BLIND | DreamSMP

XXVI - The Tide Comes In

Someone was shouting. 

Horses neighed loudly, and Tommy could hear their hooves stomping the ground. There was a heavy thump, bodies colliding, and then two more in quick succession, followed by a pained grunt. Fundy had left his side, running towards the sounds, leaving Tommy alone. 

He stood, unsure what to do.

"You fucking bastard! I'll kill you!"

Quackity's enraged yelling made Tommy's decision for him. He moved as fast as he could, stumbling forwards.

"You rotten piece of shit!"

He knew he was close by how loud Quackity had become. There were more thumps, and he flinched as each one resonated through the air.

"You thought you could steal my knife, and I wouldn't notice?! Thought you were gonna escape, or stab me in the back like the low-life murderer you are?!"

Panic overtook Tommy's mind. The urge to do something was overwhelming, but he couldn't think what.

"I'll kill you, bastard!"

The thumps were growing in intensity. Tommy tried to run to Techno, to help him, but someone held him back, pinning his arms against his sides as he struggled.

"Let go of me! Let go!"

Tears fell down his cheeks.

"Tommy! Tommy, stop! There's nothing you can do!" The person restraining him hissed. He recognized the voice as Fundy.

Another thump. Techno grunted audibly this time.

"Stop it! Stop it, Quackity, stop it!"

Tommy was yelling, sobs choking his words.

"Stop it! Please, just stop it!"

His shouts fell on deaf ears.

"STOP IT!"

He was screaming now, desperate.

"STOP HURTING HIM, STOP IT, PLEASE!"

The thumps slowed. 

Footsteps crunched through the thick snow. Tommy could feel hot breath on his face.

"You want me to stop, huh?"

Quackity's menacing tone froze Tommy's spine. He went rigid, terror turning his blood to ice.

"Leave him alone Quackity, he's just a kid," Fundy pled. "Techno's the one you're mad at."

Tommy recognized the intent behind Fundy's words; to redirect Quackity's anger away from him, back to his brother. He wasn't sure why the fox-man was trying to protect him, but he hated the sentiment. If Techno had taken such a vicious beating, he could too.

"Just a kid?" Quackity laughed. The sound made Tommy's heart shudder. "I guess you're right. Look at the way he's trembling." 

A blade was held to his cheek, pressing into the lean flesh and pushing against his teeth and gum without breaking the skin. 

"He's like a little boy, scared of the Big-Bad-Quackity. Bet you'd be crying for your mother right now if you weren't too afraid to open your mouth." 

The knife trailed down his face, landing on his neck. 

"Oh wait. You didn't have one of those, did you? Just that metal box your father thought was his wife. I heard he married it and everything. When did he stop having those hallucinations?"

The blade circled around his neck and began to climb back up the other side of his face.

"Or did he ever stop? Did his mind ever really heal?"