Darkness of the Heart - Ch5

Chapter 5 – An Unlikely Friendship

Dark slowly opened his eyes yet again, finding himself in the apartment room. The TV was on, showing the news. We have been reported of seeing two teenagers with unknown abilities earlier today. One is a mental patient that goes by the name of Dark, who escaped from the hospital last night with an unknown suspect. The other was a boy with blonde hair and spiked armor. If you see any of these three people, please contact us right away.
“I just should have left him there...” Dark sat up, hearing Jackie talk in the kitchen.
“Don’t worry, sir. If you want, we can take him back to the hospital and be sure he never escapes again.” His eyes soon widened. That voice was familiar. But who?...It finally struck him. It was the doctor who took him away from his parents.
“That fool...” Dark went to reach for a nearby surgery knife, but felt his arms tied together behind his back by a blanket. His sleeves were torn up to his elbows, being used as bandages for his burnt palms. They were smarter than he thought. Jackie and a medium height doctor walked out of the kitchen to Dark, hearing his struggles for freedom.
“Hello, Dark. Do you remember me?” Dark did nothing but glare, still struggling as best as he could to try and break the blanket in half. However, there was no success. Jackie did nothing but watch, wanting nothing more to do with this situation.
“I’m your doctor. You know, Dr. Mav. I’m here to take you back home and-“
“All you want to do is bring me back to the small room, make me suffer, and just watch me die.” Dark glared even deeper. “I’m not that dumb.”
“No, Dark, you have it all wrong. We’re taking you to a new room. Now, if you’ll just come with me...” Dark looked over at Jackie who just looked away, then down. Dark stood up without difficulties.
“Come here.” There was silence as Dark took a couple of steps foreward. As he did, the blanket began to burn slowly to ashes. Before he was even two feet away, he broke the blanket and threw it at Dr. Mav. While distracted, he picked up the sharp knife and was about to stab the doctor. However, Jackie grabbed him by the arms and pulled him away.
“Dark, relax! He wants to help you!” Dr. Mav backed away from them.
“No he doesn’t. He wants to die...And BURN to ashes. Just like my family almost did.” A psychotic grin stretched across Dark’s face. “Just you wait and see...Let me go so I can end his MISERY!”
Jackie got impatient after moments of struggle and mumbles of Dark saying, “Watch him die,” so he shoved Dark back down on the couch, and summoned demons to hold him down while he spoke with the doctor.
“Doctor, maybe give him some time. He just got out of the hospital.”  Mav looked over at Dark who was struggling once again.
“...Okay...Just keep him restrained for an hour or so. Just until he calms down.”
“If you say so.” Jackie snapped his fingers and one demon got another blanket, then within seconds, Dark was restrained again. This time it wrapped around his upper body like a straight jacket. Dark did nothing but lay on the couch, back facing Jackie and Dr. Mav.
“Hey, doc, you ready to head out for lunch break?” Another doctor walked from the hallway up to them.
“In a second, Dr. Eri-..uhm...”
“...Dr. Erjc.”
“Yeah! That’s it. Dr. Eeercj.” Mav sounded funny trying to pronounce the name. Jackie arched an eyebrow to the heavens.
“..Yes...Well...How is Mason?”
“He’s doing fine. He should wake up from resting in a few minutes.” Erjc smiled weakly.
“..Yeah we best are leaving now. See ya!” Mav and ‘Erjc’ walked out of the room. Jackie looked over at Dark who was mumbling something.
“Speak up, your mouth isn’t covered.”
“..WHY couldn’t I just kill them?” Dark looked up at him with a frown.
“..Oh, grow up.” Jackie glared, and then walked to his room to check on Mason. He was awake earlier than expected.
“Is that creepy guy gone?” Mason looked at Jackie with a freaked look.
“Yes, why?”
“...He talks funny. And his name? Good god, he needs a life.” Mason’s eye twitched slightly, still seeming freaked out.
“..Erm..Yes well. At least you and Dark are fine-“
“Dark? DARK?! Dude, that weirdo should die. He’s CREEPY.”
This kid was better off knocked out... Jackie rolled his eyes a bit and continued listening to Mason’s rambling.
“Dark’s dead, right? Right? Right?!”
“No, he’s alive.”
“Damnit.” Mason stomped his foot and folded his arms.
“..And this may sound like a father, but you two need to get along if you’re going to stay with us... C’mon.” Jackie led Mason to Dark, who was still laying there doing nothing but staring at the couch. “..Dark, sit up.” Dark did what Jackie said. Jackie motioned Mason to sit down next to Dark, and he did.  Jackie walked into the kitchen, and then came out with a pickle jar. He set it in front of the two teens on the table.
“Now, I’m going to do some quick errands. While I’m gone, you two need to cooperate and get this jar opened. Got it?” They nodded. Jackie nodded back, and then walked to the door. “And don’t mess this place up, or I’ll be sure you guys pay for it.”
Once he walked out of the door to the basement, it was quiet. Dark and Mason were staring at the jar. Finally after a while, Mason broke the silence.
“Well, you open it. I don’t want to.”
“If I open it, the pickle people will kill me.” Dark was staring at the jar with a blank, emotionless stare.
“If you don’t open it, then I’ll kill you!”
“Fine, fine...” Dark leaned down and stared at the jar. Mason watched.
“..What, you’re going to use your mouth?” Dark threw his head back, and then rammed his skull against the top of the jar with no accomplishment.
“Dark, what the hell is wrong with you?!”
“Wouldn’t you know by now?” Dark fell off the couch from being so dizzy. He soon sat up on his knees and stared at the pickle jar with a blank stare. “...They’re just waiting for me to open the jar...Can’t you tell?”
“...You want a pickle?” Mason reached for the jar, but Dark pushed the jar away with his nose.
“What, and get killed? No way, man. Leave the pickles be.” Mason sighed and sat back.
“Fine, let Jackie be mad at us...”
“I’m used to it. But I’m not sure about you, mister I like to zoom around with my big sword going fwooosh...” Mason kicked Dark back down and rested his cheeks on his palms, staring at the jar.
“...I can’t take it. I’m opening it at the count of three. One...Two...Three!” Mason quickly opened the jar, Dark quickly hiding for cover. Nothing happened. “There. Was that so hard?” Mason tossed the lid next to Dark, who immediately said “Don’t eat me!!!”
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After minutes of quietness, Jackie finally returned. He stared at the jar with a surprised look, seeing the lid gone.
“Wow, you guys actually did it. I’m impressed.”
“No, I did most of it. Psycho here did nothing but hide.” Mason looked at Dark’s hiding place. Dark’s foot was poking the lid.
“...Dark, come out of hiding.”
“But the pickles will-“
“C’mon!” Dark flinched and kicked the lid away, then stood up without using his arms. He couldn’t anyways since they were tied up. Jackie waited until he had their attention, and then continued talking. “Now, since you two are getting along, I think we can now work together with massacres, right?” Dark and Mason looked at each other, and right when they were about to say no, Jackie interrupted. “Great! Now you guys go ahead and settle in. I’ll go back out and get us something to eat. Be right back.” Jackie walked back out the door. When he was gone, Dark and Mason glared at eachother.
“I hate this as much as you do...” Dark spoke, and then just sat back down on the couch and watched the news. It was the same old reports of war and violence. Nothing ever changed. From then until Jackie returned, it was yet again as quiet as a desert.

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Meanwhile in the dark alleyway of town, Erjc and Mav were walking up to a door. They looked around, and then opened the door, revealing to bright red eyes looking at them.
“We know of their locations now, sir. Not too far away from headquarters.” Erjc and Mav saluted, and the eyes walked out of the shadows, revealing a strange boy with a skull mask over his face.
“Not too much longer until we can destroy Jackie for good...” The three of them laughed, and then walked into the door. The door slammed shut on it’s own, then there was a click.