Evil Be Thy Master

Taylor’s POV

“Are you girls sure you’re alright?” I heard Eric ask Niki and Rhian in the kitchen. I walked in slowly, rubbing my arms as I did so. I was still shook up from earlier, but I had managed to get some sleep. When all else fails, my ass will manage to sleep.

“We’re fine Eric, but thanks for letting us stay here,” Rhian said quietly. We’d all been quieter since what had happened at our house. We were afraid they were around us, watching, listening. It was terrifying. We also hadn’t mentioned it. It was like we were scared they would turn up if we did.

I know this is going to sound silly, but we know who did it. We don’t need to be told, it’s just… a feeling? It’s those freaks that we met on the internet. It has to be. Who else would be fucked up enough to do this to us?

“Taylor, you’re awake,” Eric said happily as he trotted over to me, taking me in his arms. I just nodded numbly, still terrified from the day’s events. He must have known I was still nervous because he began to rub my back, lightly tracing the Celtic cross that was tattooed between my shoulder blades. “I never did understand why you got that tattooed, I’ve never seen you in a church before.”

“Just because I don’t go to church, doesn’t mean I don’t believe,” I whispered, not moving away from him. Just having someone else there, someone else who wasn’t pissing themselves in fear, made me feel safe. “Besides, it has meaning to me. I designed that one.”

“I know, but still. You’re other ones seem to be so suited to you, especially the anarchy tat, but that one just seems random,” he laughed, finally letting go of me. A cold, angry feeling breeze washed past me, making me shiver. “Are you working tonight?” he asked suddenly, making me think.

“Yea, I’m closing. What about you and Nik?” I asked as I dug around for a cup, pouring myself a glass of iced tea.

“I’m off, but Niki’s working for a couple of hours I think, aren’t you?” he asked, looking over at Niki.

“Yea, I’m working till ten,” she nodded. “Eric, is it alright with you if I go shower?”

“Yea, that’s fine. There should be plenty of hot water. Just grab a towel on your way in,” he told her, smiling slightly. Niki nodded, but didn’t return the smile. Not that I can blame her, I wasn’t really in a smiling mood either. Fuck, we’d just been stalked by a heart and spelling blood.

Now see, honestly, the heart and pictures I may have been able to handle. But the blood… that just… it wasn’t natural! That doesn’t just happen! There’s some fucked up shit going down, and I have no control over it, and by God I fucking hate it.

“Seriously, are you guys ok?” Eric asked as he stared at Rhian and I’s somber expression. We looked to each other, as if silently contemplating telling him. Rhian nodded slightly and looked up at him.

“You remember those guys from the mall the other day?” she asked.

“The ones that I ‘rescued’ you three from?” he asked. I nodded. “Yea, what about them?”

“We think that they may be stalking us,” Rhian said carefully. I scoffed.

“No, we know they’re fucking stalking us,” I spat. At the realization of what was going on, the fact that we were being followed and threatened by these dickheads, all of my fear was converted to anger. I mean seriously, what fucking right did they have to try to intimidate us? Who the fuck do they think they are?

Someone knocked on the door, making Rhian and I shriek and jump at Eric quickly, fearing what was on the other side. He looked between the two of us before slowly walking away and towards the door.

“No, Eric don’t!” Rhian nearly cried as he reached for the doorknob. He sighed and pulled it open slowly, revealing…

The mailman.

That bastard. Scaring the piss out of me for no fucking reason. No wonder dogs hate his ass.

Eric grabbed the envelopes before heading back over to us, smiling sympathetically.

“You poor girls are really shaken up aren’t you?” We nodded shakily. We were fucking terrified. He shook his head angrily. “I’ll kill the fuckers if I see them near you again.”

At his words, I heard a deep, evil laughter. I jumped, looking around me for the source, but no one was there. All I got was an odd look from Eric.

“I’m going to go check on Niki,” he said slowly, looking at me like I was a lunatic. I let out a shaky breath and sat down at the kitchen table. What is wrong with me? First that fucked up dream, then mysterious laughter. I think I’ve finally lost it.

“You heard it too didn’t you?” I looked up at Rhian, who was staring right out a window. “You heard the laughing?”

“Yea, I did,” I said quietly, swallowing the lump in my throat. “What’s going on Rhian?”

“I don’t know, but whatever it is won’t be over anytime soon.”

“Taylor! I need some Cuervo over here!” One of the other bartenders yelled. I sighed and grabbed a new bottle taking it over. “You alright kid? You seem a little off.”

“I’m fine,” I lied, heading back to my ‘post’. I wasn’t fine, I was far from fine. It felt like someone had been watching me all night. Of course that probably sounds dumb, since I work in a bar and someone was bound to be looking over at one point or another. But this wasn’t like that. Someone was watching me. They were watching every damn move I made. And it wasn’t a casual stare, they were taking note of it, anticipating it.

“I’ll take another Miller Lite please,” one of the men at the bar said suddenly, bringing me from my thoughts.

“Mug or bottle?” I asked.

“Bottle please.”

I smiled and went to grab him a bottle, only to notice that we were out. I sighed and looked up. “I’m sorry Sir, but I don’t have any out here. I’m going to go back and get some though. It will only be a minute.”

He nodded and sent a small smile as I walked off. Going into the dark storeroom really wasn’t my favorite idea at the time, but I’d have to deal. I mean seriously, what’s the odds of some creep getting behind the bar and following me back here.

My blood ran cold when I heard the soft footsteps behind me. You’re fucking shitting me. No way, no fucking way. My breath picked up and I quickened my pace, just trying to find a couple of cases of Miller and get the fuck out in public. I was so nervous my hand began to fumble around, making it difficult to grab anything. The footsteps continued to get closer, frightening me with every drop of the foot. Finally I got the cases and began to walk out, feeling safe… until that hand gripped my shoulder.

“Taylor.”

“Fuck!” I screamed, dropping one of the cases of beer, causing them to break all over the floor.

“Jesus Christ Tay! Are you alright?” Niki asked as she tried to calm me down. “It was only me.”

I tried to calm my breathing down to answer her as she began to mop up the mess I had made. Finally I felt able to speak. “You bitch! Why the flying fuck did you sneak up on me?!” I asked angrily. She looked up at me with a confused face.

“I had been calling your name all the way back here, you just ignored me,” she said slowly. I frowned. Not once did I hear my name called.

“Sorry then, my bad,” I mumbled, helping her clean up the mess before grabbing another case. Niki looked up at me with a worried expression.

“Are you ok Sug?” she asked, standing up and grabbing another case to help me out. We slowly began to head back out to the bar, making sure to take our time.

“Yes. No. Fuck, I don’t know,” I mumbled, shifting my arms to carry the cases easier.

“This shit’s really getting to you isn’t it?” she asked quietly, not wanting anyone else to hear. People thinking we were crazy would just top off this wonderful day.

“No, it’s not. I’m just a little jumpy today,” I lied. She gave me a disbelieving look and I chuckled. Had I really thought I could fool Niki? “Alright, fine, I’m a little scared.”

“Whatever,” she sighed as she rolled her eyes. “Anyway, I was coming back to tell you that I’m heading out. I’m taking the car. Eric said he’d be here when you get off to pick you up. So I’ll see you later.”

“Yea,” I mumbled as she took off for the door, “Later.”

Why do I feel like this will end badly?

“Fucking finally,” I grumbled to myself as I clocked out and grabbed my purse. I was exhausted, and it seemed like everyone in the OC wanted their fix of alcohol tonight. I just wanted to go home and go to bed.

Wait, scratch that. I want to go to Eric’s and go to bed. Home is certainly not an option right now.

“Dammit Eric. Where are you?” I mumbled, checking my phone for the time. He was twenty minutes late and I was tired. I ran my hands up and down my arms, to both try and warm up and have something to do with them. I was getting nervous, and my fidgeting was kicking in. Minutes began to tick by, and still no sign of Eric. “Fucking hell,” I growled, beginning to get pissed. I could have been to his place by now. All he had to do was tell me he wasn’t going to make it. He probably fucking fell asleep, leaving me here to myself. The fucking asshole.

A twig snapping made my hair stand on end. Oh no, that’s not good, that’s not good at all.

I tried to level my heart rate and keep from panicking, but that plan failed the moment that cold breeze swept past me. Bad things always happen when that creepy fucking breeze is around.

“Taylor, darling…”

As the whispered words floated through the air, my eyes widened and my body stiffened. Oh no. No, no, no, no, no. This is not fucking happening.

Footsteps began to sound around me again, and that was it, I was gone. I took off running down the street towards Eric’s house, thanking God the entire way that I had opted for my vans tonight instead of heels. I kept my steady pace, not looking back once. I didn’t need to. I knew they were there. I could hear them. Fuck, I could feel them.

“What are you running for?” a voice hissed at me, sounding extremely close and making me stumble. One of my arms shot in front of me, preventing my entire body from hitting the ground. I regained my footing and continued running, looking for any form of shelter.

But then again, is there any? I mean the fuckers got into our house, is there anywhere they can’t get to?

And then I saw it. It truly must have been God sent. Of course!

I made a quick veer for the church, hearing the taunting and the footsteps fade off. I let out a sigh of relief as I entered through the ornate doors, stopping to do the sign of the cross with some holy water. I had never been a Catholic, but as a teenager I was sent to a Catholic high school, so I knew the basics. And right now, I felt the need to confess. I had done it during high school, but since then I hadn’t stepped foot in a Catholic church.

Slowly I made my way to the confession boxes, praying that a priest was in there. I need to tell someone what’s going on. Someone that won’t judge me, someone that may have an answer.

I opened the door and stepped in, softly shutting the door. I kneeled down, finally feeling safe now that I was in a holy place.

“Are you alright my child?” the priest’s calm voice asked. I tried to catch my breath before answering.

“Father, I think I have sinned,” I forced out through my deep breaths.

“You think you have sinned?” he asked, a light amusement in his voice. I frowned.

“Ok, I know I’ve sinned. I’ve sinned a lot actually. But, I think God’s trying to get back at me,” I said cautiously. The priest was silent for a few moments before he chose his words carefully.

“God does not ‘get back’ at people. He loves all of his children. What would make you think that he was getting back at you?” he asked.

“My friends and I, we’ve been followed by these… these freaks. They’re evil father, pure evil. They’re threatening us, and just… doing inhuman things. A-and we can’t get them to leave us alone,” I whimpered, tears beginning to leak out. "I'm so scared Father."

I had never been one to cry. In fact, there was very few occasions when I would. But right now, I was crying out of sheer terror.

“Now why would these men do this to you girls?” he asked patiently, “What have you done to provoke them?”

“Nothing!” I said quickly. “At least nothing I can think of. I mean, we might have been a little flirty and teased them on the chatrooms, but that is hardly worth this terror.”

“Chatrooms? You met these boys on the internet?” he asked with a sudden interest.

“Men, father, men. They’re much too terrifying to ever be called boys. But yes, we did,” I said quietly. The priest chuckled, making me scowl.

“Now didn’t your mother ever tell you not to meet up with people you met on the internet?” He chuckled. I was pissed now. He shouldn’t be making fun of me.

“Yes, she did. But isn’t there something in your training that says priests shouldn’t mock people that are confessing to them?” I spat angrily. The laughter immediately stopped and was replaced with a frosty voice.

“That very well may be,” he said slowly, “But I always thought I made a much better Reverend than I did priest.”

I screamed as the screen separating the two booths was crushed to bits and Jimmy, the tall man that had taken a liking to Rhian stepped through, throwing my trembling body out of the booth. Tears poured out of my eyes, and all I could think was that this was the end, this was how I was going to die. In a church, by five psychos. Fanfuckingtastic.

“Awww… look at the little girl crying,” Zack laughed as he kicked me in the gut, the same spot that Rhian and Niki had bruised the night before. I began to cough and sputter, trying to catch my breath.

“P-please,” I begged, hoping they would have some sympathy and would just let me go.

“Please what?” Brian, Niki’s 'hunter', asked with a grin on his face.

“P-please d-don’t kill m-me,” I sobbed, literally shaking with fear. All five of the men exchanged glances before smirking at me.

“Darling, we aren’t going to kill you, at least not yet,” Matt laughed viciously as Jimmy lifted me off the ground by my hair, “We’ve got some fun planned for you first.”

I gulped and tried to struggle, not wanting to go down without a fight. I tried to get out of Jimmy’s tight grip, but all I succeeded in doing was pissing him off.

“Johnny! Take care of her!” he growled, throwing me around roughly in an attempt to get me to stop moving. Johnny let his eyes scan across the room before they landed on a five foot candelabra. He grinned and picked it up, looking at me with an evil face.

I let out yet another scream as the cold metal connected with my skull, knocking me unconscious.

My eyes snapped open as I tried to take in my surroundings. Unfortunately that did no good, everything around me was pitch black. The air was cold and damp, making me think that I was in a basement of some sort. My breath began to come short as I realized what was going on.

They had me. There was no getting out of this. They had me locked in a fucking room. What the flying fuck do I do now?

Ok, panicking isn't going to help.

I can do this. I can get out of this. All I have to do is stay calm and think.

Oh who the fuck am I kidding? I'm fucking screwed. I'm in a dark room, I have no idea where I am, and there's most likely five sadistic bastards out there just waiting on my next move. Not even Houdini could get his ass out of this one.

"I think our little prisoner is awake."

I froze in place when I heard Johnny's voice call out to the others. He was somewhere outside this room. I'm assuming on the other side of a door. Though I have no idea where that is.

"Is she now?" Jimmy's voice laughed, "Well then, let's have some fun."

I heard a door open from somewhere around me and footsteps entered. I tried to crawl away from the direction they were coming from, thinking that since I couldn't see them they couldn't see me. I was wrong.

"Come here you little bitch," Brian growled as he picked me up off the ground by my neck. My hands shot to his as I tried to pry his fingers off, hoping to get some oxygen back into my body, but it was useless. "I've got her," he yelled to the rest of them as he pulled me out of the dark room and into a dimly lit hallway. I looked around at the five men in fear, wondering what their next move would be. "Here Matt, you take her," Brian spat as he shoved me towards Matt, who had an unreadable expression on his face.

I thought maybe he wasn't paying attention, so I tried to move away. But before I could get anywhere, his arms shot out and I was thrown over his shoulder. Once again, panic mode set in and I kicked and screamed, trying desperately to get out of his hold.

"Would you shut the fuck up?" He growled as he followed the other four.

"Just let me go, please," I sobbed. "Please just let me go. I'm sorry for whatever I did."

"Stop your fucking begging," he snapped, "You have more pride than that."

His words confused me enough to shut me up for a while, at least until I was brought into a new room. The other four stood around a long table, with sadistic grins on their faces. My stomach turned as I saw it, I knew something wasn't right.

"Tie her down Shadows," Zack told him, "Jimmy and I realized something when we brought her back here."

"And what is that?" he asked as he threw me on the table, knocking the wind out of me. He made a reach for my arm, but I immediately wriggled out of his reach. He's fucking stupid if he thinks I'm just going to let him tie me down. Oh hell fucking no. "Brian, help me," he growled as he got a firm grip on one of my wrists, yanking it roughly to the edge of the table. Brian walked over, grabbing my ankles and stretching me out so that I was spread eagle on the table. I felt bile rise up in my throat as I thought over what they could possibly be planning.

"No, no, you need to flip her over," Jimmy said suddenly, "We need her back up."

"Why?" Matt groaned as he single handedly flipped me over, securing my wrists in cuffs before I had a chance to move. Brian quickly tied my legs down, making it impossible for me to move at all. Once again, tears of fear began to leak out of my eyes. I didn't bother trying to talk or beg, it had become obvious that that only made them angrier.

"That damn cross is on her back," Zack growled. I turned my head toward him just in time to see him pull out a large scalpel. A small sob made it's way out of my lips, making him glare. "You know what's coming bitch, don't you?"

I bit my lip to keep from making anymore noises. I wasn't going to let them know how scared I was. No fucking way. They aren't going to get that satisfaction.

"What are you doing?" Matt asked, looking at Zack and Jimmy, who seemed to be the masterminds at the moment.

"You think we're going to allow her to keep a cross on her body?" Jimmy laughed. "It's coming off Matt."

It's coming off? What the hell do they mea-

"Oh my God!" I screamed as the scalpel dug into my back. I could literally hear the skin rip, making the pain seem all the more real.

God help me.

Rhian's POV

I scratched my head as I walked out into the living room, finding Niki sitting on the couch with a bowl of cereal. "Taylor still asleep?"

She looked up at me slowly before looking back down and shaking her head. "Taylor's not here."

"What do you mean she's not here?" I asked quickly, worry lacing my voice.

"I mean she isn't in this apartment. She never came home last night."

"What?! Where is she then?" I asked, beginning to panic.

"I don't know," she shrugged, seeming eerily calm about it. Did she not realize that our best friend was missing.

"What do you mean you don't know? Didn't Eric tell you?"

"Eric's not here either," she chuckled, "I'm thinking they got up to no good last night."

"Ooooh... so that's why you're not worried," I said in realization. If they were off together everything's all good. They wouldn't dare bother Taylor while Eric was around.

"Exactly. The boy is finally going get one of the tails he's been chasing."

"So when is he getting yours?" I teased, earning myself a glare.

"He's not," she said dryly, making me laugh.

"Whatever you say," I said innocently.

"Damn right whatever I say," she grumbled, getting up to put her bowl in the sink. "I'm going to get a shower."

"Alright," I said, nodding as I flipped through the channels on the TV. I yawned, finding nothing interesting on, but jumped up when I heard Niki's scream break the silence that had settled over the house. "Niki?" I yelled, running into the bathroom.

She stood in the doorway, staring in shock in horror at the mess that covered it. The entire bathroom was covered in a layer of thick, red liquid.

Blood.

"Oh my God," I gagged, running to the toilet to throw up when I saw what was in the tub. A body had been cut into pieces, and was floating around in the tub, which was filled with a mixture of blood and water. Chunks of skin, muscle, and organs floated to the top as they became detached from their original place on the body, gaining a yellow tint as the oxygen left the tissues. It looked like a sickening soup, with legs and arms floating randomly in it, the splintered bones apparent, even through the bloody water. I sunk to the floor and began to hyperventilate. This wasn't happening. There wasn't a dead body in the tup. I'm imagining this. It's not real, it's not real.

I curled up into a ball and began to rock back and forth, praying that I would wake up from the nightmare that had taken over my life in only a few short days.

"R-rhian," Niki choked out, making me look up.

"What?" I asked cautiously, not wanting to open my eyes.

"Rhian, it's Eric," she told me, her voice cracking as she said his name.

My eyes snapped open and I looked up at her. She motioned to the rod that held the shower curtain. I felt my stomach clench again as I looked at him.

Eric's head was hanging off of it, his lip ring having been tied to the rod. It spun around repeatedly blood dripping down from his neck and a dried line coming from his mouth, making me nauseous again. His dull, lifeless eyes landed on me, making me shiver, just as a loud banging came from the front door. I jumped out of my skin and looked up at Niki, who looked more terrified than I have ever seen her in her life.

She made a slow movement towards the door and my eyes widened.

"Niki what are you doing?!" I gasped, jumping up toward her. She sniffed and turned around.

"Eric is fucking dead Rhian! What the fuck else can they do to us? You think that they can't get in here if we don't answer the fucking door?! They did this last night! While we were in here, asleep!" she yelled, making me flinch. She bit her lip and looked down. "I-I'm sorry Rhian. I didn't mean to yell, but- Oh my God."

"Oh my God? What, oh my God?" I asked, begin to feel even worse.

"If Eric's dead, then Taylor can't be with him."

Her words hung in the air for a few moments before we both made a quick jump for the door.

Please God, if you're up there, let Taylor be on the other side of this door.

Niki threw the door open, looking around for any sign of a person, but found none.

"What the hell?" she mumbled. I followed her eyes and looked at the outside of the door. A knife was stuck in it, holding some odd material that seemed to hold a note in place. Niki pulled out the knife and grabbed the note. "Come get her?" she read, looking to me for clarification. I grabbed it from her hands and turned it over, paling when I saw what was on the other side.

"Oh shit," I whimpered as I dropped it to the ground.

Staring back up at us was Taylor's cross.