#uh oh the incarnation au is getting a strong grip on me. it threw me into the garbage bin. it is now taking over my mind

[demigod-of-the-agni]

Couldn't figure out which one was nicer, so you can have both

[clairethecutepup]

Ed Edd n Eddy: "Playing" with (the) "Dollies" (Writing Practice; Assassin AU)

Synopsis: "It's always exciting to take home a new toy, when you were a kid, but what's it like when YOU are the 'new toy' brought home for another's amusement?"

*Before you read:

This is based on C2ndy2C1d's "Assassin AU" of the series

Sarah and Jimmy will be arguably and a tad "out of character," as this paints their "assassin" versions as being in a more, mildly sadistic light; yet, they're not Satan incarnate and will have more humane moments

There are "trigger warnings" for the following: abduction, (very mild) instances of non-graphic torture, and experienced side effects of psychological/emotional stress. Despite what is said in the tale, I did not add, "a victimized minor," as Claire is only a "small girl" because she's a short and baby-faced person that makes others assume she's an actual kid.

It's not profanity-heavy, but a strong word or two does get dropped for emotional impact.

If you're good to go, feel free to read for critiquing, amusement, etc.

N-Now I know why they call it: "Being in the wrong place, at the wrong time..."

I was asked to dump out our food scraps for the animals, along the edge of the forest. I got caught up in gaming and didn't remember to do that, until it was getting dark. Even though we're out in the country side, it's a very safe place, so I didn't feel like I'd be in any danger by going out this late. When I actually got to the edge and threw the food in, I found out I was being watched: two people were looking back at me, with a dying person on the ground. I had been looking down the entire time, and I guess the other two were too distracted to notice me. I did tend to walk really quietly and be silent overall... I-I guess it's also hard to hear someone like me coming, when you're too busy listening to someone dying instead...?

The two people then motion for me to come over with their fingers, and they've got the scariest grins and looks in their eyes. Since I only see half their faces, they must be wearing masks... Th-That's even creepier! I gotta run for it!!!

They manage to land on either side of me and grab my limbs: the ballerina-like one grabs my left arm, while the jester-like one grabs my right arm... I try to get free, but their grips are too tight and they jump back into the trees with me. They work together to hold me in place: the ballerina is holding me up and hugging my upper body, completely pinning my arms, while the jester holds my ankles. It looks like the ballerina is a woman and the jester is a man, but wh-what're they gonna do to me...?! I can only close my eyes 'cause I don't know if I can actually fight back, with how strong they seem-- especially the woman.

"It seems someone has trouble following instructions," I can hear the grin in the jester's voice, "Well, nevermind that, as maybe you can help make tonight more enjoyable. We were disappointed when our previous 'play date' didn't really give us much of a chance for some fun, but a witness we need to keep quiet can fix that easily~."

N-No, really, what's gonna happen to me now?! P-Please tell me they're just planning to kill me, and that's it...

"What's this, then?" the Jester asks, "Usually, this is the part where you'd beg us for your life, promising you won't tell a single soul what made you a 'witness' in the first place."

"Not exactly like we'd believe you," I hear the ballerina add, "but something tells me you're not keeping quiet because you're smart enough to figure that out."

I just keep my mouth and eyes shut. I'm bracing for whatever's gonna happen...

"You're awfully calm about all this..." the jester says, after a moment, "I'll admit, it's a tad boring when we have someone too willing to accept their potential fate. Perhaps we should make things more interesting~? Sarah and I always did enjoy engaging with our more playful sides..."

Uh oh, it sounds like they're not gonna settle for just killing me...

"Let's move to somewhere more secluded, though," the jester finishes, "We don't want anyone else to possibly happen upon us, do we~?"

I feel them carry me away somewhere, probably deeper into the forest... Someone, help me!! I feel myself being pinned against a wall of sorts. I open my eyes and see the ballerina-- "Sarah," or I believe she's the one that name belongs to, at least --holding me on it: I'm lying against some kind of short dirt cliffside that must've been what I felt them jump from. Oh no, now I'm really out of sight! If only they seemed like people I could fight more easily, or if there was at least just one of them...

The jester speaks up, "Now then, shall we begin~?"

"Definitely~," Sarah chimes in, "This'll be so much fun~!"

No, no, no, I don't want something that's probably slow and painful; I try to squirm free, but this woman is still stronger than me!

"Oh, knock it off," she slams me into the lower part of the wall, "you're not going anywhere!" she grins at her partner, "What should we do first, Jimmy~?"

"I think I have the perfect idea, Sarah~," he crouches beside me, sneering evilly, "Just follow my lead..."

He covers my eyes, claiming it's more fun when victims can't see what exactly they're doing and can only feel it. Crap, now I really can't fight back or get away, since I can't tell what's being done until it's too late! It is too late, though, 'cause I feel my throat get jabbed in a way that makes me gag, but no sound comes out of my mouth. I dunno what they did, but now I can't scream or say anything! It was probably mostly done to keep me from laughing too loudly 'cause I feel myself being tickled. Yeah, that's usually not considered the worst thing ever, but it does turn out to be a really harsh form of torture... I just silently "laugh," as they both "attack" me everywhere with one hand, while using their other hands to keep my eyes covered and keep me pinned with enough force on my stomach. They're giggling about how "cute and helpless" I am, and how easy I am to make squirm with so little effort... When they finally take their hands off me, I try to sit up; but my body suddenly starts twitching and flailing, which means that must've been more than just tickling... The two lie on other side of me, while I keep squirming and writhing. That's when "Jimmy," the jester, decided to speak again.

"We know more spots, than just what makes someone laugh, you know," he smirks, "Muscle spasms are also a fun way of playing with our current 'toys.'"

"I prefer making them completely limp myself," Sarah adds, "That way, I can make my little 'dollies' dance and do whatever else I want, even easier~."

I wanna cry, I've always been afraid of being helpless: being restrained, being unable to match someone's cunning wit... I'm scared that if I do cry, though, they'll just wanna make it last longer and get even meaner, so I'll cry harder! I keep my eyes shut tight and I start breathing heavily through my nose. Darn it, lungs, breathe slower! They're sure to realize it's getting to me badly and that'll only encourage them to do worse! O-Or, what if I encourage them to do that by not crying 'cause it'll seem like they need to up their game...? I dunno what to do!! My eyes do, though, and they start releasing tears after all. Please, don't let it encourage them to keep torturing me...

"Jeez, what a baby," Sarah presses a finger into my nose, "We haven't even broken anything or decided to string you up, as a fun little piñata, just yet~."

"You should be grateful we've been playing nicely, thus far..." Jimmy says, "But go ahead and cry, as either way we'll find those pathetic wails and tears amusing; although, I'll admit it's far more convenient to receive more for less~."

Can they just kill me already...? If it's horrible now, what'll it be like when they decide to get serious: that "breaking things" and "piñata" remarks? I stop trembling a little, after I feel one of their hands caress my face, after I stop twitching. I slowly open my eye, to see which one it was: it's Jimmy, but Sarah is also leaning over me with a scary grin.

"You know, you're a truly interesting 'toy,' indeed," Jimmy continues, "one that we may like to play with, even longer."

"She really is everything a 'dolly' needs to be," Sarah hugs my neck, "She's cute and tiny, completely helpless, and best of all: easy and fun to break~," she squeezes my neck, "And, it shouldn't be too hard to make her do whatever we want, even with no strings attached."

Jimmy laughs, while Sarah giggles, and I'm cursing the appeal I've often had for others.

"So, what do you say?" Sarah asks, "Wanna come back home with us and be our new 'dolly'? We promise to play nicely, especially if you're good for us~."

"J-Just kill me...!" I can finally speak again, "I-I think I'd wanna just die instead...!"

"That's no fun..." Sarah pouts, pulling my ear, "We never like putting someone out of their misery, until we're ready for a new 'toy' or 'play date,' and you don't seem like one we'll want to end, anytime soon. Sooo, since we can't leave any witnesses to what we just did~..."

"Aren't you a lucky duck?" Jimmy pulls my other ear, "You get to stay alive, after all, and you'll get a nice new home~."

"No, just kill me...!!" I beg, "Please, I don't wanna....!"

"Oh, don't worry~," Jimmy whispers in my ear, "We'll take very good care of you~."

"And, you don't have to work, ever again," Sarah whispers into my other ear, "it'll just be all 'play~'... Now, it's time for our little 'dolly' to take a nap."

I suddenly feel her fingertips jab into me: her nails feel a little sharper than human ones should, now that I think about it, like she's got needles hidden in there. After getting jabbed, I feel my eyes get heavy and my body starts to go limp. I try to fight it, though, hoping to stay awake and still escape, somehow... I can't believe this all happened, just 'cause I waited until later to take out some food trash...

No, can't... fall... asleep...

Jimmy says, "Sleep tight~."

Sarah adds, "Good night~."

****

I later wake up in a sleeping bag and I notice the two standing over me. I duck inside the bag, but then realize I've got a collar and chain around my neck, and I'm guessing it's connected to a nearby wall or something. One of them pulls me out from the sleeping bag and I see it's Sarah.

"Don't be a rude jerk," she pouts, "we were just about to get to know each other."

I can't say anything, I just tremble and feel sweat running down my forehead. I've been kidnapped, and no one knows it's these two nor where to find us... My life is over, but in one of the worst ways possible. I feel like I'm gonna be sick...

"I'm 'Sarah,'" she continues, "and my friend over there is 'Jimmy,' in case you didn't figure it out already," she presses a finger into my nose, "What's your name?"

I muster up the strength to speak, "....... Clarissa ....."

"Okay then," Sarah smirks, "we'll just call you 'Claire,' since it's easier."

I start shaking, wondering what they're gonna do to me... I try to hold in that sick feeling, even though my chest feels like it's gonna burst. It'd be one thing if they'd just kill me, but keeping me alive means they'll probably do all sorts of horrible stuff to me! Why couldn't I have taken out those food scraps sooner, why did my life need to end just for that?!

"Now then," Sarah smirks, pulling me closer by the literal collar, "let's go over some rules... Just do whatever Jimmy and I say, and don't cause problems for us. 'Easy peasy,' right?"

I nod and shut my eyes tightly.

"Good 'dolly,'" she pats my head, "So, why don't we get you settled into your new life~?"

I just shut my eyes tighter, afraid of what exactly that means... She laughs and lets go of my collar, letting me sink back onto the floor.

"You look so cute when you're scared!" she giggles, "I think Jimmy and I are going to have fun with you for a long time~."

I just curl into the fetal position, covering my head and hiding my face into my legs. I feel one of their hands on my head, but I don't look. I only tense up further, despite the hand petting my hair.

"Hmmm... You feel more like a 'teddy,' with how soft you are," Jimmy remarks, "Maybe we should be calling you that, instead?"

"Why don't we find out which one she really is more like?" Sarah suggests, "It may even help us get an idea of the best way to play with her~."

I really start shaking now... What're they gonna do??!! I suddenly feel myself being pulled into a pair of arms: Sarah's hugging me-- and as tightly (and painfully) as possible! Now, I know how a stress toy might feel... Oh no, that'd be a worse "toy" to become here, than just a "doll" or a "teddy," I'd bet!

"Well, Jimmy," Sarah finally decides to stop crushing me, "she's definitely nice to squeeze, like most stuffed animals are."

I-I can't breathe, after that... That was a really, really, REALLY tight hug. I wouldn't be surprised if she actually broke something... I then wince, when Jimmy pulls the side of my face.

"She's also soft, beyond just her hair," he adds, "If that's not the work of lotions, but your natural skin, I must admit some jealousy."

He releases my face. It doesn't sting as much as my body, but my cheek still hurts a little from the strong grip. Then, Sarah holds my chin.

"I guess I have to admit," Sarah sneers and pulls my head toward hers, "teddies can sometimes be cuter than dollies, and you're definitely one of the cuter 'toys' we've had," her eyes gleam more evilly, "And, dollies can still be seen as people, even if just a little bit, while teddies can't. Yep, you're a 'teddy' alright, but still fun to play with, either way."

I'd honestly rather be a dead person... Seriously, just skip to that part!!

"What game should we play first, 'Teddy~'?" Sarah's vile grin grows, "I promise we won't play too rough-- especially when it's too early to break you, just yet."

I try to mentally prepare myself for what's going to happen; I just hope whatever they'll do isn't going to be something right out of the Saw films. Suddenly, I feel them jabbing their fingertips into me and my body goes limp afterward. I dunno what exactly they did, but I can't move at all! They start moving me and making me "talk," just like you'd do with an actual teddy or toy. I can't even close my eyes, so I'm forced to watch and listen to their "play" session firsthand.

They start by making me "talk": how excited I am to play with them, having "conversations" that interested them-- whatever feigned speech would bring a demented smile onto their faces... If I could wince, I would. They laugh at me, then they make me "dance" with them, before manipulating my limp body in other ways. I honestly feel like one of those life-sized dolls than a "teddy," but no matter what I'm called, they're "playing" with me all the same.

Eventually, they get bored with that kind of play and decide to wait until my muscles can move properly again, so they could have fun with a more "interactive toy." So, to pass the remaining time and see when I'm finally "back to normal," they decide on tickling me, again. Just because I can't move or laugh doesn't mean I can't feel anything... Honestly, it feels WORSE when you can't laugh 'cause that'd at least be some kind of release to make it feel less intense!! My mind is screaming at my body to start working again, so it'll finally get them to stop, but my limp self decides to just take its sweet time... Yeah, it's not really a "sweet time" for me, though!

When I can finally laugh and squirm, I do so and the intensity dies down a little, but it's still unpleasant. Now that they see I can move again, they stop and I try to catch my breath. Unfortunately, that's all I have the strength to do: panting quietly. I'm too tired after what they did to me and the realization that I'm going to be kept here... forever. Well, I guess gasping isn't all I can do, I can also cry. I shut my eyes tightly and let the tears fall, unable to stand the idea of continuing this, day in and day out-- especially if they decide to make things worse!

I hear Sarah and Jimmy talking about something and they start giggling. Great, they're planning more, aren't they...? I just keep crying, as it's all I can do and crying naturally makes you feel better. Then, I hear them giving each other suggestions for the next "game" and all. Luckily, I seemed to put their plans on hold, thanks to my body's exhaustion from tears and extreme emotional distress. After all, "toys" are apparently more fun when they're wide awake and full of energy, since we'll "react better and last longer." Ugh, my eyelids feel so heavy, but I don't want to sleep with them around. Sarah places her hands under my back and picks me up. I wince, afraid she's about to do something else.

"Aw, are you tired?" She smiles at me, "I think our 'teddy' could use a nap."

I resist the idea, even if it's just me trying to keep my eyes open. Unfortunately, they're not letting me stay awake. In fact, they're taking a more... soothing approach? I'm put back inside the sleeping bag, which makes it a little harder to stay awake. It became full-on impossible to be so, after they acted more like parents trying to lull their child to sleep: they spoke in more kind tones, while gently petting my head and back. Well, at least I got what little comfort I needed, after all that happened...

****

I wake up in the sleeping bag later on, admittedly feeling rather well-rested. Unfortunately, when I see that I really have been abducted and it wasn't just some nightmare, I begin to cry. I don't see my captors, so maybe they're still leaving me alone for now. I still find myself hiding inside the sleeping bag, though, as if I'm expecting them to pounce on me at any moment. My hand feels the chain attached to the collar they put around my neck. Well, at least it's not exactly hurting me and the chain seems long enough to allow for some movement. Of course, it won't be enough to actually make escape possible... Still, I should see where exactly I am, even if I can't get out of here. I peek out from the sleeping bag and get a better look at the room I'm in: it's a bit dark in here, but there's definitely light lamps overhead and it's definitely someplace you'd "play" with people in... I see shackles-- both hanging from the ceiling and the walls, a table meant to hold someone down, and the entire place looks exactly like a child's playroom: stuffed toys, the wallpaper and flooring, and some dolls.

These guys really are like giant, creepy kids... I hope they don't come back for a while-- or at all. Unfortunately, I hear the sound of a door creaking open. I shrink inside the sleeping bag, as it's my only hiding spot; but it's not really a "hiding spot," when they'll automatically know that's where I am and I can easily be seen inside it. I hear the footsteps come closer, until they finally stop on either side of me. I feel two hands on my back and I instantly know: Sarah and Jimmy have returned for more "playing." I try to prepare myself for whatever they might do next, but I'm not sure what to expect.

They start talking, as if they're having a casual conversation. I try to listen in a little, but they're whispering to each other, probably so they don't risk me overhearing and they can still be amused by me fearing the unexpected. So, I brace myself for anything. I then realize I smell something: t-toast and scrambled eggs...? Huh? I open my eyes and look through the open end of the sleeping bag: yes, there really is a plate of the cliched breakfast item right in front of it. I'm not making a grab for it, though, these two might make a grab for me, if I do. B-Besides, I don't have the strongest appetite right now...

"Claire~..." Sarah's voice sings, "Wake up~..."

I am, but I'm not coming out!

"... Okay," she sounds a little more annoyed, "you just asked for a rude wake-up call, Missy!"

I'm suddenly yanked out, by the chain of my collar. I quickly scramble onto my hands and feet, and fearfully stare at the grinning duo. J-Jeez, I really hate those skull masks on their faces... They cover enough to give off an "uncanny" feel, but they reveal enough of their faces to show how terrifying their natural selves are. Jimmy pulls me over toward the plate, by the arm.

"Now, now," he says, "we just wanted to make sure you weren't starving to literal death. It's important to keep your strength up, if we're planning to play together."

I start shaking, feeling too sick and terrified to even taste what's been made.

"Oh, come on," Sarah playfully pulls my ear, "it's not like it's poisoned or anything."

I shut my eyes tightly and tense up. I-I hate when they touch me!!

"Do we have to feed you ourselves?" Sarah pouts, "Don't start being difficult, now..." she suddenly sounds excited, "Unless, you need us to feed you instead. That could be fun~."

I shakily reach a hand for the toast and make the cooked bread tremble with my hand; I am not letting these two do anything with me, if I can prevent it.

"Heh, heh," Jimmy laughs, "Sarah's right: you are adorable, when frightened."

Making myself eat the scrambled eggs is a little harder 'cause my shaking hand kept dropping lots of eggs from the spoon, when it didn't just drop the spoon entirely. But I finally manage to get it all down, despite my anxious stomach threatening me with vomiting, now that it has "ammunition."

"How about eating a little faster next time?" Sarah presses a finger into my nose, "That way, we can play sooner."

I shudder, since they're probably gonna make it "play time" now... They waste no time grabbing onto me, their visible eyes gleaming sadistically above their evil grins.

Sarah asks, "What should we play first~?"

Jimmy suggests, "Perhaps some new way of making her adorably helpless~?"

I start trembling, as I've got a feeling it's going to be a whole lot worse than simple tickling or that weird, limp state they put my body into before.

"We'll start easy," Sarah says, "and then work our way up to the really scary stuff."

She reaches out and grabs my wrists, forcing my hands up high above my head. Then, she holds my arms there, so tight, I can practically feel my bones cracking. They clearly have something planned that won't involve me staying against the wall for long, otherwise they'd probably have used the shackles instead. What are they planning, though? I notice Jimmy taking off my chained collar, so does that mean they're taking me somewhere: maybe out of here or into a further part of the room? The two give each other a look, before Sarah suddenly throws me into the air. I crash into the ceiling and fall off it, landing hard onto the floor. Then, I feel the back of my shirt being clutched.

Sarah shouts, "Upsie Daisy~!"

She throws me into the ceiling again, then I crash into the hard floor again. She keeps repeating the phrase, while Jimmy laughs at the (more for them) amusing twist on the game parents would often play with their young children. Each time, it's a painful "SLAM!" into the ceiling, before a hard "WHOMP!" onto the ground. It hurts like heck!

"Here's the last one, so let's give it our all~," Sarah announces, grinning at me, "Up we-- or YOU --go~!!"

he tosses me into the ceiling, one final time. This time, my body sinks into the brick-like surface and I form a me-shaped dent, before I slowly fall out of it and land. I cough, when I slam back onto the ground, and there's blood droplets mixed with my spit. My body hurts, especially my chest and back. I just lie on there, my breathing uneven and wheezing. I think I hear both of them approaching me, on either side.

Sarah asks, "Wasn't that fun~?"

I don't answer; I can't answer, it all hurts too much.

"Oh dear," Jimmy sighs, "I believe you might've overdone it, Sarah... It seems our 'toy' might've suffered some internal damage."

"It's not my fault," Sarah huffs, "I can't tell how tough they really are, until they finally break, remember?"

I slowly close my eyes, continuing my shallow breaths. W-Will I be lucky enough to finally be released from this and before it gets much, much worse...?

"Well," Jimmy says, "we can't let this one die, now, can we? Let's get her tended to..."

I think he's the one lifting my chin right now...? I dunno, I can't open my eyes nor do more than stay immobilized. It hurts... It all hurts so much. Suddenly, my throat wretches and produces a large spatter of, what I assume to be, my own blood through my mouth. I feel my chin being dropped immediately after, likely because whoever held my head up was trying to dodge the blood spurt. Another gag, and another mouthful of the iron-flavored substance escapes my mouth. I go back to wheezing and I'm just about ready to pass out. I'm then rolled off my stomach and onto my side, easing any chest pain with less pressure on it and still making it easy to spit out whatever blood I need to.

"Okay, okay," I hear Sarah's voice, "Just hang in there..."

I think she's also the one with their hands on my shoulder and head, before I finally pass out.

****

I wake up in my sleeping bag, but without the collar and chain around my neck, this time. Instead, I'm sore all over and can barely move. It feels like my chest is wrapped up and I can see that it is, when I look down at my abdomen. Unfortunately, that's as much as I can move my head... I also hear Sarah's and Jimmy's voices, and it sounds like they're arguing with a third person.

"For Heaven's sake, she only appears to be a teenager at oldest-- a YOUNG teenager!" the strange man's voice protests, "It's one thing when your little... 'games' are done with actual, heinous criminals or for the ever-important method of interrogating useful information from someone, but a seeming CHILD-- and especially one without the slightest use toward any job's completion?!"

"It's important not to have witnesses, either, remember?" Sarah huffs, "Jimmy and I are just making sure no one can run off and share what they saw, and having fun while doing it~."

"Would you have preferred we slaughtered her instead?" Jimmy asks, "Some would say that still being alive, no matter in what state, is a blessing in of itself, wouldn't they~?"

"Being assassins isn't a valid excuse to entirely throw out the concept of standards and morality, believe it or not!" the strange man huffs, "If you absolutely had to exterminate any witnesses, very well then; however, there is nothing 'necessary' about this cruel, prolonged torment! Keep in mind, there also exists the saying: 'a fate worse than death,' and this certainly seems like it for the poor child. I may not be able to force you both into releasing her from this torment-- and I certainly know better than to ignore the obvious difference in strength and numbers --but I highly implore you both to end this sadistic game of 'play,' immediately."

"Pardon me," Jimmy huffs, "but I believe we asked you here to help fix our 'toy,' above all else, so if you're finished..."

"... Very well, then," the strange man hesitates, "I shall take my leave, but consider what I had to say, yes?"

I think I hear him leave. No, please, t-take me with you and away from these two... N-Nope, it looks like I'm still stuck with Sarah and Jimmy-- even when they let others know about me. It really is hopeless; death really is the only way I'm gonna actually "escape" from this, I'm certain of it now. O-Oh no, they must've noticed I'm awake 'cause I catch them coming this way, from the corner of my eye... I shut my eyes tightly, as they walk over toward me. Too bad I'm too hurt to actually hide inside my sleeping bag, so I'm forced to lie out and be easily accessible. Crap, I'm crying from fear already... Huh? I feel... my tears being wiped away?

What's... going on...?

"You're okay," Sarah says softly, "We're not 'playing' right now, or for a while..."

I'm panting fearfully. I dunno if I can actually take their word for it... I-I know they want to hurt me more than anything, they find it funny!!! AGH... P-Panting is a bad idea, it's making my chest hurt...

"Easy now, Claire..." Jimmy adds, "Just breathe slowly and try to relax..."

My heart's pounding so hard, I swear it's trying to escape from my body through my rib cage...! UGH!! My head hurts, too... I suddenly feel some sharp point, on each fingertip of theirs, press into my collarbone and arms. I freak out, trying to get free; but I don't see much success, given my near-immobile state. Soon, my body suddenly switches to slower, normal breathing and my chest doesn't hurt anymore. Sarah and Jimmy remove their fingers from me, before each uses a hand to offer a less pricking and more soothing touch: both hands petting my head. I'm just lying there, trembling, and feeling utterly exhausted. I hear them try to offer more comforting words, than their usual brand of taunting and everything, but I can't understand what they're saying... I'm too tired...

They continue to stroke my hair and forehead, until eventually I drift off to sleep again. I wake up some time later, refreshed and calmer. I can finally sit up again, causing the chains on my returned collar to rattle. Crap, I hope that didn't get those two's attention, somehow... I don't see them, so I look down at my chest and touch the bandaged area. Urf, still stings a little... Well, it's definitely not as painful as before. Hmm, well, if I can move... I look around and see if there's any possible way to get out of this collar and out of here; or if I can at least free myself and find some way to kill myself after, if I can't get out of here. I'm escaping one way or another, and I know I can't take them out instead-- especially when I'm hurt like this. So, I decide to start with something simple first, which is getting the chain off my neck.

I carefully examine the chain: it's without any cracks or other weaknesses. My collar also feels like it's perfectly intact and that keyhole, found by my fingertip, tells me I'll need an obvious key. If only I had Sarah's terrifying strength, maybe I could then just pull the chain off the wall and create my own exit. Unfortunately, I'm just simply "above average," when it came to the strength of small girls. So, I guess I'll have to come up with a different plan. I sniffle, knowing I've got nothing else to do except wait for whatever happens next, in the meantime. The door opens, so I turn to see who's coming in. It's Jimmy! Where's Sarah, though? Well, at least that means I only have to worry about just one of them... Unless, she'll also be here, soon enough. I instinctively hide inside the sleeping bag, as Jimmy approaches me. I tremble, which makes my chest sting a little because of the movement, but I've a lower fear threshold than a pain one.

He sits beside me and I hear him whisper, "Hey, Claire," he reaches in and strokes my head, making me flinch, "You're looking better already."

I don't think that's a good thing... It may mean they'll get ready to "play" with me again and I may get hurt worse! Well, at least they may decide it's time to "break" their newest toy and I can finally be freed from this.

"Don't worry," Jimmy continues, "we now know you're one of our more fragile 'toys,' so we'll play more carefully next time."

I then hear Sarah's voice: "Is she better yet?"

No, no, no, no, no... If they're down here together, that increases my chances of having to go through more "playing"... Even worse, it's probably gonna hurt more this time, when I'm still recovering.

"Her condition's improved," informs Jimmy, "but she still needs some rest."

"Okay..." sighs Sarah, "But I want to play again, as soon as possible," I feel her patting my back, through the sleeping bag, "But we'll do it more gently and nicely this time, I promise~."

Well, at least there's that "good" news, I guess... I try to ignore the fact that I'm being touched, but it doesn't work very well. Then, it becomes even harder to ignore... but more pleasant? Don't get me wrong, I still realize it's a kidnapper-- and a murderous one at that, given the "assassin" comments of the strange man or that dying person they killed in the woods --but it's definitely a more "caring" hold, if that's the right word: she must be kneeling, or something, but I can definitely tell she pulled me into a hug from behind. It feels nice, actually, almost like a mother's embrace. But it's not my mother, it's an evil woman-- an evil woman teamed up with an evil man. I have to remember that, no matter how "nicely" they decide to "play" and when they decide to act more soothing. I can't forget how I even ended up here in the first place, after all!

"You really are one of the best toys we've ever had," Sarah says, "Too bad you're also one of the easiest to break, otherwise we'd get to enjoy that cute, scared, helpless face more often... Oh well, we know gentler ways to make you squirm~."

I'm feeling my blood run cold, to where I can't tell if I'm shaking from fear or a freezing body...

"We'll let you sleep for a bit longer, though," Jimmy adds, "and then we'll start playing with you again~!"

"So, keep resting up~..." Sarah holds me tighter, but still gently, "We want you to be nice and full of energy again, real soon. That way, you can handle more and make the next 'playdate' last longer~."

My heart pounds against my chest and I feel like throwing up. The thought of more "playing" makes me sick. I think I'm shaking hard enough to make Sarah do the same, while she's still hugging me.

"Jeez," I hear her huff, "maybe we should consider you more of a 'baby doll' than a 'teddy'..."

"Don't be too upset with her, Sarah," Jimmy reassures, "She's probably just shaking with excited anticipation~!"

"You're right, she's probably thinking about all the fun stuff we'll do together~!"

They laugh at me and I'm trying to fight back tears. No, I can't... The most I can do is not flat-out sob, while the tears fall. Finally, the two stop laughing, and I feel Sarah leaning back and trying to hold me more comfortably.

"Go back to sleep, now..." She speaks low and soothingly, "It really will make you feel all better."

She definitely makes sure I'll fall back asleep: she hugs me closer, rubs my back, and whispers softly into my ear. It doesn't work out very well, as I know giving into sleep means waking up to more torment. I need to delay it, as much as possible. But I'm tired and she seems to know how I tick, all too well, and I can't help but drift off... I wake up later, and find my wrists and ankles chained to the top of a table that I'm spread out on. My head is propped up with a pillow and I look around the room to see what's happening. I spot those two standing at the end of the table, where my feet are, and they're grinning evilly back at me. They must've been there the whole time, waiting for me to wake up.

"Good morning, sleepyhead~!" Sarah says cheerily, "Feeling better? You definitely look better, especially enough to play again."

I can't speak; I feel myself turning pale and I can't breathe.

"Oh, come now, there's no need to worry..." Jimmy chimes in, "We'll just have another round of fun, that's all~!"

He walks over to the side of the table and looks down at me. Sarah does the same, but on the other side. I shut my eyes tightly, bracing for whatever comes next.

"Good idea," Sarah taunts, "it always is more fun, when you can't see what's happening."

I suddenly feel something being tied over my eyes, a blindfold likely. I then feel some kind of cold edge pressed against my throat. I-Is that a knife...? ... Well, if it is, then maybe I can finally be freed? S-Sure, having your throat slit isn't the best way to go, but it's still a way to get out of here.

"I normally prefer knives for cooking," I hear Jimmy say, "but they can be great for 'playing,' too~."

"I like doctor's needles myself," Sarah adds, "when I get tired of the 'acupuncture' type of poking, it's fun to do the injection kind and see how I can make you squirm with whatever I put inside you~."

It definitely feels like she's pressing the tip of a syringe's needle against my arm! Neither one of them actually penetrate my skin, with their proclaimed tools, but Jimmy tauntingly moves the blade across my neck and Sarah taps the needle's point into different parts of my arm. Any moment, they could just decide to cut me or inject me...

"Try not to squirm too much," Sarah teases, "otherwise we might accidentally break the skin~!"

They laugh and mock me while doing this, and I can only lie there and take it. It's terrifying.... Since they seem to enjoy hurting me as much as possible, I brace for the inevitable stabbed throat or injection of whatever substance that'll wreck me from the inside out. Then, suddenly--

"Whoops~!"

"Oops~!"

I instinctively yelp, after it feels like both the syringe and knife have been forced into my body. Crap, CRAP, oh FU--

...

Wait a minute, I-I don't actually feel any pain? It also doesn't feel like I'm bleeding... In fact, it doesn't even feel like I'm experiencing the painful pressure a syringe would offer. I hear them laughing again and the blindfold is ripped off my eyes. Sarah and Jimmy wave their "knife" and "syringe" in my face, tauntingly: Jimmy actually had a metallic cream spatula, while Sarah only had a large mechanical pencil.

"You're so gullible, 'Baby-Doll~,'" Sarah pulls on the side of my face, "The Kankers are the ones who actually inject people with stuff, and we prefer leaving all that slitting and cutting to Nazz," she releases my cheek, "Well, we leave it to Nazz, when it's supposed to be with blades instead of strings, anyway."

Jimmy's cackling too hard to add anything.

"Aw, what's wrong?" Sarah sneers at my panicked face, "We were just playing, 'pretend,' silly~," she pats my head, "It's always fun to use our imagination, right?" she grins into my face, "It sure can be, like letting someone 'imagine' a real knife is about to make you drown in your own blood, or there's an actual needle getting ready to put acid or something else scary into you."

O-Oh great, they also play mind games, instead of just physical 'ones'... How long is this going to go on?!

"I don't think she enjoyed playing pretend, Sarah," Jimmy finally speaks, motioning to my scared face, "So, perhaps we should stop pretending and make things actually happen to her~?"

"Well, if she's not having fun with this instead..." Sarah's eye gleams with malice, "Then, we'd get to enjoy real screaming, too~!"

"Maybe you could crush her, with that fearsome strength of yours, Sarah?"

"Or, I could literally break her in half!"

"Then, perhaps I can assist, by slicing her with my sharpened strings?"

"Maybe we could do all of it, Jimmy~."

I gulp. If I was badly hurt from just simply being thrown around, last time, then what'll happen if they try any kind of "play" involving more serious harm?!

"Then, we could stitch her back together and do any other repairs a broken toy may need," Jimmy chortles, "so that we may do it all over again..."

"And, again and again~," Sarah adds, "At least, until we can't put her back together anymore."

They lean over me, with those wicked grins.

"What do you think, 'Baby-Doll'?" Sarah asks, "I guess it'd only be fair for you to get a say in~."

"J-Just kill me...!" I beg, "C-Cut my head off, or something that'll end it quickly...!!"

"But we're not done playing with you, yet..." Sarah pouts and flicks my nose, "Besides, who said YOU get to decide how you'll finally 'break'?"

I wince at the stinging contact, then clench my teeth when she holds my neck. It's not enough to actually strangle me, but I can tell she's planning to do a bit more. Her nails dig into my skin as she stares me down, waiting for some sort of reaction... I can feel the surprising sharpness of those tips, and I'm starting to wonder if they did something to their nails or the actual fingers to make physical manipulation easier. I'm just saying, it's odd for normal fingertips to control your body, in certain ways, just with a few jabs and pokes. Sarah's also smiling creepily and I'm wondering why she seems so pleased. Then, I realize it: she must've hit some kind of reactive point(s) on my neck because it's swelling!! I-I can't breathe...

They laugh at me, as I start gagging.

"Uh oh," Jimmy sneers, "is something the matter~?"

"I think she needs a doctor, Jimmy," Sarah smirks, "Let's play that, next."

"Good idea, Sarah, especially when she's already on an operating table."

"Oh, wait a minute, Jimmy... She doesn't like playing pretend, remember?"

"But Sarah, we never said any procedures would be actual pretend. The only 'pretending' we'll do is us being real doctors, while using real cutting, stitching and all other medical necessities~..."

I'm struggling in my restraints, as much as I'm struggling to breathe. No, I'm not having them hurt me again-- especially worse!! But, I can't stand the state they've already put me in, either: my throat's swelling up and I'm choking on my own air... Maybe I'll be lucky enough to pass out from a lack of oxygen, so I'll at least be out cold during all that stuff. I panic further, after watching them suddenly pull up a cart of tools, and while showing me the evilest of smiles and glances.

"I'll make the incision, Sarah!" Jimmy orders his friend, before pulling a scalpel from the cart, "You can do the needle-related work, both with the... 'anesthetic' and the necessary stitching."

I'm struggling harder now, as they bring the scalpel and syringe tools close to my neck. I-It's no good, I can only close my eyes. Teardrops fall out of them, after I feel the faint cut and poke of the tools; however, they didn't actually stick either item too deeply into me. In fact, they just barely broke the skin of whichever areas they targeted... Then, they remove the items.

"The patient's been put under, Jimmy."

"And, I've made a successful incision, Sarah, now I'll get to work on fixing the problem."

I feel him lightly cut my skin a few more times, and I'm wincing each time because I fear it actually cutting deep enough to do serious damage. That, and the stronger pain caused by the swollen muscles of my neck.

"All done, Sarah, sew her up."

"Sure thing, 'Dr.' Jimmy~."

She doesn't actually stick the pin through the underside of my skin, thankfully, but she zig-zags the sharp tip over each cut and that's painful in it's own right! I wince and squirm, getting Jimmy's elbow into my gut and instantly immobilizing me. GAH! That... Hurt...

"It seems you need to increase the amount of sedatives, next time, Sarah," he sneers down at me, "Luckily, I was able to put her back under."

"Oops, silly me," Sarah giggles, "Oh well, I at least did a better job with stitching her back up, right?"

"Indeed, she's good as new, I'd say."

I just lie there, trying to keep breathing and feeling my tears trail down my face.

"Still feeling under the weather?" Jimmy smirks, "Well, I know just the remedy for that: laughter always is the best medicine~."

Oh no, don't tell me they're going to do that again, especially when my throat and neck are like this?!

"You're right, Jimmy," Sarah adds, "laughter makes everyone feel better~."

No, please, it'll really hurt and be hard to laugh with a sliced-up neck and swelled throat...!!! Of course, they go ahead and start tickling me all over again, making me painfully gasp for breath and thrash in my restraints. AGH, this is pure torture...!!! Getting hurt, feeling pain, being held here against my will, being touched against my will-- I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!

Eventually, though, they stop. They leave me lying there and wheezing, while I try to calm myself down. It's a bit hard, when you're doing more sobbing than gasping. I hate this!

"Well, how are you feeling, 'Baby-Doll'?" Sarah taunts, "Are ya starting to feel better~? If you're not..."

ENOUGH OF THIS, JUST, ENOUGH!!! It doesn't matter how I respond, does it?! They'll look for any reason to torment me and I'll always just end up giving them the reaction they want!! I may as well just give up and cry, like the hopeless and trapped little girl I am!! So, I just do... Or, as best as I can manage with my throat like this and such little breath. I'm just... done. They both chuckle at my pathetic display.

"Oh, poor, weak Claire," Jimmy says, "So helpless, so pathetic~."

I don't care what you guys think, you'll just keep deciding to torment me, regardless... I ignore him and just keep crying.

"Well, how else is she supposed to be fun?" Sarah asks, "Boy, you really do deserve to be called: 'BABY-Doll.'"

More ignoring and crying.

Sarah asks, "What should we play next, Jimmy?"

"Hmmm, I know..." he suggests, "Let's play: 'Tic-Tac-Toe~'..."

Their version of the game involved pins with the appropriate "X" and "O" heads, after they draw the lines on whoever's going to be the appropriate "board." They promised to know enough about bodies, so they would make sure they didn't stick the pins anywhere that'd kill me or worse. It still stings, though... I had to go through 10 or so rounds of being jabbed, until they finally decided to stop that game, too.

Afterward, they decide to play a different game: one where they hold their hands behind their backs and have me pick one. They called it: "The Lesser of Two Evils," where the objective is to pick the hand that has the less awful item to be used on you. I wasn't very good, so I got some pretty bad cuts and stuff... Luckily, they just kept to the less painful and tougher parts of my body; so it wasn't the pure agony of having an eye stabbed, or my nails poked underneath and pushed off. Still, getting cut on your biceps and bruised on your shoulders can really hurt... Of course, I'm crying the entire time because who honestly cares at this point? This is just how it's gonna be, until the day they finally let me die, no matter what I do or don't do.

"Alright, I think we're done now," Sarah smirks, "Thanks for playing with us~."

P-Please, let that mean they've somehow gotten bored of me already and it's time to get rid of me...

"Uh oh, do I need to be more specific~?" Sarah sneers at my (possibly) hopeful-seeming face, "I meant just for today, silly~."

I slam my head back onto the pillow and grit my teeth. I feel them bandage up my current injuries, before they free me from the table and carry me over to the sleeping bag, to reapply the chained collar.

"Don't worry," Sarah says, "We'll let you rest up, then maybe we can play again the very next day~!"

I don't even bother to hide inside the sleeping bag, this time... Seriously, what difference does anything make at this point?! I just lie there and have my obvious sorrow be the only response available.

"Hey," Sarah pulls my ear, "save some of that for when we play again... It won't be as much fun, if your voice gets too tired to cry and scream during everything."

"Crying and screaming" now, doing it then-- who cares?!

"I said," she covers my mouth, "QUIET..."

I don't open my eyes, but I do stop sobbing.

"That's more like it," Sarah huffs, "Now, sleep tight, 'Baby-Doll.' We'll be right back with something to eat."

I just lie there, by the time they come back. I feel myself being sat up by my shoulders and I smell food under my nose, so I guess they're offering me something on some silverware.

"Come on, now," I hear Sarah say, "Eat up~."

I feel my chin being pulled to force my mouth open and the food being forced inside. It tastes like cut-up hotdogs, served on a fork. I opened my eyes when that happened, so I can see it's Jimmy as the feeder, and Sarah as the one behind me and sitting me up.

They set me back into the sleeping bag, after I've eaten all the food they brought me, so that I can be ready for more "playing" tomorrow. They do the usual hair-petting and all, before I can finally feel inclined to sleep. Please, just take me, as I rest...

*****

I couldn't tell, at first, when I woke up. After all, it was still dark when I opened my eyes. I thought I was blindfolded by my captors and possibly restrained, but I could actually touch my face and there was nothing on it. Well, except for my glasses, of course. Oh no... OH NO! I-I can't see, what did they do to me?! I start crying again, since fate decided to just make me even more helpless to do anything about this. I tried to convince myself that they maybe just moved me somewhere that's completely dark, but I feel my surroundings and it's definitely the same room: the sleeping bag, the wall with the chain, the large play matt nearby... I start feeling my body, curious if those two may have also done anything else to me, in my sleep. Everything feels right and the only sore spots are where they touched me before.

I hear the door open and some footsteps. I don't bother hiding this time, as I can't see Sarah and Jimmy anyhow. Wait, is there someone else with them?? There is: it's the voice of a woman I haven't heard (or seen), yet.

"Is she down here?!" the woman yells, "I really can't believe you guys!"

"So, what if we did?!" Sarah's voice snarls, "It's not exactly like you guys are perfect angels! We all kill people for a living, remember?!"

"Dude," the other woman huffs, "there's a difference between our 'career choice' and just being plain evil; you guys can't even argue that it'd help with taking out or finding a target!"

"Just leave us alone, Nazz!" Sarah roars, "Why do you care, anyway?!"

"Because, unlike some people," Nazz replies, "I want to try and hold onto whatever good's left inside of me, like not letting some random kid get tortured for your own fun; even the Kankers never turned out as horrible as you guys apparently did, think about that!"

"Oh please," Sarah scoffs, "those three would've probably buried her by now... Don't even get me started on if she was some 'handsome dreamboat' of a guy, instead of a girl."

"Just taking her out would be a lot less cruel than this, dude," Nazz huffs, "If you need to get rid of witnesses, fine, but you can fix that problem without being so sadistic about it... There you are. Are you alright?"

Is she in front of me? It sounds like it... I wonder what she looks like? I want to finally see a face that isn't laughing or smirking at my suffering, at least one last time...

"Hey, don't be scared," Nazz continues, "Okay, so, normally, we can't let any witnesses... 'stick around,' but I feel like it's too cruel to leave you like this. I also feel a little squigged out at the idea of killing anyone who might be under 18, if I don't really have to... Basically, what I'm saying is: I'm sure we can find some way to make sure you won't tell anyone what you saw, without having to hurt you any more than these two have already..."

"How do you know for sure?" I hear Jimmy ask, "I'd say, the damage has already been done, and our best option would be to either hold onto her or simply dispose of her. I believe you know which one we'd prefer."

Crap, if I'm hearing both him and Sarah, they're obviously in here!! I move my head around, as if I could somehow still spot them. Well, maybe my ears can help tell which direction they'd be in?! It'd definitely be a lot better than simply not knowing where they might be and get surprised by whatever contact they have planned next. I grit my teeth and wince a little, as my entire head seems to be straining itself, not just my ears.

"... What are you doing?" I hear Sarah ask me, "We're standing right here. At least, I think that's what she's doing..."

My left ear says she's in front of me, a bit away and to the left. I'm guessing Jimmy's near her, since they often seem to enjoy being by each other's side.

"Hey, can you see...?" I hear Nazz ask, "... Did you guys kidnap a BLIND girl?! How is that a 'dangerous' type of witness, when she can't actually describe you two to anyone or say anything more than: 'It sounded like a man and woman did it'?! Even if she actually did say anything, some people don't take blind witnesses as seriously as someone who could actually see things; don't even get me started on how you can't even 'hear' acupuncture being done to someone, so she couldn't even describe how you did it..."

There's a moment of silence, like Sarah and Jimmy are thinking about what she said. I imagine them looking at each other, even.

"'Blind'...?" Jimmy repeats, "Surely, she can see, otherwise she wouldn't have reacted in some of the ways she did."

Sarah huffs, "Let me see..."

"Hey," Nazz warns, "don't do anything else to her!"

"I'm not!" Sarah retorts, "I'm just making sure..."

Wh-What are they talking about; what the heck's Sarah doing?! I don't hear or feel anything, especially nothing painful or promising to be... I-I really hope this "Nazz" lady will step in, if they try anything!!

Sarah finally says, "... You really are blind..."

Nazz demands, "What did you guys do to her?!"

"Nothing to her eyes," Jimmy answers, "so we couldn't exactly tell you."

"... Then, she's probably suffering from hysterical blindness because of you two!" Nazz huffs, "From what Double Dee told me, it's no surprise she'd have the necessary stress for it! If only I could've found out about this sooner..."

"Hmph, tattling cad..." Jimmy huffs, "Count on the likes of him to ruin everyone's fun..."

"I don't think you'd find it 'fun,' if you two were the ones it happened to," Nazz retorts, "Until you guys can remember what sort of people you should actually be doing things like this to, then I don't know if I want to hang out anymore."

"What?" Sarah asks, sounding surprised and upset, "But you're my best friend, next to Jimmy..."

"Nazz, I understand our 'playful' ways might seem cruel," Jimmy tries explaining, sounding equally saddened, "but you must understand, it's really them who instilled this darker side into ourselves, ever since the day--"

"--They only forced us to become killers, not torturers!" Nazz suddenly snaps, "No one else has gotten this sick and twisted over the years-- not even the Kankers, like I said before! At first, I was willing to just shrug it off as how you 'did' things, but you clearly want to do it outside of jobs, too-- including to random kids! The 'assassin' thing can be forgiven for all of us, that's the only thing we don't actually have much of a say in; but anything more than that is YOUR decision, so excuse me for starting to finally see you two as the monsters you actually are. In fact, we're ALL starting to catch onto just what kind of people you really are and that's why no one else has been seeing you two, like I have. Even Ed, Sarah, because how can he still see his baby sister, instead of of some 'scary' psychopath and her equally messed-up friend, when this's how you act nowadays?"

A moment of silence lingers.

"... Sorry, dudes," Nazz sighs, "but I'm not really comfortable being near people who'd do this sort of thing for fun, instead of being forced to... Honestly, I'm starting to question if we even needed to be taken in the first place, in order for you both to decide this type of thing suits you. Just, let me take her, okay...?"

I suddenly feel someone hold my hand. Even though it's gently done, I still jerk away, just in case it's Sarah or Jimmy.

"Hey, it's okay..." I hear Nazz say, "I'm taking you away from here."

Honestly, I don't feel like being with any of you people, no matter what you say! I mean, for all I know, she's just putting on some fake, "nice hero" act, to get me to come along easily to something that's just as bad or worse! I mean, the man that came in here, a while back, didn't seem to really care about actually saving me-- even if he did protest about what these two were doing! I-I...

I...!

...

... Just, finally make it stop, please... I wanna go home or just wake up in my bed already...

I whimper and try to move away from the lady, despite not being able to actually see her, but I'm also careful not to somehow bump into Sarah or Jimmy. Crap, I feel the wall and know I'm cornered. I just cover my face with my arms, wondering what'll happen next.

Nazz orders, "Take that off of her, now."

I feel someone remove the chained collar from me, but I stay in place.

"See?" Nazz continues that gentle tone, "You're going to be okay now..." I feel her hand lightly rest on the side of my right shoulder, "Come on..."

I... I don't really have much of a choice, do I...? Well, at least she's my chance of finally getting out of here...

"Here," Nazz pulls me onto her back, "this should make things a bit easier... Hold on tight, okay?"

****

I couldn't see where she took me, but I came to realize it'd be a hospital. Before Nazz left, she told me I'd be safe now and that I needed to keep quiet about what happened. She said, Sarah and Jimmy-- or even someone else from their "organization" thing --may come after me, if it seemed like I needed to be silenced about the assassination I witnessed. Normally, Nazz is supposed to do the same with anyone who finds out about them, but she couldn't bring herself to kill me because she felt bad for me and thinks I suffered enough. Trust me, I'm not even going to literally open my mouth anymore, if it means risking those two-- or someone who's somehow worse --getting a hold of me, again.

I felt relieved, when I recognized my mother's hug, while in my hospital bed. My parents had been freaking out, ever since I suddenly wasn't home when they came back, the next day. They promised to never leave me alone again, and that they'd make sure I was taken care of and helped with my blindness. I made sure to lie that I could only remember up to the point of reaching the woods: I "don't" remember what all actually happened nor how I got to the hospital.

Eventually, I got to go back home, but I think that only increased my stress because it's my own property I got kidnapped on... Even though I'm never going outside again-- especially not at night --I'm still expecting Sarah and Jimmy to suddenly reappear, now that, "Nazz isn't looking," or something... I'm also afraid of my parents getting hurt, this time, too. Soon, I can't really leave my bed, unless I have to use the bathroom, 'cause I just wanna hide under the sheets and in my room. My parents decide to let me do what makes me comfortable, since they don't want me to face worse stress that'll do more than just blind me.

I worry this's gonna be my new life, but I dunno what else I can really do... I'll never feel safe outside of here nor be able to relax-- not even enough to possibly regain my sight, knowing those two are still out there and may decide to "invite" me to another one of their "play dates"...

-------------

[Epilogue]

Another day, another 24 hour period of staying within my room, and hiding away from the risk of being kidnapped and "played" with again. This truly does feel like the safest place to be, as sad as it is.

...

Well, until I realized my bedroom and bed don't make me impossible to reach, like I thought. It was probably late at night 'cause the whole house was quiet, and the fact my parents didn't seem to notice Sarah and Jimmy were in my room with me. I sure did, though, when I realized my pillow felt strange and that it was really someone's lap. At first, I thought it was my mom, since she'd often come running in whenever I had nightmares about those events. Then, I recalled something: my mouth was never covered, whenever that happened. When I wasn't sure if it was my mom, I felt the person and my hands could make out a dress's shape-- and I knew, all too well, who wore an outfit like that... Oh no... OH FUCK NO, THEY REALLY CAME BACK FOR ROUND 2!!!

I start squirming and struggling, but Sarah's got too strong a grip on me... I can't even turn my head! I can't even kick my legs, either, which feel like they're being held down... That's impossible, though, she only has two hands: I can feel them on my mouth and head. Then, Jimmy must be the other one here... I dunno what to do, so I just randomly decide to free my mouth. Maybe I could at least call for help, even though I don't know what my parents could actually do and I doubt the police could come in time...? I gotta do something! I keep struggling, expecting either of the two to break my arms or something, but they don't. Instead, Sarah... comforts me?

"Shhh, it's okay," she says, as I feel her fingertips stroke my head, "We're not going to hurt you, anymore..."

Huh, did I hear that right??? They seriously aren't gonna kidnap me, again, or something?? … Then, why are they here...?

Sarah asks, "You probably still can't see, huh?"

"It doesn't seem like it, Sarah," Jimmy answers, "it might be dark in here, but the window provides enough light and she didn't immediately react to us."

Crap, he is here, too... Wh-Why, what're they gonna do?! I-I didn't say anything, I-I...!! M-Maybe I should actually try to physically fight back, for once?! No, even with my sight, I know these guys are out of my fighting league and they've still got me outnumbered!!

"Anyway, we're here because... Nazz was right," Sarah continues, "Jimmy and I... We... We got... carried away..."

"Carried away"?! You guys made me cry, scared and caused me to feel pain! You're evil, you're just... EVIL! Leave me alone already...!!

"We're sorry, okay...?" Sarah keeps caressing my head, "It's just... Jimmy, can you help me? I don't think I can figure out the right words..."

Just leave me alone!!! I don't wanna understand your sick minds! I feel my eyes tearing up and the drops falling down my face. It's the only way I can tell I'm crying, since I can't rely on seeing the usual blurry and watery vision. I feel them being wiped away, though, most likely by Jimmy, as I still feel Sarah's hands on my head and face.

"Sarah and I..." Jimmy sighs, "... We've been through a lot, I suppose you could say: we've also been taken from our home, been made to endure hardships ourselves..." I feel him place a hand on my shoulder, "It's changed us for the obvious worse: morbidly trying to hold onto childhood joys we were robbed of, being a prime example... Each day, it seems our past innocence grows further and further away, to the point that young boy and girl might as well have died that terrible day, only to have two literal demons of Hell assume their places and spread torment above ground than below it. It also doesn't help, when you face a world where everyone else is allowed to maintain the normal, happy lives they can still choose for themselves. I suppose it just makes it all the easier to unleash your crueler side, including onto whomever is simply unlucky enough to cross your path, at an unfortunate time..."

Oh, so because they got their lives ruined, I guess, I had to have mine ruined, too...? Jerks. Well, it may be more-so "ended," depending on what all they're planning to do to me. Honestly, the only real objection I'd have to that is my parents' sorrow to lose me for good this time, but I don't care to keep living like this, either.

"I know it's asking a lot to be forgiven and that you have every right to deny us it," Jimmy continues, "But still, it's wrongful behavior that needs to stop and, in this case, have amends be attempted, at the very least. So, please allow us the smallest privilege of being able to apologize, even if it's left unanswered or shot down... As Sarah said, we're sorry."

Well... They sound... "honest" enough, I guess? I still want them to go away and never come near me again, though.

"We can't exactly promise that we can't hurt anyone ever again, though," Sarah sighs, "We're basically assassins, until the day we die-- but that's really not why we came to find you again, I can promise that, at least. The real reason we came back really is to apologize and let you know that you don't need to worry about us, anymore," I then feel her hold onto my head firmly, "And, maybe see if we could help with that blindness we caused. Nazz said that it's caused by 'psychological' reasons, instead of physical ones, so maybe we just need to help you relax a little. We don't just know points that can hurt people or worse, we also know ones that can help make people better or just FEEL better. Jimmy's going to hit some of those better spots, so don't freak out when you feel it happening, okay? I promise, that's all that's happening to you."

I wanna resist, but actually doing it won't really do much... I feel the jabbing done to my body and the gentle squeezing on my hands, while Sarah holds me tightly and still keeps my mouth covered. I feel my tension decreasing and my mind feels like it's suddenly (and literally) flooded with calmness. I don't believe it... For the first time, in a while, I'm starting to kinda relax. Yeah, there's still the fear of who's in the room with me, but my brain's finally able to stop talking about everything that happened and be quiet. Maybe it also helps that my brain acknowledges my current inability to do anything, and decided it's better to just accept any possible death here and that any stressing-out won't really make a difference.

Eventually, I feel Jimmy stop and Sarah stops "restraining" me. My eyes almost instantly shut, after she returns me to my original lying position.

"Feeling a little better...?" Sarah asks, petting my head, "I don't know how much it'll actually help, but it can probably take a little off the edge..."

It seemed more like it took a LOT off the edge, instead: after that, I only stayed awake long enough to hear some promise about, "making things right and not stopping until then." For the next few nights, I kept awaking to their self-inviting presence within my room and it usually went: promises of no further harm and other attempts to decrease my fear of the two, perhaps an additional apology or two, and a less scary session of acupuncture that'd further decrease any remaining anxiety. It's not like they just hit magic buttons that suddenly made me better, it just made it easier for my brain to finally release the endorphins and such I'd been denied for so long, I guess. Acupuncture is all about making the body respond to however you poke it.

Then, one morning, I could tell my eyes were opened-- and not because it felt that way: I saw the blurriness that often accompanies my glasses-less eyes. I quickly put them on, so I could enjoy sight in its complete clarity-- even though permanently blurry appearances would be enough for me, after how long I've gone without any semblance of vision. My parents were overjoyed: they wept and hugged me, not only pleased I could see again, but to see me so eager to leave my room and be comfortable outside it again. Well, even if it was just to literally see everything again, I wasn't gonna waste the appreciated second chance for a life that I'd almost lost forever: one I could live to the fullest of my abilities (and senses), with pleasures I'd no longer take for granted. Of course, the current chapter of my life wasn't over yet... Sarah and Jimmy would probably be back tonight, too.

When the night did come, it was dehydration that woke me up instead. I made my way to the kitchen, but kept gazing around for any sign of them. None, whatsoever. I finally returned to my bedroom and got ready to climb back into my bed; however, I find myself stopped, when I notice my window being slowly opened. I've got a feeling it's them, but it's good to be alert, in case it's a robber or something. Nope, it is them. At first, we just locked eyes 'cause they must've been surprised I could visually acknowledge them. After all, the window made no sound that'd alert someone blind and then there's the way I stood toward their direction. They each curiously hold a hand up and I wave back. I could see them smile and they both beckon me over with a hand. I wince, as it's a bit too similar to when we first met...

"It's okay," Sarah whispers loudly enough to reach my ears, "we're not going to do anything, we just don't want to wake anyone else up."

I nervously walk over, keeping my guard up. I only get close enough to be just out of reach, or what I assume is too far for them to grab me from. They probably could tell I wasn't ever gonna fully trust them, even though they acted nicer the past few nights, but they didn't seem upset by it.

"Alright, I guess that's good enough," Sarah still smiles, "So, you can see again?"

Yeah, but I don't want it to include you guys...

"... Okay, I guess that was a pretty stupid question," she continues, "What about everything else: is it easier to leave your room and relax a little?"

I answer, "... I guess so..."

"That's wonderful to hear," Jimmy replies, but then frowns, "You certainly don't deserve to be robbed of happier times and life in general..."

Sarah's now frowning with him, while they both share a guilty expression and look down.

"... Well, if you're better," Sarah sighs, "I guess that means we're done here... You probably want us to get lost anyway, right?"

Do I even need to so much as nod?

"Farewell, Claire," Jimmy wraps everything up, "You have our word that this is the final time you'll ever see us again-- and that you'll never need to fear us tormenting the innocent and 'uninvolved' ever again, as well. Try not to waste your second chance of a normal and fulfillable life, especially when very few are lucky enough to have one themselves..."

With that, they kept to their word. I never again saw them and ensured to be more careful, as to prevent a situation like that from happening to me, ever again-- especially when I'd likely be denied any third chances at that "normal and fulfillable" life. Still, it's not like I lived my life in fear 'cause, again, I'm trying to enjoy all the things I took for granted and appreciate what I can, before it all gets taken away for real.

Yet, sometimes I have to question, though not as fearfully as before nor as some form of endearment: would it really be impossible to ever see them again and could they somehow not be as evil as I assumed? Obviously, there's a reason I say, "not as," and don't just dismiss them of being so altogether; but I'm curious what they're like when they're not being cruel and sadistic, when they're showing more of that nicer and remorseful side that seemed rather genuine. Maybe they just wanted to feel better about themselves, but I can't help wondering-- especially if they could have other friends, like that "Nazz" apparently was... Maybe in another life, they could've been truly good people. Perhaps even, the type of people I wouldn't mind seeing again and maybe even befriending. Jeez, imagining my ex-captors and me as friends... I guess I really did get Stockholm Syndrome. Well, I'm not crying about them being gone, so I guess it's not too bad of a case. Still, weird people like that don't really leave your mind, even if it's not in the form of trauma to haunt it.

In fact, maybe it's subconscious paranoia, but I don't really feel like they've left my actual life, sometimes. Then again, they only did say I wouldn't "see" them ever again... It would explain the time my parents left on that business trip: no one else was in the house during those two weeks, yet I could've sworn I recalled someone tending to my sick self, after I caught a bad case of the flu, as fuzzy as the memories may seem.

[End]

****

Author's Notes:

Well, a bit more... morbid for my usual brand of "writing practices," but I do plan on writing actual horror, in the future. Plus, it's admittedly fun to imagine a darker side to the "assassin" versions of our favorite EEnE characters. I know, some of you might joke, "You call this: 'uncharacteristically cruel' of the loud brat that torments her loving brother and for a scheming little weasel like Jimmy...?" but you gotta admit, it'd feel like a stretch to imagine the two actually doing worse than the usual angry fisticuffs or sneaky screwing-over of others. Assassins or not, I don't think the two would ever actually become pure evil that walked out of Hell itself.

I also worry it seems weird and "fetish-like" to simply mention the two tickling Claire-- especially more than once, but it probably would be a realistic form of torture chosen by those who want to bastardize forms of childlike play... Plus, these two were listed as having acupuncture, of all things, as their main assassination weapon, so I'd say they're a pretty touch-heavy duo. Sometimes, it's probably easier to make a target squirm through more basic means, than racking your brain in trying to remember what each spot/point does to a target specifically. Well, hopefully it doesn't feel strange, since there's not really an in-depth description of it...

Also, I really recommend NovelAI: it's a fun way to practice writing and, oddly enough, I ironically find myself doing more writing myself with it than I do in Google Docs. I dunno what about it seems to get my creative juices flowing better: it being a paid service and thus I'm feeling inclined to do more work, the excitement of seeing how it replies after paragraphs of original text... I dunno, I just find it easier and more encouraging to write with it, than anything else. Plus, sometimes it gives me really great ideas for writing dialogue and all, whether I'm stumped and simply need a suggestion, or when I'm simply curious what it has to offer. ... At least, when it's not making things "inappropriate." Seriously, N-AI, this is not supposed to be a smut-fic, stop suggesting Sarah and Jimmy handle Claire in a more NSFW manner!!

Also, in case you forgot or didn't know: Sarah and Jimmy's assassin nickname is, "The Dollies," hence the title.