Don't forget to read the previous chapter if you haven't already, otherwise none of this will make sense :) (I only say that because lately I had been uploading LATE night chapters and I just want to make sure everyone is on track with the story) Enjoy! 💚

Chase heard Anti scream but before he could go see what was wrong, he heard footsteps so he assumed some of the others went to check it out.

Leaning back into his chair, Chase closed his eyes briefly and went back to editing a video.

He knew his past 'career' wasn't real but he still liked to do the work. Every once in a while, he'd help Sean with a video if Robin was too busy. Don't get him wrong, he was worried about ALL the egos, especially Anti right now. But something felt off.

Chase had stopped taking his depression medication a week ago. He didn't really think it was helping and especially not since Anti had moved in. He was constantly reminded what happened to his children because of him. What Anti supposedly didn't do.

It was hard to separate Sean's imagination from what was real now. He told him he never really had children. But then why did it hurt so much? He could still hear their cries. Their screams. See their spilt blood on the floor. Hear Anti's cruel, disgusting laugh.

Only to be told none of it was real. It was like he had awoken from a lucid dream but it was a constant feeling. He couldn't look Anti in the eyes again.

Chase sighed heavily. He knew it wasn't right to put all the blame on Anti. It wasn't his fault. He just couldn't help it. He didn't want to feel the pain anymore but also. . . . .

Everything felt so much clearer without the medication. Like he was seeing things in a better light no matter how much he felt his heart bleed.

Chase was just finishing up on rendering a video, taking a sip of his tea.

When he pulled back from it, his heart skipped a little, seeing a little blood flow in the cup.

"What the fuck?" he reached to his mouth to see if he had bit his lip or something, pulling back to just see more blood, "Aw shit!"

Chase got up and hurried over to the bathroom to check it and wash his mouth out. He turned on the sink perceptively and looked up to the mirror.

His breathe caught in his lungs seeing a tooth was missing. His panic rising more and more, he washed his mouth out, watching as blood poured into the sink more and more. It never ended!

After a few minutes, Chase was thinking about going to get Marvin or Henrik when he reached up to feel the area.

Only to find that his teeth were all there, 'The hell is going on?'

Chase looked up in the mirror again and narrowed his eyes. He could see a strange shadow behind him.

Rocking back and forth behind the shower curtain.

The father ego swallowed thickly, "J-James, if that's you, man it's not funny. Or. . . Marvin?"

Not a word was said and the figure still gently rocked back and forth, seemingly tied to the shower rod somehow.

Turning around, Chase saw the black figure behind the curtain and he shuddered, suddenly feeling a rush of cold through him.

"Wh-who's there?"

.

.

.

"Daddy?"

It was just a light whisper. A light croak of a sound but it startled Chase and he leapt back against the sink counter. He felt a whimper pass through his lips.

"S-s-s-weety?"

His heart pounded through his chest and the panic rose higher and higher, making him shake uncontrollably.

He heard the lightest of cries like a sob, "Daddy, h-help me!"

He couldn't take it and rushed forward to move the curtain.

Only to see two small bodies back to back on the same noose, rotting into the shower drain. They almost looked unrecognizable but Chase knew who they were.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!" He cried out full of pain, "Sammy! Kallie! NO! NO! NO!"

He turned away only for a moment to try and collect his thoughts.

Chase looked in the mirror again only to see a darkly familiar face.

A man similar looking to him grinning wide, a slash over his neck bleeding profusely. He looked so pleased with himself.

"N-no . .. .. A-anti? No, this isn't ... this isn't r-right" he looked behind him again only to see his kids were no longer there. The shower was empty.

"What's wrong, Brody?"

Chase looked back to the mirror to see him grinning even wider, "Hallucinating again?"

Chase gulped, "Y-you're not Anti."

"Of course I am!" he chuckled, "JUST like how you remember me! Don't you remember?"

"Those memories aren't real. You're not real. Who the fuck are you?!"

"You know that answer, Brody" he suddenly glitched and appeared in a full body in front of him FAR too close almost nose to nose, "Perhaps getting off your meds wasn't the best idea? Hm?"

This Anti licked his lips, "You're wondering why Anti screamed a little bit ago . . . . . . Don't worry about it. Just a nightmare . . . . just like this. . . . " he lifted a hand to pet the side of Chase's cheek.

This startled him, making him swat the hand away and back up only for the man to clutch the front of his shirt, "Where you think you're going!? Hm? Hm? Don't you wanna know? Know WHY I did it!? I didn't have to kill them and yet I did! I spilt their blood and watched as the life slowly drained out of them! And all you could do was WATCH!" He suddenly broke out in a laugh, "Ahahahah! Huh. . .huh. . .. I know you tried so hard to save them, Brody." he mocked a sad frown.

Chase growled at him, "Fine . .. why then!? Why?! If this is all just a nightmare then answer me!"

This Anti shoved him against the bathroom wall, getting far too close again, leaning his lips against Chase's ear.

"Because I liked the way it sounded. . . . ." he whispered.

Chase felt tears run down his face uncontrollably as he continued.

"The way they screamed and cried. The way YOU cried and begged for me to stop. The sound and feeling of the knife running through their flesh and little bones. How their loud cries turned to soft whimpers and you gave up, just staring at the mess I made, watching as the light left their eyes when I finally choked it out of them with the noose, hanging them. Breaking their fragile little necks" he raked a sharp nail over Chase's throat.

"You passed out, though and didn't get to see me enjoy the taste of their blood"

Chase felt a sudden rage engulf him and shoved the man off, "WHO ARE YOU!? WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME!?"

He glitched back into the mirror and still just smiled at him, unthreatened, "Funny. . . Same thing you said last time. . . . You KNOW the answer Brody . .. . . He knows, too. You let me into your home and now I'LL NEVER LEAVE! YOU'RE STUCK WITH ME FOREVER! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! ANTISEPTICEYE! ANTISEPTICEYE! ANTI-SEEEEEPTICEYEEEEEE!"

Chase suddenly punched the glass, shattering the mirror completely and shutting him up.

Suddenly the man was gone and so was his voice.

But that didn't make anything better.

Chase . . . . sunk down to the floor on his knees . . . . . he held himself . . . . crying as he leaned against the shower.

'It's not real, it's not real, it's not real, it's not real, it's not real, it's not real, it's not real'

Henrik was downstairs in his clinic. He thought he heard people shout and scream but then it stopped immediately and footsteps were heard. He assumed everything was taken care of and someone just had a bad dream. It wouldn't be surprising to him.

Henrik was looking through his microscope at a blood sample. Anti's blood to be specific.

It was fascinating to him. He remembered Anti's properties before in his fake memories. He didn't have a blood type. His blood evaporated immediately after leaving his body. It was the fundamental of Anti's neck wound so he couldn't bleed out. He was just . .. different that way.

But then seeing him again before the first time he was in his clinic a few weeks ago . . . he was pale and tired-looking. He couldn't resist getting another sample and looking it over.

At first he thought it looked no different from before. He just thought maybe his blood properties were slowing down.

But then . . . that wasn't the case.

Henrik sighed to himself, not really able to make sense of it.

This Anti that they knew now. Had the same blood type as they all did. His blood looked just like theirs. Completely normal. No special properties.

'Perhaps Sean vas right after all. I sound so stupid saying zhat to myself. OF COURSE he vas right. Bastard always is'

But something still didn't add up.

'How did Sean create us and then how could he just implant such memories into us? If he created us vith those memories then surely he'd be able to remove them. Unless. . . . . they weren't fake memories at all'

Henrik rubbed at his tired eyes, 'I'm probably just tired again. None of it is probably related at all and I'm just making a bigger thing out of it. Right now, I need to focus on helping Anti. Least I can do. Dr. Iplier vas right after all. I need to earn myself back as a doctor and right now, Anti needs THAT. . . . . not my foolish and tired assumptions'

Henrik stood up and stretched a little, getting ready to lock up for the night and head up on to bed.

As he walked up the stairs from the basement, though, his fingers hovered over the light-switch.

He felt something dark behind him.

Something . . . cold.

He looked behind him but didn't see anything.

'Just my Imagination' Henrik shook his head and turned back around, opening the basement door and turning off the lights.

As he shut the door behind him, he didn't see the shadow figure in the dark . . .. smiling at him.

Dark entered the cabin, not bothering with knocking.

He thought he saw Celine move around from the window but. ... the cabin was empty.

The fire was lit but no one was there except for him.

'I thought she was awake.' Dark thought to himself, 'I must have been mistaken'

He went to leave back out of the cabin when the door slammed shut behind him and the fire went out, letting it get brisk cold in the small home.

"Celine?" he called out, "Is that you?"

He heard a small squeaking noise and his eyes locked to the window as the frost started to rebuild over it. Words were being written on it!

Dark walked closer to see it was Celine's handwriting that read, 'I'm here', "Celine . . .. Where are you? Can't you see me face to face?"

'No'

"Why not? Are you still too weak? I'm sorry for using more of your energy. I promise I won't do it anymore"

'Not it'

Dark narrowed his eyes, "What's . .. what's wrong then?"

'Can't speak out loud. He'll hear us'

"Who will hear us? Is Actor causing trouble again? Just tell me, Celine!"

'The Septics need help. You have to help them.'

Dark shook his head, not understanding any of this, "What do you mean, Celine?! What's going on!?"

'He's not who he says he is. He's planning something. Find him.'

"Find who?!" Dark was losing patience. He needed to know what was going on NOW.

'He's under your roof. Hiding. Find him'

"So it's Actor, then?! It's Actor causing problems? Are you saying Actor caused Henrik to paralyze Anti?"

But Celine stopped writing. She couldn't say anymore as if her time was up.

"Celine?" Dark called for her, "Celine, please! Just answer the question! Yes or no, was it Actor!?'

Nothing.

"Dammit, Celine!" He punched the wood of the cabin wall hard enough to dent it a little, leaving little splinters in his fist, "Why do you always have to be so damn vague!?"

Dark sighed and shook his head, heading out of the cabin to go back home, 'But that has to be it. This isn't the first time Actor's used others to mess with me and my family. I'll find him. I'll find him and fucking make him pay!'

He teleported through the voided forest back out through a mirror in his office.

'No one hurts my friends. Especially not Anti. Lord knows he's gone through enough shit'