CHAPTER 39: YOU ARE A MONSTER-
Wilter, Rapsheeba, and Snap headed down the tunnel that Biclops showed them. The tunnel was a sort of back entrance, though the giant rarely used it. The front way was too heavily damaged to travel far in. Biclops couldn’t even talk in too far without risking breaking the ground and falling down, being much heavier than them and all.
Luckily the back entrance did not suffer as much damage. Biclops gave Wilter a small bag of magic chalk so that it would be possible to fight against Mr. Cosmo. Biclops did not go with them. Instead, he stayed behind to help Tsere. Draow was taken care of, knocked out on the ground. The giant assured them that he will make sure Draow does not get into the Chalk Mine and would watch him like a hawk.
Considering Draow’s intelligence, Wilter thought it was very possible that Draow could still go after them, so he did not put his guard down. It just wasn’t worth the risk, knowing what Draow was truly capable of. With his reveal of the ability to speak, Draow has shown to be quite intelligent and able to make his own choices, and was in fact doing this all because he enjoyed it as much as Cosmo, not because he was some dumb attack animal. This was something Wilter didn’t know until today.
Yes, he had done battle against Draow before, many years ago. Draow had been with Cosmo almost since day one, since it all began. But he had never spoken back then. Never uttered a single word. Why had he been silent all this time? And why had he chosen now, of all times, to speak?
Mr. Wilter shook the thought of his mind, as that wasn’t really important right now. What was important was locating Rudy. Biclops had been helpful and told them which way to go to get to where Rudy most likely was. If Mr. Cosmo wanted Rudy to use the black chalk, then the chances are highly likely that Cosmo would have forced Rudy into one room. The black chalk room, which was in a hidden part of the mine. Ever since the Cosmo incident, Biclops had done his best to hide the place where the black chalk grew from the ground.
Destroying the black chalk was impossible. It would just continue growing from that spot, waiting for an artist dumb enough to try use it. Any artist who remained corrupted long enough not only stay like that forever, but a piece of black chalk stays with them, influencing them throughout their lives. At times, their eyes would flicker black, as Mr. Wilter had seen for himself in his struggle against Mr. Cosmo.
That was another reason why the black chalk would never be gone. It practically implants itself in human artists, wanting to spread its corruption to the real world. Even if the Chalk Mine were utterly destroyed, black chalk artists could easily recreate the black chalk and its effects.
Mr. Wilter was certain that had a hand in why Mr. Cosmo was able to remember ChalkZone. It was the black chalk infection inside of him. It remembered what ChalkZone was. That was where it came from. And it helped Mr. Cosmo remember as well.
That thought was disturbing to Mr. Wilter. If Mr. Cosmo could remember thanks to the black chalk inside of him, then what of the other artists? Would they be able to remember too, if their memories were triggered? Would their black chalk infection be able to remind them of what they used to be, and try to go back to ChalkZone? The thought of other corrupted artists going into ChalkZone was very worrying.
Mr. Wilter decided not to dwell on it too much for now. That was a problem for another time. For the time being, only Mr. Cosmo remembered, and that was who he should focus on. Mr. Cosmo had to be stopped here and now. He must not be allowed to continue with his plans. Now was the time for him to pay for all that he has done.
But just what were they going to do? Amnesia wouldn’t work another time, he didn’t think. And even if they could get him to forget, the scars would remain. It wouldn’t be enough for Rudy and Penny to have the man walk free, even if he was amnesiac and didn’t remember anything that he did. His personality would still be dark and twisted. Rudy and Penny would still remember what he did to their friend. It wouldn’t be fair to them.
There had to be something else that could be done. Something that would put a stop to Mr. Cosmo, and hopefully prevent future incidents. There was one thing Mr. Wilter thought of, but the thought made him shudder. Despite Mr. Cosmo being a cruel man, he wouldn’t want to use this method on him...not unless there was absolutely no other choice.
Wilter was torn from his thoughts when he heard a scream from Rapsheeba and Snap. It wasn’t a horrific scream, but a startled one. And Wilter quickly saw why. He stopped his foot in midair, stairing down in horror. The tunnel floor here had collapsed, leading to an endless void below.
The real world water had done a lot of damage even back here. He could still see some ledges that clung to the sides. But they looked pretty unsteady. He didn’t think he’d be able to get over there. He might break the ledges.
He was about to go down another way, but then he paused and looked at the collapsed tunnel. He recalled Biclops’s direction. Minus the collapsed floor, this did look like the path they were supposed to take to get to the tunnel that had the black chalk room. They were getting closer...but they needed a way to get over this gap. How...?
“How are we going to get across?” Rapsheeba asked as she stared over the edge, carefully holding Snap in her arms.
“I’m not sure...but we need to figure out a way and fast.” Mr. Wilter said. “I’m not sure if I’ll be able to get over. The ledges might collapse if I try jumping on them...”
Snap coughed and looked up at Mr. Wilter. “W-What about the magic chalk? C-Can’t you use it...?
Mr. Wilter looked at the bag of magic chalk. Why hadn’t he thought of it before? Of course, the magic chalk would be able to fix this. But...would he be able to use it again? Only human artists could use it, and he hadn’t use the magic chalk in a long time...
Would it allow him to use it? Opening portals was one thing. Magic chalk would let any artist do that. But bringing creations to life? That was something else...
“I’m...not sure if I can..it’s been so long.” Mr. Wilter admitted. He reached into the bag and pulled out a piece of magic chalk. He stared at it and said, “I know I used the magic chalk to open up portals...but...that doesn’t mean that the magic chalk will let me create things again.”
Snap said, “W-Well...you should try. You never know...”
Mr. Wilter frowned, deep in thought. Snap did have a point. He should at least give it a try. He had been a human artist once. Maybe the magic chalk would remember that and let him use it. It was the only chance they had....well the only good chance anyway. If the magic chalk didn’t work, he’d have to resort to throwing Rapsheeba and Snap over, and given Snap’s frail condition, he could not do that.
It didn’t help that Snap’s condition got a little worse due to the aerial fight. Thankfully it wasn’t a drastic change, but still a drop in his health nonetheless. Mr. Wilter found out, not long after they started walking down the tunnel, that Snap’s fever started to rise again. It had gotten down by a few degrees at the hospital, but now it had risen up again. Combined with that was Snap’s numbness starting to spread a little higher, now being as far up as the middle of his stomach.
Throwing him, no matter how gentle, would make it worse, and Mr. Wilter would rather not take that chance. And he couldn’t send them back to the hospital, not with the possibility of Draow escaping, and the fact that other of Cosmo’s creations could be on the loose. They need to take care of Cosmo first, otherwise Snap was never going to get any better.
Mr. Wilter sucked in a deep breath as he went up close to the edge. He lowered his hand and started to move the chalk along. He hoped that it would work...
And it did. Mr. Wilter couldn’t help but smile as new rocky formations formed with each flick of the wrist. As more structure was created, he moved on top of it, making sure it was strong enough to support him. He kept moving forward, getting closer to the other end of the tunnel. When he finally finished, he turned over to Rapsheeba and gestured her come over with Snap.
But they didn’t get too far. Without warning, something large and fuzzy flew at Rapsheeba and Snap. Wilter’s eyes widened in horror. It was Draow...but how? Wasn’t Biclops supposed to make sure he didn’t get in here? Wait...what if something happened to Biclops...? Had Draow been too much for him? Or did Draow simply sneak way while Biclops wasn’t looking?
He didn’t have long to dwell on this when Draow came at him, kicking him with his leg and sending him flying back onto the ground. The magic chalk spilled all over the ground. Mr. Wilter shook his head and got up, and he was horrified by what he saw next.
Rapsheeba had been pushed into the ground. She was trying to get up, but someone was holding her down. Mr. Cosmo...and in his hands, he was holding Snap by his scarf.
“You...” Mr. Cosmo said as he lifted Snap up slowly until he was eye level with him. “I am...surprised to see you. Alive.” Snap gulped and shivered as a response. Mr. Cosmo just smiled. “Ah...no matter... I’ll take care of you soon enough.”
Mr. Wilter grabbed a piece of magic chalk and pointed it in Cosmo’s direction. “Let him go, Cosmo!”
Mr. Cosmo smirked at Mr. Wilter. “If you think you will be able to beat me again...you should really think twice...”
“If you don’t release him now, I’m going to...!” Mr. Wilter shouted.
Snickering, Cosmo said, “Oh, but I can’t let him go. I’m not through with him yet...” He smiled down at the frightened Snap and started to run his hand along the back of his head as if he were just a dog. “Besides... I want him to be there...to witness what will become of his..friend...” He chuckled darkly as he said that.
“N-No...” Snap started to say, turning his head away.
Mr. Cosmo gripped him by his jaw and twisted his head to force him to look at him. “You were so much fun to break... I wonder what it’s going to feel like when I’m finally rid of you...” Snap trembled at this, looking at Cosmo with fear filled eyes.
Mr. Cosmo looked over and saw Mr. Wilter was rushing towards him, wielding the chalk threateingly. He just smirked at him, as if he had expected this kind of response. He simply took a step back, releasing Rapsheeba. But that only lasted for a second. He grabbed her by the arm and picked her up.
Rapsheeba fought back, kicking and punching at his arm. But it was no use. He didn’t loosen his grip. Instead, he went over to the edge, there still being large parts still not covered. He stared at the void below. He gave her an evil smile before he tossed her aside, towards one of the holes.
Mr. Wilter’s eyes widened in shock at what Mr. Cosmo did. Tossing a zoner that had nothing to do with his plans over the edge like it was nothing... He rushed over and leaped towards the edge. He ignored the scraping against his belly as he skidded towards the edge. He reached down and was able to grab Rapsheeba before she fell too far.
Although he managed to save her, he wasn’t able to stop Mr. Cosmo from racing down the tunnel, holding onto Snap. He was about to follow him when Draow stepped in front, holding out his wings and screeching at him and Rapsheeba.
Mr. Wilter gritted his teeth. He needed someway to get the magic chalk to Rudy so he stood a chance at Cosmo. It was their best bet to save Snap and stop that madman for good. But with Draow blocking their path, they might not get there until it was too late.
..not unless they split up. Mr. Wilter made up his mind in a split second. He grabbed the bag of magic chalk, though keeping one for himself, and shoved it into Rapsheeba’s hands.
“Take that to Rudy!” Mr. Wilter commanded. He turned his attention to Draow. “I’ll keep this guy busy.”
Rapsheeba’s eyes widened. “But...”
“Just go!” Mr. Wilter pushed her gently, trying to get her to run. “Run!”
Rapsheeba held the bag in her hands tightly and made a run for it down the tunnel. Draow was about to attack her, but Wilter jumped onto his back and held on tightly. The bat wolf screeched and tried to buck him off.
As Mr. Wilter held on, he watched as Rapsheeba fled. His eyes filled with concern.
“I hope you make it in time...” He said softly.
Draow paused, standing with his head low. His teal eyes looked up at Mr. Wilter. His expression was a mix of contempt and amusement. “Do you really think she can make any difference? Lord Cosmo is already head..She will be too late..”
Mr. Wilter glared at Draow and said, “I have confidence in her.”
“Hmph..confidence huh?” Draow said, swishing his tail back and forth. “Well we shall see if you are right to put your trust in her...”
With that, Draow let out a screech and attempted to throw Mr. Wilter off of his back.
sss
“I’m so sorry Penny...” Rudy whispered, his arms wrapped around the girl. “I didn’t mean to...I’m so sorry...”
“It’s okay...it wasn’t you...” Penny said in a comforting voice to him. “Don’t ever think it was you...”
Tears streamed down Rudy’s eyes. “I’m a murderer...”
Penny shook her head. “No, Rudy. You’re not...you didn’t do anything of this.” She pulled him in tighter. “This wasn’t your fault, Rudy...please don’t blame yourself.”
Rudy’s body trembled violently. Penny still held onto him, trying to calm him down. She stroked his hair, whispered comforting words to him, tried to do whatever she could to relax him. But Rudy was still in a state of shock. He barely registered that she was there. He barely registered Skrawl standing nearby. All he was aware of was that destruction had happened...and he had been the cause of it.
The black chalk was horrible...much worse than he could ever have imagined. It was like his thoughts were being poisoned by an outside source. His beliefs and morals were scewed, twisted beyond recognition. The voices tempted him, whispering horrific suggestions to him.
And he had listened... His mind had not been able to hold the thoughts back for long. The black chalk overwhelmed his mind. And he could feel his mind being twisted, but he couldn’t do anything about it. He fought back..and he lost. And when he had given in...it was the most terrifying experience he ever had to endure.
It felt like he was still in control, and yet he was not. He was moving his own limbs, his body. He was doing all the actions he had done on his own...and yet he did not. The black chalk altered his state of mind, tricking him into believing he wanted to do all this. The sickening satisfaction felt good to him, and he had craved more of it. It wasn’t enough to just kill the zoners..he wanted to kill Penny and Skrawl too...just to get that sick feeling of twisted satisfaction.
He knew Penny was right. It was not him doing all that. Not the real him. It was...a twisted part of him that the black chalk created. And that twisted side was trying to fight for permanent control. It frightened him that he came that close to losing himself entirely to this. It was scary to think that he, the real Rudy, would have been replaced by this violent imposter.
Yet he still couldn’t stop feeling guilty. He should have fought harder against the control. He should have been more strong willed and been able to resist. He should have been able to stop himself sooner. Better yet, he should not have given into the black chalk temptation....No, if he had resisted, they all would have died...he had no choice. But..still..he should have shown more resistance...shoudn’t he have?
Rudy was grateful for one thing. At least most of the zoners did not have to bear witness to what had had transpired. He wondered how that would have effected their view of him. Would they think he was becoming just like Cosmo and shun him? Would they want him to leave ChalkZone forever? He shuddered at the realization of how easily his reputation could be ruined if word of this got out.
That’s when he realized that Skrawl could spread word of this. He could tell the zoners what he had done. Rudy’s heart clenched at the thought. Skrawl would go as far as do that, wouldn’t he? Hmm then again, he had been helpful...and even if he did tell, who would believe him? Other zoners knew he was his enemy. Would they believe anything Skrawl said about him?
Slowly, his heart rate returned to normal. He still cried into Penny’s shoulder. He still hung on tightly to her, afraid to let go. He had almost lost her to the black chalk’s sick desires. And it nearly used him as a puppet to do the killing. And it had slaughtered three zoners, using him as the tool to do so. He felt so sick that he had been used in such a manner. He felt terrified that, for a moment, he had been just like Mr. Cosmo...
“Excuse me.” Skrawl’s voice caught their attention. “But isn’t there something we need to take care of first?”
Rudy realized Skrawl was right. They had to repair the Chalk Mine as soon as possible. But how were they going to do that? Rudy couldn’t get out of the room, and there was no way he was ever going to touch the dreaded black chalk again. He didn’t want a repeat of what happened. He might never come back the second time around.
Slowly, he released Penny. He was thankful that she had been there for him to calm him down. “Thank you, Penny...” He wiped away a tear. “I...really appreciate it.”
Penny smiled back at him. She gripped his hand gently in hers and said, “Think nothing of it...” Then a thought clearly crossed her mind. She narrowed her eyes slightly. “How are we going to get out of here?”
He glanced over to the entrance, seeing the void. There had to be someway to get out of here. A secret entrance perhaps? He looked up towards the ceiling. Maybe if he found a way up there, without touching the black chalk, he might find some place they could use to get out of here and go find some normal magic chalk that had not yet been destroyed.
Penny still had a piece of magic chalk left, but it wouldn’t be enough to get them across the void. Skrawl might be able to crawl along the walls, using his claws to cling, but he may not be able to carry the extra weight. He could be sent out to get magic chalk, but who would say he’d even come back for him? He was not connected to Rudy anymore, so he didn’t have an incentive to save him.
He could try to use the last bit of magic chalk they had anyway and hope for the best. But how far would it get them? Maybe just half way down the tunnel and that was it. They’d have to try to jump to the other side, but that might not even work. They could fall down, and if they did, as Penny had put it, they’d fall down forever.
Rudy knew Mr. Cosmo must have fixed it this way. He must have wanted Rudy to be trapped in here with nowhere to go. Nothing to use except the black chalk. He might have forced him to use it once, but Rudy was determined not to use it again. He was not going to allow Cosmo that satisfaction.
Just then, he heard a rock fall from the ceiling. A little pebble actually. It hit the ground, the clang slightly louder due to it reverberating off the walls. He, Penny, and Skrawl turned their heads up. That’s when they noticed something about this room they hadn’t realized before. There was an upper ledge. At the side, they could see a path sloping down.
They were shocked that they hadn’t seen this before. Why hadn’t they noticed it? It was possible that they were so enthralled in the fight against the evil zoners that they failed to notice this.
Rudy walked up to it, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. He turned to Penny and Skrawl. “This might be our way out of here. Come along!”
“Are you sure, Master Tabootie?” Skrawl said, looking at the ledge with skepticism. “For all we know, we may end up in another forbidden room in this joint, trapped.”
Penny nodded her head. “Skrawl may be right, Rudy. We should think before we...”
This was instantly cut off when they heard a dark chuckle echoing through the cave walls. The trio’s bodies tensed up at that sound. They turned their heads up, seeing a shadow casted on the cave walls. Someone was walking towards the edge, and they knew instantly who it was going to be.
Rudy gritted his teeth hatefully as he saw Mr. Cosmo stare down at them. The same calm yet twisted smile was etched on his face. He looked at each one of them, the same smile never leaving his face. He took a look at Rudy, their eyes meeting for a brief second, before he shook his head.
“I see you had a taste of the black chalk my boy...”
Rudy’s eyes widened in shock. How did Mr. Cosmo know he had used the black chalk?
Mr. Cosmo almost seemed to hear his thoughts, as he answered the boy’s unasked question almost right away. “I can see the look in your eyes. You felt the power, haven’t you...? The glory..of the black chalk... I am..surprised that you were able to resist it. No artist ever had before...”
“Well there’s a first time for everything!” Rudy declared.
Mr. Cosmo just smirked at this. “It is disappointing...but no matter. You will use the black chalk again soon or later. The urge is inside you...already the knowledge has taken you... You will not be able to resist using the black chalk again...I can guarantee you that...”
“Never...” Rudy snarled.
Mr. Cosmo ignored him. He tilted his head slightly upwards, his gaze now falling upon Penny and Skrawl. He noticed their injuries and laughed. “I see they have witnessed your wrath...good..good... Perhaps you could have finished the job for me...”
Rudy’s eyes widened at this. What was this guy talking about? What was he implying?
“You see...I decided to...streamline my plans. I feel I have...wasted too much time fooling around with the hideous growling jellybean thing there...”
“Hey!” Skrawl snarled, clearly offended by that comment.
Mr. Cosmo turned his eyes to Penny, causing the girl to glare at him and take a step back. “And I should have dealt with your little friend there sooner. I should not have trusted Draow to do it...no matter...that will be corrected soon. But first...”
Mr. Cosmo took a step closer to the edge. He stared down at the trio like he was about to host a concert or something. He seemed to be deep in thought, as if trying to decide what next course of action to take. And it didn’t take him very long to figure something out. He turned around to grab something behind him.
When Cosmo lifted up a frightened Snap in the air, Rudy’s heart skipped a beat. Snap? Wasn’t he supposed to be at the hospital? No...this couldn’t be... He shouldn’t be here... Did Mr. Cosmo take him? He must have...the monster was capable of doing anything. He would be the kind of person to take Snap at his weakest hour and bring him far away from the place that was going to help him feel better.
Snap’s body was shaking and he couldn’t tell if it was fear or from the fever. He realized, in horror, it had to have been both. He could see Snap’s face had reddened, an effect of the terrible fever gripping him. He didn’t look like he recieved any new injuries, but how long would that last?
Mr. Cosmo held Snap in the air, gripping his scarf tightly. Just to be cruel, he shook Snap once, causing him to gag painfully. Rudy and Penny gasped in horror at this. Even Skrawl was uncomfortable with the sight. Then Rudy noticed him pull something out, long and sharp... A knife...
“I think I will take care of the little blue rodent...” Mr. Cosmo said with a grin.
“Snap!” Penny cried in horror.
“Let him go, Cosmo!” Rudy said, clenching his fists with determination. If he had to go up there and punch Cosmo to save Snap, then he would do it gladly. “If you don’t, I’ll...!”
“You’ll do what? Kill me? I believe that is what you told me...” Mr. Cosmo said as he raised Snap slightly higher in the air. He placed a hand on Snap’s cheek and looked into his eyes. He obviously did this to stress and spook the already frightened Snap. He glanced over at the dead zoners. “And I see you already got the guts to kill... I knew you had it in you...congratulations.”
Rudy snarled at him. This man still believed he would become just like him. He still believed he could convince him to come over on his side. He wasn’t going to fall for it. Not anymore.
“I’ll never be like you...” Rudy declared, taking a defensive stance. “No matter what you say...”
Mr. Cosmo smirked at this and placed the knife onto Snap’s neck. Rudy and Penny shouted in horror and tried to get to him, but Cosmo pressed the knife harder, causing Snap to struggle weakly. But even when they backed down, Mr. Cosmo kept the knife at Snap’s neck. He tensed his arm, as if he were preparing to make the kill.
Rudy, Penny, and Skrawl watched in horror. Rudy wanted to rush up there and save his friend. But...how would he get there in time? He had no chalk to help him... He..he had no options... His body started to shake as he stared into Snap’s terrified eyes.
But then, Mr. Cosmo pulled away. He looked up towards the ceiling with a thoughtful expression. “You know....I am forgetting something... Oh yes...a promise I made to...dear Saffron...”
Rudy’s eyes widened at that name. He felt his heart start to race. Had he....had he...?
“Ms. Saffron is twice the person you’ll ever be!” Penny snarled at the man.
“Oh really? And..just where is she?” Mr. Cosmo asked nonchalantly. “If she is such a good person...why isn’t she here helping you..?”
Penny narrowed her eyes. “She is...probably still distracting those zoners for us. The ones you sent after us. But I’m sure she is freeing them right now. She knows the system almost as good as you...” There was slight hesitation in Penny’s voice, as if she wasn’t entirely sure if what she was saying was the truth. But it was clear she really wanted it to be. “And after that, she’ll go to the police...she’ll tell them what you did to Rudy.”
Mr. Cosmo’s eyes flashed black at that, almost twinkling. “Oh..? You really think so, don’t you..? Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but..see...she won’t be helping you anymore...”
“W-What..?” Penny took a step back. “I thought..she...”
“Oh no...it’s nothing like that at all...” Mr. Cosmo said, an evil smile on his face. “Perhaps...now is the time for me show you my little...gift...”
Mr. Cosmo took a piece of black chalk that he apparently still had with him. The dark glow instantly started to dance over his body. But unlike Rudy, Cosmo was already fully corrupted, and thus did not lose his control to the black chalk. What he was doing was completely of his free will, no matter how sick and twisted it had become thanks to the black chalk’s taint.
He drew an opening in midair right beside him. The glow was a chilling black and it didn’t sparkle like it would have if it had been white chalk. Rudy wondered why Mr. Cosmo was making this hole. He watched as a large rectangle was slowly being formed. When it was finished, it fizzled slightly, and then an opening appeared.
Mr. Cosmo reached in and grabbed something. He stared down at the trio with a sick, twisted smile. “Here...pay your respects!”
Suddenly he threw something at them. Something large and heavy. It landed in a sickening thud in front of them. Rudy, Penny, and Skrawl took a step back, shocked by what happened. They couldn’t tell what it was at first. Whatever it was, it was not moving at all. Cautiously, Rudy and Penny took a few steps closer, their eyes glued on whatever Mr. Cosmo had allowed to drop from that hole.
Then they realized what it was. And when they did, they screamed in horror and took several steps back away. Skrawl winced at the sight, moving even further back away. Penny and Rudy’s bodies trembled, their eyes widened, faces pale, almost white as ghosts. Snap had let out a cry of his own, making it clear he could see for himself what Mr. Cosmo was showing them.
It was Ms. Saffron...no it was her corpse... She wasn’t breathing. And it didn’t take long for him to realize why. Her throat had been slashed. He could see the blood that stained her neck and business suit. Her eyes were still open. They were just as blank as Shimmer’s was, glossed over and lifeless. Her mouth was still open, as if she had been trying to scream.
Penny put her hands to her mouth. Tears formed in her eyes. “Oh...oh my g...no...” She took a few steps back, her body shaking from the shock and horror of it all. “Ms...Ms. Saffron...no...”
Rudy’s mouth was open, his eyes so big he thought they’d fall out. Pupils dilated until they were practically just dots. Sweat strolled down his face as he tried to comprehend what happened. He..had been too late...he...he really went through with it... And he didn’t stop him...Oh no..why hadn’t he tried harder to warn her? Why...? He was too late now...too late...
“No...no...I can’t believe...” Rudy said, his voice choked as he started to cry. “I should...should have... Oh this is all my fault...”
Skrawl took a few steps back, his mismatched eyes staring at the dead body. Despite all the evil plans he had pulled in the past, he was never prepared to see something like this. Never once did he think seeing a dead body would be..like this...
He looked up at Mr. Cosmo and stammered, “I-I thought she was your...”
“Ally? Well she was..until she turned her back on me...” Mr. Cosmo held Snap over the edge, allowing him to see the dead body below. Snap gasp and he froze, his eyes unable to tear away from the sight. “And this blue nuisance is the reason she had to go...If it weren’t for him...she’d be alive..” He held Snap up to eye level. “Here that, you useless piece of chalk dust? It’s your fault she’s dead...”
Rudy was having a hard time thinking as this was going on. He couldn’t look away. He didn’t want to stare at Saffron’s corpse, but he just couldn’t move his eyes away. He had been to late to save her...In that hallway...he should have warned her. He should have forced his way to her and warn her... She would have had a chance if he did...
And now...now she was gone... There was nothing he could do about it... What had she done to deserve it? All she wanted to do was help...
He glanced over at Penny. She was trembling, tears flowing down her face, as she stared at Ms. Saffron. She was shaking her head slowly from left to right, whispering “No” over and over.
Then Rudy noticed something. Her neck...it was bent at an odd angle. But from the look of the gash on her neck, she died from that, but then why was her neck... He gasped in horror when he realized the truth. Mr. Cosmo had...he had snapped her neck after he sliced her throat... Either to finish the job quickly or just out of spite...
He felt a burning hatred rise up inside of him. He slowly turned to glare hatefully at the man. He was going to pay for this...
sss
Snap couldn’t believe it. He just...couldn’t believe it. He had no idea that something like this was going to happen...
He stared down at Saffron’s unmoving, pale form. He was having a hard time comprehending what had happened. Her face..her open mouth screaming face...silently screaming as if calling for help.. And her eyes...staring into nothingness... This was...so different from what the last time he had seen her.
She had seemed like such a nice person. He had liked her. Not at first, but she proved she wasn’t as bad as he had thought. He thought they were making real progress, and it sounded like she did care about him, despite not knowing if he really was alive...
But now there she was. Laying lifeless on the floor. And he had no idea what had transpired..not until now. Ms. Saffron had been helping them. She had..turned a new life. He had gotten through to her. And how was she repaid? By being stabbed in the back...
“You see...this is the fate of anyone who becomes a threat to me...” Mr. Cosmo said with a broad smile, looking like he was proud of what he did. He turned to Snap and said, “And you want to know what else? She actually felt sorry for you...”
Snap stared at Mr. Cosmo. “She...what...?”
Mr. Cosmo nodded his head. “I told her I’d give you the message. And I will. She wanted to say she was sorry. She wanted to apologize for keeping things from you. She wanted to be on good terms with you again. I am certain she wanted to...be friends with you...”
Snap stared at him in shock. Ms. Saffron had wanted to apologize? And she never got the chance to... He stared down at her corpse, his eyes staring to glisten. Poor Ms. Saffron...to be struck down when all she wanted to do was make good with those she had wronged.
“Which is one of the reasons why I killed her.” Mr. Cosmo whispered to the blue boy. Snap turned his attention back to him. “Never being able to apologize...isn’t that quite tragic?” He said sarcastically as he grinned at Snap’s face. The black sparkle came back, and this time it was more dominant. “Oh well...such as life...isn’t that right, you worthless little thing?” Carelessly, he let Snap drop to the ground. He turned his attention to the trio below. “Now..as for you three...I have something special planned for you...”
Snap didn’t hear what the man was talking about. He didn’t hear if his friends responded to him, or if Skrawl had anything to say. All he could think of was what Mr. Cosmo had told him.
He had killed Saffron...largely because she just wanted to apologize to him..? He was certain there were other factors, such as her turning against him. But to use that as a specific excuse to kill her...that was just...inhuman...monsterous. And to rub it in his face? To pit the blame on him...?
Snap stared up at Mr. Cosmo. He still feared him. He still wanted to get away from him. If he could so easily kill like that...to take a life.. He was too dangerous to be around. But..he wouldn’t budge. He wouldn’t move. No, he couldn’t leave. Something was holding him back, keeping him there. As realization began to set in, his eyes slowly narrowed.
Anger began to rise up inside of him. No..not anger...rage... Boiling rage... Mr. Cosmo..had really crossed the line this time... Not only did he kill in cold blood but he had the audacity to show them the body and then act proud about it. He had no heart. No remorse. He was a complete and utter monster..
Snap did something that he thought he’d never do against this man. But as all the pain he felt, all the suffering he had been through, formed together into a powerful rage..he...snapped...
sss
Penny was taken aback when she heard Mr. Cosmo suddenly cry out in pain. She backed a bit away from the ledge so she could get a good look. What she saw, she could not believe.
Snap had grapped his hands around the man’s leg and was biting down on him. Mr. Cosmo tried to shake him off, shouting at him in what sounded like a mixture of anger...and panic. Snap clearly wasn’t letting go. Mr. Cosmo had obviously not expected such a sick and injured zoner to attack him like that.
Then again, neither did she or Rudy.
The two of them, and Skrawl, watched in shock as Snap continued to cling to the man’s leg. When Cosmo realized that he couldn’t just shake him off, he reached down to try to grab him. But this had been a mistake. Snap grabbed onto his shirt collar and pulled him up. Cosmo’s eyes widened in what looked a lot like fear and surprise.
Snap pulled a fist back and punched him, causing the man to lose his balance. On his back, he tried to push Snap away. But the little blue boy was relentless. He slammed another fist against Cosmo, this time on his arm. Mr. Cosmo shifted his body so he was on his stomach, trying to push Snap off of him. But instead, Snap just got on his back and held onto his hair and pulled tightly.
“Get...off of me...” Mr. Cosmo threatened, pulling out a knife in an attempt to scare Snap.
But Snap..he didn’t respond to the knife. At least not in fear. He just glared at Mr. Cosmo and refused to let go of him. Penny had never seen Snap like this. Neither had Rudy. They weren’t sure what to say or think as Snap, despite being weak, continued to fight with Mr. Cosmo.
Mr. Cosmo got up onto his feet, or at least tried to. Fighting with Snap caused him to lose focus of his surroundings. He tripped on a rock and down he fell from the edge. He landed in a heavy thud on the ground. Snap was thrown back by the force, landing a foot or two away.
Penny was about to rush over to Snap when she heard Mr. Cosmo scream bloody murder. The scream was loud and sudden and took everyone in the room by surprise. She looked over and saw that Mr. Cosmo was on his knees, his hand over his eye. She widened her eyes when she saw the knife, now covered in blood. The fall...it must have caused the knife to...
Mr. Cosmo lifted up his face. His hand still clutched his left eye, blood spewing through his fingers. He turned his remaining eye over to Snap, who looked horrified by the outcome of the battle. It was clear this was not what he had intended...
Mr. Cosmo rose to his feet, his teeth clenched and eyes narrowed in anger. He moved at such a quick pace that none of them could have stopped what he was about to do.
“You...little....worm...!”
When Mr. Cosmo came up to Snap, he pulled his foot back and slammed it against his head. Right on the mind control device... Snap screamed in pain and rolled violently backwards, before crumpling on the ground. Snap’s eyes closed and he lay limp on the ground, absolutely still.
“Snap! No!” Rudy shouted as he rushed over towards Snap. Penny followed close behind.
They stared at Snap’s unconscious form. He looked absolutely lifeless. Rudy knelt down and shook him gently. No response. He tried to shake harder, and still nothing. Rudy’s eyes filled with tears. Penny shook her head in disbelief. No...no it couldn’t be true...
“Snap..no..please...get up...” Rudy begged. He pulled Snap into his arms, staring into his unmoving face. “Wake up...wake up...”
Skrawl watched this scene with widened eyes. He was speechless, unsure of what to say or do.
Rudy started to cry harder when Snap wouldn’t respond. “No...come on...wake up, Snap...please...don’t...don’t go..please...” His voice started to break into sobs.
Penny’s lower lip quivered. She didn’t want it to be true. She had to believe Snap was okay. She had to believe he was going to make it. But that kick...right where the...oh no...No.. Her body trembled as she reached down towards Snap’s face. She placed a hand in front of his open mouth, her heart clenching at the thought of him...not making it...
She quickly realized that he was still breathing. A burden felt like it had been lifted. But she couldn’t celebrate. Not now..Snap needed help...and fast...
As she scooped Snap into her arms, she heard someone call out to them.
“Rudy! Penny!” Rapsheeba rushed into the cave room with what appeared to be a bag of white magic chalk. “Mr. Wilter told me to...” Her eyes caught sight of Snap. “..oh no....what happened..? Is he going to be okay?”
Penny took the bag of magic chalk and handed it over to Rudy, but not before grabbing her own piece. She turned her attention to Rapsheeba. “I will explain later. Come on, we need to get him to the hospital..now!”
sss
Rudy glared hatefully at this man. As Penny and Rapsheeba got Snap out of there, he started to walk towards Mr. Cosmo. The man looked at him with a blank expression. He didn’t look angry or upset. He just stared at Rudy as he started to make his way over.
Rudy’s body shook with anger as it built up inside of him. He felt his heart wrench as he tried to cope with it. Mr. Cosmo had shown many times what kind of person he was. But just when he thought this man couldn’t get any worse..he’d prove him wrong. Time and again, Mr. Cosmo had done horrific things...and had gotten away with it.
Well no more... That all ends here and now.
“You know..I used to be afraid of you... I used to fear what you would do next. You had caused me and my friends so much grief in the short time I have known you. You captured my best friend and tortured him, and why? For your own amusement...and to break me... You killed your own co-worker because she started to have a heart. And you know what? She was a stronger person than you will ever be... Because she at least tried to fix her mistakes..but you...I don’t know why I was so afraid of you before.”
Mr. Cosmo just stared at him. His hand was still over his bleeding left eye. His expression was still blank, save for a few twitches of pain.
Rudy continued his rant.
“Because you are the one who is weak. You are a coward. You are so afraid of being wrong...that you resort to killing and torturing to force others into agreeing with you. You are not worthy of any respect that other people have given you. If they found out what you have done...what you are...they will turn their back on you. Not that you’d care, right? All that matters is knowledge and power right...?”
Mr. Cosmo glared at him.
“You have been constantly getting away with doing horrific, inhuman things, Cosmo... You are a monster...a monster that has gotten away with too much... And it all ends here. I will not run from you. I will not hide from you. I am right here. So you want to convince me to join you...? Try to make me...” Rudy said through clenched teeth. “Fight me...and we will see who is right...”
Mr. Cosmo blinked at him with his right eye as Rudy readied his white magic chalk. Then the man smiled through his pain and took out his black chalk.
“Bring it, Tabootie...”