𝐁𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑-𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐓、 TICCI TOBY.

𝜗𝜚.𝟎𝟓

   𝕸ore than a week had elapsed, marking yet another day that tested Cleo's sanity when the police delivered devastating news. The young boy had disappeared, only to resurface in a manner vastly different from his initial disappearance. Though the authorities assured her that the murderer had been apprehended, the boy's fragmented state left Cleo shattered.

They had brought her and her mother in to identify the body, that which caused her gaze to fall upon the remnants of the boy, prompting her to confirm the grim reality. This served as yet another poignant reminder of the recent bleakness that had enveloped the family.

For Cleo it became increasingly challenging for her to maintain composure, especially with the responsibility she felt towards her younger sister and differing mother.

The weight of these things were becoming unbearable. Between the passing of her father and now her younger brother, she found herself questioning the existence of her God. If  he truly existed, why allow such profound tragedy to unfold? These doubts gnawed at her, fostering a sense of detachment and guilt that permeated every aspect of her life.

﹒⟢ ﹒

As the week stretched into a month, anxiety and depression consumed her. Her academic performance started to decline, mirroring her deteriorating mental well-being as she desperately clung to the remnants of her mind.

Soon, her emotions morphed into a profound paranoia, causing her to constantly glance over her shoulder, scrutinize the surrounding woods, and take extreme measures to ensure Kayla remained close by her side.

And despite her deep affection for her baby sister, the girl began to harbor genuine disdain for her mother, finding her increasingly repulsive.

As these feelings intensified, Cleo found herself wrestling with dark thoughts of hatred and violence towards her mother, sometimes tucking her into the couch late at night, where the glow of the TV accentuated her aged features, it was where she felt the hatred form the most.

The daughter longed for her mother's demise in that car accident instead of her father's and it had seemed effortless for her to envision strangling the woman as she slept peacefully, ending a life Cleo deemed undeserving from the start. A life squandered on excessive alcohol and drugs, or expended on arguments and abuse directed at the two girls whenever she descended into chaos.

Cleo yearned for a life that would forever remain out of reach, craving a peace that could dispel the persistent sense of dread. Yet, as she withdrew her hands and let her shoulders slump, she silently departed into the dim corridors of their once vibrant home.

﹒⟢ ﹒

"It looks like you were already doing a splendid job at assisting SM." Tim muttered.

Toby snickered in response taking a bite of some chocolate bar he stole from a previous victim's house. He was trying to keep his temper under control, but honestly, it was falling short and quickly at that.

The Operator's constant presence felt suffocating, as if the creature believed it owned them all. That, and its lack of origins made escape or defeating it seem impossible, leaving a bitter taste in the man's mouth.

"W-whatever, let's follow her."

Toby's irritation soon mounted with every sound: the rustling leaves, Tim's faint humming, and Cleo's subdued sobbing. He struggled not to take it personally, but then the sniffles started. His nose wrinkled, and he found himself involuntarily scrunching his face for a moment, then repeating the action.

Not now. Is all he could think.

Toby watched as Tim readied himself to climb up to Cleo's cracked window. He swiftly grabbed Tim's jacket and pulled him back down by the living room window. The sudden movement startled Mrs. Aikwa, who had been asleep for about an hour, but she didn't fully wake up.

"What the fuck Toby." Tim whispered.

"T-T-Just hold on a damn minute," Toby practically snapped, clamping his mouth shut soon after.

And with Tim's eyes glued to the elderly woman who stirred in her sleep, he gripped the younger's neck. Turning toward him.

"Get it the fuck, together." Tim gritted, he shoved his other hand deep into his pocket before revealing some sort of gummy. "Need to relax? Eat this."

Toby swiftly grabbed the candy from Tim's outstretched hand and popped it into his mouth, pulling away from Tim's tight grip.

He then grunted a quick, "Thankyou."

Tim was all too familiar with Toby's erratic behavior, but Tim never knew nor cared about the cause. He cared about their mission.

After regaining some sort of composure, Toby nudged Tim aside, still experiencing occasional twitches but nothing he couldn't manage. He then proceeded to ascend the side of the house.

"Atta boy Toby, go get your dream woman." Tim teased, chuckling before entering the 1st floor window.

Rolling his eyes, he slipped into Cleo's room with caution, making sure not to disturb the sleeping girl. If she were to wake up, it could spell trouble, not just for her but possibly for the rest of her makeshift family as well.

The aim was to uncover more details about her: her interests, potential plans, or skills. After all, they weren't kidnappers, at least not yet. So he began to search, rearranging items and scrutinizing everything that defined her and for a moment, he felt like he was getting nowhere until he stumbled upon her diary.

Toby skimmed through, green eyes falling short on the most recent page.

ENTRY 4.
I sense a presence watching me, and it's driving me to the brink of madness. Lately, my mind is consumed by this inner turmoil, this hate festering inside me, leaving me confused and uneasy. Whenever I glance outside, my gaze is drawn deep into the woods where I feel the gaze of this entity fixed upon me. I don't believe I'm losing my mind. I've caught it several times, always observing silently.

It's a towering figure with elongated limbs, its face a ghostly white void devoid of features. Once, I could swear I saw thick black tentacles slithering outward, intertwining with the surrounding foliage.

I'm terrified, but I refuse to believe I'm insane, aren't I?

Toby chuckled behind his mouth guard as he flipped through more, until he heard a high-pitched voice behind him, accompanied by a sharp object poking at his back.

"Who are you, and w-wha-what do you want."

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A/N: I've uploaded this book to Qoutev as well, that's always been one of my favorite reading ╱ writing sites other than wattpad.