Chapter Text
"Miss…I know this is a horrible situation, for everybody involved." The officer's tone was monotone, almost…uncaring. At least that's what Jane thought. "Could you tell me anything you may know about the killer? Any relationship, any reason why he may have targetted your parents and your sister…?"
Jane sobbed, her head down on the cold table. "I don't know…" She shook in anger and despair. "I don't know!"
She looked up at the officer, tears streaming down her face.
"He's a kid from my school! I j-just went to that party! Everyone did!" She banged her hands on the table.
She panted and sobbed uncontrollably.
"He's fucking insane! He killed them! M-mom and dad! They're gone…" Her voice broke. "H-he killed Jessie…they're all…they're all dead….they're all…"
Jeff stirred awake, running a hand through his long, messy black hair. He looked in the mirror, dissatisfied at his appearance. I wish I could be more beautiful, he thought.
He tried to push aside the thought, like he pushed aside most of them. The bad, 'evil' thoughts in his head that his therapist had told him he had to work on to control and get rid of. But Jeff's parents stopped paying for his therapy a while ago, they thought it was all nonsense. So his murderous thoughts remained, and he accepted them as part of himself. Embraced them, even. Even if he hadn't given into them, yet.
Jeff walked into Liu's room. It was dimly lit and empty; his older brother was probably having breakfast right now. He was going to go find him and their parents, but something caught Jeff's eye.
On the nightstand, there was a plush. A humanoid-looking figure, dressed in black attire. It lacked a face, and it was completely pale. It donned a slick black suit with a black tie. The longer Jeff stared, the stranger he felt. It was as if the plush had its own pull, and it was…disturbing.
Jeff smiled at it, stepping closer towards the plush and picking it up.
"Hello there…"
He inspected it, turning it around trying to see if there was any gimmick to it, but there didn't seem to be.
"Did Liu bring you home..?"
Jeff giggled, placing it back down and walking away.
He left and walked towards the dining table, where Liu was setting up their breakfast. Their mother and father were arguing about something slightly farther away, and the siblings didn't bother to listen in.
"Morning, Jeff."
"Hey, Liu…"
They began to eat while chatting calmly.
"So, when are you getting a girlfriend, kid?"
"I have time, Liu, shut up…I'm only sixteen…" Jeff said in a monotone voice.
"And soon you'll be seventeen, then eighteen…"
"Okay, where's your girlfriend?"
"Don't worry about me, Jeff…worry about yourself. Hey, how about that Jane girl you've been talking to?"
"She's cool…and pretty…but I don't know…ugh…just shut up, Liu…"
Liu sighed in annoyance at his brother's remark, and they continued to eat.
"Mhm," Liu spoke while taking a bite, "so…you ready for Jordan's party?"
"Who?"
"Barbara's kid, the neighbor…"
"Oh…ugh…we have to go?"
Liu nodded. "Mom said so…she wants us to make friends with him. He's inviting a bunch of people from school, apparently."
Jeff groaned. He didn't want to go at all, especially if people from school would be there. Sure, maybe Jane would show up, but…other kids could show up, too. Kids like Keith, Troy, and Randy. The last time he ran into them, they got into a big argument. It was insults, and jokes, and mean words—then Jeff hit Randy in the face with a right hook, and they began to fight. Liu had to break it off, and he ended up taking the blame when they got back home.
As much as Jeff had enjoyed beating the brakes off of Randy, he wasn't exactly eager to fight in a much more public spot like the neighbor's house, with classmates and adults there. And he knew that would probably happen, but it didn't matter. Mom said they were going, so they were going.
Then, the day of the party came. Jeff and Liu walked into Jordan's house, seeing some familiar as well as unknown faces. Jeff spotted Jane dancing with a girl he didn't recognize, and he didn't talk to her. He walked away, seeing a familiar-looking girl who seemed to glance at him. Jeff swore her name was something like Nita or Nina, he wasn't sure. He had no clue where Liu was by now. Regardless, he sat in a corner, waiting for the time to pass.
"Is that you, Jeffrey Woods?!"
Jeff recognized Randy's voice instantly. He stood up and he saw the three of them coming towards him. He tried to ready himself, putting his fists up.
"Back up…"
Randy was…confident. He smiled at Jeff, throwing a punch that actually made Jeff spit out some blood.
"I'm prepared this time, you asshole.."
Randy grabbed Jeff by the throat while Keith and Troy held him pinned against the corner. Jeff looked down to see Randy opening a bottle of bleach, and before he could react, Randy quickly jerked the open bottle towards him. He aimed for his face, but only managed to get the side of his cheek, and the rest spilled onto his neck.
"What the fuck?!.."
Randy signaled something to Troy, who nodded and passed him a lighter. Randy smiled at Jeff.
"That's what you fuckin' get, see…"
Jeff shook and pushed hard against the other kids, trying to get away from them, but it was too late. Randy turned on the lighter, placing it against the crook of Jeff's neck. It ignited instantly, setting Jeff ablaze.
He screamed in pain, falling to his knees as the other boys quickly backed away from him. He screeched and writhed on the floor, clawing at his burning skin. Jeff watched as the other people turned to face him in fear, and it was the last thing he saw as he passed out.
Jeff awoke hours later in a hospital. He looked around, dazed and confused. He felt his body numb, and realized that part of his face and his neck were bandaged up. Liu and his parents stood beside him.
"Jeff," Liu said. "You're finally awake…oh, my god…"
A nurse came up to Jeff, unwrapping his bandages. His cheek and his entire neck were scarred, and his family members stared.
"Is it…bad?"
"Nah.." Liu reassured, "it's not bad, man. It's fine."
Eventually, Jeff was allowed to go home. He walked slowly towards the mirror, and looked up at himself.
He tilted his head to the side. The scars were…unnerving. Something about them made Jeff feel unsettled. It wasn't the fact that his body had been permanently harmed.
It was the fact that he was much more beautiful now.
That night, Jeff walked into the kitchen and grabbed a knife. He walked back into the bathroom, staring at himself in the mirror. He quickly cut into the sides of his cheeks, carving his face into a permanent, bleeding smile. He laughed at his reflection, admiring the depraved beauty of it all.
The blood stained onto his white hoodie. He was ready to go back to bed, and soon, he would take revenge on the people that he perceived had wronged him.
Suddenly, he turned to his side, seeing a figure in the darkness.
A tall, lanky creature, reminiscent of the plush in Liu's room. Like it, it had no face and was completely pale, wearing a purely black suit.
"Hello…"
Jeff whispered to it, but when he blinked, it was gone.
Jeff opened the door and walked around, trying to find the creature again. He turned around and indeed saw a figure, but this one let out a high-pitched scream at the sight of him.
It was his mother. She backed up, hitting a wall, crying at her son's bleeding face.
Jeff rushed towards her, and the knife was inside her chest before either of them knew it. He stabbed into her over and over, blood gushing from her body.
"Shh…" He placed a hand over her mouth. "Go to sleep…"
Jeff put her body down slowly, trying to not make much noise.
Suddenly, Jeff was tackled to the floor by a much larger man. It was his father. He had tears in his eyes, and he held Jeff by the neck. Jeff couldn't help but laugh.
He struggled, but managed to stab the knife into his father's neck. He quickly pulled it out and jabbed at him, over and over.
Jeff took heavy breaths as the body slid off of him. He stood up and leaned against the wall, panting hard. The blood of his parents still clung to his face, his hoodie, and his jeans.
This wasn't the plan. He didn't mean for this to happen. But it made him feel…good. A wicked sense of accomplishment.
And now, there was only one to go.
Jeff slowly opened the door to Liu's room. Unfortunately for him, it was completely empty. Liu wasn't there, the strange plush was missing as well, and the window was opened just enough for somebody to sneak out.
Jeff sighed in disappointment. He ignored the feeling, and instead decided to walk back into the bathroom. He stared at his beautiful reflection in the mirror; he was perfect. It was everything he ever wanted.
Now, he was finally free. Liu was next. Randy, Troy, Keith. Every single person he could find. Soon enough, he'd get them all. Soon enough, he'd put them all to sleep.