Chapter Text
Jay was dead. Alex was dead. Brian was dead. Tim had escaped.
He lived.
But not for long.
Tim had stayed in a motel for the past two weeks, since the incident. But now..
He bought himself a gun. And was driving back to Rosswood. His heart pounded, but he had gotten too far. He should have died in that building just like his friends. The guilt was eating him alive. Knowing that he was never going to get them back, knowing he was the reason they were dead.
Tim stuffed the gun in the waist of his jeans as he walked back to that tunnel. And once he was certain no one would be there to bother him, he grabbed it. Closing his eyes, Tim raised the gun to his head.
As his finger twitched towards the trigger, a bolt of something that felt eerily similar to static shot through his body, and he dropped the gun.
Once he reopened his eyes, a man stood at the other end of the tunnel, a black mask over his face. Tim's eyes widened.
"Brian?" The man shook his head, holding up the mask Tim was certain had been incinerated. "No, No, youre dead- that mask is-"
Within a minute, the hooded man was standing in front of Tim, holding out the mask.
"No.. not anymore. I can't." Tim stared. "Let me see him. Brian."
The man complied, lifting his mask. Tim immediately noticed the blood, and winced. The man, Brian, took off the mask, staring at him. Brian was bleeding from the head, soaking his face in blood, but it was no longer flowing. Just as it was when he died.
"I killed you.."
"I know."
"Im sorry,"
"And I forgive you."
"How are you still-"
"The Operator." Brian tilted his head, as if staring right through Tim.
"And.. Jay?"
"Similar state."
"Oh god.." Tim shook his head. "Let me see him.."
"Take the mask."
"I cant- damnit, Brian, you know why I cant-"
"Take it, and you'll see Jay again."
"The Operator, he- it-"
"Take it, Tim." Brian seemed to become irritated. "I'll explain more when we get there." Tim hesitate. The mere thought of being in the Operator's presence.. it sickened him. But to see Jay again.. to see Brian-
Tim took the mask.
When he came to, he was in a bed. His head pounded, as it did every time he came back from the other's control. The other man, one he had dubbed "Masky," as he was really only in control when Tim put on that damned mask. The one that was sitting on a table near an old, wooden door. Only one floor lamp lit the room.
Brian sat on a bed on the opposite side of the room, staring. His hood and mask was back on, hiding his face.
Tim sat up, still semi-conscious.
"Brian?" The other man didnt make a sound. "Damnit- you- let me talk to him," Tim huffed, glaring at him. The other man reluctantly pulled his mask off, and Brian stared back.
"Explain. Now. Where am I?" Tim snapped.
"The Operator's home. Everywhere and nowhere at the same time," Brian grinned lightly. "Gotta admit, much better than being trapped in the ark."
"The ark?"
"A personal hell," Brian glanced to a screen hiding another part of the room, one that Tim hadn't seemed to notice until now. "Created by the Operator. It houses everyone who's died under it's influence."
"So- you, Jay and Alex..?"
"Seth, Alex's old girlfriend- all of them. Anyone Alex has killed." Brian added.
Tim nodded slowly. "So.. where are we now..?"
"The Operator's home," Brian hummed. "We- the residents- call it 'The Mansion.' Its.. hard to explain. It exists in a parallel world- only found by the ones that the Operator wants to find it."
"That.. makes zero sense."
"It will make sense. Over time." Brian laid back on his bed, the mattress creaking under his weight.
"So- youre alive-?"
"No." Brian hummed. "Im more like.. a zombie, I guess you could call it.. lots of us are. But when I escaped the ark, the Operator gave me a choice. I was just a spirit then- he offered me my body back. And I took it." Brian scoffed softly. "Now im in it's debt." He paused. "You never want to get into debt with the Operator. But.. I assume you'll have no choice."
"Why not?"
"Because you already are." Brian hesitate. "Your alter ego- the masked one. The Operator was going to kill him- and-" Tim's eyes widened.
"That rat bastard gave me up-?!" Tim groaned, standing.
"It would have killed you both- i didnt expect the Operator to.."
Tim just shook his head, sighing. "So I'm stuck here-?"
"It was either here or the Ark-!" Brian huffed, but Tim paused.
"Right.. which is the worse of two hells?" Tim shook his head and walked towards the door.
"You won't be able to leave." Brian spoke up, standing as well. "The rooms and halls change. Think of it like a massive labyrinth. You won't be able to leave until It lets you."
Suddenly, the door opened, and a smaller man stood, tilting his head at Tim, who stared in confusion. Tim noticed the man's features- messy, overgrown brown hair, orange fire goggles hiding his eyes and a black muzzle. Two wooden hachets hung at his hips by a holster attached to his belt, covered in blood.
"So, Brian, is th-this the guy you won't sh-shut up about-?" The man scoffed, pushing past Tim and opening the curtain, showing off another area of the room. There was enough room for a twin bed, a small nightstand, and, apparently, clothes scattering what little floor was avaliable. Posters of bands and horror movies scattered the three walls.
"Yes, Toby, this is Tim." Brian answered. "Tim- this is my roommate, Toby."
"Not e-everyone is allowed to ca-call me Toby." The other man glanced back, pulling off his goggles. "You call me Tobias, or I-I'll cut off a finger." Tim's eyes widened at the threat.
"Ah- alright then.."