⬆️ https://youtu.be/e_3opLcA0tU

3rd's POV:

It was now 5:00AM. Karoline stayed up all night in her bed, making sure the mystery man never came back the same night. Karoline could see the dull sun showing through the curtains. Karoline sat herself up. Slowly getting off her bed, and walking to the window. Slightly moving the curtain to the side. She looked out. Seeing nothing but the empty back alley behind the apartment complex.

Karoline sighs. Walking to her dresser. Karoline pulls out a pair of black leggings, and a white V-neck shirt. Opening her bedroom door, she walks out towards the bathroom across the hall. Walking in, she shuts the door behind her. She rubs her eyes slowly, drained from no sleep. Her thoughts were running wild, and now she was going to fail her essay she needed to finish for English class.

Karoline turned on the shower, undressing whilst the shower warmed up. Karoline steps her bare body into the warm water. Letting it run down her body. Karoline pushes her face under the shower head, letting the water fall down her face. Karoline washed herself up, then stepped out into the steamy air-filled room.

Drying her body off, she puts on her clothes, letting her wet hair fall down the back of her neck. She brushes out all the tangles, then puts on some light makeup. Ending it with setting spray. Karoline walks out of the bathroom, shutting off the light while her dirty pajamas were in her hands. Setting her clothes in her basket next to her dresser. Karoline walks out and into the kitchen.

Seeing her mom soon walk through the front door. Her mother eyes her. "Karoline, did you stay up all night working on homework? You look very tired." Her mom spoke, sighing in sadness as she sat down her bag. "I'm not tired mom. Actually, relieved I finished it with all I have." Karoline lied. She never finished her paper; she couldn't focus cause of the incident.

Karoline's mother nodded her head. Smiling with sadness still washed over her face. "I know life has been tough. But me and you will work through it. We always do." Her mom spoke, caressing her poor daughters' cheek softly. Karoline nodded. "I love you mom." Karoline said, kissing her mother's cheek. Karoline smiled, walking to the front door to put on her converse.

Karoline hurried back to her room. Packing up her computer and notebook. Walking out of her bedroom. She hugged her mom a goodbye, then stepped out of the apartment. Walking down a few flights of stairs, then exiting the complex.

Jerome was slowly following Karoline. Following her all the way to the school, then ducking behind a bush whenever she turned around when someone called for her. Jerome tilted his head. It was a boy. Tall, but he had brunette hair. Jerome felt himself grow angry. Who was this guy talking to her? Jealousy quickly consumed Jerome.

Jerome had stayed up all night searching around the city for someone to kill. Since he didn't exactly finish his game with the girl he wanted to take from her home, then take her to a circus where he shows her all the things he loves doing.

"I'm so exhausted." Karoline heard her best friend sigh. Looking over at him, she laughs at his facial expression. "I stayed up all night, and still didn't finish my essay." Karoline spoke, that was another lie. She stayed up all night because of the freak who snuck into her home through her window and taunted her until her mother checked on her before work.

"How is your mom? Is she doing okay with her new job?" Gerald asked, Karoline opened her locker and sighed. Shoving her stuff inside, Karoline shrugs. "My mother tries so hard. Without my father, she has been way more depressed. I thought she'd be happy after I told her what he did to me. It was a good thing she kicked out that abusive drunk." Karoline spoke, shuddering from all the memories.

Gerald rubs her shoulder. "She will ease into it. And for the father... I don't think she will ever move on from hearing what he did to you. She cares so much about you; she is still going through that grief of not being able to stop what he did." Gerald said, Karoline nodded her head.

"Let's just- get to class. Let's not talk about this here." Karoline says, looking around as the commons filled with a whole bunch of people ready for their 1st period class. Gerald nodded. "Let's go to English!" Gerald cheered, raising up his arm. Wrapping it around Karoline's shoulder, then walking with her to class.

Jerome's POV:

"Greenwood, you need to search for who that man is. He was around Karoline!" I spoke, Greenwood and I were walking in an alley behind Karoline's apartment. "Why don't you just find a new toy who doesn't already have a lover?" Greenwood asked, annoyed of following Jerome. Jerome felt weirded out by Greenwood implying Jerome thought of Karoline as a plaything.

I stopped in my tracks, looking back at Greenwood. Pulling out my knife and popping it open. "Don't you dare make me out to be a creep. I don't go around women's homes stalking them. Then, raping and killing them. Karoline isn't a toy. She's someone who needs to be freed!" Jerome's voice was dangerously low, threatening Greenwood with his knife. Jerome felt insulted, since Jerome was NOTHING like Greenwood. Greenwood rolled his eyes. "Fine." Greenwood mumbled. Jerome giggled, "I have so many fun plans. I'll give you a surprise for being such a great friend!" I said sarcastically towards Greenwood.

Karoline's POV:

As I sat in my second period, I had my fist resting on my cheek. Almost closing my eyes, I see his face. The thin, orange haired man, holding his knife up to me. My eyes widen open again. I sigh, standing up and excusing myself out of the room. I walk to the bathroom; I walk in and see three girls. They looked like they were in my grade. All wearing baggy clothes, blonde and black hair for all three of them. The bathroom smelt heavily of cigarette smoke. They see me, offering the cigarette to me. I shake my head, turning around, ready to walk out before one said something.

"Give us your lunch money." I hear one demand, I run to the door. Feeling a tight grip on my wrist from one of the girls. "I said give us your lunch money." One of the buffer blondes spoke. I shake my head. "I don't bring lunch money." I stutter, the blonde kicks my rib cage after she throws me to the ground.

"Liar." She spoke, one of the dark-haired girls getting on top of me. Punching my lip, making it bust open and bleed. I wince, the girls searching my legging pockets for my wallet. "All you had to do was give us the money." The girl spoke, standing off of me. One throws my wallet at my chest, catching it. I run out of the bathroom. Tears falling down my face, running to a different bathroom.

I slowly walk in, seeing no one in there. I sigh in relief. Looking in the mirror, i see my lip bleeding. Raising up my shirt to look at my stomach. I see a purple bruise already forming on my skin. I take out my phone, dialing my mom's number. I hear the line ring until she answered.

"Karoline, why are you calling? Is something wrong?" I hear my mother ask me. Her voice sounded groggy; she must've been asleep. "I don't feel good. Can you call me out of school?" I ask her, I hear a sigh come from her. "It's because of your lack of sleep lately. You need to start getting to bed early... I'll call you out." I heard my mother, hanging up the phone after her other sigh. I sigh myself; I hope she is back asleep before I get home. I don't want her seeing the marks on my face.

Jerome's POV:

As Greenwood and I walk around. I start to pace impatiently back and forth behind the alley of Karoline's apartment. I remember what window I went through whenever I met her. So, I stared carefully, waiting for something to happen. I was hoping she would appear soon. I was just dying to get my hands on her.

Me and Greenwood stood beside the building long enough. Seeing Karoline with her head down, her eyes on her phone. "She looks too young for someone as old as you." Greenwood comments. "Really? Says you, hairy man." I shuddered, stepping behind the wall to make sure I was hidden out of Karoline's sight. "Since she's my age... that just gives me more time to help her realize her true self." Jerome smirked, Karoline still went to high-school. But, judging from her room. It looked like she was about to graduate. Jerome even spotted a cap and gown last night on the closet doors.

Karoline's POV:

I exit out of the school with my things. Gerald doesn't know I went home. So, as I walk home. I text him. "I'm heading home for the day. I'll see you tomorrow." I text, shutting off my phone as I arrived in front of the apartment complex. I walk inside the building. Walking up a flight of stairs and walking towards me and my mom's home.

I slowly walk inside, making sure to shut the door quietly behind me. I set my bag down by the door, walking down the hall and to my mom's room. I open the door slowly, peeking inside. I see her peacefully snoring while she slept. My heart clenches. I loved my mother dearly. I hope she will get through this hard time. I knew myself I would never be able to help, since I don't understand how she feels.

I shut the door. Walking into my room, I open the curtains to my window. I loved the dark skies rolling over the town of Gotham. It scares me though; I have no idea when or if that mystery man will show up again.

I change into pajama pants. Walking towards the bathroom. I turn on the light, grabbing my setting powder. Applying the powder to my lip. Then, hearing a soft knock on the front door. I raise an eyebrow. Walking out of the bathroom, going to my mom's room. Still seeing her in a deep slumber.

I walk into the living room. Going towards the door, I slowly grab onto the handle, opening the front door slowly. Seeing the orange haired boy who entered my home late last night. I gasp, about ready to slam the door shut. He pushes it back open. I stumble back on my feet. Almost falling to the floor. I turn to run towards my mom's room. But the man grabs my wrist, flinging me towards his chest.

He covers my mouth. "Hello again." His familiar deep voice whispers, I felt myself shake under his grasp. "If you don't want your mom hurt. You will sit and be quiet." He says to me, I nod slowly. He let's go of me, walking to the couch and sitting down on it. "Please, what do you want from me?" I ask the man in a low whisper, he smiled at me.

"I want you. I thought you understood that whenever i came in through your window last night." He spoke, taking the knife out of his pocket. The same one I saw last night. It was the pocketknife. A leather brown handle at the bottom of the blade. I widen my eyes.

"Did you miss me?" He asks, smirking towards me, i shook my head. "I will give up anything... just please don't hurt me, or my mother." I said, making sure to stay calm. If he "wanted" me, he won't kill me. But I'm not sure of my mother. I need to figure out how to save her from all of this if he were to do something.

"I'm not so sure about you. But your mother... she's not the one I want." He says, slowly walking back and forth. "I want you to come somewhere with me." He says, raising his knife towards me. "If you don't say yes, things will become complicated." He says, I slowly nod my head.

"Perfect." He says, walking to me. His hands roam all over my legs. Finding my phone in my pajama pocket, I had slipped there whenever I changed my pants. "Let's go." He says, grabbing my hand and pulling me up from the couch.

--- time skip ---

Being blindfolded, the blindfold was soon taken off my eyes. Seeing lights all around the area. Children and parents laughing filled the air. This man brought me to a circus?

"Where are we?" I ask him beside me. "This is my home, the circus." He says, grabbing my waist and walking us over to a man in a uniform. Makeup on his face of a clown. "Old pal! Glad to see you!" He speaks, hugging the ring leader. The man smiles. "How are you doing, Jerome? The circus has missed you." The ringmaster speaks, I stand behind Jerome, listening to their conversation.

"I've missed you guys, too. I'm glad I've been missed." Jerome speaks. That was his name, Jerome? It suited him, but he didn't show others his true colors. He was crazy. An obsessive lunatic who wanted nothing but to taunt and scare innocent people.

"This is Karoline, she is my girlfriend. I came to show her around and show her my mother." Jerome says, wrapping his left arm around me. I smile, nodding my head towards the man. He puts out his hand. "Nice to meet you, Karoline. I'm proud of you for keeping my pal in check." The ringmaster spoke, I shook his hand.

"Of course, i-it's my pleasure keeping Jerome in check." I speak, stuttering along the way. Jerome eyes me without his friend noticing. I felt myself flinch under him. "Well then, Karoline, Jerome. Enjoy the circus." He smiles, gesturing us to enter the place.

Jerome leads me in. Walking us around as we look at the family's play games. "Is there a plan for all your madness?" I asked Jerome lowly. Jerome takes a moment to look back at me, his face showing he was taking a deep thought on that question. "What if I told you I wasn't mad? I was just sooo tired of my sad life beforehand. But, I'm a much happier person now." Jerome smiled, taking my hand in his grip and walking through a hay trail all around the circus.

Jerome stops us in front of a trailer. Resting in a spot where other trailers were. There was a cage, resting outside the trailer walls. "This is Shiba. What a pretty looking snake, isn't she?" Jerome asked me. I nodded my head, not wanting to upset him. The thing i need to keep in mind, keep the situation calm. Never upset the criminal. "Well then! Time to meet my mother." Jerome says, walking up the steps, and leading us inside. I look around the small home. I sighed, empty beer bottles sitting around everywhere. Jerome smirks towards me.

"Mother! I have someone for you to meet." Jerome's hands connect behind his back as he patiently waits for his mother to enter where we were standing. She was wearing a snake print jumper, a hat on her head with the same print. She was wearing a quite... eventful outfit.

She was stumbling over her own two feet. You could tell she was heavily drunk. "Jerome... what makes you think I give a damn about this girl you've been sleeping with." She speaks, her eyes meeting mine. I felt my stomach drop in offense. No way in hell would I sleep with Jerome.

"Mother... don't talk like that to her." Jerome demanded, his voice growing even deeper than what it ever has been. I felt myself grow even more uncomfortable. You could clearly see the anger on Jerome's face. "You don't demand me around, child!" She speaks loudly, stepping close to Jerome and smacking his face harshly.

Jerome groaned, grabbing my wrist. "Go home, Karoline." Jerome said to me, pushing me out of the trailer doors. I look back, feeling sad for Jerome all of a sudden. His mother reminded me so much of my father.

It's upsetting to see parents ever treating a kid that way. I tighten my arms around my chest. Walking fast away from the trailer, turning a corner. I bumped into a man. A stick in his hand, leading him the way to wherever he was going, I gasped out.

"I apologize! Are you alright?" I asked the man, picking up his stick and placing it back in his hands. "Yes, I'm alright." The man spoke. He grabbed ahold of my arm. "Have you seen a man named Jerome? I am searching for him. I need to make sure he doesn't visit his mother's place." The man spoke, I tilt my head.

"He actually brought me to the trailer to meet his mother. Why do you say it like that?" I ask the man. "Is he in the trailer? Please tell me he didn't go in the trailer." The man speaks, his face looking terrified. I became so confused.

"I should warn you. Never go near that man again." The man's voice spoke one last time. Before he walked off. I start to hurry home, wondering how dangerous Jerome really is? He can't just be a lunatic. He is something more terrifying than I could ever speak of.

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