Chapter 24: Blood in The Shadows

Steve's eyes scanned the blood-streaked room, the dim, flickering light casting jagged shadows across the walls. His brow furrowed as a chill ran down his spine. He turned to the others, his voice trembling. "Guys, where the hell is Jake?"

Eli and Travis froze, their heads snapping toward the empty corner where Jake had been moments before. Eli's face tightened with worry, his lips parting as if to speak, but no sound came out. Travis's hand instinctively went to his pocket, his fingers brushing against the bracelet he had just slipped there.

"Jake?" Travis whispered; his voice barely audible.

"Jake?" Eli echoed; his tone filled with dread.

The three men exchanged uneasy glances, their breathing quickening. Without another word, they moved cautiously toward the darkened hallway, their footsteps eerily muffled against the sticky, blood-slicked floor. The silence around them was oppressive, broken only by the faint creak of their shoes and the distant hum of faulty fluorescent lights.

As they crept deeper into the corridor, the air grew colder, carrying the faint, metallic tang of blood and decay. Steve's hands were shaking, and he clenched them into fists to steady himself. His voice cracked as he muttered, "Man, I don't like this. This whole place… it's like a goddamn graveyard."

Eli's eyes darted around nervously; his knuckles white as he gripped the crowbar he carried. "Me neither, son. Let's find Jake and get the hell outta here. We shouldn't have split up. Damn it."

Travis, leading the group, paused at a junction, the dim light barely illuminating the two paths ahead. He looked back, his face grim. "Keep your voices down. If we make too much noise… something's bound to hear us."

They turned left, each step feeling like a gamble with death. Shadows danced along the walls, twisting and contorting into grotesque shapes. Their whispered calls for Jake grew softer, more desperate, as if they feared their own voices would betray them.

Suddenly, Steve grabbed Eli's arm, his voice trembling. "What if… what if the Zed Heads got him?"

Eli shook his head, though his face betrayed his own doubts. "Don't think like that. Jake's smart. He wouldn't let himself get caught."

Travis's jaw tightened. "Unless… unless he didn't have a choice."

The weight of his words hung in the air, suffocating them as they pressed on.

Meanwhile, with Jake

Jake stood in the dimly lit room, his body eerily still. His eyes glinted with a dark, unsettling light as he leaned toward Martha, who was bound to a chair, her face pale and streaked with tears. Her breathing was shallow, her body trembling with terror.

Jake bent forward, his lips almost brushing her ear. His voice was a low, mocking whisper. "Don't worry, Ms. Martha. I'll take care of Travis for you."

Henry, standing a few feet away, watched with growing unease. His hand hovered near his weapon, his instincts screaming that something was horribly wrong. Jake's movements were too calm, too deliberate.

Before Henry could react, Jake straightened, a wicked grin spreading across his face. He kissed Martha gently on the forehead, his eyes never leaving hers. The sound that escaped Martha's lips was guttural, a mix of sobbing and choking horror. Her terror-filled eyes widened as Jake's hands shot out, gripping the sides of her face.

With a sickening, wet crack, Jake twisted and pulled, ripping Martha's head from her body as if she were nothing more than a ragdoll. Blood sprayed in an arc, painting the walls in dark red streaks. Her head hit the floor with a hollow thud, rolling to a stop at Henry's feet.

Henry stumbled back, his face pale, his breath coming in short, panicked gasps. "What… what the hell…?"

Jake stood there, his chest rising and falling as he stared at his blood-covered hands, a look of twisted amusement on his face. He wiped the blood across his shirt, his grin widening as he exhaled deeply. "I'm so fucking back," he murmured, his voice thick with dark satisfaction. "I missed this shit."

Henry's hands trembled as he raised his gun, his voice shaking. "Stay… stay the hell away from me, Jake."

Jake cocked his head, his expression almost playful. "Oh, Henry. To show you how grateful I am for all you've done, I'll make your death quick."

Henry's fear twisted into defiance. He steadied his aim, glaring at Jake. "You're not killing me, you son of a bitch!"

With a roar, Henry lunged at Jake, the two men colliding with bone-crushing force. They tumbled to the ground, fists flying as they wrestled for dominance. Jake's laughter echoed through the room; a sound devoid of humanity.

Henry's hands found Jake's throat, squeezing with all his strength. His voice was a ragged snarl. "Now the wheels are turning, you bastard."

But before Henry could tighten his grip further, the door burst open. Travis, Eli, and Steve stood in the doorway, their eyes widening in horror at the scene before them.

"Jake!" Travis shouted, but his voice faltered as he took in the blood-drenched room, the grotesque sight of Martha's severed head on the floor.

Jake seized the moment, twisting free from Henry's grasp. With a powerful shove, he sent Henry flying backward. Henry's body hit the ground hard, landing on a jagged piece of metal protruding from the debris. The shard pierced through his chest, and he let out a strangled gasp, his eyes wide with shock. Blood pooled beneath him as his body went still.

Travis's knees buckled as he dropped to the floor, his hands trembling as he picked up Martha's head and cradled it. Tears streamed down his face, mixing with the blood on his hands. "Mom," he whispered, his voice breaking. "Mom… no…"

Eli and Steve stood frozen, their faces pale and streaked with tears. Steve's voice cracked as he sobbed, "This sweet lady… what the hell? What the actual hell?!"

Jake, his chest heaving, leaned against the wall, his face twisted into a mask of feigned sorrow. He wiped at his eyes, his voice hoarse. "I tried… I tried to stop him," he choked out, his words trembling with calculated emotion.

The room was filled with the sound of their anguished cries, echoing down the darkened halls. The oppressive silence outside only deepened the weight of their grief, the shadows seeming to mock their pain.

And amidst it all, Jake stood silently, his lips curling into a faint, almost imperceptible smile.