Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Stalkers, Jake knew all too well. He had been in this hell for nine years now, he also had to deal with this in the real world. In his world—yes, they were more animistic, as they were actual animals and not a skilled writer and murder or an unstoppable evil that did quite literally stop at nothing to kill every survivor in the trials.

Lucky for Jake, that’s the killer he got for his daily trial. This match would go by quickly, the first generator hadn’t even been finished by the time someone was already on their last hook stage. Michael, in fact, did not play fair. He truly did not care how the trial went, as long as he got his bloodshed and not the punishment that would await if he didn’t get them.

Though, deep down, Jake knew no matter what. One person was escaping. The Entity knew it too, that rat… spider-bitch, whenever the realm seemed to be getting weaker, it was led up to the Entity bringing in a new one, that happened. The knew killer, the animatronic, so the Entity named him. Someone had said that the guy's name was actually William, Jake didn’t care much. He was just another fuck to avoid in the trials.

Laurie Strode, who since entering the realm, became Laurie Myers. Reclaiming the name after the two entered the realm and were forced to meet again after that night on Halloween. Their relationship had changed completely and they refused to hurt each other. Laurie wouldn’t stab into him after he accidentally hooked her and he avoided hurting the best he could.

It was unfair, Jake knew that, it was unfair to the survivors and it was unfair to Michael. The Entity didn’t play fair, as she changed everything about anyone and anything if too many people complained, because that emotion wasn’t good to her apparently. Fucking bitch.

Did Jake even want to continue this trial? Maybe, in hopes of getting out but he knew it wouldn’t be that and he had a book of his life here to read so he could remember everything. A thing Vittorio came up with, though he tattoos that shit onto his body, Jake rather not and a lot of the other survivors agree, so they write it all down in books they found in that tower. Along with all of their life stories. It was creepy but the Entity can’t get them there. They know it wasn’t her work.

A scream cut through Jake’s thoughts, the rumbling shook the ground as the Entity claimed someone’s body. One down, two more to go. He was sure that’s how Michael’s brain worked.

The saboteur sighed deeply as he sat down on one of the beds in the Myers's house, he was sure Michael would show up any moment. He hadn’t felt his heartbeat but he knew it was only a matter of time before he would be another body taken to the skies to be killed.

Creaking of the wood floor forced Jake’s head up, it wasn’t the Myers he was expecting, “Hey Laurie,” He hushed out, if he was too loud, Michael would appear and he’d get tunneled out of this trial.

“Hey Jake,” Her voice was sorrowful, she looked sad for him but it was hard to think that when she held herself so proud. Maybe she didn’t, maybe her posture was just that good but good Entity did it feel like she did not truly care.

Her body rested against the broken, rotting door frame, “Where’s the man of the hour?” He wasn’t much of a talker, he never had been. He was introverted and these last years had been the most he had ever socialized but hey, what else is a man to do when he’s trapped, forever feeding a spider goddess his emotions?

“Michael found–,” “Before you continue, I don’t want to know which of our friend he found and is currently killing,” He knew it sounded a bit rude but she didn’t have anything to worry about, he wasn’t going to touch her, “Jake,” Her voice got more stern, “you know I don’t enjoy this– You’re acting like I’m telling him to do this, I’m not!” Her voice rose a bit, it would have freaked him out but he heard the screams of the other survivor.

He didn’t want to spend his last few minutes arguing with Laurie, he saw her as an equal. She wanted to survive just as much as he did. They both came from money, of the sorts, and they both took it to themselves to survive anything but she had a free pass right here. He didn’t, Jake didn’t have an estranged brother who rekindled their family bond in a realm where they aren’t supposed to have that connection.

“I’m just going to go,” He mumbled as he got off of the molded, broken bed. Exiting through the other door in the room. The Myers house, he can assume, was a nice comfortable place before Michael ruined it for the family.

The wood of the house was old, every step he took just alerted the shape to his location, he was a walking alarm. He stopped at the front porch, he might as well watched as the Entity took his friend, the rumbling stopping after a few seconds.

His arms rested along the chipping white painted railing, the wood cracking, threatening to break if he pushed forward just a bit more. It was just him now, him and those eyes that stared at him from across the street.

What?

Jake squinted as best as he could, there was fog and he only had one bright thing on him. That mask was the only thing that made him stand out. Sometimes if his hair poked out from the bottom as well, it was blonde, just like Laurie’s. He wondered if they looked alike under that mask. He actually just wanted to know what he looked like in general.

One blink was all it took for the shape in the fog to disappear, at least he wasn’t fucking crazy because he was starting to think he was if that damn body didn’t move. Well, now it really was only a matter of time. He was the only one left and Michael had a general area of where he was now.

“Damn,”

That’s all he could say before he felt the sharp pain of a slash across his back, he didn’t fight it, no, not like how he usually would. Running, dropping pallets. This wasn’t allowed in the trial but he would sometimes trip the killer if he could. It was funny and it gave him an opening to get away.

No other pain came for the next few seconds, it was long past the time it took to wipe the blade of his kitchen knife off. He wasn’t killing him, was this trial too boring? Did he want Jake to do something more than just accepting his fate?

Carefully, Jake turned his body around to face the man himself, his back leaning against the railing that already wanted to crumble from just his arms, he winced, yeah of course it would hurt to put the fresh wound against something.

The Shape was staring down at him, he wasn’t stalking, no. Jake knew the feeling, the back of his hairs would have been standing up by now if he was. The man was in his neutral stance, arms planted at the side of his body, knife gripped in his hand. He was looking down at Jake, of course he was. Michael had a good few inches on him.

Jake felt his body want to give out from the blood he’s lost but the Entity tweaked them. It hurt them but it wouldn’t kill them, it was sick, sure, but at least he didn’t die from one swing or one hook going through his shoulder.

“What the fuck are you waiting for?” He spat, it didn’t amuse the man, he didn’t move. Maybe, for the first time since Michael had entered the realm, Jake could get a good look at him. The mask wasn’t too flattering, it was covered in blood and seemed to be chipping from the age of it. The brown hair was fake and gross looking, blood and guts were stuck in it. He could see his real hair sticking out from the bottom of the mask, it had grown out since he’s entered the realm, maybe. He didn’t really know.

Scars littered around his neck, his jumpsuit had punsters in it, most likely from all the deceive strikes over the years, he didn’t get punished very much, that was a factor. He also smelled disgusting, rotting, dead bits of body.

“Take a shower,” He hissed at the stalker, everyone in the realm could shower if they needed. There was a realm that had water, sure sometimes one of them would get unlucky and stroll over there when uh, the romantic lovers were trying to get some peace but hey, it’s their fault for doing that shit when the others wanted to get clean from surviving trials.

Again, his words didn’t amuse Michael, he just stared down at him. Now the hairs on his neck were standing up, did this asshole really bring his fucking tombstone piece? No, he didn’t because they stopped. Was he just toying with him?

Jake threw a weak punch towards Myers, which he caught before it could even touch him. His head tilted to the side, which sent chills down Jake’s spine. His wrist was stuck in Michael’s hand, he had a crushing pressure on it. So hard it almost made Jake want to cry from how bad it was, the shape pulled him closer and raised the knife.

Hey, he did have a tombstone piece after all.

—

Jake didn’t get put into another trial that day because he was up in that tower rereading the last nine years that had happened, it wasn’t actually that. No, they hadn’t gotten the idea until Vittorio joined the realm, so it wasn’t nine years of reading.

The saboteur was sitting in the middle of the destroyed room, books were littered along the floor, and the place was just a wreck. He knew some of the other survivors were cleaning it up but very slowly, no one could stay for too long, scared of what the Entity would do when they left.

He, though, did not care. It wasn’t like he was going to remember any of the pain in the end. He just wondered when everyone else would realize that was well. It was quiet for a while, sometimes someone would come up and check in or to read something or even just help clean the place up a bit but other than that, nothing. No one spoke when they came up, he didn’t and neither did the others.

Sometimes a killer would wonder up but it was the ones they had an understanding of. The ones who didn’t want to kill or hell, even just the realm’s pets coming to look for some attention. Sometimes it would worry everyone, what would happen when the bloodthirsty murderers finally figured out the tower but it was safe to say that wasn’t happening.

The hairs on Jake’s neck stood, well fuck.

He quickly shifted his body towards him, he knew it wasn’t Danny. He didn’t come to the tower unless Feng was there and well, according to Jake’s eyes, there was no fucking Feng Min in the room.

So of course, when Jake turned around. He was faced with Michael Myers, he felt his chest tighten, the air in his lungs stilling, his body refusing to let it escape from it. He knew he went tense, he could feel his hands grabbing at his book, what the fuck would happen if he got killed here? His body couldn’t be retrieved by the Entity, was he just fucked? Forced to be dead where he didn’t just come back?

Michael wasn’t stalking him anymore, he knew that, no he did that so he knew of Michael’s presence. For a second, he could breathe again, that was before Michael took a step closer, which Jake's reaction was to push himself back as best as he could while still being on the ground.

It was a chain reaction because Michael stopped dead in his tracks, the two stared at each other for what felt like years but eventually, Myers was the one who stopped the contest. He started to wander around the room, the first time he had seen Michael just…walk and now just appear and disappear.

He felt like he was watching a feral cat be put into a new environment, he was curious, exploring but he kept a careful eye on the person in the room, as if he was going to hurt him. Michael could kill him with one hand but that still didn’t mean he wasn’t allowed to be aware of who was in the room. Though, there definitely were scarier survivors than him, as much as he liked to believe he was this bad-ass cool nature survivalist, he was just a boy who came from money and tried to be something less than that.

Slowly, he got up and navigated towards the only exit in this gods awful place,but Michael cut him off. Not that he was close to the doorway but still, he was trapped and he knew it now. Michael was going to keep him trapped in this room until whatever he was planning.

When he didn’t think this shit could get even worse, he heard some chatting coming up the stairs, Michael also heard it. He was a hunter, after all.

Jake and Michael shared a glance, one thing Jake noticed was that Michael was without his knife, another thing he noticed was that one of the voices was Laurie, the other, Nea.

Michael wasn’t worried, he wasn’t scared, he wasn’t hunting. He was just…Michael Myers, apparently. He didn’t think he was anything but that knife and his sister.

Laurie and Nea got to the doorway, Nea stopped talking and just stared into the room, mostly at Michael. Laurie seemed to only be confused, Nea was afraid. It was an interesting contrast between the reactions of seeing Michael Myers.

Michael’s head tilted to the side, motioning for the two of them to enter the room. Laurie did without a second thought, Jake could see that Nea had a thousand things on her mind but she followed close behind Laurie.

Everyone went silent, hell this felt like a trial and with Jake’s knowledge. Only one would exit this room and it was Laurie but again, he had no knife in hand. Not that he even needed a knife but every survivor knew Michael was fucking obsessed with that thing. It was interesting because he just didn’t have it. He could have sworn the killers kept their weapons in the fog with them.

Unless, Michael didn’t come here to kill.

Jake furrowed his brows, no one had moved nor said anything. Nea’s lack of response was just–she was afraid, Laurie’s was not. This was her brother, she could have said something, did something. Anything, instead they all seemed to be frozen in place. Even the shape, the big bad scary Michael Myers. All just in this room, no one else was coming for a while and the three survivors knew that much. Michael, didn’t.

“Hey Michael, whatcha doing in here?” She talked to him like he was a child who was lost in a store, as close as Laurie and Nea were, he still killed her in the trials but at least she was aware of the Myers sibling bond even though no matter how…”close,” they were, she was never going to be safe from him. No one was.

He stared at her, Michael didn’t talk, they all knew that. Laurie pulled away from Nea and walked over to him. The two shared a few glances before he leaned down, a hushed whisper came out and Jake felt his eyes widen. So, he did talk after all. Interesting.

The two spoke back and forth for a while, Michael never above a whisper and Laurie respected the privacy of the conversation, she was quite quiet as well.

Nea and Jake kept glancing at each other, wondering if they should just book it. Well, Jake was wondering about it because he didn’t want to be stuck with this killer any longer than he needed to be. Which was not a lot because he shouldn’t even be in this damn tower.

Laurie turned around towards the two, Michael straightened his back and stared off at the books, “He felt lonely and saw you,” She rose her hand and pointed at Jake, “enter the tower, he was hoping to find me and he was told by one of the other killers that we gather around here. He didn’t realize it was only going to be you and he didn’t want you to leave because if you did, he wouldn’t have been able to figure out how to get me here,” She sighed deeply.

That actually made some sense but he didn’t know what Michael would want him to do if Laurie never came up here, clearly the guy didn’t want to talk to him. There was a barrier between the two. In a strange way, Jake didn’t talk much and Michael talked even less than that, not that he planned on speaking to the guy in the future. This was the last time he wanted to see him outside the trial.

“So, he just missed his sister?” Nea chimed, sometimes it was hard to get Nea to shut the fuck up, especially when they were going against a killer who was stealthy and they themselves needed to be quiet or that rat fuck Blight, he had a name. Jake didn’t care for it, he was an evil mother-fucker, Jake hated him.

Side rant aside about Tabolt, this was surely…something, “Can I leave now?” That’s all he needed to say, “Weren’t you catching up on the book?” Referring to his memories, “I’ve had enough,” A slight smile formed on his lips, just to be nice, “Yeah, he got what he needed,”

Jake didn’t stay any longer to hear Nea and Laurie’s conversation but right as he got to the doorway, the hairs on his neck stood. He didn’t turn back and Michael didn’t stop until he was completely out of view. He stopped at the bottom, he had been holding in a breath for a while, the entire time he was walking down the stairs actually. He felt like he just entered a hell of a plotline.

This was most likely not going to end well.

Chapter Text

Silence was all Jake knew at the moment, other than the generator’s sparking and cranking. All four survivors were on this gen and usually, they shared a few conversations. Not this time, no not because they didn’t want to reveal their location to the killer. Who hadn’t shown up yet or it was a stealth killer and the four of them were just fucked.

No, this was an awkward silence. Jake, Laurie, and Nea. Things had been awkward between all three of them since the night in the tower. Nea and Laurie still had their bond, Jake knew what was up. Nea had a thing for Laurie, she had since the day the Myers sibling entered the realm. Still though, it was awkward for them.

Then the unlucky Orela Rose, the newest survivor to enter the realm. She was aware of the basics. Write down anything important, try not to get killed, shower when you need, and then the plans they have. As far as Jake knew, she didn’t know the awkward situation-ships and relationships around the trials. She was talkative, sure but she just seemed to like to be around people.

Jake knew she had gotten close with Sable, Mikaela, Kate, and Feng Min. They had a little group and took her in, that’s all Jake was aware of. He knew the small groups around the campfire and Laurie and Nea were not a part of that group.

As the generator was about the be finished, Jake felt the hairs on his neck stand, his spine ran cold, “It’s Michael,” He mumbled, they, (excluding Laurie,) were fucked. All four of them being there was going to fuck them over, he could raise his stalk and bam, get two or all of them right then and there.

The generator finished and all of them went running in a different direction, Jake left pallet side, Orela vaulted the window, and Laurie and Nea ran out the other door.

Jake only hoped that he would be the unlucky soul who got Michael, he wasn’t running, nor crouching, he was walking normally. He didn’t want to touch a gen and reveal his location, not that he couldn’t be seen, they were on the Ordmon map, not the resort which Jake much preferred but sometimes things didn’t go his way sadly.

He entered the tubes and took a second to breathe, this was stressful, he was alone now and he didn’t even know if anyone was being chased. He knew no one had gotten downed, there wasn’t a scream or anything.

A hand touched his shoulder, it was large and heavy. He knew damn well it wasn’t any of the survivors, his body got turned around and Michael held the knife over his head. Jake was expecting the first swing and then he could run while he had the chance but Michael didn’t do anything.

No, of course not because why the fuck would he? No, he just kept him there, knife over his head and staring down at Jake.

He felt like he had this encounter before, he probably had. He died to Myers every time after all.

The two just held eye contact with each other for a bit until another gen popped, the knife came down and slashed him. Jake took the chance to run, his blood leaving trails along the whitish snow, the pain always felt less painful as he survived more trials, it was the dying that sucked.

Not that he would even remember it in the end.

—

No one survived other than Laurie, and Jake was the final one who needed to reread his journal. Orela and Nea already had while the others explained to Jake what was happening and what this place was. It made sense, he supposed.

Jake never liked to read, well, somewhat. He didn’t like to write his feelings, that was the better way of saying it. Reading this felt like highschool all over again, citing his work or reading the dumb stuff he had to write because the counselors wanted him to express his troubles, ”How can you be sad when you have such an amazing life?” It wasn’t so amazing when he had it.

He wondered how many times he had died, Jake only seemed to be counting how many times he survived.

“I’ve been surviving too many trials, she’s going to pair me with Michael Myers soon, just so she can kill me and reset this stupid body. My hope usually dies after the tenth trial, so I wrote. She knows Michael will stop at nothing to kill us, it’s unfair but I swear one day, I’m going to survive that bastard, no matter what it takes, I promise,”

Jake couldn’t help but laugh, “Clearly it wasn’t the last time,” He was here, reading it all over again. Ten trials, Jake had to make the most of it he supposed.

Though, this Michael Myers, the creepy guy from that one horror movie? Really? He Knew Laurie…Myers, was in the trials but the Michael Myers? And he couldn’t survive this guy once, it was…interesting.

The saboteur picked up a pen and started to write down on the paper. He wanted to find a way to study the shape, which would be hard, yes. He died after every match with him but maybe, somehow, he could figure this out.

—

Jake got to his fourth trial, he wrote ten.

There he was, face to face with Michael. The Entity was getting ready to consume the realm and restart everything, he wrote that Laurie was always in the trials with Michael. Why did he lie to himself?...

How would he know?

Was he assuming that Laurie was in every match? How would she feed off the Myers sibling if she got every match with Michael? Was he just that unlucky that he just happened to get paired up with them on his tenth match every time?

Wow, he had a lot to forget, huh?

He could only assume he wasn’t making it out alive, the hatch was closed, his friends were dead and Michael was standing right in front of him.

Confusion filled his mind, maybe he didn’t forget everything when he died, maybe that was a lie because how would he remember the feeling he gets when Michael stalks him? How does he know that Laurie survives every match that she has with Michael, she doesn’t tell him that and he can never write about it.

“Have we… met before?”

The words seemed to stun Michael, he could see the man tense slightly. He had blood and guts in his hair, it was old and fresh, stabs into his jumpsuit, his mask looked old. Michael remembered Jake but Jake didn’t remember him.

Did that upset him?

Was Michael even aware that everyone lost their memories when they died? Did Michael even die? He was so powerful, he was unstoppable, after all.

Jake took a step back, how many times did he see Laurie’s terrified face before Vittorio came along? How many times did they have to rekindle their sibling bond before she was able to write it down? How many times did he hear her reintroduce herself as Laurie Strode to the survivors in the trials?

Something clicked in his head, the Entity kept him alive to feed off those emotions. She made sure to pair him with survivors that couldn’t survive against him so that he could feel the pain when Laurie didn’t remember him. Was the Entity aware that she remembered everything?

His mask; was old, it was covered in dried blood and guts. His fake hair; had blood and rotting flesh bits mangled in it. The jumpsuit; had holes in the same shoulder in different places, but it wasn’t the broken fabric, it was the scars. His hair had grown out since he entered the realm and it’s because the Entity never killed him once since he’s entered the realm.

He didn’t get unlucky when he got paired with Laurie and Michael, he just happened to be someone who she needed to remake and got thrown into the devastating family trauma. Laurie died before every Myers's sibling trial and Jake just happened to survive for those trials.

“You… don’t even know what death feels like, you–”

Could he even explain it in time? He knew he had his attention, “Do you know? Does Laurie know?” He scoffed, “You two– You two plan it out! Don’t you!” He wasn’t asking a question, he knew, it was painfully obvious. Michael didn’t have a way to remember things if he died—They planned it, Laurie pretending to forget Michael, rekindle the bond and then she goes and gets killed so that the Entity can restart the process.

There was no fucking process to repeat though, she must have written it down somewhere.

But it didn’t matter, Jake died that match and he forgot everything. He felt the sharp pain in his chest as the Entity stabbed into it. Michael stared at him, he could see his eyes piercings through the eye holes. Jake knew his secret, it was only a matter of time he would survive and write it down somewhere in that tower.

—

Michael Myers, an evil inhabited in a human body or something like that, he never much cared to listen to the things people came up with to call him. He was Michael Myers or the Shape, or apparently the boogeyman. He actually thought that one was quite amusing, he became the thing he feared when he was a child.

The man knew the survivors and some of the killers were plotting against the Entity but really, what could they do against it? She was a god, after all. Technically he was plotting against her, with Laurie. Jake had been about spot on with his accusation. Michael and Laurie plot it all out, he didn’t mean to walk into the tower that day after Jake walked in.

He had really only hoped that Laurie would be in there, she was but only after he walked in. She lied for him, he knew what he was doing when he walked into that tower, walking up those stairs. It was truly only a matter of time before the Entity caught on and killed him, or worse.

Writing everything that had happened in the realm would be too much, he’s been alive for years, not once has the Entity had to punish him. He served her well and she knew it, the only thing he wanted to remember was him reconnecting with Laurie, would he even know to go up in the tower to read what he put down?

Surely he could figure out another killer who was good with the survivors, did the same thing they did. Write it down, inform them, then continue on. He watched the survivors do that.

Leaving his realm though to venture to the others was never easy, not that he couldn’t do it. He just didn’t like to, it sucked and he hated having to even leave his house but he needed to do this before he lost everything he had worked so hard for.

And so he left, he had heard through survivors that Danny Johnson or Jed Olson or even just The Ghost face, was someone who worked well with them. Meaning he had a book like they did but he didn’t have a realm to call his own, he was a travel man, he could have been anywhere.

Though he knew he hung around Amanda Young or The Pig a lot, Michael never talked to her much but it was worth a shot.

—

“Danny huh?” She had a nice voice, she was well kept without the mask on.

Michael nodded even though she wasn’t looking at him, she was tweaking the bear traps, adding stuff to make them better for her and worse for them, “He hangs around those kids a bunch man, uh the Legion of losers or Rin,” Two locations, great, Michael hoped he would just be here with her, “Or in that red forest but not Adiris’ place, not the temple,” Okay, a third.

Her body turned around, her mouth has two scars across it, Michael knew she wasn’t the best killer with those bear traps, it must have been a part of her, “Hell man, he could really be anywhere, I mean you can hang around here, he’ll show up eventually but he’s taking care of his kids,” Her hands rose with her shoulders, following the shrug she did.

Right, Danny had kids, not his kids but younger killers he took in. Michael would never, kids were annoying and he would have killed the ones Laurie was watching if she hadn’t ran into the fog.

Michael opened his mouth, as much as he didn’t want to talk, he needed Danny now before he got thrown into another trial. Before he could say anything, he heard the sounds of boots hitting the concrete floor.

“Amanda, I am beat, I just…,” He stopped in the doorway of the room, well, the opening. They were in Amanda’s workshop, “Well, if it isn’t Michael Myers,” He had a bit of an accent on it, he didn’t like it, “What’s Halloween doing here babes? Are you cheating on me?”

Babes? Cheating? Michael felt his stomach turn, he hated couples.

“He’s here for you,”

Danny cocked a brow, “Am I cheating on you?”

A scoff came from Amanda, “No you smart-ass, he’s uh, here about the tower,” Her voice lowered, Michael had written it out, he assumed she didn’t want the Entity hearing about it.

Danny’s whole demeanor changed, his back straightened and he cleared his throat, “Well, that is not what I was expecting when I came to see my lady,” Again, Michael wanted to throw up, “What do you want to know, big guy? I mean, word has gone around that you found yourself in that tower the other day,”

Damn, that was quick, Michael didn’t even know that many killers knew about it. How many of them were good with the survivors? Was Amanda okay with it?

Michael cleared his throat, “I need to write something down,” More words than he would have liked to use, his voice was raspy and he could feel his voice box not wanting to work, “Ooo, so Myers does speak, so many of these sorry bitches owe me money,” Amanda giggled, they placed bets? Did the other killers actually bond? Michael glanced at the two back and forth for a second, clearly.

“Oh, alright, you can borrow mine until you’re able to get your own, alright? I’ll inform the others that if in your uh…, potentially death, that you’ll be reminded of this book so you can read what you wrote down,” His voice was quiet, the Entity was present and they all knew that, it was only a matter of if her hearing was as good as they all thought.

Michael nodded, this was good, he was in with the, “good,” killers now and his information was protected, “Go to the tower and look for mine, it has my entity given name on it,” He moved closer to Myers, “You need to hurry, you’re about to get a hell of trials if you don’t get into that tower quickly, she will make sure you loss that trial if she realizes what you’re doing in time,”

Danny stepped towards Amanda past Michael, he didn’t need to hear anymore. He wasn’t too far away from that area anyways. He was unnaturally fast, it’s why people called him evil. He only hoped he was fast enough to make it before she understood what was happening.

—

The room was quiet and cold, Jake assumed it was always cold. As detailed as he was in this endless book, he never went into the details about the room. Only that they were slowly rebuilding it slowly, in hopes of being more organized so that they didn’t have to dig around too much looking for their journals.

How many times did Jake really die? He didn’t have any dates written down, days didn’t exist here. All he knew is that he died every ten trials because he lost hope around that time…Jake stared at those words. Something wasn’t write.

“I’m due for trial four any moment now, I have a feeling I’m not making it out alive,”

Jake didn’t get past trial four, he bit the back of the pen, “This isn’t right…I died in that trial but to who?” He couldn’t ask the other survivors, they all died right with him, which killer could have possibly killed them all?

His hairs started to stand on his neck, he had felt that feeling before. He turned around towards the opening to the room.

Michael Myers.

The man was standing in the opening, he hadn’t been standing there for long, he knew that. Jake would have felt him, he took a second to think. How did he remember that feeling? Nothing in this book mentioned the hairs on his neck as a result of Michael stalking him and the way he explained Danny’s stalk was different to this feeling, he wrote that it felt like he was a star being stalked for a paper. Not the fear he felt when Michael did it.

The Shape’s head tilted to the side, he wasn’t stalking him anymore. He wasn’t even there to kill him, was he? Jake had written about encountering Myers in the tower. He was making his presence known to Jake because he knew that the other would know it was him.

There was no knife in his hand, he was just standing there. Jake opened his mouth but Myers wasn’t entertaining this anymore, he walked into the room and started to go through the pile of books, Jake was…confused, safe to say, “Hey–,” He simply said, he was going to offer to help but Michael snapped his head towards him, his eyes stabbing into his soul. That shut him up quickly.

Jake was sure that Michael didn’t have a book and if he did, it wasn’t one of the larger ones. The pages were endless but that was if they kept writing in it. Jake never saw him up here, only the two times now.

He stood up and carefully walked over to him, he placed his hand on Michael’s shoulder which stunned the man because he stopped dead in his movements, “Let me help, just tell me what you’re looking for,” Sure, he probably shouldn’t have been helping the killer who never once showed him any mercy but someone trusted him enough to tell him about this place.

As Michael turned his body towards him, Jake could hear him panting, the little skin that was exposed was dripping with sweat. Had he run here? The saboteur's shoulders lowered, he needed something and he got here quickly to get it.

“Let me help you,”

Somehow that convinced him because he sat back, his back hitting the broken bookshelf. Clearly he needed a break, “Danny,” It was one word and it was very quiet and muffled but he finally heard Michael’s voice, it was as deep as he was expecting it. The sound made his stomach turn, not in a bad way but hell. He was glad the man didn’t speak in the trials.

Jake started to sort out the books, the survivors were mixed with the few killers who wrote down stuff, “So, why are you using Danny’s book?” He didn’t know if Michael would amuse the conversation and for a few minutes it didn’t seem like he would. The man let out a deep groan, “I don’t have my own,” Jake wasn’t expecting him to actually speak well or even know grammar but he supposed he was in a hospital for years and heard people talking all of the time.

“We can change that, pretty sure everyone has a book, it’s just finding it, y’know?” Michael didn’t say anything, he just grunted as a response, so, he was also a man of little words. Good to know.

It didn’t take too long to find Danny’s, his book was huge and had tags all in it. From trial stuff to relationships, which was separate from his relationship with Amanda, she got her own section. He handed the book to him along with the pen he had, “Here you go,” Michael took the things without a second thought.

Jake watched for a while but he could tell it was making THE Michael Myers uncomfortable, it was iconic, really. The stalker got uncomfortable when he was being stalked, wasn’t that interesting.

Myers didn’t take long and he threw the book to the side along with the pen once he was done, he stood up and walked to the doorway, it felt weird to watch him go, it felt off.

“Wait,” He himself stood up, Michael stopped at the top of the stairs, “The Entity threw off her pattern, I wrote that I die to you every ten trials because that’s when I give up hope, I always get you with Laurie and you never kill Laurie…,” He knew that, Jake had added it himself a few pages ago, “I was thrown in with a trial with you on my fourth one, why?”

The Shape didn’t turn around but he didn’t leave, his head turned to the side, Jake made eye contact with him.

He had Michael’s attention. Michael also had Jake’s attention. He knew something and he could feel that something happened in that last trial. Jake stared at Michael, he had an open wound on his back, most likely from a deceive strike… but there were a lot of those scars, his mask hair had dried blood and guts in it, his mask looked old…

“You ask too many questions,”

Michael disappeared down the spiral stairs, he didn’t ask too many… How many did he ask in that trial? What did he find out in their last encounter?

Jake turned towards the other opening in the room, it was off into the void of this realm, the unsafe parts of this place, he was going to find out.

He needed to find out.

Chapter Text

Jake spent a lot of his days(?) in the tower, not writing or reading but working on making it look better, he told Michael that he would find his book. He noticed the killers that came from movies were, one, real and two; very little information was made about them. He was basically looking for a flyer at this point. He felt Michael come by every now and again but he never stayed for long, not long enough for Jake to see at least.

Something wasn’t sitting right with Jake, how did he know the feeling of Michael’s stalk? Why did he only survive four trials last time? He got back to thinking about what he wrote, something about how Michael and Laurie were always paired but she wasn’t in that trial, no it was Dwight, Meg, Claudette, and him. So, did he lie to himself or what because it didn’t add up.

As he started to think about it harder, he heard a knock. Which was weird because no one ever knocked, they walked in as they pleased. Was it someone new? Someone who had never been in the tower before, “Take a look around, I’m just cleaning up,” He mumbled, he wasn’t too worried. If they made their way up here, they were trusted.

“Aye, that so hun?” He knew that voice, he flipped around and stared at her, Taurie Cain. She started to circle around the room, studying everything around the room. He had heard some things about her, she was never around the campfire but he knew she was a part of that cult that liked the Entity a little too much, “Nice place you survivors got here,” She wasn’t actually amused.

Jake watched her every move, “You’re a survivor just like us Cain, you’re no better, no worse,” She slammed her hand into one of the shelves, “You take that back you fucker,” She pulled out a dagger and pointed it at him, “What? Is that the dagger you failed to kill that guy with?” It wasn’t just a guy, it was Haddie’s brother and Jake quite enjoyed Haddie.

Taurie clenched her free hand, “Jordan Rois,” She snarled, she spun her dagger around and put it away in her knife sleeve, “So you know, it is,” Her accent wasn’t the hardest to understand but Jake didn’t want to entertain her anymore, “You failed and paid the price, I suggest you stay away from everyone because no one is going to want you around,”

The words were more harsh than he meant for them to be but what was he supposed to do? She could ruin everything they all had been working for, everything they remembered. He needed to tell someone else, get the word around that they needed to watch out for her but she was still there, he couldn’t risk it.

His eyes shifted towards the door then back at Taurie, she chuckled and leaned against the now broken bookshelf, “I ain’t going anywhere anytime soon and ain’t no one coming up anytime soon,” Good gods, was he just going to be stuck in here with her?

—

Taurie hadn’t been lying about no one coming anytime soon, they were both bored and surely the Entity was starting to question where the two went but they were both determined to stay, Jake didn’t even know why Taurie was still there unless she really was trying to pull some shit once he left.

“So, why do you worship her?” As in the Entity, he might as well make conversation because he didn’t plan on backing down from whatever this was, “Was born innit,” That made sense, he wasn’t too sure how someone could just join a cult, he didn’t know cult stuff and he really didn’t know how to join one nor did he want to.

No one really knew Taurie’s story and he had yet to find her book and read it but he would because he wanted to know about her without having to ask too much, “What did ya do to get the Entity’s attention?”

Jake stilled, he never thought of that and he honestly didn’t know why the Entity chose him, “Got unlucky I guess,” He mumbled, “I think you mean lucky,” Yeah, he hated this chick, he wasn’t lucky. None of them were lucky, when would she realize this? This realm wasn’t a place she should be happy to be in because they got killed over and over again.

Then it hit him, she didn’t have a book and she probably didn’t talk to anyone. She didn’t know she was dying over and over again, time after time again, “Taurie…you die,” He wasn’t going to sugarcoat it, this was all a sick game for the Entity, “You get put into the trials and you die, doesn’t matter if you survive ten, the moment you die, you lose your memories,”

It looked like someone just told Taurie the worst news ever and she probably did, she worshiped this thing, “You’re wrong,” She said quietly, “Taurie–” “YOU’RE WRONG,” She stood up quickly, he didn’t know what she was planning on doing but she started to pace back and forth. Jake watched for a while, it was clear she didn’t know of this information.

Suddenly, her dagger was back in her hand and she was pointing it towards herself, Jake froze as she did it, “So, if you’re right and I kill myself right here right now, I’ll end up back at that campfire with those dogs?” She inched the blade closer, “No! No no no– She can’t access the tower, you’ll be dead and no one can save you,” He didn’t like her but he didn’t want her to kill herself.

Taurie laughed like she was insane, “Get me a book why don’t ya?” She dropped the knife and stared at him, “Taurie, you don’t want to remember this,” “BULLSHIT,” She was loud, one of those monsters out there could hear and be drawn in towards them, “Taurie– I need you to be quiet,” She chuckled, “Or what Park? What are you going to do?”

She had a point, what was he going to do? She was the one with the knife, sorta, he lowered himself and grabbed a book, “Here, write whatever the fuck you want but I need you to get out when you’re done,” He tossed the book over with a pen, she didn’t move for a second, just staring at Jake.

Taurie dropped down and grabbed the book and pen and opened it to a random page, she started to write down something, then the murmuring started and she rocked back and forth. Quickly she stopped and threw the book down, “Don’t get rid of those pages Park,” She grilled him and left.

Jake swiftly grabbed the book and tore out the pages, he crumbled them and then ripped them. Just to be safe, he didn’t need to be in Taurie’s book and it was about how he ruined her whole view of this place. The book wasn’t even hers, did she pay attention to what the name was on the cover? He hoped not because what in the off chance she managed to remember that shit?

He didn’t want to risk anything because they had worked far too hard for all of this just for it to go to shit because Taurie went and snitched to the thing they were trying to kill.

—

Jake for the first time was finally around the campfire, people were confused about why he was missing for so long but he didn’t answer anything, he’d rather not risk anyone finding out about Taurie, she would die and then forget everything and she did die. Taurie showed back up at the campfire that night but she was more confused than normal.

“Where’s my dagger?” She looked around, “I have everything else but my dagger,” Jake’s body tensed, that’s right, she dropped the dagger but she died, how would she know she even came into the realm with the thing?

Because familiarity is something that eats at us all.

Taurie placed her hand on her side, where she usually kept the dagger but there was nothing, and Jake must have been staring a little too hard because her eyes met with his, “Did ya do somethin’?” She stepped closer to him, there weren't a lot of people at the campfire but it was enough to make it awkward, “Oi, why doesn’t everyone juss calm down for a minute, why don’t ya?” David stood up, he was sectioned between the two. Taurie was to the left of the fire and Jake was to the right and never had he been more happy that David was around.

Not that he didn’t like David, he was cool and he was the first openly gay guy in the fog which helped a lot of other people come out and then couples bloomed, Jake wasn’t too happy about that part because everyone had someone but him but hey, beggars can’t be choosers, he was more than happy just being Jake Park, the guy who knows how to break the hooks for like twenty seconds.

“Answer the damn question!” Her voice brought him out of his depressing thoughts, “I didn’t even do anything, I don’t know who you are,” David turned his head to him, he opened his mouth to say something but Jake glanced at him, he said something with no words because David dropped it.

Taurie wasn’t buying it though, “Ya looked at me when I started spoutin’ about my dagger,” Her arms crossed and she was glaring at him, like she wanted to jump through the fire and strangle him but she wouldn’t, she didn’t have it in her to kill. That’s why she was on this side of the fog and not the killer side, “Because you were talking about it like you’ve been here before, not everyone gets to bring something into the realm and it definitely wouldn’t be a dagger!”

He was lying, he knew it was wrong but what else is he supposed to do here? If he even said something close to the wrong thing, this holy entire thing would go to shit and they would all be fucked. Taurie was the one thing right now that could ruin everything.

The cultist groaned loudly and stormed off, cursing under her breath something he couldn’t understand, David stood up and walked over to Jake, sitting down next to him, the other survivor at the fire, Meg, came and sat in front of him, “What was all that about?” David spoke low, not knowing if Taurie was around.

“She found the tower,” He could see Meg tense up, getting ready to book it to the haven but Jake grabbed her arm before she could go running, “No, she died, she doesn’t remember but her dagger? It’s in there, she threw it down when I handed her a book,” Both of the others survivors shared a confused look, “I told her that she won’t remember our conversation when she died and she connected the dots—I ripped up the pages, don’t worry but she’s going to be looking for that thing,”

Jake released Meg’s arm and he was saying something silent, for her to go to the tower and keep an eye out. She was the fastest out of the three after all. She understood and went running, Jake turned his body to David, “What you want us to do?” He asked, what could they do?

“...we need to keep watch over the tower, constantly now, if she finds it again when no one is there, she’s going to ruin everything because she worships that thing, she’ll do anything to serve it just like the killers,” He didn’t want to accuse her of this, she could change but she would just become Taurie Cain, the cultist that worshiped the thing that tortured them, when she died again.

David nodded, “I understand, I’ll inform the others and we’ll get that started and we’ll figure out a way to do a switch system,” They both knew it wouldn’t work but someone would have to be in the tower at all times to watch over the books, if they did that, everything could be fine but what happened when she got there, found that dagger and used it on one of the weaker survivors? Someone was most likely permanently dead and Taurie had access to their memories.

—

Dwight and Jake stood together in the library of raccoon city’s police station, they shouldn’t be on this side of the fog, the killers could come at any time and kill them or wesker and nemesis could find them in there and again, kill them. They were really only risking death here but boredom consumed them and sometimes doing something risky was fun every now and again, they had no real rhyme to do this, except what? Read? The books were classic literature and then mixes from other realms the entity had consumed.

They both knew they weren’t there for books though, Dwight, as much as a coward he was, still was a natural leader. They had a few of them who were in charge. People who were kind and trustworthy. Dwight, Kate, Adam, and Haddie. Dwight had been here the longest, since the beginning of this hell, Kate was a kind soul and she was smart. Adam was the same, as he wasn’t much of a speaker but he was kind-hearted and a smart man. Haddie was nice as well but she knew the most about the Entity, other than Taurie.

“David, uh, informed me that Taurie came across the uh, tower?” He spoke slowly, they both knew the Entity was somewhere listening, the fog surrounding their feet confirmed it, “Why don’t we just go there and talk about it?” Jake gritted through his teeth, he was supposed to be smart, “Because there are too many people there already!” His voice was higher than it needed to be and he was risking their death.

Jake groaned and covered his face with his hands, he took a second to breath and then uncovered his face, “Then we should wait to be talking about something so important, Dwight, she’s in here listening to us!”

Dwight went quiet and was staring off behind Jake, she sighed deeply and clenched his fists, he felt himself being watched, being stalked.

He mouthed the word ‘go’ to him, Dwight hadn’t had this back and forth with Michael yet and he didn’t want him to because this was terrible.

The saboteur was good, too good for most of the killers but he lost his hope too quickly. That’s why he got Michael, Dwight, as well as he was, he was weak. He died before he got to the stage Jake got to, he didn’t have to see Myers to die, he just did. Because he was weak, Jake took a second to think, what was he thinking? Dwight was his friend, he had been his friend since the beginning.

The leader took a step back and then ran, Jake in turn, faced the Shape. He was standing in the doorway to the ledge of that station, he had gone around. He knew the two were there the entire time, he was just waiting. The fog on the floor swept away, following Dwight. He wasn’t the one to get taken and he wasn’t going to be for a while, he could feel it.

“Hey Michael,” He muttered, this felt so normal now, the two finding each other because for some reason the two were just drawn towards one another, as much as he wished he wasn’t. Michael was evil in a body, how far was Jake from that? Pretty far, two people stood in this room, one was a survivor, one a killer. Jake wasn’t that killer and he never would be.

No words came from the man, his knife wasn’t in hand. Maybe the killers just didn’t have the weapons or…no, Myers still looked disgusting, he hadn’t been killed and remade piece by piece but the two of them knew that when she did finally get the catch on him that he would be ripped apart limb by limb, no, she would keep him alive longer than that. Until she got all of that emotion out of him, he wasn’t going to be let go that easily.

The two stared at each other, Jake was reminded of his questions, he had so many. Michael and Laurie had something planned, he just didn’t know what. It ate alive at him, trials, in the fog, by the fire, even when being threatened by Taurie, Michael was on his mind. Why was he so obsessed? Why was Michael obsessed? He got obsessive, he watched the movie, the first one at least. He heard the others sucked and he felt too weird out by the plots to keep going. Then he got taken.

Why was Jake obsessed though? He was just someone who didn’t get enough attention as a kid, Michael was that kid. Jake didn’t need to keep coming back to see what the hell the man wanted but he felt it, deep in his gut, that he and Michael wanted out of this place or something more than this place. They were alone, they were both alone. They could be alone together.

Jake shook his head, he didn’t want to be alone with Michael and Michael didn’t want to be alone with him. Michael didn’t even want to leave the realm, he liked it here. Michael enjoyed killing people, didn’t he? Where could he do that in the real world? No where, absolutely nowhere but here. Michael probably didn’t want to lose that, it was his drive; to kill.

They kept their stare locked, what were they going to do here? Jake heard someone, no it wasn’t someone, it was Wesker, speaking to himself maybe? He was bat-shit crazy after all but someone was responding in the end, he couldn’t tell who it was but he didn’t care, he needed to leave. His head turned towards the other doorway, he hoped the two wouldn’t walk up here. His gaze shifted back to where Michael was but he was gone. Guess they both had the same idea.

—

Jake sits in a circle with the other leaders, guess he’s managing to become one slowly because he’s important, he knows things, things the others don’t know. But he isn’t the only non-leader in the room, there’s a few people, shattered everywhere but in ear distance. Too many people are missing but this needs to be done.

It's Jake, Haddie, Dwight, Kate, Adam, Mikaela, Zarina, Elodie and Vittorio. Everyone in the room was important and he was surprised that the other four non-leaders weren’t, well, in charge with them. He can only assume they didn’t want to be. Vittorio has better things to do, he always said. Nothing to assume there, the man doesn’t want to be here. He probably is looking for a way out. Mikaela enjoys being around the people, she enjoys helping, he doesn’t know why she doesn’t join them. Elodie, she knows a lot about the Entity too, so he assumes but she’s obsessive, they probably keep a distance between her and this so it doesn’t consume her. Zarina, well, she records. She’s there to keep track of things which are important, you don’t remember something? Ask Zarina, she’ll probably know.

Zarina has a pen and journal in her hand, she’s ready to record and the others are ready to talk, talk about what? Taurie, she’s a danger to them all and she’s one person but that doesn’t in the end, does it?

“So, the one person who wasn’t supposed to find out about the tower, found out about the tower?” Mikaela sounded pissed, she had every right to be pissed. She wasn’t supposed to know about this place until they found out they could trust her and they can’t, she’s not there for them, she’s there to be against them.

Vittorio circles the room, he’s too good for a book, he just puts it on his body. He doesn’t die much, everyone knows that, he’s good and when the Entity gives him a killer he most likely wouldn’t escape, he still does. It’s amazing but how long until he dies again? Clearly whatever he tattoos onto his body stays though, he can’t escape death every time after all, “What are we to do?” He questions, stopping at the other opening in the tower.

“What can we do? We can’t kill ‘er, I won’t allow it but we can’t let this happen again,” Of course Kate wouldn’t allow killing, they were survivors after all, “Why don’t we just ask one of the killers to tunnel her out every trial?” It’s smart, Dwight would result in that, wouldn’t he? “Can’t, what happens if the Entity gives a good opening for her to run the killer, then we risk an ally to get hurt and tortured,” Adam thought it through though, if she worshiped the goddess, she most likely got favored and good spawns.

The group sat in silence for a bit, “She needs to die in this tower,” Jake offered, if she died there, the Entity had no way to get her body back and Taurie would be dead forever, “Absolutely nwat, she ain’t dying and we ain’t killin’ no one,” Great, he went and pissed off Kate, which was hard to do and she wasn’t even that mad at him, “Why don’t we just talk to her? Try and tell ‘er what is happenin’?” Convert her to the good side.

“Let's say we can do that,” Adam starts, he’s about to say something that will kill that idea quick, “we convince her to be on our side, that the Entity is just a monster and doesn’t care if she worships her or not, will she believe us every time?” He stops, it was good, “But–” “Let me finish,” Kate didn’t want to kill Taurie but she understood Adam needed to finish his concern, “She will default back to that worshiper, she can read that book but what if she thinks we’re lying? That we wrote it to try and trick her? Yes, it would be weird that we knew her but what’s to say we assumed this would happen one day?”

Everyone went quiet again, the only thing being the pen scribbling against the pages as Zarina wrote down everything. They were stuck, not on options but having to do it, “No one said it had to be one of us, we can get one of the killers to do it,” Dwight suggested, “Get King to do it,” Mikaela was blunt with it.

Everyone knew that David had killed someone before, maybe a lot of people but could he do it now? He was…different from David King, he was just David or King, he’s told that story over and over again, he was different now in the realm, “Dwight, you do it,” Jake stared at him, Dwight had drugged a man before, what’s to say he couldn’t kill? “No! I- I almost got that guy to kill someone, I’m not doing dirty work again,” Damn, there goes that option.

Kate stopped speaking, she didn’t want to do this. She didn’t want someone to have to die, they could all see it in her face but she was the only one who didn’t want her to die. She was out voted.

“I’ll do it,” Jake mumbled as he stood up, brushing off the dirt from his legs. He walked over to the dagger she dropped and pocketed it quickly, Jake did whatever it took to survive. He just had to think of it like that. He was doing this to survive.

No one said anything else, they just left one by one to make sure it didn’t seem weird. The only ones who stayed were Vittorio and Mikaela, “Do you have the guts to do it?” Mikaela questioned as she walked over to him, “It’s written down, every version of you will remember that you killed someone,” She hummed and circled him a bit, for a witch, she was a bitch. Not all the time but she didn’t want to be in that meeting.

She left though, not talking to him any more. Vittorio walked over to him, his hand touching his shoulder, “Good-luck, you’ll need it,” He muttered and left without another word.

Could he do it? Could any version of him handle it? Killing someone was so…he wasn’t a killer, Jake never wanted to kill someone and he didn’t even know if he could but he knew he said he would and he knew just as well as everyone else, it needed to be done because if he didn’t do it, who would?

No one.

Chapter Text

Jake is aware that he’s being watched but it’s not by Michael or Danny, no, it’s someone else but who? Why is he being watched? He isn’t in a trial, the others are talking, making offerings, in trials, or something else. So who is watching him? Taurie, maybe? One of the killers who didn’t like survivors but couldn’t come close to the campfire? He didn’t know but he wasn’t enjoying it in the slightest, why would he? He never enjoyed being watched.

A hand snapped in front of him, “Jake?” He must have zoned out because Claudette, who was the one who snapped, almost never spoke. She had a worried look on her face, he was glad she trusted him enough to speak around him though, when they started to ‘remember’ things, she hadn’t spoken to anyone and then she got closer with the original survivors again, thankfully he was a part of that category, she was a good friend.

A smile formed on his face as he blinked away the blurriness, “Hey sorry Claud, I was just…thinking,” Something he found himself doing a lot lately, she smiled right back at him, nodding slightly as he spoke. She understood most of the time but she had opened up that some things were hard for her to understand, she said her father told her that she was wired differently and that was okay. Jake didn’t see her in a different light at all.

Sadly, too many people were around for her to speak anymore than she already had but he was fine with it, Jake looked around, just to see who was around. Not many stood exactly by the fire, just being near it kept them safe. So groups were scattered around everywhere, smaller ones, of course. Well in a way, Kate had pulled out her guitar and started playing some song she wrote, people slowly gathered around her and resumed whatever they were doing.

“Can I talk to you about something?” He mumbled as he turned his head back to her, her smile was gone and she seemed a bit more focused than before, “Of course,” Enough people were away and if anyone was close, she trusted them enough clearly.

He let out a sigh, “Michael Myers is obsessed with me,” He somehow managed to get quieter because how did he manage that? Claudette gasped lightly and covered her mouth but she seemed to process it quickly, her hands moved down to rest on her legs, slowly she tiptoed her fingers around, he knew she was trying to think of something to say, “I understand, Talbot is obsessed with me…,” That was…shocking, to say the least, “Does he only want to kill you or refuses to kill you?”

Jake gripped the wood they sat on, hard enough to put splinters in his hands, “I can’t exactly tell, every time I get thrown into a trial with him, it’s with Laurie and he won’t kill her but he doesn’t seem to want to kill me, at least I think? The way he acts with me outside of the trials, it’s—””You interact outside of the trials?” She muttered, a quiet hush left her lips after her question.

Well, fuck, she didn’t know they could interact outside of the trials, did she? “Yeah, he finds his way into the tower and we…just stare at each other, I’ve heard his voice but that was about it so far, he knows something…I just don’t know what,” He sighed deeply, his head dipped into his hands, the light from the campfire was still in sight but he didn’t want it to be because well, he wanted it to be dark. He could think better if it was darker.

Claudette went quiet, she was confused, he knew that. He needed to stop dropping this information on people like this but how was he supposed to know she wasn’t aware of killers and survivors relationships? Well, he knew a bunch of survivors that had relations with killers? Or just friendships, usually people stuck to their own side.

“I… am sorry for that, maybe next trial you’ll get him?”

Fuck he hoped she didn’t just jinx the fuck out of him.

—

Speak of the fucking devil.

Everyone was dead but him, the hatch wasn’t closed and he wasn’t downed, not even injured. Michael stood in front of him, he was a man on a mission because he had cornered Jake quite early in the trial and made him stay in the corner of the map while he killed the others, which was quite odd for a numorse of reasons but now, the two were face to face again.

Michael wasn’t stalking him, he wasn’t going to kill him. He could feel it, he wanted to communicate with him again but something was stopping him, maybe it was himself. Jake inched forward, he slowly brought his hand up to his mask. Would he let him take the mask off? Did he trust him enough, gently and slowly he touched the edge of his mask. Michael watched closely, watching his every move but he wasn’t stalking him.

His fingertips traced the edge until one of his fingers slipped under the latex, Michael’s hand grasped his wrist quickly, so he wasn’t going to let him take it off. What a shame that was, he really wanted to know what he looked like. He…wanted to get to know him, at least know him more than just Michael Myers, the psycho evil that was obsessed with his sister and then killed his other one.

“You…could be more than than the Shape,” He mumbled, that…shocked Michael because he let Jake’s wrist go, he took a step back and just stared at him. Jake didn’t mean to say it out honestly, he didn’t know why he said it out loud actually but he knew he was right. Michael Myers and the Shape weren’t the same person, were they?

Michael took another step back, was he going to let him get the hatch? Another step, yeah he was. He wanted him to remember this…or maybe he wanted to test how many people he could let go before the Entity punished him.

Jake left that trial alive, the hums of the hatch, the same chills he felt when he first heard it, (so he wrote,) he didn’t tell anyone but Claudette that he got Michael, she wasn’t surprised, she called it. But that wasn’t it, the fact she was right was it, her question was answered, Michael was obsessed but not because he wanted to kill him.

But what did he want? Why was he obsessed? What could he have possibly wanted with him? He needed to know and he needed to get to the tower before he had the chance to forget.

—

Michael never understood the social thing of drinking with people, he didn’t understand why people did it or even why they kept going back to the bar but here he was, sitting at the bar that was owned by Deathslinger or Caleb, he didn't exactly know. He didn’t talk to many people and he wasn’t even here for him.

A pat came on his back and he went to swing his knife down on whoever was trying to touch him but his knife wasn’t in hand, right. The Entity took their weapons outside of the trials, thankfully no one was trying to attack him, it was just Danny. Wide smile, mask gone, and he was dressed in something more casual than his usual outfit.

“Hey big guy, I didn’t mean to scare you,” He chuckled as he sat down, Michael didn’t know why he was here, why he was actually hanging out with Danny and his…girlfriend, Amanda sat next to him but she was more than Danny’s girlfriend, Myers knew that and he supposed he owed him this hangout for letting him use his book.

Two glasses slid down the bar, one to Danny and one to Michael but the one for Danny didn’t stop in front of him, Amanda had grabbed it and handed it to him, “Thanks hun,” He turned to her and pressed his lips to her cheek, which caused her to slap his arm. It was gentle, Michael could tell that she wasn’t mad that he did that. It was strange, he hated couples, the ones he killed were all so wrapped around each other, breathing into each other like they needed it to survive.

Danny and Amanda’s lips didn’t even touch, they didn’t continue, he just kissed her cheek and then carried on. Could it be more than just that? Every lover he had ever seen, killed, they weren’t like Amanda and Danny. No, Judith…he stopped thinking, “Would you like something to drink Myers?” Ghostface asked as he nursed on his drink, he could feel his insides turn. He had never indulged in any of that and he never thought about it. He could try, he knew that but what happened if he got on the levels of a drunk and got pulled into a trial?

“You can say no, I’m not going to force you Mike,” That was a new one, Mike. He did not like it and Danny could tell, “Michael, deepest apologies,” He chuckled awkwardly, Amanda turned towards them, “He doesn’t know any better, always trying to come up with random names out of your government given name,” Danny rolled his eyes and Amanda left their conversation, “Is that a no on the drink big guy?” Michael stared, for a killer, he spoke in full sentences unlike his partner, “I’ll take that as a no,” His hand reached over towards Amanda, his single pinky touching her hand.

It was weird to not see them all over each other, he knew the two were into each other. He had been in his book, there was a holy section just for her. Unless he really was just that obsessed but she obviously wasn’t thrown off by it because she didn’t just kill him. Could it truly just be more than that?

Amanda stood up and placed her hand on Danny’s shoulder, of course it couldn’t be more than that, “Gonna go hang out with the girls, we’ll probably be upstairs like the usual, find me when you’re done making a friend,” She leaned down and gave his lips a quick peck, “Hey, I love you,” It was gross and here was the start of it, “Me too,” She mumbled before walking away. So, it was just that?

Danny sighed deeply and swirls his glass around, “Myers, sometimes I wonder if she means it—I mean, sure were together and I can plan as many dates as we want but I fear that maybe I rushed her into this whole thing,” He slowly slumped against the counter and whined, he never seen this side of Danny or heard this side of a relationship before, he thought they were all supposed to be perfect.

“I– dude, what if she leaves?” He sighed, “I wanted her for so long and I finally have her,” He swirled his glass around again, he looked depressed, maybe he should stay away from the drinking, “I love her,” He sniffed before getting smacked on the back of the head, a sharp yell came from him as he got ready to hit the other person but he stopped, why did he stop? He looked up, it was…a survivor? A giggle came from her as she hopped up onto the counter, sitting on it.

Michael knew her, Feng Min, she was uh…someone he asked the Entity to avoid sending into trials with, she was weird and almost none of the killers felt comfortable around her, same with Sable Ward because she was just as weird. He felt like Danny was doing it more for him than her, he had heard the two were good friends, he also heard she was a weird freak. Danny was one too, they made good friends.

Her eyes met with Michael, “Oh? Isn’t this interesting? Michael Myers!! The man himself, oooo,” She leaned towards him and he was getting ready to strangle her with his hands but Danny sat up fully, shielding him away from her.

“What’s Mikey doing outside of Halloween town?” He hated every word in her sentence because holy shit did she annoy him, “Did something for him and just wanted to hang, plus it’s good for you to get to know us Myers,” Danny turned his head to him, right. It would be good. He needed to socialize because he was alone.

The Entity hadn’t summoned anyone in the bar to a trial and almost all of the killers were dressed in ‘nice’ clothing, maybe they knew the Entity wouldn’t pull anyone into a trial. Danny and Feng started to make conversation and then, he felt something, a pull but not into a trial or anything.

He turned his head towards the entrance, now he could only assume everyone in the tavern were good with survivors because there were some scattered around because well, he didn’t know but he knew who he saw. Jake Park, the survivor he was completely obsessed with now, he didn’t exactly know why. He had no reason to be so drawn towards him but he was. And he didn’t know how to feel about it.

Michael got up from his seat and stalked over to Jake, who seemed to notice him the moment he stood up. How could he not? He was a large man, about as tall as Caleb and a few of the other survivors but everyone in the bar, (besides Caleb,) were shorter than Myers, although it didn’t matter because the two of them stepped outside of the tavern. A few of the other killers stood out there with them, not exactly next to them but on the porch of it.

He could hear more above them, Michael can remember all of the times he had to walk up those stairs to that generator, it was the most annoying other than the one on the guillotine, he usually let the survivors get that done before he slaughtered everyone but he didn’t need to think about anything other than Jake right now.

What was he thinking? Why was he so obsessed over this survivor? He wasn’t any different from the other ones, he wasn’t special, he wasn’t not special, he was just normal. He looked normal, he sounded normal. Some of the other survivors were much more interesting than him but yet, this one had his attention.

Jake and him interlocked eye contact and then it couldn’t be broken, Michael didn’t want to break it and it felt like Jake didn’t want to either, “I keep thinking about you,” He mumbled, his hand reaching to touch the back of his own neck, Michael thought about the last trial the two of them had, he was so close to taking off his mask and then…then he said those words, Michael couldn’t be more than anything, he was a killer. They tried to fix him but he couldn’t be fixed, there was nothing to fix after all.

Michael thought about Amanda and Danny, they seemed happy, could he have that with Jake? Did he know happiness? He knew he felt it when he got to see Laurie in the trials, that was his sister. He enjoyed being around her but that was it, could he feel what Amanda and Danny felt with each other?

Slowly he brought his hand towards Jake’s face, he didn’t stop him, he could have stopped him…well, no he couldn’t but he could tell him no and Michael would stop, Michael would listen to whatever the other said, why would he do that? He didn’t know but he would.

His pointer finger touched the bottom of Jake’s lip, it was rough, the skin was dry. He didn’t expect it to be soft, the skin was chapped. He could feel it but the area was dry here but he didn’t mind the feeling, he didn’t enjoy soft things anyway. The texture of soft things wasn’t nice.

Jake looked up at Michael and he stopped his movement and then pulled his hand away, he didn’t want to be touchy with him in the open where any of the other killers or survivors could see. He didn’t want to bring attention to either of them, not like this at least.

The saboteur looked around before his eyes went back to Michael, “Wanna leave?” Michael nodded, drinking wasn’t for him anyways.

—

Jake wasn’t expecting Myers to actually follow along with him, he also didn’t think he would touch his lip but hey, everything in the realm was a shock. Maybe he should stop being so concerned about things that happen in the fog, he honestly didn’t know what to really expect so why should he question anything anymore? He just shouldn’t because everything was a surprise by now.

The two stopped by a passing realm, the withered isle, the place that homed the Unknown. That creepy fucking thing, it wasn’t nice to any of them, killers or survivors but thankfully, the thing wasn’t around anywhere to be seen.

He didn’t exactly know what he and Michael would do but sit there, he still wasn’t much of a talker and he still hadn’t even seen him without his mask, he just wanted to see him without the mask, study his features, kiss his scars. He shook his head, snapping himself out of those thoughts, he purely just wanted to see his face so he could know who was under the mask.

They ended up in the projector room, it was a bit more spacious without the generator in there bothering the space, being loud. They watched the broken film play over and over again until it got boring and Jake was the one who interacted with the other.

His body turned to him, which made Michael react. He did the same and now the two were staring at each other, why did this feel so intense? Why were they so intune with each other, he hated it, he hated Michael for making him feel like this in the long run. Why did it have to be Michael? He reached his hand back up, tracing the edge of the latex, his finger slipping under like they did last time but Michael made no efforts to stop him.

Jake brought his other hand up and wrapped his arms around his shoulders, his fingers finding the backing of his mask, still, Michael made no move to stop him. Was he going to let him really unmask him? He pulled the flaps back and slowly peeled the disgusting thing off of him, he made sure to move slowly, just in case Michael changed his mind about this and no longer wanted him to see his face.

The mask came off after a few painful anticipating seconds but it was worth it, so fucking worth it. His hair was long and blonde, just like he thought, just like he knew. His eyes looked dead but there was still something there in his eyes, they were brown, mocha maybe? He had a handsome face, a scar across his lip, it was hot. Oh gods, he was hot.

Something in Jake’s stomach turned and he wanted him badly, right now in this shitty disgusting room for a disgusting killer and a freaky ass survivor…maybe this was fitting, “You look…,” He stopped himself, his hands moving to grip his shoulders, “handsome, fuck Michael,” He muttered, he was handsome and he didn’t know what to say other than that.

Michael tensed slightly and Jake pulled his hands away, mask still in hand, he had Michael’s trust, he could tell that much. They were both fucking obsessed with each other and they could feel it, it was disgusting. He felt disgusting for wanting a monster.

Did he feel the same way? For wanting a survivor when he kills people? Did Michael even want him? Was he just completely obsessed? Jake wanted him, embrace him, kiss him, anything but at the same time, he didn’t. Michael was a killer, he was pure evil. Jake wasn’t, he was…just troubled from the rich life, but he wasn’t bad, if he were he would be killing his friends instead of being killed with them.

Jake felt something ghosting over his legs, the feeling was all too familiar. He looked down, fog slowly consuming him, Michael took his mask back and pulled it back over his head. At least he had gotten a quick look before it was over.

Chapter Text

Twenty trials Jake has survived, he’s been waiting, waiting to see Michael but no. He never came and Jake kept surviving the endless trials, where was he? Did the Entity finally get her hands on him? He hated to say he felt worried but he was obsessed with the man, he missed that mask, the feeling he got when Michael stalked him, where the fuck was he?

No one knew either and it was starting to weigh on Laurie, quiet sobs being heard from around the camp as the reality hit her, Michael was gone for the meantime and neither of them knew where he went and Jake hates to say it's his fault. If Michael hadn’t gotten this obsession with him then maybe he would be present in the trials, how long until Laurie caught on that this was Jake’s doing as well?

It was only a matter of time until Jake and Laurie got into a shouting contest because she finally connected the dots because well, ten trials ago was the last time either of them had seen him. Jake and Laurie were both in that trial, the killer being Myers, four people entered that trial and two left. Laurie and…Jake.

Jake’s next trial would be twenty, officially, he would survive twenty times. All because Myers didn’t kill Jake like he normally did, the Entity most caught on because this was insane. Jake and Laurie both went around the fog, looking for him, asking the other killers.

“Last time I saw him was at the tavern,” Trial eight for Jake.

“Myers left his realm?”

No one was of help.

—

Trial thirty for Jake, Michael was still nowhere to be found, it had been twenty trials since anyone had seen the Shape, he was missing, Maybe the Dredge had done something, it had eaten Maurcie when he went missing, what’s to say it didn’t attempt to consume Michael? No, he was just trying to think of something, anything, he had traveled around the fog so many times, always ending back at Haddonfield, in hopes that Michael would be there and every time, nothing.

Jake ended up at that realm again, he hadn’t entered, he was just at the edge, sitting between the asylum and Haddonfield. The screeches of Sally no longer feared him, at this point, not even if she could kill Jake. All he wanted to do was survive so he could see Michael, god why did he have to become obsessed with a killer? Was it really because the two were so alone that they just became drawn to each other? It wasn’t like it mattered, Michael was gone.

As his gaze pierced into the realm, he felt someone coming up to him, he could only assume it was going to be Sally or Philip but no, it was Laurie. She made a noise as she sat down next to him, neither of them looked at each other, just looking into the ruined realms of the town from that night on Halloween.

“Jake, why are you looking for my brother?” He supposed Michael hadn’t told her they had this back and forth of death and obsession, “I…,” How was he supposed to explain that he wasn’t in love with Michael but just obsessing over him hardcore? He knew it wasn’t love, if Michael told him to kill himself, he would. That’s not love, “...am obsessed with him?” Could that explain anything for her?

Nothing was shared between the two for a bit, “Is he the same with you?” She mumbled, “...yeah,” He heard a choked sob from her, he couldn’t look at her still, it clicked for her that this was his fault, that he was the reason Michael was most likely being tortured right now until he no longer felt anything, then he would just be remade and everything he’s learned, everything him and Jake have been through, gone.

Something was…back, the hairs on his neck stood and he knew Laurie felt it too because she stopped sobbing, he heard her get up and then he watched her run into the map, it probably wasn’t the smartest. If he had been remade, he was going to kill her right when they found each other. Jake pushed himself up, ignoring the dirt on him. He followed her into the streets, the realm was only so big. He was somewhere.

—

Laurie and Jake searched for what felt like hours, nothing but the feeling never left either of them, well he assumed the same for Laurie because it didn’t leave Jake, “Where is he?” Laurie’s voice felt pathetic, she dropped onto her knees, tears rolling down her cheeks as it started to hit her that maybe she was crazy, Jake didn’t know how to help in this moment. He never felt this before. This weak and useless, as quick as Laurie fell, she got up, starting to walk away.

“Where are you going?”

It wasn’t paid any mind to, “Laurie–”

“No Jake! This–,” She stopped and turned towards him, “Whatever this is, it’s useless! He’s not here, he’s– Even if he was here…,” She went quiet, her shoulders lowered in defeat, “Even if he reads that book, he’s not going to feel the same way the first time we entered that trial– He’s not remembering you or me… Maybe it’s for the better because look where it got him,” All Jake did was stare at her, she…had a point, didn’t she?

Michael slowly was becoming normal, with them at least, as normal as he could be and look where it got him? He was probably being tortured by the Entity, remade to be a monster. Jake wanted Laurie to make eye contact but if that happened, what was he supposed to say? He can’t say it’ll be okay because it’s not.

The two didn’t share any more words, he let her walk away, he let her leave Haddonfield without finding Michael, he failed her, he couldn’t find the boogeyman.

…A step against the pavement came from behind him, the sinking feeling of death consumed him, he turned quickly, his arms raising to use them as a blockage but…the slash never came. Just the states from well, Michael.

He lowered his arms, he was here. In front of him, at this moment. Jake couldn't believe it, his gaze ran over him, he still had the same marks in his jumpsuit, there were disgusting rotting bits of the survivors in his hair, his mask was gross and old and chipping.

Michael hadn't died.

The Shape's hand rose to his mask and he pulled it off, the outside appearance looked normal but under the mask? He could see that his theory was correct, she tortured him alright but he didn't get remade. He was still Michael.

Slowly, Michael lowered onto the ground until he was kneeling, Jake didn't know what to say, he didn't know what to do but he knew Laurie needed to be here, to see Michael was alive, (of course he would be,) and somewhat okay.

His gaze ran over Michael again, okay he definitely wasn't okay but he was still here and present, “I need to go get Laurie,” His body started to turn as he went to run but Myers gripped his wrist hard, Jake stopped his attempt and turned back towards the other.

“No–” He winced, why did he say no? Didn't he want to see his sister? “I don't.. Want her to see me like this,” His voice wasn't as raspy as the first time he heard it but it sounded strained, like he was yelling or…right, the Entity tortured him.

Jake didn't want to say no to him but he needed his sister, his sister needed him, “Laurie needs to see you,” He mumbled, his free hand gently touching the ‘untouched’ side of his face.

Michael carefully and slowly leaned into Jake's palm, what the fuck has he gone through? “Go to the tower,” Michael’s eyes looked up at him, his hair was mostly in his face but he could still see those brown eyes, it was probably the most emotion he had ever seen him have, he shook his head, hissing after he did, “No– I can’t,” Jake lowered his shoulders, “Try,”

And without letting Michael respond, he went running for Laurie, Michael needed to be in that tower, not here with him.

—

Laurie and Jake stood in the tower, no Michael to be seen, “Jake– if this is just a sick joke, so help you, I will stab you,” She took a step closer to him, “It’s not a joke,” Her upset face changed, a flick of confusion and consideration but it went right back to that upset defensive face, her mouth opened but she couldn’t say anything before a thud came from the tower opening.

Michael was on his knees, slightly panting, he still didn’t have his mask and his hair clung to his sweaty skin, never (in) remembering, had Jake seen this man sweat.

A quiet gasp came from Laurie, he could see in her eyes that she wanted to cry but she held it in, why did she hold it in? She ran towards him, sliding onto her knees before she even got to him, “Michael–” She cupped his face gently, a large gash was over the left side of his face, her hands avoided it the best she could, “Oh god, what happened to you?” She choked on a gasp, still trying not to void her feelings.

He watched the two of them from the middle of the room, deep down, he was well aware that she knew what happened to him and it was still his fault, he shouldn’t even be here but Michael was still a larger man, it would be hard to sneak past them when the siblings were right in front of the doorway of the tower.

Laurie slowly pushed the hair out of his face, for the first time, Jake got a good look at his face, no dirty blonde hair to block features but it was hard when he looked completely fucked, a gash ran over his right eye, she really made sure he would feel his punishment and he knew it wasn’t just his face, of course it wasn’t.

Jake walked over to them, he knelled next to Laurie, “Hey–” Her head turned towards him, he could tell she blamed him and he would take it, he would take the blame because he was at fault for this. The Entity finally had a reason to get him, two kills still counted as a win but not without punishment.

She moved to the side and Jake leaned towards Michael, his hands grabbed at the zipper of his jumpsuit and he slowly zipped it down, already he could see dried blood around his neck. The further he zipped down, nothing seemed worse. He had a black tank-top on, so at least he was decent under his iconic suit.

He stopped unzipping at where it stopped, he moved back and Laurie replaced him. Her hands grabbed at the edge of the left side of it and slowly pried it back, Jake felt like he was going to throw up, it looked like she wrapped barbed wire around his arm and forced him to get out of it himself. Open wounds that let the two of them see right into his arm, blood still was seeping from the large openings, holy fuck. Jake had seen a lot of different injuries but this one was new.

Although he was wearing a dark tank top, Jake could see a dark surrounding on his torso, he only assumed it was more blood and wounds. They needed a med-kit, they needed the medics of the survivors. Jake and Laurie couldn’t do anything, as much as they wished they could.

—

Already getting to the point where too many survivors were in the tower, Lisa, Orela, Claudette, and Rebecca. Jake and Laurie went to find Sally but they were both told many times she was in a trial, so, great, no Sally. Not that she was a nurse nurse but she had been practicing since being in the realm.

Jake and Laurie both wanted to be in the tower but both were too worried to stay in there in cause of the Entity getting too curious, awkward silence was placed over the two of them. He could tell she was still pissed off and honestly, he didn’t blame her. He wasn’t the one who had his brother's blood on his hands, he wasn’t the one who was worried about losing him and having to rekindle with an evil incarnate.

“Laurie–” “Don’t even,” She snarled, he would have snapped back but he understood that she couldn’t help but be pissed off at her. He couldn’t say anything anyways, all he felt he could do was apologize, “Sorry,” He muttered, his shoulders lowering in defeat, he really just didn’t know what to do here but wait.

And wait they did, it felt like hours, the two of them both had been called into trials many times, neither of them died. No, they were too stubborn to let that happen. Covered in blood, no longer knowing who’s it was, they found themselves waiting outside the tower for them to be done already.

Some more time passed and the medics of the team came down, Lisa, Rebecca, and Claudette went back to the fire, the Entity’s fog following them before they even got to the fire, it was a bit of a walk so Jake only assumed they wouldn’t make it back, Orela cleared her throat as she threw the used medkit over her shoulder, “Well, he sure uh, went through sometimes but we got him patched up to the best we could. Some of the wounds were more awkward than others and honestly, I’m shocked he didn’t die on the way here with that amount of blood loss he suffered,” Because the Entity was keeping him alive.

“Give him some space, he passed out in the beginning of doing all of that and it looks like he hasn’t slept in days. When he came to, he was…startled, to say the least but other than that, he was fine with us…as weird as it was helping a man who tunnels me out of every trial,” She cleared her throat once more, “Just, be wary,” Jake nodded, Laurie wasn’t in his vision to see her reaction.

Orela left and Jake went to take a step, Laurie’s arm crossed his chest, “Let me have some alone time with my brother, you’ve already fucked everything up more than it had to be…let me talk with my brother,” She stopped touching him like it disgusted her, being angry was one thing, he understood that but he wasn’t a fucking monster. He didn’t want this to happen, holy fuck she was acting like he did this to Michael, well, he kind of did but he didn’t do the torturing.

—

Again, time passed but this time, Jake was all alone, no pissed quiet Laurie, nothing and the Entity was drowning in his emotions fluxing like crazy because she was calling him to trial. Laurie finally came down, she didn’t glance at Jake, she didn’t acknowledge his existence. Well, he was just dead to her, wasn’t he? Whatever, he didn’t care, he wanted to see Michael.

The walk up the stairs felt longer than it usually did, was he anxious? Yes, he was, he was terrified the man he was obsessed with would blame him just like Laurie did, he turned the corner and the doorway was in sight. His heart was beating fast, it wanted free from the rib cage but he kept it in, he stood at the doorway, Michael was up, standing. That was good at least, right?

“Hey Michael,” He took a step in, he made sure to take a good look at Michael. Bandage was around his arms, he had his tank top on still, he only assumed he put it back on after the others were done with him, his face had some bandage on it but other than that, there wasn’t much. The scar over his eye, he assumed Claudette did something that Lisa taught her because it was scarred up already, from what he could see. His hair was already in his face again.

Jake took another step in the room, Michael gave no reaction, “I’m sorry,” He mumbled, what was he sorry for? Say more, just say more, you’re sorry for letting this happen, for not dying in that trial for you, I’m sorry we gained traction to each other and I’m sorry that I couldn’t be of any help, Michael stepped forward, a noticeable limp was there, he made no attempt to move forward again.

The two meet in the middle, well more of Jake meeting him in the middle and they both sit down, Jake helped him, he was a bit taller sure, but not heavy in any way. He wanted to ask what happened but Michael was like him, not much of a talker, actually, he talked less than him.

Silence took over but it wasn’t awkward, it was comforting. He was comforted to just know that Michael wasn’t dead and he remembered him. They weren’t just strangers like they had been when he first came into the realm, Michael’s head was resting Jake’s shoulder, actually, he was probably an inch or two taller than Jake, he never noticed. Was his posture just that good?

He could only assume the position was uncomfortable for him because he ended up on his back, his head on Jake’s lap. He was happy that Michael was so okay with him but at the same time, what happened when Michael couldn’t kill him but he and Laurie were in the same trial? This would happen again and Michael would end up more hurt.

Gently Jake brushed the hair out of Michael’s face, his eye scar hadn’t looked as bad as it did when he first saw it but it wasn’t brown anymore, she blinded him in one eye. Jake frowned as he looked at Michael’s face, “I’m sorry,” He repeated, Michael again, gave no reaction, did he accept it or did he just not feel the need to respond.

Jake swallowed a lump that was forming in his throat, did he really not blame Jake? Was that it or was he trying to make himself feel better? His hand rested against Michael’s skin, it wasn’t smooth in any way, tiny hairs pricked at his palm, Michael seemed peaceful and it was strange. Michael wasn’t the Shape right now and he was like that because of Jake, well Laurie too but this version of him. Did he feel emotions like everyone? Was he really just…broken? Not just evil but he could actually be more than the Shape? He knew he told him he could but he didn’t believe it much himself.

His hand slowly readjusted and his finger found Michael’s lips, his thumb pressed onto the bottom of his lip, they weren’t soft but they weren’t tough, he liked the feeling. He wondered if they tasted like blood, or anything actually. Did lips taste like anything? He wanted to see, would Myers let him?

Without thinking too much, Jake slowly leaned down, he wanted to feel his lips against his, taste them, but he didn’t. Michael turned his head to the side, Jake’s lips landing on his cheek, right. Intimacy. Michael was off about all of that stuff, he should have asked anyway. He pulled back, face red from embarrassment because holy fuck he fumbled a bit, “Sorry,” Michael again didn’t respond to his apologize.

Jake sighed deeply, he would get there. They both would, he would wait for him for as long as he needed.

Chapter Text

It was like any day, night? It was any time during passing trials, people were hanging out, making offerings, the usual. Jake was sitting with Claudette, Meg, and Dwight. Which was more rare than he liked, they used to hangout all of the time before writing down things in the book but it was okay, they were still his best friends, he thinks.

Dwight was going on about plans inside the trials, Meg was working on making a ruin for the Entity, and Claudette was restocking her medkit with some special things that would help them in the upcoming trials, it was smart and Jake felt silly doing nothing but hey, he didn’t need to do anything.

“I’m going to the tower,” Jake smiled a bit as he got up, he didn’t want to be a bother, they said their byes and Jake made his way to the tower, the walk always seemed to get further and further from the fire, maybe the Entity was doing that, she was a bitch after all.

Finally he got there, when he got upstairs, he was expecting to see Michael but it had been days, maybe weeks since he had gotten into his uh…yeah, he didn’t want to think about it, strangely, no one was in the tower, which wasn’t right because someone was always supposed to be there, maybe the person got taken before they could make it back to the campfire, weird.

The place had been cleaned up a lot, Michael having nothing to do, he had picked up the place a lot and everyone had a book now. Well, everyone always had a book but they could be accessed more easily due to the place being cleaned up.

He hadn’t gotten a good look at anything, he was always too busy in his trials and Laurie wasn’t too keen on Jake at the moment, which he was fine with. He didn’t need to get attached to people in the fog, not when they all died so much. It did hurt though, he wouldn’t admit it out loud ever though. He would rather die than admit anything like that.

Jake was really hoping Michael would be there though and hell, maybe he was, he hadn’t checked outside really, which they found out went further than they thought but it was more dangerous than just being inside so not many of the survivors went out there. Michael didn’t have fear like that though, so he expected it.

As he waited for Michael to feel his presence, he heard something, it was quiet but he could hear it, “What…,” He mumbled to himself, he followed the sound, it slowly got louder and louder as he got closer to a pile of trash. When they had found the place, everything was in ruins, trash was everywhere with broken books and ripped pages, he assumed Michael and whomever helped pushed it over here.

He dropped onto his knees and started to go through the trash, the noise getting louder, a light blue glow came from the bottom. He cleared the trash out of the way, it was this strange… he didn’t even know how to explain it, he cupped his hands around it and the glow got brighter in the center…circles? And it started to move faster, “What the fuck are you…?” He studied it for a second before he heard a step behind him, “Jake–,” It was just Kate but when she said his name, the thing reacted, it started spinning and then it started to talk.

“What da hell is that thang?” Kate took a step back, “I- I don’t know,” He didn’t move his hands away from it, scared about what would happen if he did.

“A solitary specialist, Jake Park’s time in the wilderness has sharpened his survival instincts. Stealthy and resourceful, the only sign of his presence are the Sabotaged Hooks he leaves behind.”

Jake jumped back, the thing falling to the floor, “What the fuck!” He pushed himself away from the thing but it kept talking, saying things that no one but him knew and well, Kate knew now too.

“Jake’s world was consumed soon after being taken by the Entity,”

His heart dropped, his world was…consumed…? His parents, yeah sure he ran away to live in the woods but, his family had been…consumed. He felt his eyes water, it finally stopped talking after telling a story about him losing his skit in the woods, which he didn’t even know how it knew that, “Did it say yer world got…eaten?” Kate questioned, which booted the thing right back up.

“The Entity travels from Terra world to Terra world, growing stronger in its power until it eventually consumes all worlds in the cosmos.”

Kate gasped and fell to her knees, “Everyone–” She started to cry, Kate started to cry. Everyone they knew from their worlds were, what? Just dead? Jake turned towards Kate but she was gone, “Kate?” The thing started to talk again, god why did he have to find this thing? But… it seemed to know a lot more than Jake, they could use it.

—

It had been what felt like a week since Jake had found that thing and whispers went around the camp and what he found, he didn’t expect it to be much of a secret, definitely not when one of the leaders found out. A lot of people became depressed, some didn’t care, and others, Jake didn’t really know. But he knew it would get to Taurie soon and he knew he was supposed to…kill her soon, it was only a matter of time before she got the news and heard it between people.

He was waiting in the tower, she would show up eventually and he really didn’t care about the Entity noticing his disappearance, he truly didn’t care, fuck that bitch.

Michael’s presence jolted him from his thoughts, the obsession on the two of them had slowly gotten worse between the two, at least it did for Jake because he felt him everywhere, it was killing him because he didn’t want to be like this with him, he turned towards the middle of the room, of course, there he was, Michael was there. His mask was gone, slumped on the floor next to him.

They had gotten much closer, Michael almost never had that mask on around him anymore and Jake hated how comfortable he had gotten with the killer, he walked over to him and grabbed his hand. With getting closer, Michael was fine with the soft touches, Michael didn’t have soft hands nor rough ones, they were nice.

Jake and him locked eye contact, like they have so many times before, it always got more intense and one day, he swore they would connect their lips, he wanted to so badly, he looked so…pretty, god he hated it so much, he had a pretty face though. Anyone could see it, that wasn’t just his dick thinking, trust him. He hasn’t fallen in love, so it wasn’t his heart.

“I’ve missed you,” The words escaped him as much as they didn’t want to, Michael’s fingers brushed on the inside of Jake’s hand, his hands were much more rough than Michael’s. The stuff he did in the woods plus working on the gens, he hasn’t been killed in any trials. He was going to have rough hands. Him touching the inside of his hand was his response, he missed him as well or was just acknowledging that he missed him, he didn’t know yet, it was still a debate.

The important part was that he was allowed to touch Michael and that’s all that mattered, the slight height distance kinda pissed Jake off, sure it was an inch, they measured it out but he wanted to be the taller one of the two, he wanted to be the one who’s head was slightly slanted down whenever they were close like this.

He leaned towards him, he assumed Myers could feel his breath on his lips, he could feel the slight air leaving Michael’s nose, “Did you miss me?” Please, please say yes, say you missed me, please. Fuck, miss me like how I miss you, His fingers brushed the insides of his hand, “Yeah,” Verbal yes? Jake’s stomach turned and his breath went short, he needed to kiss him, feel him.

“Michael,” He hushed out, “Please,” He didn’t know if Michael knew what he was asking for but damn, did he fucking want it, Jake leaned in closer for the kiss and Michael turned his head, which became a normal thing. He allowed the cheek kisses but Jake didn’t stop at his cheek, he kissed down to his jaw, Michael didn’t move but he didn’t tense up like how he usually did, until Jake got to his neck and his hands moved to wrap around Michael’s waist, pulling him a bit closer.

It was new, yeah, Jake had never pushed his luck more than sad cheek kisses and slight hand holding. All of this was new, to both of them and fuck did Jake like doing it. Yeah, he was a virgin but he had dated people in the past and he was usually receiving kisses and marks, not giving. It was a nice change of pace. Gently, he sucked a mark into the left side of his neck, causing a noise to escape Michael and suddenly, reality kicked in, Jake pulled back slightly, “Are you okay if I do this?” He questioned; something he should have done before he already gave him one.

Myers turned his head away, his face was flushed, Jake was losing his shit. He had such a pretty face, then he started questioning everything. What the fuck were they doing here? Why was Michael letting Jake give him hickeys in the safety of this tower when anyone could walk in? Why was Michael letting him do it in general, “Michael…,” He whispered, “Yeah,” Fuck, it was something.

His face returned to his neck, gently kissing and sucking marks into his pale skin. He wasn’t trying to do anything too hard because he was, well, pale but he kept getting carried away, hearing Michael was making his blood flow somewhere and it wasn’t to his brain. He wanted to touch his skin, slip his hands under the black tank top but no, of course Michael had to be wearing that disgusting fucking jumpsuit.

It didn’t continue much longer, he needed to touch him, feel him, he pulled back. His arms leaving his waist, “Take the jumpsuit off…please,” He was proud of Michael doing this much already, Michael turned his head back towards Jake and with a nod, he complied, his hand reaching up and taking off the jumpsuit, his tank top was thankfully, much cleaner than the jumpsuit.

Michael slipped out of the jumpsuit, for the first time he saw him without it on completely. The black tank top complimented with black boxers, it was…a nice sight for him to say the least, Jake hooked his finger on the boxers and pulled him closer, his arms slipping back around his waist, “I’m proud of you,” He lips connecting back onto his skin, he could feel Michael twitch against the boxers, “Do you liked to be praised?” He hushed against his skin, he assumed he didn’t know but he could feel he reacted nicely to it.

God Michael was driving him insane, he could feel all of his reactions and it was driving him absolutely insane, “Michael,” He pulled back, “I want to make you feel good,” One of his hands slowly crept to his hip, he rested it there, “Tell me I can and I will, okay?” The two made eye contact, his face was so flushed, Jake was loving every moment, even if he wasn’t getting anything.

“Yeah,” Was Michael’s favorite word okay, he opened his mouth to tell him he needed actual consent but Michael continued, “Okay, please,” That’s all he needed to hear.

—

Jake and Michael had climbed to the top of the room, a small more hidden part that not a lot of people cared for. They needed to fix the stairs though but hey, it was more private and they needed privacy, plus, no risk of the Entity calling one of them into a trial. Though Jake knew that it would be Michael being called into a trial, his jumpsuit and mask being discarded. Yeah, she would pick him.

The two were as far back as they could, which was too far but Jake took it and he somehow managed to get Michael in his lap. Jake had his arms locked around Michael’s waist, his mouth kissing against his neck. He had so many hickeys, someone would start questioning but neither of them cared at the moment, Jake had once mission, one goal. To make Michael feel good.

He didn’t really know where to start but he had his consent and he was mauling in it, he could fuck Michael for all he cared, of course he would make double sure that was okay but fuck, it was in the air. Jake’s hands dipped to his ass and he gently kneaded the soft fat and tissue, he felt Michael’s reaction, it was nice, “You’re doing so well,” He whispered, “So good for me, right? Yeah,” He chuckled against his skin, he was talking to himself and he knew if but he could still praise him.

Michael let out a whine, not something he expected to hear from…Michael, of all people. But he was loving it and he would have been loving it if Michael didn’t stop making the noises, which he knew was good because he also heard the chattering of people, of fucking course he would get bothered while he was fucking trying to break Michael. Not break him, he just wanted to make him feel good.

And deep down, Jake knew he needed to stop but he was far too brain-fucked for that, he was thinking with his dick and with that thinking, he slipped his hand into Michael’s boxer, the other hand still on his ass. His finger touched his tip, he could feel him leaking. God it was amazing to him, the quietest whimper left his lips, “Be quiet,” Jake mumbled. He felt Myers shudder but he nodded, he didn’t like telling him to be quiet but he also didn’t want to be caught.

“You’re so beautiful, aren’t you? Yeah, you are,” He whispered, Jake pulled both of his hands back and hooked his fingers around the waistband of his boxers, he slowly brought them down. He could tell Michael was a bit sensitive right now, he didn’t need him moaning because he pulled the boxers down too quickly.

The boxers hit his thighs and Jake finally got a look at him and goodness, did Jake get a good look at him, he hummed and looked up at Michael, his chest was moving up and down slightly faster, his lips parted, and his face still flushed, him and Jake made eye, “Look at you,” He moved his clean hand up and pushed Michael’s head down to look at himself, “You look amazing, yeah, you do,” He was talking as quiet as he could, still hearing the other survivors, who was just the twins and Claudette. Chatting about who gives a shit, he was so focused on Michael.

Forcing Michael to look at himself got him even more worked up, Jake couldn’t believe that he was getting this chance, that he was doing this to Michael, not anyone else, him. His hand gently wrapped around the base of his dick, Michael bit his lip in response, “Stay quiet, okay?” He nodded and Jake started to pump his fist up and down.

His reactions were amazing, beautiful, Jake had never seen anything better. Beads of pre-cum dripped from his slit, his thighs started to shake from trying to hold himself up on Jake’s lap and his head dipped down to Jake’s shoulder, trying to stay quiet as Jake jerked him off, “So good, so good for me,” Just for me, Jake might have been letting this get to his head just a bit. His hand got faster, he wanted him to feel good, he wasn’t going to deny him of it. Maybe for the future but for now, no.

A whine escaped his mouth and it wasn’t quiet. Jake wrapped his free hand around his neck quickly and covered his mouth, “Shh, be quiet,” He tried to be sweet with his words, this wasn’t a time to find out Michael’s kinks.

“What was that?” Renato said.

Jake got faster, Michael’s muffled moans against his hand.

“I don’t know…,” Claudette mumbled.

Michael started to twitch, more pre-cum beading at the top, his body starting to tense.

“Let’s just go, yeah?” Thalita said.

He heard them leaving but he didn’t remove his hand, he didn’t know how loud Michael would be if he did.

Myers didn’t last much longer, Jake only picked up the pace more and then Michael stilled, Jake slowed down which almost edged Michael, he could tell but he didn’t, slowly, his cum started to coat his hand as he fucked him through his orgasm.

“So good Michael, you did amazing,” He pressed a kiss to the side of his head, he stopped once Michael’s body went limp against him. Jake took his hand off of Michael’s mouth and pulled his scarf off, using it to wimp his hand off and clean up Michael. He gently pulled his boxers back up and then wrapped his hands back around his waist, just holding him while he assumed Michael processed everything that just happened.

After a few minutes, Michael pulled back, he stared at Jake, who was just smiling at him. He…fuck, he loved every moment of that, he opened his mouth to talk but he got cut off, “Jake, where are you? I know you’re in here,” Great, he just fucked Michael with his hand and he now needs to deal with Taurie? Just lovely, Jake patted Michael’s thigh, who got the hint and pulled off of him, “I’ll be right back, okay?” He mumbled and pressed a kiss against his head. Sure, he fucked his hand and still wouldn’t let him kiss him on the lips but it was okay, Jake was still proud.

Before he got down from the top, he pulled his jacket off, setting it next to Myers’ mask and jumpsuit, “Jake!” She shouted, “Fuck, I’m coming,” He jumped down from the top, Taurie was visibly confused, “What were ya doin’ up there?” Jake stuffed his hands into his pockets, “No reason,” His hand gripped around the knife.

She was calling his bullshit silently, “Whatever…a little birdy told me ‘bout a little thing that knows ‘bout everything about anyone, aye, that right?” Her arms folded over her chest, “Yeah,” The great word spoken by Michael, now Jake knew he should have been wearing his baggy pants with her dagger but he wasn’t expecting to see her. She glanced to his pocket, her eyes squinting, her attention was off of that weird thing and onto him.

“Hey… YOU HAVE MY DAGGER,” Her voice projected, he felt his heart drop, “What?” He tried to shrug it off, “No I don’t, I told you, it didn’t enter this realm,” He chuckled, giving her a down turned look, he was trying to make her seem crazy and well, she was fucking crazy because she pounced on him and suddenly he was fighting for his life. If Taurie got the knife, he was sure he was dead, if the knife stabbed into his leg, he was sure he was dead.

The two fought for a bit, he needed to kill her now. He managed to get away from her grasp for a second and pull out the dagger, he stood towards the outside of the tower, she stood towards the doorway out of the tower, “You– did have it!” She laughed, “Tryin’ to make me look crazy, huh?” Her legs spread out and she got ready to jump again, now he needed to figure out how to do this which he was doing until he saw Michael towards the ledge of the second floor.

Taurie took the chance to jump back at him, sending both of them outside. The sun was bright and they both fought over the knife, the two of them both trying to kill the other, “Get off you crazy bitch,” He groaned as the knife pressed towards his throat, “I’ll do to you what I should have done to Jordan,” She hissed, Jake used his strength in one arm as best as he could, which was failing because she had two hands on the handle. He blindly reached for a rock as the tip of the blade started to dig into his knife. He groaned, it was painful, of course but he wasn’t going to let her kill him.

Finally, he got his hand on a rock and he aimed straight for her head. She fell back off of him to the side, he grabbed the knife and even though she just got knocked in the head, she still held onto it to the best of her ability, he got it from her grasp and straddled her legs as he raised the dagger over his head. He stared down at her, she was dazed, clearly. He…couldn’t kill her, he wasn’t a murder, after all.

“Jake?” Yui and a few others were standing in the tower, right towards the doorway, not everyone was included in the plan and it was showing, she again took the time he was distracted to attack. She grabbed the rock he had used and hit him, he groaned as he got hit and he knew he was going to fall off of the edge. He was…going to die.

Fuck, he thought about his friends, everything he’s been through. He thought about Michael, he grasped Taurie’s wrist and pulled her off of the edge with him. The two fell off of the tower, at least he got rid of his friend's problem, as much as he thought he’d miss everyone.

He did it.

Chapter Text

Death in the Entity’s realm wasn’t permanent, as much as Jake wished it was sometimes. Surviving so many trials, having to be put back together by the campfire because the Entity wouldn’t do it, they fixed themselves. It was like she was punishing them for SURVIVING, she was punishing them for surviving. But this time, Jake really thought death was going to because SURVIVING but no, of course it wasn’t.

Jake woke up, confused, dazed. The last thing he remembered as falling, passing out during it. He groaned, his eyes squinting from the bright sunlight. He sat up, a sharp pain shot through his body, a pained cry escaped his throat. He looked down at his torso, the dagger was jammed nicely into his stomach, “Fuck,” he winched, his hand applying slight pressure to the side of it, no wonder he passed out. He got stabbed while falling.

He didn’t know where he was, he didn’t recognize this place and everything was bright, nothing like how the campfire was, it was sandy too. Reminded him of erie of crows, that damn place, “Fuck, fuck!” He whined, if he just wore baggy pants, or hell just fucking ignored her and stayed with Michael—he wouldn’t be stuck in the middle of butt-fuck nowhere! Speaking of Taurie, where was she? He knew damn well he brought her down with him, so where the fuck was she? He looked up, the tower was still there but it seemed much taller than on the campfire side, he couldn’t even see the part he fell off of, shit. Did he even take Taurie out? His head rested against the bricks of the tower, it was uncomfortable, of course, “You fucked it,” He grilled to himself.

Jake turned around, leaning his body against the tower, welp, there was nowhere else to go but forward. Taurie was missing, he was missing and it wasn’t like he ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ climb up the tower. As much as he wished he could, the knife in his side and the tower having no good bricks to hold and use, he couldn’t do that. Plus the platform, how would he get past that? He just wouldn’t.

—

Michael was forced to a meeting of some sorts with a few of the others, Talbot, Vittoiro, Laurie, Dwight, Meg, Claudette, and Evan. Only two of those people did Michael know the name prior to being forced here but he was (some)what fine with this, they were trying to figure out where Jake went and how to help get him back to the campfire.

“So, you and Jake were up here…sorting things when Taurie came in, started a fight with Jake and then we all saw the end result,” Laurie folded her arms over her chest, not all of them had seen it but heard about it, Laurie didn’t believe Michael’s story with sorting, he didn’t blame her, he wasn’t a good liar…he never had a reason to lie before.

Talbot laid out a cloth, how was Michael supposed to believe this normal man was the Blight? He looked fine, not a guy drugged up on weird orange stuff, “I’ve found myself in that terra world and or void, depending on what is under here and on the other side of the tower, we know it’s always bright and I’ve found myself never seeing the moon or night sky before I was entered into the trials,” He started to draw things on the cloth, so, it wasn’t a cloth like he had thought but that’s fine, he supposed.

“I suspect that the fog travelers,” His gaze shifting to Dwight, Meg, Evan, and Claudette, “have seen this side of the tower before, no?” The four of them shared glances, “Yes,” Dwight stepped forwards and crouched down, “But we went into the fog, not out of it, the only thing we found was traces of Vigo’s and your lab, the experimentation of the Blighted flower,” “Pustula Petals,” Dwight nodded, “Right, those, but those are outside of the Entity’s general interest, are they not?”

Talbot sighed with a nod, “As much as I regret it now, yes, she does not intend to be so interested in that part of the fog, until I started to beg for her attention and ultimately became the Blight,” It was strange…he was a normal guy right now, “How are you this right now then?” Talbot shared a confused look with everyone, “You can manifest anything in this realm if you put your mind to it, this whole place is a playground, it just…comes with a cost, the Entity has a sick mind, I’ve learned that in my time here,”

Everyone shared a lot, they could just manifest things here? What the fuck? Michael, had enough of this. He wanted Jake back, every time he thought about him…something in him just pained, he hated to say he missed the survivor but he was obsessed, how could he not? He just wanted Jake back.

“Someone could traverse after him but who’s to say he already isn’t on the move, along with Taurie Cain being down there, I suspect that she survived the fall along with him, if he did survive,” He did survive, Michael could feel it, or maybe he wanted him to be alive. Well of course but feeling it? Maybe that was silly.

This was just ridiculous, they weren’t getting anywhere with this and Michael knew it. Where was Jake? Why couldn’t Talbot just do it or manifest something to help? Everyone went silent, this was going absolutely nowhere.

—

It’s been a while since Jake felt the sun, felt actually tired. Walking was killing him and the dagger in his stomach was worse and he felt like he was getting nowhere, until a wall was formed. It felt like it came from nowhere, with nowhere else to go, he stepped forward. Screams surrounded him, the bodies of past survivors clawed at his legs, Jake continued on. He couldn’t stop now and as much as it should have bothered him, he didn’t care.

They weren’t him, well some of them were but…it wasn’t him, not in this body and not truly alive. He could think about it later but not now. As he followed through the somewhat clear path towards something, he could feel himself being watched. Not by a killer or survivor or even a monster. Another human, the sounds of hooves ran across the ground, great, somewhere someone else was around him. He just hoped they weren’t going to try and kill him. Who was he kidding? Everything in this damn world wanted to kill him, fuck it was just the killers before but now he was probably being stalked by Taurie, she didn’t have the knife lodged into her side, now did she?

Hooves, the only horse he knew of in the realm was Maruice, Jeffery’s horse that the Entity brought into the realm. The poor thing had been burnt to a crisp, the one nice thing Jake can remember the Entity doing was giving him an extra eye so he could see in a way, or she could have just never brought him and let him die in the world with the others.

He had gotten consumed by Dredge when it first entered the world, everyone got pissed off, the Entity was forced to bring him back. He’s disappeared every now and again, maybe Jake found out where he went. Just who was he with? He prayed to nothing that it was Taurie, that would be tragic for everyone.

—

Michael’s upset, he doesn’t know how to feel actually. As much as he hates feeling so deeply for a survivor who isn’t his sister, he wants Jake to be okay. He wants him to be alive, what the fuck was that whole thing? They finish and then he gets into a fight with a survivor, or a killer? Whatever that person was, they just fell.

It pisses him off, how could he let himself get caught up like that? Jake was better than that, the years of killing him, he was stronger than that. He could break hooks without those boxes, hold in his cries of pain, he was quiet, he was better than most. How could he let that woman get the best of him?

He sat at the bar, a drink in hand. None of the contents inside have been touched but he’s been considering it for a while now, “Ya…don’t needa drink if ya don’t want,” Caleb? Caleb Cable spoke carefully, Michael didn't need someone stepping on eggshells around him, he didn't have a knife and he barely ever used his hands unless it was to pick someone up.

The drink whispers to him, telling him to drink it. Michael knows it's not actually talking to him but it sure feels like it, he wants to consume the dark liquid. He lifts his mask, someone other than Jake and Laurie has now seen him without the mask, he wasn't expecting it to be the guns men though.

Caleb turned his head from the blonde quickly, “Enjoy yer drink, gotta go upstairs,” He speaks without looking at Michael once, he's a respectful man, Michael knows that much.

The man limps away, the wood of the stairs creaking as he walks away, it's annoying, Michael wants all the noise to stop. He wants everything to just stop for five minutes, is that so hard to ask for?

Michael exhales out his final breath in his lungs, his eyes shut and he stills, he wants life to just stop happening. Well life isn't happening, he doesn't have a life. No one is truly alive in this place, he knows that but sometimes;sometimes it's nice to feel alive.

He felt alive with Jake, Jake made him feel alive. Now Jake was gone. Forever? He didn't know, probably? He's heard the stories of what's past the camp and the realms, he knew about the monsters.

Why was Jake so stupid? Stupidity was something that got everyone killed, he was a serial killer, he would know.

The glass touches his lips, the drink enters his mouth. Michael gags, this shit is disgusting.

—

Jake crumbles onto the ground, he feels light headed, everything is dizzy and he needs…water, yeah, water would make everything so much better. He hasn't craved water in so long, he's been in this realm for so fucking long.

Memories flood to his mind in an instant, he feels every stab, every death, everything. His knees buckle and he drops onto the ground, “Fuck,” He shouted but he knew no one could hear him, he was alone in this dessert, no one to help. He was alone.

“Who the fuck is speaking!” He shouts but not as a question, he's acknowledging the voices finally, isn't it interesting how they never hear the narration? I put in a lotta for this gig!

Jake glanced up, his hand presses around the entry point of his wound, a woman stood or well, swayed in the air, “Tyrks?”

She giggled and clapped her hands, “Oh! Oh isn't this amazing? I ain't seen one of you survivors in a while!”

He remembers her, he remembers everything right now but she hosted the Entity's birthday, crazy psycho bitch.

“Whatcha doing so far from the fire?”

Jake stared at her, she had power.

“Please,” He huffed as he pushed himself forward a bit, his knees still throbbing in pain, “I- I need to get back to the fire,” Jake doesn't know how it's been, time is no longer tracked when he's been walking for so long, “I- I need to see him, my friends, I..,”

He leans forward, his face buried in the sand, it is warm, hot even. He passes out, “Mmm… probably sounda stepped in sooner,”

—

“Jake?”

The voice is… heavenly, it's low, quiet. Something I could never forget because I'm one of the few people who gets to hear his voice… Michael Myers.

Michael is staring at me, his mask is… nowhere to be seen, his jump suit is off and he's in the damn tank top and boxers. I thought he looked so beautiful like that, his hair was up.

“Michael?” I'm happy, he's all I've been wanting to see since I fell down that tower, “I… missed you,”

My hand reaching for his, I missed his touch, the feeling of his skin.

“I missed you,”

I intertwined our fingers, I like when we're this close together, it causes a warm feeling in my chest, something I can't explain.

“Yeah…,” I chuckled for the first time in a while, “I keep thinking about you,”

We go silent and… I lean forward, I know you're going to dodge my kiss but, I just need my lips on yours Michael.

But that's not how it went, did it? No, you let me kiss you, actually let our lips touch. Your lips aren't chapped or anything, they have such a nice feeling. You have a nice feeling oh Michael.

I think I love you.