimed at the other torsos, the creature now making it to the door of the room. Hannah fired, striking on in the left side of the chest. It gave a similar gurgling screech before falling limp, leaving only one mannequin left. The creature made its way through the door, quickly scurrying toward Hannah. Before she could fire her gun, the creature knocked Hannah down and pinned her to the ground, her arms at both sides. The creature looked down at her, black ooze dripping off it’s body and onto Hannah’s. The single mannequin torso moved down to her, almost as if it was staring at her without eyes. As the creature kept her pinned, almost in a disturbing manner, a gunshot could be heard, as a hole emerged in the monsters body, black tar coming from the wound. The creature screeched, moving away from Hannah as it started to go insane, It’s arms twitched violently, the dead mannequin torsos flailing back and forth as the beast struggled to stand, before falling to the ground, the tar-like body starting to turn into something of a pathetic pile. Hannah got up from the ground, giving a tired pant as she looked at the creature, than Rebecca, holding the gun that she had just fired. She couldn’t respond, she had no words. She was just happy to see Rebecca was still alive. She walked over to her and wrapped her arms around her, Rebecca not returning the hug.*
Hannah: Rebecca, I’m sorry. I didn’t know that this was happening to you
Rebecca: It’s not your fault, Hannah. It’s…. It’s his damn fault
Hannah: You mean Deetz?
Rebecca: I mean…. My father.
Hannah: Your father?
Rebecca: Yeah… Him!
*She pointed to the corpse of the creature, still slowly melting away, leaving the parts of the mannequins behind like a shell.*
Rebecca: He just wouldn’t stop. He just kept at it. Said I deserved it. Said it was my fault that mom left, that all this was happening to me. He just…. Kept going….
*Rebecca fell to her knees, her arms wrapped around her body. She looked at the ground, a look of guilt on her face.*
Rebecca: M-Maybe he’s right
Hannah: N-No, Rebecca. He’s wrong. I know that he is. You aren’t to blame. It’s his fault. You couldn’t do anything to stop it.
Rebecca: But…. there’s no way I can get out. I’m stuck in there. I can’t get out
Hannah: Y-You can’t? Rebecca, where are you?
Rebecca: I’m at my house. I’m locked in there. I’ve been there for two days. After I… I stabbed him… I made mom leave… And then I tried to kill him
Hannah: Rebecca, you did what you had to do
Rebecca: It’s not like that! Have you ever killed a man?
Hannah: …. Yes. I did
Rebecca: Hannah, now’s not the time for jokes-
Hannah: It’s not a joke, Rebecca. I did kill someone. Just recently too. But he was going to kill me. He was going to kill more than just me. I had to do it. If it’s to save your life, than it has to be done. Do you understand? You are not responsible for what happened… Okay?
Rebecca: But……. What am I supposed to do? I have nowhere else to go. I have no one else
Hannah: Please, Rebecca. You aren’t alone. We’ll think of something together
*Hannah extended her hand to Rebecca, trying her best to reassure her. Rebecca looked up at Hannah, seeing the genuine care she had for her. She slowly took Hannah’s hand in hers as she looked up at her.*
Rebecca: A-Alright. I will
*As if in an instant, a butterfly emerged from Rebecca’s forearm, falling to the ground like the rest. And as always, the nightmares faded away from Hannah.*
*Hannah made no hesitation to head to Rebecca’s house. Once she found the house, she knocked on the door, hoping to find Rebecca. She knocked on the door again, and finally, a man opened the door. He was a large man, very hairy as well. His hair went passed his shoulders. His facial hair was unkempt and stained with the scent of alcohol. He looked down at Hannah, his arms crossed.*
Deetz: You’re Rebecca’s friend, right? Well, she went away with family. Don’t know when she’ll be back. Come back another time
*As he slowly started to close the door, Hannah stopped him by pressing her foot against the door. Once he looked down to see it, he sighed and looked at her.*
Deetz: Look, I understand that you’re upset, but there’s nothing else I can say about it. You’ll just have to take my word on it
*Hannah took out Wendy’s phone, showing the messages on it, including the recent ones. She would normally never do something like this if she could avoid it. But Rebecca was in danger, and Hannah had what she needed. She didn’t want to involve William, rather keeping him out of this, so she had something else planned. As Deetz looked at the phone, he looked up to Hannah, and chuckled. He waved her inside, which Hannah did without hesitation. She could see the house was in surprisingly good shape, unlike its owner. Deetz turned to Hannah to talk to her*
Deetz: Is this some kind of joke? You’re the bitch who had her phone
Hannah: What did you have on Wendy that made her guilty
Deetz: Nothing, really. But… high school girls are just more fun, you know? She needed money. I was willing to pay. But I never said I’d film her.
Hannah: What?
Deetz: I’m a businessman, sweety. It helps pay the bills. And there are some people who are willing to buy
Hannah: Why are you telling me this? You know I’m gonna call the police
Deetz: You don’t think I know that? You’re gonna star in my new film
*Deetz walked closer to Hannah, his hands balled into fists*
Deetz: If you be a good girl, and not tell anyone, I’ll just get rid of the films. Squeal, and everyone will see what a little whore you are. It’s too late to get involved now, though. You had your chance to not be in it, but you had to stick your nose where it doesn’t belong. But I promise, once I’m done with you, you’ll still have a face worth fucking
*At the mention of his words, she pulled out her revolver, aiming it at him. Deetz stopped dead in his tracks.*
Deetz: What are you gonna do? Kill me?
Hannah: If you touch me, I’ll do much worse. Where’s Rebecca. She’s not staying with you anymore
Deetz: You really think you two are getting out of here-
*Before he could answer, Hannah shot at his feet, almost hitting him, hadn’t he jumped back.*
Hannah: I’m not screwing around!
Deetz: You little bitch! You threaten me, and you plan on taking my daughter too?
Hannah: Better she leave than be stuck with a piece of shit like you! Get her here now before I blow your fucking head off!
*Deetz chuckled, but he complied. He went over to the door to the side, leading to the basement. He slowly opened the locks, as he looked at Hannah.*
Deetz: Hey, Becca! You got a visitor. She’s a real crude whore, isn’t sh-
*As soon as the basement door opened, Rebecca was standing there. And in her hands was the gun that Hannah had left her. Rebecca was quick to take aim at Deetz and fire, hitting him in the head. Blood came from the wound in his head as he fell to the ground with a hard thud. His body twitched a little, before finally stopping completely. Hannah looked up at Rebecca, and then at the body.*
Hannah: H-Holy shit… R-Rebecca
Rebecca: It had to be done, Hannah. What he did to me. To Wendy. What he said he was going to do to you! It’s like you said. I had to do it. You killed before. This is what needed to happen
*Hannah was now seeing the error of her ways. Seeing that what she had told Rebecca was not helpful to her at all. It only made Rebecca see this as the only option. It only made Rebecca a murderer. Rebecca looked down at the body of her dead father, before looking at Hannah, seeing the fear in her eyes.*
Rebecca: Hannah, get out of here. The police will be here soon. Get out of here before they suspect the both of us. Just go
*Hannah was taken aback, with nothing else to say. She only rushed out the backdoor to avoid witnesses, horrified at the sight. Deetz was a horrible person, someone who deserved what had happened. But it came at the price of Rebecca’s innocence.
*The police arrived on the scene quickly. No mention of Hannah was mentioned to anyone. Witnesses saw no one leaving or entering the house, and only heard gunshots. No evidence of the horrors that Deetz committed were found, but all of the evidence of what was seen pointed to Rebecca. Marcus had reasons to believe that Rebecca was responsible for the death of Deetz, but not the deaths of Wendy or Sam. However, the police department was keen on pinning the crimes on Rebecca as someone who was doing it out of spite for the rest of the world. This information would remain only in with the police until they captured Rebecca. Rebecca’s life in Chestnut Pines had suddenly come to an end.*
*Hannah walked inside The Enigma bar. The sight of what had happened still fresh in her mind. She sat down at one of the stools, looking down at her still shaking hands. Fear, Hate, and Sorrow were nowhere to be seen. She looked around, but saw none of them. She grabbed her head and started to feel all of these emotions for the first time. She started to feel sorrow. She started to feel hatred. She started to feel fear. As she sat there in silence, a voice spoke to her.*
???: Are you ready to be judged, Hannah?
*Hannah turned to see the three behind her. They were standing in order, for the first time, not sulking about in the bar. They all stared at her, awaiting her answer.*
Hannah: How do I stop these nightmares!? I want them to stop!
Fear: That all depends on if you can accept what you are and what you’ve done!
Hate: You were able to forgive your father, despite what he had done. A man such as that should not be forgiven, but you still found a reason to do so. You still saw a reason to care. And yet, you still killed the one who was responsible for the murders. You didn’t even hesitate. You killed him. And now there are those who will never know who did it. Is that justice?
*Hannah sat down, listening closely.*
Sorrow: You were able to save your friend, when she was in her deepest sorrow, when she was at her most alone. You were there to save her without hesitation. But because of your own actions, you have turned her into a murderer. You have made her responsible of changing her whole outlook. Is that true happiness?
*Hannah could feel the weight of their words hitting her hard.*
Fear: Regardless of those such things, you were still able to save them all from the nightmares. The officer, the rich woman, the guard, your father, and your friend. You saved all of them. You braved the nightmares, the horrors that were shaped by the human mind, when most would have failed to grasp the true ideology of the creatures
Hate: She saved a few lives, but she isn’t excused of taking another
Sorrow: She isn’t excused for leading to the death of another
Fear: And yet, they all deserved it, did they not? They were all going to do harm to her, were they not? Hannah, I will say, you have my aid in ending these nightmares.
*Sorrow and Hate, unlike Fear, were unmoved. They had no intention of helping her. Hannah looked at the ground, before responding.*
Hannah: You’re right. I did do wrong. From the beginning, I should’ve done more than what I did. I let Wendy kill herself when I should’ve helped her. I killed a man, and now my best friend is a murderer. Those are my faults. I will accept the blame for what I have done. But I will not let these nightmares continue. I will continue to fight them off for the rest of my life if I have to, if it means that the lives of others are spared.
*Sorrow and Hate looked at Hannah, their arms crossed, before they looked at each other, almost as if they were conversing with each other in their minds, before turning back to Hannah*
Hate: The things you have done, the crimes you have committed, are unforgivable
Sorrow: However, we cannot deny that your true intentions are for the better of the rest of the world. And for that, we will aid you in anyway we can
Hannah: T-Thank you. Thank you so much… But why? I thought you didn’t wish to get involved? I thought you were here to make me suffer
Fear: We were. But only until you accept your guilt… And you have done so. Besides, you are a more interesting guest. We’d hate for your story to come to an abrupt end. Sit, please
*Hannah sat down on one of the stools, and Fear sat next to her.*
Fear: The creator of the nightmares, the being that is worshipped by a cult, known to them as God
Hannah: God? You mean the Christian one?
Fear: No. The cult just calls him God. He has many names, and at the same time, he has no name at all. God is what we call him. He is the creator of the nightmares. He became a real being because humans wish to create heaven, because they want a new heaven. But to achieve heaven, they are told to sacrifice those that wish to be punished or wish to die. You’ve met your own fair share of people who desire punishment, have you not? But heaven is not what it seems. A world where the humans become the very creatures you have fought, a world where the nightmares are your reality. That is the “heaven” this cult wishes to create. And I know you will never allow this to come to fruition, Hannah
Hannah: No!
Fear: As expected. You cannot kill God. You cannot end the nightmares. The nightmares are here forever, because man will always wish to achieve heaven. But they can be taken away for a time.
Hannah: What do I have to do?
Fear: You must harm God in some way. A gun will do nicely. Once he is harmed, the Scarlet Butterfly that rests inside you must enter his wound. It’s a simple task, or sounds as such, but if God is to get close to you, to touch you, to even look at you in the eyes, you will die. This is nothing like the monsters you have seen before. You only manage to have a chance because of the butterfly. Use this to seal him away
Hannah: Alright. I will! I won’t fail
Fear: That’s what I expect from a guest such as you
*Without another word, Fear, Sorrow, and Hate went to the end of the bar. They extended their left hands and closed their eyes, before the wall suddenly caved in, a round circle appearing from the floor and all the way around the wall, appearing as a circular entryway. Once the wall sunk inside the entryway, disappearing into the darkness, Fear turned back to Hannah.*
Fear: This is where you will find God. Go and do what you must
*Hannah stood up from the stool and made her way to the entryway. As she stood at it, feeling a chilling breeze blow past her, she turned to ask a question.*
Hannah: What exactly is this butterfly? Why is it so different from everything else here?
Fear: Let’s just say… Sometimes, the world isn’t always as terrible as you humans make it out to be. Sometimes, something beautiful comes along and makes life a little more worth it. You’ll understand one day, Hannah. Thank you for being a wonderful guest.
*Hannah gave a nod and turned back to the entryway. She slowly stepped inside the hole and made her way through the dark tunnel. The longer she moved down it, the more the cool breeze turned into freezing. She turned back to look at the bar, only to see the hole she started at was a distance away, the neon lights only a tiny spec, as if she had walked a great distance in the few feet she made. She continued down the tunnel, grasping the revolver in her hand, before finally making it to the end of the tunnel, a new light emerging in front of her. She continued to walk, until she found herself in the town of Chestnut Pines, but now rotted away completely. No house standing, no people, and light snow, or rather ashes, falling from the scorched sky. And at the end of the street, Hannah could see a tall figure standing there. The being had clipped wings, bloody, boney stumps left in its place. The creature had a thin body, it’s skin grey and melting against it’s bones. The creature’s face was void of any and all features, only a layer of grey skin over it, but was still capable of seeing as it looked directly at Hannah, before finally speaking.
???: Welcome, child
Hannah: W-Who are you
???: An angel, a demon, a mystery. God, Satan, Death. I go by many names. God is a usual one… But you can refer to me as Dog, if that helps.
Hannah: So, you’re the one who created the nightmares then?
Dog: I am the nightmares, yes. You are the one who refuses the change, correct?
Hannah: The change?
Dog: You fight to stop the inevitable change in the world of man. It is destined for humanity to accept the change and attain the heaven that they so desire
Hannah: Heaven? This is not heaven! This is a hellhole!
Dog: A single differentiating opinion compared to the voices of the world. Humans have come seeking me for heaven. I an to bring it to them. Strip them of all worries, of all emotions, and allow them to experience the world of bliss that they want
Hannah: Then why do people have to die, dammit?! What about them?!
Dog: Those are the sinners that wish to die for the sake of the new world. Heaven is a place that will take only the innocent, ones without death in their hearts. Heaven has no place for the likes of them
Hannah: Fuck that! People died because of this shit you call heaven! What kind of place is that where people have to die just so the rest of the world can be happy?
Dog: I wouldn’t expect an ignorant child filled with guilt to understand
*Dog raised his hands, his hands slightly extended as he walked toward her slowly, his left hand now outstretched, as his torn wings barely floated.*
Dog: Come, child. I will take away all suffering from you. You will be the catalyst to a better world
*Hannah did not hesitate for a moment. She fired her revolver at Dog, striking him in the shoulder. He looked at the bulletwound, before he continued to walk. Hannah looked at him as he walked closer to her, his hand looking as if it were growing longer just to grab Hannah. As she looked at the horrid creature, Hannah could feel a new pain, a searing pain, in her hand, as the butterfly crawled from her hand, this time, with no intentions of returning. The butterfly floated toward Dog, who took immediate notice, and suddenly swung the arm to attack it.*
Dog: No! Not you! Back away, you spawn!
*The butterfly started to move at a faster pace, dodging the attacks from Dog, before landing on his shoulder, and crawling inside of his wound. Dog placed his hands on the wound, his arm digging inside the wound in a failed attempt to get the butterfly out, but it was already too late. For some unknown reason, Dog came to a stop, his arms falling to his side. He fell to his knees, as the world around Hannah slowly started to fall apart. She looked at Dog’s shoulder, only to see a sort of butterfly chrysalis growing from within. Hannah was confused, unsure of what had happened. She saw as the world around her fell apart, before a voice spoke.*
???: Excellent work, Hannah
*Hannah turned to see Fear standing there with a grin.*
Fear: The body of God is now empty. His spirit is trapped within the butterflies chrysalis. The body is now worn and will die along with the rest of this world. I think you may have done it, Hannah
Hannah: But I didn’t do anything
Fear: Trust me, you did so much more than anyone else could’ve.
Hannah: But I have so much questions
Fear: They will be answered in time. I promise you, Hannah. But, for now… Wake up!
*With a snap of his fingers, everything went dark*
*Hannah woke up in her bed, not sure what had happened. She looked down at her hand to see that the butterfly was gone this time, not wanting to be tricked this time. She looked around her room, and this time, she felt as though she really did do it. She climbed out of bed, feeling drowsy as usual, before she looked over at her phone, seeing a new text message. One from Rebecca that read, “Meet me at the bridge heading out of town.*
*Hannah was in her usual attire, the one that she wore at the start of all this. She leaned against the rail of the bridge, looking at the water below, before she heard a voice behind her.*
Rebecca: Hey, Hannah?
*Hannah turned to see Rebecca, carrying a backpack full of supplies.*
Hannah: Hey Rebecca
Rebecca: I guess this is goodbye. With the police after me, I can’t stay here in Chestnut Pines
Hannah: Rebecca, please, just turn yourself in and we’ll explain everything
Rebecca: I can’t, Hannah. They’ll pin the other deaths on me, I know they will. I can’t do that, I’m afraid. I hate to leave you, I really do, but you aren’t alone anymore. You have more friends than just me
Hannah: I know… But it’s gonna suck not having you around
Rebecca: You’ll manage
*The two were able to share a laugh, before Rebecca reached into her pocket and pulled out a flash drive.*
Rebecca: This is the flashdrive my dad owned that had all the footage he took of Wendy. I thought maybe you’d like to know, he didn’t upload it, since she kept quiet about it.
Hannah: Good. I’m glad she can at least have that
*Without another word, Hannah took the flashdrive from Rebecca’s hand and threw it over the bridge, the drive landing into the water below. With that, she turned back to Rebecca, who surprised her with a hug. Hannah returned the hug almost immediately.*
Rebecca: I really am gonna miss you and this… stupid town
Hannah: I’ll miss you too, Rebecca
*With a smile and a wave, Rebecca turned and made her way out of town before anyone saw them. Hannah watched as Rebecca made her way down the road, before disappearing from view. What Hannah didn’t notice was the figure behind her, a man with a fine suit and a bowler hat covering his blonde hair, and an eyepatch over his left eye as he watched Hannah from the end of the bridge with a slight grin.*
???: All will come to you, Hannah. All in due time.
*With that, the man walked down the opposite end of the road, before fading away*
-End