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Post by Bluedramon on Nov 5, 2014 20:13:58 GMT -5
Chapter 32: The Time To Fight Back
I've had it up to here! You know your end is near!
-Had Enough, Breaking Benjamin
Rudy stared at the scene, unable to tear away. He could feel a torrent of anger rush through him, along with disgust and horror. It made him feel sick. It made him want to turn away. But he dare not to. He couldn’t. The scene before him was just too horrific, his eyes glued to it. It was one of..no..it was the most terrible thing he had ever had to witness.
Sandra stood there next to the machine. She was smirking at the silver tray where Doofus Rudy’s freshly ground meat lay. Rudy’s wide eyes stared at this. For several moments, all he could see, the only thing reflecting in his eyes, was the fresh raw meat that Doofus Rudy had been shredded into. Though he could see Sandra licking her lips as if she wanted to eat some now, he did not focus on her. He just stared at what once was Doofus Rudy.
He couldn’t help but feel guilty. He wished he had done something. He wished he could have freed himself and save Doofus Rudy from this horrilbe fate. He didn’t deserve to go out like this. He didn’t deserve to die... Yet Sandra still took his life away from him. And not in the most merciful manner either.
What caused his blood to boil so much was not only because she killed an innocent, but how she did. He would have thought she’d have the decency of giving him a quick death before grinding him up like that. Instead, she had ripped off his arm and left him to suffer for a while, and then she threw him into the machine while he was still alive, while he was still awake, and let him be ground up that way.
The screams...the howls of agony...the visions of blood splattering, the flesh being rended by the sharp blades.. They would never leave his head. Forever they would be plastered into his mind, haunting him, taunting him, reminding him of how much he had failed at saving him...
But he knew he shouldn’t feel too bad about himself. He knew he was not the one to blame here. It was Sandra. She is the one who caused all of this. She is the one who started the whole mess. She is the one who had been torturing Snap, killing innocents, making unsuspecting zoners eat their meat... All that combined made her a heinous villain, far worse than any he’s had to face before. Even just looking at her brought about feelings of anger and hate, and he found himself grinding his teeth.
How long had this been doing on? How many innocents perished because of her? How many have had to suffer because of her horrendeous deeds?
Well no more. That was going to come to an end. No more shall she terrorize ChalkZone City, or any other place for that matter. No more will she be able to kill zoners and eat them, or use their meat in her sick, disgusting recipes. That was over.
Rudy exchanged looks of determination with his friends. Penny stood next to him, having cut the rope and freed him. Mint, with his new, temporary prosthetic leg, nodded in silent agreement. In his hand, he held a piece of magic chalk. They now had a weapon to fight back against Sandra. They could subdue her. They could render her unable to fight back.
Seeing that Sandra was preoccupied with Doofus Rudy’s meat, a fact that disgusted him, Rudy made a few quick gestures to Mint. He silently urged him to come over. He dare not speak, worried that it would draw Sandra’s attention.
Mint got the hint and came over to him as fast as he could. His feet lightly hit the ground with each foot step, and though Sandra’s ears twitched, she did not look over at them or give any indication she knew what was going on. Rudy wasn’t sure how long this would last. But as long as she was preoccupied for a little while longer, he’d be able to draw up some kind of defense.
As Mint came closer, Rudy’s mind raced. He wondered what was going to happen to ChalkZone City if he and his friends failed. Would Sandra keep up her sick deeds? Of course she would... She clearly has no intention on stopping. More and more zoners would fall under her claws, and with that awful machine of hers, no one was going to get suspicious of missing zoners. And with zoners being drawn every day, born practically every minute, the city was never going to get empty. All those zoners would mean more meat opportunities for Sandra, and she’d keep up her work.
That was why they could not fail. They couldn’t afford to. So many zoners relied on their help. If they failed at this... It would mean doom for ChalkZone City, and perhaps the rest of the chalk world as well.
Rudy narrowed his eyes. He knew now that victory must be assured. There would be no second chances. Either they stop Sandra now or there would be a lot more victims in the future.
There was only one option left.
Fight...and win.
sss
Sandra stared at the pink slime-like substance before her. She couldn’t help but smile, her mouth starting to drool in anticipation. She could smell the delicious aroma, invading her nostrils, activating signals in her brain. Her salivation started to drip onto the ground, and she was forced to swallow. That did little to deter her from staring at the meat.
It looked very much like meat that one would find in a grocery store. But she knew better than that. She had seen it being created herself. Only someone like her could tell that this meat wasn’t from the store. None of her customers ever realized it came from another zoner, something she was quite proud of. She didn’t want anyone copying her idea. She didn’t care what Rudy and his friends thought; there would be a lot of zoners who would jump at the chance to try something like this. It was an easy, efficient way to obtain flesh, and no grazing fields required either.
A part of her was kind of disappointed. She hadn’t expected company while she ground someone up to obtain meat. And she realized too late that they weren’t going to give her time to store the meat. So some of the wonderful fear taste was going to be gone, if not all of it.
But there would still be some good flavor to it. Doofus Penny had tasted quite good, and she was certain that Doofus Rudy would have a similiar flavor. Perhaps she should try a piece now, while she still had the chance. She raised her ears up. She could not hear the children making a move, but that did not mean they wouldn’t try. She would have to deal with them sooner or later. She knew exactly how she was going to do that. But first...the meat....
Sandra held the tray close to herself. It hit against her chest armor. She could see the blood still dripping off, some of it getting on her, some dripping onto the ground. She put her head close and took in a bit whiff. The stench of blood and flesh swirled around her, exciting her. Unable to wait any longer, she reached down with a finger and dipped it into the flesh, feeling its squishiness. She swirled it around, gathering some blood and some meat onto her finger.
She pulled it back and sniffed it again. She then slowly opened up her jaws, her tongue flexing in excitement. She put the finger into her mouth, and her tongue was immediately assaulted by the wonderful taste the flesh had to offer. She pulled her finger back from her mouth and started to chew on the meat.
Nice, quite nice... Not as good as Doofus Penny’s, but still a very close second. It was succulent, just as she hoped it would be. Such flavor exploding off at every corner... Her customers would enjoy this meat, even if it does lose some of its potency.
She smacked her lips a few times. She then set the tray down. She smirked at it, thinking back to when this meat used to have legs, arms, and a head, running around, screaming at her, all that nonsense. Now he was nothing more than an inanimate pile of meat, no more useful than ground beef or ground turkey.
Sandra chuckled lightly. “I told you I was going to grant you a real purpose in ChalkZone, Doofus Rudy. I hope you enjoy your new life as a hamburger.”
She froze when she heard one of the children calling out to her.
“Sandra!”
The dragon didn’t move. There was a momentary flash of fear. She thought, for a second, that she was going to be attacked from behind. When she realized this was not the case, she relaxed, and narrowed her eyes. Not bothering to look back, she gave her reply.
“Look, this is starting to get a little old...” Sandra muttered. “I don’t know why you can be so accepting of most zoners, yet when I come around and try to fulfill my dreams, you tear me apart.”
She could hear Rudy snarl at this. “That’s because most zoners don’t get kicks off of killing other zoners!”
“Yeah!” This time, it was Penny. “Just because ChalkZone is a lot more varied than the Real World doesn’t mean that you can do just whatever you want to here! Sooner or later, someone will discover your activities, and they will not only hate you for it, but they will come after you!”
Sandra couldn’t help but smile at this. Ah, these children were as naive as ever. Did they really think the zoners would get that upset with her with the meat thing? She didn’t see how. They were all meat inside anyway, and the greatest, most honorable sacrifice one could make is giving their flesh to another. All she was doing was providing a way for this to be possible.
But then, these are just kids. Ones from the Real World at that. They didn’t understand fully how ChalkZone worked. They were simply foolish, and had no idea what they were talking about. There was little need for her to get upset with them. They would eventually learn..in due time...
“You guys are so funny, you know that?” Sandra said. She tilted her head back, her snout pointed in the air. Her ears flopped downward, swaying slightly from the action. “You are barely over a decade old and yet you act like you know the ways of the world.”
This clearly pissed the children off. She could hear their growling and seething. But she did nothing to apologize. Why should she? She was doing nothing wrong.
“And you were only around for about two months now! How are you suddenly an expert?” Mint asked.
Sandra chuckled. Even her creator was as naive and stupid as the rest of them. Oh well, she was glad she was born with a more intelligent, mature mind. She was not hindered by delusions like these children were. A part of her actually felt sorry for them.
But there was nothing she could do for them. She could help them understand, but it was up to them to get the message. She could lead them to the water, but it was up to them to drink it. If they refused to listen, well...that would be their fault, not hers.
“We zoners are not like you humans, as you already know. When we are born, we come with the minds the creators intended for us to have. We can be born childish, or we can be born with more adult minds. So in other words...” Sandra pressed a hand against her upper chest, feeling the cool metal of her armor. “I might be chronologically younger, but my brain is more seasoned than yours. I know more about how the world works than you do.”
“That doesn’t mean that...” Mint started to say.
“Oh don’t try to argue with me. No need to be jealous.” Sandra replied.
“Jealous?! Why the fuck would I be jealous of you?!” Mint snapped.
Sandra growled at this, but she kept her cool. She reminded herself that Mint and the others were simply confused. She wouldn’t convince them of anything if she used too much force and anger. If she remained persistant, however, she would eventually make them see things her way. She just had to be patient and calm.
Sandra began to turn around. “Well you see, Mint, I...”
She froze. She suddenly realized something. Mint’s voice...it wasn’t coming from the spot as it was before. It was in a new location now. The only way that could be possible was if he had moved. And judging from how much the audio changed, he had moved a lot. Had he..?
Sandra finished turning herself around, her eyes wide. She noticed that Mint, while she had been distracted, went over towards Rudy and Penny, who had freed themselves and were now back on their feet. To her shock and horror, Rudy now wielded a piece of magic chalk in his hand. He was staring right at her, his eyes boring through hers.
Sandra gulped and took a step back. “Rudy, I..”
“I’m sick of you trying to justify your disgusting actions, Sandra!” Rudy shouted as he raised up his piece of magic chalk. “It’s time to end it!”
Sandra winced at this, and took a step back. For a moment, she had forgotten about her healing powers. Despite her front before, despite the way she acted for a while, she was actually pretty afraid of what the creators were capable of. She was aware of their abilities, and she knew Rudy had went up against many an enemy before. He’d always emerge victorious. And to have him turn the magic chalk against her...
It was quite a terrifying sight indeed.
“N-Now...let’s be reasonable...” Sandra held up her hands, gritting her teeth. “Let’s not do anything we might regret...”
Mint and Penny simply glared hatefully at her while Rudy took a few steps towards her. She could feel her heart beginning to pound her chest as the boy drew closer to her. She shifted her eyes nervously from the chalk and to Rudy’s face. She could see just how determined and serious he was with wanting to do this. She had a feeling that nothing would persuade him to stop.
“How dare you try to negotiate with me.. after all you have done.. How dare you try to worm your way out of this.. You..are one of the most disgusting zoners I’ve ever met. I never thought I’d meet someone like you...” Rudy closed his eyes, his body shaking in anger. “We thought we could trust you...but you were just a big liar! You lied about everything!” He shot her a glare. “You don’t care about Snap! You don’t care about anyone but yourself and your stupid restaurant!”
Sandra’s eyes widened at this. She took another step back. She couldn’t believe Rudy had actually said that. And he wasn’t even finished yet.
“You claim to be Snap’s friend, but that’s all a lie! If you were his friend, you wouldn’t have hurt him like this! If you cared about him, you wouldn’t have made the other zoners think he was the culprit! Do you have any idea what Snap’s life was like when you framed him?! Do you have any idea the pain and torment you put him through?!”
There was a small pang of guilt in Sandra’s chest. Even though she believed she was doing the right thing, she would be lying if she said she didn’t feel some guilt about the whole thing. There were times she wanted to stop, but she knew she had to go through with it. She had to upkeep the integrity of the promise.
Rudy narrowed his eyes further. “You can cut the act now, Sandra. We know what you’re really all about. And it’s coming to an end right now!” Rudy pointed the chalk in her direction. “We are taking you into custody!”
Although she tried to stifle herself and hide her fear, Sandra still let out a gasp at this. She couldn’t believe that they were still willing to do that to her. Even though she explained to them her motives, and how she had good intentions in the end, they weren’t willing to see that. They were so small minded, that all they could see was the pain and suffering Snap was going through. They weren’t seeing the positives.
This couldn’t be happening..no... It couldn’t be... She felt her world swirling around her, becoming a blur. She had worked so hard to get to where she was, and these kids...they were going to take that away from her. And for out? Delusions...misunderstandings...a refusal to listen and see reason... This..this was reminding her of when she was kicked out of that other place...
No. She wasn’t going to let it happen again. Jyker may have gotten his way. He may have succeeded in driving her away from that place, which she had only stayed a very short time. But she would be damned if she allowed it to happen again. No running this time. She would stand her ground.
“You can’t do this to me... You can’t take away what is mine!” Sandra said, narrowing her eyes, meeting Rudy’s own. “How can you even think of arresting me?! I’ve exerted more effort into finding a place to call home, a business to call my own, and I’m not letting someone like you take that way from me!”
“We wouldn’t be doing this if you weren’t committing these horrific acts of torture and murder.” Mint said.
Penny nodded in agreement. “We would be fine with letting you stay. We did think you had a nice place that could have been a nice hang out for zoners.” She narrowed her eyes. “But not if it means killing helpless zoners, and torturing others who didn’t do anything to you.”
“B-But Snap had...” Sandra started to say. Surely, they had to see that....
“Snap did not mean to ruin your precious machine.” Mint said, cutting her off. “It had been an accident. But even if he did do it on purpose, it wouldn’t be him that should be blamed.” He pointed a finger at her. “It would be you.”
“Me?!” Sandra snapped her head back in shock, her ears raising up. “But...but why..?”
Mint narrowed his eyes into slits. “Because you were the one who decided to bring harm to zoners. You are the one causing pain and misery. You were the one who tried to turn ChalkZone into a large grocery store. There’s only one person to blame and that’s you.”
Sandra shook her head. “N-No..I...” She looked left and right. She felt her heart clench. Why couldn’t these humans see what they were doing? Why couldn’t they listen? Why...?
“Face it, Sandra. You’ve lost. No one is going to buy into your excuses. No one is going to believe in you anymore. No one is going to side with you. All they are going to see is a monster. Trust me, there are a number of zoners who would love to get their claws into you.” Rudy took a couple steps towards Sandra. “We are doing you a favor. Come with us, and we can assure your safety. Stay here, and if and when the zoners find out, I cannot guarantee that you will have a pleasant experience.”
Sandra spoke in a shaky voice. “But if you hate me, why would you...?”
Rudy narrowed his eyes. “Because we aren’t like you. We aren’t monsters ready to tear apart another all for a petty reason. We would rather not harm you if it didn’t have to come to it. Besides, it’s the justice system who will be responsible for your fate.”
“H-How can you do this to me...?” Sandra asked.
Rudy growled at this. “How can you still ask that question? We already expressed our disgust for you when we found out that everything you ever told us was a lie! Don’t you dare try to act innocent! Don’t you try to win over our sympathy by feigning guilt!”
“That might have worked better if you didn’t slaughter Doofus Rudy in cold blood.” Said Penny. “But after that....how do you expect us to believe anything you say?”
Sandra gritted her teeth at this, but said nothing.
“So why don’t you just cooperate with us. We promise we won’t hurt you if you choose to come with us quietly. We will not allow harm to come to you should the zoners attempt to attack you.” Rudy said sternly. “I swear upon my title as the Great Creator that you will be safe.”
“But that depends on you.” Mint said.
“If you resist, then we will be forced to fight you. We don’t want to hurt you if we don’t have to, but when it comes to protecting ChalkZone City, we will if we have to.” Said Penny. “So please...cooperate with us. Don’t make this any harder than it has to be.”
“Just put your hands behind your back, Sandra,” Rudy said, raising his chalk. “And come with us.”
Sandra couldn’t believe it... The children were going to arrest her. They were going to ruin her business. They were taking away everything.... It was just like what Jyker had done to her. That terrible memory was still fresh on her mind. Now, just when she thought she could move on, this happens. These three, whom she thought could be trustworthy, just stabbed her in the back. Just like Jyker..
Sandra could feel her blood coming to a boil. She felt her skin begin to heat up. Her mind ached and swirled with many thoughts. It was as though a storm was raging inside her skull. She felt her body tremble in anger, and she could have sworn that her vision clouded in red.
No..she was not going to allow that to happen again. She was not going to allow history to repeat again. These children...they were not going to drive her away from this place. She was not going let them. No...not this time...
As Rudy raised up his chalk, Sandra narrowed her eyes. Remembering the power she had used before, anger motivating her, she raised up her hand. She could feel the symbol her head warm up as it gave a soft glow. She shot her hand out towards Rudy and let out a feral, angry cry.
In an instant, Rudy’s eyes bulged and his body stiffened up. His grip on the magic chalk loosened and it dropped to the ground. She hardly paid attention, her red eyes staring straight at Rudy. Growling softly, she began to twist her hand. Rudy shut his eyes, tears flowing down his face. He let out a scream as he dropped down onto his knees, his hands immediately shooting for his chest.
“Rudy!” Mint and Penny called out as they dropped down beside their friend, staring at him worriedly.
“Sandra! Stop!” Penny pleaded with her. “Let him go!”
“Come on! Don’t do this! It doesn’t have to be this way!” Mint begged.
Sandra ignored their pleas. All she was focused on was Rudy. He let out screams as she began to mess with his chest. The pain he must be going through was unbearable, but there was no other way. She had to punish him. She had to make sure he didn’t dare try to hurt her again.
Her eyes widened slightly as she pulled her hand back. Rudy pulled his head back and let out a scream before he collapsed against the ground, his chin hitting against his stomach. She smirked at this and prepared for the next blow.
But she froze, realizing she couldn’t finish it. Not yet. She could see Mint getting up from the ground and headed straight for her. She narrowed her eyes into slights. Oh no, he wasn’t going to try anything against her. She then looked at Penny. She realized both of them were going to become a problem. She didn’t want to teach just Rudy a lesson. They all needed to be taught. All of them deserved to be punished. She would take care of all three of them.
The room was soon filled with the screams of the children as Mint and Penny joined in the fray. They collapsed to the ground, each grabbing a different body part that she chose to attack. It was hard keeping this up. So much concentration was involved. But she did not let up. She knew this had to be done. There was simply was no other choice.
As she continued hurting the children, a thought ran through her mind.
Would this be enough to deter them, or were they going to remain stubborn and continue harassing her?
She hoped, for their sake, it would be the former.
sss
Pain...so much pain.... Mint tried to cope with it. He tried to keep himself from screaming. But he failed. The loud screams that rang in his ears, he knew at least some of them were his. They echoed in the air, reverberating, echoing. They seemed to add to his torment, intermixing with the pain that now wrapped around his body.
Sandra was targeting his left leg, right where his foot had been cut off. Tears flowed down his face as he clutched his leg to himself. It felt like the stub was being pulled apart, and he had no doubt that was what was happening. He could practically feel his blood vessels being opened up, the wound undoing its own healing, becoming raw and painful once more.
The pain started to take him back in time, reminding him of how he had gotten this in the first place. He felt his heart fill with dread at the horrific memory. He tried to push back against it, but there was little he could do. The memory flowed into him like a river, forcing him to confront it.
He could see flashes of Skrawl in his head. He could see him standing over him. That twisted smile...those crooked teeth... those wickedly sharp claws... He could see the scene play in his mind. No matter how hard he tried to fight against it, it was useless. His mind tormented him, forcing him to sit through and rewatch the horrific incident over and over in his mind. A terrifying ordeal that no one should have to go through.
Skrawl had gotten fed up with his interference. He had wanted to teach him a lesson. He had knocked him into the ground. He had given him no chance to get away. Down the sword came, then the pain..oh gawd the pain... It took him only a second to register it. It exploded around his leg, spreading upward, gripping him in the most terrible agony. He wasn’t even aware that his leg was cut off; all he knew was that he was in pain. He had lost strength fast. Rudy stood over him, trying to help him, then nothing.
Although Mint had little memories of what happened between getting attacked and waking up in the hospital, there were a few things that stuck to him like glue. The initial pain, and of course, Skrawl. He’d never forget the look that jellybean gave him... He’d never have that image removed from his mind.
The pain that was gripping him now, the pain that came about as a result of Sandra’s torment of him, it was so much like that pain. He could almost feel the sharp blade cutting through his leg again, sawing at the bone and muscle, taking away a part of himself. It had taken him a while to get used to having no left foot, and this pain was reminding him of the hard journey.
He had to fight back somehow... But how? He was being swept with agony, and Rudy and Penny were in no better positions than he was. He tried to get up. The pain stopped him, forcing him back into the ground. He now laid on his stomach. He twisted himself, and pulled his leg against his chest. He let out a series of screams. Yet despite the pain, there was one thing he refused to do.
He did not beg. He refused to plead with this monster. He couldn’t let himself sink that low. He couldn’t let Sandra gain the upperhand. That was what the monster wanted them to do. She wanted them to plead for forgiveness. She wanted them to bend to her whim. He would not give her that luxury. He would not allow her to get one step above them like this. No matter how much pain he was in, he couldn’t start begging. Don’t beg...don’t beg...
But how long could he keep this up? The agony was echoing in his head. It swirled around his skull, feeling like he was being pummeled at all sides. He struggled to keep himself from begging. But how long would that last?
Despite his worries, however, he continued to hold his ground. He glared over in Sandra’s direction. He made sure to give her an expression to let her know he was not backing down. He didn’t care when she snarled back at him. He refused to let her have any kind of victory.
That’s when he saw it. Something behind Sandra. He tried not to react to it, but he couldn’t stop his mind from exploding in confusion. He couldn’t believe it.
Could...could it be...?
sss
Penny writhed on the ground, seething in pain. She held her arm against herself. The pain...it was so bad... She couldn’t stop herself from crying. She wanted to beg and plead for Sandra to stop. She wanted it to just end.
But even the act of begging wouldn’t help, nor could it be accomplished. Sandra seemed too angry to listen to reason, and she had her doubts that she would listen to their pleas. They would likely make her want to keep hurting them. And even if Penny tried to beg, it wouldn’t work. Her screams robbed her of her ability to speak. The pain would make her scream any time she opened her mouth. That was all that could escape from her throat. Screams.
She wanted to do something, anything, to get away from it. She could see Rudy’s magic chalk in front of her. She stared at it, taking in quick breaths. If she could just grab it, she could use it for a defense against Sandra. She just had to push back the pain and...
“Ahhhh!”
It was no use. The pain ripped into her arm, pulling it apart at the seams. It felt as though her tendons were being ripped up one by one. And each time this happened, she lost some mobility and strength in her arm. It was quaking in pain, and she could practically feel it vibrate in agony.
But she couldn’t give up. She had to do something. She had to fight back. If she and her friends didn’t do something... who knows how many more zoners would be hurt because of this? How much more damage would Sandra cause before she is finally caught? How long must the zoners suffer before they realize what she had been doing?
The memory of what Sandra had done to Snap was fresh on her mind. Not just Snap, but to the other zoners as well. All those zoners she had murdered, all just for some..some promise... It sickened her. And Doofus Rudy... she had tossed him into the blender like he was nothing, and shred him up while he was still awake and alive. She would never forget the screams...
And Sandra had the gall to act like she was the victim. She continued to act as though she did nothing wrong. She didn’t seem to want to grasp the full gravity of her actions. Penny wasn’t sure if this was deliberate, or if Sandra really did think this way.
Still, that did not excuse her actions. Sandra had a lot to answer to. She had commited grave offense after grave offense against the zoners. It was time that she owned up to what she had done. She had to face the consequences of her actions. She couldn’t run from this anymore. She couldn’t keep lying, trying to convince them of something that she wasn’t. She had to admit her mistakes, and she had to pay for them.
As she was lost in her thoughts, she almost missed something moving behind Sandra. She blinked a few times. If she could, she would be rubbing her eyes right now. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
It was...
sss
Rudy’s mind was bombarded with rage as his body was tormented by the pain. He held onto his stomach, quivering on the ground. He tried to cope with the intense pain. But it seemed almost as though the more he tried to ignore it, the worse it got.
The pain ripped up into his body, spreading all over. The worst was in his stomach. He could feel Sandra wrecking it with her powers. He could feel something opening up inside of him. He couldn’t tell if this was the case or not, but regardless, his pain receptors were practically on fire. He would be shocked if they would continue to function after this; it felt like they were being deliberately overloaded.
He then began to cough as he felt something in his throat. A severe scratchiness a something sticky seemed to be clawing its way up. He let out a series of whimpers as he tried to clear his throat. What was this stuff anyway? Why did it feel as though he had some kind of...sticky slime moving on the inside of his mouth?
With a loud cough, he figured out what it was. His eyes widened in horror at it.
Blood...it was blood...
He was bleeding internally...
This realization sent waves of horror through his body. His shaking increased. His tears moved more rapidly. He felt as though his body was chilling, cooling down. He looked over at Sandra, wondering when she was going to stop. Please...she had to stop...
Realizing what he was about to do. Rudy shook his head. Holding onto his stomach tighter, feeling the whimpers and screams continue to exit out of his mouth, he realized that if he tried to beg, she might hurt him more. She was not interested in negotiations anymore. She wanted them to apologize. She wanted them to admit they were wrong. That would be the only thing to make her stop.
He couldn’t do that. He couldn’t step down from what he believed in. He couldn’t allow this...this monster get what she wanted. She had been getting away with these murders for far too long. She had to be stopped. He couldn’t allow her to win, to gain the upperhand.
He had to fight back. He had to get his magic chalk and draw something against her. He had to show her that she was not going to win. No matter what she tried, they would not cave in. They would continue to try to stop her, and the only ways they would stop is either they succeed..or they die. While he would prefer not to die, he would rather do that than budge an inch for her.
He could feel his blood heating up again as he remembered all that Sandra had done, especially to his friend, Snap. He remembered how Snap had looked up to her as a friend, how she had comforted him in his time of need. She had been lying to him then, taking advantage of him. The realization of this burned his mind, filling him with rage. He could feel his body shaking with intense emotion.
He just didn’t get it. How could Sandra do such a thing? How could she hurt Snap and then act like it was okay? What kind of sick, twisted logic was that? How could she act like she was the victim when she hurt so many?
Well that was about to change. He and his friends would stop her. He didn’t know how. He didn’t know if they would succeed. But he knew they had to try. They couldn’t allow her to win. They couldn’t allow her to hurt more zoners. They would get out of this mess. They’d fight against the pain. They would fight back. They would fight her, and they would win. There was no way that Sandra would be permitted to keep hurting the zoners.
As long as they still had breath in their bodies, they would continue to fight back.
Then he saw something. He noticed his friends appeared to be looking at something behind Sandra. And when he looked, he couldn’t stifle his gasp of shock. It was hard for him to fully realize what was going on. This...this couldn’t be happening..right...?
Yet he knew it was true. There was no one else that could have been. There was no other explanation. With a quivering lip, horror and dread spreading through his body, fearing the worst, Rudy, through his pain, still clutching his stomach, he uttered a single word.
“S-Snap..?”
sss
“S-Snap..?”
Sandra widened her eyes at that declaration. She froze, not wanting to believe it. No, he couldn’t be here. Not now... It wasn’t time yet... He couldn’t be so stupid as to break out of jail with his injuries. They needed more time to heal. Why would he...?
She wanted to think that the children were just trying to confuse her. She could see that she was causing them a lot of pain. They could be just trying to trick her into letting them go faster. Yeah, this could all be some kind of trick.
But those eyes...they didn’t look fake. They looked just as shocked as she did. Sandra was certain that they weren’t lying about this. They were speaking the truth. Slowly, she turned her head around to meet Snap. She barely had time to see a flash of blue before something solid collided with her cheek.
Letting out a cry of pain, she stumbled backwards. She released her grip on the three children as she hit against the ground painfully. She laid there on her back, pushing herself up on her hands. She rubbed her cheek where she had been punched. She looked over at where her attacker was, and her eyes widened in shock.
“Snap...?” Sandra asked in a low voice. “How...how did you....?”
Snap certainly had seen better days. He was quivering in pain, his eye twitching. His stance looked quite uneven, and it looked as though he could be easily knocked over. He was favoring his right foot over his left. Both legs appeared to be causing him pain. He looked like he had been hit by a truck.
Yet despite the pain, there he stood, a few feet away from her. He was fighting against the horrific pain as he defended his friends. She watched as he limped over in front of them. Each step caused him to whimper and seethe. But he still did it anyway. Part of her was worried. What if he hurt himself too badly? Yet another part was impressed. For him to endure this pain for his friends...that was quite an impressive feat.
Snap took in several shaky breaths. Tears flowed down his face. She knew they were at least in part due to pain. But he also looked...hurt and betrayed... This caused Sandra to freeze. Did someone feed him lies? Did he find out what she was doing, yet didn’t get a chance to hear her side of the story? Oh no... Snap was going to think that...
She had to try to correct things before it was too late. Surely, Snap would understand once she told him everything. He would realize she didn’t really want to hurt him, yet had no choice. She didn’t care what the others said. Snap wouldn’t...
“Let my friends go.”
Sandra stared at Snap as he said that. She winced as she realized how cold that sounded. Not at all like how he would normally speak to her.
“Snap, please... I’m just trying to teach them a lesson.” Sandra told him. She crawled back to her feet, her eyes never leaving Snap’s. “I’m not going to kill them. Just...stay there and let me finish my work.”
“Teach them a lesson? Like how you were teaching me one?” Snap growled at her. His face contorted not just in pain, but in anger. “Is this your idea of teaching lessons? By maiming people?!”
Sandra took in a few quick breaths, taking a step back. She didn’t want to hurt Snap more. She had to try to make him see reason before her hand was forced. She didn’t want to do it.. Please..he must understand.. “Please... this isn’t what it looks like. I’m not being cruel. They refused to listen, and I am just making them listen. I don’t enjoy doing this, but they forced my hand. Please, Snap... don’t make me...”
“You’ve already hurt me.” Snap said bitterly. There was barely controlled rage behind that statement. “You lied to me. You had been torturing me the past few weeks. Why should I believe anything you say?”
Sandra’s eyes widened at this. She could feel her heart start to clench. She lowered her ears, licking her lips nervously. “Y-You know...?”
“You’re darn right I know! I know everything! I remember it all! You lied to me! You tricked me into following you! You lured me into a back part of the building! You blew the place up! You placed a tumor in my head so I would forget it ever happened! You then pretended that you cared and acted like you were my friend!” Tears flowed down Snap’s face. There was both anger and hurt laced on his voice. “I-I thought I could trust you...I thought I could consider you my friend.. But you... You weren’t the zoner I thought you were...”
Sandra felt her heart skip a beat at this. She bit her lip, cringing away. Snap had gotten his memories back... B-But how...? He wasn’t supposed to get them back until she could explain. Without it, Snap only got one side of the story. He didn’t get the full picture. She..she had to remedy it quickly, before Snap did anything he might regret.
“Please, Snap..listen to me... I didn’t torment you because I hated you. I...I like you. I do, really...” Sandra said, taking a small, tentative step forward. She froze when he growled at her. Her heart began to speed up. She did not back down. “I was just trying to make sure you didn’t make the same mistake again. I wanted to be certain that you wouldn’t hurt me again.”
Snap’s eyes widened slightly at this. But not in realization like she had hoped. Rather, it was out of anger. “Hurt you?! Is that what this is all about? You didn’t want me to hurt you?!” Snap let out a few small whimpers of pain. He looked at her with one eye, his other shut tightly in pain. “So it’s all about you isn’t it?!”
“N-No..of course not..” Sandra held up her hands in defense. A part of her was almost worried he was going to lunge at her again. “That’s not it at all!”
“Oh like I believe what you say!” Snap growled at her.
Sandra could feel her heart being ripped in two. She couldn’t believe that Snap was acting this way. Why must he be so stubborn? She wanted to tell him the truth. She wanted to tell him why she did what she did. But he wasn’t being reasonable right now. He was so angry, he was letting that cloud his judgment. He was not giving her a chance to explain. She wondered if this was because of whoever told him. Could they have worded things in such a way that it influenced Snap on a deep level?
Yeah, that had to be it. Snap just needed time to calm down. If his mind wasn’t being ripped apart by the pain and anger, he could think more clearly. If he would just calm down, maybe they would see eye to eye. He would understand once he was relaxed. He just needed to be able to think more clearly, and she knew of a way to help him with that.
Sandra lowered her head slightly, the symbol on her head glowing. She could see Snap grimace, as if he thought she was going to hurt him. She stared at his legs, where he was hurting the most. She would relieve him of it.
Unlike what she did before, she took care to be gentle this time. She was not attempting to place a tumor, or cause pain. This time, she was going to use her powers on the more beneficial end of the spectrum.
It didn’t take her long to perform it. She felt a little warm on the inside as she used her healing powers this way. She could hear Snap grunt and groan, but no cries, no shouts of pain. The only thing Snap would feel was a tingly sensation as his cells regenerated, producing new tissue, closing the old wounds. Sandra concentrated, keeping her powers at the right level as she fixed up his legs, repairing the damage that had been done to him.
Then it was all over. She exhaled deeply, looking at his legs once more. They were now fully repaired. Snap was no longer wincing in pain as much. He wasn’t wobbling or about to fall. It was as if nothing had happened to his legs.
The small zoner looked down at his legs, lifting them up, testing them out. He pressed them against the ground as he made sure they were usable again. And when he did, he shot her a glare and took a few confident steps towards him. She cringed. This was not how she thought he’d respond.
“Do you think healing me is going to make it all better?” Snap asked coldly. “Do you think that if you fix my legs, it’s going to make me forget what you put me through? Do you know what it was like in prison, Sandra? Do you know how many zoners wanted to beat me up when I just looked at them? Do you know what it’s like having a room mate who always hurt you every single day?”
Sandra gritted her teeth. “I’m sorry, Snap...”
Snap growled at this. “You’re not sorry! Don’t you fucking dare lie to me!” Sandra winced at this. “You already proved to me what kind of person you really are! I once thought I could call you my.. friend..” He ground his teeth together. He practically had to spit out the last word. “I...I hate you...”
Those words stung Sandra’s heart. She took a step back, her lower lip quivering. “S-Snap... don’t...” She reached out towards him. “Please, it doesn’t have to be like this. Just listen to me..”
Snap, however, would have none of it. He slapped her hand away. She held it against herself, staring at Snap wide-eyed. Seeing him look at her that way, seeing all that misplaced anger being sent in her direction.... It felt as though her heart had been shattered into a million pieces and then was stuffed back into her chest.
“Don’t you dare touch me...” Snap growled.
Sandra licked her lips and swallowed hard. She couldn’t believe it. Snap was refusing to listen to her. She looked left and right, trying to think of what she was going to do. She...she had to make him see reason. But as long as he stood there, so long as he was able to talk, he was not going to listen.
She had to make him listen.
Sandra raised up her hand. At this, Snap’s eyes flashed in fear. She looked at him sadly. “I’m sorry, Snap. But this is the only way. Please..hold still..”
She didn’t get far. Without warning, something wrapped around her body, pinning her arms against her chest. She let out a grunt of surprise at this, and before she had time to fully comprehend what was going on, she was yanked backwards. She let out a scream as she hit the ground painfully, her chin hitting the hard surface, biting her own tongue, forcing her to taste her own blood.
She opened her eyes and looked up. She could see Rudy standing there. He had something in his hand. She quickly realized it was a piece of rope. He tugged on it hard, and she felt the rope around her tighten, making her gag. She then realized that he had tied not just her arms, but her legs as well. She kicked them in an attempt to free herself.
“Come on! Let’s get out of here!” Rudy shouted.
Penny shot a nervous look to Sandra. “But what about her...? What if she...?”
“Don’t worry! I contacted the police!” Snap said as he joined Rudy in running out. “They will get here before she has a chance to escape! Now let’s go!”
Mint said, “Right behind you!”
Sandra watched as they all fled away. They headed straight for the door that led to her restaurant. Her heart twisted at this, cold realization wash through her. No... They couldn’t do this to her... No, it couldn’t end like this.
“Stop! Come back! Please!” Sandra pleaded with them. But they ignored her. “Come back! Let’s talk!”
But they did not listen to her. Soon they reached the door, going right through it. This caused her heart to skip several beats, almost stopping altogether. She shook her head in denial. She knew what was going to happen if she allowed them to go through. She was going to lose everything again. She was going to unfairly suffer all because they refused to see reason.
Why couldn’t they listen to her? Why couldn’t they understand? Why couldn’t they see what she was trying to do? Why must they do this to her?
The torrent of confusion and emotions overwhelmed her, and she began to cry softly. Tears stained her cheeks. It was happening again.. Just like before... No, this was much worse.
No... She wouldn’t let it... She narrowed her eyes, glaring at where the children disappeared. She would stop them. Even if she had to kill them... She would not allow them to ruin her life, the way Jyker did. She didn’t want to kill them, but she will if she had to.
She began to struggle, thrashing on the ground. She glared towards the open door, still seeing their retreating forms.
“I’ll stop you! I’ll make you never get a chance to hurt me! Do you understand me?! I will see to it that you four never take action against me again! I promise!”
She didn’t know if they heard her, but it didn’t matter. She just made her declaration. Her eyes shined with renewed determination as she struggled harder against her binds. There was no going back now. She had made her promise...
And she never backs out of a promise.
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Post by Bluedramon on Nov 6, 2014 20:09:23 GMT -5
Chapter 33: The Crack Of Bone
The end...? The song writer's dead! The blade fell upon him...
-The Poet And The Pendulum, Nightwish
“Hurry up!”
“Let’s get going!”
Snap could hear his friends calling out to him. He could see them up ahead, looking at them worriedly. He seethed in pain, clenching his teeth. He had to get moving. He had to move faster.
Keeping his hand on the wall, he started to move a little faster. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t break into a full run. That was impossible. Although he had managed to fight against the pain earlier, that was because Sandra caused enough anger to rise inside of him to temporarily deflect the agony. But just like anything, the adrenaline didn’t last long, and now he was struggling to move.
The pain in his left foot hurt worse of all. It was a bombardment of pain in the ankle, swirling around and coating some of his leg and foot. Even when he wasn’t pressing down on it, he could feel the pain. He knew he shouldn’t be running around like this, but to help his friends...he knew he had no choice.
Dr. Gelcro didn’t want him coming here like this. The husky had tried to argue in favor of a different plan. However, Snap disagreed with it, stating that it would end up taking longer than necessary. He was the one who knew where the machine was, and he was certain that would be where his friends were, if they had realized the truth. While it was a long shot, Snap felt it was the best place to start looking.
And he had turned out to be right.
He was glad he found his friends. He was happy to see them again. It hadn’t been that long, but it felt as though it was ages since he had last seen them. He was grateful that Sandra hadn’t tried to hurt them too badly yet. If she had injured them and he wasn’t there to stop her, he’d never forgive himself.
“Please, Snap! Hurry!” Mint cried. “We don’t know how much longer Sandra will be distracted!”
Snap smiled at Mint. “Oh don’t worry. She will be busy for a while.”
“What makes you so sure?” Penny asked, confused.
Snap gave them a slightly mischevious smile. “Did you think I came here alone?”
The three children’s eyes widened in realization. Snap just smiled at this, remembering what he and Dr. Gelcro had discussed. Though Dr. Gelcro did eventually agree to let him go, he only did so under the circumstance that backup was brought with.
Of course Snap would agree to that. He never planned on confronting Sandra alone. That would have been crazy, especially in his condition. So he and Dr. Gelcro agreed on having backup follow further behind him so Sandra doesn’t realize they are there. Now that she is trapped and unable to move, the backup could come over and apprehend her before she could make her move.
Snap felt a sense of satisfaction cling to his chest. He was glad that he and Dr. Gelcro were able to set up a method on catching Sandra and stopping her. Things turned out better than he had expected. Sandra was stopped and at this very moment, the other zoners, including Dr. Gelcro and Dr. Crobat, would be apprehending Sandra, and she would be sent to jail. And best of all, no one got seriously hurt. He was able to get out of there without Sandra succeeding in hurting him. Things were finally going their way.
His thoughts were interrupted by the tremendous pain in his ankle. He winced and nearly fell down. He was stopped when Penny grabbed onto him and held him up. He looked up at her gratefully. She allowed him to use her as brace, and he leaned on her. With Penny’s help, he was able to move a little faster.
As they kept going, Rudy said, “I sure hope that backup of yours knows what they are getting into...”
Snap looked up at Rudy at this. The way he spoke those words...it wasn’t very promising. “What...what do you mean, Bucko?”
Penny looked down at him, her eyes wide. “Snap...you mean you don’t know what Sandra is capable of...?”
That sounded even more concerning. Snap could feel his heart clenching tightly, ready to burst. He smacked his lips together nervously. The way his friends were looking at him... It was obvious they knew something he did not. Was there something he had missed earlier?
“W-Well...” Snap stuttered, looking left and right. “I know she did something to put a tumor in my head. That was how I was unable to remember anything in that time frame. But...” He clenched his teeth, a worried look plastering over his face. “I don’t know what else she could do.
The trio fell silent at this. Not from shock, but from uncertainty. There was clearly an angle of Sandra he didn’t know about, and it was enough to shake them up. Even their running had slowed down as emotion began to seep into their heads. They exchanged worried glances, often looking at Snap. The small zoner became more and more worried the longer they looked at him this way.
Thoughts raced through his head. He wondered just how long he and his friends were trapped with Sandra. He wondered what had them all spooked. What had Sandra done that made them feel so afraid? Was it related to the bad smell? He recalled there was a foul stench. Could their fear be connected to that somehow?
If it was then...then...
Just what was that smell anyway? Why did it stink so bad in there? And why hadn’t he smelled that before? Yeah, there was a smell of some kind from his last visit, but this was stronger, and more potent. It made him want to vomit.
Penny, Mint, and Rudy looked at him sympathetically. They had caught notice of his expression, and they must have realized what he was thinking about. Their expressions did little to comfort him, and he swallowed nervously.
“What...what did she..?” Snap managed to choke out. He couldn’t speak anymore, his voice getting caught on his throat.
Rudy bit his lip. He stared at Snap in the eyes, mantaining eye level. He could tell that Rudy was trying to be brave, but underneath that courageous exterior, Snap could see just how frightened he was. Mint tried to say something, but he, too, was unable to make any kind of reply. It made Snap wonder even more just what went on before he had arrived.
“Snap...” Penny was the one who managed to break the uncomfortable silence between his question and an answer. “Sandra has healing powers.”
Snap tilted his head at this. Healing powers? That didn’t seem so bad. Why did it have his friends spooked? It wasn’t like Sandra could do much harm with healing...could she...?
Rudy spoke up upon seeing Snap’s expression. “She can use these powers to hurt people. Something about accelerating the rate of cell division..creating tumors...”
Snap’s eyes bulged at that. “I-Is that how she..?”
Mint nodded his head. “Yeah. That was how she put the tumor in you.” He pause for a moment. “And she can use it from a distance, too!”
“What?!” Snap cried in disbelief. “A-Are you sure..?!”
Penny, tightening her grip on him as they kept moving, nodded her head solemnly. “Yeah.. She almost never even touched us. Most of the time, she kept her distance as she used her powers on us.” Her eyes widened. “And she was able to use her powers on more than one of us at a time.”
Snap felt his mind go numb at this. Powers from a distance? Able to attack more than one person at a time? Oh no... The backup... What if they were in trouble? What if Sandra was..?
Snap shifted his body around. Alarmed, Penny held onto him tighter, yanking him back in the direction they were going in. Snap, despite his pain and fear, kept fighting against her, his eyes glued at the back entrance where they had just fled from. He had to get back there and help Dr. Crobat and the others out. If he didn’t, then Sandra was going to...
“Snap, come on! We need to get out of here!” Mint cried. “If we don’t and nobody spreads the word or warn the zoners, then Sandra...”
“We have to get back there! They could be in trouble!” Snap cried, his voice having a panicky edge to it. “Please, we can’t leave them alone!”
“Snap! Please! We have to leave!” Rudy moved in front of Snap. The zoner looked up at him, staring at him pleadingly. Rudy gave him a stern yet sympathetic look. He reached out and touched Snap on the shoulder. “I know you just want to help them. I want to as well. But we can’t stay here. We need to tell the zoners what Sandra has been doing.”
“She’s been killing and feeding zoner meat to her customers, as well as herself.” Mint said, his voice laced in disgust. “And not animal zoners either... Sentient zoners, like Doofus Penny...”
Snap’s eyes widened at this, a sense of nausea boiling in his stomach. “She..she has been doing what..?”
He couldn’t believe it... Sandra..she was..she was a cannibal.. She was eating other zoners. She had been killing other zoners. That’s what the specials were...weren’t they? They were zoner meat that she ahd prepared. That meant that, the entire time that the zoners had been going there for food, they were unknowingly eating the flesh of their own kind.
Snap held his stomach, fighting back the urge to throw up. That was just gross and disgusting. How could Sandra do that? How could she kill sentient zoners and feed them to the customers? Did she not see just how sick and twisted that was? Did she not see just how wrong that was to do?
Doofus Penny... Did Sandra really kill her just to obtain her meat? The thought sent chills down Snap’s spine. He had already begun to hate Sandra before for how she treated him. But now it was reaching a boiling point when he realized how she had been murdering zoners to serve as food. How...how revolting...
But though this information made him want to go after Sandra even more, he knew that was not the best option. His friends were right. If Sandra had the powers they said she did, then if they went back to there to try to stop Sandra, they could be caught as well. If they were to tell as many zoners as possible about what she was doing, then they would be on the alert and they could fight back. Sandra would stand little chance at stopping them all, and she would finally be apprehended.
Giving a nod to his friends, he said, “Okay.. Let’s go...”
sss
Sandra could feel her claws finally cutting through the rope. She had to twist her ankle in a way that she had never done before. She soon managed to slice the claw into the rope, cutting through it like it were a hot stick of butter. She felt the ropes snap, and her legs loosened up. She pulled and tugged with her legs to get the rope off of her.
Then she forced herself onto her back. She had to use every ounce of strength and flexibility she had to get her feet close to her stomach where the rope was. She had to shut her eyes tightly as she felt her bones and muscles and tendons stretching to their absolute limits. It took a lot of effort, and by the time she could feel her claws hit against the ropes, she practically could feel her back crack, her face reddened.
She made quick work of the rope. She sliced through it like it was nothing. She felt the pressure instantly leave her as the ropes fell down. She slowly stood up onto her feet and rubbed her arms gently. The ropes were on her pretty tightly. She was glad that was over. Now if she could just find...
She stared at the door. She wondered just how far the children had gotten while she was down. It had taken her a while to get herself free. No doubt they managed to get to the front of the restaurant. Her heart twisted at this. If they managed to turn more zoners against her... No, she would not allow that to happen.
Sandra made her way towards the door, her eyes narrowing in determination. She could catch up to the children. She would find them and stop them. And after she did, she would make sure that they would no longer be a trouble to her.
She would promise them that.
She didn’t get too far, however, when she heard some footsteps behind her. Rapid, heavy, quick, and there was more than one pair. Her eyes widened at this realization. She froze where she was, the sudden shock keeping her from moving anywhere.
She couldn’t help but have flashes in the back of her mind, images of the past, white flash after white flash. Again she was reminded of what happened in the last place she lived in. She hadn’t lived there long, yet she had quickly garnered an unfair reputation. Now it was going to happen again. It was just like before. The police escort...
Slowly, she turned her head so that she could look over her shoulder. Her wide eyes could see the figures quickly approaching her. And before she knew it, a group of five zoners suddenly appeared. They formed a wide circle around her before she could even speak, and all of them had some kind of weapon pointed at her.
“Freeze!” One of the zoners shouted. “Stay right where you are!”
Sandra looked all around. She could see three police officers, and the remaining two were doctors. She did not recognize the officers too well, but the doctors, she knew as Dr. Crobat and Dr. Gelcro. All of them wore glares and were staring at her hatefully, determined to stop her. Five individual weapons were pointed at her, and she knew if she made a single wrong move, she was going to be in big trouble.
Sandra took in a few quick breaths, trying her best to keep herself calm. She couldn’t panic. Not now. She had to keep herself from going insane. She knew that if she made one wrong move, she could be shot. And she couldn’t just use her powers on all of them at once; she didn’t think she’d have the strength to attack five zoners at one time. She would have to be careful with what her next moves were going to be, to ensure her safety and the future of her restaurant.
“Hello officers...” Sandra said softly, keeping her voice as controlled as possible. “What brings you here?”
“Don’t play dumb!” Dr. Crobat snarled, his beak gritted. “We know what you’ve been doing!”
“You better not try to deny it!” Dr. Gelcro narrowed his red eyes dangerously, his ears lowering.
Sandra looked around at the zoners, nothing their expressions. No one was without an angered, disgusted looked. She realized that Snap must have told them what happened. How he remembered, she wasn’t sure. And right now, that no longer mattered. It was too late to fix that problem right now. She had to retreat, while she still had the chance.
But as she started to turn, there was a blur, and she nearly tumbled back when she saw Dr. Gelcro standing before her, his lips curled back into a snarl. He had jumped from his last position to here, moving much faster than she had thought a dog could move. She now found herself staring down the barrel of his gun and, clenching her teeth and lowering her ears, she took a few steps back.
“Please...you’ve got this all wrong..” Sandra tried to say.
“Shut up!” One of the officers said.
The second one leveled his gun towards her. “You will not get away with what you’ve done!”
“You tricked us into thinking Snap was the culprit.. When it was you all along...” The third officer said, “You disgust me..”
Sandra took in a few quick breaths. She could tell this wasn’t going to end well. If she didn’t get out of here soon, then all was going to be lost. She couldn’t afford to lose everything she had. Not again. She had find a way to convince them to let her go. She had to get them to listen to her, so they didn’t make the same mistake those other zoners in the past did. They had to hear her out.
But judging from their expressions...she knew this was not going to be the case so much. They didn’t look like they were willing to listen to reason. They had come here to arrest her, and they weren’t going to let her tell her side of the story. They were going to listen to just Snap’s words, without considering that there was a good reason why she did what she had done.
She took a small step to one side. She flinched when she heard the clanging of a gun as one of the officers was preparing to shoot her. In fact, he would have if another officer didn’t settle him down. This made Sandra clench her teeth. Just what had Snap told them?
Snap...she hoped she could mend things soon before it became irreversible. Snap was quite infuriated with her. He was letting his emotions get in the way of proper judgment. He saw her as a monster now. She could kind of understand, but he needed to learn to see things from different perspectives. If he were just willing to see the world through her eyes, then he would understand her. Right now, he understood nothing, and he’d never comprehend the truth until he took the time to listen to her.
But for now, she had to get herself out of here. She needed time to regroup her thoughts and figure out how she was going to resolve this situation without getting chased out or arrested. She..she didn’t want to...
“Put your hands up where we can see them!”
Sandra jerked in surprise at this. Dr. Gelcro had apparently to got tired of her silence and barked a command at her. She lowered her ears she started at him in the eyes. Then, gritting her teeth, she took a small step back and started to raise her hands into the air slowly.
Dr. Gelcro narrowed his eyes. “That’s better. Now keep them there while we prepare for your escort.”
“My escort...?” Sandra asked.
Dr. Gelcro nodded his head. “We are locking you up. There is no chance for you to get out of this, Sandra. Snap told us all about what you have done.”
So it was Snap... Sandra wasn’t surprised. With how angry he was, it didn’t really shock her too much that he would have told the officers what happened. Of course he would go into an emotionally-fueled rage and spout out everything that she had done without even thinking of the other side of the coin.
A part of Sandra was hurt by this. She had thought Snap would be more willing to listen than that. Then again, he was just angry. It was her fault trying to explain to him when he was in such a rage. She should have found a way to calm him down first before she attempted to speak to him. If she had done that, then maybe things could have turned out better.
“Dr. Crobat.” Dr. Gelcro turned his head to the bird-like doctor. “Prepare the evacuations. We need to get ready for the destruction workers to come over.”
Sandra felt her heart skip a beat at this. “Th-The what...?”
Dr. Gelcro glared over at her. “We are demolishing this building. We are going to blow it up sky high, so you will no longer have any access to your equipment. You will not be able to hurt anyone ever again.”
Sandra shook her head. “No...! You can’t do that!”
One of the officers hissed at this. “Oh we can...and we will!”
Dr. Crobat nodded his head. “You had your chance, Sandra. You would have been more welcomed if you didn’t use your abilities to torment and kill other zoners. You put yourself into this situation, and now you must pay the price.”
“Y-You’re wrong!” Sandra spluttered. No, this couldn’t be happening... No... “Y-You just don’t understand! None of you understand!”
“She’s getting hysterical! Somebody! Grab her!” Dr. Gelcro shouted.
Immediately, the three officers rushed over. Sandra watched them as they approached her. She widened her eyes as she let the reality of the situation sink in. Not only was she going to lose everything, but these...these beasts were going to destroy her restaurant, the one place that seemed to take her the longest to build and set up. She had worked hard to mantain it, and they were about to snatch it away.
She felt her body trembling. Her mind was racing, sending aches and pains throughout her skull. She gripped her head, trying to cope with the torrent of emotions rushing through her. She had to keep herself under control. She had to focus on escaping...
...but would that work? And how long? If she just ran away, these zoners would spread the word. They would get their comrades and come after her. They would remain a threat to her unless she did something now. She realized she had to do something about them now. Even if word had already spread, she had to fight back. She had to stop them from destroying her restaurant. She had to stop them from ruining everything.
As the three officers came closer, as she was encircled from all sides, something seemed to give way inside of her. A realization dawned on her. She didn’t want to do it. She wished she didn’t have to resort to this, but there was only one way she could defend herself.
She closed her eyes, and then they reopened, her pupils shrinking. Her triangle symbol began to glow. In an instant, the three officers froze, their bodies stiffening up, eyes bulging in agony.
“I didn’t want to do this, but you left me no other choice...” Sandra raised her hand up as the three officers stared at her in fear. Dr. Gelcro and Dr. Crobat cringed, terror washing over their faces. “Now...leave!”
All eyes widened, and suddenly there was a chorus of bloodcurdling screams.
sss
“Aaaahhh!”
Rudy stiffened at that, as did his friends. He looked at the others, noting their expressions. They all exchanged nervous glances, teeth gritted nervously.
Screams... There were screams back there, where they had come from. They bounced off the walls, reverberating in their chests, echoing in the chambers of their hearts. They could feel their blood chilling, turning into ice. There were many screams sounding off together, creating one huge one that repeatedly swept through the hallway.
Horror crawled up the back of everyone’s necks. They could tell all the screams were clearly masculine, and that meant only one thing. The reinforcements were all being attacked, and Sandra was the culprit.
A part of Rudy wanted to rush back there and help them. It wasn’t like him to just abandon someone in need. Sandra was hurting them...perhaps trying to get them into her filthy machine. But if they all went, they’d all get caught in her power. As much as he hated to do it, he knew he and the others had no choice but to continue moving towards the front. They may not be able to save the back up, but they could save more zoners by getting in the restaurant and warning the zoners of Sandra.
It may take some time. They didn’t know how far the restaurant was from here. But he knew they had to try.
He looked at his friends’ faces. He could see how shocked and horrified they were. None of them had moved in several seconds. This realization made his heart speed up. While he understood his friends were in a state of shock, they couldn’t stand here for long. They were wasting time. Sandra could be upon them any moment.
“Come on! Let’s get going!” Rudy shouted as he pushed against his friends, urging them to go down further. “While we still have a chance!”
“But...” Snap looked down the hallway. “What about...?”
“We can’t help them!” Rudy flinched at the expressions he got, especially from Snap. He sighed softly and looked at them all with a sympathetic look. “Even if we head back now, by the time we get there, it could be too late. But if we keep up, we could get out of here before Sandra finds us, and we could warn the rest of the zoners. We could save more lives then. If we go back, we not only would lose the back up anyway, but Sandra could kill us too.”
Mint, Penny, and Snap glanced at one another. They were all so hesitant and unsure. Yet there was also some understanding in their eyes. They knew Rudy was right. They would not abe able to do anything for the back up zoners, no matter how fast they rushed back there. And judging from the screams, those zoners only had a few moments left anyway.
They had no choice but to continue running.
“No! Not my leg! Please!”
Rudy and his friends flinched at this, cold dread rushing through their spines. They shivered as they looked at each other, and then down the hallway. And as they heard a resounding, sickening grunch, they knew what had happened.
Rudy turned to his friends, making quick gestures with his hands, fighting against the pain of Sandra’s attack on him. This time, his friends did not argue or talk back. The three friends, trying their best to ignore the horrific screaming and pleas echoing in the hallways, ran as fast as they could. The sooner they got out of here, the sooner they could warn the zoners.
Rudy hoped that they would have enough time to fulfill their mission.
sss
Dr. Crobat laid on the ground in absolute agony. He let out a series of whimpers, trying to cope with the pain that gripped his body. He tried to ignore the horrific smell of blood everywhere. But it kept invading his nostrils, preventing him from escaping from the gruesome reality that was before him.
He took his time to look around the room, a single eye open, the other shut in twitching pain. He could see the vicinity all around him was coated in blood. Dark red fluid that stained the ground, filling the air with its iron-like heavy stench. Even with his relatively weak nose, he could smell it plain as day.
But it wasn’t just the blood that caught his attention, held him in the grips of terror. It was what was laying in the blood that really got the shivers going in his back.
It was the police officers... All three of them were laying down in massive pools of blood. Sandra had attacked them all at once. She used...some kind of power on them... He couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was, and at the moment, he was too shaken to really think of what type of power she had specifically. All he was aware of was that she used this power to rip them up from the inside out. She had attacked a leg on each of them, causing the flesh to rip off as growths appeared underneath.
And that had just been the beginning.
Dr. Crobat wasn’t sure what prompted Sandra to suddenly attack like this. Was it fear? Anger? Something else? Whatever it was, something caused Sandra to act in violent ways none of them new possible, and with her powers, she had gravely injured the police officers, and then came the claws...
Sandra ripped into them, disemboweling all three of them without much trouble. Their guts laid strewn on the ground, adding to the horrible smell. The officers had thrashed and convulsed on the ground, their screams echoing and raging in his ears. They soon gurgled as blood poured out of their mouths, and they died.
Dr. Crobat stared at their mutilated corpses. His mind was numb, in disbelief. When Dr. Gelcro came for his aid, when he explained the situation with Snap and what they had to do, this wasn’t what he thought would be the end result. If he had known that they would be inadvertantly leading zoners to their deaths, he would have...
Dr. Crobat let out a couple of coughs as he looked over at Dr. Gelcro. The dog zoner laid on the ground, unmoving, silent. He was covered in gashes and blood, and he was unconscious. Dr. Crobat felt his heart clench as he stared at his fellow doctor and friend. He had never wanted to see him like this...
And he himself was no better. He could feel his body echoing in pain, rippling through every pore of his body. His right leg was heavily damaged, with large gashes missing. His stomach and side had been torn into, though not as badly as the police officers. He had some massive bruising in various places, and he had smaller cuts that grazed him. The wounds reminded him of what had happened when he and Dr. Gelcro had tried to stop Sandra when she was hurting the police officers.
Sandra had attacked them with her claws, fists, and even her tail. She had been quite agile, more so than he had expected. She dodged their attacks with ease, ripping into them whenever she could. She knocked them into the ground several times, either by slamming into them, or kicking them, or striking them with her tail. Her tail spikes were a force to be reckoned with, causing some of the most severe damage, aside from her talons.
They had tried to keep up with her. They tried to bite, kick, claw their way to safety, or at least shoot her. But Sandra was one step ahead of them. She stopped them at every turn, her emotions empowering her with what she needed to fight back. She was unstoppable, a terrifying force as she tore them apart.
Now Sandra stood in the middle of the room, panting heavily. She looked exhausted, covered in blood. Mostly her victims’ blood as she was hardly struck herself. Her eyes had a semi-feral look to them as her sharp teeth glinted in the little light that was available here. She slowly looked over at him, and he could feel his heart skipping a beat. He wanted to run, to flea, but he remained frozen where he was, on the ground, and in pain.
Sandra looked over at Dr. Gelcro. His eyes widened in horror. No...no she couldn’t... Dr. Crobat struggled up to his feet. He staggered forward as the horrendeous pain gripped him. He seethed, letting out a whimper or two. Sandra just continued staring at his friend, her expression unreadable.
“N-No..please..d-d-don’t hurt him...!” Dr. Crobat pleaded with her. At this, Sandra turned her head, giving him a sideways glance. “Leave him alone!”
Sandra just stared at him for a few moments. Without moving from that spot, she said, “None of you let me explain my view on things. None of you allowed me a chance to tell you why I did what I did. You all are trying to take away something that is mine, that belongs to me. So tell me...” She narrowed her eyes a little more. “Why should let any of you get that chance..?”
Dr. Crobat swallowed hard, looking left and right. It soon dawned on him that the reason for Sandra’s devastating...reaction had been the result of her wanting to preserve her restaurant. There was something about this place that she was overprotective of. Something about it that caused her to become more violent when it was threatened.
This realization did little to comfort him. Regardless if his hunch was right or not, that did squat for him right now. Even if he said he would call them off, would it be enough to stop her from hurting him? Somehow, he had his doubts. She was going to keep attacking him regardless. She was certainly mad enough to do that.
He didn’t bother to reply to her statement. He didn’t try to tell her she was wrong. In her state, that would probably increase the odds of her attacking him. All he could do was watch as she approached him slowly.
His heart race against his chest. What was she going to do with him and Dr. Gelcro? Would she spare them? Or did she plan on killing them just like she did the officers? Was she going to spill their insides onto the groound, raking their bodies up with her talons and spikes? A part of him wanted to ask, but the other was too frozen in terror to say anything.
As Sandra lifted up her hand, Dr. Crobat winced and closed his eyes, waiting for the blow. When it did not come, he opened up one eye. He looked over at Sandra in confusion, wondering what had stopped her.
“I hope you understand I didn’t really want to do this.” Sandra said. Her voice was dark, but not to the same point as it was before. “I had hoped to avoid this. But you all gave me no choice.”
Dr. Crobat stared at her when she said this. He could feel anger creeping in his stomach. Was she seriously trying to pit all the blame into them? Was she going to overlook her own actions and try to say that they are the only ones at fault? Regardless of his anger, though, he dare not snap at her, for fear of a worse reaction.
Sandra took note of his silence. “Are you thinking about what you have done? I hope so.” She turned her head and looked down the hallway. “I hope Snap has time to cool down and think about what he has done as well.” Her expression softened up. “I hope he understands how much he hurt me...”
“What are you talking about?” Dr. Crobat did his best to keep his voice sounding calm. “You have been tormenting him for weeks. How is it that he needs to apologize to you? Why not the other way around.”
Sandra gave a quick chuckle at this. “I figured you wouldn’t understand. None of you have, despite me explaining it.”
“Then try.” Dr. Crobat said. Sandra simply stared at him. “Go on. Try to justify your actions. I’ll listen.”
Sandra cocked up an eyebrow. She tilted her head to one side. She looked at Dr. Crobat, her expression somewhat unreadable. He wondered if she even believed him, if she was going to call him a liar and attack him on the spot. He had no idea what to expect from her, and he braced himself for the worst.
Sandra took some more steps towards him. Dr. Crobat cringed at this, unsure of what to think she’d do. Those eyes, still so full of anger, they bored through his soul, making him shiver. Regardless, he didn’t attempt to get away; there was little place he could go. He could only watch as the dragon zoner got closer to him, and soon she was kneeling down in front of him. They locked eyes for several moments, and then Sandra reached over and seized him by his lower jaw.
“You will...listen...?” Sandra asked, raising one ear up. “Are you sure you will?”
Dr. Crobat nodded. “Yes.”
Sandra asked, “You won’t interrupt me? No stopping my story and saying how unfair or stupid it was?” Dr. Crobat shook his head. “You will listen to the whole story?”
Dr. Crobat nodded his head. “You have my word.” He placed his flatted wing hand against his head, almost in solute.
Sandra looked at him for a few seconds, raising part of her lip as she seemed to try to decide whether or not to believe him. Dr. Crobat remained quiet, waiting for her answer. He knew that his survival could very well depend on whether or not she says yes. The longer she said nothing, the more he got worried that something was going to go wrong.
Then Sandra closed her eyes and sighed. “Very well then. I’ll tell you.” She put her face close to his. “But...! You are not to say a word while I’m talking! Do you hear me?” She pointed a finger finger against him.
“Crystal clear.” Dr. Crobat said.
“Good...” Sandra pulled her head back. “Here’s the deal. You see...”
Suddenly, there was a flash of color in front of Dr. Crobat’s eyes. He shook his head, stunned by this sudden movement. He scrambled back, trying to get away. He heard a growl, and his heart raced. Had some kind of beast snuck into here? How many of these wild animals were roaming around if that were the case?
He kept his eyes shut as he heard growling, snarling, and crashes into the ground. He could hear Sandra give a surprised cry, and then a series of warnings. Whoever was attacking her apparently wasn’t listening, and he heard Sandra, and the beast, give screams of pain as they slashed one another. Dr. Crobat didn’t dare move, afraid to open his eyes, afraid to see just what kind of creature he would have to go up against next.
Then there was silence. Not a word or growl to be heard. Dr. Crobat still remained where he was, pressed against the ground, his eyes shut, arm over his head protecively. He remained there, shivering, waiting and hoping that he would be left alone.
He could hear footsteps coming his way. He could hear the growling of the intruder. He let out a soft whimper, cringing up into a shivering ball. He waited and prayed that he would be spared. He knew that, if the beast so pleased, there was little he could do to defend himself. All he could do was lay there and hope it will all turn out all right in the end.
Then he felt a gentle nudge against his face. He opened up his eyes and saw who it was. His eyes widened in shock, unable to believe what he was seeing.
“Mosaic?” Dr. Crobat said in a soft voice. “H-How did you...?”
Mosaic tilted her head to the side at this. She took a step closer, lowering her head beside him. Dr. Crobat wrapped his arms around her muscular neck. She pulled back, letting him hang onto her. Dr. Crobat pushed himself up onto his feet slowly. He winced in pain a few times, making sure to use Mosaic as leverage so he wouldn’t fall down.
“Thank you, Mosaic.” The bird said. “Thank you...”
Dr. Crobat didn’t know how the crocodile zoner came in here. He didn’t know how she had managed to find him, or know where to look. He didn’t know how she managed to walk far with her injuries. But it didn’t matter right now. He was just glad she was here. She had proven that she was still an ally, and a companion he could count on. He smiled gratefully at her. If she could, she would return the gesture.
Suddenly Mosaic’s body stiffened up and she let out a loud screech of pain. Dr. Crobat looked on in horror as her her eyes bulged, her pupils shrinking into slits. Dr. Crobat looked over, and he could see Sandra standing there. She had blood stains all over her, some of it her blood from Mosaic’s claws and teeth.
“You..you just don’t know when to quit, do you?!” Sandra snarled. “Well I promise I will make sure you don’t become a nuisance to me again!”
With that, Sandra forced her hand towards the ground. As if on cue, Mosaic let out a roar of pain as she slammed into the ground, her leg starting to peel open from Sandra’s powers. The dragon zoner then rushed towards her, seizing her by the neck with her foot. She lifted up Mosaic and, with a nasty grin, tossed her against the ground, watching her roll.
Sandra was about to make another move when Dr. Crobat, unable to take it anymore, rushed at her. He turned his body to the side and, using his shoulder, slammed against Sandra. The dragon zoner let out a surprised cry as Dr. Crobat managed to knock her away, sending her stumbling backwards across the ground. She regained her footing and she stared at Dr. Crobat in shock before narrowing her eyes.
Dr. Crobat stood in front of Mosaic protectively. “She’s had enough, Sandra.” He said sternly, arching his back slightly in defense. “Leave her alone...”
Sandra snarled, “I knew you would be just like the rest of them...” She turned her head towards one direction. She looked there for several seconds, and snorted. She turned her head back and glared at Dr. Crobat. “I don’t have time to waste on you anyway. I have some...important business to take care off first...”
Dr. Crobat was confused by this. What exactly did she mean? But before he could ask, Sandra disappeared, running out of sight. He looked at where she disappeared to, and pondered for a few moments what she could be talking about.
It didn’t take him long to realize what she was talking about. His eyes bulged in horror.
“Snap!” He cried.
sss
Mint winced each time he put his foot down. Although the chalk prosthetic did its job, it still took him a while to get used to. It was not the same make as his old one, and it irritated his stump, which Sandra had tormented earlier.
But regardless, he still managed to run down the tunnel with his friends. They were making good progress, keeping up a steady pace. He had no idea how long they had been running, or how long it would take to get out. What he was aware of is that the more they ran, the more distance they could be putting between him and Sandra.
A part of him felt guilty. Sandra was his creation. Even though it wasn’t his fault her purpose got screwed up, even though he never intended her to be this killing machine eating other zoners, he still felt responsible, and he was unable to shake off the guilt.
But he couldn’t worry about that right now. They had to get out of here. They had to warn the other zoners about Sandra. If they didn’t, then so many more were going to be in trouble. He’d never forgive himself if they failed.
The screams they had heard before were a testament to what their failure could mean. The screams still sent chills down his spine even in memory. And the silence that followed... That was even more terrifying. They knew what that silence meant. And it served as a motivator of why they should hurry up and get into Sandra’s Alcove and warn the zoners.
“Don’t...worry...guys...” Rudy panted heavily. “I...think we’re...almost..there..”
Mint didn’t attempt to answer, his throat getting dry from all the running. He looked out ahead. He thought he could see some kind of light, but he couldn’t tell where it would lead them out to.
But seeing a goal out in front of them was enough to encourage them to push themselves even harder. The sooner they got there, the sooner they could figure out what it was, and hopefully, the sooner they could get out of here. Despite their pain, despite the fear of the unknown, they pressed themselves on, moving as quickly as they could.
Without warning, there was a loud screech echoing in the tunnels. They froze, their hearts skipping a beat. They looked at each other, each wondering what that sound was. It seemed...familiar and yet different. They couldn’t quite place their finger on it.
Then came the footfalls. There was a clang to them, but it wasn’t metal. It was more like something with sharp claws running towards them. And from how the footsteps sounded, it didn’t seem like it was from a particularly large zoner. It took them seconds to realize who it was.
“No..it can’t be...” Snap whispered in fear. “How did she catch up to us so fast...? She can’t run that quickly!”
“Well she did!” Penny said. She held tightly onto Snap, pulling him against her. “We need to keep moving! Maybe we’re almost out!”
“I...” Mint started to say. But he didn’t get a chance to finish.
There was a flash of blue, and a snarl, and Mint felt something slam against him. He let out a grunt of pain as he was pushed against the wall. He felt something grabbing his throat. Sandra’s foot, her talons pressing against her. He could see how close her eyes were, the crimson color filling his field of vision.
Mint stared at her in fear, gritting his teeth. His creation looked pissed off. The look in her eyes told him that she meant business. She seemed to affirm this when she tightened her grip on him. He let out a yelp of pain and tried to pry her toes off of him. But they were wrapped around there tightly like a vice. It was clear he was not going anywhere.
“I told you I never break a promise...” Sandra hissed. She looked over at Rudy and Penny, seeing them try to come forward. She growled, and her symbol began to glow. Mint watched in horror as his friends fell into the ground. He called out their names. “I will make sure none of you dare to lift a finger against me again...”
Mint looked at her, his eyes wide. “You...how could you think this was right?”
Sandra glared at him. “I tried to explain my point of view, but you brats refuse to listen.” She raised her hand up in gesture. “You only think about yourselves. You never think about others, how they might feel.”
“We don’t...kill zoners..for...” Rudy started to say.
Sandra turned her head to him. “Shut up! It’s not your turn!” She turned her attention back to Mint. “As for you, my dear creator... Like I said before, don’t think I’m going to go easy on you just because you’re the reason for my existence.”
“I didn’t create you like this.” Mint said. “I created you to be...”
“A healer, I know. I still have that ability.” Sandra said. She sighed and shook her head. “However, that didn’t cut it out for me. I needed something better...” She spread her hand up into the air, as if to indicate what was all around her. “I found it here!”
“I’m not upset you decided to take up cooking.” Mint said. “I’m angry that you are using this as an excuse to hurt zoners!”
Sandra blinked a few times, then shook her head. “Such naivity. I’m surprised my creator could be so stupid.”
Mint growled at this. “You need to own up to what you’ve done! You...”
“Oh? And what about you?” Sandra tilted her head to one side. Upon seeing Mint’s confused expression, she smirked. “Oh don’t be modest now. I know about how you thought ChalkZone was a game, and you wrecked the place like it was just a backyard sport.”
Mint felt his heart clench at this. He looked over at Rudy, Penny, and Snap. He recalled how, just a few years ago, he had called them his enemies, and they had fought one another. They had tried to warn him of what he was doing, but he refused to listen. He did eventually find out, but it nearly came with a high cost. He had almost killed Snap... That day still filled him with shame.
Mint shook his head, getting the thoughts out of his head. He knew why Sandra brought it up. She was trying to weaken him. She was trying to distract him so she could make her next move. Well she was going to have to try better than that.
“Yeah, I made mistakes. But at least I did something about them.” Mint pointed a finger at Sandra, ignoring the claws that still grasped his neck. “You hide behind a promise like a coward! You use it as an excuse to hurt people! You are the one who...”
“Silence!” Sandra snapped at him. She lifted him up and tossed him at his friends. He screamed as he slammed into them, knocking them to the ground. “I do not like being angry.. Please do not make me angry.” Sandar told them. “I do not really want to hurt you.”
“Well if you didn’t, then you wouldn’t.” Penny said, narrowing her eyes. “If you really cared about anyone...well you have a funny way of showing it.”
Rudy nodded in agreement. “Yeah. You’re just a bully who has...”
“Oh will you stop it with that?! You guys are the ones who wouldn’t listen! I was doing Snap a favor! I was helping him become a better person by making him realize the wrong he committed!” Sandra took a step towards the children, holding out her hands in front of her to indicate them. “Yet you four refuse to to hear me! You act as if I haven’t said anything!”
“You think that you can justify your actions?!” Snap cried. “You hurt me! You hurt many others! You...you were feeding the zoners...” His face got slightly green and he nearly threw up. Penny rubbed his back, comforting him.
Mint snarled, “You have some of the most twisted logic I’ve ever seen, Sandra! You’re more delusional than I was, and that’s saying something!”
Sandra hissed at this, her sharp teeth bared. “I am not delusional!”
“Says the one who thinks that a promise should always be fulfilled even in the event of hurting someone!” Penny shouted. Sandra glared over in her direction. “I’m not saying promises are bad, Sandra. I do understand how important they can be. But sometimes promises must be broken. They aren’t some sacred thing. They are not to be held in the highest regard. If they have to be broken, then so be it.”
Sandra snarled, a growl rumbling through her throat. Penny winced at this, but she remained where she was. “How dare you...”
“Sandra, this has to stop!” Snap said, pointing a rounded hand at the dragon zoner. “Stop trying to pretend you did nothing wrong! I would be less angry with you if you would just admit the truth!”
“But I am admitting the truth!” Sandra screeched, her eyes widening in anger. “If you would just listen and stop being so senile, I...”
“There are reasons why promises are broken, Sandra! They could be by mistake. They could be because something came up. Maybe someone could get hurt. Maybe they just couldn’t get there.” Rudy explained. “Why can’t you understand that?”
Sandra glared at him. “And why can’t you understand that you shouldn’t make a promise you can’t keep...?”
“Sandra, I’ve had promises broken on me before, and while sometimes they hurt, I don’t get all in a huffy about it.” Penny said. “I remember one when, when Rudy promised to help me with my homework, and he forgot, yeah I was hurt, but I later...”
There was a soft growl coming out of the dragon’s throat. They all looked at her, wide-eyed, unable to turn away. Mint licked his lips nervously. He looked at his friends. They all looked worried as well. They wondered what Sandra was going to do. Mint had a sinking feeling that Penny had just made a huge mistake.
Sandra stared intently at Rudy. She lowered her head slightly, her pupils shrinking as she focused on nothing and no one except for him. The growling rumbling through her increased in volume, her tail swishing from side to side. Her talons gripped the ground, scraping along it, almost like nails on a chalkboard.
“You...you broke the sanctity of a promise...?” Sandra asked, her voice a deep growl.
Rudy looked left and right. “W-Well..I...”
“Filthy heathen..” Sandra’s eyes bulged, practically glowing in feral anger. “I will see to it you never have a chance to rot the promise’s purity!”
“No! Wait!” Penny realized what she had just done. “Don’t! I didn’t mean to...!”
But it was too late. Although Mint, Penny, and Snap tried to stop Sandra, although they tried to protect Rudy, they were all knocked back by her tail as she rushed forward. Her spikes slashed into them, making them scream and fall into the ground. Rudy tried to fight back, pulling out his magic chalk, but Sandra knocked him down with her tail as well, his body slamming against the ground.
To Mint’s horror, Sandra lunged at Rudy as the boy tried to get up. Her mouth was split wide open, her teeth glinting in the light of the hallway. As she collide with Rudy, causing the air to get knocked out of him, she instantly closed her jaws around his neck and slammed him into the ground. She pinned him down effectively, her hands holding down his arms as her feet held his body down.
“Rudy! No!” Mint shouted.
“Stop it!” Penny cried.
“Release him, Sandra!” Snap begged. “Please!”
Rudy began to thrash on the ground as Sandra continued to bite into his throat. Blood leaked from the ground. Rudy opened his mouth as if to scream, but only gurgled, wet cries could be heard. Blood leaked out of the corner of his mouth as he kicked his legs. He thrashed on the ground, jerking his body from side to side. He managed to free an arm and he started to push against Sandra. But the dragon would not let him go. Rudy looked into her red eyes, silently pleading with her. But those eyes held no sympathy for him, only a very clear intent.
Mint and the others rushed forward. They called out Rudy’s name. They begged Sandra to stop. They moved as fast as they could. Their hearts pounded against their chests, fear washing over their bodies. Rudy’s pained, wet whines twisted their hearts. They had to get to him before...
Then, suddenly, there was a resounding crack. It echoed in the walls of the hallway. It swept through their hearts, chilling them to the bone. They froze where they were, their minds going numb, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
Rudy’s body stiffened up at this, a quick convulsion rattling through his body, a strangled, wet cry escaping his throat. Then his arm fell to his side as his body went completely limp and still. Then all was silent.
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Post by Bluedramon on Nov 7, 2014 17:32:07 GMT -5
Chapter 34: Cruel Aftermath
You poor, sweet, innocent thing! Dry your eyes and testify! And oh, you love to hate me, don't you, honey?
-Sweet Sacrifice, Evanescence
Penny felt her heart freezing as she stared at the scene. Her mind was numb, unable to full process everything around her. She was only vaguely aware of Mint and Snap. She could barely tell she was still in the tunnels. Her world around her seemed to freeze into a block of ice and faded off into the distance. The only thing her mind could fully register was what she was staring at.
Rudy motionless on the ground. Sandra’s teeth and jaws still pressed against his throat. Blood pooling on the ground. The low rumble of Sandra’s growl, her pupils shrunk into dots.
Penny just stared at the scene in shock. All emotion, for a moment, was gone from her. No crying, no screaming. Just staring at the scene in disbelief. It...It was like some kind of bad dream. Everything about it seemed so surreal. She had trouble believing this was really happening. She never would have thought she would see something this....this horrible in her life. Could...could this really be happening? Or was she just dreaming?
She watched as Sandra slowly released her grip on Rudy, a bit of blood intermixed wit her saliva dripping down. The dragon zoner did not seem to pay attention to the damage the blood was doing. The small burns did not faze her, as if the anger blocked out all pain signals.
Penny watched as Rudy’s head bobbed a little from when Sandra let go. It lopped to one side, bent at odd angle. She knew what had happened. There was no denying it.
Sandra...had broken Rudy’s neck...
It was then that Penny’s emotions began to reach the forefront of her mind. It was then that she started to become fully aware of the situation, and she couldn’t stop the cold ice from spreading across his body. The cold, chilly emotions caused her to shiver, and as she stared at Rudy’s unmoving form, her lower lip quivered. She knew she couldn’t keep the torrent of emotions back, and she released it all in a single cry.
“No! Rudy!”
Penny attempted to rush over to Rudy. Her heart pounded against her chest, emotion sweeping through her body. She had to get over there. She had to check on Rudy. She had to see if he was still okay. He..he couldn’t be dead. No..please don’t let him be dead...
She felt something holding her back. Someone had gripped her arm. She grunted and jerked, trying to free herself. Frustrated and wondering who was stopping her, she looked over. She could see it was Mint. His expression was etched in deep shock. He looked at her and silently shook his head. Penny attempted to yank herself free, but now Snap, just as horrified, joined in.
“Let me know! I need to...!” Penny cried.
“Penny, hold still! We don’t know what else Sandra might do!” Mint hissed worriedly at her. His eyes looked over at where Sandra was, his teeth gritted. “If we make any sudden movements, she might do worse!”
Snap kept an arm looped around Penny’s, pulling it close to him. “Yeah, Buckette... We need a plan first.”
Penny wanted to keep going. She wanted to free herself and rush to Rudy’s side. She wanted to see if he was still alive, and take care of him if he was. He needed their help now.
But her friends were right. They couldn’t make any foolish movements. Rudy might still be alive, but if he was, he was in a very precarious situation. With a broken neck, he wasn’t going far, not even an inch. And Sandra was still right there. She had, by now, wiped most of the blood off, earning a few burn marks in the process. Sandra glared down at Rudy, her teeth bared menacingly. It looked like, at any point, she wanted to finish the job. It wouldn’t be very hard for Sandra to kill Rudy long before they had any chance to save him.
They needed to come up with some kind of plan. They had to get Rudy away from her, regardless if he were dead or alive.
Dead... Penny’s eyes watered at this. Mint and Snap looked at her sympathetically. They all looked over at where Rudy still lay still on the ground. The thought of Rudy being dead... It froze their hearts, numbing their minds in disbelief. Rudy was showing no signs of life, and depending on how bad the break was, Sandra could have...
No, he wasn’t dead. They refused to believe it. He...He had to still be alive somehow. This was Rudy they were talking about. The Great Creator. He couldn’t be dead. He wouldn’t let someone like Sandra strike him down like this. Soon, he was going to get up and...
Sandra slowly turned her head towards them. Her eyes were narrowed still, and she had a feral look in her eyes. She wriggled her tail behind her like a snake, as if eager to strike them with it. She took a small step back from Rudy, her eyes solely on them. And for a few seconds, that’s all she did. Stare at them as if studying the depths of their souls.
Then a dark smile tugged away at her muzzle. Part of her teeth were exposed in the vicious grin. When she spoke, her voice was still growly, but not ot the same extent as before. This did not make her voice sound any less scary. “Well...that’s one more promise breaker who won’t have another chance at ruining something so sacred...”
“Y-You...” Penny stammered, her mind swirling with thoughts. Sandra just looked at her, looking as if she felt she did nothing wrong. Penny narrowed her eyes. “You won’t get away with this!”
“Oh do tell me.” Sandra said, shaking her head. “I’ve heard this before. Such a cliche in shows, don’t you think?”
Penny growled at this. “Step away from our friend!”
Sandra tilted her head a little, raising up an ear. “I’m not sure why you want him back now.” She folded her arms against her chest as she looked down at Rudy’s unmoving body. “He’s dead.”
Penny, Mint, and Snap gasped in horror at this. They recoiled back, staring at Sandra in shock and denial. No..no it couldn’t be...
Penny shook her head slowly. “You’re lying...! He’s not dead! He..”
“I broke his neck, dear girl.” Sandra said. She gave a wry smile. “I crushed his vertebrae. I could feel it break in my jaws. Oh it hurt doing that, believe me. But I think it was worth it, don’t you think?” Sandra sneered down at Rudy’s seemingly lifeless body. “This world won’t have to worry about him breaking promises anymore...”
“No...” Snap said softly. “No it can’t be...”
“Th-This has to be a trick!” Mint shook his head in denial. “You’re just trying to get us off guard and...”
Sandra shook her head. “I don’t know what you think I might gain from lying about this.” She looked at each of the still standing children. Then she said, “Face it, you three. Rudy is dead now. He’s never getting back up.”
“B-But...” Penny tried to say.”
Sandra looked at Penny in the eyes. “He’s dead.”
It felt as though the world around her came crashing in. Penny stood there, frozen, unable to move. She couldn’t see the looks on her friends’ faces. She couldn’t turn her head. But she knew they must be just as horrified as she was. She could feel her body begin to shake as she took in this news. She wanted to believe Sandra was lying. She...she was just trying to mess with them.
But she couldn’t shake off the feeling that perhaps, this time, she was telling the truth. She looked at Rudy’s unconscious form, noting how there was no movement at all. She looked at his neck, still bloody from the bite marks Sandra gave him. His head lopped too far to be normal. In the back of her mind, she remembered the horrible crack that had bounced off the walls. C-Could it be that...? She tried to push it aside. She tried to think of any possibility that Rudy might still be alive.
Yet...her medical knowledge, though limited, did point her in one direction. There was very little chance Rudy had survived that. Sandra could be right. Rudy could be...gone... She sucked in a sharp, shaky breath at that. Her body swelled with emotion, and she was unable to hold back her tears. They began to drip down her face like a waterfall.
“Rudy..no...” She shook her head in disbelief. She sniffled, tears cascading down her cheeks. “Please..no...”
Mint and Snap, similar thoughts running through their heads, did what they could to comfort her. She could feel their hands on her shoulder. They whispered soft words to her. Despite not looking at them, she could tell they were just as shaken and broken as she was. She heard then sniffle and give soft cries.
Penny hardly paid attention to Sandra. She didn’t see if the dragon still looked satisfied, if she looked annoyed, or anything. She could care less what Sandra was doing right now. At the moment, all she cared about was what happened to Rudy. Her breathing increased, becoming shaky. She let out a few soft cries as the realization of what happened weighed down upon her. Her hands trembled at her sides, her eyes glued to Rudy’s still body on the ground. She shook her head slowly, not wanting to believe it. But the truth twisted around her heart, threatening to break it, and she knew she had no choice but to accept reality.
Rudy was most likely dead... And there was nothing she could do about it. Nothing... She could stop Sandra still. She could save ChalkZone. But she could not revive anyone from the dead. No one could.
This might be the last time she would ever see Rudy.
The reality of that sunk in. She and her friends...they had no choice but to accept it. As hard as it was, they could no longer deny it. They could not lie to themselves. Their hearts froze as the realization swept through their minds. It felt as though they were in some kind of bad, horrible dream.
As they began to cry,they all looked over at Sandra. The tears flowed freely as they looked from Sandra, to Rudy, and back and forth like that. As emotion ate away at their stomachs, they soon began to feel not just sorrow, but anger rise up inside of them. They stared at Sandra, seeing her blue body through their tears. They soon narrowed their eyes, seething.
Sandra... It was her fault this happened. She was the one who did this to Rudy. She was the one who...who..murdered him in cold blood. That monster... That evil demon... She wasn’t going to get away with this. She was going to pay...big time.
Sandra took note of their expressions. She smirked at them, her arms folded against herself. She turned herself to the side, turning her neck so she could look over at the enraged children. “How immature... You three still don’t accept the reality of the situation. I did not do anything wrong. I merely did the world a favor.” She motioned a hand towards Rudy. “He would have broken your hearts if you let him live. A promise breaker is never to be trusted. If Rudy broke one promise to you..” She locked eyes with Penny. “What makes you think he wouldn’t do it time and time again? You should be thanking me.”
Penny, Mint, and Snap had to stifle themselves and use as much control as possible to keep from lunging at the evil dragon. How..how dare she say such things... How dare she still act as if she was justified... She just killed their best friend, and now she was trying to tell them that Rudy deserved it, that he brought it upon himself.
But they knew the truth. They knew that Sandra was just trying to find a way to justify her actions. Rudy never asked for this. It wasn’t his fault his neck was broken. It was Sandra... She was the one who...
But before any of them could make a move, before any of them could say a word to Sandra on her cruelty, Penny noticed something. It was brief and quick, and she thought she was just seeing things. But she still froze, staring away from Sandra, trying to see if she had just imagined it.
Then she saw it. There it was again.
Slight movement.
Her eyes widened. She couldn’t believe it. Could it be that...?
Penny whispered under her breath. A phrase that shocked everyone else in the room. “Rudy’s..alive...”
“What?” Sandra narrowed her eyes and looked over at where Rudy was. “It can’t be possible!”
Mint and Snap looked at each other, just as shocked as Sandra was. They looked at Penny, both silently asking her if she was telling the truth. Both of them had a somewhat uncertain look, not wanting to get their hopes up. Penny simply pointed at where Rudy was, unable to look away.
Rudy was still on the ground, his head still lopped to one side. But now it was becoming clear that he was not as motionless as they previously thought. His mouth was making a few twitches. And his eyelids were fluttering, and slowly they opened up. The sight of this was enough to confirm Penny’s suspicions, causing her and her friends to fill with elation.
Rudy was still alive.
Penny smiled at this, tears of happiness flowing down her face. She looked over at her friends. They cried a little, tears of joy streaming down their faces as well. There was hope to save their friend after all.
The happiness was short lived when they heard a snarl. They looked over, noting Sandra’s displeased expression. She glared down at Rudy, watching as his eyes opened and closed repeatedly, softly. She took a step towards them, but paused and looked over at them. They stared at each other for several mometns, silencing taking over the room.
“Don’t you dare..” Mint said as he started to make his way over.
“You three will not interrupt me.” Sandra declared.
Without warning, Sandra activated her powers on them, causing them all to scream and drop to the ground. She stared at them coldly, watching as they squirmed on the ground. They tried to get up, but the pain prevented them. They stared over at Sandra in horror. They continued to thrash on the ground, not wanting to give up. But they realized, in dread, there was little they could do in their current state.
Penny’s mind became a little muddled as her body was wracked in pain. She could feel Sandra’s powers tearing into her. The super healing being induced on her made her feel as though her blood vessels were being pulled apart one by one. She seethed, trying to get up. She tried to push herself onto her hands, back onto her feet. But her leg..oh gawd her leg.. It was like a million pieces of glass was being forced into her skin and flesh. Then they were twisted around and forced out, maximizing damage. Even just touching her leg froze her in agony. With tears of fear and pain staining her cheeks, she looked over at Sandra, watching helplessly.
Sandra smiled softly, looking satisfied that they weren’t going to be able to stop her. She then turned her head slowly towards Rudy. Her frown slightly faded, her eyes widening. She looked at Rudy with great interest. Keeping her powers locked onto them, she went into a stalking posture, slowly making her way towards Rudy, her tail moving from side to side.
“Bucko! Get up!” Although Snap knew that Rudy couldn’t do such a thing, the frantic zoner still pleaded for Rudy to get away. “Get on your feet! Run! Sandra’s coming!”
Mint squirmed violently on the ground. He ended up on his back, his left leg pulled up towards himself. He looked at Rudy, seeing him upside down. “Rudy! Look out!”
But no matter how much they screamed, Rudy wasn’t moving. His eyes were open, and it looked as if he was moving them around. But he hadn’t tried to speak, and it was hard to tell if he was fully aware of what was happening.
Sandra growled softly as she crept closer, flattening her ears against her head. “I assure you, Rudy, I will not screw up this time...”
“Leave him alone!” Mint shouted.
Sandra barely turned her head, looking at Mint with one eye. “You are in no position to tell me what to do.” She then turned her head back to Rudy. “Now...if you’ll excuse me...”
No...No, this couldn’t be happening, no... They couldn’t allow this to happen. They couldn’t allow Sandra to get away with this. They had to get her away from Rudy before she harmed him. They had to get up and fight. They had to push back the pain, get back on their feet, and get to Rudy before Sandra had a chance to finish him off.
But the pain...it gripped them so tightly, keeping it in its vile hold. The pain spread from their limbs, over taking their bodies. It was clear that Sandra was doing what she could to hold them back without killing them. Their bodies felt as though they were slowly being ripped apart. They could all feel something growing in their bodies, threatening to rip out of their skins. They twisted on the ground, shedding tears of pain, struggling to get up off the ground. But no matter what they tried, they were trapped on the ground, and all they could do was watch helplessly as Sandra approached Rudy.
Suddenly, there was a loud scream. Their hearts skipped a beat, wondering if Sandra had started to make her move on him. But even she looked a bit surprised, as if she didn’t expect it. Before anyone could ask what had happened, there was another scream, and this time, they realized it wasn’t just out of pain, but panic.
"It hurts! Oh gawd it hurts! Somebody help me! Please! I can’t move!” Rudy cried out. His voice cracked, and it was clear he was sobbing from the agony. “I-I can’t move anything! My neck! It hurts so bad! Please help me! Please!”
Penny and the others gasped in horror at this. They looked at Rudy, tears forming in their eyes. Rudy would be thrashing on the ground if he could. His voice gave away just how much pain he was in, how much he was panicking. Even though some of the wet gurgles of his speech as a result of the internal bleeding, Rudy was still coherent enough to be understood. And it broke their hearts as they listened to him scream in vain for their help.
“P-Please help me! Stop the pain!” Rudy screamed, wheezing painfully as he struggled to keep breathing. This made their hearts clench, solidifying even more the urgency of the situation.
Sandra stared at Rudy, blinking a few times. Then, smiling softly, she continued to approach him. She kept getting closer until she made sure that Rudy could see her. As soon as he did, Rudy made more pleas for help, and begged Sandra not to hurt him again. Sandra just stared at him silently, smiling, almost as if she was enjoying his pain.
“You know, I could kill you right now. End it all for you.” Sandra said coolly. She began to slowly pace around Rudy, watching him carefully. The boy watched her the best he could. “It would be so easy, too. That would be the..merciful thing to do. I don’t see you living much of a life if you survive this.”
Penny felt her blood start to boil, but she kept her focus on Rudy. Her eyes were wide in terror, as were her friends’. Rudy was clearly terrified of Sandra, and he really wanted to get away. The pain in his neck was preventing him from moving it, which was keeping him alive. But it was also an omen; just the slightest move would be enough to end his life. And now Sandra was so close to him, she could do practically anything she wanted to him, and there was nothing they could do.
Rudy’s wide, terror-filled eyes watched Sandra as she circled around him slowly. Penny could tell that he really wanted to move his head so that she was always in his field of vision. Whenever Sandra was in a certain position, he looked more panicked because he was unable to see if she was making a move against him.
Seeing Rudy so scared and frightened made Penny want to rush over to him and hold him. But she needed to get up first, and even if she did get past Sandra, she would have to hold off on hugging. She could accidentally hurt Rudy more. She needed to secure and immobolize him, and get him out of here.
Sandra continued her vulture-like circling around Rudy, causing tension and anxiety to rise up in the room. No one knew when she was going to make a move. She made a few gestures that got them worked up, but she would always stop herself before she did anything. It was as if she was deliberately screwing with them, or perhaps it was as simple as she didn’t know what she was going to do with Rudy just yet.
Then, after a few more seconds of silence, she spoke.
“Well, Rudy... It is a shame it had to be like this. When I first met you, I never dreamed that I would be the one to strike you down.” Sandra said. Rudy just looked at her fearfully, his breathing increasing. “But life is just full of surprises, isn’t it? Often, things don’t always go the way you expect them to. Life..is quite funny like that...”
Rudy swallowed nervously. He let out a whimper of pain. “Please...don’t hurt me...”
Sandra chuckled bitterly at this. “Well trust me, Rudy, I didn’t want to do this. I know you and your friends think I’m being harsh. But I’m just upholding the sacredness that is the promise. I can’t let it be tainted. You understand, right?” Sandra paced around him, looking at him up and down. “Trust me, this hurts me as much as it hurts you.”
“Get away from him, you monster!” Snap snarled at her. Sandra stared at Snap with a calm expression. “If you dare hurt him again, I’ll...!”
“Oh Snap..I wish you would stop being so narrow-minded.” Sandra said. Her expression softened up and she looked a little said. “If only you would just make the effort to see things through my eyes. Things would be so much better if...”
“Bite your tail!” Snap snarled.
Sandra widened her eyes at this, looking genuinely shocked. She and Snap stared at each other for several moments. Then, noticing that Snap was not changing his angered expression, Sandra lowered her ears and growled at him. “You are making this really difficult for me, Snap...”
Snap narrowed his eyes further. “I don’t care...” Everyone, even Penny herself, was surprised at how cold that sounded. But considering what Sandra put him through, this did not come as a surprise.
Sandra moved her head back and growled. She glared at Snap for a second or two before she refocused her attention on Rudy. She appeared to shake off her anger towards Snap, and her previously mostly calm expression returned. She knelt down beside Rudy, right where he could see her, staring at her in fear. She reached over towards him, causing them to panic.
“No!” Penny screamed, thrashing on the ground. “Don’t you dare touch him!”
“Get back!” Mint shouted. “Don’t hurt him! Please!”
Snap jerked from side to side, fighting against the pain. “Get the fuck away from him, Sandra!”
Their cries and pleas and shouts did little to stop Sandra. She ignored them completely as she moved her hand closer to Rudy. The boy flinched and shut his eyes, letting out a series of fearful whimpers. Sandra’s hand made contact, and she gently pressed it against his face.
Sandra began to gently caress Rudy’s cheek, taking care not to hurt him. Rudy opened up his eye warily, looking up at her. Sandra smiled at him. Not viciously or aggressively, but more friendly than anything else. She then moved her hand up and stroked his hair. She spent a bit of time playing with his hair before pressing her thumb against his forehead gently.
“I do have a question, though.” Sandra said. She took care to stroke a few stray hairs from his face, combing it behind his ear. “I have heard you are such a great artist. Would you be able to draw anything for me?” Her smile broadened as she put her face close to his. “I would love to see them...”
Rudy’s eyes widened at this. “B-But I..”
“Oh that’s right. You can’t draw anything if you can’t move.” Sandra said, her eyes widening a little. But her smile never faded. “But that shouldn’t be a problem for you, am I right? Come on..draw for me. Take the chalk and draw.”
At this, something seemed to break inside Rudy. His eyes widened in disbelief before they closed lightly. He began to cry, his sobs echoing in the air. Not cries of pain, but of sorrow. Sandra simply watched in silence as Rudy broke down crying on the ground.
The sight of this horrified Penny, Mint, and Snap. Anger raged through their bodies. They couldn’t believe how cruel and twisted Sandra was being. How..how dare she say such a thing.. She was the one who broke Rudy’s neck, and to mock him about how he couldn’t draw anymore... That was a low blow. Rudy loved art. He loved to draw. And for her to take that away from him and then have the gall to ask him to draw something... She was an even bigger monster than they had realized.
Penny pushed herself against the ground. She had enough of this. She had to do something to stop Sandra. She pushed herself onto her shaky legs. She fought against the horrific pain. She staggered forward a little, wincing in pain and seething in the process. When she managed to get up to her feet, she began to move towards Sandra.
sss
Snap’s body quaked in emotion and in pain. He glared in Sandra’s direction, unable to believe what he was hearing. Sandra was mocking Rudy, taunting him on his inability to draw. He felt his heart twist as he heard Rudy crying softly. This fueled his anger for Sandra even more, boiling hatred seeping in the pit of his stomach.
He couldn’t take it anymore. He couldn’t just stay here on the ground. He could see Penny, and soon Mint, were struggling off the ground. They were both enraged, just like he was, with how Sandra was treating Rudy. Snap followed suit. He started to climb up to his feet. Sandra’s hold on him seemed to weaken a ltitle, helping him fight back against the pain. But that didn’t stop shockwaves from sweeping through him, making him freeze a few times as he tried to regain his balance.
He glared off in Sandra’s direction. At the moment, she was still petting Rudy, like he was just a dog or cat she found, and speaking to him. She kept asking him questions about art in general, and kept urging him to draw. She even had the gall to act as if he was ignoring her when he wouldn’t move. The sight of this brought Snap’s blood to a boil.
He couldn’t believe he ever thought of Sandra as a friend. He couldn’t believe that he actually thought she was his friend. He thought that she was a nice, friendly zoner, someone he could count on and trust. She had never before seemed to display any behavior that would suggest otherwise.
But he had been wrong about her. Oh so very wrong.
Sandra was a twisted, vile fiend. She had lied about everything. She had been hiding her true self, and now they were finally witnessing it. She was cruel and absolutely heartless. She didn’t care about anyone but herself, and everything she did was just for her own twisted satisfaction. She had pretended to be his friend all the while hurting him in the process. She had tricked almost everyone in ChalkZone City into thinking he was a murderer. Almost everyone was against him. And it was all because of her.
When Snap managed to stand up onto his feet, he nearly fell back down due to the horrific pain, especially in his left ankle. He seethed and fought against it. He couldn’t let his pain slow him down, not while Rudy needed his help. He began to move as quickly as he could, picking up the pace as terror for what could happen to his friend and creator increased.
It took some time, but soon Snap was able to move forward at a considerable pace. He still limped, still winced in pain everytime he brought his left foot down. But his determination was enough that he could temporarily block out the pain as he rushed towards Sandra as fast as he could.
He continued to move forward, even managing to get ahead of Mint and Penny. He didn’t pay attention to their expressions nor did he fully register if there was anything they had said. Instead, he kept his attention fully on Sandra. At the moment, she had no idea he was coming. In fact, she was so focused on Rudy that he could feel more and more of her powers leave him, making it steadily and progressively easier for him to move faster. He did his best to keep quiet, wanting to maintain the element of surprise.
As he moved closer, he looked over at Rudy. The terrified little boy was still staring at Sandra and hadn’t yet noticed him. Snap watched him sadly, biting his lip. Poor Rudy... He made a silent promise that Sandra was not going to get away with this. He would see to that.
As Sandra gave another chuckle, Snap pushed himself harder and, wracked with pain and determination, he broke off into a limpy, staggering run.
sss
Sandra smiled down at Rudy. She stared into his eyes, seeing how terrified he was. She licked her lips slowly, for a moment forgetting that he wasn’t a zoner. When she reminded herself, she was disappointed. Rudy’s fear level was so high that he would have tasted quite divine if prepared right.
But she wasn’t stupid. She knew that his meat would be toxic to any zoner that tried to consume it. She would have no use for his meat, unless she dried it out real good. She leaned her head back slightly, her eyes remaining locked onto his. As much as she would like to experiment with this idea, she decided it was best not to go that angle. She couldn’t risk poisoning herself or her patients. So she shoved the idea aside, instead focusing on what she was going to do.
She was a bit surprised that Rudy had managed to survive her attack. She didn’t think anyone could survive a broken neck. Well today she had been proven wrong. Rudy beat the odds, and he was now conscious, looking at her in fear. Though she could kill him now and get it done and over with, she decided to leave him alive for the time being. She wanted him to feel sorry for what he had done, and felt he deserved to suffer a little bit before he died.
The foolish child had dared to break a promise. The thought filled her with raging anger. It took a lot of willpower to prevent herself from ripping him apart right now. She reminded herself that Rudy was paying the price for what he did right now, and how he was unable to escape from her.
If there was one thing that got her blood going, it was anyone who dared to break a promise. She seethed at the thought of anyone breaking a promise. How could anyone do such a thing? Once a promise is made, it should never be broken. That was how you judge someone on their integrity. If they always uphold a promise, then they were trustworthy in her eyes. If they broke it, no matter the reason, then they were worthless. Because once someone breaks a promise, then what was going to stop them from doing it again? They needed to be destroyed before they could take advantage of anyone.
She had her reasons for believing this way. She flashed back to life in that..other place... Before she was kicked out, she had lived a pretty brief though happy life there. She didn’t want to think too much on how she got kicked out, but she knew part of it was because of a broken promise on part of Jyker.
She narrowed her eyes at the memory of that traitor. She thought she could trust him. He made a promise..and he broke it deliberately. But if there was one good thing that came out of that, it was that it made her realize even more how sacred promises were, how they could easily be the difference between success and failure.
She grew less tolerant of promise breaks as a result. She would make sure none of them could hurt anyone. She didn’t care who they were. A promise breaker deserved to die.
She glared at Rudy. That included him, too. She thought he was trustworthy, and she had liked him. To find out he was a promise breaker... Something had snapped inside of her. She hadn’t expected to break his neck, but she felt no remorse for doing so. Rudy should have thought twice before breaking a promise with Penny. She would make sure that he paid for that.
A part of her did feel some hesitation. She bit her lip as she stared down at him. Though she felt no remorse, she did feel some level of regret. She had liked Rudy and had wanted to get to know him a little more. He seemed like he and his friends would have been fun to hang out with when this was all over. It was a shame that things went down this way. A part of her couldn’t believe that she was actually going to do this. She told herself it was for the best, but there was still some uncertainty.
She narrowed her eyes. There was no more time for hesitation now. She had stalled long enough. She had to do what must be done. She moved her hand away from Rudy and pulled her tail towards him. The sharp tips glinted in the light.
“Hold still, Rudy.” Sandra said. “I will make it quick.”
“No please...” Rudy begged her.
She ignored him and brought her tail closer.
She froze when she heard feet pounding on the ground. Confused, she turned her head and looked behind her. She was shocked when she saw Snap heading in her direction. She only had time to widen her eyes before the zoner collided with her. She let out a grunt as she was sent skidding across the ground. They soon came to a stop, Snap sitting on top of her.
Sandra couldn’t help but stare at him in shock. How had he managed to get over here that fast? How had he fought against the pain? How did she not notice him coming? It took her a second to realize that she had been so focused on Rudy, she wasn’t able to keep as strong a hold on these three. And looking up, she could see Mint and Penny weren’t far away, on their feet and ready to fight. She narrowed her eyes at this and she began to push back against Snap.
The two blue zoners wrestled with each other, rolling across the ground. They fought for dominance, fought for control, fought to pin the other down. She snarled at him, pleading with him to listen to reason. But Snap was not interested in listening. He was intent on stopping her. Sandra had no choice but to continue to fight back, hoping that she could pin him down and immobilize him before it was too late.
Sandra kept trying to knock Snap off of her. She pushed against him, tried to kick him, but Snap kept wriggling around, avoiding her tactics. She felt him grip her tightly, occassionally tugging on her ear or yanking on her arm as he struggled to get her onto the ground. She snarled at him and grabbed onto his cape, yanking him back. He gagged at this and delivered a small punch to her jaw, enough that her head was tossed to the side, making her let go.
This went on for a while. Sandra was not aware of what was happening around her. She didn’t see if Mint and Penny went anywhere. Her eyes were solely on Snap. She managed to get him on the ground, gripping him his arms and pinning them against the surface. This didn’t last long as Snap pulled his foot back and kicked her in the stomach. She moved back, allowing Snap to grab onto her neck and yank on her hard.
After several moments of wrestling, she realized that Mint and Penny had gone past her and Snap, and were currently trying to give aid to Rudy. She glared over in their direction. She needed to finish him off, but first, she had to get away from Snap. She continued to wrestle with him until, by some miracle, she managed to pull her foot back and strike him against the chest and stomach.
She got up to her feet as she watched him hit the ground. She realized she could have just used her powers on him. She shrugged it off and turned her attention to Rudy. At the moment, Penny and Mint were standing in front of him protectively, ready to fight.
Sandra smirked. This was going to be too easy. They weren’t going to be able to defend their friend for very long. She began to make her way towards them, staring intently at them.
“You are...”
Sandra was stopped when she suddenly found herself yanked away. She let out a grunt as she hit against the wall, nearly gagging as she felt her cape being pulled to one side. She shook her head, regaining her senses, and surveyed her surroundings to see what had happened.
To her shock, there was a large knife cutting into her cape, preventing her from moving. She turned her head and she saw that it had been Snap who tossed the knife. The zoner was glaring over at her hatefully. There was pain in his eyes, but also determination. He gritted his teeth and looked ready to fight.
“Leave my friends alone...” Snap growled at her. He took a step forward. He winced and staggered a little, but managed to keep himself from falling down. “Don’t you fucking dare go near them...”
Sandra simply stared at Snap. Although she did not show it, she was being torn up on the inside. She really didn’t want to fight him. She didn’t want to hurt him anymore. But if he continued to be unreasonable...she knew she would have no choice in the end. He was not listening to her. He was refusing to listen to reason. In the end, she knew what had to be done.
She had to make sure he didn’t become a problem. She had to stop him, immobilize him somehow. She thought of using her powers, but decided against it. The moment she would, she knew Mint or Penny may come after her. She needed another way to stop him that would buy her some more time. And she knew exactly what that was going to be.
“You thought you could get away with this?” Snap’s voice rang out. “You thought that you could get away with hurting my friends? Tormenting me? Terrorizing ChalkZone City?” Snap took a step forward. “Well that all ends now, Sandra! Right here! Right now!”
Sandra smiled at this. “I do so admire your bravery, Snap. It’s just a shame that it is..misplaced.” Snap snarled at this. Sandra raised her foot up, her talons wrapping around the knife. “So naive... You are so unaware of how the world works. I’m so shocked, Snap. I thought you would understand enough to know that I’m not doing anything that bad. Just keeping promises...” She tightened her grip on the knife, yanking it outward, a thunk sounding out as she did so. She held the knife up, looking at it, twisting it around as she examined it. “It is a shame that things turned out this way, Snap. I do hope that you will eventually come to realize the truth. After all, the truth will set you free...”
“You’re insane!” Snap cried, pointing a rounded hand in her direction. “You are twisting logic and the world around you, filtering it through your own twisted eyes! Why can’t you see that, Sandra? Why can’t you see just how cruel you are being?”
“Because I know what I’m talking about. You are speaking from a flawed perspective, Snap.” Sandra said, waving a dismissive hand. “You only see one point of view, a tainted one at that. You do not understand certain functions, and I get that. I’m willing to teach you, but only if you will listen.” Seeing Snap snarl at her, Sandra said, “I see you are stubborn, more willing to cling to your own misguided ways than to listen to me. Okay, fine then.”
Tightening her grip on the knife, making a quick, accurate aim and calculation, she thrust it towards Snap. The zoner let out a scream and jumped out of the way. The knife sailed past him, hitting against the wall.
Sandra hissed at this. “Why didn’t you just hold still? I wasn’t trying to kill you!”
“Oh yeah?” Snap barked at her. “You could have fooled me!”
Sandra narrowed her eyes at Snap. She wasn’t sure why he had to be so stubborn. But she couldn’t just stand there. She had to secure him so she could take care of the other humans. While they were busy tending to Rudy, she took this chance to charge towards Snap. The zoner let out a surprised cry, but took a fighting stance. Sandra tightened the muscles in her leg and lunged for him...
...only to be knocked back by a sudden force. She slammed into the ground heavily, letting out a few cries of pain. She struggled up to her feet, brushing herself off. She looked over to see who had stopped her. She widened her eyes.
It was Mosaic...
The crocodile zoner placed herself between hera nd Snap, her tail wriggling in agitation, her teeth flashing at her. The crocodile let out a loud hiss and mock charged her, snapping her jaws. Sandra jumped back, then adopted a defensive stance.
“You again...” Sandra hissed. “When will you learn...?” Mosaic let out a loud growl in response. Even though the crocodile didn’t speak, Sandra could have sworn the zoner had just cursed at her. This made her flatten her ears, curling her lips back into a snarl. “I’ve had enough of you. Time to...”
“Get away from them!” Mint shouted.
Sandra’s eyes widened as she felt something tugging on her ears, a sudden weight on her back. She jerked around, arching her back, trying to buck the kid off of her. Mint wrapped his arms around her throught and pushed against it tightly, nearly choking her.
She grabbed onto her arms and tugged on them. She jerked herself from left to right. She glared up at her creator, giving him a silent warning to let go. But he did not listen. He just tightened his grip on her, his legs locking around her body, providing more stability for him.
“Let go of me!” Sandra demanded.
But the boy did not listen. The two of them continued to rush around the hallway, each trying to gain dominance over the other. Sandra felt her blood reach its boiling point, gritting her teeth in frustration.
And then she felt the boy’s teeth go into her ear. Her eyes bulged and she let out a loud scream.
sss
Mint bit down as hard as he could. He could feel his teeth sink into the dragon’s ear, blood seeping from it. He did not relent. Even as her struggles increased, even as she screamed, she did not let go. His mission was to keep her as preoccupied as possible so Penny could have time to think of a way to help Rudy and get him out of here. He also wanted to make sure that she did not go after Snap, or have a chance to kill Rudy. He wouldn’t allow it.
He looked over at Penny. He gave a faint smile as he saw that she was doing what she could to help Rudy. He then looked over at Snap and Mosaic. The crocodile zoner was positioned in front of Snap protectively. Mint was surprised she was here, but was glad. Snap looked surprised by Mint’s interference and he looked like he wanted to rush forward and help.
But Mint shook his head, enough for Snap to see it. He couldn’t let Snap get involved. He didn’t know what Sandra planned to do with him, but he wasn’t going to let her get that chance. He made a quick gesture with his head, encouraging Snap to go to where Penny and Rudy were.
Rudy was the one who needed the most help right now. The more people helping him, the better. Mint felt his stomach twist with emotion. He hoped Rudy would be okay. He could still hear that resounding crack in his mind, and knowing that Rudy could very easily die with the slightest movement.. He could feel his hatred towards Sandra increase as he recalled that she was the one who broke his neck.
But with Penny there, he was certain he was going to make it. He recalled that it was Penny who had saved his life when his leg was cut off. He owed his very survival to her, and Rudy’s, efforts. So long as Penny was over there, assessing the damage and reacting accordingly, he was confident that Rudy was going to be fine. Still a long road ahead, but he was certain that Rudy was going to be okay. He..he just had to be...
Suddenly, Sandra gave a sharp jerk, loosening him up enough for her to grab him. She pulled on him hard, letting out a yelp of pain as the force caused him to tear part of her ear off, his teeth still sunk into the skin. Warm blood covered a part of his face as Sandra threw him against the ground, part of his back pressed against the wall.
Mint let out a soft groan. He sat himself up with one hand, his other pressing against his face and rubbing it gently. He looked over and he let out a scream as Sandra dashed towards him quickly, her mouth agape.
“N-No! Please!” Mint wailed, terror striking his hear.
Penny and Snap looked over, their eyes bulging in horror.
“Mint! Run! Get away!” Penny cried in fear.
“Get up and run!” Snap called out to him.
But it was too late for Mint to do anything. Before Mint had a chance to get up, Sandra slammed against him. He let out a grunt of pain as the weight hit against him with near full force, the wind knocking out of him. As he took in a few breaths to try to refill his lungs, he felt Sandra grab onto his mouth.
“I promise I will make sure you will never be able to use these against me again.” Sandra snarled.
Before Mint could ask her what she was talking about, she began to apply pressure. She started to push his lower jaw down, her other hand gripping his head for leverage. Mint’s eyes bulged as pain began to creep along his jaws, where the hing connected it to his skull. He began to thrush on the ground, kicking, pushing against Sandra.
Then without warning, Sandra pushed down as hard as she could, ignoring the pain in her fingers as she pushed his jaw down beyond its limitations. There was a sickening crack, followed by a loud, bloodcurdling scream which Mint realized, to his horror, was his own. He started to taste salty blood in his mouth as he began to cry and sob from the pain.
“Mint!” Penny and Snap cried in unison, their voices dripping with terror and dread.
Mint looked up at Sandra, giving her an expression that asked her why she did this. She smiled softly at him, but then narrowed her eyes. She then lowered her hand towards him. The pain freezing him where he was, all Mint could do was watch, his eyes widening.
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Post by Bluedramon on Nov 8, 2014 19:20:37 GMT -5
Chapter 35: Emergency Fuel
On the ground, I lay motionless, in pain. I can see my life flashing before my eyes.
-Time Of Dying, Three Days Grace
Mint remained frozen on the ground. His life seemed to flash before his eyes as he watched Sandra barrel down towards him. He wanted to cry and plead with her not to do it, but he knew it wouldn’t work. And he wouldn’t be able to speak that well, as the pain in his jaws reminded him. There was a radiation of pain that stretched from where the jaws connected and down along the bottom rim of it. He could still feel some of the blood leaking out of the corner of his mouth.
He knew it was dislocated. There was no doubt about that. He could feel his jaw barely hanging there by a thread. About the only thing keeping it from falling down was his skin and flesh, which was still largely in tact. It hurt him so much... Just the slightest touch was enough to send him jerking in agony.
It terrified him how Sandra had been able to dislocate his jaw like that. She wasn’t terribly larger and she didn’t look like she would be that strong. He had been proven wrong on that point, and now here he was, with a dislocated jaw, in pain, and about to be attacked again. His friends wouldn’t be able to help him. They wouldn’t reach him in time.
Seeing Sandra like this was horrifying. He had never drawn her with the intent of her being violent like this. Just what had his cousin done to her to make her like this? What was his intentions with her? That feral look, those exposed sharp teeth... They would forever be etched into his retina.
Although only a couple of seconds passed, it felt like several minutes to Mint. The world around him seemed to go in slow motion. He was aware of some shouting, realizing it was Penny and Snap. He couldn’t make out what they were saying. He could hear Sandra’s snarling, and she seemed to move slowly as she came towards him. But he couldn’t get himself to jump out of the way. The gap was closing too fast, and he knew he wouldn’t be able to get away.
Sandra closed the gap between them. With her jaws opened up wide, her pupils shrunk, she jumped towards him. He watched in horror as she brought her claws forward, the sharp tips ready to tear into him. Mint let out a gurgled cry and turned away, bringing his hands up in futile defense. He waited for the blow.
Suddenly there was a flash of color, blurry and fuzzy. It zipped in front of his field of vision, going so fast he couldn’t tell what it was. Then he heard a pained screech from Sandra, and then a loud thud. The air was soon filled with low growls and hisses. He heard a few bangs against the ground, and he realized quickly what it was. Struggling... There was a fight going on. Mint forced himself to open up his eyes and see what was going on.
Ripclaw...
It was Ripclaw...
He didn’t know how she did it. He didn’t know where she came from, how she got here... All he knew was that she was here. She had Sandra pinned on the ground with her large foot and was snarling at her. Sandra squirmed, struggling to get away from her. Ripclaw merely pressed her foot down harder to hold her in place.
Mint took in a few shaky breaths as he realized how close he had come to being killed. Terror swept through his heart, making him shake and tremble. He stared at Ripclaw, watching as she kept the evil dragon on the ground. Mint reached out towards her, and then pulled his hand back. He had never felt more grateful for Ripclaw than he did now. She had just saved his life...
“Mint! Are you okay?!” Penny cried.
Mint looked over at her. He noticed how she and Snap recoiled. It must be due to his loose jaw. He would have answered them if he could. He tried to move his jaw slightly, only to be wracked in pain.
But regardless of how he felt, he knew that the situation with Rudy was much more dire. He made a few quick gestures with his hand, motioning towards Rudy. He pointed quickly, letting out a few muffled cries and slurred words, trying to get them to understand that he wanted them to treat Rudy first. They seemed to understand, and they turned their attention back to Rudy.
Mint stared down at Rudy, his expression softening up. Though he was in a lot of pain, he knew Rudy was suffering more. He didn’t suffer just a dislocation like he had; his neck had been crushed, or so that’s what Sandra said. He had no doubt she broken something, but he didn’t know if the damage was as bad as she said. He hoped it wasn’t. He hoped that it was a clean break so it would be easier for the doctors to mend it. Rudy needed to get to the hospital, and fast.
“Let go of me, you monster!” Sandra snarled. Mint looked over, watching her continue her struggling against Ripclaw. “You horrid beast! Get off! Now!” Sandra kicked her legs out, trying to hit against Ripclaw. Her tail wriggled wildly, hitting the ground a few times out of frustration. “If you don’t let go, I will promise I will make you regret it!”
Mint’s eyes widened in horror at this. Did Sandra just...? Oh no.. Ripclaw... What if Sandra...? Mint wanted to warn Ripclaw. He wanted to tell her to get away. But she wouldn’t be able to understand anything he tried to say, and if Sandra caught him trying to warn her, she would probably...
Mint watched in terror as Ripclaw fought with Sandra. The blue dragon landed a few pounches against Ripclaw, the fists slamming against the side of her face. Ripclaw’s head moved to the side in response, but this did little to deter the utahraptor. She snarled and snapped her jaws, drool dripping down. Her pupils were narrowed into slits, and she applied more pressure. Sandra continued to thrash on the ground, trying to get away. But the more she struggled, the more firmly Ripclaw held her down.
Then her struggles increased. Sandra opened her mouth wide, exposing her sharp teeth. She kicked against Ripclaw, managing to slash into her skin. Blood dripped onto her claws and stained some of Ripclaw’s feathers. But still Ripclaw did not back down, keeping Sandra immobilized on the ground. Even when Sandra managed to land a few blows with her wickedly spiked tail, long cuts appearing on her side, that still wasn’t enough.
Suddenly, Sandra, out of desperation, bit down on Ripclaw’s foot. She pulled her head back and let out a loud, pained screech. This caused her to get off of Sandra. To Mint’s horror, Sandra crouched down and lunged at her, grabbing into her thick neck and hung on. Her claws dug into the flesh as she bit down on the back of her neck. Ripclaw jerked from side to side, trying to buck Sandra off of her.
Around in circles in the hallway they went. Ripclaw let out a series of screeches as she tried to knock Sandra loose. She turned her head and tried to bit her. Her teeth narrowly missed her each time. Ripclaw turned her head away, splitting her jaws wide open as she roared. She slammed herself against the wall, clearly hoping it would be enough. But Sandra did not let go, tightening her grip on the dinosaur as she bit down harder.
Ripclaw reared back, flailing her arms wildly as she tried so desperately to get the dragon off. Mint could see her eyes, wide in pain and agony. He could see how she was constantly hitting the wall, biting, twirling around, and yet none of that worked.
And even after all that, Sandra still had a hold of her. She was still clinging to her. She still had her sharp teeth in her neck. She was still applying pressure, showing no signs of letting go anytime soon...
Mint watched this, dread swelling up in his chest. Memories of Sandra breaking Rudy’s neck appeared in his head, and as he watched Sandra biting down on Ripclaw’s neck, he realized in a second that she was trying to do the same thing to her.
No...she couldn’t do that.. He wouldn’t let her. He had to do something to stop her. Despite his pain and fear, despite knowing what Sandra was capable of doing, Mint began to make his way over. He didn’t know how he was going to stop her, but he knew that he had to try.
Suddenly, Mint caught a glimpse of something black and white in front of him. He felt a rush of air as something ran past him. In seconds, it collided with Sandra, and he heard the echoing sound of a crunch as Sandra sprawled onto the ground. Ripclaw staggered to the side. Despite the blood dripping down and being a little off balance, she appeared to be okay.
Sandra laid on the ground for a few seconds. Her body have a few quick shivers. She clutched her side, and Mint realized that a rib or two must have been broken. Her head lifted up, her ears flopping down and then raising up. Her eyes, narrowed in anger, looked over at her attacker.
Mint was shocked to see that it was Dr. Gelcro. He didn’t appear to be in the greatest of shape. He was bloodied and there was a pained look in his eye. It was hard to tell just how much damage was done to him, but it was clear that he was hurt worse than it had appeared at a glance.
Before Sandra could say anything and make her move, Mosaic left his friends’ side and bolted towards her. The crocodile lunged at her, knocking her into the ground. The two hissed and snarled at each other as they began to wrestle on the ground.
Mint watched the sight, unable to take in what just happened. It all occurred so quickly. First, Sandra tried to jump at him, then Ripclaw came in, then those two struggled, then Dr. Gelcro stepped in, and now Mosaic was wrestling with Sandra. It was all so fast and so sudden.
He didn’t have long to think about this when he noticed Dr. Gelcro limping towards him. Though Mint did feel bad that he was injured, he was not all that happy to see him. He felt his stomach burn as he remembered the trouble that this doctor had caused them. Just what was he doing here? What did he have planned?
Dr. Gelcro narrowed his eyes softly. “Enemy Crea....” The dog’s expression softened up and he bit his lip. He cleared his throat and spoke again. “I-I mean..Mint...” He took a step forward, his head lowered slightly. “Are you all right?”
Mint was confused by this change of attitude. What caused Dr. Gelcro to soften up? He attempted to open his mouth, wanting to ask him a few questions, but he had to pause, feeling a horrific pain in his jaw. Unable to speak, he slowly shook his head.
“Hmm...I see Sandra dislocated your jaw. That’s not good.” Dr. Gelcro walked over. He reached out and gently put his hands on Mint’s head. He put his head close to his, his red eyes inspecting the damage. “You have quite a bit of damage there. She tore some of the skin. Here..let me help you.”
The husky grabbed his jaw, sending shockwaves of pain through him. Mint jerked away, taking a step back. He looked at Dr. Gelcro, his eyes wide, silently asking him what he thought he was doing.
Dr. Gelcro let out a sigh. “Look, I need to reduce your jaw. Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing. Just hold still.” He reached out towards Mint again. “The sooner we get this done, the better. We don’t have much time. I don’t know how long Ripclaw and Mosaic can keep Sandra busy.”
At this, Mint looked over at the scene. Ripclaw, who had recovered, was aiding Mosaic in keeping Sandra at bay. The dragon zoner was trying to break through, but Mosaic and Ripclaw kept knocking her back. They prevented her from going anywhere, jumping in front of her and snapping their jaws at her. Sandra seemed too focused on getting away, or getting at them, to think of using her powers. For the time, the two animals had the upperhand.
Although he didn’t want to, Mint knew he had no choice but to trust the doctor. He gulped the best he could and then held still. Dr. Gelcro grabbed his shoulder and pushed him against the wall for leverage. Then, with his body and shoulder keeping Mint pinned, the husky grabbed onto his jaw and then his forehead for brace. Mint did his best to ignore the pain as the clawed fingers pressed against his jaw, gripping it tightly.
“Hold still and this won’t hurt as much.”
Mint’s heart skipped a beat at that. Before he had time to do anything or try to make a response, Dr. Gelcro began to apply pressure. Mint’s eyes bulged, tears flowing down his cheeks, and he couldn’t help but let out a loud scream.
sss
Snap jerked at the scream, his body stiffening. Fearing the worst, he swiveled his head over. But when he saw that it was only Dr. Gelcro, he relaxed a little. Dr. Gelcro must be relocating Mint’s jaw. Snap looked at Mint sympathetically as he unwillingly struggled. Snap remembered what it felt like when Dr. Gelcro did the same thing for him, with his ankle. It was an unbearable pain.
He could see that Sandra was being preoccupied. The blue dragon was trying to contend with Ripclaw and Mosaic. Snap looked at this, a small smile spreading across his face. Sandra was currently being outmatched, with Mosaic and Ripclaw blocking every move. No matter how hard she tried, it was claw that Sandra was not going to get her way this time. So long as Ripclaw and Mosaic kept this up, distracting her from using her powers, she could be eventually subdued.
Snap turned his attention back to Rudy. He bit his lip, tears forming in his eyes as he saw just how much pain his best friend was in. Rudy’s eyes were wide, so pain-filled, so overflowing with terror... Snap couldn’t believe this happened to him. What...what had his friend done to deserve this...?
But though he was furious with Sandra, he couldn’t focus on that right now. It was more important to get Rudy to safety. Although it was hard, he ignored Sandra’s screeches in the background as he moved closer to his friend, watching him warily. Snap wanted to hug him, wrap his arms around him and tell him it was going to be okay. But the slightest touch could kill Rudy. They had to be incredibly careful and gentle with him.
“B-Bucko...” Snap whimpered softly, his lower lip quivering. “I’m so sorry this happened...”
Rudy moved his pupils so he was looking up at Snap. “I-It’s okay.. N-Not your f-f-fault...”
Snap smiled shakingly at this. It didn’t surprise him that Rudy didn’t blame him for what happened. It was just like him to not put blame on his friends for unfortunate events. Snap wanted to reach over and touch Rudy, but refrained, worried he might cause more damage.
“Shhh.... Please try not to talk, Rudy.” Penny whispered to him. She reached forward and traced two fingers along his hair, careful not to apply too much pressure. “It’s going to be okay. I promise...”
It was easy to tell, from the look in Penny’s eyes, she was uncertain. And Rudy’s fear was as plain as day, easy for anyone to notice. Snap felt his heart twist into knots. It felt as though the world around him was collapsing. The realization that this might be the last time he’ll see his friend alive... Snap caught a sob in his throat. He reached up and wiped away his tears.
The situation was critical. They all knew that. Mint needed help, too. Even after his jaw was reset, he was still going to need to see a doctor. But even Mint knew that Rudy was in the most dire need of help. They needed to get out of here and fast. The direness of the situation hung strongly in the air, and it took only the look of Rudy’s eyes to remind them all that this was an emergency.
Snap moved a little closer to Rudy, as close as he could get without touching him. He leaned forward, staring into his eyes. He and Rudy locked eyes with each other for a few seconds. Snap sucked on his lip. Rudy just had to be okay... He just had to. This couldn’t be his final hour... He was going to survive.
Snap gave the best, reassuring smile that he could. “Everything is going to be fine, Rudy. You’ll see...”
Snap could feel his hear start to break when Rudy gave a weak, trembling smile at him. The boy was fighting back tears of agony, and yet he still had the strength and willpower to smile at him regardless. Snap’s smile broadened a little. He could feel the urgency inside of him rise. He intended on keeping his word.
“Snap, I am going to need your help.”
Snap looked over at Penny. “What do you want me to do?”
Penny held up a piece of magic chalk. Snap realized that it must have dropped from Sandra, just like the other piece had, during the struggle. “My mom told me a thing or two about broken necks. We need to secure Rudy to something flat and stiff and immobilize him so he can’t move.” She turned to Snap. “I am going to need your help in securing him. I can’t do this on my own.”
Snap narrowed his eyes in determination. “Okay...let’s get started.”
sss
Rudy couldn’t stop crying. No matter how hard he tried to hold back his tears, they just kept flowing down his cheeks. He shut his eyes, trying his best to block out the pain. But it was no use. It radiated along his neck, traveled up his head, and swam around his face like overflowing water. And the worst part: there was nothing he could do to get away.
Rudy couldn’t believe that this had happened to him. When they had come to confront Sandra, Rudy never dreamed that it would end up this way. His heart had practically frozen in his chest when he saw Sandra lunging towards him. He had panicked when he felt her jaws in his throat. He had a feeling what was going to happen. He saw it coming. But he could do nothing to protect himself.
When his neck had been broken, the crack reverberated in his head, sounding like a gunshot had been let loose. The intense pain began immediately, shocking him into unconsciousness for several minutes. And when he woke up, almost right away, he was brought back into the world of pain.
Rudy wanted to get away. He wanted to get up and run, to get help. But he couldn’t do that. A horrifying reality became known to him not long after he woke up. The pain was incredibly intense and burning in his neck, but it soon filtered out into nothingness. It was so abrupt that it send a chill through the back of his neck. He knew what this had meant.
He was paralyzed.
Rudy opened his mouth a little wider, struggling to breathe. He could barely, if at all, move his ribcage up and down. His ability to take in a breath of air had been compromised. His heart beat against his chest quickly, threatening to break out. He tried not to, but he couldn’t stop himself from experiencing a panic attack, and that’s when he had shouted for help.
This feeling...it was so horrible. It chilled him to the bone as he felt the pain suddenly empty out into nothingness. That wasn’t the only thing. It wasn’t just pain he couldn’t feel. He could feel nothing. No sensation at all. It felt like his head had been ripped off and placed on a large, limp doll that they found laying around. This was an uncomfortable, terrifying feeling. To not be able to feel his body, to not be able to move... He had never felt so scared and frightened in his life.
He was so vulnerable... If Sandra managed to get away from his allies and friends, if she managed to get to him, it would be so easy for her to kill him. There was nothing he could do to defend himself.
He coughed painfully a few times, reminding him of the blood that was caking his throat, making it even harder to breathe. He could see how worried Penny and Snap looked. But he knew there was little they could do for him. They were going to do the best they could, but one wrong move, one slight movement too far, and it was all over. The realization that he could die today make his heart nearly stop beating.
Rudy could practically feel his life flashing before his eyes. He could see images in front of him, showing him his life as it had happened. Birth, preschool, childhood, birthdays, vacations, meeting Sophie, meeting Penny, it all moved in front of his eyes, a miniature movie in his head. He couldn’t stop it, no matter how hard he tried. When it ended at what happened with Sandra, breaking his neck, him dropping to the ground, he couldn’t help but let out a choked cry.
He knew that the chances of him recovering from this were slim. And it wasn’t just his body that was affected. His mind had suffered a massive blow as well. Sandra had struck him where it hurt the most.
He loved art. He loved to draw, to paint, to scribble, to sketch. It was his favorite past time. He loved it. He couldn’t think of a day when he wouldn’t create at least one piece of art. And to think that was all over now... And how Sandra had blatantly taunted him about it... He couldn’t believe she could be so cruel...
And the zoners...how was he going to help them? He was supposed to be ChalkZone’s protector. How could he protect anyone when he couldn’t move? He couldn’t keep anyone safe. And his parents... How were they going to react...? Oh gawd... They were going to be so devastated. And Tilly and Sophie, and everyone...
He was brought out of his thoughts when he felt something touch him lightly. He let out a cry, thinking that it was Sandra. His heart tightened up, and he started to plead.
“No! Please don’t! I...”
“Shhh.... It’s okay, Rudy. It’s just me.” Penny’s voice came.
“Yeah, Bucko.” Now it was Snap’s turn. “We’re here...”
Rudy’s eyes widened a little. “G-Guys...? Is that you...?”
He could feel a couple of fingers move through his hair. “Yes, Rudy. It’s us. You’re safe.”
Rudy took in a few breaths, as deep as he could manage. The thudding in his chest slowed down as he realized that he was not in any danger. His friends’ voices sounded so sweet and gentle, a welcoming contrast to the horrific pain radiating in his neck. Despite his pain, he managed to feel a tinge of happiness. His friends were here. They’d keep him safe.
But the calmness didn’t last long. He felt the heartbeating in his chest increase as the reality of the situation weighed down on him. He breathed in and out as quickly as he could. He tried so hard to move. He struggled to move a toe, a finger, anything. But nothing moved. And the longer he couldn’t move, the more panicked he became.
“Please help me! I-I can’t move!” Rudy cried out.
Penny continued to stroke his hair gently. “Sh sh sh... Please calm down, Rudy. Try not to panic....”
“We’ll get you out of here. We promise.” Snap said, his voice shaky, cracked with emotion. “You’ll be fine. You’ll see...”
Rudy tried his best to calm down. He forced his breathing to slow down, taking in steady breaths. He found it difficult, however. The panic clung to his chest. Even though he felt no pain, he could feel pressure in his chest. And it was uncomfortable. He wanted to get away. He wanted to get up and run. The realization that he wouldn’t be able to do this left him feeling so scared and vulnerable.
But...but his friends were here... They were trying to help him... They would keep him safe and secure. Sandra would not be able to get at him again. They would stop her. Just as he had always protected his friends, they would do the same for him.
Slowly, he began to calm down. His heart race decreased, going back to normal. He felt himself relaxing. Still in pain, still shedding tears, but he managed to put himself into a tranquil state of mind. His friends smiled at this, glad that he was no longer panicking.
Penny reached over towards him. “Rudy, can you feel this?”
Rudy couldn’t tell what Penny did. He guessed that she was touching some part of him. Perhaps his arm.
“N-No...” He whimpered.
Penny gestured to Snap. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Snap moving towards his legs. He could barely see much, but he could hear Snap kneeling down.
“How about that?” Penny asked.
Rudy guessed that Snap was touching his foot or leg. Just like before, he could feel nothing. It was as though this body was not his.
“I can’t feel anything.” Rudy said after a few moments of silence. “I can’t feel anything below my neck. The pain...it’s just syphoned out so suddenly. I-It’s scaring me...” Rudy felt a tear stroll down his face.
Penny looked at him sympathetically, caressing his cheek. “I know, Rudy..I know.” She gently stroked his hair. Her soothing touch helped Rudy relax more, and he let out a soft sigh of contentment. “Listen, Rudy... Snap and I are going to try to get you out of here. But we are going to need to get you situated. We’ll be moving you around. We will be as gentle as we can.”
“Yeah... We’ll go nice and slow with you.” Snap assured him.
“We need you to try not to panic. Just try to relax. We will be very careful with your neck. We’ll warn you ahead of time when we are about to move your head.” Penny said. She paused, then she said, “We’ll tell you everything that we are going to do just before we do it. Will that help?”
Rudy would have nodded his head if he could. “Yes...”
He was still scared and frightened. But he would rather know what was coming, than it be totally unexpected. He moved his pupils as much as he can so he could see his frineds, giving them a look that told them how much he trusted them. Although he was uncertain, he had the utmost confidence in his friends. And when they smiled down at him, he returned it.
Penny raised up her magic chalk. Rudy could see it glint in the corner of his eye. He saw her begin to draw. He couldn’t tell what it was at first. It took him a few seconds to realize it was a rescue litter. It was placed to his side, where his head was turned so he could see it. Then he heard Penny begin to explain the procedure.
“We are going to immobilize your neck first. I am going to draw a cervical collor to put on you. We will be as gentle as we can.”
Before he knew it, Penny drew the cervical collar. She showed it to him so he knew what was coming. Then he could feel hands on his head, gripping him firmly, yet gently. He could see Penny position herself so she could provide pressure against his chest to keep him still.
“Snap will carefully turn your head and secure it so we can apply the cervical collar.”
Rudy winced and whimpered in pain as Snap carefully turned his head slowly, being as gentle as he could. Rudy felt his heart race against his chest. He knew that, in letting him do this, he was putting a lot of trust and hope in Snap. His entire life was currently in his gloved hands. Luckily it didn’t take Snap too long to move the neck were it needed to be, and then he secured his head in place.
Penny lifted up the cervical collar. “I am going to put this on you now. I’ll be as gentle as I can.”
Rudy closed his eyes and he felt the pressure and cool surface of the collar being placed against him. He whimpered in pain, but did his best to remain calm. Rudy closed his eyes as Penny applied the cervical collar, Snap holding his head still. He took in a deep breath and sighed.
sss
“There...this should hold you.”
Dr. Gelcro just got finished tying a thick piece of cloth around Mint’s jaws. He made sure it was good and tight. He needed to be sure that it was going to hold his jaws in place. He had a pretty nasty dislocation, and it would be easy for him to pop his jaw loose again if he wasn’t careful.
Hopefully this tight cloth around him would help prevent that from becoming an issue. He took a step back and examined it, making sure it was good and secure. He tugged at it gently to make sure it wasn’t loose and that Mint would not be able to open his mouth far if he tried to attempt it. He would do more for him, but Mint being human limited what he was able to do. Mint would have to seek out aid in the Real World for more in depth treatment.
Mint muffled a little bit as he reached up and touched the cloth. He moved his hands around, testing the cloth and its thickness, ensuring that it was good and tight. He then looked over at the doctor, giving an expression that Dr. Gelcro could best describe as gratefulness.
“How do you feel?” Dr. Gelcro asked. He knew it was a stupid question. He already knew the answer. But he had to be sure.
Mint looked at him, blinking his eyes a few times. Then he gave another muffle, a positive-sounding one, and then nodded his head a few times. Dr. Gelcro interpreted that as he was fine. He gave a small smile at this.
“That’s good.” Dr. Gelcro said. He pointed at the cloth and said, “You should keep that on until you get into the Real World. There might be more damage than I thought, but there’s little I can do for you here.”
At this, Mint looked uncertain. At first, the doctor didn’t know why. Surely Mint must know the urgency of the situation. But it soon became apparent why he was like that.
It was his friends. He was worried about his friends. Dr. Gelcro was fully aware of the whimperings from Rudy, the concerned shouts from Rudy and Penny. His head echoed with the snarls and growls from Sandra, who was fighting against Mosaic and Ripclaw, who were keeping her at bay. It was chaotic here, and though he was able to concentrate on Mint and help fix his jaw, he could not completely ignore the cries all around him, the noise that interconnected and dispersed, giving him a headache. Dread gripped at his heart as he realized he had no idea how today was going to turn out.
Dr. Crobat had left, going out a different way, because he wanted to get help. The three cops they had come with were killed. They should have brought more. Dr. Gelcro cursed himself for being so stupid as to not bring more. He thought he could handle Sandra with three cops, himself, and Dr. Crobat. He thought that their forces were sufficient enough.
But he had been wrong. Now both he and Dr. Crobat were injured and all three policemen were horrifically killed. He wanted to punch himself in the face for being so ignorant of the situation.
But now wasn’t the time for that. They had to get going and fast. The sooner they got out of here, the better. He hoped Dr. Crobat will do okay. At least they don’t have to worry about that gawd awful machine anymore. When Sandra left, she had been in such a hurry she had forgotten all about it. They had turned the machine off and Dr. Crobat took it with him as evidence. Probably a good call. It’d be hard to prove it was her machine if they didn’t find a way to show that she was the one who built it.
Dr. Gelcro felt an enormous level of guilt as he looked at Mint, watching as he looked at his friends, and then at where Ripclaw was, with a wide, worried expression. Not just guilt, but shame, too. He had never felt so disgusted with himself before in his life.
He had been unfair to these four, especially to Snap and Mint. He had wrongfully accused Snap, as did so many other zoners. And they had treated Mint poorly because of what he had done years ago. He was so willing to believe that Mint would turn against them, he didn’t stop to think about the facts. Mint hadn’t threatened anyone since he figured out the truth of ChalkZone, and he had done a lot to help the city recover.
Yet he pushed all of that aside, and kept think the Enemy Creator would betray them so easily. He thought that he had been a force behind all of this, and he had little to no proof of that. He felt so ashamed.. He should have known better than to accuse Mint like that.
He wanted so badly to apologize to him, but...it would have to wait. This wasn’t a good place for that. Not while Sandra was still loose. They needed to apprehend her fast and secure her while more police arrived at the restaurant. He was certain that these tunnels led to her restaurant, and so long as they keep her here while the restaurant was surrounded, she had nowhere to go.
“Okay, Rudy is secured!” Penny called out.
At this, Dr. Gelcro and Mint turned their heads over. They could see that Rudy was now fully secured in the litter. The straps were secured around his body, holding him in place. A cervical collar was fitted around his neck, keeping his neck from moving. He was ready to be transported.
Seeing the cervical collar made Dr. Gelcro’s heart skip a beat. He just realized that he had no idea what happened. He was so focused on Mint that he didn’t stop to ask what had happened to Rudy. He felt a quick wave of guilt, licking his lips nervously. He decided to rectify that.
“What happened to him?” Dr. Gelcro asked. He could see Mint lower his head in sorrow. He knew that was not a good sign.
“Sandra broke his neck.” Penny whispered softly, a few tears flowing down her face.
Dr. Gelcro’s ears lowered. “What...?”
“She bit his throat...” Snap said. His voice was bitter, but it wasn’t aimed at him. Instead it was aimed at Sandra. “..and she crushed it. He can’t move or feel anything below his neck...”
Oh no... That was terrible news. Dr. Gelcro looked down at Rudy in horror. The boy’s eyes were wide, pupils shrank into dots. He must still feel the pain in his neck where the break was. The boy looked over at him, looking as though he was silently begging him to help. As much as Dr. Gelcro would love to give him something for the pain, he knew it would not work. Anything he’d try to inject would just dissolve.
The situation was even more serious than he had imagined. A dislocated jaw was bad enough. But a broken neck... Dr. Gelcro didn’t want to be the bearer of bad news, but he knew there was little chance for Rudy to recover from that. His neck might heal, but if he’s paralyzed... There was damage to his spinal cord... There was almost no chance of that being healed.
He decided not to say anything. These kids already knew the seriousness of the situation. They must know how little chance the boy has at a full recovery. He would just be telling them something they were likely already aware of. And right now wasn’t the time to give them a recovery status.
“You need him into the Real World.” Dr. Gelcro said. He then looked over at Mint. “Him, too.” He looked back at Penny. “They both require treatment. Especially Rudy there.”
Penny nodded her head. “Yeah I know. But..how are we going to...?” Her voice trailed off as she looked over at where Ripclaw, Mosaic, and Sandra were still fighting. “I’m not sure how long they can hold them off...”
“Just draw a portal here.” Dr. Gelcro said. When the three looked at him with an uncertain expression, his eyes furrowed with concern. “What? Are you not able?”
“Oh no, she can. But there is a catch.” Snap said.
“And what’s that?” Dr. Gelcro asked.
Penny said, “We don’t know what’s on the Real World side of this area. It could be somewhere unsafe, or where there’s a lot of people, or...”
“Ah I see. Yeah, that will be a problem.” Dr. Gelcro pressed his paw against his head, his eyes furrowing deep in thought. “If that’s the case, then you will need to go somewhere that is guaranteed...” He looked over at where the three zoners were fighting. “But it will require getting past them.”
This was an action that he knew was not going to be easy. Plausible, but it was going to be tough. He wasn’t sure how the children could succeed in getting past her. They were blocking the path out. And with Rudy in a litter, they were going to need a safe way for them to leave. Rudy couldn’t afford being jostled around too much. That could potentially make things a lot worse for him, even kill him if they weren’t careful.
But the question was...how were they going to pull it off? They couldn’t get her to run forward, because then she could simply block the path up ahead. But she couldn’t go back either. She could attack Rudy, or cause Mosaic or Ripclaw to bump into him. This tunnel wasn’t that small, but it wasn’t terribly large either. They were going to need another way.
That’s when he recalled something. He wasn’t sure if it would help, but it was the only thing he could think of. He turned his attention to Mint and opened his mouth to speak. Realizing that Mint could not answer open ended questions, he backtracked and decided on a simpler question.
“You creators can use the magic chalk to create holes in chalk surfaces, right?” He asked. Mint nodded his head, and looked at him with expectancy. Looking at him, and then Penny, Dr. Gelcro continued, “You guys can use that to draw a path around, and you could get ahead of Sandra.”
Mint’s eyes widened at this, and he looked over at Penny. She looked surprised, as though she had no idea why she didn’t thnk of it before. Snap also looked like he felt he should have known about this earlier.
“You’re right... That could work!” Penny cried.
“So how are we going to do this?” Snap looked over worriedly at Ripclaw and Mosaic. “The tides are turning...”
The others, minus Rudy, looked over. Snap turned out to be right. The luck had shifted and now Sandra was fighting back against Ripclaw and Mosaic. While the two had put up a good fight, and Sandra looked pretty banged up, they weren’t able to stop her. The dragon zoner appeared to remember her powers, and she was using them to subdue the two animal zoners.
Dr. Gelcro looked at the scene, horrified as were Penny, Snap, and Mint. Ripclaw and Mosaic were on the ground, convulsing, screeching in pain. They weren’t sure exactly where Sandra was targeting, but they knew that if something wasn’t done soon, they were going to get seriously injured.
Dr. Gelcro turned to the others. “I think I have an idea...”
The doctor quickly began to explain his plan. He tried his best to block out the screeches and howls of pain. He tried to block out the fact that Sandra could turn on them at any time. He focused on explaining his idea the best he could, preparing for any negotiations that come their way.
He hoped it was going to be enough.
sss
Sandra snarled, glaring hatefully at the zoners before her. Her body ached in many places. She felt stinging pain from where their claws got her, and the bite marks that adorned her. She could feel a sharp pain in her ear, from where Mint had bitten her. She twitched it painfully. Though she could treat her wounds now, she had something else to take care of firs.t
In front of her, Mosaic and Ripclaw were on the ground, thrashing and kicking in pain. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t thought of using her powers on them until now. She should have done this earlier. It would have saved her a lot of trouble.
Instead, she had chose to just keep fighting them physically, and that hadn’t turned out so well for her. She had been tossed around like a rag doll, jostled and thrown against the wall, bit and clawed at. She had managed some blows herself, but it wasn’t enough to deter the two zoners from attacking her. She couldn’t stop screaming as the two tried to tear her apart.
Well now she had the upperhand. Now she had them at her mercy. She snarled viciously at them, her lip curled up, showing her sharp teeth. Her mouth was ticked into an insane smile. She was not going to let these two get away with what they had done to her.
“Yes, that’s right..struggle.” Sandra hissed. “Try to get away all you want to. You will not escape me...”
Sandra knew exactly what she was going to do with these two. She had never thought about using animal zoner meat before. She had always used sentient meat, in part due to its flavor. But these two... They would provide a unique taste. Ripclaw could provide meat for quite some time. She decided that, if she was going to exert this much power killing two animal zoners, especially one much larger than herself, than she better have a good use for them later on.
And what better than her restaurant? Once all this was over, once she took care of anyone who stood in her way, she could go back and resume the restaurant business. Her customers were going to wonder where she was, and to make it up to them, she could give them some meat unlike any she has ever used before.
Sandra sneered at Mosaic, the one of the two who had given her the most trouble. “Don’t look at me like that...” Mosaic snarled at her. “I’m sure you were going to taste quite good...”
She then turned her attention to Ripclaw. The feathers might be a problem, but probably not a big deal. She had shredded zoners with their clothing still on before, and it never seemed to affect the meat flavor that much. Still, perhaps she should pluck Ripclaw before she shoved her into the machine. Plus she was going to need to chop her up into multiple pieces in order for it to work.
“And you... You are going to feed my customers for weeks.” Sandra said as she twisted her hand. Ripclaw pulled her head back and let out a screech. “You...”
“Step away from them!”
Sandra’s ears pricked up at this. She turned her head over. A large fist slammed against her jaw, sending her flying back, breaking her hold on the two animal zoners. She let out a screech as she rolled across the ground. She shook her head and immediately got up. She snarled in the direction the punch had come from.
She noticed Dr. Gelcro standing there. He wasn’t looking at her; instead he had his attention turned to Mosaic and Ripclaw. He was checking on them, making sure they were okay. The sight of him made her snarl and she adopted a defensive stance. She had no idea how he had gotten here, but that didn’t matter. She was going to take care of him, and this time, she was going to make sure she finished the job.
“Hey you...” She started to say, before she paused and realized something.
Where was everyone? What happened to Rudy, Penny, and Mint? She didn’t see them anywhere. They couldn’t have left that fast, could they? Rudy’s neck was broken...he wouldn’t have been able to get up and run away himself. Had they left and gone down the tunnel? Back the other way? There was only one to find out.
But as she started to rush down, back to the room where her machine was, she felt something grab her by the tail. She looked over and was shocked to see Snap there. She was stunned, unable to speak. How had he snuck around her? Where did he come from?
She didn’t have time to ask this when Snap yanked on her, pulling her backwards. She let out a cry as her chin slammed into the ground. She was pulled backwards. Snap mustered up as much strength as he could and he tossed her against the wall. Sandra’s body stiffened as her head hit against the wall painfully. She fell back down, supporting herself up by her hands. She shook her head and she glared in his direction.
Snap, despite his pain, managed to get close enough to her to deliver a punch. Her eyes bulged open as she felt the fist hit against her stomach. She let out a scream and staggered back. She glared down at him, lowering her ears as her teeth were bared. She lifted up her foot and she kicked at him. The zoner flew back and crashed into the ground. He didn’t stay that way and was soon back on his feet.
The two of them circled around each other slowly. Sandra hardly paid attention to the pained screeches from the animal zoners that Dr. Gelcro was taking care of. She hardly thought about the missing humans. Right now, her attention was on Snap only. They continued to walk around each other, their eyes never leaving one another. Then they took position on opposite sides of the tunnel, their backs nearly against the wall.
Sandra felt her heart twist. She didn’t want to do this. She had never dreamed of doing something like this with Snap. She wished he would see reason. She wished that he would stop this nonsense. She didn’t want this. She never expected things to turn out this way....
“Snap please...” Sandra pleaded, her eyes softening up. “Let’s not do this. Why don’t you just step down and...”
“I’m not stopping!” Snap shouted. “I won’t stop until you are locked up in jail!”
Sandra widened her eyes. “Snap, please.. You don’t know what you’re talking about..” She reached out with her hand. “Please...just.stop this...”
Snap shook his head. “I’ll only stop if you are willing to come quietly.” He narrowed his eyes. “You have a lot to answer for.”
“I didn’t do anything wrong!” Sandra cried. A bit of anger began to surge through her. “Why can’t you see that?!”
“You killed zoners, Sandra. You murdered them in cold blood.” Snap growled at her. “You need to pay for what you have done. You have not only killed zoners, but you hurt others as well. Have you ever stopped to think of how they might feel, knowing what you have done?”
Sandra growled softly at ths. “They would thank me...”
Snap gasped in horror at this. Then his eyes narrowed. “You’re a monster... A sick twisted monster... I can’t believe I ever called you a friend.”
Sandra gritted her teeth. She took in a couple quick breaths. A sense of icy dread rose up inside of her. “Please, Snap.. It doesn’t have to be this way... Please, just listen to me...”
“I’m through with listening to your lies, Sandra!” Snap shouted at her. “You took advantage of my trust.. You took it and shattered it into pieces. You took advantage of me... Well no more! I will not let you use me like that again! I will not allow you to hurt anymore zoners! I am putting my foot down!”
Sandra looked at Snap, her eyes widened. She could tell that Snap was serious in this. She watched as he arched his back defensively. He was ready to attack her, ready to fight. Sandra found herself adopting a similar position, her tail twitching from side to side.
She didn’t want to do this. She wished there was another way. But it seemed that Snap was not going to give her another choice.
“So that’s your final answer?” Sandra asked. “You are going to fight me?”
Snap raised up his fists. “If that’s what it takes to make you see reason and stop you from hurting others..then yes..”
Sandra narrowed her eyes. How hypocritical of him... Thinking that she needed to see reason when he was the one who refused to see things her way. How pitiful... Oh well, if he wanted to fight, then she guessed she had no choice but to comply. She took a fighting stance, her tail stretched up into the air.
“All right then... Let’s get started...” Sandra said, her voice growly.
With that, the two zoners charged at each other.
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Post by Bluedramon on Nov 9, 2014 19:47:46 GMT -5
Chapter 36: Exposing The Lie
It's far from over!
-Far From Over, Rev Theory
“I-Is she following us..?” Came Rudy’s uncertain, terrified question, his eyes widened, filled with emotion.
Penny bit her lip as she stared down at Rudy for a moment. He looked so innocent and terrified... She couldn’t believe something so cruel could have happened to him. He was in so much pain. She could see it in his eyes. What made it even more devastating for her was... she had no idea if he was ever going to fully recover...
She shook the thought out of her head. She wanted to try to stay positive. She wanted to do whatever she could to keep Rudy from panicking. That was the last thing his body needed right now.
“No, Rudy. She’s not following us.” Penny said, trying to sound as reassuring as possible. “She’s still back there. The others are distracting her.” She looked into Rudy’s eyes, smiling the best she could. “She won’t be able to get you again.”
Rudy stared at her. His eyes widened just slightly, and in a millisecond, his expression went from simply terrified to being still scared but hopeful. “R-Really..? You p-p-promise..?”
Penny resisted the urge to flinch at that. She exchanged a quick, knowing look with Mint. Both of them were instantly reminded of Sandra. That dragon zoner had been using promises as an excuse to do whatever she wanted. She had outright attacked Rudy and nearly killed him all because he broke a promise to Penny. Even though Rudy’s question was in relation to a good promsie, they both couldn’t help but feel reminded of Sandra’s atrocities, hiding behind the guise of a promise.
Penny reminded herself that this promise had nothing to do with Sandra. And unlike that dragon fiend, she was not going to abuse it, or use it as a means of hurting others. No, she was going to go through the promise like anyone else should: the path that does not cause harm to anyone, and isn’t used to vicious ends.
“Yes, Rudy. We promise.” Penny said. “Don’t worry..you’ll be safe...”
Rudy smiled at this. The smile did not last, quickly fading into a pained frown. He let out a series of moans, prompting her and Mint to look at each other worriedly. They were moving him as gently as they could, but moving along these forged tunnels was difficult. Each time their feet hit against something, Rudy let out a help of pain.
The cervical collar was doing a good job at keeping Rudy’s neck still. The straps on his body, across his legs, chest, arms, and forehead, further served to immobilze him, preventing him from hurting himself more. Penny and Mint both felt reassured that Rudy would be protected from further damage.
But there was still danger. Should Sandra find out what they had done, and if she were to charge towards them down the tunnel, there was little they could do. Sandra’s powers would stop them in their tracks, and in Rudy’s vulnerable position, he would be easy to pick off. Sandra could use her dangerous healing powers to keep them at bay while she went to finish off Rudy. She would not have to do much to him. A quick slice in his throat would be enough to kill him, or even gouging out one of his eyes, sending him into shock.
They continued to run down the hallway she herself had forged. While Sandra was still distracted, she and the others, with Dr. Gelcro’s help, forged a plan that seemed to work rather well. Sandra had been so busy, she did not notice when she drew a tunnel that arched around, going through a part of the wall that previously had no path.
She made an exit for Snap and Dr. Gelcro to use. It wound around and emptied out into the hallway they were in before, just about thirty five feet away from Sandra. Both of them headed towards where Sandra would be. Dr. Gelcro wanted to provide aid for Mosaic and Ripclaw while Snap wanted to confront Sandra. He wanted to make sure that she wouldn’t be able to hurt anyone again.
Penny feared for them. She hoped that they were going to be all right. Sandra was a dangerous foe. She wasn’t sure how far her healing powers extended, how many people she could use on it at once, but it was still an unfair advantage that she had. She could induce it even without touching them, making attacking her much more difficult.
But for now, she tried not to focus on that. She had to focus on the task at hand. There was nothing they could do right now to help the others. They had to focus instead on getting to the front of the restaurant, warn the zoners, and then take Rudy to the hospital, as well as Mint.
They continued to run down the hallway for several minutes more. They weren’t moving as fast as she would have hoped, but they had Rudy to consider. Mint, being the strongest of the two, held the front, where Rudy’s head was, and was moving backwards quickly. Penny herself was holding the back end, where Rudy’s legs were. The two of them worked together, managing to transport Rudy down the hall, keeping him more or less still and level.
The path had a single, wide curve, but it was amazing how hard it still was to navigate. Penny and Mint did their best to avoid every bump and nick on the ground, but it was difficult. The lighting was rather poor. Only very small lights were available that just barely illuminated anything. Penny didn’t want to draw any kind of attention to them while they made their escape.
Rudy’s litter was pretty long, which added to the difficulty of turning. They had to constantly move in a turn due to the pathway’s shape, but this was difficult holding Rudy. Mint almost never could look at Penny as his eyes were constantly glued to behind him, making swift, constant adjustments as they headed down. They could easily just make another tunnel to cut straight through and get back in the main hallway, but they dared not to, not until they felt it was safe to do so.
They could simply go to the end. Penny was certain the tunnel would eventually empty out near the front where the restaurant most likely was. She just wasn’t sure how long it was going to take.
After some running, Penny noticed something out in front of her. It was pale at first, and she thought she might be seeing things. But the more she looked, the more she realized where they were heading. Her eyes brightened up at this.
“We’re nearing the end, Mint! Get ready!” Penny called out.
Mint gave a muffled cry, reminding Penny that, right now, he couldn’t talk. He then nodded his head, showing her that he understood what she was talking about.
At this, they quickened their pace a little. It became a little harder to turn, and to dodge the cracks in the ground. They hit against them a few times, but they were able to hold onto Rudy tightly, preventing him from being tossed around so easily. They focused their attention on that exit, making sure Rudy was secured.
Soon they reached the exit of the tunnel. There was no door, and it was shaped in a hexagon. Penny didn’t recall wanting this kind of exit, and wondered if this door had led somewhere initially. Perhaps there had been some kind of path here after all, but was blocked off by Sandra. She pushed the thought aside for the time being as she and Mint, carrying Rudy, headed out...
...and back in the tunnel they were in before. Penny looked over to the right, down where they had initially come from. She could hear some faint snarling, and some shouts, suggesting that Sandra was a good ways away. This offered them a good chance to get away, as Sandra would not be able to run fast enough to stop them.
Penny froze, her eyes widening. She realized that Sandra might be able to. She had moved quite siftly before, much faster than any of them had expected. This realization made their mission even more urgent, and, as they got into position, she started to move faster, prompting Mint copy her.
As they headed down, going towards the door they could see up ahead of them, Penny listened to the growls and screams that echoed faintly further down the tunnel. She was unable to discern them, so all she was able to do was hope that it meant that Snap had gotten the upperhand, and not the other way around...
sss
Snap hissed at the pain in his ankle. A part of him was surprised he was still in pain even after Sandra healed him. He had concluded that she wasn’t as thorough as she thought she was, and the running he did before irritated the wound. After all, sprains are harder to heal than breaks.
But he didn’t waste time thinking about that. He cast aside the pain he was feeling as he glared at Sandra. The two of them were pacing around each other, eyes locked onto one another. So far, Sandra hadn’t attempted to use her powers on him. Perhaps it was out of reluctance? Perhaps she really didn’t want to hurt him?
He doubted it. She didn’t hesitate before. She was just playing with his mind, toying with him. Besides, if she didn’t want to hurt him, she wouldn’t have tormented him these past few weeks. She was a hypocrite, and a liar. He was going to make sure she didn’t get a chance to keep hurting zoners the way she had.
Sandra seemed to take notice of his limping. A small smile spread across her face. It wasn’t particularly malicious, but it wasn’t very friendly either. “I see you are still in pain. Have you been careless when you ran?”
Snap growled at her. “Why would you care?”
Sandra’s smile broadened. “Dear Snap, you know that I do care about you. But you are too blinded by your emotions to see the truth right in front of you.” She stopped circling him, Snap following suit, wanting to keep her in front of him. She spread her arms out. “You are so certain you understand, yet you never take the time to consider my perspective...”
Snap’s eyes narrowed at this. His teeth were bared as he gave his answer. “You aren’t trying to listen to mine either!” Sandra tilted her head at this. “You complain so much about us not listening to you...” He pointed a rounded hand at her. “But you do not do the same for others! You’re such a hypocrite!”
Sandra blinked her eyes a few times. Then she smiled, giving a soft chuckle. “Well it would all make sense if you’d just listen. But...” She held up her hand in gesture. “I suppose that isn’t going to work. You are too angry right now. Perhaps I’ll wait until you have cooled down and...”
“No! Do you think I’m going to let you get away?!” Snap cried before Sandra had a chance to turn around. He was not going to let her get away with this. He didn’t care if he was hurt again in the process. He just wanted her to stop. “I’m going to stop you!”
Sandra tilted her head to the other side. She raised up an ear as a curious expression became present on her long, blue muzzle. “Whatever did I do?” Snap widened his eyes in shock at this. “What have I done to deserve the label of criminal? I think you are jumping to conclusions too easily, Snap.”
Snap took a step back, staring at her. Had she really said what he thought she did? Was she really going to keep pulling that innocense card? Was she going to continue to deny the fact that she had been hurting people for a stupid reason?
Snap was shocked not by her being in denial like this, but by her persistance of it. He and the others had told her time and again what she had done, and why they hated her so much. Yet she had the gall to act as if she never heard them say those things, and had questioned him why he felt she deserved to be locked up. This realization made his blood heat up rapidly. If there was one thing he hated more than bad guys, it was criminals who continuously questioned the hostility against them.
“Well if you are going to continue being unreasonable...” Sandra said, ignoring Snap’s glare. “..and if you want to continue fighting me..” She placed a hand against herself, and then motioned towards Snap. “I suppose I could reheal your ankle. I guess I didn’t do a good enough job as I thought I did.” She took a step forward. “But this will be the last time. After this, I fear you are on your own.”
“Keep it to yourself...” Snap said. “I don’t need your help.”
Sandra merely chuckled at this. “Oh sorry, but I insist.”
Snap was about to protest, but Sandra acted immediately. With a wave of her hand and a glow of her symbol, she sent a signal to his ankle. The same feeling before came back. Tingly and somewhat warm, it spread through his ankle, spreading up his leg. He could feel the pain fade away like it had before, seeping out almost like vapor. Then Sandra closed her fist and yank back, and Snap gave a quick shudder before his body relaxed.
Sandra said, “Now..isn’t that better...?”
Snap didn’t answer her, just glaring at her. If she was trying to butter him up through healing him, it wasn’t going to work. He was not going to cast aside the memories of what she had done to him, and how she had betrayed him. Those feelings of bitter betrayal and hurt weren’t going to go away anytime soon. Though a small part of him was grateful that the pain in his ankle was gone again, he couldn’t bring himself to express gratitude towards Sandra, not after all the pain and misery she had forced him through.
Sandra cut him out of his thoughts. “I just hope that you learn to be more careful. Don’t irritate your ankle.” She stared at it long and hard. “Sprains are harder for me to heal. I may not have been thorough enough...”
The superhero zoner widened his eyes at this. He took that comment as Sandra pretty much telling him that she had purposely held back on the healing, or she was going to undo any healing she had done for him, or she was going to do something else entirely. She seemed like she could be the type of zoner to do something that cruel and unusual. He gritted his teeth, taking a small step back as he tried to weigh his options.
He knew he had to fight her, regardless of what she said. Even if he hurt his leg again, he couldn’t back down. Sandra was going to turn all of ChalkZone City into a food fest. She would continue hunting down zoners, killing them for their flesh. He had to do what he can to stop this.
He also had to remember that one of his jobs was distraction. Sandra didn’t know where the others were, and as long as he kept her attention on him, then she may not try to leave and stop his friends from escaping. Even if he ended up losing the fight, so long that he succeeds in keeping her here long enough for them to warn the zoners, then he had succeeded.
“What? You’re not going to thank me?” Sandra asked. She had something of a shocked look on her face, but it was rather subdued, showing Snap that she wasn’t really all that surprised. “Well that was just plain rude.”
“You’re the reason I got hurt in the first place...” Snap hissed at her. “You are the reason why I’m so hated in the city right now. So many zoners want to lynch me.. Do you have any fucking idea what that feels like, you bitch?!”
Snap ignored Sandra’s face contorting in anger at what he had called her. He looked towards the ground, shutting his eyes as tears fromed in them. He remembered all too well what the zoners had said about him. He still had haunting nightmares focusing on how the mob of zoners had showed up in the front of the hospital, demanding his death. He would never get those awful voices out of his head, and how they had made him doubt himself.
Now much of his negative feelings were now being projected towards Sandra. She was the cause of all that. She was the reason those zoners wanted to lynch him. She was the reason why all of this had happened at all. It was her fault, and the worst part of all of it was... she had pretended to be his friend.
Snap considered himself a friendly zoner. He liked to help zoners out. He liked to help them find their purpose in life in ChalkZone. He had done the same for Sandra. And for her to take that and break it like it was nothing, to hurt him despite the fact that he had done what he could to get her business started at all... It hurt him on so many levels.
“Well then... since you aren’t going to answer, I am going to assume that you want to get this battle started.” Sandra said. She then casually turned her head to the side, her eyes focusing on something else. “I wonder how long you can keep me away from them.”
Snap’s eyes widened in horror. He swiveled his head to where Sandra was looking. He noticed she was staring straight at Dr. Gelcro, who was providing aid to Mosaic and Ripclaw. His heart froze when he realized just what Sandra was indicating. He shot her a glare. “Don’t you dare..”
Sandra gave him a sideways glance, smiling. “Oh don’t worry, Snap. I wasn’t going to kill them for any senseless reason.” She waved her hand dismissively. “I just thought that Mosaic might taste good on a burger.”
Snap looked at Sandra in shock before he growled at her. “What has she done to deserve that?”
Sandra glared at him. “I think it would be rather simple for you to know. But then, it’s not like you are up to date with everything that happened, am I right?” She began to pace around Snap again. Snap followed suit, glaring at her, tensing his body up. “Well in case you were unaware, Mosaic here has been a thorn in my side.” She motioned over at where the crocodile zoner was. “I need to make sure that she doesn’t interfere again. She knows too much.”
Snap said, “Are you aware of what your actions will cost you, then?”
Sandra nodded her head. “Yes.” At first, Snap thought this meant that she had some kind of guilty conscience, but this was shattered with her next line. “Someone will steal my ideas. I am the only restaurant in this city that uses actual zoner meat, and I’ll be damned if anyone exposes that secret. I will not tolerate anyone stealing from me.”
Snap felt like he wanted to throw up. Did Sandra really think that her actions were socially acceptable? Did she really believe that no one would see her actions as atrocities, and actually try to copy them? The reality of this sunk into his heart, twisting it. He could feel his blood’s heat reach tremendous tempers, his lip curling up into a snarl.
Snap couldn’t understand just how Sandra thought all of this was okay. It was as if her morality system got screwed up at some point in creation. What could possess anyone to think like this? He had never met someone with such a twisted and confusing way of seeing the world. Jacko and Skrawl never really hid their motivations much; they were up front and honest about what they wanted to do, Jacko more so. And Mint...well he wasn’t lying when he said he though ChalkZone was a game, and while he did act like he did nothing wrong, unlike Sandra, he had a better reason. He really did think he was in a virtual world, and it took a nasty wake up call to make him realize he was wrong.
But Sandra... She did admit that she was killing zoners and using their flesh in meat recipes. But unlike the others, she only kept it a secret because she thought that someone would steal her idea, as if it was a legitimate practice or something. Sandra seems to honestly believe that what she is going is normal, and that no one has the right to complain.
That’s what makes her more disgusting than someone like Skrawl. At least Skrawl didn’t hide the fact that zoners would be miserable under his rule. He didn’t pretend or give off any benevolent persona.
As the anger swirled through his chest and head, as he glared over at Sandra, he could feel his mind begin to cave in. He was already furious with her before, but now she just kept pushing him over the edge. The realization that all those zoners in ChalkZone City were going to be harvested like animals by this monster began to eat away at him. Now, even more so, he was determined to stop her.
Without saying a word, he charged at her.
Sandra widened her eyes, looking a bit surprised by the sudden movement. Then she simply side stepped at the last second, watching as Snap tumbled past her, nearly hitting against the wall. He growled and turned around. He came at her again, pulling a fist back and trying to punch her.
Sandra narrowed her eyes and, with a glow, Snap let out a cry of pain. He held his arm to himself, a strong ache spreading through it, attacking his joints. He didn’t let it deter him for long and he resumed his attack on Sandra. But he had been distracted long enough for her to make a move on him. She had rushed towards him, moving around so that she was at his side. Snap looked over just in time for her head to slam against him. He let out a cry of pain as her hard skull hit against him, sending him flying to the side.
Snap winced as he rubbed his shoulder, which had hit against the wall, and he glared over at Sandra. She stood a few feet away from him, smiling. She raised up her hand and motioned for him to come back. He growled at this. The bitch must be toying with him...
He did not hesitate to rush at her again. He was not normally a violent zoner, but Sandra’s atrocities were pushing him over the edge. His determination to stop her had opened up the doors to opportunities he normally would not take. Snarling, he lunged at her when he got close enough and this time, managed to push against her. He got her pinned against the wall, glaring hatefully at her.
But it would seem that she had simply allowed this to happen, because seconds later, she grabbed him by his neck with relative ease, taking advantage of his blind spot as he was too focused on her. Snap gagged as she lifted him up into the air, staring at him in the eyes, grinning. He struggled in vain to get free, but she merely squeezed his neck, causing him to gag. He remained suspended in the air, his legs dangling.
It didn’t take him long to realize that Sandra was close enough for an attack. He pulled his foot back and he slammed it against her stomach. Her eyes bulged as she let out a cry of pain. She staggered back, releasing him. Snap immediately put a bit of space between him and the dragon zoner.
The two of them paced around each other slowly, glaring at one another. Snap did not dare turn his eyes away. He watched her, waiting for her to make a move. But all she did was stare at him, pacing around him. He tried to match her every move.
On occassion, Sandra would move swiftly to one side. She’d then rush at him. Snap would let out a cry of fear, jumping back, only for Sandra to recoil. His heart quickened its beating as he snarled at her. Sandra did this a few more times, each one unexpected, and just an attempt to mess with him. With each one, she’d smile, as if she thought this was supposed to be a joy or something. This made his heart twist hard in emotion.
Suddenly, as he kept moving around to match her, and to keep her always in his sights, his heel hit against something on the ground. It didn’t twist it, but instead caused him to fall into the ground, on his back. He let out a yelp of surprise. Before he could get up, there was a flash of blue, and in seconds, Sandra was on top of him.
Snap stared up at Sandra, who held his arms at his sides, gripping them tightly. Her tail wriggled around like a snake, her feet planted at either side. He felt her rest on his stomach, applying just enough pressure to keep him on the ground, but not too much as to not suffocate him.
Snap began to struggle on the ground, jerking himself as hard as he could from side to side. He snarled, “Let me go!”
Sandra just smiled at him. “Oh I don’t see why I should. After all, you were going to wrongfully hurt me.”
Snap gaped at her. “What do you mean wrongfully?!” He struggled harder, wriggling underneath Sandra’s weight. “You’re the one who...”
“Oh please! Enough of that!” Sandra snarled, rolling her eyes. “You know very well you brought this on yourself! If you hadn’t ruined my machine, none of this would have happened!” She put her face close to his, her sharp teeth inches away from his face. “You are the one who hurt me! I thought I could trust you, Snap! But you stabbe me in the back and ruined my machine! Now you must be punished for that! But since you don’t seem to have learned your lesson, I will just have to try harder...”
Snap felt his blood boiling, practically dissipating in his veins. Sandra thought he betrayed her? That he was the one worthy of punishment? All this in light of her being the one killing zoners and feeding them to other zoners? How sickening...
He thrashed on the ground, kicking his legs wildly. Sandra hissed at him, holding him down harder. She began to use her healing powers on him again, causing him to yelp as pain snaked through his arm. But he didn’t let it detract him for long. Glaring her direction, Snap jerked from side to side with as much force as he could muster, and he soon managed to free his arm. He pulled his fist back and punched her on the forehead, square on her mark.
Sandra’s eyes bulged and she pulled her head back, letting out a screech. Snap pulled himself from underneath her, jumping back to put distance between them. He adopted a defensive stance, glaring in Sandra’s direction.
The dragon zoner’s body stiffened, quivering in pain. Snap stared at this, surprised that the punch had this much of an effect on her. He wondered if it had something to do with that mark on her forehead. Realizing that he may have just figured out her weakness, Snap narrowed his eyes in determination.
While she was still incapacitated, he shouted, “I can’t believe you! Is that what you think? That I destroyed your precious machine on purpose just to hurt you?! You really don’t know me that well, do you?! And instead of confronting me about it, instead of trying to hear my side, you jump to conclusions, assume I did it on purpose, and you started to punish me!”
Sandra spoke through a pained voice, her teeth clenched. “Y-You knocked a sh-sh-shelf onto it... That was n-no accident!”
“It was an accident!” Snap shouted, his voice raising in volume. “I didn’t even know what the dang thing did at the time! I hadn’t meant to destroy it!” Snap hunched his shoulders, his glare against Sandra intensifying. “I still would have hated you after I found out what you did, but I would have hated you less if you had just told the truth up front. Instead, you chose to torture me!” He took a step forward. “How could I ever forgive you for that?!”
Sandra rolled her eyes. “I told you, I was not torturing you.”
“Oh enough of that! I’ve had it with you!” Snap barked. “Come on...” He gave a playful sneer, motioning his hand, daring her to make a move. “Let’s continue on, shall we...?”
Sandra looked at him in surprise, then her ears lowered and she furrowed her brow. “All right then, friend...”
The two resumed their fight.
sss
“There..that should do it...” Dr. Gelcro said softly as he finished up the bandages. “Now you’re all patched up.”
Dr. Gelcro looked left and right, taking note of his handiwork. Both the animal zoners were bandaged up from their fight with Sandra. Much of their bodies had been turned white due to the bandages that now covered them. The tightness of them stood out the most in Ripclaw, the bandages causing her fur to seemingly poof up at the edges.
The two animal zoners were on their feet. Though they weren’t capable of a large range of human-like expressions, he could tell that they were in pain. The look in their eyes gave it all away, as did the wobbling as they tried to stay up. But there was something else in their eyes, too, that he could not dismiss.
Anger...and determination.
The dog zoner turned his head at where Snap was, fighting Sandra. He watched as the two exchanged blow after blow, knocking into each other, throwing each other away. It was a pretty violent display, despite there not really being much, if any, blood shed. It took him a few seconds to realize something, causing his eyes to widen and his teeth to sink into his bottom lip.
They were both holding back. Well he knew Snap was. He couldn’t imagine him deliberately doing anything to hurt Sandra that much. He just wanted to incapacitate her so she could be arrested. But Sandra... Even though he did not know her that well, even though he had no idea what her full capabilities were, he couldn’t help but notice her movements, the way she attacked.. It all indicated that she was not fighting at her full strength.
While part of him was relieved at this, another was horrified. Sandra was handling Snap quite well, able to match his moves. Snap was able to counter most of the time. But Dr. Gelcro noticed he was a tad slower in reaction, and Sandra was managing more hits against Snap. The realization that she was holding back chilled Dr. Gelcro. If she could manage this at only part of her strength, then once she unleashed her full potential, then even without her powers...
..Snap stood no chance...
Dr. Gelcro wanted to shout at Snap and warn him, but he worried that might prompt Sandra to do worse, even kill him. He looked over at Mosaic and Ripclaw. They both wanted to get back into the fight, but he couldn’t permit that. He couldn’t allow them to get hurt.
The dog zoner’s mind ached as he tried to think of something he could do. He felt at a loss. He wanted to help Snap, but they were in a constant flurry with each other. He didn’t think he’d be able to land a blow without hurting Snap in the process. And he couldn’t simply distract her. She may not buy it and she may instantly retaliate against him. His body ached, recalling what she had done to him before.
But he couldn’t just sit around here and do nothing... He wasn’t sure how long Sandra was going to wait before she pulled the rug out from under him. And he didn’t think he could hold back the animal zoners for long. They were clearly looking for a fight. Despite their wounds, they wanted to go back after Sandra.
Dr. Gelcro gripped his head, pressing his claws against his scalp. This was such a hard decision... He had to think of something he could do. There had to be away he could help Snap. He...
Suddenly he heard a loud scream. Dr. Gelcro shot his head up, looking at the scene in shock. To his horror, Sandra had raked her claws across Snap’s shoulder, leaving behind four gashes, blood dripping from them. Snap was staggering back, clutching his arm against himself. He looked up at Sandra, baring his teeth.
“I...will not admit...I betrayed you..” Snap growled softly.
Sandra flattened her ears at this, her pupils shrinking slightly. “Wrong answer...”
The dragon zoner zipped across the tunnel, closing the gap between her and him in a second. Dr. Gelcro gasped as the dragon zoner seized Snap by his arm. The supehero zoner screamed as Sandra shook him like a rag doll for a couple seconds before tossing him into the ground. Then she went into a stalking position and began to slowly walk over to Snap.
Dr. Gelcro realized that Sandra was beginning to use more of her skill against Snap. His breathing increased, his heart clenching tightly, ice running through it. He watched as Sandra was about to lunge at Snap. Unable to take it anymore, Dr. Gelcro took action.
“Get the fuck away from him!”
Sandra looked over. Her eyes widened as she saw a paw coming straight down. It struck her in the face, producing bloody marks. She screamed as she toppled across the ground, landing on her back.
sss
Penny felt relieved when she and Mint finally reached the door. She then realized that they needed a way to open it up. The door was shut and their hands were kind of full. She attempted to slow down, thinking Mint would get the hint. But the boy was not slowing down; instead he was speeding up.
“Mint! What are you doing?!” Penny cried in horror.
Mint gave her a quick glance, a look that told her to trust him. Penny wasn’t sure how to respond to this. Not wanting Rudy to get hurt, she had no choice but to increase her speed to match his. The two of them headed towards the door, moving faster. Penny’s heart sped up as they got closer. She looked at Mint with wide eyes, wondering what he thought he was going to do.
They collided with the door seconds later. Penny felt herself jerk forward, nearly tripping over herself in the process. She heard Rudy give a loud cry of pain. Penny lifted her head up after she recovered, glaring at Mint.
But to her surprise, they were still moving. Ramming against the door had somehow managed to open it. Penny wondered how that was possible, but she pushed the thought behind her as her ears filled with the noise that she had wanted to hear.
The sound of other zoners.
She and Mint rushed from behind the back of the restaurant, the register with the filthy blood money in front of them. The restaurant had a couple of zoners sitting down, eating what appeared to be left overs, possibly from this restaurant, something that Sandra had apparently allowed. There was a line of zoners in front of the register. There were at least ten of them.
The chattering that had echoed in the room and in their ears faded away. The zoners all looked over, noticing the children. They froze in shock, some of them with food close to their mouths, preparing to eat. They did not attempt to close their mouths to eat, instead watching the two warily, in confusion. This was the same for even the zoners in line, or just hanging around.
As they came around from behind the register, Penny and Mint could see the zoners’ expressions flash with fear and horror as they took notice of their condition, particularly Rudy. The sight of the Great Creator in a stretcher like this, a stiff collar around his neck to keep it in place, was truly a shocking and frightening experience. The zoners murmured softly, looking at each other, whispering softly. None of them dared to make a move towards them, their expressions enough to show that they weren’t certain what they should do.
Penny didn’t waste any time. She glanced at the zoners, giving them all a look of great urgency. This expression alone was enough to make the zoners look even more worried than they had been. They could tell something was very wrong, even without looking at Mint and Rudy. Before any of them could say anything, Penny shouted, “You have to get out of here! It’s not safe for any of you here! Run!”
This caused nervous exchanges among the zoners. They looked at each other, and then back at Penny. But none of them tried to get out. They just stood there, or sat there, staring at her in confusion and shock.
Penny didn’t bode with this well. “What are you waiting for?!”
“...what’s going on...?” One of the zones asked.
“Yeah...” Another asked nervously. “Why should we leave..?”
At that moment, as Mint shot her a look as well, Penny realized she had forgotten to tell the zoners what was going on. She felt so stupid. How could she have forgotten? Had she been that urgent on getting out that she had neglected to tell the zoners this important piece of information? Oh well, she couldn’t spend too much time beating herself up over it, so she quickly remedied the situation.
“Sandra is not who you think! She is not your friend! She would tear you all apart! Just look at what she did to my friends!” Penny cried, her voice laced in desperation.
“...you mean Sandra did that?” A female stick figure asked, pointing a finger at Mint. “Are you sure it wasn’t self defense?”
“And what about Rudy? Do you think this was self defense?” Penny snarled, angry that the zoners would even think to consider Mint being the culprit despite him being injured. “He wasn’t the one who did this to Rudy. Sandra was!”
This caused a ripple of shock and horror to race through the zoners. Penny and Mint looked around, watching as the zoners talked to each other nervously. The room filled with the echoes of the zoners’ voices, and soon it was hard to tell who was saying what, and what was even being said at all.
As the zoners talked to each other, Penny looked down at Rudy to see how he was doing. She let out a gasp of shock when she saw that he had passed out. She looked at him, her eyes darting around, looking for any sign of life. Rudy’s eyes were shut softly, and he didn’t move. No matter how long she looked at him, he didn’t move an inch. The only movement at all she could see was the rise and fall of his chest as he took in shaky, thin breaths.
Penny turned her attention to the zoners, who were still talking with each other. It was clear that finding out that Sandra had hurt the Great Creator had startled them deeply. They were trying to figure out why she would do such a thing.
Penny cleared her throat. Once she got the zoners’ attention, she said, “Listen to me, everyone! Sandra has been....”
She was cut off when a gruff voice sounded out in her direction. “She had done what, ma’am?”
Penny looked over and saw what appeared to be a giraffe dressed in some kind of a suit. From the looks of things, especially that badge on his suit, he was some kind of cop.
Penny shouted, “She has been murdering zoners!” This was enough to cause the zoners to gasp in horror. But Penny wasn’t done yet. There was more. She looked over at the zoners eating their left overs, giving them a sympathetic look. This caused them to look at her in confusion. Penny did not leave them wondering for long. “Sandra has been slaughtering zoners and she used that machine of hers to...”
“You mean the one that Snap destroyed?” Asked a nervous zoner.
“How is it destroyed if Sandra used it?” A female zoner asked, confused. “Did Snap help her rebuild it?”
Penny shook her head. “No! Snap has nothing to do with this!”
“Please calm down, girl.” The giraffe said. “And please..tell us what you think Sandra has been up to.”
Penny looked at the zoners all around her, feeling their stares boring through hers. This was a little harder than she had imagined. She wished that Mint could help her. But there was little he could do. It was up to her to deliver the terrifying news.
Penny did not hesitate for long. “Sandra has been using the machine to grind up zoners, and then she used their meat in her recipes!” She saw the horrified looks on the zoners’ faces. They were looking at her expectantly. They clearly knew what this meant, and she decided to confirm it for them. With a grim nod, she said, “Yes... all her specials have had sentient zoner meat in them. She’s been feeding you all the flesh of your own kind!”
Almost immediately, the zoners reacted in great disgust. She and Mint watched them sadly as they wretched, holding their mouths, resisting the urge to throw up. Many of them fell to the ground, trembling too much to stand up. Some had to lean against a table or the wall for support. The ones who had been eating immediately spat out their food, wiping their tongues to get the taste out. Two of them began to vomit, spilling their stomach’s contents all over the table and chair.
After a few seconds, the zoners began to help each other. Penny could see that many of them had begun to cry, emotion taking a hold of them. Zoners comforted other zoners as they tried to cope with the weight of this horrible news. They already held a haunted look in their eyes, and it was clear that this was going to leave them traumatized for a long time.
“I-I can’t believe it... I-I was eating...”
“How could she do something so disgusting...?”
“What if I was eating my friend?!”
“How long has this been going on? Why couldn’t we see this?”
“This..this is just a bad dream... I’ll close my eyes and wake up and this would all have been just a nightmare...”
Penny and Mint stared at the zoners sympathetically. They could tell they were having a hard time digesting this uncomfortable information. Penny wished she could say something to cushion the blow, but how could she do that with news this horrible? All she and Mint could do was watch as the zoners cried and tried to comfort one another over this startling and horrendeous discovery.
To find out that they were unintentionally cannibals...eating meat from their own kind... That was a horrible and terrifying discovery. They couldn’t begin to imagine just how torn up they must feel inside. Their guts must be wrenching, watching to free themselves of any trace of the wretched meat that Sandra had been using. Mint and Penny could not blame them. If they themselves had found out they had unintentionally ate meat from other humans, they would feel rather sickened as well.
The giraffe zoner, who had looked a bit stoic before, was now frightened, his body trembling. “I-I...You mean.. Sandra had...?”
Penny nodded her head a few times. “Yes. She had been killing zoners to use as food.”
The giraffe zoner took in a few shaky breaths. “I don’t believe it.”
Penny lowered her gaze. “There’s more...”
At this, many of the zoners looked at Penny, their eyes wide in fear. The giraffe zoner took a step forward, staring at Penny and waiting for her to continue.
“Sandra was the one who killed those zoners several weeks ago. She was the one who rigged the explosives at Snap’s party.” Penny looked at the zoners, and noticed their expressions. She narrowed her eyes softly as she remembered many of the harsh things the zoners had said about Snap. “She had framed Snap, and she tricked you all into thinking he was the culprit.”
The zoners cringed at this. A few of them lowered their heads in shame, their eyes flashing with guilt. They looked at one another, some of them asking themselves multiple, emotion-fueled questions.
Penny could not blame them for this reaction. She recognized many of the zoners in the room as a few that had been in the mob, accusing Snap of being a murderer. Now the truth had been exposed, laid bare before them. Even if some of them disbelieved her, they couldn’t deny how horrifying a discovery this was. The ones that did believe her, Penny could imagine them feeling very guilty, knowing that they had been tormenting the wrong zoner.
Penny looked over at the policeman. She watched as he took a few steps towards her. His body was shaking like a leaf at this discovery. He opened his mouth to speak, but shut it, licking his lips nervously. Then he tried again, and this time, he managed to succeed.
In a faint voice, he asked, “Where is Sandra?”
Penny gestured her head towards the door. “Snap is back there fighting her now. He’s doing what he can to keep her occupied.” There was a murmur all around her. Penny could tell the zoners were reacting in surprise and guilt at how selfless Snap was being. She continued, “Call for backup. Mint and I need to take Rudy to the hospital. Sandra bit down on his throat and snapped his neck.”
The giraffe looked down at Rudy, lowering his ears. He then turned to Sandra and, frowning in determination, he nodded his head. “Will do.”
With that, the giraffe zoner pulled out his walkie talkie. Penny kept quiet, as did the zoners. Anxiety and tension rose in the air as the giraffe pushed a few buttons, the sound of static ringing out of the speakers. He brought it to his elongated mouth and spoke harshly into it.
“Hello, police station? I request backup.”
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Post by Bluedramon on Nov 10, 2014 20:49:02 GMT -5
Chapter 37: Temper
Why won't you die?! Your blood in mine! We'll be fine! And then your body will be mine...!
-System, Queen Of The Damned
Sandra climbed back up to her feet. She placed a hand against her cheek, feeling how sore it was. She shook her head, wondering at first who had struck her. The answer became quite obvious. As she lifted up her head, she was not at all surprised to see Dr. Gelcro standing there.
The dog zoner’s neck fur was raised up on end, his pupils shrunk into dots. His lips were curled up, showing his sharp teeth at her. Sandra was startled at first, but only for a split second. She narrowed her eyes, getting off the ground and turning to face the zoner. She adopted a defensive stance of her own, her tail swishing from side to side.
Just how stupid was this doctor? Didn’t he leanr his lesson before? Of course not. He was just ignorant of the situation. Well since her earlier warning didn’t work, she would have to try something more...thorough with him this time.
She looked over at where Snap was. At the moment, he was laying down on the ground, on his stomach. He was pushing himself up onto his hands, slowly regaining his footing. She narrowed her eyes at this as her mind began to surge with thoughts.
Just what was she going to do with him? She had tried to be reasonable. She had tried to show him the error of what he had done, and help him change for the better. All she ever wanted to do was help him. Yet he couldn’t understand that. He was infuriated with her even after she had explained to him what her goal had been. He had even called her a liar, and accused her of using him for her sick, twisted purposes.
None of that was true. Sandra did care about him. She liked him and thought he was a nice guy. She was grateful for what he had done for her. She was just returning the favor. As he helped her get her fresh new start in ChalkZone, she had wanted to help him by showing him how to be a better person, to acknowledge when he had done wrong and admit to it.
She knows he destroyed the machine on purpose. There was no way he could have done that by accident. She wished he would have confessed to it and apologized. She would have forgiven him. But now..he was just so stubborn, and he denied what he did, and he had the gall to say she was the bad guy...
Well she would take care of him later. She would figure out a way to fix things. In the mean time, she had someone else to take care of.
“I see you don’t know when to quit.” Sandra said. “Why couldn’t you just leave? This isn’t of your concern.”
Dr. Gelcro took a few steps towards Sandra, his ears lowering. “You need to stop this, Sandra. Sooner or later, the other zoners are going to find out what you’ve been doing. You will be ostracized and arrested. No one is going to defend you.”
Sandra narrowed his eyes. What a naive fool he was... If the zoners had any kind of intelligence to them, which she was certain they did, they would understand the importance of a promise, and how she was just upholding it. All she was doing was making sure the promise wasn’t broken. Everyone should know what once a promise was made, it cannot be taken back.
She was aware of how dangerous this was. That was why a promise should be handled with care. One must be careful of what they said before they made one, because undoing it was not an option.
Dr. Gelcro cut her off from her thoughts. “Especially if they find out what you did to Rudy! They would all turn on you!”
Sandra shook her head at this. “I’m sure they would thank me. Rudy was nothing more than a worthless promise breaker.” She said with a tone of bitterness. Her eyes blazed slightly. “He is not to be trusted.”
Dr. Gelcro narrowed his eyes. “Exactly when did he break this alleged promise?”
“He promised to help Penny with some drawings, and he failed to do so.” Sandra said. “And since he failed, he is a promise breaker. Therefore, he has no place in this world. All promise breakers must pay for their sins. I was merely giving him what he truly deserved.”
“That was years ago... He...he did help her in the end...” Snap said with a weak voice. Sandra turned her head, raising up an ear as she stared at Snap with one eye. “Penny forgave him.”
“Well isn’t that sweet.” Sandra said sarcastically. “I can see her heart is foolishly open.” Snap growled at this. Sandra ignored it and turned her head away. She spoke again, addressing them both. “I don’t care how long ago it was. The time frame does not matter. If Rudy wasn’t punished, then he had escaped justice. If that is the case, then I am glad I was here to deliver that long overdue retribution.”
Snap leaned against the wall, seething in pain. Sandra took note of the wounds she gave him. Scratches and bruises mostly. Some of his clothes were a bit torn. He looked pretty beat up, but was able to still stand. She herself wasn’t looking that good, and some of the pain increased, such as where Mint had chopped off part of her ear. She ignored her pain as she watched Snap, waiting for him to speak.
“Rudy did pay..kind of.” Snap said. “It was because this broken promise that Penny was captured and turned against him, or so we thought. Yeah it was all fake, but Rudy did feel guilty about it.”
Sandra blinked a few times. She tilted her head to one side. “Oh? So he did recieve some kind of punishment after all?”
Snap nodded his head. “Whatever you like to call it, yes. Not that I think he deserved to be punished...”
Sandra took this into consideration. She thought about what Snap said, allowing it to sink into her head, letting her figure out what it meant. Perhaps she had been a little hasty. Perhaps she should have asked before if Rudy had been punished for it. Snap didn’t go into detail, but she trusted it was a sufficient level of punishment, which meant that what she did was entirely unnecessary.
There was a brief pang of guilt, but she pushed it away. There was nothing she could do about it now. Besides, he was just a promise breaker. One punishment often wasn’t enough. Rarely did she think that a promise breaker should be allowed to live. She held very little regret for what she did. Why should she? She was simply doing the right thing.
Sandra merely shrugged her shoulders. “Regardless, he got what he deserved.”
Snap continued to glare at her. “How can you be so cold...?”
“I’m not cold. I’m just logical.” Sandra replied, keeping her voice level. She folded her arms against her chest, feeling the cold metal of her chest plate. “Of course, I don’t expect you to understand. You seem adament about ignoring what I say in favor of your own bizarre logic.”
“My bizarre logic?!” Snap cried.
Sandra smiled at him and nodded. She then turned away, ignoring Snap’s confused cries. She focused on Dr. Gelcro once more, who appeared to be sneaking up towards her. She narrowed her eyes at this, her expression enough to freeze the dog zoner in his place.
She was not surprised that he had tried to take this opportunity to attack her from behind. It seemed like the perfect strategy that he would use. She was distracted, so that would have been an excellent time to lunge at her. Just a shame that he had hesitated. Not that it would have done him much good; she likely would have heard him in time to get out of the way. Still, she would have been at least impressed by his efforts.
She took quick notice of the absense of Ripclaw and Mosaic. She narrowed her eyes softly at this, turning her head slightly around to see if she could spot them. She wondered where they could have gotten off to. Perhaps they ran off to find help. No matter; their lack of speech would make this task much harder.
Although she still wasn’t comfortable with the idea of not knowing where everyone was, she knew she couldn’t waste time trying to figure it out. So she kept her focus on just Dr. Gelcro and Snap. First, Dr. Gelcro would have to be dealt with. Then she would go after Snap. She would rather do this one on one with him. No interferences or interruptions. She really wanted to give Snap one more shot, and she would rather do that without worry of someone cutting her off.
“I really don’t want to attack you.” Sandra said, her red eyes glued onto Dr. Gelcro’s. “And I can avoid that...if you leave now.”
Dr. Gelcro gave a bitter chuckle. “Do you really think I’m going to just leave because you told me to?” She watched him as he lowered his head a little, his teeth bared as he continued to speak. “I have no intention on leaving Snap with someone like you...”
Sandra let out an exasperated sigh. “Look, I’m giving you a chance to leave in one piece.” She held up her hand in gesture. “If you leave now and promise not to interfere with me, I will see to it that both you and your..friend...” She couldn’t remember if they were buddies or not. “...fully recover from the wounds I inflicted on you.”
“Like hell I’m going to take that offer.” Dr. Gelcro snarled at her.
“I suppose you want to stay hurt then?” Sandra asked, perplexed by his denial of her service. “Is that it?”
“It’s a simple matter of pride.” Dr. Gelcro gave a somewhat bitter smile. “You see...I have a thing against being treated by the same person who hurt me, when that same person did not learn any lesson or tried to change.”
“So you think I should try to change my ways?” Sandra couldn’t help but feel insulted by this. She felt something burn in her stomach. How could he try to request such a thing from her? “That really seems unfair, don’t you think?”
Dr. Gelcro didn’t look really impressed by what she said. He narrowed his eyes a bit further, his face contorting. “Unfair, huh? Was it fair when you snapped Rudy’s neck like it was nothing? Was it fair that you killed countless zoners, all in the name of this scheme of yours? Was it fair that you tricked almost everyone, myself included, that Snap was a monster?”
Sandra could detect not just bitterness, but also some hurt in his voice. She could tell that he felt awful about how he had treated Snap. She knew, from his expression alone, that if he could go back in time and change things, he would have prevented himself from becoming such a jackass to Snap. But the past was the past, and there was nothing he could do about it now. She hoped that he realized that.
She could understand why he would be so upset. It was not a fun thing for a zoner to find out that they had been blaming the wrong zoner. She couldn’t really blame him at all for that.
But he had to understand that she wasn’t using him, nor was she trying to create a rift. She needed the zoners to turn against Snap, at least on some level, on order for Snap to understand what it felt like being hurt and betrayed. Turning the zoners against Snap was a necessary evil that, while she did not want to perform, she knew had to be done. If Dr. Gelcro took time to really thought about that, he would see that she had only been trying to help.
All of this was going to be over soon anyway. If it hadn’t been for the interference, she would have ended this, and things would have gone back to normal. Of course, they just had to complicate things... How unfortunate.
“I know where you are coming from and I understand. Really, I do.” Sandra placed a hand against herself. “It wasn’t something I really enjoyed doing, and I admit, there were times when I wondered if I was going a bit too far.”
“Oh really now?” Dr. Gelcro asked, cocking an eyebrow. His voice was laced in sarcasm. “You don’t say?”
Sandra ignored the sarcasm and nodded her head. “But it wasn’t like I had much of a choice. I couldn’t break the promise until Snap learned his lesson. I had to make sure it was thorough so he would know not to do it again.”
“You could have tried to do it without having a bunch of zoners try to lynch me.” Came Snap’s bitter comment, but Sandra chose to ignore it.
However, Dr. Gelcro did not ignore it. “Snap is right, Sandra. If you felt Snap needed to learn a lesson, you could have just confronted him about it. You could have told him, in his face, what you thought he did and work out a solution then.” He took a step forward. “Instead, you chose to hurt him. And you murdered several zoners in the process, all in cold blood, and you put the blame on Snap. Just...” He gripped the sides of his head. “..how sick and twisted do you have to be to think that was a good idea...?!”
“Well when you put it like that, sure it sounds bad.” Sandra admitted, holding her hand out as she gestured with it. “But come on.. if you just stop and think, and not let your mind get clouded, you would realize that...”
“Shut up!” Dr. Gelcro barked.
Sandra’s eyes widened in shock when the dog zoner, his temper clearly lost, charged at her. She heard Snap shout at him, telling him to stop. But it was all in vain. Dr. Gelcro didn’t stop and instead just increased his speed. In a split second, he lunged at Sandra.
The dragon zoner didn’t waste time reacting. She moved along to the side in an almost graceful manner. She watched as the dog zoner brushed pasted her. He turned his eyes, and in that moment, they locked onto hers. In a split second, she could see he realized his error. Taking advantage of the brief opening, Sandra formed a fist with her hand and struck down onto his back, between his shoulders. This was enough to knock him into the ground, onto his stomach.
Sandra pinned him down, pressing a foot against him. She pressed her claws against his back, causing him to wince and yelp in pain. He squirmed on the ground, trying to escape her. He tried to bite at her leg, but she immediately seized his jaw, holding it shut in her hand. She slammed his head against the ground, turning it roughly to force him to look up at her.
“I really don’t want to do this, Dr. Gelcro. If you do not call off your attack, I will be forced to take more drastic measures.” Sandra said in a stern voice. “I cannot afford interruptions. If you do not calm yourself down, then I will have to make you calm down...permantly.”
“No! Wait!” Snap begged her. He started to move towards her, holding his hand out as he limped. “Please, don’t hurt him!”
“Stop right where you are!” Sandra shouted at Snap, her voice booming. This was enough to make Snap freeze, his wide eyes staring at her, silentl pleading with her. “Do not come any closer! This is between him and me, not you!” She glared at Snap, one red eye staring at him. “Take another step and I will take care of him now...”
Not caring to wait and see if Snap got the message, Sandra turned her attention back to Dr. Gelcro. She kept her grip on his jaw as his head jerked from side to side. A few whimpers escaped his throat as he tried to open his mouth. She reached down and grabbed him on the back of his head, pulling at his scruff roughly. His body stiffened on instinct.
“So..what’s it going to be?” Sandra asked, her glare boring through the husky’s mind as she stared at him in the eyes. “Are you going to walk away quietly, or are you going to continue to fight me? I promise I will make your end come swiftly if you continue resisting me.”
Dr. Gelcro stared up at her for a few seconds. He then nodded his head slowly. Sandra took this as him reaching an understanding. She gave him a small smile and she released her grip on him slowly. She took a step back, watching him as he climbed up to his feet.
“Okay, you may exit anyway you..” Sandra didn’t get a chance to finish. Without warning, Dr. Gelcro turned on her and took off. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?!”
Dr. Gelcro never answered her. With a loud snarl, he jumped at her. Unable to get out of the way in time, Sandra let out a scream as she felt his razor sharp teeth sink into her shoulder. She was knocked against the wall, her shoulder radiating in pain as Dr. Gelcro tore into it.
“You fool!” Sandra cried, her voice tinged with pain. “I gave you a warning and this is how you react to it?!”
Dr. Gelcro didn’t answer her. He started to tear up her shoulder more, blood flowing from it. Sandra hissed and yowled in pain, her tail wriggling around. Okay then, if this was the way he wanted to play it, fine. She warned him, and he chose to ignore it. It will be his own damn fault for what was about to happen next.
Sandra lifted up her foot and she kicked him in the stomach. Her claws raked across it, leaving behind bloody gashes. Dr. Gelcro let out a whimper as he staggered back. She let out a scream as she felt him tear off a piece of her shoulder. She looked at it. Anger boiled in her blood. How dare he... Yes true..she could just heal herself. But still...
Dr. Gelcro came back. He knocked against her, pushing her against the wall. He then grabbed her by the arm and tossed her into the ground. Sandra looked up, watching as the crazed dog zoner rushed at her, mouth split open.
Before she knew it, a massive weight hit against her. She let out a grunt as she felt his feet hit against her stomach. He snarled at her before opeining his mouth wider and he clamped them down around her throat. Sandra’s eyes bulged and she began to struggle on the ground, kicking her legs wildly. She could feel the teeth begin to sink into her neck, and for a moment, she felt the same fear that Rudy had just a little while earlier.
“Stop! Dr. Gelcro, please don’t kill her!”
The two zoners froze at this. They turned their eyes over, noticing a frantic and frightened Snap standing there.
Snap looked at Dr. Gelcro, his eyes wide in desperation. “You aren’t going to be any better than her if you kill her, Dr. Gelcro! Please stop! I know you’re better than her!”
Dr. Gelcro’s grip on her loosened. His jaw was still arond her neck, but she was no longer choking. She looked up at him, noticing that he wasn’t trying to do anything. It would seem that he was confused, torn between two choices. She decided to take advantage of the situation.
With Dr. Gelcro distracted thanks to Snap, she was able to slip her tail over unnoticed. She quickly wrapped it around the husky’s leg. His eyes shifted down at her, realizing what was about to happen. Before he could bite down harder in defense, she thrust him away from her, knocking him against the wall. She hopped up to her feet and, as the husky came after her, she held out her hand, activating her powers on him.
Dr. Gelcro’s eyes widened and he let out a loud whimper as he collapsed back into the ground. She watched as he hit the ground in a thud. He curled himself into a fetal position, gripping his head tightly. She narrowed her eyes and twisted her hand, causing him to begin thrashing on the ground wildly, crying in pain and agony.
“Sandra! Stop this!” Snap limped towards her. “Please!”
“Stay out of this, Snap!” Sandra warned him.
Snap ignored her words. He kept coming closer. Soon she could feel him grab onto her arm, tugging at her. He looked up at her pleadingly. “Stop hurting him! He was just trying to help me!”
Sandra flattened her ears as she struck Snap with her tail. “I said stay out of it!” She shouted at him as he tumbled across the ground. She watched him as he looked up at her, his eyes wide in fear and desperation. She glared at him for a few seconds, giving him a silent warning to stay back. She then turned her attention back to Dr. Gelcro. “Now as for you...”
Sandra spoke no more. Her eyes narrowing, her blood heating up more, she increased her power usage against the zoner who had dared try to stop her. She watched silently, almost emotionless save for her anger, as she twisted him up inside. She was slowly detaching his blood vessels, and she could see the results in his eyes.
After a few moments, the dog zoner began to convulse on the ground. His body trembled in great pain. She did not let up. She had given him his warning, and he chose to ignore it. She could not be blamed for this. She continued to rip him apart internally, watching as several spots began to turn dark purple from the intenral bleeding. Dr. Gelcro turned his head from side to side, letting out multiple loud cries.
Then finally he collapsed. He stopped moving almost entirely, save for a few twitches here or there. He let out a few moans as he looked up at her pitifully. She just smiled at him, knowing that he was finally paying the price for his actions. She began to twist her hand the other way, deciding it was best to end his pain now instead of prolonging it.
Then, just as she was about to make her final move on him, she felt something hit against her back. She grunted and stepped forward due to the force. She didn’t have long to think about what happened when someone grabbed onto her ears and pulled on them hard.
“Release him now!” It was Snap. “Stop this!”
Sandra felt her head being pulled back as Snap yanked on her ears. The pain in her torn one increased as Snap pulled on it, gripping it tightly. She released her hold on Dr. Gelcro. She began to stumble away from the whimpering canine zoner as she struggled to grab Snap.
She soon managed to grab him and she began to pull on him. Snap responded by wrapping his legs around her body and securing himself there. As she pulled, she ended up pulling herself with him. She growled in frustration, unable to believe that Snap was going to make things this complicated and rough for her. She had hoped that he would listen to her warning, but he had deliberately ignored it. Well then, if he was going to act this way, then she would need to use some more force with him.
Sandra jerked herself from side to side, bucking left and right. She tried to make Snap dislodge and fall off. He still held onto her tightly, his grip like a vice. He pulled on her ears more, almost as if he were trying to guide her somewhere. Her legs wobbled around, her tail swishing back and forth violently. She pulled on him harder, but ended up yanking on her ear harder. This made her stiffen up, her mouth emitting a screech.
That’s it. She’s had enough. She was going to get Snap off, and she was going to do it now. He was being unbelievable, absolutely unreasonable. She had to stop him before he did anything he was going to regret.
The blue dragon turned around so that her back was facing the wall of the tunnel. Then, as hard as she could, she began to slam it against the hard surface. She hard Snap cry out each time. She did this again and again. She listened to Snap’s grunts, his hisses of pain. She hated doing this to him, but he had left her with no choice. She didn’t stop until she felt him loosen his grip. Then she tightened her grip and she slammed him into the ground.
Sandra stared at him for a few moments, watching him as he groaned in pain. She didn’t give him too long to recover. She immediately shot her foot forward, wrapping her talons around his neck. Snap let out a cry at this. She lifted him up and immediately slammed him into the wall, knocking the wind out of him. She kept him pressed against the wall, applying pressure to make sure he couldn’t shake himself loose that easily.
Snap began to struggle. He pushed against her leg, kicking his own desperately. He gritted his teeth as he turned his head from side to side. He managed to hit her a few times, but she ignored them. She was not going to let go of him, not yet.
Sandra put her face close to his and said, “I’m trying to be reasonable with you, Snap.” She hissed in pain as she felt her torn ear ache. “But you just have to make things difficult, don’t you? Geez, I would have thought Rudy had drawn you with some common sense.”
Snap’s eyes widened at that comment, then they narrowed. “Don’t you dare bring him into this, you bitch...”
Sandra narrowed her eyes. “Watch your mouth!”
“Why should I? It’s not like you ever listened to anyone! You’re too busy, strung up in your own little world, that you fail to realize what’s going on, or just how people would really view you! Do you think anyone is going to side with you when they find out what you have done?! Do you think that the zoners who lost their loved ones because of you are going to look upon you kindly?” Snap’s voice was firm. Never once did he falter or stutter. “You have gotten away with your atrocities for far too long, Sandra! It’s about time someone did something about them!”
Sandra growled at this. She slammed against him, making him let out another pained cry. “You need to learn to stop being so narrow minded! All I did was try to help you better yourself! You helped me, so now I want to help you! But you won’t listen to me! Even after I explain, you still ignore my words!”
Snap shook his head the best he could at this. Sandra went quiet and waited for him to speak. “I am not. I heard every word you said. It’s just that what I hear disgusts me.” Sandra widened her eyes at this. “You think that you were doing the right thing, but all you did was betray me. You hurt me and plotted behind my back. You murdered innocent zoners, some of which you decided to turn into food. How...how can I trust you...” Snap shut his eyes for a second, letting tears escape. He looked at her with an expression of heartbreak. “...when you are the source of the pain and misery that had gripped the city?”
Sandra stared at Snap when he said this. Her mind began to race. For a short few seconds, she began to question her actions. Her heart twisted as she saw just how hurt Snap was. She..she hadn’t meant for him to feel this way. She hadn’t meant for him to feel betrayed and crushed like this. She had only done what she believed to be the right thing.
But that guilt was fleeting. She reminded herself that Snap was the one who brought this upon himself. He has to learn that life can be rough at times. He needed to learn his lesson. If he didn’t want to get punished, then he shouldn’t have committed the crime against her.
“I see...” Sandra said softly. “I’m...sorry you feel that way. I...”
Snap cut her off. “No you’re not sorry! You never were!” His voice raised in volume after a couple seconds. Sandra narrowed her eyes. She tried to speak up, but Snap wasn’t finished yet. “If you were sorry, you wouldn’t have hurt me! You wouldn’t have tormented me like you had been the past several weeks! If you cared about me at all, you would have stepped down from your promise and just talk to me!”
Sandra raised her ears, her eyes widening in shock. Did..did Snap just suggest that she break one of her own promises? Was he insane? He should know that she could never do that. She growled at him, angered that he would dare suggest such a thing.
Snap noticed her anger. “Look I know you are obsessed with these promises, but you can’t just keep hiding behind them like some kind of excuse! Sometimes promises can be broken. We could have worked things out, Sandra. If you had just told me up front that you were upset with me, I could have tried to help you.” He paused for a moment. “Although now I’m not sure if I would even do that, knowing what you have been doing with zoners...” He shuddered, looking at Sandra with wide eyes. “Just..how could you do that?”
Sandra cocked an eyebrow. “How could I what?”
“How can you kill a zoner and feed their meat to other zoners?” Snap spoke in a shaky voice. He looked from side to side. “I just..don’t know how anyone could...” He licked his lips nervously, swallowing. He stared at her, wide-eyed. “How do you sleep at night...?”
“Quite well, thank you.” Sandra said. Her tone was a bit more bitter than she had intended. “I think it is an honor to eat the flesh of a loved one.” Snap gasped at this. Sandra smiled, realizing that he simply didn’t understand. “Don’t you see? That’s the highest level of respect you can give a friend. Let them eat your meat.”
“You’re disgusting...” Snap managed to say. He made a few sounds, suggesting that he was holding back the urge to vomit. Just barely. “How can you think like that..?”
“It’s simple logic, really.” Sandra said. “Of course, you have to be willing to listen and see reason. I see you are too clouded to really see my point of view.”
Snap’s struggles increased. “You’re absolutely bananas!”
Sandra shook her head at this. It was frustrating that Snap still didn’t see things her way. Why couldn’t he try to understand? Why couldn’t he listen to her? Why did he have to be so difficult? Oh well... There was nothing she could do about that. She did the best she could.
“Snap... I just wish you would understand. Don’t you know how much trust it takes to let someone eat you in times of need? What a noble sacrifice...” She spread her arms out at this. “And besides, I was doing some of those zoners favors. Being trapped in a hospital for a long time, even forever, is a much worse fate than being eaten. I was being merciful.”
Snap gripped her foot and pushed on her. “Those...zoners had loved..ones...” He said through gritted teeth. “And you...took them away...”
Sandra nodded her head once. “But I gave them back.” She raised a finger up. “Their loved ones are now a part of them. A perfect way to reunite someone, wouldn’t you agree?” Snap wretched at this. “Oh come now, it’s not bad really.” She tilted her head to one side. “Eat a loved one and they become a part of you...forever.”
“How can you...” Snap started to say.
Sandra cut him off. “You should understand this quite well, Snap. After all, you enaged in it. You experienced it. You are not suffering any backlash. Now you are truly unified with someone that you know.”
Snap looked at her in horror, taking in a sharp breath. “Wh-What do you mean..?”
Sandra chuckled at this. She wasn’t surprised that he didn’t know. She hadn’t told him about using sentient zoner meat in her recipes. She might as well tell him now, since she brought it up. Perhaps if she told him, and he realized that he hadn’t been harmed by it, he would relax and become more comfortable. He had enjoyed the taste, after all.
Sandra smiled gently at him. “Remember when you came over to my restaurant for breakfast? The eggs and bacon?” Snap opened his mouth, and then shut it. He nodded his head once, his eyes filling with dreadful anticipation. “Well have you ever wondered what I made the bacon out of?”
Snap shook his head. “N-No... I just assumed it was...”
“It wasn’t turkey bacon.” Sandra said. “I made the meat from that one zoner..the puppet one... Oh what was his name...?” She rubbed her cheek as she tried to place the name. “Oh yes!” She pointed a finger up as she recalled the identity of the zoner. “I do believe his name was Howdy.”
Snap’s eyes bulged wide at this. “H-H-Howdy...?”
Sandra nodded her head. “Yes. Howdy. You ate Howdy.”
Snap swallowed shakingly, lowering his head as his body shook. He struggled to keep himself from throwing up. She could tell he was having a hard time. She couldn’t help but roll her eyes at this. What a disrespectful display... Snap should show more respect towards his friend for sacrificing his life to be a part of him.
“Now now, calm down.” Sandra said as Snap struggled to keep himself from crying. He looked so traumatized and shaken, his skin going paler than it already was. “Howdy is with you now. He flows through your veins. He is never going to leave you.” She reached down at touched Snap’s cheek. “You should feel proud to have him as a part of you. Not everyone is so lucky.”
Snap looked at her, wide-eyed, before he snarled and slapped her hand away. He seethed at her, kicking at her with more force. Sandra stared at him, watching him as it looked as though his blood was going to boil over.
“How can I feel proud of eating Howdy?! That’s sick and disgusting! I can’t believe you did that to me! How could you be so disgusting?! I met a lot of villains in my short life, and you are the absolute worst! Even Skrawl is better than you!”
Sandra narrowed her eyes. “Don’t compare me to him, Snap. You know that he doesn’t care about anyone but himself. I’m not like that.”
“Sure you’re not! That’s why you killed countless zoners to feed customers in your freakshow of a restaurant!” Snap barked at her. “You kill one of my friends and feed them to me and you expect me to like it! You expect everyone to like it! I don’t know how you got so messed up in the head, Sandra. But you need a wake up call! Nobody is going to like you after this! Nobody is going to give you a second chance! They will all label you as a monster!”
Sandra bared her teeth. “How can you be so sure?”
“Of course you’d ask that. You can’t seem to comprehend this. I have no idea what happened in your creation time, Sandra, but you act like you got hit in the head and then sat under a rock for the past twenty years! You can’t even grasp the concept of what love and companionship actually are! If you did, then you would know just how demented your plans really are!”
Sandra glared at Snap. “So you’re saying I’m retarded?!”
Snap shook his head. “I’m just saying you are messed up. I don’t know if anyone can help you. Something is wrong with the way your brain functions. You are a menace to society and you need to get locked up.”
Sandra felt her heart twist at that statement. She couldn’t believe Snap would say something like that to her. “I am no menace...” Her voice was low, a hiss that wafered in the air. “I help ChalkZone. If anything, I’m doing more good than anyone else has.”
“How?” Snap asked. “Name one thing.”
“Removing dangerous zoners, like the Doofi.” Sandra said as-a-matter-of-factly. Seeing Snap’s expression, she said, “They were obviously too dangerous to be around. Especially Doofus Rudy. They were so astronomically stupid that they would have brought down the entire city if they weren’t stopped. Now they will serve a better purpose. They can help ChalkZone by letting the citizens eat them.”
“Unbelievable...” Snap uttered under his breath. “You’re an even bigger monster than I had imagined...”
Sandra snarled at this. “How can you say that?!” She cried in disbelief.
Snap narrowed his eyes at her. “You are the one who has been killing zoners like they’re some kind of wild game. You are the one who had made loved ones eat loved ones. You fed me Howdy...” He shuddered at the memory, his face contorting in disgust. “You then tormented me for days, turning most of ChalkZone City against me, and all for what? Teaching me a lesson? I never thought you could be so cruel, Sandra. I thought you were my friend...”
“I am your friend! That’s why I had to hurt you! To me you see! To make you understand!” Sandra cried. “I was only trying to make you in a better person!”
Snap shook his head at this. “Better person...? I don’t believe you.” He stared at her, locking eyes with her. “If you wanted to help me, then you would have foregoed your stupid promise and confront me directly, instead of hiding behind a promise like some coward.”
Sandra widened her eyse at this. She growled at Snap, seething at the mere thought of Snap insulting the sanctity of a promise. She tightened her grip on him, flashing her teeth at him. “Watch your tongue....”
Snap looked a little startled by this, but he continued anyway.
“I was only friends with you because I thought you actually cared about me. But now I see you for what you really are. A despicable person.. a coward that hides behind lame promises. A creepazoid who needs to be sent to jail for all the crimes you commited against ChalkZone. The zoners deserve closure, and they will only get that when you are safely behind bars, away from the zoners so you can’t hurt anyone ever again. You’re a monster, and I can’t believe I actually liked you!”
Snap paused for a moment, catching his breath. He lowered his head, his eyes closed. His expression softened up. Though anger was clearly present, there was some other emotion there. Sandra could not identify it.
“You will never understand...how much you hurt me, Sandra. You will never understand what I have gone through... I know you don’t even care. If you liked me, then you wouldn’t have hurt me... But I see where your loyalties lie. You care only for yourself. Damn everyone else, am I right?”
Sandra shook her head. “No...”
Snap gave a bitter smile at this. “Sure... Why should I believe you?” He shook his head slowly. “You have given me little reason to believe anything you say. You aren’t my friend, Sandra. You’re my enemy, a criminal. And I am going to deal with you like I deal with all other criminals I encounter: I am going to get you locked up.”
Sandra growled. “Stop speaking such nonsense...” She took in a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. “Look, I promise that...”
“Keep your fucking promises to yourself!” Snap snarled at her. “I want no part of them! Not after the way you used them to make my life a living hell!” His body trembled in anger. “I hate you, Sandra! I fucking hate you! If I had known that you were going to do something like this, I would have broken my promise to help you! I don’t help murderers!”
Sandra growled at this. She felt a surge of anger rush through her body, making her blood heat up. She tossed Snap into the ground. The small zoner let out a cry of pain as he hit the ground painfully. Sandra took on a stalking-like stance, her tail raising up into the air. She bared her teeth at Snap, her lips curling up, making it easy for him to see her gums.
“Don’t you dare insult the promise, Snap...” Sandra warned.
“Oh to hell with your promises!” Snap pushed himself onto his hands. “You think you have the right to punish people for breaking promises?! You think that you were in the right when you punished Rudy?! Well let me tell you something, Sandra! It is you, not him, that disgraced the promise! You are the one who poisoned and corrupted what a promise was, using it to your own ends! You are the one who polluted the purity of the promise, as you would say! You twisted the concept of a promise, tainting it with your twisted mind, so you could get away with murder! You are a vile fiend and you give a bad name to promises everywhere!”
At this, something broke inside Sandra. Her body froze, eyes widened. She felt her mind go numb, unable to process what she just heard. She stared at Snap in absolute shock, unable to believe what he said. She felt her mind swirling, aching, as thoughts raced through, her heart pounding against her chest.
Then came the emotion. A torrent of negate energy began to rise up inside of her, twisting her guts. She felt her body start to tremble, unable to stop. She could feel her blood heat up, rapidly reaching its boiling point. She could feel her vision start to cloud, almost turning red as anger swept through her body.
How dare he... How dare Snap say such things.. How dare he accuse her like that.. How could he do something so cruel to her..? How could he do this...?
She couldn’t take it anymore. The emotion swelling up inside became too much for her to handle. She could feel it leaking out of her body, dripping down in the form of sweat. Her quaking increased, her teeth gnashing together. She let out a series of growls as she locked eyes onto Snap, her pupils turning into slits.
“You... miscsreant!” She boomed before breaking off into a charge at Snap.
The superhero zoner waved his hand out in front of him, his other still supporting his body. “No! Wait! I-I didn’t..!”
Sandra would have none of it. In a blind rage, she struck against him as soon as she reached him, her fist slamming against his jaw, ending him crashing against the wall. She listened to him groan for a second before slamming her foot against him, causing him to again hit the wall with great force. She felt some level of satisfaction when she heard one of his ribs crack.
She then seized him with her jaws, her teeth sinking into his arm. He let out a series of screams and pleads, struggling. She shook him hard, shredding up his flesh, blood dripping down her face and his arm. She then tossed him as hard as she could, letting him skid across the ground.
As she stared at him, she felt that sense of happiness that she did earlier, back closer to the beginning of all of this. At the time, she had felt bad about liking to hurt Snap.
But this time, she was starting to enjoy it...
Her mouth ticked into a sadistic grin. She spoke, her voice scratchy and growly. “Don’t worry, Snap. I still care about you. I will make you a part of me. Such an honor...”
“No..please..” Snap cried in horror. He got up to his feet and started to limp away from her.
Sandra narrowed her eyes. Oh no he doesn’t... He won’t get away from her that easily. Fueled by her rage and determination, Sandra charged towards him, her arms spreading out at her sides. After a few seconds, she jumped into the air...
..and she stayed aloft.
It took her only seconds to reach Snap. She zipped out in front of him. Snap looked up at her in horror, letting out a scream as she struck out with her feet. Her sharp talons slashed in the air, narrowingly missing him as he jumped back. Snap backed away from her, taking in quick breaths as he stared at her with eyes wide in fear, panic, and disbelief.
“Y-You can f-f-fly...?!” Snap cried.
Sandra laughed evilly at this. “Surprised?! I should hope so! Now come here!” She spread her talons, the sharp tips glinting in the light. “Let me send you on a journey that you will never forget!”
Sandra dove down towards him. Snap screamed and rushed pashed her. Sandra hissed as her claws missed him. She turned herself around, opening her jaws and letting out a roar. She rushed back towards him, flapping her arm wings harder. She picked up the speed, moving through the air like an aerodynamic bullet. When she got close enough, she grabbed onto Snap, her claws digging into his sides. She yanked him off the ground and began to carry him down through the tunnel, flying blindly in rage.
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Post by Bluedramon on Nov 11, 2014 22:18:57 GMT -5
Chapter 38: Public Confession
Somebody, tell me, what made us all believe you? I should have known all along it was all a lie!
-Lies, Evanescence
“N-No! Stop this! Please let me go!” Snap screeched. “I-I’m sorry!”
“Far too late for that, dear friend!” Sandra shouted at him, that insane look still plastered over her elongated face. “Time to have some fun!”
Snap felt his heart pound against his chest. He struggled frantically, trying to get loose. He twisted his body from side to side, but his efforts were in vain. He winced as he felt the sharp claws dig further into his side. He could feel warm liquid leak down. The more he struggled, the deeper the claws went.
“Are you enjoying your flight?! Please say yes!” Sandra sneered at him.
Snap didn’t answer. He gave a shudder as he heard her voice, sending ice through his heart. She didn’t sound like her normal self. Her voice had become high pitched and growly, almost as if she were excited about something. She always had a disturbed look on her face now, her pupils shrunk into dots, a nasty grin pulling against the lips of her mouth... It was a terrifying sight to behold.
Snap wished he had been more careful when he spoke to Sandra earlier. He wished that he had stifled himself and hold back on the things he said. He wished he had been more strategy-oriented and planned this all out better. Now it seemed like he was going to pay the price.
He had angered Sandra beyond reasoning. It was clear that mere words weren’t going to stop her this time. She was out for blood. She wasn’t looking where she was going. She was just flying, keeping him in her talons. He had no idea exactly what she was going to do to him specifically, but he knew that it was going to result in his death.
“I will make you a part of me.”
Those words echoed in his head, chilling him to the bone. Even if she didn’t outright state it, he knew exactly what it meant, what that entailed. He couldn’t stop his heart rate from speeding up. With a slight quiver of his lip, he renewed his struggling despite how much it hurt his side.
Sandra continued to fly him down the hallway. He could hear the flap of her arm wings, the low growl eminating from her throat. They were going at incredible speed. He realized that this was how Sandra was able to get to them so quickly. The fact that she could fly changed everything. He was still horrified by the discovery, as never before had Sandra indicated she was capable of doing this.
His thoughts were interrupted when Sandra moved towards one of the walls. She lowered her head, grinning at him upside down. Snap felt his heart skip a beat, knowing that this wasn’t going to end well. Before he had time to contemplate what the dragon zoner was going to do, he felt himself being thrust against the wall. Sandra outstretched her body in a diagonal fashion and channeled all her strength into a powerful slam against the wall of the tunnel.
Snap shut his eyes, letting out a scream of pain. He felt relief when Sandra pulled him away, but it was short-lived. She soon slammed him again against the wall, making him cry out in agony. She did it a third time, this time making sure she hit his face against the hard surface. Snap let out a few whimpers as he was pulled back.
For a few seconds, Sandra just flew down the tunnel, and it almost looked as if she had decided to stop hitting him against the wall. He was quickly proven wrong when Sandra went over to the other side and pushed him against the wall again. This time, she kept him there, pushing as hard as she could as she continued to fly. Snap screamed as his face was scraped up, and it soon got to the point where he could see a blood smear forming on the wall. By the time Sandra stopped pushing, there was a blood smear about two feet long on the wall.
“Please stop this!” Snap begged her.
Sandra just sneered at him, “Oh no, Snap! I’m not done yet!” She lowered her head again, twisting it around to make it right side up. She chuckled at Snap. “You haven’t even seen the grand finale yet!”
“I-I don’t want to...” Snap whimpered.
“You don’t?” Sandra feigned shock. “Well that’s just too bad!”
Snap stared at Sandra in the eyes, seeing the depths of her insanity unfolding before him. He gritted his teeth, shuddering. Never before had he ever been so scared and frightened. Never before had he been this afraid of an enemy. Sandra made even the then-crazed Mint look tame. There was clear intent to harm in those eyes, and the expression alone showed she was willing to do it by any means necessary.
Sandra increased her speed, giving an insane laugh. She twisted her body around and then dove towards the wall. She smashed Snap’s full body against it, her feet crushing up against his spine. She did this again and again, laughing insanely as Snap let out cries of pain and agony.
Then she flew to the other side. Just like she had before, she pressed him against the wall and continued flying, scraping his body against the hard, rough surface. This time, it was the back of his head that she targeted. He let out a cry of pain as he felt his skull hit against the wall. Sandra put her foot over his face and pushed his head against the wall as she flew, creating another bloody smear from the shere force.
Pain snaked down his body and spine. Snap shut his eyes, tears flowing down his face. Sandra kept this up for longer than the first time, pushing down harder. He could feel his scalp tear apart at the seams. The agony making it too much for him, Snap, out of desperation, fought back.
He bit down onto Sandra’s toe. Sandra’s eyes bulged and she let out a loud scream. She tried to pull her foot back, but Snap just tightened his grip on her foot, sinking his teeth into her. He increased his bite, trying his best to deter her from what she was doing. It eventually worked and she yanked her foot back, but not before Snap inadvertantly tore off a small piece of flesh. He immediately spat it out, tasting her foul blood in his mouth.
“I see you are about me too! Why else would you try to make me part of you?!” Sandra called out. Her eyes were bulging in anger, but her mouth was still ticked in that chaotic smile of hers. “Too bad I called you first! Don’t disappoint me, Snap! Don’t taint our friendship by stealing my task!”
Snap felt disgusted by this. His face contorted, a corner of his lip pulling up. “I don’t want to eat you!”
Sandra’s eyes bulged at this, and her teeth became more exposed. Snap gulped, widening his eyes. He had a feeling he just made a big mistake.
“You don’t want to eat me?! Am I not good enough for you?! Are you so high and mighty that you won’t eat my flesh?! Do I disgust you, little boy?!” Sandra’s voice became even more high pitched and growly, if that were even possible. Her eyes filled with more insanity and she pressed all six of her claws against his sides. Snap screamed as he felt them tear deeply into his meat. “Perhaps I can change your mind!”
Snap screamed and writhed as the claws cracked more of his ribs. He twisted himself from side to side. “Please let me go! Stop hurting me! Please!” Tears flowed down his face as he looked up at Sandra. But she did relent, her expression never changing. “P-Please...”
Sandra suddenly stopped, hovering above the ground. She glared down at Snap, her eyes narrowed into slits. Snap remained quiet, not daring to speak. Even the taste of Sandra’s blood left him as he was frozen in fear, wondering what she was going to do next.
He wanted to plead with her to let him go. He wanted to say something to try to make her see reasoning, to understand why what she was doing was wrong. He wanted to calm her down and bring her back towards a more rational mind state. But what could he do right now? Sandra was not going to listen to him. Not in this state. The only thing that would calm her down was his own bloodshed.
Sandra suddenly tossed him into the air. Snap let out a scream as he twirled around. Sandra watched him before diving towards him. He grunted as he felt her mouth hit against his chest and stomach, sending him flying through the air. Sandra flew faster, coming around behind him. She struck him with her tail before he even had a chance to land. Then she flew above him and dove down towards him. She latched onto him, her talons wrapping around his leg.
Snap let out a grunt at the sudden stop. His body ached all over and he dare not move save for some shivering. His mind raced with many thoughts, tears staining his cheeks. He looked up at Sandra, whimpering softly as he stared into her crazed, dark-filled eyes. He looked for any signs of mercy there, and he found none.
Sandra raised him into the air, giving another throw of him. Snap twirled around in the air and fell down towards the ground headfirst. Sandra snagged him only seconds before his head could collide into the ground. She raised him up, growling at him, before she pulled her leg back and tossed him as hard as she could through the air. This time, she did not attempt to catch up, and Snap found himself crashing into the ground at full force.
Upon impact, he heard a loud crack. His eyes bulged and he gripped his arm to himself. He let out a scream of agony, his head echoing with the cracking of his own arm bone. The pain spread across his arm, intensifying as the seconds passed.
Soon he just laid there, quivering in pain, sobs escaping his throat. He tried to get back up to his feet, but a sudden wave of severe pain spread through his body, concentrating on his sides. His eyes bulged and he let out another scream, dropping back down to the ground. Trembling, he lifted up his head and turned his tear-stained face towards where Sandra was.
She was back on the ground, her shoulders hunched, her forehead triangle glowing brighter than before. A twisted smile was on her face, intermixed in rage. She slowly walked towards him, her claw tips tapping against the ground.
Snap felt his insides being torn apart. Something was bulging at his sides, feeling it rippling through his skin. He writhed on the ground, curling into a fetal position as he tried in desperation to cope with the intense pain. He clenched his teeth tightly, seething. The pain..oh gawd the pain... Why won’t Sandra stop this...? Why won’t she leave him alone..? Why can’t she see how much this was hurting me...? He looked at her with tear stained eyes, letting out a series of loud whimpers from his throat.
He screamed as a growth began to tear through his sides. He couldn’t stop screaming as he was slowly ripped up from the inside out. The growths bulged through, breaking skin, making the wounds on his side even bigger than before. He felt himself bleeding heavily, and he continuously thrashed on the ground.
Suddenly one of his side wounds stopped bleeding. He looked up at Sandra in confusion. She formed a small fist with her hand, turning it around as she adjusted her powers. Her facial expression finally softened up, but it was barely a tad, and she was still in a rage mode.
“I can’t have you dying yet.” Sandra spoke, her voice a little calmer than before. “I’m not done with you.”
Snap let out a pained cough as he laid on the ground. He pressed his hand against his side, staring at Sandra in desperation. “Stop this..please... I’m so sorry about what I said...” He sniffled tearfully. He would try to escape if he could, but Sandra’s grip on him rendered him in too much pain. “Please...stop...” He begged her.
Sandra didn’t answer except with a low hiss. Snap tried to struggle. He tried to get away, despite his pain. Sandra’s eyes flashed and his leg suddenly began to bulge as well. Letting out a loud scream of agony, Snap froze, his body quivering violently. All he could do was watch as Sandra approached him slowly, the sneer growing ever creepier and more deranged as she got closer to him.
Soon Sandra was kneeling right before him. Snap stared at her, whimpering, unable to turn away. His heart pounded against his chest, tears flowing down his face. He took in shaky, trembling breaths, his lower lip quivering. He let out a scream as Sandra reached towards him. He squirmed and writhed, but he wasn’t able to stop her from grabbing onto his head.
Then she turned her head away. Snap looked at her in confusion. She opened her jaws wide and she bit down on her arm, shocking Snap. She let out her own pained cries as she tore at her own flesh, ripping off a small piece. She then turned to Snap, her muzzle stained in a mixture of her and Snap’s blood. Snap wasn’t sure why Sandra would try to eat herself, and he didn’t want to find out.
Unfortunately, he found out what she planned, and not in the way he had ever wanted.
With a forceful thrust, she smashed her lips against Snap’s. This was enough to make him widen his eyes and let out muffled cries, struggling harder. She held him down, gripping his shoulders tightly. She then used her tongue to force the piece of flesh into his mouth.
Snap gagged and choked, kicking his legs wildly. The horrible taste of flesh and blood filled his mouth. He tried to spit it out, but as Sandra leaned away from the twisted kiss, she used her hands to hold his jaws shut. He whimpered and cried, trying to turn his head away. He pushed and kicked at Sandra, ignoring his pain. But she would not let go. Soon, with a choked sob, Snap swallowed, feeling Sandra’s flesh slide down his throat sickenly. Only then did Sandra let go, allowing Snap let out wretches and gags.
“How do I taste? Don’t I taste good? I know you want to eat more of me...” Sandra said to him in a low voice. Snap looked at her in horror. “Just say the word, and I’ll give you one more piece.” She licked her lips. “You really should be happy to have such an honor. Only a real friend would eat the meat of another friend.”
Snap shuddered and he shook his head slowly. “I-I don’t want anymore...”
Sandra snarled at this, flattening her ears. “You dare reject my generous offer?! Okay then, little guy! Perhaps you need another lesson!” She jumped into the air, bringing forward her taloned feet. “Let me help you with that!”
Snap shook his head, waving his hand out in front of him. “No! Please!”
Sandra lunged forward. She gripped Snap by his broken arm and lifted him above the ground. He let out a bloodcurdling scream. She then took off again, this time making sure to constantly bang him against the wall as she flew. His arm twisted and he heard more cracks, each one nearly bringing him into unconsciousness. Agony swept through his body, squeezing him in its tight fist, refusing to let go.
“Trust me, Snap! You will see things my way sooner or later!” Sandra’s growly, boomy voice echoed in his head. She picked up the pace, flapping her arm wings harder.
All Snap could do was look at Sandra in horror. He knew that, even if he survived this, the scars of this moment would stay with him for a long time.
sss
“Are you absolutely sure? Are you okay with this?” Penny asked.
The zoner nodded his head affirmatively. He gave Penny a soft smile. “Yeah I am. I don’t mind helping your friends out.”
“Same here.” Said another male zoner. He was a little thinner and shorter than the first guy. “We’ll help take them to wherever they need to go in ChalkZone so they can get back into the Real World.”
“I can help...” Penny started to say.
“No...” The giraffe officer from before said. He placed a hand on Penny’s shoulder. “We are going to need your help apprehending Sandra. Since Rudy’s neck is broken and Mint’s jaw dislocated, they’re not in the best condition to fight her.”
Penny was going to argue that Mint could probably stay as he could still draw even with a dislocated jaw. But she soon decided that perhaps the giraffe was right. The pain would be a deterrent, and it would leave him in a weaker state than her. Plus Sandra could make his injury worse...
She soon nodded her head. “Okay...I understand.”
“Good. I’m glad to hear it.” One of the two zoners said. He turned his attention to Mint and said, “Okay, let’s get going....”
Penny watched as Mint and the zoner close enough to his height carried Rudy on the litterl, keeping his body as even as possible. The third guy, the shortest one, offered support from below. He went underneath and pushed up with his hands against the bottom, pushing against Rudy’s back. He was careful not to jostle Rudy too much, knowing the delicacy of the situation.
It didn’t take them long to leave out the door. A few of the zoners held the doors wide open as they left. Penny watched, unable to turn away. She bit her lip. She had wanted to go with them, but she knew she had to stay here. She may be required to help stop Sandra. She had no idea when she was going to appear, but she knew she had to be here waiting for her.
Her heart twisted as she recalled that Snap was still there. She wondered how he was doing. And Dr. Gelcro... What was happening with him? Mosaic and Ripclaw, too. Penny felt her mind race as she tried to think of just what could be happening to the others.
She really wanted to rush back in there and help them. But the giraffe cop discouraged this as he felt it might backfire tremendously. He thought that an ambush was better. Penny tried to tell him that Sandra could burst through without any warning or rhyme, but he ignored her. He was determined to go through with this plan, and nothing Penny said would deter him. Penny had a feeling that, at any moment, Sandra could prove him wrong.
But for now, she didn’t try to disobey him, of only because he had just called for back up and that they’d be here soon. They were going to make sure they surrounded the restaurant, and even the underground tunnels will be explored, meaning that, this time, Sandra would have no chance of escape. This was the only turn of upcoming events that brought a smile to her face.
Soon, all this trouble, all this grief, was going to be over.
She heard a couple of gags, breaking her out of her thoughts. She turned her head and looked at the zoners around her. She bit her lip, feeling her heart twist. It seemed that some of the zoners hadn’t fully recovered from the disgust from before.
A feline zoner was crying against a friend of hers.
A small zoner, presumably a child, was shaken, traumatized, and crying.
A group of friends were patting each other in comfort.
A male and female zoner hugged each other, shaking hard.
Several zoners were still throwing up, even after their stomachs were emptied and all that would come out was stomach acid. They were on their knees, holding their stomachs. Their wretching sounds echoed in the restaurant, matching the unnerved tension that gripped them all.
Penny would not blame them for still being shaken up. What they had just found out was no laughing matter. It couldn’t be just shrugged off so easily. It was a horrific thing that they learned and she knew none of them would escape mentally unscathed. This was going to stay with them for a long time. Such a traumatizing experience, and she wished she could give them the answers they need to recover faster.
Penny could not begin to imagine how horrifying it was to discover that you just ate your best friend, or someone else you care about. No matter how good the food tasted, all of a sudden, it would become toxic, an unbearable aftertaste that they would not be able to get rid of. The mere thought of it made Penny hate Sandra for her actions even more. She couldn’t fathom what could possess her to do something so terrible...
Not all the zoners were crying over that only. Looking at other parts of the restaurant, Penny could hear bits of conversations about another aspect of what was happening around here.
“I can’t believe I...”
“We couldn’t have known.”
“Still, we could have given him a chance...”
“I know. I feel bad about it, too.”
“I wish we could do something...”
Penny softened up her expression more as she stared at the group of zoners sympathetically. These were some of the several zoners present here that had been in that mob accusing Snap of being the murderer. Now that the truth came out, horror and dread had reached them, and was taking its time twisting around them, leaving them in a state of disbelief and shock.
Feelings of guilt seemed as though it was cascading through their bodies, refusing to leave them alone. Penny knew that they would continue to feel guilty for a long time, even after they had a chance to apologize to Snap, which she hoped they’d have a chance to do. They deserved a chance to make amends, and Snap deserved an apology. He needed to hear it, after all he had been put through.
Penny hoped that, after Sandra was arrested and sent to jail, that things would start to return to normal. She hoped that the zoners would recover from this traumatic experience and be able to move on. She hoped that this place would get torn down, or at least replaced with something actually beneficial for the zoners, something that would help them, not harm them like Sandra had been going. It was going to be rough, especially with all the mental scarring that evil dragon pulled, but she had a feeling that, if they worked hard enough, they could pull it off. They just had to try as hard they could. They could not allow Sandra to win, to get the last laugh, to rule over them like that. They would prove to her that her actions would no longer have a hold over ChalkZone, and she was going to learn what happens when you screw around with others the way she had.
Penny felt her body jerk when someone placed a hand on her shoulder. She swiveled around, expecting to see an enemy standing there. She relaxed, feeling a bit stupid, when she realized that it was only the giraffe zoner.
The giraffe said, “Sorry...I didn’t mean to scare you.” He pulled his hand away. “I have a bit of news to tell you.”
Penny nodded her head. “Please proceed.”
“I have recieved a report that my comrades are coming. They will be here shortly, a few minutes at least. They are coming armed and are authorized to shoot Sandra on sight.” The giraffe said.
Penny widened her eyes at that. “They aren’t going to kill her, right?”
At this, the giraffe tilted his head. “Why does it matter? She deserves to die, right?”
“It’s not that. I just...I just feel that the zoners deserve some closure. I think keeping her alive and sending her into trial would be better.” Penny explained the best that she could. She hoped that the giraffe cop would understand what she was trying to say. “I’m not saying let her off the hook or anything. Far from it. But I feel the zoners would feel better if she were sent to jail, where she could rot knowing what she had done to get there.”
The tall giraffe zoner pondered this, rubbing his chin. Then he looked back down at her and said, “I do see your point there.” He pulled out his walkie talkie. “I’ll inform them of the new developments.”
“Do they have a stun option?” Penny asked, raising a finger. At this, the giraffe nodded his head once. “Tell them to use that.” She paused for a moment, then she said, “Tell them to use that.”
The giraffe zoner nodded his head. “Okay. Thanks for the suggestion.”
Penny watched as the giraffe zoner got back on the walkie talkie to give his men the new orders. But whether or not they will listen... She wasn’t sure. She hoped the policemen would have the common sense not to kill Sandra. Otherwise, she would not be able to pay full retribution for her actions. She wouldn’t get the full impact of karma in her face that she truly deserves. And the zoners...they would not get the closure that they all needed. They needed a trial to attend to. Many of them deserved a voice to use to speak out against Sandra for her atrocities. She hoped they would get that chance.
Suddenly, her body stiffened up. She could hear something from the back of the restaurant. Echoey, faint, and it was coming closer. She turned her head towards the back door that lead down that horrible tunnel. It took her a few seconds to realize that it was a scream.
Snap’s scream.
Her eyes bulged at this. She heard a few soft murmurs. She looked left and right, noting the zoners’ worried expressions. They, too, had heard the scream and were wondering what was going on. But they all knew it could only be one thing: Snap was getting hurt.
Then there were shouts. Cries and statements, but at the moment, none of them could figure out what it was. The zoners exchanged worried and nervous glances with one another. Penny didn’t look at them much, instead focusing most of her attention on the door in the dark hallway. She bit her lip, her heart twisting. Snap was in trouble... She had to help him.
She tried to move forward, but she felt someone grab her. She turned her head and saw it was, again, the giraffe zoner. She narrowed her eyes and jerked her arm away.
“Let go! I need to help him!” Penny pulled on her arm harder. Despite what the giraffe zoner said before, that became mere background noise for her as she listened to her friend’s screaming pain. “He needs me!”
“I know that you only want to help your friend out. I respect that. But you can’t rush in there all willy nilly.” The giraffe zoner said. “You need a plan.”
“But....” Penny started to say. “You have to undertand, I....”
“I do understand. But trust me, Penny. You’re better off waiting here.” The giraffe zoner said. “I don’t want you getting hurt as well. Plus back up is coming soon. And from the sound of it...” He turned his head towards the back door. “..she is coming this way. We can cut her off here.”
Penny wanted to protest more, but she settled herself down. She knew that she would accomplish nothing if she were too angered and frustrated. A panicked mind would not be able to pull off much. And the giraffe cop was right. Sandra was rushing in this direction. The screams were getting closer. If they could just position themselves just right, they could ambush her and subdue her before she had a chance to do much.
Penny felt some relief in that regard. She reminded herself that there a ton of zoners here. Even if Sandra managed to get here before the cops did, she still had to contend with a ton of angered zoners that she had wronged. They would not let her get away, that’s for sure. They would ensure that she would quickly be sorry for what she had done.
Suddenly, without warning, there was a loud bang. Everyone froze, their bodies stiffening. A few let out a surprised cry. Penny instantly took out her magic chalk, bringing it forward in preparation to defend herself. With a rush of air, and a screech, everyone watched as Sandra and Snap burst into the restaurant.
Penny put her hand to her mouth as she saw Snap being held up by a lopsided arm that she could tell had been broken. “Snap!” She cried in horror.
Snap looked absolutely horrible. His head was lopped to one side, though he did not appear unconscious; his body was squirming weakly. He was covered in scrapes. His head and face were bloody. His body looked badly bruised, as if he had been slammed multiple times. His clothes were torn, his sides had holds in them, fleshy growths peaking out, revealing part of what Sandra had done to him.
Poor Snap... Penny felt tears well up in her eyes. What...what had he done to deserve that...? She watched, horror clinging to her like an icy grip, as Sandra flew around the restaurant, noticeably uncaring that she had witnesses. That didn’t stop her from slamming Snap into the ground.
“Snap! No!” Penny cried out again. Without warning, Penny took off after them.
The giraffe zoner widened his eyes at this. “Wait! Penny! Stop! Get back here!”
Penny ignored him. She rushed past the shocked zoners as she went towards where Snap and Sandra were. When she finally reached them, she could see that Sandra had Snap pinned down with her foot, grinning at him with a bloodied mouth. She froze in shock for a few seconds, then narrowed her eyes in determination. She lifted up the magic chalk, determined to stop Sandra.
But as she got closer, before she had a chance to use the magic chalk, Sandra turned her head, looking over at her with a feral expression. It was enough to make Penny stop in her tracks. She stared at Sandra, locking eyes with her for several seconds. Then she narrowed her eyes and held up her magic chalk. She could see Sandra’s eyes flash in fear in that moment, but the dragon zoner did not get the hint and move.
“Let. Him. Go!” Penny said, taking a step forward. “If you don’t let my friend go...I’ll...”
“Or you will what, little girl...?” Sandra asked.
Penny was stunned at first. Sandra’s voice... it was so much of a growl now, she could barely register that it was Sandra at all. She bit her lip, taking a small step back. But she soon recovered and glared at her. Although she did not like to threaten, she needed to help Snap before Sandra made mince meat out of him.
None of the zoners around her were taking action. They were in a state of shock, unable to believe what they were witnessing. She knew they would come out of it soon, but by then, it may be too late to help Snap. She had to do something before...
There was a flash of blue that filled her vision. It happened before Penny realized what was going on. There was a sudden force against her neck. A thunk sound, and a bit of tearing. It happened so quickly, she didn’t realize fully what had happened. The force was enough to knock her back a little. She soon regained her footing and glared at Sandra.
But a second later, she realized something was wrong. Snap was looking at her through horrified eyes. The other zoners around her...they too look terrified as they stared at her. Sympathetic expressions were all around her, staring at her. Then a second later, she registered the pain. She clutched at her neck, immediately recoiling in pain.
She tried to scream, but something got caught in her throat. She felt something salty and warm, moving through her mouth and dripping out of its corners. She pulled her hand away and saw that there was a thick coating of blood on her finger tips.
Her eyes widened, dread gripping her body, fear washing through her like a river. She felt her heart rate continuing to increase. Her body began to shake like a leaf and she stared at Sandra, wide-eyed. She could see her tail hanging at her side, curved inward. She could see the fresh blood on the tips of her tail spikes, and Penny could tell exactly what had happened. She took another step back, dropping her magic chalk in the process.
She could hear the zoners, especially Snap, call out her name. Their voices became echoey, as if they were nothing more than just background noise. An intense pressure weighed down on her mind and eyes. It was tiredness. It was gripping the back of her head, pushing down on her like a heavy boulder. It became rapidly difficult to keep her eyes open, and she began to choke on her own blood.
Then, her hand flexed as a shockwave of pain suddenly went through her body. She realized that it was Sandra’s doing. She took a few steps forward, trying to get to Snap. She hoped that, if she tried hard enough, maybe she could get him free.
But it was all in vain. Penny, unable to handle the pain, collapsed on the ground. She made a single, violent convulsion, before the immense tiredness gripped her and pulled her into a deep slumber, which she knew she may never return from. Her eyes grew heavy and she closed them. And with a pained, choked whimper, she descended into the quiet darkness.
sss
Sandra took in a few deep breaths, glaring down at Penny’s unconscious form. She watched as her breaths became shallow and weak. Blood was leaking out of her mouth and neck, courtesy of her attack on her.
Sandra’s attack on her had been a success. She struck at Penny to make her stop before she had a chance to start anything. She was not yet done with Snap. She could not afford any interruptions. Granted, she hadn’t meant to strike her this hard. She hadn’t meant to rip the girl’s throat out like that. But in the end, it was for a worthy cause, and she didn’t particularly feel much, if any, remorse from the action.
She heard the other zoners call out Penny’s name, begging her to get up, especially Snap. Sandra’s ears twitched in irritation. Those screams and cries were getting on her nerves, which wasn’t helping much for the anger that had a hold of her body right now. She could still feel the burning rage grippin her, and these zoners’ cries weren’t going to do herself any favors.
Although Sandra felt a little better, having calmed down a little, she was still largely in rage mode. She didn’t think as much as she usually would, and she had a single minded focus right now. She soon managed to ignore the panicked cries, ignoring the fact that they were witnesses, and she looked down at Snap.
He was looking up at her with wide, frightened eyes. This caused her to smile twistedly. He was starting to learn his lesson. Good... She could stop now, but she wanted more. She craved more. Her mind didn’t want to stop. Not yet. She wanted to keep teaching him a lesson. She wanted this engraved into his head. She wanted him to pay for his ignorance. Even if she ended up killing him in the end, she would know she’d do it for the right reasons.
She barely registered the panicked zoners rushing to Penny’s side. She turned her head for a moment, seeing them crowd around the unconscious human, trying to wake her up, and she smirked. She looked back down at Snap.
“Please stop...” Snap’s voice was laced in pain. “Don’t do this anymore...please...”
Sandra shook her head. “No can do, Snap. I must finish.”
“B-But there are witnesses.... Please stop, before you make things worse for yourself..”
Sandra chuckled at this. “It doesn’t matter. Like that is going to stop me from doing what has to be done.” She looked left and right, noting some of the zoners that were glaring at her. “Oh don’t give me that! I know you all wanted a piece of Snap!” She ignored their glare as she sneered down at Snap. “I am just doing that favor for you...”
Snap struggled harder. Despite the enormous pain he must be going through, he was still willing to fight back. He wouldn’t stop. He kept kicking at her, as if he felt it was going to help him escape. She narrowed her eyes at this. She winced as she felt a foot hit against her leg, nearly making her stagger. It would seem that Snap was refusign to accept his punishment. No matter. She didn’t need him to accept it; she just needed him to take it.
Sandra licked her lips slowly as she stared down at Snap. “I wonder what you taste like.”
“No! Don’t!” Snap pleaded with her.
“Oh come now Snap. Surely you understand by now how much of an honor it is to eat the flesh of a loved on.” Her smile darkened at this. “How you should consider yourself lucky that your friend becomes a part of you for the rest of your life... I’m sure Howdy enjoys being a part of you, Snap.” She ignored the shocked murmurs around her as she stared at Snap. “Howdy swims through your blood now. He can never leave you.”
Snap was shaking. Not just from fear, but from anger as well. “How can you do such a thing?!”
Sandra rolled her eyes at this. How many times had she been asked that? More than she could care for. Another sign of ignorance. No one was taking into consideration her side of the story. They don’t bother trying to figure out why she does these things. They just expect the answers to be given them on a silver platter. She curled her lip up in disgust. If only they were more willing to see outside of the box, then they would know just how much they had screwed up. They would understand. They would see that she had been right all along.
“I’ve only been doing what was right, Snap. You crossed me. I made a promise for whoever to do that to pay, and even though it turned out to be you, I knew I had no choice. I had make sure that you were truly sorry for what you did, Snap. I couldn’t allow you to get away with what you did, and if you continue on resisting that lesson, I suppose I will have to bring about the final level of punishment for you...”
Snap squirmed underneath her, turning his head rapidly from side to side. “You’re a monster!”
Sandra narrowed her eyes. “I am doing just what this world demands. Yes, I did some things I wasn’t proud of. I did kill a lot of zoners, even ones that didn’t really do anything to warrant it.”
The zoners around her looked at each other, their eyes wide in shock at this revelation. They didn’t make a move towards her. They just stared at her, wide-eyed, as she continued to torment Snap.
“All those zoners died for a good cause, Snap. They died as a result of me doing the right thing. I ended their misery and gave them a new purpose. I fed them to my customers. They all enjoyed it.” Sandra took this chance to look around. She could see the zoners starting at her, most of them, shocked, a few of them outright angered by what she had said. She just smiled at this. “They all tasted good, right? I am such an excellent cook. You have to admit...” She held up her hand in gesture. “I’m the best cook in town.”
The zoners glared at her, but they did not say a word. They simply remained quiet, keeping away as if they were terrified of what she might do. She smirked at this, realizing that she was still in control of the situation. She looked back down at Snap.
“You...you had no right to...” Snap said, his voice shaky, his eyes narrowed in anger. “You hurt my friends...you hurt so many zoners... Just who the fuck do you think you are?!”
Sandra lowered her ears, her lips pulling up into a snarl. “Apparently the only one around here to understands the importance of a promise.” She lowered her head towards him, her red eyes locking onto his. “Anyone who had an inkling of right or wrong would understand where I’m coming from...”
“You...you’re sick...” One of the zoners said.
“I can’t believe that you would do such a thing..” Another said. “We...we thought you were...”
Sandra’s ears twitched at this. She turned her head, watching the zoners around her. They were glaring at her, but intermixed in their gaze was shock, as if she did something that they couldn’t begin to fathom. She cocked an eyebrow at this. She wasn’t sure why they were so upset. Surely they would be smart enough to understand, right? Or were they going to be as naive as Rudy and the others were?
“Oh don’t be so angry. I killed your loved ones quickly if that’s of any comfort. And for some of you, you were lucky enough to eat your friend, making them part of you.” Sandra said, grinning darkly. “I saw the looks in your eyes...the way you savored the flavor... You all enjoyed my cooking. You all must have experienced just how wonderful and diverse the zoner meat flavor can be.” She tilted her head to once said. “You lot should tell me all about it. I’ll be happy to hear about how you enjoyed the eating the meat of your own kind. Trust me, nothing tastes better..”
Sandra turned her attention back to Snap. He was still squirming underneath her, struggling in vain to get free. Her mouth ticked into a broader smile, her teeth flashing in a grin. She couldn’t help but feel happy. She was about to send Snap through a journey that would never end. A journey through her body, forever circulating through. Snap should be thanking her that she was giving him an honor.
Oh well, if he doesn’t want to do that, she supposed she couldn’t really force him into it. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be sincere. It was his loss, not her own, if he decided to not to thank him, if he decided to continue resisting despite her giving him such a joyous experience. Eating the meat of a friend... it’s a beautiful experience that she felt everyone should partake in. Even if Snap refused, and resisted him force feeding hilm, she could still carry out the deed anyway. She could satisfy her needs.
Sandra didn’t bother giving Snap a warning. She already told him that she was going to make him a part of her body. She opened up her jaws wider, showing off her sharp teeth. There were pleas around her for her to stop, but she ignored them. She watched Snap squirm, his eyes widening in horror. She only hesitated for a second before she brought her jaws down onto him.
She ignored his screams as her teeth tore into his flesh, her teeth sinking into his shoulder. She pulled her head back, tearing out a chunk of meat from him. She swallowed it in a single bite. She licked her lips slowly as Snap looked up at her in fear, shock, and pain.
“You taste pretty good... That’s good. I wouldn’t want to ruin our friendship by finding you distasteful.” Sandra said. Her voice was still growly and scratchy, but she did not pay much attention. “Oh no...”
“P-Please stop...” Snap begged.
“Now now Snap.. I forgive you for not enjoying my taste. I admit I probably should have eaten better. It’s my fault.” Sandra said, smiling down at him. “But don’t worry... I don’t plan on rejecting you. You have such a nice flavor. Just hold still... This will be over before you know it...”
Snap let out screams as she bit down onto him again and again. She ripped up meat from his shoulder and arms. Her teeth sank in deeply, tearing through the tender muscle. Blood leaked from multiple wounds on his body, staining the ground everywhere. The smell of blood became strong in the air, filling everyone’s nostrils. Each time she tore off meat, her tongue was bombarded with sweet sensations. It sent a shudder down her spine, making a smile tock at the corner of her mouth.
Snap had a sweet flavor. Sweeter than any meat she ever tried. His blood was delicious, and she found herself lapping at one of his gaping wounds. She listened to him whimper as she licked away at his tasty blood. After she drank some of his delicious salty red fluid, she resumed eating his meat while he was still alive.
More screams echoed in her ears, making them twitch. It was so irritating, but she knew she was doing the right thing. After all, she was making Snap a part of herself. She wanted him to experience it, to know that she was the one who cared enough about him to begin eating him while he was still alive and awake. Such an honor. She wished that he would see things her way. It would make this so much easier.
She looked down at his stomach. She licked her lips, imagining how it must taste. She gave a nasty smile to Snap and then she lowered her head to his stomach. Snap squirmed violently. Sandra held him firmly in place. She sniffed his stomach, taking in his scent. She sighed in content, drool dripping down from her jaws. With only a moment’s hesitation, she opened her jaws and bit down.
Snap’s eyes bulged and he let out an echoing scream. Sandra tore into his stomach, ripping up the flesh with ease. She yanked back, swallowing chunks of his meat. Her teeth made quick work of his stomach muscles, ripping them apart like they were just a piece of paper. The succulent taste of the stomach muscle filled her tongue’s receptors, sending her into a heaven of flavor. She chewed a bit more slowly on her next hunk of meat, admiring the flavor. Then she resumed her consumption, taking note of how fear was making him taste even better than before.
Soon she tore his stomach open enough to see his intestines. She licked her lips before she pushed her face in. Snap let out a series of screams as Sandra’s teeth snagged on the slippery organs. She began to rip them out, tearing off pieces of the long, rope-like organs, eating them with ease. She attacked his stomach again and again, only stopping when he managed to disembowel Snap, part of his intestines hanging out at his side.
Snap looked up at her, his eyes reddened, stained with tears. He let out a series of whimpers, and reached up a trembling hand towards her despite his pain. He tried to speak, but only a gurgled sound would come out followed by blood dripping down the corners of his mouth. Sandra smiled, her eyes locked onto his. She reached down and stroked his forehead gently.
“Please don’t cry, Snap. It will be over. Don’t worry. I’ll relish this moment, and I will make sure no one would forget you.” Sandra said in her growly, feral voice. “It will be all right...”
Sandra lowered her head down and grabbed at his intestines again with her teeth. She loved their flavor. She pulled back, tearing off a piece. She swallowed it, making sure Snap watched the whole thing. She chuckled as Snap was frozen in terorr, his eyes bulging.
Before Sandra had another chance to bite down, something solid struck against her head. She let out a cry of pain as she was thrown from Snap and crashed into the ground. She pushed herself onto her hands and looked at who had attacked her.
Her eyes widened to see that it was one of the zoners in the restaurant. He was pretty big and strong, likely physically stronger than she was. She took in a few shaky breaths, but then shook her head, wiping away her fear. She smiled at the zoner, climbing up to her feet. It would seem that someone else wanted to play with her. Someone else wanted to demand a...sacrifice so to speak...
“Have you come to die?” Sandra asked the zoner.
The zoner narrowed his eyes. “I’ve come to stop you.”
“Stop me?” Sandra had to laugh at that. Just how did this person think they were going to stop him? What part of him thought hat he really stood a chance? She shook her head. Just the ramblings of a stupid zoner. There was no need to waste time on him. “How do you propose you do that...?”
It was then that she noticed the zoner wasn’t alone. She could hear footsteps all around her. She widened her eyes slightly, her smile dropping, her temper lowering. She looked all around her, seeing that almost every zoner in the restaurant had her completelhy surrounded. Even flying would do her no good as a number of these zoners had some flight ability. It didn’t take her long to realize that she was trapped.
She looked left and right, trying to figure out if there was, somehow a way out. But she knew there wasn’t. She knew she was stuck here, surrounded by zoners. Very angry zoners. As her temper dissipated, she came to realize that she had just confessed to what she had been doing, and, seeing how angry these zoners were, she realized that she just just made a huge mistake.
These zoners would not listen to reason. They would not try to comprehend the good in what happened to them, no matter how much she tried to explain to them. All she was going to do was make them angrier; they were already in a rage mode like how she had been. Only this time, she was on the recieving end of such anger. She..she had to get out of here, before...
Sandra did not have time to react when the zoners came at her from all sides. Biting, clawing, scratching, kicking, throwing, she endured all of it as the zoners unleashed their fury over what she had done.
“Stop! Let me go! Please! I’ll do anything! Just stop!”
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Post by Bluedramon on Nov 12, 2014 22:03:48 GMT -5
Chapter 39: The Trial
Who are you to change this world?! Silly boy! No one needs to hear your words!
-Carnivore, Starset
A loud scream escaped from Sandra’s throat when one of the zoners grabbed her by the leg and pulled her back. She was tossed into the air while a second zoner, a flying one, slammed against her back. She crashed into the ground painfully, causing her to lay on the ground and shiver. She opened up her eyes and looked over. She could see a zoner, a beast-like one with a horn, was rushing towards her. Her eyes bulged and she tried to get away. But she wasn’t fast enough and the horn slammed against her side. She screamed as she was knocked across the room, rolling and skidding along the ground.
Sandra attempted to stand up on her feet. One of the taller humanoid zoners came towards her. She looked into her eyes, seeing the look of rage in them. The female humanoid grabbed her by her neck and lifted her up. Sandra kicked her legs out, trying to get free. The humanoid zoner pulled her fist back and punched her in the jaw, sending her flying away onto her back.
Sandra laid there for several moments before she sat herself up, using her hand as support. She rubbed her head where she was struck, looking over at the female zoner in shock. She opened her mouth to speak, but she didn’t get a chance to say anything. She heard something heavy behind her, and she quickly turned her head to look over her shoulder.
A lion-like zoner, whom she eventually recognized as Arno, sank his sharp teeth into her shoulder. Sandra screamed in agony as Arno lifted her up above the ground. All of a sudden, his design looked much less goofy, and more terrifying. He shook her around like a rag doll before he released her.
Sandra laid on her side, quaking in pain. Tears of pain flowed down her cheeks as she held the arm that Arno just shredded. She would have attempted to heal herself, but right now, her mind was more focused on getting away from these zoners. She looked over at them, watching as they came close for more attacks. She let out a terrified scream and struggled up to her feet. She began to run off in one direction, hoping to put some distance between them and her.
Unfortunately for her, that didn’t happen.
A cheetah zoner jumped out in front of her. He gave a loud yowl at her before striking forward with his claws. Sandra stumbled back, her eyes wide. When the cheetah didn’t make another move towards her, part of her wondered if the cheetah had decided to call off its attack. But it soon turned out not to be the case.
“You bitch!”
Sandra turned around just in time to see Arno grab onto her with his fingers. He hoisted her off the ground, snarling at her with his lips curled up. Sandra kicked her feet wildly, trying to do whatever she could to escape. But it was useless. She let out a surprised cry when Arno yanked her foward, glaring at her in the eyes.
“I gave you those fireworks because I thought you were going to create a celebrations! If I had known what you were going to do, I never would have accepted your filthy bargain!” Arno snarled at her.
Sandra pushed at his hands, her ears lowering. “No..please... Y-You don’t understand...!”
“Shut up!” Arno barked at her, flashing his canines at her. “I don’t want to hear another word out of you!” He pulled his arm back and threw her across the ground.
Sandra’s body flipped from the force and she hit against a nearby table upside down. One of the chairs wobbled and landed on her, causing her to be partially pinned. Sandra struggled to get up and away, but the chair offered enough of a distraction for two of the zoners to come towards her. They grabbed onto her arms and pulled her out and held her still.
Sandra jerked herself from side to side, pulling as hard as she could. It soon became clear that they were not going to let her go. After a few miserable attempts, she stopped, lowering her head and panting.
She then remembered her special power. She narrowed her eyes and she turned to the zoner on her right. Her symbol glowed and almost immediately the zoner began to scream. She watched in slight satisfaction as the zoner fell to the ground, curling up in pain. With her arm free, she formed a fist and whirled around, punching the other zoner in the neck. The zoner gripped his throat as he fell back, struggling to breathe.
A flying zoner, resembling a chinese unicorn with wings, came barelling towards her. His feet pounded the ground. Sandra opened her mouth and let out a roar. The chinese unicorn didn’t back down. Sandra began to activate her healing powers on him. He began to stagger, pain registering in his facial expression. But to her shock, the chinese unicorn didn’t back down. And soon he reached her.
The rounded tip of its horn-like structure hit against her forehead. Her eyes instantly bulged open as a shockwave of pain spread through her body. She recoiled, holding her forehead with her feather hands. She stiffened up, shivering as she tried to cope with the immense pain.
“Look! Her triangle mark! It’s her weakness!”
“Keep hitting it! Maybe we can incapacitate her!”
Sandra’s eyes bulged at this. She looked up as three zoners began to approach her, all with the intent on hurting her. She shook her head in desperation, hoping they would leave her alone. But they ignored her silent pleas and they rushed towards her.
Sandra cringed away, keeping her hands on her forehead protectively. She bared her sharp teeth at them as she hissed, her ears lowered in terror. “No! Don’t hurt me! Please! Stop!”
“You dare beg us to stop?” A female zoner snarled. “After all you put us through?” An accusatory finger was pointed her way. “You’ve got some nerve to try something like that!”
A male zoner nodded in agreement. “Do you have any idea what it felt like when I found out I might have been eating a friend?!” He made a gagging sound, as if he hadn’t fully recovered from the shock.
“B-But... it is an honor to eat a friend...” Sandra started to say. “Please...you have to see that...”
“Shut up!” A third zoner snapped, his voice laced in anger. “For so long, we thought Snap was the one who had been hurting us. But it was you all along!”
A bird-like zoner gritted his beak, the tiny sharp teeth exposed. “We will not be making that mistake! And you will not be hurting anymore of us!”
“Surrender now, or do you need to be...encouraged?” Another zoner called out, her voice tinged in determination and anger.
Sandra cringed at this, curling her tail inward and hunching her body in a defensive posture. She looked from left to right, staring at the zoners. She could tell they meant business. They were not going to listen to any explanation she had to give them. They only had one thing on their minds and that was revenge.
Sandra licked her lips nervously, swallowing hard. She backed away from them, pressing herself against the wall. She looked at them with a single, fear-filled eye. She never moved her red eye away from them.
She had never imagined things could go down like this. She never pictured this being the end result of what she had been doing with Snap. She had never imagined the zoners here could be so unreasonable. They were all reacting out of emotion, not logical. They were letting their anger rule their minds. She knew that they weren’t going to stop and listen to reason. She knew full well how powerful emotions were. Even if the zoners only want her arrested, she knew she wasn’t completely safe. What if the zoners lose control and rip her apart?
But there was no way she could escape. She looked up and she could see three zoners in the air, flapping their wings, waiting to engage her. And she couldn’t very well run away. Too many zoners all around her. They would attack her if she got too close or attempted to escape.
She narrowed her eyes. She wasn’t going down without a fight. If these overreactive zoners wanted to fight, then okay. She will give them a fight. Letting out a screech, she charged towards them.
The zoners took a few steps back, shocked by her sudden change of mood. They didn’t have time to react before she struck out with her tail. She hit a few of the zoners, slashing them and knocking them into the ground. She whirled around and she headbutted another zoner. She pinned her down and sank her teeth into her shoulder. The zoner screamed and jerked around, trying to free herself. Sandra ripped off a chunk of flesh before jumping away from her.
One of the animal-like zoners came towards her. Sandra narrowed her eyes and waited until the zoner got close enough. She then reached out and seized the dog-like zoner by the neck. She lifted him up and snarled in his face. She then tossed him down, watching him roll away. One of the flying zoners dove towards her. Sandra lifted up her head and let out a screech before she struck forward with her claws. Her sharp tips raked across the zoner’s underside, sending them sprawling into the ground.
Sandra then activated her healing powers on almost everyone. She experienced an insant mass headache from just how much power she was using. She fought through it as she forced the zoners on the ground. She felt a smile spread across her muzzle. Now if she could just...
Suddenly there was a loud crash, the sound of a wall crumbling down. Sandra’s body stiffened up, her tail and ears raising up on end. Her tiny pupils looked over just in time to see a blur of brown rush towards her. Something slammed against her, making her fall into the ground.
It was Mosaic. Sandra stared at her in shock as the zoner had her pinned on her back. Her shocked expression lasted a few seconds before she reacted. She let out a hiss at Mosaic, who returned the same. The crocodile zoner bit down onto her neck. Sandra thrashed on the ground, kicking and digging her claws against her flanks, slashing them up. She delivered a few punches against the croc’s head, and eventually managed to get her off.
Sandra got up to her feet. She opened her mouth and let out a roar. She jumped towards Mosaic while her back was still exposed. She wanted to make sure she never becomes a problem again.
Then she felt a set of teeth on her side. Her eyes bulged as she screeched in pain. Ripclaw had broken through and now held her up in her jaws. Ripclaw shook her like a rag doll, Sandra letting out screams the entire time. Ripclaw then tossed her across the room, and Sandra landed in a thud on the ground. The zoners gathered close to her, curious but also ready to continue their fight with her. She growled at them before glaring back at Ripclaw.
She then caught a scent in the air. She recognized the smell of Dr. Crobat. He was not far away from the building. A few feet, maybe. But he was not alone. Her eyes widened as her nose and ears picked up the smells and sounds of multiple zoners approaching. Cops...
Her hear raced in her chest. She was really in trouble now. She had to get out of here. She was not going to let herself get chased out, not like what happened before. No, history was not going to repeat.
She immediately took flight. She rushed towards the opening that Mosaic and Ripclaw had made. Mosaic tried to bite her, but missed. Ripclaw snapped her jaws at her, and after she missed, took off after her. The remaining flying zoners also began to follow her.
Sandra pushed herself to go as fat as she could. She soon exited the building and she could see all the cops that had come for her. Her heart skipped a beat at this. There were so many.... Twenty at least. With them, combined with the zoners, she stood no chance at keeping them all at bay with her super healing powers. Her only option now was to flee.
Just then she felt some kind of warmth wrap around her body. Her arms and part of her legs were suddenly pinned. She shut her eyes and started to thrash and squirm as she was brought up somewhere in a strong yank. She wriggled in whatever she was caught in, trying to get out.
“...so you are Sandra.”
The dragon zoner stiffened as the thing that grabbed her spoke. She realized that a sentient zoner had grabbed her, shocking her to her core. She opened her eyes and looked over. It took her seconds to realize she had been grabbed by a giant. Her heart nearly froze, looking at the size of him. She had never seen a zoner this large before.
The giant was quite peculiar-looking. Pale yellow in color, wearing some kind of plaid outfit. Two eyes, vertical to one another. A small patch of orange hair. A hat on top of it. The giant was glaring at her with his two large eyes, which seem much bigger than her own body. Sandra cringed at this, gritting her teeth in fear.
“So you are the one who was causing trouble in ChalkZone..” The giant spoke, his voice booming to her ears.
“Biclops?!” One of the zoners cried.
“Hey everyone! It’s Biclops!” Shouted another.
Biclops... Hadn’t she heard that name before? Wasn’t he the one who guarded the Chalk Mine? Sandra stared at him up and down. She certainly hadn’t expected to meet him today. A part of her wondered if he was willing to listen to reason. From what she recalled, Snap said he can be pretty reasonable. So she gave it a shot.
“Why yes I am Sandra. Pleased to meet your acquaintance.” Sandra said. “There seems to be a misunderstanding. You see, I run that restaurant down there, and the zoners seem to think that I was being cruel for using zoner meat in my recipes and...”
“You were using zoner meat?!” Biclops shouted, his eyes wide in horror and anger. He tightened his grip on her. “How could you do that?!”
Sandra’s mind filled with dread as the giant began to squeeze her. She kicked her legs wildly, jerking herself from side to side. She looked up at the giant in terror, her teeth bared in nervousness. Even Biclops was unreasonable, and with how big he was, there was no telling what kind of damage he would do as his anger controlled him.
Sandra attempted to use her super healing powers on him. The giant’s eyes widened and he grunted in pain as he placed a hand against his massive chest. But this only lasted a short time before he brought his massive finger over and flicked her in the head, knocking her head to the side. She let out a screech, her body stiffening as a wave of pain swept through her body.
“In all my life, I have never seen a zoner as atrocious as you, Sandra.” Biclops snarled at her. He lowered his head, putting his face close to her body. “What do you have to say for yourself?”
Sandra cringed back and gulped, looking at Biclpos in fear. “W-Well..you see...” She stammered as she attempted to defend herself.
sss
Snap let out a soft groan. His mind was kind of muggy, yet he was still aware enough that he didn’t pass out. With all the pain he was experiencing, bombarding his body’s nerves with immense force, he was honestly shocked that he hadn’t slipped into unconsciousness yet.
He turned his head slowly, enough to see there was a large hole. He couldn’t see too much of what was beyond it. He could hear the footsteps of many cops. He heard shouts and cries from two zoners. One sounded furious, the other sounded terrified. He couldn’t recognize the voices; everything around him sounded so echoey that it destroyed any chance he had of recognizing the owners of those voices.
He shuddered and whimpered in pain. He turned his eyes and he could see the gaping hole in his stomach from where Sandra had ripped into him. He felt tears form in his eyes, seeing his intestines spilled out like that, blood pouring from his wound. Intense horror gripped his heart, making his heart rate speed up.
“No, don’t look at your wound!” Came a commanding voice.
Snap noticed that one of the zoners around him came over. At first, he could not recognize who they were. He could make out that it was some kind of bird zoner, but the gender and name eluded him. His vision was filled with color as the zoner knelt down beside him.
“Please look away.” The zoner said. “Don’t stare at your injury.”
When Snap did not move, he could feel a hand against his cheek. The zoner in question pushed on his head firmly yet gently. His head was turned to the side, feeling his other cheek pressed into the ground. The zoner held him there, looking down at him with concern. Snap looked up at him and soon he was able to positively identify the zoner.
It was Dr. Crobat. The bird zoner was patched up, and he was looking at him in a mixture of pain and fear, mostly the fear part. Snap tried to speak, but blood gurgled out of his mouth. He realized, in horror, that he was starting to bleed internally. He felt his heart rate speed up and he began to kick his legs, struggling.
Dr. Crobat held onto him tighter, holding him down. Snap let out a series of wet screams, the immense pain in his stomach intensifying and spreading throughout his body. He felt as though he was being shot full of ice. He...he had to get away from the pain somehow. He couldn’t stay here.
“Shh.... You need to settle down, Snap.” Dr. Crobat said gently. “You can’t squirm around too much. You’ll end up hurting yourself more.”
Dr. Crobat’s gentle voice swept through his ears, which was soothing compared to the intense pain that his body was feeling. Snap attempted to calm himself down. He tried to relax, tried to fight back against the pain he was feeling. He knew the doctor was right. He had to settle down. He was going to make himself bleed out faster if he continued to panic.
Although he nearly failed, nearly freaked out more than he already was, Snap, by some miracle, managed to keep himself from panicking too much. He took in several quick breaths, slowing down each time. He managed to bring his racing heart back down to normal after what felt like several minutes. The pain still wracked through his body, tearing him up on the inside, but at least now he was able to keep it at bay, keep himself relatively calm.
Dr. Crobat smiled at this. “I knew you could do it, Snap.”
Snap didn’t try to answer, knowing that as soon as he opened up his mouth, he was going to spill out more blood from his mouth. He noticed Dr. Crobat giving him a worried expression before calling over some of the zoners. Soon a group of three showed up.
“Put these on.” Dr. Crobat tossed some gloves over to the zoners. “And put his intestines back in.”
“But what if we...?” One of the zoners asked.
“Just put them back in. I am going to take him to the hospital right after.” Dr. Crobat said, cutting the zoner off. “But we can’t move him until his organs are back inside his body.”
The second zoner put the gloves on. She looked down at Snap nervously, biting her lip. “What if I hurt him?”
Dr. Crobat stared at her sympathetically. “I understand. It will hurt no matter how gentle you are. Just be quick so we can get it over with.” Snap’s eyes widened at this. Dr. Crobat looked down at him. “Please remain still and calm. This won’t take long. We need to put you back together before we take you to the hospital.”
Snap tried to speak. He only managed a few gurgles, blood trickling out of his mouth. “P-Pe... Pen....”
“You wondering about Penny? Oh don’t worry about her.” Dr. Crobat said. “I saw some of the zoners carry her away. She will be fine.”
Snap felt relieved. He was glad that Penny was able to get some help. He recalled that she suffered a nasty neck injury courtesy of Sandra. He hoped that the zoners would be able to locate Mint and get her back into the Real World.
His eyes bulged as he felt hands start touching his wound. He let out a scream. Dr. Crobat grabbed onto his arms and held him still, his hands out at his sides. He held him there as the three zoners worked together to put his guts back inside. He squirmed on reflex, his body desperately trying to get away from the pain. The zoners worked as fast as they could, and soon whatever part of his organs were out were put back in.
Snap felt immediate, though not complete, relief when the zoners pulled their bloodied hands away from his body. They looked back at Dr. Crobat for more instructions. The bird zoner simply pushed his hands underneath his body and lifted him up off the ground. Dr. Crobat smiled at the three zoners, nodding his head once.
“Thank you for the help. The ambulance will arrive shortly. We’ll take care of the rest.” Dr. Crobat said.
With that, the bird zoner began to carry Snap out of the building. The small superhero zoner couldn’t register too much of what was going on. His head felt swirly, a side effect of all the blood he had lost, the pain that still stang through his stomach. It didn’t take them long to reach the outside of the building.
Immediately Snap’s senses were bombarded by the light. He hissed and turned his head away, seething. It took him a few seconds for him to adjust to the light. He looked around, squinting his eyes so he could see better.
He could see a bunch of zoners gathering around to where Biclops was. Snap was confused. When did Biclops get here? Through his muggy mind, he recalled they tried asking Biclops for information, but he wasn’t able to provide any. They hadn’t even told him about suspecting Sandra. How did he know to come here?
Sandra was in his hand, and he was shouting angrily at her. Sandra sounded like she was desperately pleading with him. Judging from Biclops’s expression, it was not working. The cops kept a distance, knowing that it wasn’t wise to get too close to an angered giant, even if they weren’t the target of his fury. Seeing Biclops like this reminded Snap of how the giant was when he and Rudy first met him.
Just then, he heard the loud wailing of the ambulance. He could see the large white van moving towards him, stopping. He could see the paramedics jumping out, rushing towards him. They were pushing a stretcher towards him. It didn’t take them long to reach him.
Dr. Crobat walked over to the stretcher. He stood at its side. He gently lowered Snap until he was on the stretcher. The paramedics didn’t strap him in right away. They got out some cloths and began to wrap them around the wounds he had received, especially his stomach. He winced and twitched in pain even though the paramedics were being really gentle with him. He could feel the cloths being wrapped around his body, keeping his blood from leaving him.
As they did this, he lifted up his head so he could watch Biclops and Sandra. It seemed that Biclops just had about enough of whatever Sandra was trying to say. In an act more violent than Snap ever saw, Biclops slammed her into the ground, knocking her unconscious almost immediately.
The last thing he saw before the paramedics began to strap him down was two cops grabbing onto Sandra’s knocked out form. Her hands were pulled behind her back and she was cuffed. She was soon dragged away towards a police car, where she was tossed in and the vehicle sped away.
Soon the paramedics were done strapping him down and began to pull him into the ambulance. They pulled him up the ramp that led into the red and white vehicle, being really gentle with him. Soon he was completely inside and the doors were shut. Snap’s senses were bombarded with the smell of medicines and other things he couldn’t recognize. Only the familiar sight of Dr. Crobat kept him from freaking out.
Then, as the paramedics went to work with him, the ambulance pulled away from Sandra’s Alcove and took off towards the hospital.
sss
“How are you feeling, Snap?” Penny asked. Her voice was a bit scratchy, not as smooth as it once had been. The gashes on her neck caused some damage to her voice.
Snap smiled the best he could. He winced as a bit of pain wracked through his stomach. He held onto it gently. “Well...better than I was before.”
“At least you’re making some progress.” Penny smiled the best she could. She coughed a few times, clearing her throat noisily. “You could be in a much worse predicament.”
Snap shuddered that comment. “Yeah that’s true...”
It had been about a week since their confrontation with Sandra. It was a bit hard for Penny to believe that all that time had passed already. Every day that she’d wake up, she would think that no time had passed at all, and that Sandra was, somehow, still at large. She would be relieved when she would remind herself that wasn’t the case.
She had woken up in the hospital in a room with Mint. The doctors had apparently wanted to keep him under observation due to his jaw having a crack in it, and the blood that leaked into his mouth. She was glad for his company, even if neither of them could really talk to each other.
Just like Mint, Penny did not escape from the situation unscathed. Her throat had been wrapped up in tight bandages and the doctors had to keep running tests to make sure that she wouldn’t suffer permanent damage. Penny recalled that she obtained her neck injury from Sandra. She felt her heart skip a beat when the doctors mention her throat had nearly been ripped out. She was lucky that Sandra did not fully cut any of her major blood vessels. Only a nick that was easy enough to repair.
Her mother, as well as Mint’s mother and father, had come in to visit them from time to time. They expressed their support and how concerned they were for them. It had been difficult coming up with a story. She couldn’t tell her mother that they were injured by a humanoid dragon zoner. Eventually she had come up with a story about how they were taking a walk when a large beast attacked them.
This story had fooled her mother and Mint’s mother, but not his father. He proved to be a tough cookie to break through. Penny recalled that they had said a beast cut off Mint’s leg. Mr. Zandophen didn’t seem as easily convinced this time around. He told Penny he wanted the truth, and nothing but. Though Mrs. Zandophen tried to calm him down, she could not deter him from interrogating Penny.
But by some miracle, Mint had been able to pacify his father. He had assured him that Penny was telling the truth, and that they all had just been unlucky again. Mr. Zandophen reluctantly accepted this explanation, but from the look in his eyes, Penny could tell that he did not let go of his suspicions. Although Penny was glad they dodged a bullet with that, she and Mint both worried that Mr. Zandophen was going to try harder to uncover their secret.
“How is Rudy?” Snap’s voice called out, cutting her from her thoughts.
Penny looked at Snap, her eyes widened a little. Remembering what the doctors had said, she lowered her head, letting out a deep sigh. “He’s...not doing so well...”
“Yeah...” Mint said. The boy stood next to her, using the new prosthetic his dad bought him. “The doctors say the damage could be...permanent.”
Snap’s eyes widened at this. “Oh no...” He said in horror, putting a hand to his mouth. “Oh poor Bucko...”
Penny nodded her head. She exchanged a quick look with Mint. She looked back at Snap. She could see how shaken up he was from the news. He hadn’t attempted to say anything else. He was just staring out ahead, his eyes wide in horror, his mind trying to piece together what she had just told him.
Penny remembered that fateful visit. Before she and Mint came over to visit Snap, they had first visited Rudy. The boy was flat on the bed, his body strapped down to keep it immobile, even though it wasn’t really necessary. His neck was encased in a neck brace. His body was hooked up to several monitors, and IV fluids were being pumped into him. He was letting out constant groans, as if the morphine wasn’t enough to numb the pain of his neck.
Mr. and Mrs. Tabootie were absolutely devastated. She and Mint wanted to comfort them. They tried. But they were too loss in distress over what happened to their son. She and Mint informed them that Rudy was attacked by the same beast that hurt them, and he had saved them, only to suffer a broken neck in the process. The lie worked, as the two adults bought it. But it did little to cheer them up, and instead drowned the two adults into more sorrow, although they were proud of their son for committing such a brave act.
The Tabooties, Penny, and Mint were horrified when the doctors came in and told them that spinal injuries may never heal up all the way. They were certain that Rudy’s neck would heal just fine. But the damage to his spinal cord may be permanent. They couldn’t even name anyone that fully recovered.
This news was absolutely heart breaking for them to hear. Rudy may be paralyzed for life. The idea of him being forced to live the rest of his days as a quadriplegic was too much to bear. A kid like him didn’t deserve that kind of fate. How could life be so cruel?
The doctors did say they would monitor Rudy and inform them of any updates. But they couldn’t guarantee anything. They told them all to prepare for the worse, and start to consider how they were going to take care of Rudy now that he has no control over any of his limbs. This was the most devastating news they could ever hear in that moment. As the doctor left, they all broke down crying.
Penny tried to remain positive. Sure the chances of recovery were slim, but there was still a chance, right? Maybe the doctors could figure out a way to treat Rudy and he would make a full recovery. Though even if he only recovered partially, that was preferable over total limb loss.
Only time would tell.
“I can’t believe it... How could Sandra do such a thing?” Snap snarled. “This...this is all her fault! When I...”
“Snap! Calm down!” Mint cried.
“Don’t let anger get the better of you!” Penny joined in.
The two of them went to Snap’s side. They grabbed onto his arms and held him down, keeping him from struggling. Snap looked up at them, his eyes blazing in anger.
“We know you’re angry, but please calm down.” Penny said. “It’s going to be okay. We’ll...think of something.”
Mint nodded. “Besides, pretty soon the trial will begin. You have been dropped of all charges, and you will testify against Sandra.”
Penny said, “Yeah. You will help send her off to jail, where she can never hurt anyone again.” She gently squeezed his shoulder while her hand stroked his head gently, carefully avoiding his injuries. “You can help Rudy and the others that way, okay?”
Snap took in a few deep breaths. The anger slowly melted off of his face. He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. He then looked up at Mint and Penny, giving a small, bitter smile. “Yeah... You’re right.”
Penny smiled at this. She was glad that Snap understood. She didn’t want him trying anything foolish. As angry as she and Mint were at Sandra, they both understood there was little they could do until the trial began. It would be in about a week. They wanted Snap to be recovered enough to attend without risk of him keeling over during the trial.
Then, and only then, could they deliver the proper justice that Sandra deserved. Penny felt an enormous sense of relief. Finally, after all this time, it was going to be over. Everything was falling back into place, and now everyone in ChalkZone City knows what Sandra, not Snap, had harmed them and toyed with them. And when the trial would commense, Sandra would face all the charges, and she would be properly punished. Penny hoped that they would find a suitable punishment for someone like her.
Before she could continue her train of thought, she heard someone knocking on the door. She turned her head and she saw zoner standing in the door way. The tall stick figure zoner looked all too familiar.
“Hello, Taima...” Mint said, a cautious tone to his voice. “Did you want something?”
Taima nodded his head, rubbing his hands nervously. “I...wanted to speak to Snap.”
“M-Me...?” Snap asked. His eyes were wide in fear. “Wh-Why...?”
“I won’t be here long. The wardens are letting us only a short stay so we can speak to you.” Taima said.
“Us...?” Penny asked.
Taima replied, “Yes. You see... we were all feeling pretty bad about how we treated you all.” His eyes locked onto Snap. “Especially you. We all wanted to tell you how sorry we were. I wanted to go first, because I was the one out of all of us who wronged you the most.”
Penny noticed how terrified Snap looked. He was cringing in the bed, whimpering and shaking. It made her wonder just what this zoner had done, besides orchestrate the mob, that had Snap so scared. She glared in his direction in an accusing manner. Whatever it was, she knew he had no excuse for it.
Taima noticed her look and he looked away in shame. He then looked at Snap, his eyes fillted with immense guilt. He walked slowly towards Snap, taking his time. Snap’s whimpers increased as Taima came closer. The stick figure zoner soon reached his bed side and he stared down at Snap. He remained quiet for a few seconds, staring at Snap sadly. He then sighed and spoke.
“Snap...I’m so..so sorry..for how I treated you in the prison. I’m sorry for all the times I beat you up, for when I threatened you.. I’m sorry about everything I did in there. I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought I was merely avenging my sister. But I had ended up turning myself into a complete monster. Galena...would not be proud of what I have done. I am ashamed, and I regret ever allowing myself to be fooled by Sandra.”
Taima reached out towards Snap. The superhero zoner cringed away, making it even more apparent to Mint and Penny what this zoner had put their friend through. They glared at him. The only thing keeping them from pushing him away from their friend was the fact that he was apologizing to him.
Taima gently stroked the top of Snap’s head, probably the first act of kindness he had ever given the zoner. “There was no excuse for how I had acted towards you. I didn’t have to hurt you, yet I still did. I let my anger get the better of me and I acted like such a fool.” Tears dripped from his eyes. “I..hope you find it in your heart to forgive me, Snap. I’m so very sorry...” He leaned forward and, in a risky move, hugged Snap. “I’m so very sorry...” He whispered.
Snap’s body stiffened up from fear, his eyes widening. But he soon relaxed, reassured by the presence of Penny and Mint. The fact that Taima wasn’t trying to hurt him this time may have helped as well. Though Snap was clearly still frightened, he did work up the courage to put an arm around Taima, partially returning the hug.
After what felt like several minutes, Snap whispered, “I..can’t forgive you yet. You hurt me so badly... But I do accept your apology, and I am willing to give you another chance. I’ll forgive you as soon as I can...”
Taima nodded his head in understanding, smiling. “...thank you..”
“No. Thank you...” Snap whispered as he continued to hug Taima. “Your sister would be proud of you.”
Taima’s eyes widened at this. Then he smiled. He continued to embrace Snap, tears strolling down his cheeks. He didn’t say another word.
Mint and Penny watched this, smiling. They were glad that some of the tension was finally being lifted. They were glad that Taima not only realized that he was wrong, but he had the courage to face his mistakes and apologize. They both knew, especially Mint, how hard that was. It really did take a lot of strength to admit when you were wrong, and they were happy that Taima was able to do it.
They were also glad that Snap was willing to give him another chnace. They understood that he couldn’t forgive him right away. Given the circumstances, it was understandable. The zoner had confessed to beating him up in jail, and from the way he said that, and from Snap’s behavior, it wasn’t a one time thing. They both felt anger towards the zoner, imagining all the cruel things he may have done to their friend.
But at least things were being patched up now. Apologizing was the first step towards healing. They were certain that, in time, Snap would forgive Taima, and Taima would become a better person as a result of this ordeal.
Soon Penny heard footsteps down the hallway. They were heading over here. Penny didn’t need to see them to know who it was. The other zoners, wanting to apologize, were arriving onto the scene. Penny and Mint smiled at this, glad that something positive was happening lately for once.
Penny furrowed her eyes. She hoped that the same could be said for the trial. She hoped that Sandra does not get away with what she did. She had her doubts, and she knew Sandra most likely will be locked up. But a part of her was still worried. She hoped and prayed that things would turn out in their favor.
All of ChalkZone City was depending on it.
sss
“The court is now in session.” The judge said as he pounded his mallet down a few times.
At those words, Snap couldn’t help but flinch. Although he had been anticipating this moment for a long time, although he felt as though the extra week wouldn’t be up quickly enough, he still felt some apprehension regarding the trial. The idea of facing Sandra again still unnerved him. He did his best to remain calm, reminding himself that Mint and Penny, as well as Blocky, Rapsheeba, and many others were here. They would make sure Sandra couldn’t do anything.
He turned his head to where Sandra was. She was seated at the table not far from his. There was a large zoner standing next to her, keeping an eye on her. Snap had his doubts the zoner was there to defend her willingly, and only did so because it was requested, and perhaps because he was being paid to do it.
Sandra had some kind of weird metal helmet on her head. Snap guessed it was so that she could not use her healing powers. If that were the case, then he was glad for that. He could still feel those powers ripping into his body, tearing him apart internally. He shuddered. Even in memory, they were still painful.
He looked down at his stomach. The wound hadn’t fully healed, and he was going right back to the hospital after this. But it was still doing much better than before. The doctors had it patched up the best they could, and kept him on medication while his body healed up. Seeing his stomach, though he could not see his wound, reminded him of just how insane Sandra had become. He could still feel her jaws in his stomach, ripping out his flesh... He could feel a cold chill shoot down his spine in remembrance. And the way she had forcefed him a piece of her meat, her tongue pushing inside his mouth so she could force him to taste her flesh...
Well at least it was over now. He could now concentrate on what really mattered right now. He could focus his attention on securing Sandra’s place where she belonged: prison.
“Sandra.” The judge said.
Sandra stood up from her seat. “Yes, your honor..?”
“You stand accused of on the charges of mass murder, torture, and cannibalism.” The rhino-like zoner leaned forward, staring intently at Sandra. “How do you plead?”
Sandra smiled at this. “Why, guilty of course...” There was a chorus of shocked murmurs all around her. “But why should I feel guilty for any of it? I didn’t do anything wrong really.” She spread her hands up into the air. “It’s just that everyone in this courtroom is letting their emotions get in the way. They’re too blinded to see reality.”
This did not take too well with the zoners. Snap could hear angry comments and growls being directed at Sandra. If it weren’t for the fact that they were in court, he would imagine that they would be coming towards her and make her eat her words. He found himself glaring at her as well, as did his friends.
The very idea that, even after all this time, Sandra sitll thought she was doing right was sickening. How could she still continue believing that she hadn’t done anything wrong? How could she believe that she was doing anyone a favor? He would have thought her time im prison would have solidified to her the fact that she had been the one who was wrong, that she had misjudged, that it was she, not they, who had a misunderstanding of how the world worked.
“Yeah, I tortured Snap, but it was his own dang fault.” Sandra said through clenched teeth. She glared in Snap’s direction for a few seconds, causing his heart to skip a beat. She turned her attention back to the judge. “He had ruined my beautiful machine and threatened to send my restaurant into bankruptcy.”
The zoners around her expressed their disgust for her.
Sandra smirked. “True I could have gotten a new machine. I did so quite easily by visiting the Future Dome. But it was the principle of the thing. See, I had to make sure that Snap learned his lesson and didn’t try to hurt me again. So I set up the explosion in the Shrapen Tower. Sure all those zoners dying might seem like a waste..” She shrugged her shoulders dismissively. “But oh well. They all died for a worthy cause.”
This outraged the zoners. They all shouted at her, spewing threats in her direction. Some of them actually had to be held back as they tried to climb over the barrier to get to her. Sandra looked at them, surprised, but did not show fear.
Snap and his friends glared at her in disgust. Of course she would act this way. Of course she would think she did nothing wrong, act like this was all just casual talk. After all the disgusting things she did, nothing surprised them anymore.
“Order! Order!” The rhino judge said, pounding his mallet. He only stopped when the zoners quieted down, which took a little while. “Sandra, I will not permit another outburst like that in my courtroom. You understand?”
“I didn’t yell...” Sandra muttered. She lowered her ears slightly when the rhino judge narrowed his eyes. She quickly nodded her head and said, “But I understand, your honor.” She sat back down in her seat, lowering her head.
“Good. Now to begin...” The judge said.
sss
Snap had been called up to the stand. He gulped, knowing that this was it. There was no turning back. It was time to tell everyone exactly what Sandra had been doing to him. He was nervous, especially with Sandra staring at him. Even though she had already said what she did, he stil needed to tell his side of the story.
In front of him, a zoner stood, pacing back and forth, his eyes boring through his. Snap remained quiet and watched him nervously. He did not say a word and just waited for him to speak. He could feel his heart twisting in anticipation, and he tried his best to mentally prepare himself for whatever the zoner had in mind.
“Snap, could you explain to us what happened?” The zoner finally said. “What did Sandra do and when did it all begin?”
Snap hesitated for a moment. He looked over at his friends. They smiled at him reasurringly. He then looked back at the zoner before him. He cleared his throat and spoke as loudly as he could.
“It all began a couple months ago. My friends and I were dealing with Skrawl when he was attacking the city. I had led the Beanie Boys away and I ended up discovering a hidden tunnel. I followed it and I came into this large underground warehouse. I found this unusual machine and when I tried to find my way out, I accidentally knocked the shelf onto it, destroying it. Later on, me and my friends found out it was emitting a signal, which had been screwing with everyone for quite some time. That is why many zoners acted the way they had. The policemen being unhelpful. Zoners being aggressive. People overall being ignorant of missing zoners. Sandra had done all of that.”
“Please continue the story, Snap.” The judge said.
“Oh right.” Snap nodded his head, realizing he had gone off a bit of a tangent. “Well, afterwards, I had gotten an invitation from Sandra. She had set up a party for me in my honor. I went there the following day and met a couple of zoners who wanted to know how I stopped the dreaded machine. Sandra had arrived not long after and called me into the back. I had wanted to wait, but she insisted, so I followed her.”
Snap paused for a moment. The next part was going to be hard to talk about. Even now, in distant memory, it filled him with horror. But he knew he had to talk about it. There was no getting around it. So he continued.
“After leading me into the back, she had set off some kind of explosion. I lost consciousness for a short time. When I woke up, my legs were burned badly and I was in so much pain. I couldn’t remember where I was at first, how I got there. I then saw someone approaching me. Sandra. She stood in front of me and talked about how it was all my fault this had happened to me, and she acted as if she was sorry she had to do this. She put her hand against my forehead and that was when she placed the tumor in me.” He closed his eyes, shuddering at the memory. “And of course, many know the tale after that. How I couldn’t remember...how my friends tried to find clues, how everyone began to accuse me...”
His voice trailed off. He couldn’t speak anymore yet. Distress was wringing his heart again. Even just talking about what happened filled him with too much terror. He needed a few seconds to regain his composure. He tried to ignore the expression Sandra was giving him. She couldn’t hurt him, he reminded himself. She couldn’t attack him.
Snap said, “She had used the machine to increase everyone’s hostility against me. She had done whatever she could to make sure that I got blamed for it. She claimed she was just teaching me a lesson. But that didn’t change the fact that she hurt me....so badly.” He shivered in anger. “And so many others... She used that gawd awful machine of hers to help her kill other zoners. She killed Doofus Penny and murdered Doofus Rudy right in front of us. And there were so many other zoners she’s killed, both at the party and from the hospital.”
“I recall it was alleged that her machine was screwing with the hospital’s security system.” The zoner in front of him said. “Is that true?”
Snap nodded his head. “Yes, indeed. She was kidnapping terminally ill patients to kill for their meat.” Snap felt his blood boil at this. “She has been feeding meat to other zoners for...I don’t know how long. She made me eat Howdy...”
Sorrow gripped his heart at this. He heard the zoners around him murmur softly. He heard his friends gasp in horror. He hardly paid attention. His head pounded with memories of what had happened to him, the things he heard Sandra say, the things he knew that she did. He was still horrified that he had called her a friend. If he had known that she was up to...
He tried to push it into the back of his mind. There was little he could do about the past now. At least he was making up for it now. Sandra was clearly not going to get away with what she had done. Judging from the reactions all around him, he could rest assured that she would not get away with any of this.
“Oh what a beautiful story there, Snap.” Sandra spoke up, grinning. Snap looked at her in fear. “But you forget to mention one thing. You forgot to tell everyone that you were looking at the world through filtered glasses. You forgot to tell them that I am capable of understanding the way the world works.”
Snap glared in her direction. “You understand nothing. You were created with two creators and now your mind is so mixed up, you can’t tell your right from your left.”
Sandra snapped her head back and snarled at Snap. “How dare you...” She lowered her ears. “You think that you’re so smart, don’t you? At least I know what friendship is! At least I didn’t betray anyone! At least I didn’t destroy something you care about! At least I gave a purpose to all those cripples! At least I was willing to teach you a lesson before you went off and tainted the sanctity of the promise!”
“Order!” The rhino judge barked. “Sandra, you are out of line!”
But Sandra was not done yet. She got up from her seat. She glared at Snap and pointed a finger in his direction. “Do you really think you are better than me?! I’ve done more for ChalkZone than you ever have!” A dark smile spread across her face. “Yet here you are, trying to tell the zoners something without even considering my viewpoint!”
“Because you won’t consider others!” Snap shouted at her. He knew he may just be irritating the rhino judge, but in the heat of the moment, he didn’t care. “You are the one who is closed minded, and won’t try to see another’s point of view!”
“Because I know I am right! It is you who is wrong! It is you who won’t try to see things my way! You think you can create the rules about promises and friendship? I’m sorry, but the rules had already been set, and it seems I’m the only one here to knows them.” Sandra looked like she was about ready to lunge towards him. He wasn’t even sure what was keeping her there. “You think you can change the rules, boy?! You think you can come up with your own view of what such things are?! Do you think you can change the world?! Sorry but that is impossible! The world is the way that it is, and if anyone around here disagrees...” She used her hand to indicate the members of the audience attending the trial. “They are just blinded. They’re too stupid to see.”
Snap glared at her. How dare she say such things... The zoners around him, as well as his friends, expressed their disdain for Sandra. They began to call her out on her cruelty, telling her the terrible things she has done. But all she did was laugh and scoff at them. It was clear she had become unhinged. Her time in jail likely didn’t help things much.
The judge slammed his hammer down. “Order in the court!” When the others settled down, the rhino glared at Sandra. “I will give you one final warning, Sandra! Please refrain from anymore outbursts. You will have your chance to speak up.”
Sandra grinned nastily at the rhino judge. “Oh of course, your honor...”
“I mean it. One more outburst from you, and I will double your punishment!” The judge rhino snarled. “Do you understand me?”
Sandra narrowed her eyes at him, but unwillingly nodded. “..yes.”
The judge glared at her for a few seconds. “Okay...let’s continue on with the trial.”
sss
The rest of the trial went off without much problem. Sandra hadn’t attempted to interrupt again, despite really wanting to speak up as zoner after zoner recalled the horrific things that happened because of what she did. Loved ones spoke out against her, who were still grieving for the ones that they had lost, whom they would never see again.
Mint felt sorry for all of them. He couldn’t begin to imagine the level of loss they were all suffering. Some zoners lost more than one loved one. And an unlucky few lost practically everyone they cared about. He couldn’t blame them for being so bitter. The only consolation that Mint knew they could get was the fact that Sandra was going to be locked up. There was no way she was going to be let off the hook. She was going to pay the price for her horrific deeds.
He and Penny both had their turn to talk. They filled in the blanks that Snap’s story could not cover. They told them about what they did to figure out what happened, how they learned that it was likely Sandra who was involved, how they found out about her being cannibal, and whatever else they could tell them.
They also described how Sandra had hurt them both. Penny recalled how Sandra had slashed her throat open when she tried to help Snap. Mint recounted the tale of how his jaw had been dislocated by Sandra. These acts alone horrified the zoners. He could hear some zoners express regret for thinking that they would ever betray ChalkZone, especially Mint.
The boy didn’t hold too much anger towards them. Part of their behavior was thanks to the machine, which was making everyone act strangely. It was just more noticeable in some than others. Penny deduced that even they were constantly affected, but it was so minor, they didn’t notice. Sandra likely had different settings that controlled who it was affecting more, as well as what areas of the hospital had its security jammed.
The zoners were absolutely horrified when they found out about Sandra breaking Rudy’s neck. Even the zoners that already knew were still horrified by the turn of events. This, combined with the other things Sandra did, nearly caused an enraged outburst, with only the judge’s hammer calming them down so the trial could proceed.
Sandra did speak as well. And just like before, to everyone’s anger, she still tried to say that she was innocent. She attempted to convince the zoners that she was right and pleaded with everyone to look inside their hearts and attempt to see things from her point of view. This, predictably, didn’t go over well with the zoners, causing some heated arguments to be spat back and forth.
Before the trial was over, there was an usual addition. Some hyena named Jyker. Sandra apparently didn’t like him, judging from her reaction. And Jyker clearly knew her quite well. Jyker had been called to the trial because he was witness to something Sandra did when she first arrived in ChalkZone.
Jyker did not give away too many details, such as exact location. But he had informed the zoners in the trial about what had happened not long after Sandra was erased and placed into ChalkZone.
She and him had been friends, although not exactly the closest. Jyker, not Snap, had been the first one to help Sandra find her place in ChalkZone. However, Sandra’s twisted mentality was present even back then. In the far away land she once lived, she had been acting out on that foolish promise belief of hers. She had apparently killed a couple of zoners rather brutally when she found out they were promise breakers. Sandra had been chased when she was figured out, as Jyker, shocked by what she did, had reported her.
The event was so traumatic that Sandra blocked some of the memory out. She did remember enough, but some details had alluded her, and it took Jyker’s story to remind her. That did not change her behavior, however, and she still accused Jyker a filthy traitor. All Jyker would tell her was that she brought this fate upon herself.
Jyker’s testimony did not shift things too much in their favor, as they were already winning the trial. Nobody was supporting Sandra, not even the zoner who was supposed to be defending her. The zoner hardly put up much of a fight as he knew nothing he would say would uncover anything to defend Sandra with. However, Jyker’s testimony did offer them more information about her. Knowing that she had done other crimes would make it harder for her to escape justice.
Soon, the trial was going to be over. Everyone had a chance to speak. The jury was making their verdict. It wouldn’t be long now. Soon, Sandra was going to be convicted and the zoners could sleep more soundly at night.
Then, after what felt like several minutes, the jury of twelve zoners stood up. One of them stepped forward, looking at the judge expectantly.
“Have you reached a verdict?” The judge zoner asked.
“We have, your honor.” The lead juror said, nodding his head. “We find Sandra...” He paused. Everyone looked at him expectantly, waiting, tension rising in the air. Then he concluded with, “...guilty of all charges.”
There was a shockwave of relief that went through everyone’s bodies. Everyone felt so happy with the verdict. Zoners were hugging each other, some crying in happiness. Snap’s grin spread from ear to ear. He was looking at the zoners, feeling happy that they had all finally gotten the closure they had deserved. Mint felt Penny wrap her arms around him and pull him into a hug. He hugged her back.
They couldn’t believe it. It was over.. It was finally over.. Sandra was going to jail. She was not going to be able use her powers or her machine on anyone ever again. No more zoners will have to suffer at her claws. No one else will endure the pain of loss because of that wretched dragon. Sandra was finally going to see exactly where her actions had brought her. There was no going back. She will have the rest of her life in jail to think about what she did, and know, as each day passed, she could have avoided it so easily.
Mint knew they weren’t out of the woods yet, though. There was still recovering to be doing. The zoners all around him had lost loved ones due to Sandra’s horrendous actions. They would need more time to heal mentally and move on. Mint winced as he rubbed his mouth. His jaw still hurt him from time to time, and Penny’s voice still had some scratchiness due to the wound on her neck. Snap was going to take a long time to recover, and Rudy...how may not recover at all... A cold chill went down his spine at that. He hoped and prayed that Rudy would be okay.
He quickly realized that not everyone was happy with the verdict. There was still someone who rejected it, and who it was did not surprise him at all.
“What?! No! You can’t do that!” Sandra stood up, slamming her hands against the table. “I demand a retrial! This isn’t fair!”
“You already had your chance to speak...” Jyker, who sat not far in the audience, said, glaring at her. “I told you that you would not be able to stay here, for your dirty little secret would have been exposed.” Jyker narrowed his eyes as Sandra shot him a fire-filled glare. “Be mad at me all you want, but you ultimately brought down your own downfall. Why don’t you suck it up this time and pay for your crimes? It’s the least you can do.”
“No! I won’t! I did nothing wrong!” Sandra screeched.
The rhino pounded the mallet a few times. Sandra looked up at him, her eyes still wild-looking. “As punishment for your crimes, you are sentenced to life in the Vortex Of Solitude. Save for those tasked to bring you food, you will not be permitted any visitors. You have created your own world in your head that you seem to adhere to, and thus you will spend the rest of your days in a world where you are by yourself, just as alone as the opinions that you share.”
Sandra’s eyes widened. “No!”
“Your restaurant will be torn down, and all traces will be destroyed. In its place, we will put up a therapy center to help those you have harmed. Your machine will also be obliterated, and no one will be able to use it again.”
“You can’t do this to me! I’m innocent I tell you! Innocent!” Sandra screeched, her voice becoming more growly and high pitched as the seconds past. “A retrial! I demand you to give me another trial!”
“Enough, Sandra!” Barked the judge.
Sandra paused for a moment. She lowered her head, looking left and right. Mint could see the look of terror in those eyes. Sandra clearly knew she was screwed. She knew there was nothing she could do to save herself now. There was no way the judge was going to change his mind on his ruling. Because of her actions, she was going to be locked in a place all alone, with almost no contact. She was literally about to lose everything, and she knew, deep down, it was all her fault.
But that didn’t mean she was going to take it lying down. Mint watched in horror as Sandra leveled her eyes with Snap, who was sitting at the table beside her. He could see her seethe, her teeth clenching, growls escaping her throat. They all knew what was coming, but before anyone could act, Sandra made her move.
The blue dragon dove towards Snap. The movement was so fast, it was nothing but a blur to most zoners’ eyes. Snap let out a scream as Sandra pinned him down. Sandra snapped at him, missing only by a centimeter. She roared in his face, her hot breath hitting against his skin.
“You traitor! You’re just like Jyker! You betrayed me! This is all your fault! I hate you, Snap! I hate you so much!” Sandra screeched as she dug her claws into Snap’s body. The small zoner let out a cry of pain. “I’m going to kill you! I’ll shred you! I’ll make you sorry you ever crossed me! Traitor!”
“Snap!” Mint and Penny cried in horror.
“No! Stop!” Rapsheeba shouted.
Blocky looked left and right, his eyes wide in panic. “Somebody, do something!”
Fortunately, someone did. Jyker slammed against Sandra, his jaws clamping around her throat. Sandra let out a scream as the two tumbled across the ground. Jyker soon pinned her down, using both his hands and his jaws to hold her down. Sandra squirmed violently on the ground, releashing a string of insults and threats at Jyker. The hyena didn’t let go, clearly knowing that Sandra could not hurt him with her powers so long as she wore that helmet.
As she was being held, Mint, Penny, Rapsheeba, and Blocky went to Snap’s side. They helped him up to his feet and looked him over. It didn’t seem like he was injured, but their fear was that Sandra had aggravated his old wounds, perhapse even making them worse...
Seeing Snap so scared tore at their heart strings. He had been traumatized by when Sandra had ripped him apart and started to eat him while he was alive. And now she had nearly done the same thing again. Poor Snap... They all hoped he would recover mentally from this terrifying experience.
Sandra seemed to have settled down, albeit unwillingly. She had caved in, realizing that she had no chance to escape. Jyker was clearly much stronger than her. There was nothing she could do to secape. She glared up hatefully at him, while Jyker returned the gesture. He did not release his grip on her until the judge spoke up.
“Take her away.”
A couple of cop zones approached, and only then did Jyker step away. Sandra’s arms were yanked behind her back and metal cuffs were placed against her wrists. She was forced up to her feet and the cops began to drag her away.
As they walked past where Mint and the others were, there seemed to be a pause, as if time stood still. Sandra locked eyes with the terrified Snap. Her face contorted into an animalistic expression, her pupils shrinking into dots. Without warning, she curled her lips up into a snarl and slammed her jaws shut at him, attempting to bite. Snap let out a scream and huddled back towards his friends while the cops yanked her away and dragged her off.
Everyone watched in silence, their expressions either of anger, determination, or uncertainty. Soon the cops reached the door. As she was being dragged out, Sandra shot everyone a glare. She then settled her eyes on Snap. She snarled in his direction, her expression giving off a silent promise. After a few tense moments, she was dragged out of the room and out of everyone’s life.
Relief slowly washed through the room, releasing the tension that had built up. Everyone tried to relax, and smiles spread across the room. Everyone knew what the slam of that door meant.
It was over.
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Post by Bluedramon on Nov 13, 2014 21:47:26 GMT -5
Author's Note: This is the final chapter.
Chapter 40: Heal
We are coming out of the eclipse now. The sunlight, it's beautiful... The sunlight is beautiful!
-Daylight, Brave Saint Saturn
Snap let out a soft groan as his bandages were being changed. Although Dr. Crobat was being very gentle, even the lightest touch was enough to wrack his body in pain, especially in his stomach and areas where Sandra tore off his flesh. He tried his best to remain quiet and still, but it eventually became too much and he had to cringe away.
Dr. Crobat stopped, looking down at Snap with concern. “I’m not hurting you that much, am I?”
Snap put on a brave face. He waved his hand and said, “No..no..I’m okay. Just a little sting, that’s all.”
Dr. Crobat furrowed his eyes. “Snap, you shouldn’t lie to me. You’re in the hospital now. If you’re in pain, you have to tell us.”
Snap sighed. He knew the doctor was right. He didn’t know why he tried to say that he was doing better than he really was. He felt a bit ashamed. He needed proper care and he won’t get that if he lied about how he was feeling. He knew that his friends wouldn’t want him to fake feeling better, and he knew doing so could lead him getting far worse injuries.
“I know. I’m sorry.” Snap said, bowing his head. He corrected his earlier statement. “Yeah, it hurts real bad...”
Dr. Croboat looked at him sympathetically. “I know. Sandra tore you up real good. But don’t worry.” He resumed wrapping the bandages around his arm. “Soon you’ll be back on your feet.”
Snap smiled slightly at this. His prognosis was pretty good, better than he had expected. Despite the horrific injuries, they didn’t seem like they would cause any permanent damage. He was just going to be bed ridden for a while. The doctors didn’t want him risking hurting himself more and wanted his body to rest. Most of his injuries would heal up just fine, given enough time. And when they did, he’d be able to get up and walk around, albeit with some limitations.
His brain tumor was gone completely and there were no signs of it returning. Sandra must have been too angry to really think of using it on him again. The doctors couldn’t find any evidence to suggest that it could grow back, and his brain didn’t suffer any permanent damage from the ordeal. His memory was as sharp as ever now.
However, though Sandra did heal up his legs and the burns were gone, she still caused enough damage to his body that he will need hospital visits for at least a year. She had tore open his stomach and ripped out part of his intestines. The doctors had stitched them back together and placed them back into his body. But due to the damage, even after he could walk again, he still needed to stay in the hospital for a long time, and even after that, he’d need frequent visits. He hadn’t even been able to eat properly yet because his intestines were sitll heavily damaged.
Still, this prognosis was much better than he thought it was going to be. He and his friends were so worried that Sandra did some underlining damage that they could not see. They all had felt relieved to know that Sandra’s damage was not as wide spread as they had thought.
“How is he doing...?”
Dr. Crobat and Snap looked over. They could see the form of Dr. Gelcro walking in slowly. Beside him was Mosaic. Dr. Gelcro’s expression was etched with concern as he looked at Snap, and then at Dr. Crobat.
“Greetings, Dr. Gelcro.” Dr. Crobat said. He finished up bandaging Snap’s arm. He turned to face the dog-like zoner. “Snap is doing fine. He still has a long way to go, though.” He made a slight grimace. “And I’m not sure how long his mental state will take to fully recover...”
Dr. Gelcro winced at this. “I see...” He closed his eyes and sighed. “I...take it that my behavior towards him didn’t help?”
Dr. Crobat tilted his head. “What do you mean?”
“I treated him like crap. Most of us doctors had. We were too blinded, too angry... We let our emotions get in the way and we acted out on them.” Dr. Gelcro’s voice was filled with shame and sorrow. “We should have known better. We should have been more professional. We...”
Dr. Crobat touched his shoulder, causing the dog zoner to freeze. The two looked at each other for a few seconds. Then Dr. Crobat smiled and said, “It wasn’t your fault. Remember what Biclops confirmed for us. The machine’s signal was messing with all of us on some level. You and the others were just influenced.”
“Still I should have fought harder. I..I can’t help but wonder if I ended up making things worse.” Dr. Gelcro said softly, gritting his teeth. “I mean, I was the one who allowed Snap to be imprisoned and...”
“Listen to me.” Dr. Crobat gripped the doctor’s shoulders. “None of us could have known what would have happened. We could not have predicted this. Please don’t keep kicking yourself, Dr. Gelcro. At least it’s over now. Sandra has been stopped and she is no longer a threat to us. We can all begin to recover.”
Dr. Gelcro sighed and looked at the bird zoner in the eyes. He slowly smiled and then nodded his head. “Yeah...you’re right. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Dr. Crobat smiled.
Snap watched as the two doctors, the two friends, embrace each other. He couldn’t help but smile as well. He was glad to see them patching things up. He was glad that, in spite of all the opposition they faced, they still held onto that friendship of theirs. That was a true testament of companionship.
Snap felt the bed shift and he turned his head. He could see that Mosaic had gotten on the foot of the long bed he had been placed on. She looked over at him, her amber eyes shining. Although she was not human and was mostly animal, Snap could tell that Mosaic did feel some level of happiness that he was all right. They had spent quite a bit of time together at the hospital and they had bonded on some level. She inched her way over until her long snout was against his side. Snap carefully reached over and started to pet her on top of her head.
Snap was still shaken up by his experience with Sandra. Even though she had been locked away days ago, every time he shut his eyes, he could still see her face, those narrowed eyes, flashing teeth, feral expression.. It chilled him to the bone, making it hard for him to sleep at night. And even when he did get to sleep, he would have nightmares of her tearing him apart, eating him alive...
He shuddered, the thought clinging to the back of his head like a vice. He knew why Dr. Crobat mentioned the mental healing bit. It was going to take him a long time to fully recover from that, and even then, he knew that, on some level, he was going to be haunted by this for the rest of his life. Being forced to eat the flesh of another, and experiencing being eaten alive...that does a lot of damage to the psyche.
But he took a sigh of uneasy relief, reminding himself that Sandra was no longer a threat. Everything had fallen apart around her. The zoners know what she is now. Her machine was dismantled. Biclops had offered his aid, making it much easier to capture her. She was locked up, where she will never escape. She would forever remain trapped, unable to leave, and she will have no choice but think about what she had done. Although he knew it was unlikely, on some level, he still hoped that Sandra would realize how wrong she had been, and come to not only regret her actions, but experience remorse for them.
Speaking of Biclops, Snap was still shocked he showed up like that. It was completely unexpected. But he was still glad he had. With the signal gone, however it was affecting Biclops was gone, and he had come to help. He had also brought unexpected news: he knew where Sandra got her machine. At least, one particular component of it.
It would seem that not all of the artifacts were taken care of like they had thought. Somehow, Craniac 4 had gotten a hold of a piece, but didn’t know what to do with it and tossed it aside. Sandra found it and figured out a way to activate it without the crown. It was uncertain how she did it, which was terrifying enough. But to know that this particular piece could help screw with minds like that... Snap shuddered to think what would have happened if Skrawl had used that during their encounter in his desert hideout.
“Snap...?” Dr. Gelcro’s voice cut him from his thoughts. Snap looked up at him. “I...I wanted to tell you how sorry I am...”
“I know you are. Dr. Crobat is right, though. It wasn’t your fault.” Snap said.
But Dr. Gelcro wasn’t done. “I still feel I should apologize. I really owe one to you.” He moved in a little closer. He reached forward and gently touched Snap on top of his head. “I am so sorry for the way I treated you. The other doctors are as well. We feel awful about jumping to conclusions and treating you like you were a piece of trash.”
Snap just smiled at the dog zoner. He didn’t say a word. Neither did Dr. Crobat. Even though Dr. Gelcro must realize that he and the other doctors weren’t in full control of the situation, he wanted to apologize. Snap and Dr. Crobat allowed him to speak. He needed this. They all needed this.
Dr. Gelcro bit his lip. He looked left and right. “I’m...and we..are very sorry for how we treated your friends, too. Especially Mint. We were so caught up in the past that we thought Mint was still the Enemy Creator even though he hadn’t tried to hurt us in so long. We should have known he wasn’t behind this.”
“I forgive you, and I’m sure my friends will, too.” Snap said with a smile.
Dr. Gelcro nodded his head. “I..still want to make it up to you. We all do.” He locked eyes onto Snap, staring at him for a few moments. Then he said, “..you’ll get better soon. I promise...”
Snap smiled the best he could. He continued to stroke the top of Mosaic’s head. “Yeah.. I know I will...”
sss
Mosaic rested on the bed as the zoners talked to each other. She could hear their words, but she hardly paid attention to anything they were saying. At the moment, it wasn’t of her concern. The threat was gone, and she now had no reason to really listen in on their conversation.
Mosaic felt as though, for the first time in a long while, she could finally relax. The off smell from before was gone. Snap no longer had that lingering odor that warned her that something was wrong with him. The medicine givers had gotten her message. Her efforts at communication had paid off. And thanks to what she had done, that dragon zoner, Sandra, had been captured and send to that holding place. She had heard she will never get out of there.
Now that the immediate threat was over, and there was no longer a predator walking around, she could take it easy and relax a little. It would be good for the recovery process. Her body had sustained numerous injuries. The medicine gives did what they could. She didn’t know which ones were more severe, or how long they had been wrapped up. What she did know was the pain would stop...somehow. She just had to trust them.
Trust...that was something that, for a while, she wasn’t sure she could do with the medicine givers. They dismissed her attempts, and they had continuously blamed Snap for their misgivings. Because of them, Sandra had continued her wasteful hunting, and nearly took Snap in the process. She had come to care about him on some level, and she decided she didn’t want Snap to be hurt.
At least it was over now. She could try to get some sleep. A nap would be good. Her body was ringing out in pain. She could tell her body was informing her that she should get some rest to help with her body’s repair. All her instincts were telling her to close her eyes. She did not disobey it. She knew better than that. Her body knew itself better than her. To disobey it would lead to death. If only some of these zoners understood this as well as she did. Life would be so much easier.
Mosaic gave Snap one more glance. He seemed to be finishing up his chat with the medicine giver, Dr. Gelcro. She felt a brief moment of satisfaction that he had finally listened to what she was trying to tell them. Then she settled her head down and closed her eyes.
And she prepared for the return of normal life.
sss
Rudy wanted to cry. He wanted to shed tears so badly. He wanted to curl up into a ball and just sob his heart out.
Oh wait...he can’t do that anymore.
He was still paralyzed.
Rudy found it difficult to get through the day. He found it hard to pass the time with only his thoughts to accompany him. Sure he liked it when he got a visit from his friends and family. But they could only stay so long, and they could only do so much. They weren’t able to do anything to speed up his healing, and when they would leave, it felt as though time would stand still.
Every time he would dream, he would either dream that he had recovered and was walking around, or he would dream that Sandra was attacking him again. Either way, both were highly unpleasant experiences, sending shivers down his spine, filling him with fear.
Being attacked by Sandra was bad enough. Often when he closed his eyes, he could see her lunging at him again. He could still feel her teeth in his neck, pressing against his spine until it broke. The fact that it didn’t kill him was a miracle, but a part of him began to wonder if that would have been a more merciful fate.
It was even worse when he would dream he was fine. In his dreams, he could move, walk, use both his arms and legs. He could feel them, the muscles flexing and stretching, any aches he’d have in them. He would think everything was fine and he and his friends and family would talk about how lucky he had been. Or he would even dream that all of this had never happened. But then he would wake up into the cruel, harsh reality, and realize that he was still, and likely will always be, a quadriplegic.
He couldn’t cry anymore. He had cried so much the past several dies. His cheeks still stung a little from his last crying bout. His nose was still coated in mucous. He had ran out of tears, and now there was really nothing left for him to do was lay there and think about his life, about what happened, and how his future was going to pan out after this.
The twelve year old had never envisioned his future to be like this. He recalled when Mr. Wilter had given them the project of what they want to do with their life. Rudy never would have imagined that this was where he would end up. He thought he would end up as a professional artist, or working in an art museum, or even a field he did not expect. But all of that was impossible with his arms and legs useless. This was not how he had thought things would go.
The pain, the crack in his neck... he could still feel it. He could still feel, even though his body was numb, Sandra on his body, holding him down, twisting his neck. He tried to push it into the back of his head. He tried not to think about it, as the more he thought about it the worse he fault. He told himself that it was all over now, but that didn’t stop his mind from getting worked up over it.
At least his friends and family did what they could to help. His parents were absolutely devastated and they were as supportive as they could be. They knew that treating him was expensive, but they didn’t care. They had even gotten some people to chip in and help, including Penny’s mom and Mint’s parents.
And there was still a bright side to all of this.
Sandra was arrested.
He remembered how relieved he felt when his friends gave him the spectacular news. Sandra was apprehended and tried by a jury. So many people, including his friends, got their chance to testify against that monster. Sandra stood no chance, and was ultimately found guilty.
He was horrified when he had been told that Snap was attacked. But Penny and Mint assured him that Snap survived, and that he was going to be fine. He was going to still take a long time to recover however. Rudy still shuddered when he learned about how Sandra had started to eat Snap alive...
But at least it was all over now. They had gone through the toughest part. They prevailed. Now all that was left was recovery. He couldn’t focus so much on what had happened. He couldn’t keep living in the past. Sandra was taken care of. He needed to focus on the present. His friends, family... they were what mattered now, not some insane dragon locked up in solitude. If he kept thinking about her, kept allowing her to haunt him, then she would have won. He would not allow her that last laugh.
He hoped that soon, things would return to normal. He hoped that everything was going to be okay. He hoped that, in time, it would be as if nothing had happened.
But he knew that wasn’t the case.
ChalkZone City was still reeling from Sandra’s attack. Loved ones were still mourning. There would forever be some faces missing from ChalkZone, including the Doofi and Howdy. It brought tears to Rudy’s eyes. So many zoners had died senseless deaths, all just for the sick satisfaction of one individual. It was amazing how much harm a single person could do...
His thoughts were cut off when he heard someone in the hallway. He would have lifted his head to look if his neck wasn’t encased in the brace. The voices were faint, barely raised, but he had a feeling he knew who it was.
And then the door opened up and his thoughts were confirmed.
“Hello, Penny.” Came Rudy’s soft reply.
Penny smiled down at him. “Hello, Rudy. Mint’s not here yet; he had to discuss something with his parents.”
“That’s okay. I understand.” Rudy said.
Penny bit her lip as she walked towards his bed slowly. “..So..how are you feeling...?”
“Like shit...” Rudy muttered under his breath.
“Rudy...” Penny said softly. Her voice trailed off and she said no more.
Rudy averted his gaze, moving his eyes down as far as they could go. He didn’t mean to sound so cold. He was happy to see Penny of course. But that icy comment probably made Penny think that he didn’t want her there, which was far from the case. He was just still in a gloomy mood, which she would understand, given the circumstances.
He could hear her move closer to him. He didn’t attempt to say anything else. He didn’t try to shoo her away. Subconsciously, he wanted her to be closer to him. He wanted her there with him. He enjoyed her company, as he did with the others.
He hoped that he would eventually get out of this rut. He didn’t want to remain emotionally destroyed like this. He didn’t want to forever be bitter and angry at the world. He might be in a terrifying situation where even death was a merciful escape, but he wanted to push himself through this. He wanted to be brave and stay alive, for that was far more courageous than letting himself die. Sandra’s plan could have been to drive him to suicide. If that were the case, he was not going to let her win.
“It’s going to be okay, Rudy.” Penny whispered softly. She reached forward and touched Rudy on the head, stroking his hair. “You’ll see. Everything is going to be okay.” She sniffled, tears flowing down her cheeks.
Seeing Penny like this broke Rudy’s heart more than his own wounds did. This is what he hated the most. He didn’t want his friends and family to cry over him. He hated to see them suffer like this. It made him want to jump out of the bed and assure them that everything was going to be okay.
But that may never happen. Rudy had to face facts. He may be forever paralyzed and there wasn’t a damn thing that he or anyone else could do. It was a cruel, terrible fate and it ripped him up on the inside. Just what kind of life could he lead when he was like this..?
He didn’t realize he had started to cry again until he felt Penny’s finger against his eye. He looked up at her as she wiped away his tear. She was shedded her own and they dripped down off of her face. In an attempt to help her feel better, Rudy gave a smile. A shaky, uneasy smile, but a smile nonetheless.
“Yeah... I’m sure that, somehow, everything will work out in the end.” Rudy said. He tried to sound as hopeful as he could, but he knew, deep down, there was still a lot of uncertainties in the future. “I hope...”
Penny sniffled. She gave a small smile. “Yeah...I know.” She lowered her head for a few seconds. Then she looked back at Rudy. “Snap is doing better.”
“He is? That’s good.” Rudy said. “How much longer will he...?”
“Still a long time, like we told you before. But his prognosis is better than we thought it would be.” Penny tried to sound as reassuring as possible. She continued to stroke Rudy’s hair. Her gentle touch helped him to remain calm. “When Mint comes here, we thought about doing what we did before. Remember when Mint was in the hospital, as well as Snap?”
Rudy would have nodded his head if he could have. “How could I forget?”
“We’re going to bring in a chalkboard so you can speak with Snap.” Penny smiled as she saw Rudy’s eyes spark at this. “I know you’ve been wanting to talk to Snap, and he really misses you. So Mint and I decided that we should try this. Today seems to be a good day to try it out.” She furrowed her eyes slightly. “It may not be for long. We don’t know when the doctors will show up. But...at least it’s something, right?”
“Yeah... Speaking to Snap sounds good right about now...” Rudy’s voice trailed off, unable to speak anything else.
At least there was a silver lining in this. Even if he never fully recovered, even if he could never walk again, or draw anymore, as much as it would hurt him, at least Snap and his other friends would recover. Penny and Mint’s injuries had healed up mostly, and Snap would, in time, recover. At least they would be able to continue enjoying life, and he knew they would always come and visit him.
Penny turned her head. Rudy’s hearts filed with the telltale signs of someone walking into the room. He could see the familiar shape of Mint walking in. He looked somewhat irritated, making him wonder what his dead had wanted to talk to him about. But Rudy decided it was best not to press the matter.
“Hiya, Rudy. Are you doing okay?” Mint asked, waving his hand at him.
“Not too well, but what do you expect?” Rudy replied. This time, he made sure to put more effort into making sure he did not sound as cold as before. He managed, though not as well as he had hoped.
Mint flinched at this. He gave Rudy a sympathetic look. “I understand. It’s hard being stuck in bed for so long. I...” He lowered his head, staring down at his foot. “I remember what it was like when I couldn’t get around at all. I know what it feels like to be trapped in bed for so long.” He paused for a moment, and then added, “Then there’s Snap. He had his back broken, and he was trapped in the hospital for about a year before he was finally discharged.”
Rudy opened his mouth to speak, but he paused, reconsidering what he was going to say. He could have easily slipped up there and said the wrong thing. He was glad that he had hesitated when he did so he could really think about what he was going to say.
He knew Mint meant no harm. He still couldn’t help but feel a bit...not peeved or annoyed, but...something, when he brought up how he knew how he had felt. None of them truly understood on a deep level. Mint and Snap did not lose control of their bodies. They were not fully paralyzed, unable to move or feel anything. They could never fully understand his situation.
But he knew, in the end, Mint wasn’t trying to demean him or anything. He took in a deep breath and sighed, feeling whatever emotion he felt before leave him. He didn’t want to dwell on this anymore. He just wanted to enjoy his visit with his friends. Seeing Snap again after so long would definitely cheer him up.
“Where’s the chalkboard?” Rudy asked when he realized that Mint didn’t have it out with him.
“Don’t worry, I didn’t forget it.” Mint said. He reached down into his pocket and pulled something out. Rudy recognized it as a small, portal chalkboard. “I already told Snap that we were coming, so to speak.”
Rudy felt some level of disappointment that the board was so small. But considering that he couldn’t go into ChalkZone in this condition, it was understandable. At least the chalkboard was wide enough for them to use without much difficulty. He and his friends should be able to see Snap just fine on the other side.
Mint took a few steps closer to Rudy. He took out a couple pieces of something that Rudy couldn’t directly identify, but he could tell what they were going to be used for. He watched as Mint used the pieces to gently hook the monitor up on his stomach, making sure to include an adjustable platform so they could move it enough for him to be comfortable with looking at it.
“Can you see this just fine?” Mint asked. “Or do I need to adjust it?”
Rudy said, “No. It’s fine.”
Penny smiled at this. She then took another look around the room. She watched, waiting to see if anyone else showed up. When she was certain there was no one, she looked back at Mint and gave a single nod of her head. “Let’s get this started.” She gave another cautious look down towards the door. “While we still have the chance.”
Mint nodded his head. “I agree.” He then too out his magic chalk. Without saying another word, he began to draw a portal, going along the edge of the chalkboard to make it as big as possible.
Rudy watched with great interest. He could seel his heart pounding against his chest. He missed Snap so much. He missed seeing him. He missed hearing his voice. To finally see him again after so long... He couldn’t wait. This was going to cheer him up for certain. And he knew that Snap would feel much better seeing and talking with him again. They both needed this.
Soon the portal was formed. The light shimmered, and in seconds, he could see right through it, straight into ChalkZone.
...and allowing him to see Snap for the first time since the incident with Sandra..
There was a bit of silence for a few moments. The friends just stared at each other, both taking time to realize that this moment had just happened. It felt like they hadn’t seen each other in forever. As they locked eyes with one another, they were unable to turn away, almost as if they’d fear of losing each other if they dare break their gaze. A swell of emotions rose up in their chests, causing them to smile at one another.
Rudy moved his eyes up and down, checking out Snap’s condition. He was covered in bandages and looked to be in some pain. But most of that was overridden by the shere happiness that was etched on his face. Snap was grinning at him, his smile stretching from ear to hear. Rudy could feel his face stretching in a similar manner.
Snap broke the silence. “Hello, Bucko.”
Rudy felt tears form in his eyes. “Snap..hello...” He paused for a moment. “H-How are you doing...?”
sss
“Are you absolutely sure? Is there no way that...?” Mrs. Tabootie asked, her eyes wide.
Mr. Tabootie tried his best to sound brave. “Isn’t there anything that...?”
The doctor standing before them shook his head. In his hand, he held a clipboard. He glanced at it momentarily, flipping through the pages to see the results of whatever tests they had performed. They looked back at Mr. and Mrs. Tabootie and said, “I’m sorry, but the results show no improvement... But that is to expected. Spinal injuries don’t heal.”
Mr. Tabootie didn’t want to believe what he heard. Even though he knew it was true. Even knew he knew that the doctor was not lying, that the spine would indeed not heal up, a part of him just didn’t want to believe it. He didn’t want to think that his only son would be reduced to life like this. Just how could he live like that? What would living even be like this way?
Trapped in a bed. Unable to move. Unable to do anything for himself. Feeling as though he was a burden to everyone. Not even able to take care of the simplest tasks, like going to the bathroom or bathing...
He tried to cling onto some hope. He tried to hold onto the belief that maybe, just maybe, something might improve. Even if it took a long time... even if it took forever and a half... He hoped and prayed that something would change. It just had to. Rudy...he didn’t deserve this... Oh gawd..what had he done to earn this kind of cruel fate...?
“I wish I could bring you better news.” The doctor said solemnly. He furrowed his eyes as he stared down at the paper. “If I could give all the answers, you know I would. But...” He looked back at the two grieving adults. “We’ve done all we could with what you were able to help us with. The rest is up to him. But I’m afraid there’s little chance of any recovery. I..hope you think about the options.”
Mrs. Tabootie shot him a glare. “We are not throwing our son away like that!”
“Of course not.” The doctor said, raising his hand up. He then held it outwards in gesture. “I’m just saying...think of the consequences of whatever you choose. Not just for yourself, but for your son as well. Ask yourself this question.” The doctor paused, staring into Mrs. Tabootie’s furious face. “Do you think this is anyway for a child to live...?”
Mrs. Tabootie widened her eyes at this. She didn’t say a word. She just stared at him for a few seconds. Then she turned to Mr. Tabootie. She trembled in emotion, and then she latched onto him, pulling him close. Mr. Tabootie wrapped his arms around her, embracing her. He gave a soft glare at the doctor. He got the hint and nodded his head, giving an apologetic look before turning and walking away.
Mr. Tabootie didn’t want to be to angry with the doctor. He had just wanted to be realistic and make them face what was before them. He wasn’t tryign to be cruel. He just wanted them to think of their son.
But that didn’t make this any easier. He and his wife were stuck between two choices, both of which were terrible, and they’d regret it for the rest of their lives. They could euthanize him and put him out of his misery. But then..what if there’s a chance he’d get better? Could they live with the guilt of ending his life just before help was found? Could they go through with ending their son’s life at all? But if they keep him on, and he still lived...would it really be much better? Rudy could not take care of himself in any shape or form. He couldn’t even scratch his nose, let alone make food for himself, or anything like that. He was a prisoner of his own body. Would letting him live really be the most merciful choice?
But oh gawd...it was still so hard... Why? Why did they have to make this choice...? No parent should have to do this. No parent should ever have to decide the fate of their child this way... No parent should hold their son or daughter’s life in their hands, where their decision could either end their suffering, or prolong it. Unable to hold back for long, Mr. Tabootie felt tears form in his eyes.
“I...I don’t...I don’t want to..” Mrs. Tabootie whimpered softly. “Oh Joe... I can’t do this. Why do... why..?”
Mr. Tabootie hugged his wife tighter. “It’s going to be okay, Millie. You’ll see.” He paused for a moment. He bit his lip, trying to think of whatever he could to help his wife feel better. But all he could come up with was, “We’ll....think of something.”
“I...I hope so... I don’t want to lose our baby boy..” Mrs. Tabootie said as she closed her eyes, her head pressed against her husband’s shoulder. “It’s just not fair...”
Mr. Tabootie looked down at his wife sympathetically. Seeing her cry like this...it broke his heart. He wanted to say something else. He wanted to try to cheer her up, but he couldn’t think of anything. It was so frustrating. He usually knew what to say. He had been successful in the past. But now... what could he say? Their son was mostly paralyzed. What could he say to that...?
Nonetheless, he still tried. He held onto his wife tightly, rubbing her back gently. He whispered soft, comforting words to her. He said whatever he could think of try to calm her down. And gradually it worked. She still cried softly, but she was noticeably calmer than before. He smiled at this, still keeping her in his embrace.
He looked over at where their son was. Rudy was asleep, his eyes shut softly. The neckbrace was still on him. It had been a month now, and his neck still hadn’t healed enough for the brace to be removed. The doctors say it would take a long time before it could be removed.
If it weren’t for that neck brace, Mr. Tabootie would think that Rudy was just sleeping soundly. He looked so peaceful like this. It was like he had no care in the world. He imagined that sleep was his only gateway to happiness, outside of visits from loved ones. His dreams would take him far away, to other worlds, away from the cruel harshness of reality.
But that was merely a brief escape, and Rudy would wake up each time, realizing that he was still bed ridden, still unable to move or feel anything below his neck. This realization made his heart twist. He couldn’t imagine how his son must feel. What a horrible thing to experience...
It made him wonder. It made him consider what the doctor had told them. It was an uncomfortable thought...but it was something that they had to consider. It was inevitable.
“Millie..what do you think of the option of...euthanizing our son...?” Mr. Tabootie said in a low, careful voice.
Mrs. Tabootie pulled away from him and stared at him in shock. She shook her head. “No... we can’t do that.. Joe, he’s our son!”
“Yes, and right now, he’s paralyzed, unable to take care of himself.” He paused for a moment. He sucked in a breath. “I don’t mean right now. I’m just saying that... we should really consider it. But we won’t go through with it unless everyone agrees. I...I don’t want to...” His voice trailed off for a moment. “I just...wish we didn’t have to make this decision...”
“Me, too. Joe...” Mrs. Tabootie whispered. “Me, too...”
The two adults embraced each other, crying softly. They both hoped and prayed that things would work out in the end. But odds were against them, and they may be forced to make the hardest decision of their lives.
Keep Rudy alive or end his suffering.
sss
Mint looked at Rudy sympathetically. He couldn’t blame him for reacting this way. He watched as his friend cried on the bed, tears staining his cheeks. After what he had overhead, Mint wasn’t surprised to see Rudy unleash his emotions like this.
Mint couldn’t imagine what it was like to wake up and overhear his parents talk about the possibility of having to...let him go. It was a real shocker that broke through any doubt that he may have set up for himself to hide behind. Now more than ever, Rudy had to face the harsh reality. He may not pull out of this alive. He may be faced with making a difficult decision for himself. A decision that Mint would give anything to alleviate from him.
“No...they can’t do this..no...” Rudy whimpered softly, his eyes red and puffy. “Please don’t let them do it...please...”
Mint and Penny exchanged looks of sorrow with each other. It was devastating to see their friend like this. It had been a month and he was still paralyzed. Just as still as he had been before. Poor Rudy... He didn’t deserve this kind of fate and yet... life can be so cruel at times.
They wished they could have done something faster. They wished they had gotten to him before Sandra could finish her attack. They wished that they had knocked her out of the way before his neck broke. But they were too slow. They were too late. And now their friend was suffering for it.
Despite knowing it wasn’t their fault, they still blamed themselves for what had happened. They felt, in a way, responsible. They were there when Sandra attacked. They had seen it for themselves. They could have done..something...anything. But they failed. They had failed Rudy, and now he was laying in bed with a broken neck, and he may end up staying that way forever.
But there may be a silver lining....
It all depended on Mint’s father. Mint had spoken to his dad a few times before. His dad was a bit uncooperative due to expenses and risks involved. But Mint felt that it was worth a shot. He hadn’t said anything to Rudy, Penny, or Snap yet. He didn’t want to give them false hope in case his dad refused to do it or it didn’t work.
If it does, it may offer Rudy a chance at some kind of recovery. Mint didn’t think that he’d heal up completely. The chances were slim. But he hoped that Rudy could, at the very least, regain some mobility so he didn’t feel so trapped.
“Shh.... It’ll be okay, Rudy.” Penny whispered. She stroked Rudy’s hair, putting her face close to his. “You’ll be okay. I promise...”
“I don’t want to die! Don’t let them kill me! Please!” Rudy wailed. His heart monitor started to go crazy. “Please don’t let them!”
Penny put her arm across Rudy’s chest carefully as she pressed her face against his. “Shush now.. It’s okay. No one is going pull the plug on you yet.” Penny rubbed her cheek against his, comforting him. “It’s going to be okay. I promise...”
Rudy didn’t attempt to speak after that. His breathing began to slow down, and his heart monitor began to return to normal. But his crying hadn’t let up. His whimpers filled the room, nearly echoing off the walls. It filled the room with a sense of melancholy, twisting their hearts. They wished they could take away the sorrow and the pain, but in the end, they knew that it was up to time...and luck.
Mint hoped that somehow, someway, that miracle would happen. He hoped that Rudy would be able to walk again. That was all he wanted to see right now, all he craved. Rudy walking. Rudy being able to take care of himself like he had before.
He didn’t want his wretched creation to get the final laugh on them. He and Penny had recovered. Snap was on his way to recovery and would be out of the hospital at some point in the somewhat near future. He hoped that Rudy would also be able to recover. He hoped that Sandra’s mark on him would fade, and they would be able to enjoy themselves like they had before.
Only time would tell.
Only time.
sss
Three months passed. Three long, painstaking months. And there was no improvement in Rudy. It was just as the doctors had predicted. None of them believed that Rudy would recover, that he would be permanently bed ridden. It was a harsh reality that they all had to face. The more time passed, the more discouraged they all started to feel about the situation. They all became to realize just how final this all was.
It was beginning to take its toll on Rudy’s psyche. The boy had tried to remain brave. He tried to face this with dignity, without freaking out. But the more he was trapped in bed, in the hospital, the more he realized more and more he may be trapped like this, and it ate away at his mind, tearing him up on the inside. And though he had tried his best to remain calm and quiet, it didn’t last for very long, and occasionally he would snap.
His screaming and crying became a regular thing to hear at the hospital. He would cry for someone to get him out. He’d plead with someone to let him walk again. He’d bed the doctors to do something to help him. But there was nothing the doctors could do except give him some sedatives to calm down. This helped to an extent, but it did not stop the boy’s tears, nor did it provide him with any hope.
It tore Penny, Mint, and Snap apart to see their friend like that. The adults, especially Rudy’s parents, were torn apart by what Rudy was going through. They all did what they could to cheer him up. Penny and Mint would play games with them that only involved using his brain and thinking. Tilly and Sophie would sometimes bring him over music to listen to. His parents would tell him stories. Snap would try to tell jokes. And it would vary and change, with new ideas and new attempts at keeping Rudy from losing his sanity.
But it was a long and hard road. Rudy showed little signs of mental improvement, even with all their efforts. He was growing more and more unstable as the days passed. Some of his responses had taken on a more sarcastic tone, bitterness beginning to seep in as he realized his predicament.
He would apologize for it at least, especially if he ended up saying something particularly nasty. But it was still a difficult thing to bear. It wasn’t so much Rudy’s words that hurt them the most; it was the fact that he had to suffer like this. He had lost so much... They could only hope that he began to show signs of improvement soon.
sss
It happened. It finally happened. Mint was shocked it took this long. Four months later.... But at least his dad had finally come through. His dad was able to do what Mint had suggested. And now, maybe, just maybe, things would begin to change.
Mint knew of some new research regarding spinal injuries. He knew that a group of scientists had managed to heal a rat’s spine enough to allow it to walk again. It was a revolutionary procedure never before seen. When Mint heard about it, it sent chills up his spine and he knew that it could be used to help Rudy with his neck injury.
The procedure was risky, however, and there was a chance that it would have no effect at all, or even come with its own risks. It was one thing to operate on a rat. It was another story to try a human, a much larger organism.
But despite that, Mint still felt it was the best option that they had. They didn’t want Rudy to have to die or live the rest of his life as a fleshy statue. This experiment was the next best thing. They had to give it a shot. They had to see if this new procedure was going to work for their friend. They had to try it and see if it could make any kind of difference.
It took some time, but he and his dad were able to convince the doctors to try this experiment with Rudy, but only if Rudy agreed. Understandable. It wouldn’t be a good idea to try to operate on Rudy if he didn’t know what they were doing, if he didn’t concede to it and give permission. Mint could see where that would definitely be a problem.
He spoke to Rudy about it shortly after. The boy was mixed on the idea, and was uncertain what to think. On the one hand, Rudy was excited for the idea of possibly regaining some motor functions. But on the other, he was utterly terrified of what could happen if it all went wrong. He didn’t want to be disappointed again. He had experienced too much disappointment. He didn’t want to get his hopes up, only for them to be dashed again.
Mint couldn’t blame him. After all that had happened, it would be hard to believe if anything worked at this point. Rudy being disappointed again and again had jaded him, and he just didn’t want to get hurt again. Mint was certain that this procedure would be different. He remained positive, and spoke to Rudy with great certainty that the procedure would help him, somehow.
After some talking, they had all agreed to try the procedure. They weren’t sure what to expect as they arranged for the operation. They weren’t sure if it was going to work. They weren’t sure what was going to happen. One thing was for certain: they’d never know until they tried.
And when the day of the surgery arrived, they all crossed their fingers and hoped for the best. As Rudy was wheeled into the operating room, Mint, his friends, and family all sat in the waiting room, watching him as he was taking away. They comforted each other through the crueling hours, hoping and praying that Rudy would make it out okay.
Everything rid on this risky procedure.
sss
Penny watched as Rudy opened up his eyes. She watched him intently, waiting to see him awake again. Rudy had been out for several hours after the surgery. He was just now starting to wake up. She had been waiting in his room for all this time, waiting for him to get up.
She was the only one in the room. Their parents were talking with the doctors on how to further treat Rudy’s spine in case this worked, and Mint was using the bathroom down the hall since the one in Rudy’s hospital room was on the fritz. Although she had to go, she decided to say behind. She wanted someone to be here for Rudy when he woke up. She didn’t want him to wake up alone.
“P-Penny..?” Came Rudy’s groggy voice. “What..what happened..?”
“You just had major surgery, Rudy. Please remain calm.” Penny said soothingly to him.
“Surgery...?” Rudy narrowed his groggy eyes in confusion. Then it seemed to dawn on him and he nodded his head. “Oh yeah...the procedure...” He closed his eyes lightly and smacked his lips, licking them slowly. “Changes..?”
Penny bit her lip. “I’m..not sure. Do you feel any different?”
Rudy let out a soft moan. It was hard to tell, but judging from his expression, it seemed as though he was trying to move a finger or toe. And he was failing at it. His expression was clearly that of frustration. “No....No feeling. No movement... Nothing...” His voice became a whimper as reality began to strike him in the head. “Oh no...no...”
Penny couldn’t tell if Rudy remembered everything so fast, or if just bits and pieces were returning. Either way, his reaction to it was heartbreaking. She could see the tears begin to stroll down his cheeks. For him, it was as though no procedure was done on him at all. It seemed as though nothing had changed, that he was trapped in that horrid bed forever.
But Penny knew otherwise. It was too early to say. They needed more time. They needed to wait before they jump to any conclusions. She knew what the doctors had said. She had to tell Rudy before he got himself too worked up.
“The doctors said it may take some time before the effects to be noticeable. They said you will need time for your spine to recover from the surgery. Then after that, they will check to see if any new connections had been made and, from there, figure out if the operation was a failure or success.” Penny stared at Rudy for a few moments, smiling gently down at him as she stroked his cheek. “I’m sure the procedure will work, Rudy. Just give it sometime. You’ll see. In just a few days, you’ll be able to move your legs. Then you will begin the long road to recovery, and you will be just fine.”
Rudy didn’t say a word. He just whimpered and cried, his groggy mind bombarded by intense feelings of fear and emotion. Penny held onto him, gently pulling him close to her. She rested her chin on his head, careful not to move his neck the wrong way. Penny listened to his sobbing, feeling her heart twist in the process.
The doctors said the results won’t come in for a few days at least. It was going to be a long wait, tearing apart everyone’s minds at the seems. They all wanted to know what the results were faster. They wanted to know if the operation was a success or a failure. The tension of not knowing was far more terrifying than knowing what the answer was. This was driving them nuts. They had to know the answer...
...yet they knew they could not speed up the results. They could not do anything to get the results faster. They had no choice but to wait and see if there were any improvements thanks to the procedure.
Although they wished they could do more, they knew there was little they could do, except hope and pray that everything was going to work out in the end. She continued to hold onto Rudy, rubbing her cheek against his, whispering soft words of comfort.
“Shh...it’s going to be okay... I promise...”
Penny wasn’t sure how true those words were. But she would do whatever she could to fulfill it. Rudy was going to recover. He was going to be able to walk again, to move his arms and write and draw... She would see to that.
sss
Two days had passed since the surgery. And Rudy did not notice any kind of change. He still couldn't feel anything below his neck, not even the pain of the highly invasive surgery. Frustration began to seep through him. He could feel his face and neck heat up and chill down rapidly as he tried to cope with his predicament.
He had tried to be brave for his friends and family. He had tried to keep himself calm and be reasonable. But the reality of what happened to him weighed down, crushing him underneath its weight. And there was nothing he could do to stop it.
Why..? Why did this have to happen...? Why did he have to remain bed ridden? Why did he have to lose control of his arms and legs? Why did he have to become dependent on others in this way? He wanted to do things for himself for once. He wanted to be able to move around, to go anywhere whenever he wanted to, and not have to be strapped down to a wheelchair. He wanted to be able to run with his friends and have fun.
But he knew that was not going to happen anytime soon...if ever. He may be trapped like this forever. It was a cruel, harsh reality that he was just going to have to accept. He knew that the sooner he accepted this fate, the better off he was going to be.
But how could he accept this? How could he get used to this? Even to this day, a long time after the incident, he was still having nightmares about Sandra. He was still terrified of going to sleep, thinking that any time he'd shut his eyes, she would be there, biting his throat... Oh gawd, he...he had to get out of here, somehow.
Suddenly, he could hear the loud beeping of his heart monitor. His heart was racing against his chest. Even without feeling there, he could feel the pressure of something hitting against his chest. He tried to calm himself down, but the more he tried, the more panicked he felt. The realization that he may never be able to move again, create art, do anything anymore, ripped his heart open and crushed his mind. Unable to hold it back for long, he let out a scream.
"Rudy Tabootie!" Came a masculine voice. "Please stop! Don't get yourself worked up!"
Rudy didn't listen. He attempted to turn himself from side to side. He could feel his neck move slightly. This was put to an end when something warm gripped his forehead and held him still. Rudy let out a few more screams, trying to fight against whatever had gripped him.
"Please stop this at once!" The voice called out again.
This time, Rudy managed to recognize who the voice belonged to. He opened up his eyes and mooved his pupils up. The hand obscured most of the view, but Rudy caught a glimpse of the outfit and body shape, and he knew of only one person who looked like this.
"M-Mr. Wilter..?" Rudy asked in a low voice. "What are you doing here...?"
Mr. Wilter moved his hand out of the way. He looked down at the boy. Rudy could see a look of concern on his face, his eyes narrowed slightly. He moved a little closer until he was right beside Rudy.
"I wanted to see how you were doing. I heard you just got some major surgery done." Mr. Wilter said.
Rudy frowned at this. "Yeah, and it didn't work."
"Well the doctors did say it would take some time." Mr. Wilter held up his hand in gesture. "You can't expect miracles over night."
Rudy wanted to try to stay positive. He wanted to remain hopeful. But he found himself unable to. His frown deepened and he let out a soft growl. "Yeah, well I have a feeling that all my luck has run out." He couldn't believe how bitter he sounded, but at the moment, he didn't care too much. "I...I am never going to get out of this place."
Mr. Wilter looked sadly down at Rudy. "Now don't say that..."
"It's true, though! Look at me! Look at what I've become!" Rudy shrieked. His heart monitor began to act up again. "I'm just a potato laying in a field! A piece of paper on the back of a printer! A rock situated on a hill! I can't do anything for myself! I've become just a burden to everyone!"
"Now now, Rudy..." Mr. Wilter said. "Your friends and family don't mind helping you. They love you. You know that."
Rudy took in a few ragged breaths before he gave an exasperated sigh. "Yeah I know... I just..can't help but feel that way." His breathing became a little shaky. "I had so much ahead of me...and now I'm...I'm this.. And I may never recover. It's...it's over..."
Mr. Wilter shook his head. "No...No it's not over." He reached down and gently patted Rudy on the head. "I know it seems bad. But there is still time. There is still a chance." He raised his other hand in gesture. "Don't rule things out so easily, Rudy. You didn't do that so much in my class. Don't do it here, either. I know you better than that."
Rudy shifted his eyes away, down towards the bed. "I'm...I'm trying..."
"I know it may not have seemed like it, but I do regard you as one of my more promising students."
Rudy was shocked by this. He immediately looked back up at Mr. Wilter, his eyes bulging. "R-Really...?" Mr. Wilter smiled and nodded. "But what about my cartoons? I thought you..."
"Well it is true I don't like rude cartoons. But I know how much you like them. And I admit, I'd like to see you be able to draw again..." Mr. Wilter looked down at Rudy's paralyzed right arm. He bit his lip, his face contorting into sadness. "Life can throw us a tough wheel at times."
Rudy frowned. "Yeah, no kidding."
"I see you as a promising student because you don't give up. Even when I am wrong but won't admit it, you still have the guts to stand up to me and prove my error." Mr. Wilter stroked Rudy's head a bit, being as gentle as he could. "Please don't give up on yourself. Try to hold onto hope. The procedure might work. Just give it some time. Please."
Rudy lowered his gaze, thinking about Mr. Wilter's words. He took them into consideration. He knew that he was right on some level. Rudy hadn't given up before. He had always faced the roughest roads and came out on top. He had managed to go up aginst many dangers and situations, and though they were hard, he didn't give up then, even when all seemed lost. He didn't give up then. So he shouldn't give up now.
But it was still going to be hard. Those other times weren't like this. He had been like this for months now, or maybe longer. He had all but lost track of time. Everything seemed to muddle together when he could do nothing but lay in bed. But...he couldn't give up. Mr. Wilter was right. He couldn't give up.
Smiling lightly at his teacher, trying to sound as confident as he could, Rudy said, "...okay. I'll try, Mr. Wilter. I'll try."
Mr. Wilter smiled down at him.
sss
Later that day, Rudy got a visit from his mother and father. They had stopped by about two hours after Mr. Wilter had to leave. Rudy was grateful for the company. He hated being alone in this place. It always made him feel better when someone would stay with him.
But there was a part of him that wasn't entirely happy to see his parents. He had never brought it up before, but he had overheard them talking about the possibility of letting him go. A part of him felt a bit nervous around him because of that. They were his parents, and he knew they loved him, and he knew that euthanizing him if the procedure didn't work would hurt them so much. But he couldn't help but feel a little scared around him, unsure of what they were going to do.
But this time, he did bring it up with them. And their reaction was just as he had expected it to be.
"Oh Rudy! You know we love you! We would never..." Mrs. Tabootie whispered softly. She sniffled as she stroked Rudy's hair. "How could you think that...we'd...?"
"I know, mom. I just..can't help it. With all that happened..." Rudy's voice trailed off. His cheeks were stained with tears. A sense of guilt was rising up inside of him. "I'm sorry."
"Oh don't worry about it, Rudy. We know you didn't mean it." Mr. Tabootie said, trying to comfort his son. "This is a very devastating situation. Such tragedies can screw with anyone's minds. Just know that we are here for you and we are going to do whatever we can to help you through this. Okay...?"
Rudy would have nodded his head if he could. "Yeah...I know."
His parents smiled down at him. They remained with him while he settled himself down. For a little while, no one said a word. Rudy didn't mind. Just his parents being there was enough to calm him down. The silence would only drive him mad if there was no one there with him.
Rudy felt bad about how he felt before. He knew that his parents wouldn't have given up on him. He didn't know why felt that they would, even for a split moment. He felt so awful.. He wanted to make it up to them. He wanted to hug them and tell them it was all right. But there was nothing he could do except smile reassuringly at them. His parents smiled back, but they could not hug him. Not without risking hurting him more; his neck was still recovering.
After a few moments, his dad decided to break the silence. His father reached forward and laid his hand on Rudy's head. "Don't worry, son. Things will get better. You'll see.."
"Yeah." His mother sniffled. Although she knew he wouldn't be able to feel it, she laid her hand on Rudy's arm. "It will be okay." She ran her hand along Rudy's arm. "Soon you'll be able to draw again, like you always loved to do..."
Rudy smiled at his parents. He tried his best to look strong for them. He remembered what Mr. Wilter, his friends, everyone had told him. Despite the doctors' worries, there was still a chance that things could work out. He had to try to stay positive, and hope for the best. He couldn't give up. He..
..that's when he noticed something. He hadn't been paying attention to it before. He hadn't realized it until now. His eyes widened slightly as he realized that he had...felt something. Faint, extremely faint, like a feather. But it was there.
His parents noticed his change in expression and they looked down at him worriedly.
"Son..? What is it?" Mr. Tabootie asked. "What's wrong...?"
"Is something...?" Mrs. Tabootie's voice trailed off.
"My...my arm..." Rudy said in a low voice. His eyes were wide not from pain, but from disbelief. "I..I felt something..." He stared up at his parents. His mouth ticked into a small smile. "I can feel my arm..."
It took only seconds for his parents to register this information. They both gave a cry of joy and hugged each other. Tears of happiness streamed down their face. Rudy couldn't stop his own tears from falling either.
Finally, after all this time...some good news had happened..
The realization that Rudy could actually feel something, even if just faint, it was momentous for him and his parents. After so long of being numb below his neck, to sense something in his arm... It brought a torrent of emotions in the boy. He tried not to let it go to his head. He knew there was still a long ways to go. But he still cherished this moment as he cried happily with his parents.
He could only hope that things would go uphill from here. He hoped that, as time went on, he would regain more and more movement. And maybe, after all this was over, hopefully, he would be back to normal. But no one had the answers to that...except time itself.
sss
The news of Rudy regaining some sensation shocked the doctors and delighted his friends and family. It was a shocking but welcome development, and the doctors ran some tests to make sure Rudy was telling the truth. They were able to confirm that there were some new reconnections in his spinal cord. The treatment had worked, on some level.
For the next couple of months, Rudy experienced a steady incline of improvements. The journey was long and hard. The therapy was at times painful and exhausting, especially after he regained nearly all feeling back in his arms. But he was still grateful for it, and went along with the therapy, his friends and family with him every step of the way.
Therapy was required even months later to help him regain mobility that had been lost in his hands. Slowly, surely, he began to regain some movement, and eventually was able to do more delicate things with his fingers, like hold small objects and even write. When he had finally been able to draw after all that time, it was a beautiful moment he'd never forget. Even though his art skills suffered greatly from lack of usage and his arm still being weak, the fact that he could draw at all was enough of a celebration in his eyes.
However, things weren't all sunny and roses. His legs were an entirely different matter. He did regain some feeling and motion in them, but even months later, they were largely useless. His arms had been easier to heal because they were much closer to the damaged area. But his legs were furthest down. Some reconnections had been made, but the doctors had doubts he would ever fully regain use of them.
It was a downer on what was otherwise an uphill climb. Rudy had come to accept that his legs may remain useless for the rest of his life. Maybe in the far future, when technology got more advanced, he might be able to use them again. But for now, he had agreed to the use of a wheelchair. A devastating thing for him to use at such a young age, but after what he experienced, he learned to take whatever life threw at him. Being mobile in a wheelchair was much better than being immobile in a hospital bed.
Then, after another month of intense therapy and training to help him use the wheelchair, like getting in and out on his own, he was discharged from the hospital, much to his delight and the joy of his friends and family. When he had been brought home, he was immediately greated with a surprise party welcoming him back. The sight of it brought tears to his eyes.
He enjoyed the cake, the games, the movies, but most of all, he enjoyed being him with those he cared about. He was overjoyed to not being trapped in the hospital anymore, and being back in familiar surroundings. He enjoyed the party not simply because it was being held for him, but because it reminded him of all he went through, and how he had, for the most part, triumphed in the end.
He resettled into his home after a few days. His parents added this device...he forgot what it was called, but it would allow him to ride down the railing so he can get up the stairs without problem. It helped him feel welcome in his own home instead of trapped in his room. He got used to the wheelchair and had regained most of his independence. Showering was still a problem, but other than that, he was doing well.
He still hadn't regained much movement and feeling in his legs. His mind no longer panicked, however. He had resigned himself to his fate. If being stuck in a wheelchair was a trade off to regaining some mobility and returning home, then he would take it.
To be back home at all was incredible, and he often felt himself flushed in emotion. A part of him wondered if this was reality or not. But he knew it was. Slowly, as he slept and woke up day after day, the nightmares faded away, to the point where they no longer bothered him. The instance of Sandra biting and breaking his neck was relegated to a distant memory, pushed aside in favor of the present. And with the help of his friends, it only got better.
sss
"Are you sure this is okay?" Rudy asked. He looked over at the large chalkboard nervously. "I-I don't know if..."
"It will be okay. We promise." Mint said, placing his hand on his shoulder. "We took care to buy the biggest chalkboard that they had."
"We know that you missed ChalkZone. So we wanted to help you find a way back in." Penny said.
Rudy couldn't help but smile at this. It was true that he hadn't set foot in ChalkZone since the incident. For much of the time, the reason had been obvious. He couldn't move anything and his neck was still damaged and healing. And lately, his wheelchair prevented easy access. His old chalkboard may ahve been large, but it was not big enough for his wheelchair to fit through.
So he had been relegated to talking to his zoner friends through the portable chalkboard. He was glad to see that everything and everyone was doing much better. Snap had informed him of all the latest updates, keeping Rudy in the know of what was happening lately.
Sandra's Alcove had been torn down and replaced with some kind of therapy place. Many of the zoners were traumatized by the events, whether it was being influenced unknowingly, or eating someone that they knew without realizing it, or losing a loved on, in the fire or in the form of food. The therapy place helpd the zoners slowly being to recover mentally, and according to Snap, they were doing much better. Shrapnel Tower had been rebuilt, this time with many security features put into place. It had been converted into a new restaurant, this time with legit, non-morally questionable ingredients.
Ripclaw and Mosaic had both completely recovered from their injuries. Both were treated like heroes, and recieved a medal of honor, even though they both wouldn't really know what to do with them. Ripclaw had found a new job at the hospital when it was discovered that she and Mosaic got along well. No longer simply a mascot, Mosaic, along with Ripclaw, were a new security system, and they were taken much more seriously after Mosaic's persistance helped stop a murderer.
Snap had fully recovered from his injuries at this point. Some faint scars remained, but they were hidden underneath his leotard. It was as if nothing had happened to him. Snap had recieved numerous apologies from zoners that had accused him, and bridges that had been damaged were mended. And the same zoners, including the ones that had attacked them, apologized to Mint and Penny, and sent their apologies to Rudy. Rudy was glad to hear that it was finally all straightened out.
The zones in the mob had been released for good behavior. It also helped that they had shown how very sorry they were and how they, like the rest, wanted to make amends.
Especially Taima.
Rudy learned that Taima was the leader of the mob, and that he had beaten up Snap badly in the jail. He had turned over a new leaf and apologized to Snap. He had since become a good friend to Snap and had helped him during his recovery. Same thing with Dr. Gelcro, the doctor who had previously blamed Snap the most. With their help, Snap was able to get out of the hospital faster.
Sandra hadn't escaped from her prison of solitude, and there were doubts she'd ever get out anytime soon. They hadn't heard a peep out of her, and nothing regarding her machine or signal had ever been heard from again. It still scared Rudy that one of the artifacts had somehow ended up in her possession and was used against the zoners. But at least it was all over now.
Rudy missed going into ChalkZone so much. There were times when he wanted to crawl through and be in it again. But for so long, he just couldn't do that. But now..things had changed.
Mint and Penny had chipped in and bought a huge chalkboard, one that was nearly the size of Mr. Wilter's. It rested on a support system. Penny was pushing it over towards him. It touched the bottom almost completely, letting him be able to push his wheelchair into the portal, and back into ChalkZone. The sight of it made his mouth tick into a smile. Such a thing must have been so expensive... But his two friends didn't seem to mind. Why would they? He was their friend after all. Just seeing him happy was enough for them.
"Come on, we better hurry up if we are going to be there in time for the party." Penny said.
Rudy's eyes widened at this. "Party...?" He turned his head and looked up at his friends. "What party?"
"Oh we didn't tell you?" Mint rubbed his head a bit sheepishly. "Well we spoke to some of the zoners and we decided to throw you a party to welcome you back into ChalkZone."
Penny nodded her head. "They miss you so much, Rudy. They want to see you again. They want to welcome you back."
Rudy let this all sink in. He hadn't expected a party. He hadn't expected the zoners to go through all that trouble just for him. The fact that they did.. It showed him just how much they really cared about him. He could feel happiness swell up inside of him. He gave a nod of his head.
"Okay then. Let's go." Rudy said. He gave a slight chuckle. "We can't keep them waiting for too long, right?"
Mint smiled at this. "No..no we should not."
"Here we go." Penny said as she drew a massive portal. The light shimmered and all three of them could see into ChalkZone.
Rudy stared at the light, feeling it bathe on his body. He felt Mint push his wheelchair, aiding him over the bump. And before he knew it, he was in ChalkZone. He looked around, taking in the realization that he was finally back in the world he had fought to protect, and loved to explore. The emotions were overwhelming.
"Bucko!" Snap cried, his voice high pitched with elation. "You made it! You're finally here!"
Rudy smiled. "Hello, Snap. I..."
He didn't get a chance to finish. All of a sudden, Snap lunged at him, landing in his stomach and chest. He wrapped his arms around him and pulled him into a hug. Rudy stared at him in shock before wrapping his arms around him and hugging him back. They stayed like this for several seconds before they finally parted.
"Come on! We need to go! The zoners are waiting for you!" Snap cried, jumping up and down in excitement. "Follow me!"
Instantly, the three followed Snap as he began to lead them somewhere. Mint still held onto Rudy's wheelchair, pushing it. It wasn't a sign that he felt he couldn't help himself. It was an act of kindness. Rudy leaned back in his wheelchair and relaxed as they headed through ChalkZone, moving along some small hills as they headed towards the Candycane Forest.
In the distance, Rudy could make out a large, red banner being held up in the air. He could read the message loud and clear from there.
"Welcome Back, Great Protector Of ChalkZone!"
Rudy smiled at this. Tears of happiness strolled down his face. And as they got closer, he could see many zoners, including Lars, Rapsheeba, Blocky, and Chalk Dad waving to him, jumping up and down and cheering his return.
Intense emotion twisted around his heart. Rudy couldn't stop smiling. Seeing this, the zoners cheering for him, coming up to him, his friends being there with him, it reminded him of how lucky he was, and how sometimes, life can be merciful, not just cruel. He may not be able to walk anymore, but he still regained some things, and he still had friends and family that cared about him.
And that's what mattered the most.
sss
"I don't know about this..." The zoner said nervously, her voice barely a whisper. "What if she...?"
The other zoner shook his head. "Oh don't worry about it. She can't do anything to hurt you. Just open the door real quick, toss the food in, and shut it. She won't be fast enough."
He watched as the female zoner gave a sigh of relief, but still looked nervous. He couldn't blame her. They had been tasked with the job of feeding Sandra. He had done this many times before, but she...well she was new. It was something to get used to, especially lately since Sandra almost never had any company. The isolation had started to drive her mad. Some could handle it...but she could not.
The female zoner he was with carried the food on a large plate. Lots of meat cuts they had gotten from a local butcher. It was feeding time now. Although he would rather just let Sandra die, he knew that this punishment was much worse, and much more deserving of her.
They headed down the corridor until they reached a round door. He took out his keys and opened it up. Despite its name, the Vortex Of Solitude was not really a vortex; just a fancy name to make it sound more serious. It was more just a very large, heavily padded, heavily insulated room. It was called that due to it looking like it was outer space. A purple and black sky, many stars, and a sharp, rocky surface.
He pushed the door open and looked around. Sandra was nowhere in sight. He motioned to his companion to go in and set down the food. She hesitated for a few moments, but, upon encouragement, she went in slowly. She walked in cautiously, looking left and right. He wanted her, making sure to keep an eye out for Sandra. They never knew when she would show up.
Slowly, the female zoner sat the food down about fifteen feet away from the door. Then she backed away slowly. He had made sure to tell her to move slowly, otherwise she might trigger something. But he could see her begin to panic, especially when she heard scrapes and growls in the air. Before he could say anything, she bolted.
"No! Stop!" He wailed at her, waving his hands. "She'll...!"
It was too late. Faster than he could have predicted, there was a flash of blue, and a loud screech as it slammed against his partner. He quickly shut the door and held it tightly. His partner, crying and screaming, managed to fend off her attacker and came towards the door. She began to pound on it furiously.
"Let me out! Let me out!" She cried, tears streaming down her face. "Please!"
As much as he wanted to, he knew he could not do it. He merely shook his head, looking at her sadly as Sandra came in from behind. He snapped his head back in horror as the female zoner was pushed up against the glass window, blood staining the clear surface. This only lasted a few seconds before she was yanked back.
The zoner shut his eyes and cringed as he heard the sounds of screams and cracks fill the air. He dare not look, the cries of pain and terror filling his heart, twisting it. A wave of massive guilt swept through him as he was forced to allow Sandra to tear her apart in favor of keeping her from getting out. Then there was a sickening grunch and a gurgled cry, and he knew it was all over. He dared a glance.
Sandra, who no longer had her armor or cape on, who still wore the metal helmet to block her powers, stood over his former partner. Her body had been ripped to shreds, one limb removed and large chunks of flesh gone, some organs and bone exposed. Sandra was digging in voraciously, tearing off pieces of meat and swallowing them whole. The sight was absolutely nauseating.
Then Sandra looked over at him. He froze, staring into her crazed, feral eyes, her teeth pulled back into a wicked smile. It was clear that so much time alone had not done anything to improve her already dangerous demeanor...
Sandra looked away, down at the corpse she was eating. "You're not Snap. I still see you as Snap. He will pay. You will pay for him. I'll get him somehow. I'll get him!"
The male zoner let out a cry of terror at Sandra's frantic, insanity-filled cries. He watched her for a couple more seconds, holding back the urge to throw up as she ripped out his former partner's intestines and chewed on them like they were candy.
Unable to take it anymore, he turned around and ran away. Sandra's chilling laughter filled the air.
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