Chapter Text
There’s a saying she heard a lot as a little girl.
“Curiosity killed the cat”
It took her a while to learn there was a second part to this phrase, but she knows why she was always told the first half.
She was nosey, more nosey than any proper little lady should be. Sticking her nose into things she ‘shouldn’t’ because it ‘wasn’t lady like’
And could get her in serious trouble.
She didn’t mind the danger, after all she loved the second half of that saying once she learned it.
“But satisfaction brought it back”
She wonders if anyone could have known how wondrous the world really was, what dangers truly lurked in the shadows.
Would she have forged ahead anyways?
~~~~~
Fuck. Her head hurts. Cassandra groans and tries to push herself off the cold floor, blinking her eyes open.
She startles when the dark doesn’t melt away.
“W-what” she murmured, rubbing her temple as she pushes herself into a seated position.
She can’t see.
The darkness isn’t fading away and she can’t see.
How hard did she hit her head?
“Fuck” she hisses aloud. Fuck. This is bad. Last thing she remembers was being chased by some creature, got a little too greedy in sticking around to try and draw the thing, it saw her and gave chase, probably looking for a meal.
“Ok, ok, think,” she rubs her head, trying to listen for any movement. She ran into a room to hide, and then… “weird writings on the wall, runes maybe? Fuck I don’t know that shit well enough, I walked around and then… god what the fuck happened?” She asked aloud, a hypothetical not meant to be answered.
And yet something did.
Don’t you remember, friend?
What the FUCK
Cassie startled, looking around frantically as if that would reveal the source of the voice. Not that’d it’d work since she was blind as a bat right now!
“Who- who’s there? I’m armed!” She bluffs, and hears that deep rumbling voice chuckle.
I’m a friend, the voice responds, the only friend you have right now.
Bullshit. But her lack of a response must spur the voice on.
Relax, I won’t hurt you. It seems you’ve stumbled into quite a mess, friend.
She doesn’t trust that, she doesn’t trust that sickly sweet tone at all.
It reminds her of her mother when she wants something out of a business partner. It reminds her of her father when he’s trying to butter up a coworker for a better deal.
It reminds her of the tone her parents take when they lie to her about being proud.
She balls a fist into her skirt.
“Who the hell are you, did you do this to me?” She snaps, she does not have time for this madness!
Now why don’t you take a breath-
“Did you take my eyes!? Give them back!” She demands, failing to cling onto any ounce of rationality.
There’s no need to throw around accusations-
“Answer the fucking question!” She’s not going to be fucked with when her eyes are on the line!
She swears she hears the voice growl in her head.
Listen to me! I do have your eyes, which means it’s in your best interest to-
“Fuck off! I’m not doing this today!” She yells, pushing herself suddenly to her feet.
“I did not sneak past cultists, horrifying abominations out for blood, and creepy ritualistic bullshit just to have some asshole steal my eyes and make demands of me! Who the hell are you thinking you can boss me around!?”
Is she being rational? Not even slightly, but she’s mad, and scared, and feeling like her carefully constructed worldview of what’s true and false is being threatened with a hammer right now.
Silence! How dare you fucking speak to me that way! All ounces of that foe sweetness are gone now, and Cassie can only hear the thundering rage of a storm echoing in her head.
Somehow she finds this much less scary.
Anger is familiar to her.
“You still didn’t answer. Who are you?”
I am the King in Yellow! The voice echoes. A growl rolling like thunder clouds before a storm.
“I don’t believe you!” She spits.
WHAT
“I don’t believe you. I think you’re throwing around a title that you don’t actually have, or at least haven’t earned.” She barrels forward, doubling down.
HOW DARE- the voice growls but Cassie, in a flash of manic boldness, raises a finger.
“Let me finish. Then you can curse my bloodline or whatever”
To her surprise the voice actually goes quiet.
“I think you’re trying to make yourself appear stronger because you’re scared.” She continues, “you’re at the disadvantage, stuck with someone you don’t know or trust, and I think you heard that title, thought you fit it well enough, and decided to wave it around to appear bigger and stronger than you actually are because it’s better to lie than admit you are weak” the voice still hasn’t spoken up to refute her, so she huffs and crosses her arms.
Better give this thing a chance to prove her wrong.
“I’m a woman who works with evidence. And let me tell you the facts I see before me: there is a voice in my head, making a claim I don’t think he can support, because all you are to me right now is a pair of eyes” she insists. “You claim to be the King in Yellow? Fine. What’s your true name?”
My what? The voice finally speaks.
“Gods have true names, what’s yours. I’ll believe you if you tell me it” she keeps her voice steady, even as her heart pounds.
Bait set.
The voice was dead silent.
..Muttering my true name could destroy your fragile mortal body-
Got it!
“And? You seem ambivalent on if my death will free you. Then do it, it’ll be exactly what you want.” She challenged. “Or perhaps you don’t know it, or you know you’d be stuck in a corpse if you did. I wonder how long you could continue to see the world through rotting eyes? How long until it goes dark?”
Both of them are silent for so long Cassie thinks she can hear the scratching of tiny mouse claws against the floor.
Fine the voice finally growls, clearly furious at the admission of defeat. I don’t know my true name. But I know King in Yellow is my true title.
That felt more believable.
But…
“But you’re not at your full power, but if you could make me believe you were, then you’d feel more in control” she rests a hand on her hip.
Honestly, despite the paranormal circumstances, she can relate to that desire.
Trying to grasp for any ladder rung of control while you feel like you’re falling down the ladder.
Too prideful to admit you’re falling in the first place.
And right now this possibly weakened god is a pair of eyes.
“I’m sure you’re scared-“
I am not scared! He snaps.
“-I’m sure you’re uneasy but I’d appreciate if you didn’t pull that shit with me. This is a warning for your sake, I’m not very agreeable with power throwing assholes. So maybe reconsider that plan of attack, sir” was it a good idea to talk back to a voice that at the very least believed he was the king in yellow?
Probably not.
She’s going to blame this poor decision on adrenaline and hope it doesn’t get her killed.
The voice is silent, and she decides to try and feel for her bag. It shouldn’t be too far, it’s not like she threw it.
How did you know? How were you so confident I was putting on a facade? Do you know the true name of the King in Yellow? There’s a growl in the voice when he speaks again, it makes her shiver.
“No, If I did I’d probably be six feet under or in a cult by now. What I did know is you were bluffing” she explains. “I guess for possibly gods and man alike a faker never looks too different”
How. Did. You. Know. The voice demands. She figures she owes him an answer considering how hostile she was being.
“It takes one to know one, good sir” Cassie crosses her arms. “I know people who pull that bullshit. I’ve worked with people who pulled that bullshit. Hell, I’ve pulled that bullshit myself. You aren’t the first person to puff out your chest to hide your fear and you won’t be the last.” She dusts off her skirt, holding her head up a little higher.
“I was betting on you being too prideful to make something up. Met plenty of men like that, and it seems I was right” she’s going to revel in this victory, just a little.
The voice is silent, but she gets the impression this silence is angry.
Don’t compare me to you weak humans. He tuts.
“Well, that reaction was very human of you, so believe me or don’t, I just recognize patterns” in what she can only excuse as manic pride, she tugs the edge of her skirt into a curtsy and gives a half bow. “I’m a woman of evidence”
She hears the voice grumble, she moves to feel for the wall again.
“Look, help me or don’t, I’m getting out of here, I think I’m overdue for a cut and run” she walks and talks.
How long have you been trespassing?
“I don’t have to answer that” she snaps, her hand hits a picture frame, ok she thinks she knows where she is. “…but I’ve been investigating the Larson family for a few months now, decided to snoop around in person” she moved along. “Snuck past cultists, some sort of goat man, chased by an invisible monster, and now there’s a voice in my head claiming to be a god so I think that’s a sign to get the hell out of here”
The monsters didn’t scare you off? The ‘king’ sounds mild
“They didn’t get my eyes” she replies bitterly. “…also admittedly I was more curious on how to draw them over afraid for my life, I could barely see one, it was fascinating!” Fear is momentarily forgotten as the excitement over a new topic fills her voice.
The voice is judgmentally silent.
There is something wrong with you. He says incredibly judgmentally.
RUDE! This hitchhiking thief is RUDE! But before she can try and form a reply she bumps harshly into a table, making a lot of noise as something falls and crashes to the ground.
Oh god Damnit!
“Look, you have my eyes, you can see right? So help me get out of here! Do you actually want to be rotting eyes?” She snaps, trying to listen for any footsteps.
Ugh, fine. I don’t care to return to the Dark World. Take a half step left and you’re clear. I’ll tell you when to turn
“Thank you” she huffs, and does just that, breaking into a light sprint.
“I’m Cassandra, by the way. Do you have something you want me to call you?” Besides the fake title remains unsaid.
Yellow. the now named voice replies. Door to your left, turn… now!
She nodded, following the directions, despite the fear still pounding in her chest she chuckled.
“Did you pick that out yourself?” Not very creative if you asked her considering what he just claimed to be.
No. Yellow spat, but didn’t elaborate further.
She suddenly feels like a bit of an asshole.
But before she can even think of apologizing Yellow speaks again.
There’s a long hallway ahead. Continue straight until I say.
She just nods. Keeping her hands up to try and feel before she bumps into a table again.
She’s not going to put her complete trust in the voice that started their interactions trying to get something from her. But she’s hoping he also wants to get out of here enough not to lead her astray.
She tries to recall her mental map of the place regardless, just in case.
“So, where are you trying to lead me? Because we definitely need an exit” she asks, trying to be casual.
An exit, if I recall correctly there should be one around this way… turn right here.
Well he had no reason to lie… she still kept her guard up, she didn’t make it this far just to blindly believe a voice in her head.
Haha… blind… oh god- she cuts that train of thought down before she has a panic attack.
“Maybe I should clarify; the exit you’re leading me to, is it a door? A window? I’m not above jumping out a window” doing it blind seems like a bad idea but… well better blind then dead?
A back door, let’s not consider defenestration unless it’s a last resort.
Oh this voice knows big words? Charming. Cassie rolls her eyes but nods, fair enough.
“Laundry shoot is also an option, I think I can fit”
I’d rather find a door. Yellow growled, apparently dead set on this door idea.
His lack of flexibility makes her hum, she goes over her mental map again.
So, you were chased before?
“Yeah, by the invisible thing. Didn’t find me until I got into the manner.” Her best guess is it followed her from the woods, it seemed like something was hunting in there.
“Heard a lot of… unsettling sounds. Didn’t scare me off until I was being hunted though, then before that I was hiding from some kind of goat man” she had written down everything she heard, sketched out anything she saw that looked important.
And then there were strange noises and something hunting her.
Turn right here. Yellow instructs, she keeps a hand to the wall.
That would likely be Uncle, that’s the goat man you spotted. Yellow says with a hum. I’m unsure what the invisible monster is called, but it’s controlled by a flute.
Oh she really wants to write this down! It’s smarter to keep moving though.
“How’d you know that?” She asks, curious but trying to seem casual.
Yellow stayed quiet.
Move a bit left, there’s a side table, don’t bump into it. He dodged the question. She does so but hums to herself.
File that away for later.
Finding that flute could be a solid back up plan, but maybe prioritize getting the hell out of here.
I am curious how you’ve remained undetected. Larson has eyes everywhere. Yellow turns the questioning to her now.
“I’m careful and take things slow. If you know how to keep your head down nobody will pay you mind” even in a town as… weird… as Addison.
Or maybe she just slipped by.
Praise to where it’s due, I never heard anything about you. Why did that sound like a backhanded compliment?
“Likewise” she deadpans, and swears Yellow bristles.
Turn here, there’s a hallway, it’ll lead to a stairwell. Yellow instructs, and she pauses.
Something isn’t sitting right, she’s pretty sure she knows where she is in her mental map, and this isn’t a hallway that leads there… well no it does but this isn’t what she’d take for an exit.
“You sure?” She asks, deciding to test something.
What’s that supposed to mean?
“Just didn’t know you knew the layout of this place” she hums innocently.
I’m familiar… enough with this place, maybe not this hallway exactly but I can navigate. Yellow tuts like she’s an idiot.
“Doesn’t answer my question, how do you know the layout?”
Does it matter? I’m all knowing-
“I don’t believe that!” she snaps. “Don’t pull this bullshit again. Where are you taking me?”
Yellow is silent.
And then there’s familiar, guttural growling.
Yellow gasps.
Cassandra MOVE!
She doesn’t hesitate to push away from the wall, moments later hearing whatever decorations were around shatter and tear as something pounces.
“Fuck!” She can’t see the damage, but is pretty sure if it hit her she’d be dead.
There’s deep gouges in the walls. The painting that was there is torn to shreds, the candelabras have fallen to the floor- something prowls closer it’s- Yellow hesitates then continues.
The creature, it’s partly visible, there’s a white powder covering it’s front half-
“Flour” Cassie corrects, still backing away.
What?
“It’s flour, that’s the thing that was chasing me before- before I met you” she explains as quietly as she can, memory of the chase hitting her all at once and making her heart beat harder.
Teeth, eyes, tendrils, terror.
“I couldn’t see it, but I was near the kitchens so, so I ran there and-“
And you threw flour on it to make it visible! Clever work, Cassandra. Yellow praises. Which she’d appreciate more if they weren’t currently trying to escape this thing!
“Doors?” She squeaks.
Not close enough! God Damnit it’s crouching, it’s going to pounce! Move!
She dodged to the left, hearing wind blow past as something large and terrifying misses her again. She won’t get lucky the third time.
The candelabra! It looks heavy! It’s behind you, three steps back, grab it! Yellow orders, and frankly having a weapon sounds great right now so she blindly reaches back with her left hand.
Grab it! Damnit- look back so I can see-
“And have you take eyes off the thing with big teeth? Fuck no!” She snaps in reply, her hand grabs the weapon.
Move! Yellow roars, she rolls to the side, yelping as she hears fabric tear.
With the flour, I can see it’s head! Some sort of creature, like a goat or hound, I can’t tell- The claws look sharp, and the teeth look needle like, but the eyes are weak! If you stab it in the eyes you can kill it! Yellow growls, Cassie keeps moving backwards, holding the weapon with both hands.
Or if she gets close it bites her arm off. God she didn’t get a good look at the thing when she first covered it in flour, its shape looked vaugly like animals she knows; goat, sheep, wolf, but it was wrong. Too many eyes, too many teeth, tendrils that writhed-
Her breathe quickens, she can’t move-
CASSANDRA! Yellow roars, and she runs as she hears the thing charge again.
It’s chasing us! The hallway is too long, it’ll catch you before you can turn!
“W-we need to slow it down!” Fuck she can’t think- she can’t see she can’t see what she can work with- “is there anything to throw at it! Or- or tangle it in-“
I’m looking! There! Curtains to your left.
“Are they big?”
They touch the floor, they’re a deep red and look thick.
Good enough!
“Tell me when it pounces again” she runs towards where she hopes the curtains are.
She blindly grabs for them with her right hand. When she feels expensive fabric under her fingers she squeezes.
The candelabra is held tightly in her left hand.
It’s crouching again. Get ready- NOW.
She dodged and pulls the curtain with her, she hears the monster make a squelching noise. The curtain is ripped from her fingers.
It’s gotten tangled! The banister ripped from the walls as it attempts to free itself. Strike it now!
“Where’s the head?” She grabs the weapon with both hands.
To your left- there! Swing down!
There’s a satisfying thunk of metal hitting something solid, a high pitched whine of something not quite animal being hurt.
And then there’s a thump of something heavy hitting the floor.
She backs away with a gasp.
Her wrists feel numb from the force of the hit.
It’s down, kill it Cassandra! Yellow hisses, but she just backs away.
What are you doing? It’s not dead yet!
“But it’s down. And it won’t be getting up anytime soon, right?” She huffs, still backing away. “If we kill it we could piss off something bigger and meaner. More importantly, it proves I was here.” She pants, heart still racing. “I’m not killing it”
She tries to breathe, but her lungs won’t listen, her heart won’t stop pounding.
She can’t feel her hand.
Are you a fucking idiot! Kill it before it kills you! Yellow roars.
“I’m going down the hallway!” She exclaims before running.
God fucking- more right, I’ll tell you when to turn. Yellow relents, but clearly isn’t happy about it.
Did she drop the candelabra? She can’t feel her hand-
Turn left here. This hallway is darker, you can slow down a bit here.
She does, feeling for the corner with her hand-
She can’t feel her left hand, it’s still there right? Fuck did she get hurt or-
Breathe Cassandra. You need to breathe.
Fuck, yeah, Yellow has a point. She takes a deep breath, then another, and just tries to calm down.
Nothing is coming. Your safe enough for now. Just breathe, I’ll tell you if that changes. He isn’t being nice, but she will take what she can get.
When she finally had a chance to breathe she could finally process the lack of feeling in her left hand. Shakily, she trails a hand down her left side, and notes how the feeling fades just below the elbow.
What the fuck
“I-I can’t feel my hand” she mutters. Taking a step back until she bumps into the wall.
And then, before her brain can process the hows or whys to the sudden numbness, her left wrist turns on its own, and she feels muscles move under her fingers.
Her brain misfires.
“W-what-“ she whispers.
Interesting… Yellow practically purrs, and she continues to feel her arm move independently of her-
She suddenly snatched her wrist in an iron grip.
“What did you do?” She demands, voice shaking but anger slowly blotting out the fear.
It would appear I have your hand, Cassandra. Yellow sounds amused and utterly fascinated, if she didn’t know better she’d think he’s reveling in this.
She tightens her grip on her unfeeling wrist.
“How. How did you do that?” She demands, and hears Yellow laugh coldly.
Now why would I tell you that? He taunts, clearly basking in her fear, basking in the control he has over her.
Cassie’s anger solidified, and she decides she won’t let that stand.
“You must have grabbed it when we got attacked by that thing. If you could have made any grabs for my limbs before you would have tried. Wouldn’t you?” It was a statement, not a question. Yellow was silent a moment, she continued on.
“So, what was different about this? It was because I was off focus wasn’t it? Some sort of mental weakness because I almost died while blinded, stuck with an entity that I’m not convinced wouldn’t wish for my death, and attacked by something I haven’t had time to process the implications of.” She hisses, and Yellow’s continued silence tells her all she needs to know.
She’s on the right track.
“You just couldn’t help yourself from slipping through those cracks could you? Not happy with just my eyes, you wanted a hand too?” She growls. “Answer me Yellow!”
He’s silent for far too long.
Even if I did know the specifics, why would I tell them to you? Yellow tries to sound haughty, confident like her fear is beneath him.
She tightens her grip for a moment. She can feel the fingers of her stolen hand trail against her wrist.
“I’m not letting this happen again. So enjoy the hand, because that’s all you’re getting if I can help it” she finally lets go, and thumps the back of her head against the cold wall.
And what makes you believe you can stop me? Yellow taunts. She stays silent, but makes her anger known.
She contemplates if she might have to cut her arm off to keep an entity in check.
She wonders if he suspects she might do that too.
That monster won’t stay down forever, Yellow changes the subject. Move or don’t, but I don’t care to know if it’ll wake up angry.
Right, they only knocked the thing out, it’s not dead. It’s still not safe.
“Fine.” She rubs the space between when feeling melts away on her arm a few times, then lets her hand drop.
It’s a surreal feeling, being aware of her left hand now fisting into her skirt. She takes a deep breath.
“Don’t do anything foolish with it, okay?” Is all she says before pushing away from the wall, “we still need to get out of here”
Don’t tell me what to do! Yellow snaps. But I agree. I’d rather not learn what it feels like to lose a hand.
And with a quick instruction on the next doorway, she’s off and moving again, leaving behind a beast she won’t be able to document even if she wanted to.
A real shame, if it was knocked out she could get really close…
Ok Cassie, priorities
“Okay, okay. Where are we now?” She asks, just keep moving.
Dark hallway, the stairwell is a bust, but I’m sure we can find another way down. Yellow sounds frustrated, but she doesn’t push.
Mental map, mental map… “describe it? Please?”
It’s a hallway, there’s some large paintings on the walls, red curtains hung by the windows, tied back with thick rope, there’s a statue by one of the corners, some sort of animal.
Okay, she knows where she is.
“Thanks, an exit shouldn’t be far. Even then falling from a window won’t be that bad compared to becoming monster food”
Let’s not jump out of windows just yet, Cassandra.
The walk is eerily silent for a while, only Yellows voice breaking it, but the more he leads the more she realizes.
He’s definitely leading her somewhere, and it’s not an exit.
She has her mental map, and this sure as hell isn’t leading where it should. She slows down a bit,
“Okay, so where are we going?” She asks, innocently.
Keep going straight, a storage room should be ahead, it’ll have a trap door down to a back exit.
Cassie stops, oh she knows he’s lying now.
“Do you think I’m a fucking idiot?” She deadpans.
What? Why did you stop? The storage room is ahead.
“Yellow, do you think I’m an idiot?” She repeats, ignoring him.
Why are you asking me this, Cassandra?
“Because we aren’t heading towards an exit.”
You have no way of knowing-
“Do you think I just got here? That I don’t know the layout of this place?” She snaps. “I spent months plotting this fucking trip you think I’d go in blind onto private property? You think I’d risk getting arrested because I thought I could wing it? You think I didn’t prepare?” She raises her voice.
“I know the layout of this manor Yellow! There is no storage room that leads to a back door! I know that you’re taking me to Larson’s office!”
Yellow is silent.
“I knew it! You asshole! You want to get me killed so badly don’t you?”
I was not trying to get you killed Cassandra. Yellow growls, like she’s an idiot. But I want to speak with Larson, he offered me a deal- he could separate us!
“Oh and he will just be so generous talking to the lady who broke into his property” sarcasm and anger are melting together now, “I know he’s got a cult that listens to him, and apparently he has monsters. What do you think will happen if the deal goes bad?”
It won’t! That’s why we are speaking with Larson.
“Oh so you’re an idiot then?”
What!?
“Larson would eat you alive oh my god” despite it all, she lets out an almost manic laugh.
You know nothing! You don’t know what we spoke of, how he spoke about me! Yellow is getting louder, Cassie won’t back down from a fight.
“He’s already buttering you up? Oh, you want to hand yourself over to this guy on a silver platter huh? Am I silverware now? A third wheel to whatever negotiations you wanted? I was just inconveniencing you huh your majesty?” She’s mocking him now.
If she had the time to think she’d realize this is a really stupid idea.
How dare you! Who are you to talk to me this way? You’re just some fucking nobody who shouldn’t even be here! Yellow roars, you are going to take me to Larson, I don’t care what happens to you but he will help me!
Yellow finally confesses, and that is the most believable thing he’s said all day.
“And why would he listen to you? Take anything you say seriously?” She glares at nothing, and sinks in her teeth.
BECAUSE I'M THE KING IN YELLOW!
She flinches at how loud he was, a thunderclap making her ears ring.
She doesn’t let it go.
“No, you think you are!” She yells right back. “You have no proof, but you know what he’ll do? He’ll make you think he believes you. He’ll say whatever you want to hear to make you think he’s on your side, and then he will use you until you have nothing left to offer” she hisses. Venom dripping from her words.
“And then he will throw you away”
You know nothing! You lie! You speak so highly of proof and evidence but where’s your fucking proof? Yellow challenges.
“Right here!” She grabs the strap of her messenger bag. “I have evidence of just what kind of man he is, of business deals he made that screwed over partners, I can show you plenty of evidence Yellow. You can’t trust him! Can you show me your proof he will treat you any differently than these men?”
He will because I am a god-
“You're a pair of eyes and a hand stuck in the body of a scrawny lady.” She snaps. “He won’t take either of us seriously! I could blind you right now by shoving my thumb into my eyes! What will you do then?”
Fuck you!! Yellow growls like a caged animal. Who the hell do you think you are Cassandra?
“I’m a goddamn journalist who did her fucking research!” She bites back
Both of them are cut off at a guttural growl. A familiar one of an actual beast.
Cassandra move!
She narrowly misses getting her head sliced off by that fucking monster again! She stumbles against the wall, turning so Yellow can see-
It’s that beast again! It’s still got flour covering it, and now that red curtain is tangled against its back- it’s charging for you! Dodge!
“Fuck!” She hisses as she does so, why won’t this thing just give up!? It can’t be that hungry!
It’s- fuck it’s turning fast- MOVE!
White hot pain hits her bicep and Cassie screams.
It scratched you- fucking move it’s going to lunge!
She wants to yell that she knows it scratched her because her arm fucking HURTS but she just moves. She doesn’t care where she just runs, she can hear it pounding behind her.
“Fuck- we made too much noise it heard us-“
No, you made too much noise! If you had just listened to me we could be negotiating with Larson now! Not running for our lives!
“I’d rather the monster eat me than negotiate with Larson!” She declares, unsure how serious that sentiment is.
That thing is making noises no animal should make and hits her with a fresh wave of terror.
“I need something heavy!” She yells.
There’s a vase- on the right! Yellow directs, she feels his hand reach out and latch onto something. She grabs it and feels a large and heavy vase.
Good enough.
It's getting closer- throw it now!
“Wait! We get one shot at this Yellow we can’t fuck it up.”
Fine! It’s slowed down, prowling, it’s stalking us.
It’s playing with its food.
“Wait till it jumps” she whispers, and slowly backs away.
It’s prowling… it’s rearing back-
Ready-
She hears the air move and the monster roar.
She and Yellow swing with all their might.
She hears pottery shatter, a monster whimper, the loud thump of something hitting a display table, and feels the weight of the vase no longer in her arms.
It’s down! Yellow declares, we won’t get another chance.
She backs away.
KILL IT CASSANDRA!
“I’m not doing that!” She hisses despite her arm throbbing, instead of backing away slowly she sprints. “A door! I need a door!”
You fucking idiot why won’t you just listen to me! Door to your right, turn NOW!
She turns, she feels for the handle and quickly slips inside, closing the door behind her and trying to feel for a lock.
There’s a chain lock, not good enough.
“I need a chair, or a dresser- something heavy to block the door” she orders, quickly looking around so Yellow can find what she’s after.
I’m looking! There! There’s a dresser to your left, it’s parallel to the doorway, you just need to push it.
“Perfect.” Cassie rushes towards it, only stumbling a moment to get a grip and pushes.
She feels blood drip down her arm, she ignores it for now.
Stop, it’s blocking the door. I don’t know how long this will hold. Yellow states.
“It just needs to hold long enough for it to loose interest” she leans against the wall, hissing as the claw gashes are touched.
“Actually, it needs to hold long enough for me to bandage this.” She sets her bag down and starts digging. “Yellow, help me out, it’ll be faster if you help me find this”
What are you looking for? Yellow asks, and she feels his hand reach over.
“Bandages, I told you I came in prepared”
Thankfully it didn’t take them long to pull out the bandages, and the bottle of antiseptic she brought.
She’s so glad Oddie insisted she overprepare a bit, she would have just brought bandages if he hadn’t.
“Okay, be honest, how bad is it?” She grabs a handkerchief from her bag and looks at her injured arm.
It’s bleeding slowly but steadily, deep red gashes have been torn into your bicep just under the shoulder, there doesn’t seem to be bone, and I can’t see much exposed muscle, how fortunate for you, there won’t need to be stitches.
“Oh good, I didn’t bring anything for that.” She hums lightly to try and cover up the pit of panic in her stomach.
“You’ll have to pour the antiseptic, and help me bandage it. You can get your ‘I told you So’s’ out while we work but the faster this is done the faster we can move”
Oh how generous allowing me to complain at your own idiotic choice to show a monster mercy. Yellow taunts, but does make a grab for the bottle since it’s snatched from her hand.
She doesn’t get any warning when he pours it on the injury.
She yelps.
“Jesus- fucking- ow!” She hisses as she feels Yellow use the cloth to clean up the blood.
Stop complaining, in all of this important ‘preparation’ did you not anticipate horrific monster attacks? Yellow taunts.
This fucking guy-
“I was expecting a rich, influential man who, at most, had a cult of personality around him. I was expecting gun fights, or knives, or brutes with brass knuckles, I am so sorry, your Royal asswipe-ness, that I didn’t belive i’d be having to run from a fucking chupacabra!”
What the fuck is a chupacabra? Yellow pauses his work to ask, utterly baffled.
“It’s a creature that attacks livestock and sucks their blood, it’s a folklore myth- whatever the point is I didn’t expect the unexpected!”
Then why did you bring your evidence journal with you?
“That wasn’t my only copy, in fact I have been filling that one out during my visit. Because I didn’t just get here. You want to know how long I’ve been snooping? I’ve been sneaking around town for a few hours, and been inside the mansion for a little over two hours.” She huffs, holding up the bandage roll when she feels yellow pull the rag away.
You’re slow.
“I’m thorough. Now help me wrap this tightly. We can’t afford blood stains on the carpet.”
With the mess you’ve made, do you think you’ll escape undetected? Yellow taunts.
“I just need enough plausible deniability that I’m overlooked” she answers, already hoping a lot of her mess can be excused by the monster just causing trouble.
Or whatever the hell was going on before she got here.
Together they wrap the wound up tightly in the bandages, it feels pretty secure once they’re done, the claw marks throb dully, but it should be fine.
She sighs, puts everything back in her bag, then stands up while pulling the strap over her shoulder.
“Thank you, Yellow.” She says because it’s polite.
It’ll be inconvenient if you die, Cassandra. Yellow tuts.
“I mean it, thanks for helping patch me up” even if he did try and lead her to Larson…
She’s choosing to call this a makeup for it.
She hears heavy footsteps.
She slaps her hand over her mouth.
Fuck- it’s prowling, how’d it get up so fast? Yellow sounds frustrated, she glances around the room.
The only other exit is out a window, I don’t see a balcony, but maybe there’s a ledge if it comes to it. He speaks with almost a growl.
She hears the monster prowl past the door.
She doesn’t dare breathe until it passes.
She doesn’t move until she can’t hear it anymore.
Her heart races for several tense beats in the silence.
She finally lowers her hands.
“Fuck” her voice trembles, her heart is racing, adrenaline making her dizzy.
And her arm still fucking hurts!
I told you so! Yellow finally declares.
I told you we should have killed it! Now look at what’s happened! You’ve gotten yourself hurt because you didn’t listen to me-
“Listening to you would have led me to Larson-“ she snaps, but cuts herself off, realizing what’s going on.
Jesus fucking Christ they can’t keep going in circles like this.
“Oh my god we’re never getting out of here if we keep bickering like this” Cassie rubs the bridge of her nose, knocking her glasses askew in the process.
What a clever observation, anything else obvious you’d like to state? Yellow sounds curt.
“Okay you know what? I’m calling a truce” she fixes her glasses. “I don’t want to be here, you don’t want to die in whatever capacity that means for you. Let’s just call a truce and be civil until we get out of this fucking town.”
Civil? You ask for civility now?
“Well the bickering sure hasn’t been working out has it?” She gestures to her bandaged bicep, it still throbs dully. “So let's just shelve all that bullshit until we are out of here and safe to metaphorically rip each others heads off, how does that sound to you, sir?”
Yellow growls, but is silent in a way she’s starting to think means that she’s right and he doesn’t want to admit it.
She rests her hand against her messenger bag and waits.
Fine. I concede to your point. I agree to your truce.
“Good, thank you. I’ll save all my own personal gripes until we’re safely out of danger.”
And will you cease your pointless questions too?
Well, compromises must be made for the sake of civility.
“I’ll save my questions for later too.” She grumbles but nods. “Anything else?”
I get to set conditions? Yellow sounds mild.
“If it means you won’t try and lead me into a trap or something? Yeah, that’s the point of civility. We set our conditions and keep our mouths shut on complaints until the greater threat is gone.” She shrugs.
“For example; I’m not killing anything unless I have no choice. No bodies, no proof I was here.” In theory anyways.
Coward. Yellow mutters
“Better than pissing off a man who’s not only powerful socially but apparently has literal demons on his side.”
Those were not demons that looked more like a Dark Young, the spawn of Shub-Niggurath.
“Wait really? Is there a whole occult fauna to study- never mind question for later” she shakes her head, forcing herself to focus.
Yellow hums, but doesn’t say anything to that.
Don’t threaten me. Yellow finally states. She blinks, okay that’s fair.
“So, your conditions are no questions, and don’t threaten you?” She asks to clarify.
And keep up the civility, yes. I also want to see your evidence against Larson. If you’re so insistent he isn’t to be trusted, I want to see how you came to this conclusion.
She can work with that.
“Alright, deal.” She nods, “as soon as we’re safe you can read over everything I’ve got, I can give my own testimony too for whatever that’s worth to you.”
I’ll consider the testimony, but I want this proof.
She nods at that, good, maybe he’s learning about how important evidence is.
“My conditions are also don’t threaten me, don’t try and lead me somewhere I don’t want to go, and no killing anything unless we have no other option” she hums, tilting her head this way and that, “also, I want to prioritize escape, no more snooping, no more lingering, we get out alive.”
Deal.
“Great! let’s shake on it” she holds up her hand, aiming it towards the other that Yellow controls.
You… want to… shake on it? Yellow sounds confused, like the concept of a handshake itself is foreign.
“Never shook on a deal before, Yellow? It’s just a way to formally acknowledge things.” She pauses, then adds, “If you really don’t want to I guess we don’t need to shake on it”
No! I’ll do this stupid formality. Yellow snaps, but it didn’t sound angry.
Before she can find the word to describe what yellow sounded like, she felt his hand grab hers.
It was firm, but not painful, she wraps her fingers securely around his and gives their hands a solid shake.
“Alright, it’s a deal then, Yellow”
Good. Let’s get the fuck out of here.
“Agreed”
Okay, time to plan. She leans an ear against the door, trying to listen for any movement.
“Alright, hear anything?”
No, but be aware, Larson as well as Uncle are likely still here. Don’t run into them if you want to escape.
Okay, we got a goat man, an invisible monster, and a cult leader. No pressure.
“Climbing out the window is going to be harder now thanks to the arm” she hums, she can’t think of any nearby doors out that don’t risk running into the prowling horror.
So what does that leave…
“Laundry shoot!” She suddenly realizes, standing up a bit.
Yes! There should be one in one of the guest rooms, it’ll be closer than the stairway. Yellow catches on.
“And that leads to the basement floor, which will have a direct exit out back.”
This room looks like a library, a bedroom shouldn’t be far.
“Right, keep an eye out, we’re getting the fuck out of here” she nods, and after making sure she hears nothing, she slowly creeps out the door.
She keeps her steps light and quick as she trails a hand along the wall.
Keep going straight, I see a doorway.
She feels the handle when it runs under her palm, she quickly pushes the door open and looks inside.
Not a bedroom. Keep moving. Yellow instructs.
She closes the door and does just that.
They repeat this for three more doors, until finally-
Bedroom! Get inside, now!
She does, closing the door behind her.
“Okay, any handles to a laundry shoot?”
I’m looking! Yellow snaps, then speaks again. To the right, I think that’s it.
She heads over, feels for the handle, and pulls.
The hatch opened up, there’s a long space heading downwards, you could fit inside with little struggle.
“Perfect- help me out here Yellow, it’ll be harder to run if I break my ankle falling.
With a bit of struggle, they wiggled inside, braced against the sides, and slowly crawled down the shoot, she tried not to think about how the pressure on her bicep made the injury sting, or wonder if it was bleeding through the bandages and leaving a trail of red.
I see another hatch! Yellow declares, and she reaches out an arm to push it open.
Yes! Laundry room! Go! Crawl out here!
Jesus fucking christ her arms burn, but she crawls, stumbles to her knees, and pulls herself up by the wall. Christ, she has to catch her breath.
Yes Cassandra! The room is empty, piles of cloth and linens are piled around waiting to be washed. The room is empty, you can take a moment to catch your breath.
She bites back any snark about how she’s doing just that, thank you!
Instead, she secures her messenger bag, and stands up. Best not stall too long.
“Okay, I'm fine, window? Door?”
There’s a window to the right, above some of the wash basins. There’s a door ahead of you-
She hears heavy footsteps.
It didn’t sound like the monster, but she was now aware of two other people in the building.
They sounded too heavy to be a regular human.
She rushes for the window.
It’s locked with a latch- she reaches out and the lock opens with a click. Good! It’s open, push! And with a heft they push the window open.
You can fit if you push your bag through first. Hurry! It sounds like Uncle is getting closer!
She doesn’t need to be told twice. Moving quick they toss her bag down, thankfully it doesn’t sound like it fell far, hopefully the snow cushions the fall.
He’s getting closer! Move Cassandra, and be careful!
Biting back a cry at the pressure on her injured bicep, she climbs out of the window and stumbles, falling face first into a pile of snow.
I said to be careful! Yellow scolds, but she is not dignifying that with a response.
Cassie has never been more glad to be covered in snow.
Close the window! Yellow reminds and- fuck! Yeah- he has a point! She turns around and Yellow reaches up, pushing the window back closed.
She breathes a cold sigh of relief.
“Oh thank fucking god.”
Don’t celebrate just yet. We’re only out of the mansion. Yellow brings up, which is a fair point but she needs to celebrate the little victories okay?
“I know! I know- just. Oh my fuck.” She pushes herself to her knees, runs her hand through her hair, and takes a deep breath of the cold air.
She then remembers it’s COLD and digs her heavy jacket out of her bag, thankfully yellow doesn’t need to be asked to help with that, she wonders if his hand feels cold too.
“Ok, ok, from here we can use the route I got in to get out. There’s a train station outside of town a ways away, it’s a bit of a walk but honestly, compared to that bullshit that seems like a break” she explains as she stands up fully, pulling the jacket on and dusting off a bit of the snow clinging to her skirt.
You planned out your exit already? What was your goal here?
“Well it wasn’t getting attacked or walking out with a rude body snatching entity” she grumbles, shivering from the cold. She bundles up a bit more before grabbing her bag.
“I lost my scarf on the way here.” She grumbles, she had hoped to find it on her way out but… she might have to risk the loss.
It’s freezing. Yellow growls.
“Yes I can feel that” she snaps then takes a deep breath of cold air. “Just- let’s move. The sooner we get to the station the sooner we can warm up.” She double checks her location, and after relaying the direction with Yellow, they head off.
How long of a walk is this exactly? If she didn’t know any better she’d think he was whining. I was informed the only way out of Addison is by car, the roads are iced over.
“Well it took me maybe… a couple hours of walking, but adrenaline is probably still rolling so we can pick up the pace” plus she’d rather not listen to this guy whine about being cold the entire time, she speeds up to a light jog.
A couple hours!? Cassandra, did you walk the entire way to Addison?? Yellow sounds in utter disbelief.
“Yes? I thought it’d leave less of a trail than taking a car. The whole point was I wasn’t meant to be seen” she huffs like she’s stating the obvious.
Yellow is silent.
I can’t believe it. I’m stuck with a human more mad than Arthur Lester.
“Oh don’t start complaining, I’m the one walking, not you” she huffs, picking up the pace again.
“If you’re cold, there’s a pocket in the jacket.” She offers, “I’ve got gloves in the bag too.” since they’re still being civil.
And you won’t be cold? Yellow sounds uninterested, but she wonders why he even asked.
“I’m moving so I’ll be a bit less cold,” she hums. “Though, I might pause to change my shoes and find those gloves once the town is out of sight, better for walking, they got spikes for the ice”
You’re utterly mad.
“Just keep an eye on the compass, sir. The walk will take longer if we get lost” she hummed chipperly, and was rewarded with Yellow groaning obnoxiously in disappointment.
“Oh, and if you see a ruby scarf stuck in a tree or something, let me know.” She isn’t getting her hopes up. Maybe one of the monsters has already claimed it for themselves.
She just keeps moving.
She needs to make it back home.
When Yellow shoved his hand into her coat pocket for warmth she doesn’t comment,
When they pause to change her shoes out for the snow boots and finally put the gloves on, Yellow mumbles something that sounds like ‘finally’.
And she hums in polite thanks when Yellow decides to break the silence of the trek back by reciting poetry he knows.
“Earnest Henley? Didn’t know you were a poet”
It’s just something I’ve heard before. Yellow dismisses.
She doesn’t press, instead sharing something of her own.
“I memorized some lines from Madea, shall I share some poetry of my own?”
Do what you will.
So she does.
It fills the time as she walks, Yellow sometimes comments on the scenery, and she decides to be grateful for what this is.
Civility in the face of madness.
Yellow sighs heavily as the wind picks up and she feels snow flakes hit her face.
Whatever tracks she makes will likely be covered in a matter of minutes.
Just keep moving.
This too shall pass.