I jolted up as I felt someone shake me, their hand warm compared to the cool air around us. The familiar view of the mist and dark trees were the first things I saw, making me scramble instinctively away from the person next to me. I looked back to see Tim slowly standing and walking over with a look of caution.

"Ash? Are you... you?"

My shoulder protested as I pushed myself to my feet; I relaxed somewhat, seeing there wasn't an immediate threat, but didn't let my guard down. "I'm fine. We need to get out of here."

"What do you mean you're fine? You're covered in blood!" I heard him hastily following after me as I began walking through the trees in search of subtle landmarks.

I glanced at him, unsure how to explain. "It's... not exactly easy to understand- I don't fully get it."

"Well, can you try?"

"...I um... I can't die here. This place- the ARK- speeds up the healing process and keeps me from dying permanently." I shifted the mask on my face as I continued to think. "I can't confirm this but... I was told I was born here. That it's part of me or something- I don't really get it. They called me a hybrid; like a human with potential to become something... more?"

"Like one of those things? Or Alastor?" I could feel his suspicious gaze burning into my back.

"I don't know." I crossed my arms over my chest in an attempt to comfort myself as I uneasily continued glancing around. "I-it was just something HABIT told me a-after... after sessions... I-I don't think they know. They kept mentioning experiments a-and... W-we just need to go before they find us...!"

I could feel my heart racing in my chest once more, almost feeling the ghost pains from wounds that had long since healed from my sessions here. "I can't go through that again... I can't let them torture Tim either... Is that why he was brought here? O-or... Or was it for a new kind of session with me? I can't... I can't let them hurt him. The blood... Bones snapping... the tearing of flesh from bone... Oh fuck and the screams... "

"Ash... Ashley!" I jumped at the sound of his voice, snapping out of my thoughts to see I was holding my head and leaning against a tree panting for breath.

"Sorry..." I couldn't meet his eyes as I focused on calming down, glad my mask was hiding the terror that was no doubt written all over my face.

"...I doubt it means anything, they could just be lying to you about it. They were probably just trying to frighten you into joining them."

I brushed lightly against his shoulder as I walked around him, still not able to look in his direction. "I just... I don't want to remember those six months here... Come on, we need to keep moving so they don't find us."

"More like to delay them finding us." I shivered and went back to hugging my arms around my chest.

We walked in silence, listening for any signs that we'd been spotted. I was surprised the Rake hadn't caught our scent by now and led the others right to us- maybe HABIT was using that beast for a different experiment. Surely Slenderman knew where we were, he was the one who brought us here... I briefly wondered if The Operator had something to do with it, as it didn't seem to like its sources being put in danger.

I finally managed to find a familiar landmark and came to a stop as I turned to look at Tim. "We have two main ways out that I'm aware of. One way is... uh, I guess safer- at least once we get to the border but we'll end up in Rosswood and have to walk home. The other one is... deeper in on this side but we could literally go right to your doorstep, we'd just have to outrun proxies and monsters to reach it."

"I'd rather walk back. It's better than the alternative."

"...You don't have your medication, do you? If we run into The Operator are you sure you'll be alright?"

"One way to find out."

I nodded and continued leading the way. The closer we got the more I began noticing movements in the corner of my eyes. Gurgling behind us nearly made me bolt, especially as it began to grow closer. I slowed and let Tim in front of me as the snapping of branches slowly encircled us.

"Run straight ahead, it isn't far." I instructed, glancing behind me one last time before swiftly following after him.

A loud, menacing rumble of glee came from behind us as the Rake raced across the ground toward us, eager to rip us apart. Tim made it across the invisible line and I had one foot over it before I was tackled to the ground. Toby pinned me down, dried blood still covering his throat. I thrashed under his grip and kicked him off before freezing as I heard a gunshot and Tim's scream. I rolled to my feet and made it over the border, running over to where Tim was on his back with Alex standing over him.

I rammed into the man before he could react and twisted the gun out of his hands. He shoved me away with a glare. A low growl rose in my throat as I savagely lunged at him, jabbing my nails down on his throat as I wrapped my hands around it. I hadn't felt this level of strength since I'd nearly killed Hoodie... It worried me, distracting me enough for Alex to pry me off and grab his gun again. Blood was dripping from an old wound I'd torn open on his neck.

"I will find a way out and when I do you, and Jay, and Brian are going to die for good"

"What? Isn't Jay already dead? I know Hoodie's alive but... I've never met Jay in my life. Tim definitely would've known by now if he was alive." I tilted my head in confusion. "He doesn't seem stable, maybe he doesn't remember killing Jay."

"Tim, can you run?" I looked over my shoulder to see Tim holding his arm as he got to his feet.

"Yeah."

"Good. Then head back the way we came. The Operator will be here soon and I don't want to risk it without your medication." I rushed once more at Alex, feeling a bullet graze my leg as another gunshot rang out.

I grappled with him for a few seconds, trying to get the gun out of his hands again, before hearing it go off a third time. Alex's eyes glazed over and he dropped to the ground, a pool of blood growing around his head like a halo. I backed away knowing The Operator would be around any second. I doubted Alex would be a threat to us now but... something about seeing this looked familiar, like something similar had happened before.

"Is... Is this who Skully meant when he said I saved him from someone? He made it sound like it was back before I knew him... but, how did he know me?" I caught up with Tim and skidded to a halt just on the other side of the border; the sound of enemies running towards us was close behind.

"What just happened? Alex is dead but I know that wasn't an illusion like last time. And Jay, why is he say-"

"I don't know anymore than you do." I cut him off before looking at his arm; blood was darkening the sleeve and some was dripping onto the ground from his hand. "Unless you need to rest, we have to run."

"Don't worry about me."

"I need to keep him alive and I've already managed to get him shot." I turned away from him and fled, glancing back to make sure Tim was still keeping up with me.

The Rake was rapidly catching up. I slowed down to keep pace with Tim as I tried to think of a way to avoid the monster behind us. "Can you climb?"

"I can try."

"Give me your knife, I'll-" I was cut off as the Rake circled around us and pounced, quickly taking both of us to the ground.

I stared up into its soulless eyes while its sharp claws slowly sank down into my chest, scraping against bone. Footsteps approaching made the creature back off and I found Toby and HABIT looking down at us. A sadistic, happy smile spread across the latter's face as he tilted his head at Tim.

"Looks like we've got twice the fun today." He turned to look at Toby. "What should we do? Torture both and take turns? Oh, I know. We'll make one of you watch, just so you're aware of what happens to Rabbits who get caught."

"J-just kill t-he s-source. He's not u-useful."

"Oh I plan to." I watched as he roughly grabbed Tim and pulled him up; despite being short HABIT was admittedly stronger than his host body appeared. "You'll be begging for death, crying, pleading with me to kill you... and I'll keep going until you have absolutely nothing left. Not even a hair of will to live. I'm going to shred your very soul before I let you die."

"Let him go." I stood up and glared at him, terrified despite my semi-threatening stance.

"Look who has some fight back." He released Tim's struggling form, shoving him roughly to the ground, and came closer to me. There was that familiar grin forming on his face; like a wolf about to pounce on his prey. "Well, go on then. Aren't you going to make me."

Terror went through me at the look in his eyes. I knew what he could do, what little I could do to stop him. I took an involuntary step back and heard him laugh. "That's what I thought... Now, here's what's going to happen. We're going to catch up on our sessions and he's going to watch as you crumble and after we're done with you, we'll let you watch him die, slowly, painfully. How does that sound? Excited yet? Thrilled? I know I am."

I wanted to do something. To fight back or at least say something... but I was frozen. "Maybe Tim can run while they're distracted... He's not reckless enough to try stopping them."

HABIT took out a syringe of black liquid; azoth. I took another step back only for him to yank me forward. "We haven't even started yet. This is just a little test I was requested to try... then the real party can begin."

"Ash." I could feel Tim staring at me, probably waiting for me to try something to get away. But the fight was draining out of me; I knew I couldn't get out of this.

I didn't look at him and instead lowered my head to look at the ground. "I'm sorry..."