Julia struck out with the knife, but unfortunately only got skin deep with that mask, which was looking more and more vivid and realistic by the second. She began to feel like she could barely stand and might throw up, but managed to kick Jonathan between the legs. "Where's Dave?" she gasped, trying to stay upright. 743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLzbpT88WvC
After a few quiet moans of pain, Jonathan said in a voice that was whispery but yet made her ears ring, "You mean you don't know? The horses got him." His voice sounded so hoarse now, so deadly. What had this strange drug done to her? 743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzx474eIxbc
Her throat was feeling tight, and she coughed several times. "If I had a gun, I would fill you so full of lead..." Julia again tried to use her knife only to fall down next to him from the weakness of her legs and the uncontrollable shaking. 743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWfJNfZXvQg
Get the keys, get the keys... "D--don't you move..." she bluffed, pointing the knife's blade at him while she frantically jammed her hand into his nearest pocket--only to be kneed in her stomach and back repetitively before dropping her knife. 743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo3yDvpsEuS
"Julia, Julia, Julia..." Jonathan stroked the knife's blade, looming over her. "You just think of everything, don't you?" The voice sounded nothing like him, and for a split second Julia wondered if this...this creature had taken over the head administrator of Arkham Asylum's body. 743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmfKLoHRGMW
"What's happened to me?! Why are you doing this...?" 743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkKbRJxnJ5Y
His voice kept shifting from normal to that mechanical echo. "Fear toxins such as the one I injected into you can create symptoms very similar to a panic attack, in which the victim may fear that they're having a heart attack or that death is imminent." 743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL4UOGOu6mp
"The patients..." Julia clutched at her chest, unable to process it all. So that's what had been wrong with them. 743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQGeT9OKfRT
"Yes. Oh Julia, I said I would tell you everything you needed to know. I never said they'd be things you wanted to know." Surprisingly strong arms scooped her up. "Now, we'll go find Dave." 743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdOUJF5cFQF
"B--but you said the horses got him..." Julia whimpered, now fully believing it. She couldn't look at the mask anymore. It looked too real. And she didn't dare look down. She couldn't look at anything anymore without it becoming some sort of threat, and wondered if this was what dying felt like. 743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNjCuwrfAQr
She snapped her eyes closed as he carried her toward the carousel, but closing her eyes only made things worse. And the shaking--she wanted so badly to be able to stop the involuntary and jerky movements that had taken over her body. 743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmqsPU957HT
Jonathan dropped her roughly onto the ground in front of the carousel, and then she saw him--Dave. He was draped over a white horse with a teal-and-gold saddle in front of her, and he appeared to be taking his last few breaths. Two thug-like men stood next to him with their arms crossed. 743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFzrCwSd2x5
Dave labored to look at her. "J--Julia..."743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5h4RzEYwzU
"Dave! I'm so sorry!" Julia began to cry hysterically. The horses on the carousel all looked at her, their tiny pupils beginning to disappear. 743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfKf9THOtss
"Don't let him break you, Julia...don't let him..." He never finished, his form now completely limp. 743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFSsgdJYcae
"Ah yeah, they're both dead," one of the thugs laughed. 743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC5VOufiG3S
Not yet... She knew she couldn't save Dave now, but she could still try to get herself away from this carousel, before they got her next. 743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeLbKUAxJIy
"It's too late." 743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjUZud1tzLQ
"Get away from me," Julia choked out. 743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡllrDzYfrbM
The scarecrow-like figure loomed over her, still holding the knife she'd hoped would save her tonight, but she never would have expected this. "This is what happens when you go wandering into what isn't your business." He knelt down next to her and moved the hair that had fallen in front of her face, making her look at him. That emotionless mask, with an emotionless face underneath it...743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ep2qrEbN7
"And now it's my business as well," came a new male voice. This one was more authoritative than sinister.
The two thugs pointed guns at the new figure--actually it was two new figures, and one pinned Julia's captor to the ground while the other took on the thugs, even though they were obviously armed. 743Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa1ds3BFbeS
Julia no longer heard the words between the three dark forms, or bothered to wonder who the figure was, but knew she could scream now. It didn't matter anymore. It would end soon, one way or another.
Again arms picked her up, but these were much gentler.
"Get her into the ambulance, now." And that sentence was the last thing she would hear for hours.
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