Chapter Text
Beneath the damp glow of the moon, the forest wept in a silent lament. The air was thick and heavy, suffocating in its weight, making it feel as if one were drowning in the oppressive atmosphere. The damp leaves crunched beneath his heavy boots, the fog swirling around his ankles. The forest was something he was not unfamiliar with, but he still had to remain cautious of his surroundings. After all, one could never be certain if the Rake was still lurking in this area.
“Damned animal,” Jack breathed beneath his mask as he stumbled upon a gruesome sight. A half-eaten carcass of a white-tailed deer lay sprawled on the path, its guts spilling out from the side of its stomach, all mangled up and torn. Its lifeless beady eyes stare up at Jack almost tauntingly.
For a split second, he debated whether to move the carcass off the path to prevent it from luring in more unfortunate predators to their doom, or to leave it undisturbed.
Against his better judgment, he decided to leave the carcass as it was. It’ll only be more troublesome if the rake came back for it and sniffed out his own scent.
As the fog parted and he emerged at the forest's edge, his shoulders sagged, and his movements slowed. Finally, he could breathe. Taking in a sharp intake of cold air, he set his direction to the small town near the woods. It felt like forever since he had eaten something. His stomach grumbled in the dead of the night as he stalked along the dark street with only the dim light of the moon as his guidance. Then, something sickeningly sweet wafted through the air. His nostril flared at the coppery smell. It makes his head spin and makes his stomach growl.
He hesitated for a second when he halted, unsure if he should follow the scent of blood. The smell was quite strong for his senses, so it must’ve been somewhere nearby, he reasoned. It would be a shame to let a free, almost guilt-free meal slip past him. But then again.. It could be dangerous. What if whatever harmed said victim is still nearby? Is he even sure if the victim was a human? Or dead?
He huffed at the doubts. What were the chances of him running into his fellow.. Housemates? God he prayed it wasn’t Jeff or Toby. They always left a messy scene behind them and the organs he wanted were always left beyond unrecognizable.
He only snapped out of his thoughts when he heard a glass shattered from the same direction of the smell. His curiosity only grew.
So with careful steps he stalked towards the sounds, his heart racing with anticipation. He came across a quiet house and with bated breath pushed the door open. Noting the broken lock subconsciously he made his way to the kitchen, his breathing hitched when he spotted the strangest stranger sitting by the kitchen counter, broken wine bottle in hand and a cold body on the floor next to them.