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Matt was not fond of parties. Not only that, he hated them. At the thought of loud music, sweaty and drunk people and all the drugs that rolled everywhere made him shudder.
Still, he managed to talk his way into their good friend Harry's twenty-second birthday party.
However, when he woke up on that November morning he immediately regretted that decision. An unpleasant feeling in his stomach had been burning him practically since yesterday. He had a premonition. He knew something was going to go wrong.
Or rather, his subconscious told him so.
Huh, it was forgotten to mention that Matthew Sturniolo had suffered from extreme anxiety since his teenage years. It manifested itself worst in high school. Constant panic attacks, the thought of school put him in a state of panic dissociation. But he finished high school a good few years ago. The illness diminished, yes, but it was always there. It hid in his mind and came out at the least expected and appropriate moments.
He should have listened to his brothers that day. They immediately noticed his absent and anxious state and practically immediately advised him against going to their friend's lavish house party. The middle triplet, however, only waved his hand. His disturbed mentality simply created endless frightening scenarios, so to calm his brothers as well as himself, he took a single pill to ease his anxiety.
The feeling didn't go away. It dimmed slightly, but being in the middle of a large house, with twinkling lights, people playing and loud music, he immediately regretted his stubbornness. His pride nevertheless could not be offended and he simply listened with a forced smile to the chatter of his friends about.... fuck knows what. He hid his twitching leg under the long table, tucked his other knee up to his chest and rested his chin on it. He pounded the insides of his hands with the shreds of his nails. His breath escaped more and more each second.
He felt like he was in the school bathroom again, unable to catch his breath. He remembered how once it was so bad that he was taken by an ambulance that was called by a panicked Chris. After time, both of his brothers learned to soothe his even worst panic attacks. Well, they also learned to read him like a book.
He shuddered with his whole body as he felt a discreet poke at his knee. Chris frowned at him with a worried eyebrow, he also caught Nicolas glancing at him anxiously.
- "What's wrong, Matt? - whispered the younger man quietly, so that only Matthew could hear him.
He wanted to let the air out, but the oxygen was stuck in his lungs.
He had to get away from here.
- No, uhm," muttered Matt ochrily, trying to control his panic. - I'm just tired. I'll go.. I'll go to the bathroom. - He muttered, lifting himself up on weak legs.
It was evident that his brother did not believe him, but he nodded with a slight doubt.
- Okay, if something happens, text me, okay? - he asked, although it sounded more like a stern command.
Matt nodded and started pushing his way through the crowd. He didn't know the map of the big villa, but at the entrance, an hour ago, he caught a glimpse of what was rather definitely a bathroom. It took him a while, but when he managed to get out of the crowd the bathroom was in his sight. The bathroom now sounded like paradise.
However, he was so distracted that he didn't notice the man. His petite body collided with someone's broad chest. He recoiled slightly from the force of the impact and confusedly raised his gaze. It was a very tall and muscular man. He had sharp jawlines, dark black eyes and a tight black shirt with several buttons undone at the top. Oh and he had a cross hanging on his chest.
Matthew immediately felt uneasy when their eyes met. The man's eyes had a terrifying flame that shone stronger when he looked at the triplet. The tall man was intimidating and Matt wanted to dodge him as quickly as possible, but the man grabbed him firmly by the arm, driving his big fingers into his bony forearm.
Shit.
The brunet tilted his head.
- Didn't they teach you to be careful how you walk? - he muttered very quietly. Matt felt shivers down his spine, both from his shrill tone and from the citrus smell of alcohol.
The triplet was already about to speak up, though a lump burned in his throat, when the man furrowed his eyebrows and his black eyes shone even harder.
- Wait a minute... - the corner of his mouth twitched, and his grip became tighter.
Matt felt like he was about to break his arm.
- You are one of the triplets, I think? - The man reached with his eyes somewhere behind Matt, then looked at him again. This time he smiled broadly. - Yes, you are.
- I... I. - tried to spout Matt, but fear was devouring his every gut one by one. He just wanted to escape from here and sink into his brothers' embrace.
- Shhh. - giggled the bigger one. He slowly raised the fingers of his other hand and stroked Matt's cheek gently. The smaller one trembled under his sickening touch. He tried to pull away, but he was too strong. - You are really cute, kid.
Leave me alone. Leave me alone. Leave me. Leave me.
Finally, the man let go of Matt, who instinctively took a few sizable steps away.
The skin on his forearm burned from both the strong grip and the disgusting dirt. He felt dirty. His cheek lit up.
The man smiled sickeningly at him again, then moved toward him. He passed him, but as he walked past him, he leaned into his ear and whispered:
- I'll see you again, Matty.
His whole body immediately tensed up more than possible. A second's proximity to this man caused him to get simultaneous heart palpitations, chills all over his body and a sharper-than-possible gurgle in his throat. The man was gone, the feeling was not. His forearm burned mercilessly, but he continued to stand motionless between people celebrating their years of youth.
Matthew was much younger than them, but he had never experienced this feeling. The teenage carefree feeling. Anxiety had destroyed his life.
I'll see you again, Matty.
No, he couldn't be serious. He was drunk, most likely still stoned, and just made something up.
You will never see this man, calm down.
Completely forgetting his earlier destination - the toilet, he returned dully to his brothers and friends on the couch. He sat down and, with absent-minded eyes, looked out with paranoid characteristic black eyes among the people of the crowd.
He saw Chris wanting to speak up - probably to ask what took him so long. Although that's probably the least important thing, because even though the middle triplet couldn't see himself, he was almost certain that he was as pale as a sheet of paper, trembling with his whole body and paranoidly looking around like a madman.
But then his gaze descends on his hand. Matt, unfortunately, didn't even notice that the sleeve of his dark sweatshirt had rolled up a bit. He should definitely keep an eye on it, because now his little brother's eyes widened like pentacles. Before he could do anything, Chris took a firm hold of his wrist and rolled his sleeve up to his elbow.
Everyone was shocked - even Matt himself. His hand continued to ache from the stranger's firm grip, but he didn't expect the guy to give him such a severe bruise. From his wrist to the middle of his forearm there was a purple mark of five bruised fingers - the man's entire huge hand imprinted a dark purple color on Matt's pale, tiny, bony hand.
- Damn it, Matt! What the fuck is that? - asked Nicolas panicked.
Matthew was already opening his mouth to answer - he didn't know what. He didn't want to lie, nor did he want to tell the truth. Well, he was preceded by their friend - Maison.
- Is this the guy? - He asked. - The one who accosted you?
The atmosphere in the air thickened noticeably. Matt felt Chris's fingers clench a little tighter on his wrist.
- What guy? - Christopher asked. His tone turned cold, and at the mere sound Matt felt shivers run up his body. His brother's eyes darkened, his face tightened.
Christopher felt bloodlust at the thought that someone had touched his brother.
- Chris, it's nothing... - tried Matt to alleviate the situation, but only added fuel to the fire.
- Who did this to you, Matthew? - asked, or rather demanded Chris.
There will be trouble.
- I-I don't know, Chris, it- - tried the elder, but suddenly felt Nicolas' grip - equally furious, on his shoulder.
- We're going home.
Oh no. He could handle one angry Nick or Chris, but never two at once. He always felt so vulnerable and small then.
Not wanting to make his situation worse, Matt nodded his head and let himself be led out of the sweltering party building. He sat in the back with Nick, while Chris sat in the driver's seat.
Christopher had already gotten his driver's license a few months ago after Matthew asked if his brothers could drive too. He said it could sometimes be overwhelming as he was the only driver in the group - especially with his anxiety, which assaults him at random and unexpected times. Nicolas was also about to get his driver's license - he was in the middle of his exams. Of course, further on mainly Matt was the driver, but quite often there were situations where Chris got behind the wheel. For example, now - although Matthew said he could drive, but his brothers didn't want to listen to him.
The road home passed in complete silence. Chris drove, Matt sat, one hand embracing his knees drawn up to his chest and the other held Nicolas, who pressed an ice-cold can of Pepsi they had taken from the refrigerator at Harry's house to the big bruise. Before they could blink, Christopher drove into the garage of their house. At home, they quickly prepared an icy gel pack and that's how they found themselves in the living room. Chris embraced a silent Matt, pressing the cold gel pack to the bruise, while Nicolas was in the kitchen preparing dinner for them.
Matt was too frightened to look anywhere other than into his own hands, but suddenly he felt his younger brother's long fingers on his chin, which lifted his chin up a bit. The elder, however, was too frightened to look at him. What was he supposed to say?
- Matt, can you look at me? - asked the younger one softly, but Matthew only bit his lip to hold back tears. - Matty, please.
Knowing that his brother had hit a sensitive spot, he let out a trembling breath and looked anxiously at his brother's delicate face.
- Who did this to you?
The big blue eyes glazed over with tears and threatened to spill out. He shook his head.
Chris stifled a sigh. He needed something. Anything to find the man who laid hands on his brother. He couldn't even imagine it. Matt was too fragile, too sensitive, too tiny. How could anyone look at him and think that hurting him was a good idea?
- Matt, bubba, please. I can't live with the thought that someone hurt you, and I don't know who it is. You don't deserve something like that. You are too delicate. I can't- Matt, who is it? Who did this bruise to you? Who was that guy?
Just then Nick came into the living room with three plates of pasta. He put them down on a nearby table and worriedly sat down next to his brothers, catching his younger brother's free hand in a hug.
Matthew lowered his head and pulled his nose. He continues to feel the unpleasant touch, the smell, the presence of this man. He continues to see his black eyes, wide smile and that terrifying gaze. A tear runs down his cheek.
- I don't know who it was. - He bit his lips with all his might until he felt a metallic aftertaste on his tongue. Then he raised his gaze to his brothers. He swallowed. - But he knows who I am.
It had been a little over a month since that incident. Matt begged his brothers not to report the situation anywhere, not wanting to make an unnecessary fuss. The bruise on his arm had already practically disappeared leaving behind only a slightly yellowish reflection. The situation was quickly forgotten. One could say that everything was back on track.
Until.
Every time Matthew left the house, especially alone, he felt watched. At first he ignored it with the thought that it was simply his paranoia or some innocent, harmless fans. Only, with each passing day, the feeling intensified, and Matt felt someone's gaze on him even in his own home. It led him to a state of total paranoia. He made sure that doors and windows were locked. That the security system was working without the slightest complaint. That the cameras in every part of the house were running at full speed. The feeling didn't go away. It never went away. Matt began to live under such stress that he was afraid to leave the house without his brothers, couldn't swallow anything, didn't sleep for three nights in a row and then fell asleep in completely random places. Then he began to hear some quiet murmuring, thumping, knocking, quiet rumbling in his house when he was fucking alone. He then ran to his brothers in tears, saying that someone was here, in his room. But every time Nick or Chris searched the whole house they found no one. Then Matt began to notice a figure outside the window. It always stood motionless. And the same thing over and over again, he ran crying to his brothers that someone was standing in the yard, and when his brothers searched the house again - there was nothing.
He didn't know what was worse. The state he was in or the fact that his brothers didn't believe him. They thought he had gotten worse. That his anxiety had reached its peak. He tried to convince them that something was wrong. That someone was here. In their house. His brothers even called the police in the end, but the police, after searching the area and even chatting for a few days, said everything was fine. Matt even heard a police officer advise his brothers to take him to some kind of doctor.
He remembered waking up curled up on the living room couch sometime after 8PM. He had collapsed from exhaustion again after several sleepless nights from constant anxiety. He got up sluggishly and wanted to go back to his room as usual. But then he heard his brothers talking from Nicolas' room. They were talking very quietly, as if in fear that their brother would hear them. Well, Matthew was not a fan of eavesdropping, but his instincts told him to head to the bottom of the stairs and hear a piece of their conversation. So he did.
Well, he regretted ever having done so.
-... we should take him to the doctor, Chris. - He heard Nick's strained voice.
- Yes, probably. But what if he doesn't agree? After all, he is convinced that someone is in our house. - replied uncertainly the youngest.
- Chris, do you hear yourself?! - shouted Nicolas in a whisper. - You heard the police, no one is here. Matt is sick. We need to take him to a doctor before he gets worse.
There was a momentary silence in which Matt heard the uneven beating of his heart, rapid breathing and loud, circling thoughts.
Sick.
No, that's impossible.
- Yeah, you are right. - sighed Chris.
Matt took a few steps back, shaking his head desperately. Again he felt the overwhelming sensation of someone's gaze on him. He backed away, almost tripping, and with an unsteady step ran to his room. He fell on his bed, pressed his face into the pillow and burst into a choked sob. All the frustration, fatigue and pain of misunderstanding reached him, hitting him with redoubled force. No one believed him, everyone thought he was crazy. He should not have been surprised by them, everything literally pointed to the fact that Matthew Sturniolo had gone crazy at the age of twenty.
He sobbed into his pillow for several hours until he collapsed from exhaustion. However, he was awakened by Chris poking his limp body. He lifted one eyelid, pulling the blanket up over his nose.
- What the fuck do you want? - he muttered, all he wanted was to go back to sleep and, most eagerly, never wake up again.
Chris once again shook his shoulder gently.
- Kid, come to us for a while, we... we need to talk to you, Matt.
With these words, Matthew raised his other eye, quickly recalling the conversation he overheard a few hours ago. He could not force himself or his body to move in any way. Fear paralyzed his entire body huddled in a big, thick blanket. He shook his head, burying himself even further in the quilt.
- Leave me alone, Chris. We'll talk later, I want to go to bed. - he muttered hoping that his younger brother would just let it go, but, well, sometimes he forgot that his brothers are the most stubborn people on this fucking planet.
He heard Christopher sigh and something told him what he was about to hear.
- Matty, please, this is important. Don't make me call Nick, he won't be so soft.
Of course. Chris loved to use as an argument or excuse simply their resolute and unforgiving older triplet.
Knowing that Matthew had absolutely no chance in this fight, he sighed quietly and nodded his head, showing no desire to get up.
- I'll be right there. Just ... just give me a minute. - he muttered.
The younger man nodded and left without a word. Matt lay motionless for a moment, trying to collect himself. He knew what was coming. Damn, they were going to send him to a fucking mental institution. For insane people. They thought Matt was insane. Everyone thought so.
Because maybe he was? What if he had simply lost his mind?
He looked at himself in the big mirror in his room, buttoning up the loose sweatshirt hanging over his body. His bones had taken on a sharper shape, his skin had turned gray, and he had already lost perhaps four pounds. But the worst part was his eyes. Reddened, swollen and blackened. Was this what the eyes of a madman looked like? Of a crazy man?
In the living room sat his brothers. Tensed, sad and scared. Matthew sat across from them - on the couch. He wanted to get away from there. Nicolas as well as Chris from worrying about his brother also declined in health. Not as much as Matt, but you could see by their eyes how many nights they must have spent watching over a losing his mind Matt, whispering under his breath that someone was in their house, that someone was watching him.
The same feeling again. Matt instinctively looked around him, but of course, except for the three of them in the area, there was no one.
- This has to stop, Matthew. - spoke up first Nicolas in a tense but firm, confident voice. - This is already approaching some kind of disorder. You need to get medical treatment.
Matt slumped into the couch and shook his head, feeling the air escape from his lungs.
- Stop it. Put a stop to this! I'm not crazy, I'm not crazy, I'm not! I swear I hear, see and feel someone's presence. In this house! - he raised his voice.
- Matt, God damn it, can you hear yourself? The police have been here. Twice! They didn't find anything! - this time the youngest one raised his voice. - You need to go for treatment, or you'll lose your mind.
Matt rose from the couch.
- No, I'm not crazy, I'm serious! - he entangled his fingers in his hair, tears flew down his cheeks. - Why does no one believe me!
Why doesn't everyone believe him...?
Maybe he actually lost his mind?
He looked around again. The feeling of someone's gaze on him was becoming unbearable.
- Matt, fuck, look at yourself. You're constantly running out of eyes, you're paranoid over the closed front door, you're not focusing on anything, you're either absent-minded or you're freaking out that someone is fucking in your closet! - shouted Nick, standing at his level. He grabbed his wrists and forced him to look at himself, not at the window, door or anywhere else. - You are sick. Mom and Dad will be here tomorrow and take you to the doctor...-.
The middle triplet broke out of his embrace. He retreated a few shaky steps choking with tears. The exit door was in sight and a quick run.
- Did you tell our parents!? Are you crazy? You will not lock me up anywhere! No! - he sobbed. - I've had enough of this. The fact that no one believes me. The fact that every night I hear voices. The fact that I feel watched all the time. The fact that... The fuck, I'm sick of everything!
Chris tilted his head slightly, using a soft tone.
- Matt, calm down, we just....
- No, don't come up! - Matt stepped back again violently, bumping into the countertop. His hand accidentally knocked down a glass and the bang of breaking glass spread throughout their house.
Matt, under the effects of such a loud noise, gasped for air. He tried to prop himself up against the wall, but stumbled again and landed on one knee. His chest was rising and falling at an exponentially fast pace. The sensation that someone was about to touch him caused him to panic more. His vision became blurred, all structures became indistinct. Matthew felt like he was in a huge cage over which someone was standing, but the figure was too tall for him to see who it was. The figure was like a shadow, perhaps only discernible to your eye. It lurked somewhere around the corner, out of the corner of your eye catching its quick flicker for a split second. But when you look around again, you realize that no one is here. But you don't feel alone. You feel like you are in the dark in which you sense someone's presence, but there is no illumination to see for yourself. Others have full visibility and see no one. They see only you, wandering with your eyes around you looking for a mysterious presence that you cannot see.
Another hands on his shoulders, made him let out a loud scream. He knew he couldn't stay here. He cast a glance at the indistinct silhouettes of his brothers, then at the door, barely discernible through the fog. He threw himself toward the stairs. He didn't know how, but he found himself in the fresh air. His chest continued to seem mercilessly cramped, his lungs burning, his throat burning. Ignoring the screams of his brothers, he ran. He ran for as long as his legs, his strength, his breath allowed. He didn't know where he was running to. The image in front of him grew blurrier and darker with each passing second. Finally, his knees buckled under him on their own as he turned into some dark alley between two, tall buildings. He collapsed without strength, struggling for breath. His hand clenched tightly on the front of his sweatshirt. He could feel the pebbles and gravel pounding into his knees, but the faint pain now gave him the only signs of life. After a time that passed almost like an eternity, his breathing slowed down enough for him to finally take full inhalations and exhalations. Focusing on breathing properly helped him regain his wits somewhat. He pulled his nose, wiping the dried tears from his cheeks. He lifted his gaze and actually only now realized that he had not oriented himself much where he was. He rose on trembling legs to a standing position and, holding onto the concrete wall, looked around. He found himself in a dark alley, between two barely holding buildings. The sun barely reached here making it quite dark, but not so much that Matt couldn't pick out small details.
Only now did he realize what kind of shit he had gotten himself into. He didn't know where he was, he had put on a circus at home, and on top of that, his parents were arriving tomorrow because their son was apparently fucked up. Matt felt like crying back, but had to keep his nerves in check.
Click.
The complete silence in the alley was broken by the click of... a camera? Matt felt his heart stop beating for a moment as he looked toward the dark end of the alley. He could barely see the outline of the garbage containers. He didn't know if he had already gone completely mad, but with uncertainty he slowly pushed himself away from the wall. He swallowed while moving toward the containers. All around were some cardboard boxes, food waste and the swish of rats. With each step, Matt's eyesight began to become more accustomed to the darkness around him and everything became clearer. When he reached the end of the alley, he didn't notice anything at first, but when his gaze went a little lower, he noticed that there was something under his airforce. He stepped back a foot and picked up a ... polaroid?
Matt felt himself losing his breath.
The polaroid was fresh.
It was faded, but with each passing second, which dragged on forever, Matt saw what was in the photo.
In the photo was him. The photo must have been taken a moment ago, because it showed Matt leaning against a wall in an alley looking around.
Matthew put a trembling hand to his mouth.
He had to get out of here.
However, when he turned around he knew it was too late.
In the middle of the alley stood a man in a slight stride. The sun behind him made him see only his black silhouette. Matt noticed that the guy had a fox mask, a camera hanging around his neck and... a knife in his right hand.
Moments both stood, looking only at each other. Seconds lengthened into hours as fear began to paralyze Matt more and more.
- Will you be my bunny, Matty?
He knew that voice.
Everything happened very quickly. Matt dashed forward, just as fast as the attacker who wanted to grab him, but Matt used all his strength to push him away. The man fell to the ground, but before Matt could escape even two meters, the man grabbed him by the ankle, knocked him to the ground and pulled him close. Matt squealed and kicked his attacker hard in the collarbone. He tried to crawl forward, but the guy pulled him back, grabbed his wrist and slashed his forearm hard. Matt wailed in pain. He threw himself at the man, knocking him to the ground. Matt lay on top of the larger-than-life man. He couldn't see the man's face, but he could see his black eyes through the holes in his mask. Without focusing on it, he rolled them both over. The man plunged the knife into his forearm again, cutting it open again. Matt screamed loudly, bent his knee and kicked the man in the crotch with all his strength. This knocked him off balance for a moment. The attacker bent in half and Matt quickly took advantage of this. He grabbed the knife from the attacker and drove it hard into the man's thigh, cutting his skin all the way down to his calf. Ignoring the pain, and continuing to hold the knife in his hand, he began to run ahead. The farther he ran, the more he recognized the area and knew how to get home. After just a moment, he could see his house from around the bend where his brothers surely were.
Meanwhile, Christopher and Nicolas were losing their minds.
- Holy fuck, Chris, where could he have run! - asked Nick on the verge of a breakdown.
Everyone knew that Nick was always the poised and able to keep his cool. But when the safety of his little brother was at stake, he couldn't stay calm. Especially since they both didn't know where Matt was.
- I don't know, Nick. Do I look omniscient to you! I'm worried too! - shouted a shysterized Chris.
- You saw the state he was in, Chris. He might do something to himself! I fucking knew not to wait so long with it, oh my God, now Matt may have jumped off the bridge in desperation!
Chris swallowed, trying to take deep breaths.
- Okay, calm down, Nick. Panic will not help us at all now. He can't be somewhere far away, by car he couldn't go anywhere either.
Nick and Chris had already taken Matt's keys to their car more than a week ago. They were too worried that Matt might get delusional again while driving and cause an accident, so the car was now driven only by Chris.
Nick bit his lip in increasing anxiety.
- We should probably call the police.
Chris nodded.
- Let's call our friends first. If he is still not found, then we'll report the case to the-.
Chris was interrupted by a loud bang on the front door. Both Chris and Nick turned toward the noise, hoping it was Matt.
And well, it was Matt, but in a version they preferred never to see.
Matt ran upstairs into the living room all out of breath, weeping, dirty and... bloody. His entire right hand was in blood, his blood... His forearm had several deep cuts on it. But the most frightening thing was that in his left hand Matt held a heavily bloodied knife, which he had lowered to the living room floor.
He burst out crying loudly and threw himself with his scratched knees on the floor in front of Chris. Chris quickly knelt panicked in front of his brother and threw off his unbuttoned sweatshirt to wrap it around Matt's wound, who howled like a wounded animal. A terrified Chris embraced the elder tightly, holding the shaking boy's head with one hand and pressing the sweatshirt against Matt's bleeding shoulder with the other. The younger threw Nick a concerned look, still holding the sobbing Matt. Nicolas walked away a few steps calling for an ambulance. Chris rested his chin on his brother's storm of curls, rocking him in a calming gesture.
- What the hell did you do, Matty? - he whispered quietly.
Matt, however, was too consumed with fear and panic to understand the meaning of his brother's words.
- He grabbed me. I wanted to run away, but-but he was too strong...-" mumbled Matt, barely catching air.
Sobbing filled his entire body.
- Shhh... It will be over soon.... - whispered Chris, although did he believe it himself?
A short time later, the ambulance arrived. Matt didn't remember much, as the paramedics injected something into his veins as he was engulfed in sobs and unintelligible babbling, and shortly after that everything went dark.
When Matt opened his eyes the first thing he felt was a terrible pain in his head and arm and a dryness in his throat. He blinked several times as the brightness in the room blinded his tired eyes. He tried to get up, but someone's hand gently caught his elbow.
- Shh. Lie down.
When he looked closer, he noticed the familiar contours of Nick's face. Matt rubbed his eyes with his hand.
- What. Where am I? - he muttered, leaning back against the pillows.
Nick sighed and with some lump made half the bed on the side of his head rise, making Matt in a sitting position.
- You're in the hospital, Matt. - Nick said, helping him drink water from a plastic cup.
Matt furrowed his brow as the coveted water finally entered his system.
- How...How in the hospital- - Matt's eyes widened as isolated memories began to assault his head.
Nick sighed as he sat down in the, probably uncomfortable, chair. He rested his forehead against his hand and began to speak.
- Don't you remember anything? We argued yesterday and you ran out. And when you came back you were bloody, holding a knife, had your hand cut and were in hysterics. - He rubbed the root of his nose. - Fuck, I should have reacted earlier. Maybe this situation would never have happened. - He muttered, and Matt widened his eyes in realization.
They thought he did it to himself.
- Nick- - swallowed, grabbing his hand desperately, ignoring the pain in his body during this sudden movement. - It-it's not like that, Nick. Please, you have to believe me, it-it wasn't me. It wasn't me who cut my hand!
- Yes? Then explain to me why there are only your fingerprints on the knife. - Nick raised an eyebrow.
Gloves.
Matt drew in air with a swish.
- Nick, it was he-.
The elder raised his head abruptly.
- "Who? Who is he?! - he dodged.
Matt fell silent nibbling his lip with his teeth. He felt a burning sensation in his eyes.
Nick sighed trying to calm down.
- With the rest, it doesn't matter. You are sick, Matt. You need treatment. You made up something and look what it led to," he pointed to the younger man's bandaged hand.
- I didn't make up anything!
- Stop it. Mom and dad will be here tomorrow, and you're about to talk to a psychiatrist.
Matt hung his head, and a single tear dripped onto the quilt.
- This is for your own good, Matt.
Later, Chris entered the room and hugged Matt tightly, apologizing to him all the while for not reacting earlier. Matt tried to explain to him that it was all not in his head, but the conversation went the same way as with Nick, so defeated and sad he gave up.
So is this how he will be perceived now?
Like a insane guy?
He suspected this was because he had struggled with really severe anxiety and depression since he was young. But is it possible to go crazy from that? Or are they just so comfortable?
Maybe I am indeed crazy...?
Matt sighed, curling his legs up to his chest and resting his chin on them.
The doctor sitting opposite his bed smiled gently.
- So, Matt, right? May I call you that?
He nodded slightly without even looking at her.
- So, Matt, since when did you start hearing or even seeing various, um, strange things? Can you please describe it to me? According to your brothers, it's been going on for a few months now, because of which you couldn't sleep, eat or even get out of bed through fear. Is this true?
There was silence in the room for a moment before Matt sighed.
- Yes, but I am not crazy. - These words began to burn his tongue by how often he pronounced them.
The doctor, whose name, by the way, was Mia, smiled slightly as she wrote something down in her notebook.
- No one says you're crazy, Matt. - She muttered in a calm voice. - Can you, please, tell me what you saw, heard? When did it start?
Matt moved restlessly on the bed as a wave of anxiety flooded his body again.
- It started a few months ago. At first... At first I just felt watched. But I told myself that it was simply my anxiety giving out. But... with each passing day this feeling intensified. I didn't feel safe anywhere. I never felt ... alone. Nick and Chris were forced to sleep with me every night because I was so damn scared. I stopped staying home alone. I started hearing some strange sounds from my closet, from the laundry room, everywhere. Some rumbles, bangs. My brothers, of course, didn't hear anything, though. They thought it was simply my anxiety. As they always do. They just slept with me every night thinking it would pass. But it got worse and worse. My anxiety made me afraid to get out of bed, and everything I ate I immediately threw up. Nick and Chris took me to doctors, but they just shrugged their shoulders in helplessness, prescribing me more and more anti-anxiety pills after which I barely made contact. Then I started seeing some shadows. Nick and Chris even called the police, but they sent us away without finding anything and suggesting a doctor for me. I.. I don't know what to do anymore.
Toward the end, Matt started sobbing, while the doctor nodded, writing something down in a notebook.
- And can you tell what happened ... this morning? After you ran out of the house after an argument with your siblings?
Matt hesitated for a moment, but finally took a shuddering breath while recounting everything that had happened that day. Already halfway through the story he was at a complete loss. The doctor, however, said nothing, nodded and took quick notes with a black pen. When Matt finished speaking, she smiled, standing up with the notebook in her hand. She corrected her apron.
- Thank you for this conversation, Matt, I hope to see you again.
Well, I don't.
- In any case, I advise you to rest after this particularly tiring day. See you later, Matt.
And then she left, and Matt couldn't fall asleep for half the night. Only when the nurse gave him sleeping aids did his eyes droop.
When Matt woke up once again, the first things he saw were lots of flowers and other gifts by his bedside and a young nurse changing his IV. When she noticed that Matt was awake, she smiled and handed him a plastic cup of water, which Matt immediately drank.
- I see you are awake," she began. - Your family and friends were here, but you were under the influence of strong sleeping pills, so they should be back in an hour. - She said, correcting the drip and preparing to leave.
- Uhm, wait. - Matt stopped her weakly. The girl looked at him with a slight smile. - Is it known when I will leave this hospital?
Her smile dropped slightly.
- I'm sorry, but I can't give you that kind of information.
Matt bit his lip and nodded, letting her go. When he was left alone, he sighed, not really knowing what to do with himself. Finally, he reached for the presents on the table by his bed. He began looking through them. Various letters, flowers and other trinkets. Suddenly his attention was caught by a small bunny stuffed animal, which made his heart freeze, his breathing begin to accelerate and his stomach sink. After a moment that lasted an eternity, he grasped the plushie with trembling hands. As his fingers dug slightly into the material, the toy emitted a rustling, interrupting sound.
- Will you be my bunny, Matty?
He quickly threw the plushie against the opposite wall. He felt like his lungs had filled with water. He was drowning.
With an exasperated look, he ran across the room once more. Only now did he realize that where the bunny had been, there was still a small envelope underneath it. Something was screaming in his gut not to open it. His fingers screamed for him to press the button to summon the nurses. But then he realized that all they would be able to do was give him a needle in the vein to calm him down, because after all, he was going crazy.
He swallowed. He reached for the envelope. He clenched his teeth seeing that the only thing written on it was his name in pretty italics. The letters were evenly spaced from each other, written in dark pen ink.
He tore open the envelope and out flew several photographs and a scrap of parchment.
Photographs depicting him. Riding on the ice rink.
Laughing with his brothers. Sleeping with Nick. Crying to Chris. Curled up in the corner of a room, scared. Arguing with his brothers. Sleeping in the hospital.
Next to him was a small leaf.
He was choking on water.
Shall we play hide and seek, Matty? The bunny is hiding, the fox is looking :)
The door of the closet standing in the corner slammed shut. Matt did not think for a long time. He had to run away.
But he didn't know that he was just swimming against the current.
He bolted out of bed, snatching the IV venflon from his forearm. He reached the door and ran out into the corridor. The corridor was empty, dimly lit. He blinked slowly. Everything began to slow down.
Where is everyone?
He set off at a run through the corridor, which grew indefinitely long. Matt couldn't see the end of the long, white corridor. He kept running. He didn't turn around when he heard crackling sounds behind him. He accelerated when he heard slow footsteps behind him. But no matter how fast he would run, even though everything was in slow motion, the slow steps behind him seemed to be getting closer. Stop.
Out of nowhere in front of him appeared... a fox.
A fox.
What the fuck was a fox doing in the hospital?!
Matt, though, did not think about it, his mind was dimmed, working in slow motion. He turned around, wanting to flee in the other direction, but his plans were thwarted by a wall that grew out of the floor. Everything became too heavy. Matt's knees bent under his weight, making him fall to the cold floor. He lifted his gaze.
Through the fog, he saw a tall, black figure with a fox mask on his face walking slowly toward him. In one hand he held a rag. Matt felt the man press the cloth against his face and everything went dark.
Pain.
After opening his eyes, all Matt felt was a hellish pain throughout his body. Instinctively, he wanted to reach for the glass of water that always stands on the nightstand in his room, but something strong and tight rattled, blocking his hands from any movement. He opened his eyes wide, realizing that he was not in his room but on an uncomfortable mattress in a dimly lit room with his wrists chained to the radiator. He pulled himself up to sit down, causing him to feel dizzy. He wanted to jerk his hands, trying to free them somehow, but the chain was very strong and tight. He cursed. He closed his eyes, feeling like his head was about to explode. He tried to put things together. How the hell did he get here?
The hospital.
That was the last thing he remembered. So why was he in a filthy basement and still in a corner?
He blinked several times, devoting his attention now to his surroundings.
His heart had stopped beating.
The entire walls of the room were filled with pictures of him in various situations where he didn't even know he was being watched. He didn't know yet. Next to each photo was a short note written in indistinct handwriting. Matt noticed the photos of his friends.
Madi Filipowicz - Matt's friend. Daughter of the manager. Age 18. Address **** La
Nathaniel Doe - Matt's friend. Meet - ice field hockey. Age 19. Address ***** Boston
Christopher Sturniolo - Matt's younger triplet. Age 20. Address **** La
Nicolas Sturniolo - Matt's older triplet. Age 20. Address **** La
Jimmy Sturniolo - Matt's father. Age 46. Address **** Boston
Marylou Sturniolo - Matt's mother. Age 45. Address ***** Boston
Justin Carey - Matt's older brother. Age 25. Address ***** Boston
Laura Filipowicz - Matt's manager. Age 43. Address **** La
Matt wanted to scream. Everywhere he looked he saw his face. Or plush bunnies with his face on them. When he saw that one was right at his feet, he kicked it to the other side of the room.
And at the same time he entered.
A tall guy with a fox mask on his face.
- Oh, I see the bunny is already awake. - He cooed, kneeling in front of a shaken Matt.
- Leave me the fuck alone. Let me out. HELP- - Matt's mouth was blocked by the man's icy hand.
- Try to fucking scream and I'll slit your throat," he pointed to the knife in the waistband of his pants.
Matt with tears in his eyes swallowed and nodded.
- Good boy," he muttered, removing his hand from the boy's mouth. - "See, you're pretty, bunny. That day when I saw you, I knew you were already mine. That adorable innocence and vulnerability of yours makes you like a little scared bunny, you know? - he brushed his fingers against Matt's cheek, which Matt trembled under the unwanted touch. The guy in the mask smiled, feeling a tear on his finger. - It wasn't hard to discover your home location, your favorite ice cream flavor, your favorite place to be alone or your past at all. I know everything about you, Matty.
The man rose and stood with his back to Matt.
- At the hospital, one of the nurses is my accomplice, you know? She gave a hallucinogenic drug to your IV while you were sleeping. You didn't even make it to the door and fell like a long one when I pressed the chloroform cloth against your nose. - He laughed, looking over his shoulder at the crying Matt. - We are made for each other, bunny. We will stay together forever.
Matt let out a sob while shaking his head.
- What do you want from me?
- Aww, I think it's obvious," he bore. - You.
Matt scowled as much as possible, howling loudly.
- Who the fuck are you?!
Then the man reached for his fox mask, slowly pulling it off. The mask fell to the floor. Matt saw through the fog the man's sharp features and froze.
No... it can't be... It can't be real...
- The man left some of his blood on the rag. We suspect that he must have cut himself by tearing a piece of his glove and missed this detail. - spoke the policeman a few hours earlier.
Matt was missing. Someone had kidnapped him. The hospital's cameras were off. And Matt wasn't lying.
It was their fault.
Chris swallowed.
- Do we know who it is? - Nick asked nervously, plucking the crusts on his fingers.
The policeman nodded.
- We have this information in the database. It is 32-year-old Jake Odell. He was released from prison less than a year ago after serving three years for three counts of rape, pedophilia and possession of child pornography.
The world went quiet for a moment.
Chris now, a few hours later, sat nervously jumping a leg in the hospital corridor, waiting for any information from the police, who were tracking Jake. Monster.
Chris hid his face in his hands.
He didn't listen to Matt. He thought he was crazy. He didn't believe him and now there were consequences. Matt was in great danger. His life was being held on strings by a disgusting pervert.
Chris felt his heart breaking thinking about what this guy could do to his own brother. Matt was too fragile for that. Too young. Too sensitive. Too innocent.
His cute little Matt completely failed to connect with the disgusting old pedophile.
Heck, not long ago when Chris showed him some sexualizing article about them, Matt furrowed his brow at it, not understanding half the stuff in there.
Chris felt himself getting hyperventilated, because he was well aware of whose fault it was. His. It was his fucking fault.
- Chris - out into the hallway came Nick. His frame was rising quickly. Chris quickly stood up. - They've tracked him. They know where he and Matt are. Remember that abandoned warehouse near our house?
Chris nodded.
- The police are already on their way there. Let's go.
Chris nodded again, quickly following his brother, praying in spirit that it wasn't too late.
- It's ... you. - Matt whispered, recognizing in the stalker the man he ran into a few long months ago at Harry's party. Matt shook his head. - No... God, please, no!
The man laughed out loud, kneeling again over, compared to him, Matt's really tiny body. He lifted his chin, catching his jaw firmly, despite his protests. He licked his lips.
- God, you are so beautiful.... - he whispered, putting his fingers under Matt's hospital blouse, touching his hips.
Matt trembled, knowing he won't escape. He closed his eyelids, dismissing everything that was going on around him. He just wanted it all to end. Through the fog, he could feel the man's cold fingers wandering over his chest and his lips moving closer to his neck. He felt the stranger's hot breath on his bony collarbone.
He clenched his eyelids with all his might, waiting for the worst.
Chris, know that I love you.
Nick, know that I love you.
I can't handle this, i'm sorr-.
Rumble. The door flew out of its brackets causing Matt to jump up with his whole body, widening his eyes. The touch disappeared.
- Police! Please get on your knees, hands up!
Matt couldn't believe what was happening. This couldn't be happening. It was his mind playing tricks on him again. Matt backed into a corner, curling up in a ball. He plugged his ears, hid his face in his knees.
- God, Matt. - it was Nick.
He as well as Chris fell to their knees beside him. Something forged his wrists, and the heavy chains fell to the floor.
Nick wrapped a blanket around him, and Chris pulled him tightly to his chest.
This was really happening...
When Matt finally realized that it was all a reality, he burst into loud sobs and hugged Chris as tightly as he could. Chris wrapped his arms around him tightly, kissing the top of his head every now and then. Matt felt Nick hugging the two of them.
Home.
- Shh... It's ok now. It's going to be all right now. - whispered Chris. - We're so sorry, Matt. We were stupid. They're going to lock that fucker up for so long that he'll never see you or the light of day again. I will already take care of that, Matty. Now shhh, calm down for me, sweetheart. You are with us, we are here. By your side. We always will be.
It wasn't long before Matt drifted off. But for the first time without fear and anxiety. Because he knew he had brothers by his side who would never leave him.
Everything will be fine.