Forbidden Chemistry

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/37264609.

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Category: Other
Fandom: Original Work
Additional Tags: Original Character(s), Teacher-Student Relationship, Yandere,
Kidnapping, Romance, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Stats: Published: 2022-02-20 Chapters: 17/17 Words: 10776

Forbidden Chemistry
by darkphoenix06

Summary

"I never imagined that I would wake up this way; obscurity claiming my vision while silk
lay entwined around my limbs."

Lin was a regular person. They went to school, went home, had a family. But they could've
never expected that they would catch the attention of someone who loved them a little too
much. Follow their adventures filled with love and deep, dark obsession.

This story is in first person and refers to the main character as gender neutral. If you don't
like it, don't read it. Have fun!

Adding in as a warning, this does involve the relationship of an adult and a minor. I
removed the underage tag because I misunderstood.
 Where am I?

I never imagined that I would wake up this way; obscurity claiming my vision while silk lay
entwined around my limbs. Creeeeaaaak. Light creeps through an ajar door and finally, I could
analyze my surroundings.
Blood-red cloth covered my body; thankfully, I still had my clothes on. The bed seemed to have
spiraling posts holding large wooden boards in place. I sat up. The walls were scarlet with inky
skirting boards. A grand, mahogany set of drawers sat in front of the wall opposite the bed and an
electrical chandelier hung from the ceiling. A ruby clock and a calendar hung from the wall; it
seemed to be November 2020.
Standing up, the door swings open to reveal my science teacher, holding a tray with breakfast items
on. Don't get me wrong; he is funny but why would I be at his home?
"Oh, good! You are awake." He exclaimed, with a large smile on his face.
"Mr Thorne, why am I here?" I questioned.
"You slipped on ice, hit your head and went unconscious. I would've brought you to the hospital
but with COVID-19 going around, I had assumed that the hospital would've been full and
dangerous. So I brought you to my home as I know what to do."
It seemed quiet in the house and even if there would be a long wait time, wouldn't it be safer to take
me to the hospital? Mr Thorne ushered me to the bed so I sat down; placing the tray beside me on
the bed, he put a hand on my forehead and asked a few questions. For example, "How are you
feeling?", “How is your vision?" and "Can you smell alright?". I answered the questions truthfully;
after all, if he wanted to hurt me, would he be doing this? Then he asked me to eat some of the
breakfast food, after explaining that blunt force trauma can cause a change or loss of some senses.
Picking up the cutlery, I ate the waffle and I replied that I could taste it. Finishing the breakfast, I
placed the cutlery on the tray and thanked Mr Thorne.
"All right, everything seems okay for now. However, it could just be for today. I have told your
family that you shall be staying at my house for a while due to injury. I have notified the school
also. You should be okay, but other symptoms haven't been shown so they may be delayed." He
stated, continuing with, "If you feel pains, there is paracetamol in a drawer in the bedside table to
your left. There are also snacks in the bottom drawer. There is a bathroom connected to this room
and on the shelves on your right are games and books. In the drawers underneath the TV, there are
new clothes. Your phone was broken when you fell so I've sent it to a repair shop. Ask me if you
need anything else."
"Thank you, Mr Thorne."
"No problems, Lin."
Mr Thorne walked out of the room, leaving me to my own devices. I was still stuck in awe; the
room was the size of two of the English classrooms. In any case, I decided to play some of the
games on the shelf. I picked up Detroit: Become Human from the shelf and placed it inside of the
PS4 underneath the television. Strange, all of the games I have always wanted to play were on the
shelf. The game started up and I began to play; after I saved the young girl in the first mission, I
heard a strange noise from the next room over, slice, then a combination of gurgling and choking. I
decided to ignore it, as it was probably none of my business or a movie.
Soon, I heard the song Bad Romance playing behind the bedroom door. I checked the clock; the
time was midnight.
"I guess I'll go to sleep then," I mumble; the song stops. I change into pajamas, lay on the bed and
close my eyes. I hear the door open and a voice whisper "Good night." I fell asleep instantly.
 "How kind!"
Chapter Summary

After being brought to his house to heal, Lin had been properly accommodated for. No
chores, no school, just "healing". How kind!

The next morning, I wake up to find a change of comfortable-looking clothes at the end of the bed
and a note.

"Dear Lin,
Please put this outfit on; I would like to take you out to breakfast. Going to a familiar place can
reduce stress, thus reducing the harm you may put your brain through. Additionally, you may be
stressed by being in the same house as your teacher so this will be most helpful.
Yours only
Sincerely,
Mr W. Thorne.”

"How kind." I thought as I put the outfit on. The fabric was soft and easy to move in. Walking
down the stairs, I notice Mr Thorne waiting at the front door.
"Hello, Mr Thorne."
He stared for a moment then replied.
"Good morning, Lin. I assume you are ready to go?"
I put my shoes on and nodded.
"Good, let's go." Mr Thorne opened the door to reveal a large, beautiful garden.
A large fountain sat in the middle of the garden with sapphire roses forming mazes. Forests seemed
to cover half of the land, while the rest was flowers as the eye can see. The sky was as clear as
glass and as blue as Uranus; you could see the large, glowing orb in the sky. A black Tesla Model
S parked at the bottom of the stairs.
"Sir, is that how we're getting there?" I asked, stars almost forming in my eyes. I had never seen
such a luxurious car in person; convertibles were ruined by my diabetic father. I felt tears form in
my eyes; he ruined everything. If it weren't for him, my family may have been happier and I may
have been a better person. Ever since I was five, he was offensive and judged our every opinion.
He caused my sister anxiety and my brother anger any time he was mentioned. Soon, I felt a hand
brush against my back before swiftly pulling away. Mr Thorne coughed.
"Yes. Let's go. We shouldn't leave the driver waiting," He lightly pulled on my wrist down the
marble steps and opened the door to the car. "After you."
I took a seat; it seemed smaller from the outside. The seats were scarlet velvet with cushions in the
back; in the front, no such embellishments were seen as they would endanger the driver and
passengers. He gets in the front passenger seat and gives directions to the restaurant.
Zooming past the countryside, I couldn’t help but gaze at the beauty. Trees and grassy fields as far
as the eye could see and flowers adorned the meadows. Children’s laughter was most of what you
could hear. The rest was chirping and the breeze gently caressing my skin like a soft lover.
When we arrived, we walked a little while before arriving at an all you can eat buffet.
"How did you know this was my favorite restaurant?"
"I heard you talk about it during class." He seemed to jokingly glare at me before chuckling.
We entered the door, went up the stairs and joined the booking queue. I thought nothing of it; after
all, I had supposedly been unconscious for a few days. Perhaps he had pre-planned this for when I
woke up. That was kind of him. If only I had known the truth sooner. Silence clung to my vocal
cords for a long minute, before Mr Thorne broke it.
“So, why do you like this restaurant?” He asked before awkwardly looking away.
“Isn’t it obvious? You get to eat as much as you want for one purchase and the food is of
incredible quality. I was always brought here for special events but it was mostly from my dad
bribing me to see him. I love this restaurant because of all the wonderful memories I have here.” I
paused. “Sorry, I’m rambling again. If that happens again, please let me know,”
“It’s fine, it just shows that you are passionate.” He started. “Being passionate about subjects gives
you a level of uniqueness, making you able to find people who feel the same way. This allows you
to gain friends or,” He halted. “Nevermind. That second one is none of my business.” It took me a
couple of seconds to realize what he was about to say, before going crimson. Thankfully, our food
arrived; while eating, a phone started ringing.
“Excuse me, I need to take this. I’ll leave this second phone here for you to order when you are
done.” Standing, Mr Thorne begins to walk to the bathroom. The phone sat there unlocked on the
oak table; due to the pandemic, new restrictions had to be put in place. You now had to use a phone
to scan a QR code and order your food. I soon finished my plate of nuggets and chips so I picked
up the phone, only to notice a message coming up. It read, “The family has been dealt with.”
 Dealt with?
Chapter Summary

After reading the text message, Lin became curious. What did it mean by dealt with?
The red flags became sirens. Something was off.

I soon finished my plate of nuggets and chips so I picked up the phone, only to notice a message
coming up. It read, “The family has been dealt with.”
Curious, I tapped the message; I almost vomited in my mouth. They were discussing the murder of
my family; locations of where they would be, why I was the one kept alive and casual jabs once in
a while. Swiftly, I took a screenshot; sent it to my email; erased any evidence of me seeing the
messages and ordered more food. Mr Thorne walked over; my hands were shaking.
“Lin, are you alright? Your hands are shaking and you’re pale.”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I felt like I was going to be sick, but I continued my lie. “I just feel a bit cold.”
“You aren’t lying to me, are you?” Mr Thorne asked, with concern, worry and, what seemed to be
a small amount of anger.
I smiled, though it was fake. “Of course not. Why would I? You saved my life.”
Calming down, he remarked, “Good, anyhow have you ordered your next plate?”
“Yep, but I need to go to the ladies room. I’ll be back in a moment.”
“Ah yes of course. Go ahead.”
I stood up, trying not to seem suspicious and walked over to the bathrooms. Locking myself in a
stall, I began to cry. It all seemed too much for me to bear. My family has been murdered and I’m
stuck in the grasps of an obsessed psychopath! I carefully blotted up the tears, trying not to cause
inflammation. I left the stall, washed my hands and left back to the table. Food on the table, I sat
down.
“Are you sure you’re alright?” Mr Thorne started. “You look like you’ve been crying.”
“I just miss my family.” I started; he tensed up. Bingo. “Do you think we could go see them before
we go back to your place?”
“Uh about that,” He started “Your house set alight. The door was locked and they took too long
trying to unlock the door.”
“N-no!” I began to cry once again, but why? I knew they were dead. “I-I guess, I’ll have to ask my
friends if any of them will let me live with them after I heal.”
He froze up. “Y-yeah, sure.”
Continuing to eat, I ask if Mr Thorne was going to get food; he snapped out of his “trance” and
ordered something on his phone or he was setting up a new murder. Either way, he used his phone
and placed it down on the table. About an hour later, I finished eating; boulders took place in my
stomach.
“Sir, I’m ready to go.”
“Great! I think your injury will last a while, so let’s go get you new clothes.”
“Okay.” Standing up from the table, we left the restaurant (me with a steamed bun in my pocket
but nobody cares about that), walked over to the car and got in.
“Here,” Mr Thorne started, handing a pair of jewel-encrusted, Bluetooth headphones. “I’ve seen
headphones on your table before when you needed to get your planner and pencil case before. I’ve
also gotten you a new phone because your one was beyond repair, as well as your headphones.”
“Thank you so much, Sir!” I replied enthusiastically, with a steamed bun in my mouth. He blushed.
“Shit,” I thought. “I know what’s going on. He’s a yandere.”
For those readers who just don’t know what one of those people are, they are over-obsessed
people. Of course, they aren’t always like this. Sometimes they are mild and they don’t resort to
murder and manipulation but the science teacher is a stereotypical yandere and, apparently, a
paedophile. Usually, I like yanderes because they are dedicated to the one they love and they are
protective too. However, this one creeped me out to a high extent.
In any case, I turned on the phone and headphones, opened youtube and listened to music on the
way to many clothing stores. When we finished buying a large array of black joggers, T-shirts,
cheap pajamas, underwear (thankfully I grabbed those on my own) and flannel shirts, we put them
in bags and back in the car we went. Mr Thorne drove us back to the cage he called his home and I
began to speak.
“Sir?”
“Yes, Lin?”
“I’m tired after doing all this; do you mind if I take a nap?” I lied. Sure, I was tired but nothing
could beat the overwhelming misery of having no family left.
“No problem, I understand. Have a nice nap.”
After that, I walked upstairs, entered ‘my’ room; locked myself in the bathroom, grabbed a drink of
water from the sink and cried my eyes out once more. I heard steps enter the room outside the
bathroom; turning on the tap, I pretended to have just finished using the toilet.
“Lin?”
“Yes, Mr Thorne?”
“I left your clothes out here.”
“Thank you!” I replied once more; only silence and footsteps pursued. Leaving the bathroom, I got
dressed and sat on the bed. Next to the bed, I noticed something different. A wooden box sat on the
bedside table. A key protruded from its side; when winded up, it played a most memorable tune.
So many happy memories connected to this little song; namely watching the movie multiple times
before I fell asleep. And, as suggested, I fell asleep, stuck in a false sense of security as the angel of
music sang songs in my head.
 A death and a reveal
Chapter Summary

Waking up in the middle of the night, Lin goes to the kitchen but her thirst was
replaced by something else entirely.

When I woke up, it was about midnight; half-asleep still, I walked into the kitchen and grabbed a
glass of water. It was easier to drink large amounts in glasses and there was flavored water in the
fridge. A man clad in black walked through the living room, holding a plastic bag that seemed to
be stained red and smelled like a rotting corpse. Hiding in the corner, I accidentally knocked over a
lamp. “FUCK!” I thought, panicking about the murderer finding me.
“Who’s there?!” He shouted, causing me to flinch. I froze, thinking about what I should do. That’s
when I realized that there was a long lamp right there. Putting my water down, I picked up the
lamp and stood up slowly.
“You’re the girl that the boss wanted to protect,” I said nothing; I took a step forward. “I don’t
know why he wanted you alive. But that garbage Hilda family was getting in the way of our plans.
I’m glad those assholes are gone.” That was the last straw; sprinting up to him, the plug unplugged
and I hit him across the head as hard as I could. Falling to the ground, a deafening crack sounded
from his skull. I felt his pulse. It was non-existent. I killed a man.
“Lin?” I heard a familiar voice behind me; I turned around, fear resonating in my eyes. “What
happened?” His voice was calm, comforting but with a hint of worry and anger, like he knew his
situation.
“He b-bad-mouthed my family and one of their bodies i-is in the bag. M-my dearest sister-” I
couldn’t continue; I could only cry. He dared to try to comfort me. “DON’T TOUCH ME!” I
managed to shout. “Y-YOU KILLED THEM! YOU KILLED MY FAMILY!”
His eyes darkened. “So what if I did?” He reprimanded, with a dark, condescending tone. “If you
have no family or friends, you’ll have to rely on me only. Besides, you always fell out with them.”
He let out an insane laugh that shook me to my very core. “You thought you had a choice, didn’t
you? You belong to me. Age is just a number, my darling. And numbers can easily be erased.” He
grabbed me by the wrist roughly, dragged me upstairs and he threw me in ‘my’ bedroom, locking
the door. “I’ll let you back out when you learn manners and call me by my first name, William.”
“Y-yes W-William.”
Once again, he walks away. Realizing something I could do, I logged onto my email just to realize
that it had been hacked into and the screenshot was deleted. There was nothing else I could do; I
just gave up. The bedroom was on the top floor and I had a window. There was an easy escape.
I opened the window. I jumped. My vision faded to black.
 Silence and... a hospital?
Chapter Summary

After surviving the jump, Lin wakes up in a hospital but something seems off. As if
they were a ghost.

Waking up, I noticed I was in a hospital room. A pullover gown clung to my figure. Removing my
IV, a long beep played and I sat up in the bed. For a moment, I stumbled but eventually, I got to my
feet. “I’m in a hospital,” I thought. “Wait, this could be a basement room. I should make sure I’m
in an actual hospital.” The room was very bright as if the sun itself was stuck to the ceiling. The
walls were white, and the bed was as uncomfortable as a gurney. To my side was a table with black
roses in a vase, a plush of a cat and a card. Additionally, there was the headphones and phone once
again. Opening the card, it read,

“Dear Lin,
You gave me a heart attack when I heard a thud from the kitchen. I didn’t realise you opened the
window. That really was a hazard! Anywho, If you’re reading this, you probably woke up and I
wasn’t able to visit you but I would like to request that no matter the time, you leave the hospital
and walk to the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class Pullman in the car park. Don’t worry, nobody will
stop you.

All yours,
William Thorne.

Ps; I left clothes in the conjoined bathroom and don’t forget to take the gifts.”

I crumpled up the note and stood up. Running into the bathroom, it was also white. You’d think
this set of rooms was white room torture but I haven’t eaten for a while, and certainly not white
rice. The clothes were a Panic at the Disco graphic t-shirt and black jeans, with gloves, earrings, all
my dream accessories. There was nothing else to wear so I just put that on. I left the hospital room
after picking everything up and entered the corridor. More white. You’d think they were trying to
make people go insane. The nurses didn’t stop me. They didn’t even acknowledge me.
“Strange.” Everything is white. The outfits, the rooms, the corridors. I felt like I was going insane.

I left the hospital with nobody paying attention to me. Everything was so strange. Nobody saw me.
Nobody heard me. Was I really that unsightly?
 He... what?
Chapter Summary

Entering the car, Lin sees Mr Thorne in an awful state. Did he really worry that badly?

When I left the hospital, a Mercedes awaited. I had nowhere else to go, so I might as well follow
what the note said. I entered the vehicle and was soon embraced by the man I had been stuck with
for weeks. He looked tired, a mess. Was he really that concerned for me? Surely not.

“Lin! I’m so happy you’re awake!” Mr Thor- William recited. It was like he was dreaming for the
day I would wake up. It both warmed and unsettled me.
“Well, what goes down usually comes up,” I replied as a small joke and I slightly smiled. He
laughed quite loudly. It made me slightly worried. It was like reassurance more than
encouragement or a genuine laugh. “You don’t seem okay. Should we just head straight back?”
“No!” He responded loudly, it shocked me at first. It seemed to shock him too. “I mean, I still have
plans.”
“Shouldn’t you freshen up? You look like…” I trailed off because I didn’t know what to continue
with.
“A hot mess?”
“N-no! That’s highly unprofessional!”
“I think we went beyond that point long ago.”
“And I wonder whose fault that is.”
We stopped and laughed. It was like bantering with an old friend. His laugh was genuine, with an
edge you could fall off. I know he kidnapped me and killed my friends but why does that devotion
make me feel this way? I guess we are as messed up as each other.
“Tsukara, please drive us to W2.”
“Right away, sir.”

We pulled away from the Hospital and began our travel to the restaurant. I figured now would be
the time to ask a few questions.

“So, William? Can I ask you a few questions?”

“Of course, darling.”
“Why me? Why do you like me so much?”
“Well, you’re kind, intelligent, the perfect balance of polite and sassy. You’re beautiful, sweet and
funny. You’re humble and the only thing I would improve is how much you paid attention in my
classes. And your eyes, god, your eyes. They’re always either deep and emotional or filled with lust
and desire. It’s intoxicating.”
I blushed. The list was long and there was so much he loved. Not even my family complimented
me this much.
“You have more information on me than I’ve given to anybody at school. How did you find out so
much?”
“Isn’t it obvious? I found your address through the school’s database. All I needed to do was
converse with your family, sneak upstairs into your room and look around. My greatest interest was
in your computer and MeTube library. That Kanji playlist was fascinating.”
My face felt like it was on fire. He genuinely knew everything about me. He certainly was devoted
to me; perhaps I could’ve taken advantage of this but I didn’t know if I wanted to.
“What is your favourite thing about me?”
“Well, your interests and hobbies are amazing. Especially your music, book, movie and video
game preference.”
“Maybe we should play Call of Duty or something when we get back?”
“Sure!” He seemed overjoyed by this response. Perhaps it could be fun.
“Why am I so special?”
“Well, as overused as this phrase is, you aren’t like other people. Other people are either straight,
rude or obvious slags,” I chuckled under my breath. “In any case, I think you’re perfect.”
“Okay.” We sat in silence for a little while before I thought of another question. Gazing out the
window, admiring the lights at night, I asked, “Do you really love me?”
His response was instantaneous. “Of course I do. Why else would I do all of this?”
 The celebration
Chapter Summary

One month. One month since Lin had been abducted. It's bizarre they haven't
developed Stockholm syndrome by now... or have they?

As soon as he gave his feedback, we arrived at the Captain Cook Car park. It was filled with cars
but was strangely desolate. The Mercedes clock read 19:37; I guess that would explain the solitude
of the car park. We parked and walked directly to the restaurant. Everything was lit up with fairy
lights. I guess it was later than I thought. Checking the date on my phone, I realised that it was the
1st of December. “Oh god,” I mumbled under my breath, in an attempt to prevent Mr Thor-
William from hearing. Unfortunately, it was to no avail.
“What’s wrong, darling?”
“One month.”
“One month what?”
“It’s been one month since you tore me from my-” I stopped when I saw the dark glower in his
eyes. He clearly didn’t want me talking about this. “It’s been a month since we started living
together. It shocked me, that’s all.” He began smiling again. He doesn’t want me to see things as
they are, only as how he sees them. That’s what I’ve figured out. Could he possibly feel guilt?
Surely not, right?
“That’s why we’re celebrating.”

We entered the restaurant and it was amazing how everything was the same. The ring lights looked
like doughnuts. The escalator led to a wooden door frame and a glass door. The restaurant that
always had a scent I associated with joy and memories. It was like I had arrived there for the first
time all over again. Once again, however, the people seemed robotic and they didn’t pay any mind
to either of us. We didn’t pay, which I felt guilty for but nobody seemed to mind. We sat down at a
table.
The same pop music started playing, the same dark oak loomed above our heads and the same
beautiful smell of food lingered in the air. I decided to use this scenario for an experiment. I
collected some drinks for us, both alcoholic. Nobody stopped me from stealing from the bar and
the only person to try and stop me was Mr Thorne but not for the reason you thought.
“Hey! You aren’t old enough to drink yet. You could get damaged from alcohol at a young age.”
“According to the law, I can drink with a meal with my parent’s consent but they’re six feet under
so I can make my own decisions. I’ve always wanted to try a mojito, anyways.”
He left me alone about the issue but I still saw admiration and lust in his eyes. Wait, why lust?
Maybe he’s a brat tamer or a soft dom or something. We got food and it tasted as good as before. I
took a sip of the mojito and it was anything I dreamed it would be. Minty, fizzy and refreshing.
Anywho, you aren’t here for a food review.

This man was an enigma to me. He had a thing of somehow turning up to a room even if you set
off before him and didn’t see him on the travel. He loved me for who I was and not my
appearance. He clearly had something planned but I just couldn’t tell if it was part of the “loving
me” thing or if it was all an act for something else. There’s no way in hell he’d actually love me,
right?
“Hey, darling? You’re zoning out.”
“Huh? Oh sorry. Just something on my mind.”
“Maybe you’re just tired.” I smiled to reassure him.
“Maybe…”
 His true colours
Chapter Summary

Missing their family, Lin realised what they could do. After all, their school has lab
tech. However, instead of a cure, they found the monster hiding from the world all
along.

“Maybe you’re just tired.” I smiled to reassure him.

“Maybe…” I grabbed a couple of custard steamed buns and ate. The custard had a faint taste of
coconut; it made me remember the day when my mother bought coconut milk to try. She was
always looking for dairy-free milk that wouldn’t upset her stomach. I felt a tear roll down my
cheek. I missed her. Even though we argued and didn’t see eye to eye, I missed her.
William sat next to me and enclosed me in a tight hug, ushering sweet nothings while he tried to
calm me down. It only turned my sadness into a disproportionate rage. This man took me from my
family and for what? Some selfish lust and devious want? If he’s a yandere, shouldn’t he care
about my happiness? What did he think would happen when my family was brutally slaughtered?!

I picked his pocket and stole £20. I knew I wouldn’t need to pay but I felt bad for everyone. I
pushed him away and ran to the bus station. I heard him shouting my name but I didn’t care. He
had a lab at the school; maybe I can find out what he used on everyone.

I sat on the bus and listened to music. It was slowed and had reverb added but in any case, it didn’t
allow my mind to wander from my task. Everyone is acting like robots; perhaps I could find one
person who isn’t acting autonomously. My hopes would be soon dashed, however. The bus was
uncomfortable, but there were often people who wouldn’t see me and try to put their bags on me. I
just pushed them away but nobody reacted to me pushing their bags over. “Whatever,” I thought.
“Perhaps, I can find a cure or a way to stop William.”

Soon the bus arrived at the school. I figured the best way to find people I could get along with was
by going to the classes. Maybe it was a pipe dream but if anybody I could get along with wasn’t
brainwashed or whatever, perhaps we would work together and I wouldn’t be alone.

I ran over to Miss McGavin’s classroom. If anybody who I could get along with was to break out
of the brainwashing and be willing to help me, it would be Miss McGavin. Looking through her
doorway, she was there, teaching as normal. A ghost of a smile took place on my face before I
realised that she hadn’t broken through. I walked to the middle of her classroom, still nothing.
“Well,” I thought. “Perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to stay for the lesson.” I stayed for another 30
minutes. Miss McGavin was as violent and humorous as ever. I was glad she hadn’t changed.
Unfortunately, the peace was disturbed once in a while by rambunctious students but I was glad to
experience another lesson of hers for perhaps the last time. That’s when I froze. Mr Thorne walked
into the classroom and saw me right away. He slowly sauntered towards me.
“Goddamn it, why won’t my legs move?!” I thought before he pondered behind me, sluggishly
reaching around me with his large, hairy arms.
“Oh, come on baby. Did you think this would work? Gosh, I have half the mind to bend you over
this table now.” He started in a deep voice, me rolling my arms. “But we would disrupt the other
students. Now, let us go back to the car.”
“Not yet.”
“What?”
“I said, not yet!” I yelled. It wasn’t like anybody could hear us. “Nobody will hear or see us! What
did you do with them?!” He chuckled darkly.
“Scopolamine is so easy to collect and change to be better suited to a purpose.”
I attempted to leave in a rush but Mr Thorne grasps onto my wrist.
“Why so soon? You wanted to see your friends, right?”
“You insane bastard! You’re insane!” He grasped harder but I didn’t care. He needed to understand
the hurt and torment he caused me. He pulled me closer to him.
“Only for you, my dear. Only for you.”
 Out with the old
Chapter Summary

This was it. They lost it all but why didn't it bother Lin as much as it should've?

“You insane bastard! You’re insane!” He grasped harder but I didn’t care. He needed to understand
the hurt and torment he caused me. He pulled me closer to him.
“Only for you, my dear. Only for you.”
“What did you do to Ren?!” I had to know what he did to my lover. They were the one person I
was alive for. If they’re dead, then I have nobody.
“The girl-”
“Person!” I corrected, nobody deserved to be misgendered, especially my buzzy beautiful sunshine
nugget.
“The girl who tried to steal you from me?” He started and laughed a spine-chilling laugh. Not only
did he misgender my lover, but he also killed everyone who I ever cared about. That bastard! “Oh,
she’s long gone now! I’m all you have now!”
I collapsed to my knees, bawling my eyes out and screaming. The bell had gone off but I didn’t
care. It isn’t like anybody could see or hear me.
“Why are you crying?” He started with a confused look on his face; my rage intensified. “I’ve seen
you looking at me with lust in your eyes. Didn’t you love me once before?”
“Until I had a partner and you killed them and my family! You yandere asshole!”

Tugging my arm away, I ran and ran until I couldn’t anymore. I lost everyone and nobody but he
acknowledges me. No light, no hope, no joy. Everything had gone to shit.

Sat on the bench, staring at the river, many memories clouded my mind, making the grieving
process harder. The times I would go on walks with my mother. The times when I shared
marshmallows with Alice. The times when I would take my sister to get ice cream. The dates
where Ren and I had picnics by the river. The memories came crashing down like a tidal wave. I
screamed but there was nobody there to hear me. There was nobody there to care or tell me
everything would be okay. Why did this happen to me?!

Footsteps cracked ice to my right, just afterwards.

“Oh, hi Mr Thorne. Sorry, William.”
“Hey, what you said back there kinda stung.”
“Sorry, I’m still grieving. Besides, you did kill them all.”
“I know but I didn’t know any other way to get to you. They got in the way.”
“Maybe consider the emotional effects next time.” I yawned. “Let’s go home. I’m tired.” He
offered a hand and I took it. I barely noticed but I saw a short brunette rush away once she saw him.
“Wait, was she a person who didn’t get brainwashed?” I thought, letting my insomnia catch up.
“Whatever, I’m too tired.” We walked back to the car and sat in the car again. This was the same
car as last time. The same silver Mercedes. We sat down in the comfortable leather.
“Listen, you need to understand that while I somewhat understand the way you think,” I started,
Mr Thorne’s head poking up momentarily before turning off his phone and locking eyes with me.
“You need to understand that certain people are too close to me to lose. I know you had them all
killed but it made me devastated and shouldn’t your main priority be my happiness and mental
health?”
He looked down. It was like I was scolding a child and I found it rather adorable. Wait, I can’t
think this way about a teacher.
“But you’ve thought worse.” My inner voice cooed; I hated it because it wasn’t wrong. I have
thought of him in worse situations but it did feel good to have power over a teacher.
“Just be careful okay.” I sighed. I felt I could trust him a little more after this but not entirely. What
confused me was why I was even considering staying with him after he killed the people I cared
about. Why didn’t it bother me?
 The nightmare
Chapter Summary

Arriving at home, Lin only had one thing on their mind. And that was their loneliness
and god, did they need sleep.

We soon arrived at his place, it seemed that when he was on his phone, he ordered food to be
delivered. I knew this by the pizza smell wafting from the kitchen, one of his servants must have
picked it up from the front door.
“I’ll eat mine later. Good night William.” He looked a little despondent but he wore a smile.
“Oh okay. Good night Lin. I love you.”
I began to walk away, “I know.” Walking up to the bedroom, I began to cry. “Too much has
happened today. I need some rest,” I thought as even more droplets of saline solution crawled
down my cheeks. “Tch, such a crybaby.”
I arrived in the bedroom and it was the same way I left it, except this time the windows were
barred. I closed the blinds and got dressed. Winding the music box once again, I listened to
Masquerade as my eyes drooped closed for another dreamless night, or so I hoped.

I opened my eyes and it was clearly a dream. How could I tell? The sky was a beautiful sunset; I
was beside the river once more with Ren. The river was rippling gently as the warm sunshine
grazed my skin. The tarmac beneath my feet felt oddly soft before I realised that I was stood on a
blanket. A speaker sat on one end of the blanket and a wine cooler with a bottle of Prosecco sat on
the other. It was a beautiful scene.
We put on some music and danced beneath the watercolour sky. We danced and danced. Clouds
were pale pink, like cotton candy or a nursery. The skies faded from lilac to royal blue, getting ever
so much darker as time passed. The sun let off a soft glow as if it were trying not to blind anybody.
All objects cast by its blessed rays had a marigold aura.
The beautiful person I had been dancing with was Rin. They were kind, beautiful, sweet and
everything I could ever wish for. They wore a dark purple, checkered dress with an A-line shirt
dress and black, flare-heeled boots. Their eyes were as beautiful as ever and their hair was tied into
a plait. I closed my eyes; we entwined our lips for a moment, entering a passionate kiss.
When I opened my eyes, it was William.
A pair of handcuffs forced me to keep dancing with him. The sky turned a dark grey and we
danced in the rain. He wore a dark red suit with a black shirt and red tie. His eyes stayed icy and
cold. His hair was dark mahogany and the music turned from slow pop to jazz that I had only heard
once before. And that once before was in a movie filled with lust, rage and trauma.
The wine bottle shattered and injured my leg. Blood flowed from my leg like a fire hydrant. The
river was dyed red with blood but we kept dancing. I was sobbing, screaming, snivelling but we
kept dancing and dancing and dancing. Bodies floated down the river; William didn’t even pass a
sparing glance. He uttered, “You’re mine!” And I woke up.

“Lin! Wake up!”

 Is this... love?
Chapter Summary

Mr Thorne comforted Lin, as if they were a porcelain doll. Though, their façade had
already been shattered. They were in love, right?

“Lin! Wake up!” I heard William shout out. I shot up from bed, tears staining my cheeks. He
trapped me in a hug, whispering honeyed words. I cried into his bare chest, feeling pitiful. I was
seeking help from the person who kidnapped me, murdered my friends, family and partner, then
drugged the people I was surrounded by so nobody would interact with me. What kind of freak am
I?!

I calmed down noticeably. I wasn’t crying anymore and I wasn’t shaking as much.
“How are you feeling?”
“Better now, thank you. Sorry for bothering you.”
“It’s fine, darling. Do you want to talk about it?”
“No, sorry. I’m fine.”
“That’s bullshit and you know it.” His harsh gaze softened at my fearful face. “Do you want me to
stay while you fall back asleep?”
“Yes, please. If you don’t mind.”
“I wouldn’t have offered if I minded.”

I curled up in the silk sheets, hugging a pillow. William found and wound up the music box. He
hummed along, held my hand, and I fell asleep, falling into a dreamless abyss.

When I woke up, I felt very flustered. Not only had I lost my pyjama shirt when I was sleeping (I
must have rolled around and lost it), but apparently, William decided to fall asleep next to me. I
tried to reach over to grab my pyjama shirt but William pulled me closer into a tight hold,
mumbling words like “I love you” and “don’t leave me”. It was almost adorable. You know, apart
from the losing-my-shirt-and-now-my-teacher-is-hugging-me-while-we’re-both-half-nude thing. I
decided the best way to sort this out was to wake him up.
“Hey, William? William?” I cooed, gently shaking him while covering my chest with the cover.
His eyes sluggishly opened and it took him a moment to wake up. When he woke up, he looked a
little flushed but still remarked, “Well, isn’t this a treat to wake up for?”
“Dude, my shirt fell off after rolling around in my sleep. This was an accident.”

We sat in silence for a little while before I realised how close he had become. Inches became
centimetres and centimetres became millimetres. Before long, our lips entwined in an amorous
battle. We pulled away, gasping for breath then we smiled. I returned my shirt to its rightful
position.
“Let’s make pancakes! It’ll help raise your endorphin level.”
“So it’ll make me happier.” I chuckled. “You don’t have to be technical anymore.”
William carried me downstairs to make pancakes. A smile found its way to my face. I had always
dreamed of doing this with my future lover but I never guessed it would be my science teacher.
 This is love
Chapter Summary

Finally realising their love for Mr Thorne, Lin goes downstairs only to be reminded of
that one event.

“Let’s make pancakes! It’ll help raise your endorphin level.”

“So it’ll make me happier.” I chuckled. “You don’t have to be technical anymore.”
William carried me downstairs to make pancakes. A smile found its way to my face. I had always
dreamed of doing this with my future lover but I never guessed it would be my science teacher.

“So what kind of pancakes?” He asked, with a gentle tone of voice. He definitely saw that I was a
little shaken up from the dream. That was kind of him and my heart glowed from being treated like
this.
“Chocolate chip maybe?” I responded with uncertainty. I began to feel like I was invading his
space but if he really loved me this much, surely he wouldn’t mind, right?
“Sounds good!” Thankfully he didn’t mind. He sat me down at the table island and began making
the pancake batter. The memories of that night kicked me in the face as if I were a football. The
man with the black bag, the bag with my sister’s remains, the angry tone of voice William used. I
felt bile come up; I would never forget that night but perhaps I can learn to forgive. The shattered
glass and the lamp were gone; I couldn’t tell whether to feel joyous or guilty. If I hadn’t gone
downstairs, perhaps they wouldn’t be broken. I wouldn’t have killed someone and I wouldn’t have
seen my sister’s corpse on the ground. So much could’ve been avoided and yet I had to over-
complicate. The floodgates opened; William rushed over to comfort me with a plate of pancakes
and a glass of chocolate milk. He placed the items on the table and wrapped his arms around my
waist.
“Shh shh, I’m here. Everything is okay.”
“E-everything could’ve been better if I hadn’t gone downstairs that night.”
He wiped my tears with his thumb as he cupped my cheek. “It wasn’t your fault. Plus we’re
together now, right? I can comfort you and it was my fault for making him walk through here.”
I cried and he patted my back, whispering reassurance to me even though I knew he was right. He
can comfort me and he was the reason everything went wrong.

Why do I love him?!

I ate my pancakes and drank the chocolate milk, realising that he really knew everything about me.
The pancakes were extra sweet; the chocolate chips were dark chocolate and the chocolate milk
was soya. Most would’ve found this creepy but I thought of it as devotion. I made him do so much
for me. Guilt filled my eyes and I began to zone out, watching the moment I hit the person over the
head once again. I snapped out of it when William put his hand on mine and smiled. I found it
reassuring to a degree.
 A familiar face
Chapter Summary

Lin asks William to go to the burial site of their friends and family, only to be met with
an all-too familiar face.

“Hey, William?”
“Yes, dearest?”
“Can we visit the graves of my family and friends? And can I pick up some flowers on the way
there?”
“Of course, darling.” He had a sympathetic look on his face. At least he understood. We finished
our food and I grabbed a packet of gummy bears from the cupboard. Comforting eating was a bad
habit of mine and I thought that maybe I would need them. I walked to the shoe shelf and put on a
pair of sneakers. We went to the car.
“Tsukara, take us to the burial site.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
I put on my music and look out the window. The breeze was cold; gladly I wore a hoodie before
we left. The sun was on display for everyone to see but the roads were iced and the field around the
house was coated in crushed diamonds. The roof was painted off-white with snow.
On the way there, we saw a florist. Picking up a bouquet of hydrangeas, I paid for them and re-
entered the car. He may not have known I took the flowers but at least I got to repay this person.
Soon, Mr Thorne re-entered the car which I found strange. Perhaps he wanted forgiveness, so he’ll
also go and put flowers on the grave.
We drove to a beautiful park. Areas were dug up then replanted and a large evergreen cast a
shadow above the dirt. “I’ll give you a moment alone.” William reluctantly spoke. He must not feel
comfortable around the people he killed. I walked into the park; step after step, a crunch sounded
underneath my feet. The snow was thick and tough to walk in but I had to say goodbye as I never
got to last time. I placed the flowers underneath the tree.
“Hey, it’s been a while.” I started, feeling myself tear up. “I never got to say proper goodbyes last
time but at least I could see you again.”
“L-Lin is that you?”
I turned around to be met face to face with her.
“Rin, you can see me?”
They smiled that beautiful smile that I missed so much. Keyword missed. I didn’t have feelings for
them anymore. Though it was nice to see a familiar face.
“Of course I can.” They ran over and hugged me; I hugged back. Thank goodness we’re far enough
away for William to not see us. They tried to kiss me but I backed away. They shook their head in
amusement, “Seriously, you’re playing this game. You really haven’t changed.”
I chuckled awkwardly. “I have changed. I’m sorry.”
“Why are you apologising?”
“I don’t have romantic feelings towards you anymore, but I’d like to be friends still if you’re okay
with that?” They slightly frowned but they had an understanding look in their eyes.
“That’s okay. Here’s my number. You have a new phone right?”
“Yeah, how did you know?”
“You weren’t answering your phone.”
Ah, so my phone wasn’t broken after all. Heh, he was jealous.
“Heh, fair enough. Well, my uber’s going to be impatient if I take too long. I’ll talk to you later,
Ren! Bye!”
“Bye, nice to talk to you.” They seemed heartbroken but William will get suspicious and I don’t
want him to kill Ren.
Walking over to the Mercedes, I put on a sad facade and entered.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I just wanna go back home now.”
“Actually, I was thinking we should go get food. It is about 4.45 pm.”
“Okay, where are we going?”
“That’s a surprise.” He replied with a cheeky smile. This restaurant was probably going to be good.
 A fancy dinner
Chapter Summary

Shocked at the appearance of their lover, Lin returns to the car. Even leaving Rin there
didn't let them disappear from Lin's mind.

We began the drive and I felt his hand on my knee. I put my hand on his and squeezed in an
attempt to reassure him. Looking outside, it all seemed a white blur but I couldn’t stop thinking
about Ren. I hope they would be okay. They loved me so much. What were they going to do now?

We soon pulled up to a beautiful and obviously expensive restaurant. Blue lights glowed from the
building, letting off an inviting glow. A carpet with a garnet awning sheltering it from the rain
connected itself to the front of the building. Large windows allowed customers to view the
commoners strolling down the streets. The amazing scent of herbs erupted from the rotating doors.
Gentle music resided in my ears from this fancy establishment.

“Of course.” I chuckled. “Of course you’d take us to some fancy restaurant.”
“Only the best for my dearest.” William purred, stepping out of the car and pulling me from the
vehicle.

When we entered, the inside was as beautiful as the outside; perhaps even more so. A crystal
chandelier hung from the roof while the person at the desk glanced over, noticing two new
customers (us, if you couldn’t tell). I found this strange, if nobody else noticed us, then were we
outside of the effects of the drugs? “Oh well, that doesn’t matter.” I ended up deciding in my head
as William squeezed my hand and the lady at the desk approached.

“Oh hello! Welcome to the Champagne Cloud. Is it just a table for two?”
“Yes, thank you,” William responded.
“Right this way.” She led us to the elevator; the doors were glass and you could see how high up
we were getting. I could see the city lights, the rain falling down the glass, the ground getting
further and further away. I could see the buildings shrink and the people disappear from my view.
All I could see were large flowers bloom above others heads and the clouds slowly grew darker
and darker. The soft jazz grew ever so slightly louder as we arrived at the top floor.

The doors opened; my jaw dropped and William gained a smirk. Another chandelier but larger
swung from side to side emanating a soft, turquoise blue radiance. All the tables except for one
were the same. All the tables had white everything; candles, table cloths, napkins, etc. The one
accent table was on a sheltered balcony, overviewing the whole of the city. The candle and napkins
were navy blue while the table cloth remained a pure white. A bottle of champagne resided in a
cooler on the table next to a small vase with a single red rose. The menu stood tall like a soldier,
presenting many options. Eventually, I settled with a filet mignon with a creme bruleé for dessert.

“Okay, we’re ready to order.” William began, then he reeled off both of our orders. It’s times like
this I’m glad I stayed instead of running away. He’s kind, sociable, devoted and rather attractive.
Sure, he killed everyone I hold dear but from that experience grew something I had never
experienced before. A feeling of a soft intensity. It simultaneously made my heart flutter and sink. I
knew that no matter what happened, I would have this person in my life until I died without fail.
William poured me a glass of champagne. The bubbles rose to the top, before gently crackling
from the top of the glass. The golden liquid fizzed before softly losing the blanket of foam, being
left with bubbles that would stay with them for the rest of their existence. I took a sip.
“What’s with the champagne?”
“I figured I could turn today from a not-so-great one to a good day. Today is the 2nd of December.
Perhaps we could celebrate the nearing of Christmas instead of mourning those who are gone.”
I nodded; it made sense and it was kind of him to do this but sometimes it’s healthy to grieve.
The food arrived and all of my senses were positively overwhelmed with admiration. The filet
mignon was decadent and fragrant, with the amazing choice of roasted potatoes and flambéed
asparagus for sides. This restaurant was amazing and I didn’t have to worry about my picky tastes.
After finishing the dessert, I was poured another glass of champagne. A shooting star passed above
our head. I made a wish.
“Tonight was amazing. Thank you for everything.” I spoke to William.
“No worries.”
I smiled; he began to blush. The server walked over to our table with the check, giving us a closed-
eyes smile. “Your total has come to £70.80.” William placed his payment card onto the PDQ
machine and we stood up, taking our coats and leaving the restaurant. We re-entered the elevator;
the glass doors slowly shut. Down, down and further still, we fell in this glass box. The elevator
music resonated in the background. I scowled at William; he really spend £71 on food for two
people. There are two kinds of rich people; the humble and the “I’ve got it now. Let’s spend it
all.”. He happened to be the latter. He seemed to smirk, before grabbing hold of my hand and
walking with me out of the elevator. We left the fancy reception and re-entered the car. Letting go
of my hand, he closed the car door and told Tsukara to take us back home.
“Hey, why were you smirking earlier?”
“I liked the effect I had on you.”
 Well, isn't this a surprise?
Chapter Summary

Returning home from the dinner, Lin and William decide to watch a movie together.

“Hey, why were you smirking earlier?”

“I liked the effect I had on you.”
“It wasn’t you. It was your actions. You seriously spent just over seventy quid on food for two
people.”
“Yeah, because I lo-”
“Listen, I understand killing my friends and family but buying food for so much money is too far.”
We stayed in silence for a moment before bursting into laughter. Sick and twisted the reason may
be but it was enjoyable having moments like this. Dark humour, looks, a great personality. He was
just what I wished for. I smiled a bright grin and my eyes glowed with admiration and warmth. We
paused our laughter for a moment and I noticed William looking over with the same eyes. I’m glad
I encountered him but I wondered what he would’ve done if he found out about the people who
caused me such distress in school. Apparently, my face contorted or William could read minds
because what he asked next I found odd.
“Is something the matter?”
“What? Oh, it’s not that important.” He raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah, right. If you’re zoning out, then it has to be bothering you.”
I thought, “Well, he’s stuck with me this long. I think I can trust him.”
“I’ll tell you if you promise not to do anything drastic.”
“Fine. I promise. Just tell me what’s wrong, darling.”
“There were these people at school who bullied my friends and me. I was just hoping you wouldn’t
do something terrible to them.” His eyes widened.
“I’d ask you why you didn’t tell me sooner but I understand. Oh, we’re back home.” He realised,
stroking my back in a comforting manner. “Come on, let’s go. I promise I won’t do anything to
hurt them.” He opened the door and we entered home once more. Huh, I called it home. That’s
cool.

Somehow, this time the house looked more inviting. It could have been the soft glow of the kitchen
or the soft rug beneath my feet but either way, the house felt more like home. I wondered if it was a
psychological thing. “Let’s watch a movie for the evening. Something tells me you need it.”
William stated.
“Good idea. I’ll go get popcorn from the kitchen.” I spoke, walking to the kitchen. Hearing
William beginning to speak, I stopped in place.
“That’s fine, I’ll grab it. You can choose something to watch.” I turned around to the living room
and walked up to the cupboard with the movies. So many horror and comedy movies in one place.
For a moment, I forgot he was yandere for me.
“Oh yeah, he’s yandere for me,” I muttered under my breath, having a sudden realisation. “I can’t
trust him to not harm them but he did promise me. Tch how naive can I be? He’s going to do
something. Oh well, I haven’t given him names. But he could look at camera footage and previous
complaints. Oh well, as long as he doesn’t involve me, I guess.” William pondered into the living
room with a fresh bowl of popcorn in his hands.
“Darling, what are you muttering about?”
“Oh, just trying to figure out which movie to watch. What do you think of horror movies?”
“I find them enjoyable, why else would I buy them?”
“Pre-planning this whole ordeal?”
“Fair enough.” We chuckled. Pulling out “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark”, I put the disc into the
DVD player, picked up the TV remote and closed the curtains. I sat next to William. Pressing play,
the movie began. Once in a while, I’d feel William tense up but one hand-squeeze and he felt more
relaxed instantly. Heh, it’s ironic. Usually, it’s the guy comforting the girl, though as a metaphor it
could still work. I chuckled under my breath at that mental quip but I just realised the movie
arrived at the scene where the guy almost eats a toe in the stew. Inconvenience aside, I realised he
began shaking. He should’ve told me that he was sensitive to horror movies. It was kind of funny
actually. The guy who’s killed people before was more affected by a horror movie than I. I cuddled
up to him in an attempt to keep us both warm and comfort him simultaneously. At least, that’s what
I told myself. In reality, I wanted to be close with him. Apart from eating popcorn once in a while
and the small hand-squeezes, not much happened while we watched. Soon, the movie came to a
close. Great memories flooded my mind of watching movies with friends; tears flooded down my
cheeks. I first watched this movie with a friend in the cinema, then again at a sleepover with my
childhood friend. I missed them so much. He stroked my hand even though he was the person
visibly affected by the movie. Connecting himself to my arm, he cuddled into my side
“Come on, it’s 9:35 pm. I know we have nowhere else to go tomorrow but we both need sleep.” I
spoke to him, seeing him nod. “You look really shaken up, do you want to sleep in my room
tonight?”
“With you there, please?”
“Of course.” We stood up and walked over to my room. Opening the door to the bedroom, he lets
go of my arm temporarily to get into his pyjamas. Seeing him fragile had awoken something in me.
It was like a protective, motherly aura with more romance and intimacy. When he left his room, I
blushed. He was dressed in only a pair of loose, black and red checked trousers. Once he
reconnected with my arm, I was a bright red mess. We walked over to my room and he threw
himself onto the bed. “Wow,” I thought. “He is kinda acting like a little. Shit, did he regress in the
middle of the movie? I should’ve made sure he was okay with the movie.” I joined him on the bed,
cuddling him tight and covering us with a duvet.
“Good night, little one.”
 Eggs, bacon and arson preparation
Chapter Summary

Waking up, William Thorne was nowhere to be seen. Little did Lin know that letting
him know about the bullies was a mistake.

When I woke up the next morning, he was nowhere to be found. I checked everywhere. His
bedroom, my bedroom, all the bathrooms, the living room, the garage and finally, the kitchen. All
that sat there was a plate of fried eggs and bacon; a glass of orange juice and a note.

“Dear Lin,

I left to do some business. Thank you for a fun evening last night. I sincerely appreciate it.

From William Thorne.”

“That’s it huh?” I muttered, sighing. I ate breakfast and decided to watch stuff on the TV. I
probably wouldn’t be able to leave the house without William and I didn’t want to stay in my room
forever. Besides, I was in the middle of a few series and animes. Checking the clock, I noticed it
was 12 pm. When I turned the TV on, the first thing to turn up was… the news? “Oh no.”

“Good morning, England! I am Alys Farmer. We interrupt your morning programme with some
breaking news. Reporter Karson Bates is on the scene. Over to you, Karson.”
“Thank you, Alys! In many separate locations, there have been many fires in Stockton. People are
still trying to figure out who this mystery arsonist is and their motive but police officer, Elian
Adam, has assured us that they are soon on their way to figuring out this enigmatic pyromaniac’s
identity.”
I soon switched over to an anime viewing app and put one on. William walked in covered in ashes;
I sighed.
“So, the mystery arsonist huh? Kinda crazy how they were targeting all of my school bullies.
Especially during the night, when I told you about the bullies.” He sweatdropped.
“Listen, I know I promised but I said I would harm them. I didn’t do this with the intention of
harming anybody.”
“You could’ve at least invited me!” I whined. “Come on, you should’ve known I wanted revenge!
Plus you know I wouldn’t get caught.”
“Yeah, but you’d find it more difficult to gain Acetylene.”
I pouted. “Yeah, but you could’ve got it for me.”
We glared at each other for a while before William sighed and said “Fine, I have one last person to
burn. You can come with me.”
“Yay! Thank you!” I squealed with excitement. He shook his head with disapproval then smiled.
Something told me he found me adorable but I couldn’t care less. I’d finally get to burn down a
house. Fire is beautiful and I thought it would be enjoyable to burn down the house of somebody I
hated.
“Until then, what do you want to do?”
“We’re doing this during the night? Fuck yeah!”
“Yep.” Something told me that there was something else he wanted to say but he didn’t say
anything.
“I did mention playing Call of Duty together. Why don’t we do that today?” His eyes glowed.
“Sure, let’s go.” I gave him a peck on the cheek before running upstairs to set up the games
console.
Turning on the console, I put the disc in for Call of Duty: World at War and we played for a while.
It was fun watching him panic when one of us ran out of bullets or get downed. I didn’t know it
could be this much fun to play a game with a partner. Oh well. Once it became 9 pm, we turned off
the console and went into the kitchen. We made pasta and ate. We packed a couple of bags with
acetylene, water bottles, gas masks and spare clothes in case we needed them. William added a
couple of extra things but he said not to look. At 10 pm, we were ready to set this house on fire.
“Let’s go.”
 Embers and Pixels
Chapter Summary

Once night time arrived the two lovers left into the night, preparing to ruin one last
person's life.

“Let’s go.”
We walked over to the house; conveniently, they didn’t live too far. Perhaps, he didn’t want to get
Tsukara involved. I connected the flexible, plastic tube to the acetylene tank and slipped the tube
into the open window. Releasing the acetylene into the house, I waited a few minutes so it could
empty fully, broke the lock in the door, closed the window and ran quite a distance away. I lit a
match and threw it; golden flames flickered into the sky. Their beauty could be seen by all.
Beautiful shades of red, yellow and orange licked up the sides of the house. We sat on a hill
opposite the house; screams rang out into the night. We gazed in awe, me at the ashes kissing the
ground; him at me. We looked towards each other and engaged in a sweet, loving kiss.
All of a sudden, my skin began to glow a vibrant aqua. It seemed to be breaking apart. I fell to the
ground and William caught me, hugging me.
“W-William, w-what’s going on?” I stuttered out in fear. “William, I’m scared.”
“I don’t know what’s happening. Stay with me darling!” He shouted out with petrification filling
his eyes.
“William, please don’t let me leave!” My skin began to break apart but it didn’t hurt. I just felt
tired. Crying, I pleaded. “I don’t want to go. Don’t let me go!”
“No, shit! Stay with me!” He hugged me closer. “You promised me you wouldn’t leave me. We
still have a future together. Don’t you fucking leave me!”
"I don't want to! Don't let me!"
"Shit! I can't lose you again!"
“William, I’m tired and I don’t feel anything.” The pieces of me began to float into the air. “Mind
if I take a nap.”
“No, don’t you dare fucking close your eyes!”
“I love you, William. Live for me okay.” I closed my eyes. “For me…”
“No Lin!”

“One person has escaped the simulation. 7.8 Billion people left remaining.”

A/N:
Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed and I'm sorry that the final chapter is so short.

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