[Frank remains stubborn as the Ghostface tries to show him better tactics.]
_____
Frank smashed a fallen wooden barrier with ease, scanning for the survivor responsible. The night air was cool and the moonlight casted blue light across the main street, which was lined by houses. Frank noted that one generator had been completed across the realm near an exit gate and he made his way towards it. Frank kept his eyes peeled for not only survivors but his observer, the Ghostface.
“Cant possibly understand what he could show me…” Frank mumbled to himself as he walked briskly in the middle of the road. Frank suddenly halted in his tracks, squinting his eyes at a dark figure which stood below a street lamp.
The hell?
Frank continue to march towards it as it came more into focus.
“Ah, shit…”
Franks pace slowed as he approached the Ghostface, frowning behind his mask.
“No wonder you can’t seem to get a survivor within your grasp, your stomping around the realm like a silver back without any attempt to hide yourself.” The Ghostface said, his arms at his sides.
Frank scoffed, rolling his eyes.
“That’s not my thing…I tire them out and I make myself known.” Frank said with pride, lifting his chin.
The Ghostface laughed quietly, it being muffled by his mask. “Yeah, thats working out really well for you…clearly.”
Frank growled low within his throat and the Ghostface raised his hands submissively. “But please, continue as if I am not here.” The Ghostface lowered his head.
Frank shook his head, flexing his grip around his knifes handle. He continued to walk quickly towards the completed generator, turning his head slightly to see the Ghostface was gone. Franks tension in his shoulders released and he sighed. As Frank approached the generator he searched for any signs of a survivor, quieting his breathing. Listening intently.
Frank grinned as he heard panicked breathing near a hedge and walked up to it noisly, sending a survivor leaping forward, tripping on himself clumsily. Frank immediately took after him, his breath audible as he chased. The survivor was slow and Frank noticed he was constantly tripping over his feet.
In Franks peripheral he saw the Ghostface to his side some feet away, distracting him briefly. The survivor had gained some distance and Frank used his natural adrenaline at will, catching up to him with ease. Frank went to swipe at the survivors back, catching his shirt and it ripped loudly. The survivor grunted and went to hop a fence, but his pants got caught, flipping him over and he fell flat on his back, winded.
Frank hopped the fence and stood above the survivor, his heart racing wildly as he eyed him from above. Frank was too focused on the survivor below, enjoying his catch that he didn’t notice another survivor had inched their way closer.
“Got you.” He whispered.
And he went to grab the survivor by his waist, hoisting him over his shoulder effortlessly. There was then a painfully bright flash and Frank let out a raspy whine, dropping the survivor, his arm covering his eyes.
Frank was blinded and sliced blindly through air, cursing. He heard them scuffle away and they were gone by the time he opened his eyes.
“God…fuck!”
There was a sigh behind Frank and he whipped around, facing the Ghostface.
“You get too excited when one is downed, you’re so unaware of your surroundings it’s painful to watch quite honestly.” The Ghostface voice was soft as he leaned against the siding of a nearby house, his arms crossed.
“Oh fuck off…whatever your name is…” Frank went to turn around and the Ghostface spoke.
“Come here.” He said and Frank turned his head.
“What for?” Frank spat, agitated.
“Come. Here.” The Ghostface voice was authoritive and Frank straightened, turning to face him.
Frank walked towards where the Ghostface stood, dragging his feet and shaking his head. Frank stopped in front of him, crossing his arms.
“What?” He said and the Ghostface did not respond immediately but continue to stare.
Frank began tapping his heel, growing impatient.
“C’mon man, I’m not gonna get anyone at this rate.”
“Show me how you hold your knife.” The Ghostface said.
Frank raised his hand, holding his knife right in front of the Ghostface’s face. He gripped it tightly with the handle in his hand, the blade sticking down below pointing to the ground. His hand was wrapped with bloody and old bandages.
The Ghostface shook his head. “Jesus Christ you animal, turn it the other way completely…blade to the sky.”
Frank grunted. “No, this is how I’ve always held it!”
The Ghostface raised his face to the sky, letting out an exasperated sigh.
“Oh, for fucks sake.” The Ghostface lowered his head to look at Frank again. “You’re gonna flip that blade so its facing up, and you’re going to tuck your thumb under your fingers because I’m telling you to.”
Frank clenched his jaw, knowing he had to listen to the Ghostface lest he face deprivation.
Frank begrudgingly flipped his knife around skillfully with his fingers so the blade faced up and tucked his thumb under as the Ghostface instructed. Frank raised his eyes to stare at him, waiting for his approval.
The Ghostface pushed off the side of the house, walking up to Frank and took his hand in his own, feeling his fingers. The Ghostface head was tilted slightly as he was fixated on Franks finger positioning, spreading his knuckles slightly each finger at a time.
Franks exspression softened as he stared at the Ghostface, blinking fiercely. The Ghostface then removed his hands from Franks as his arm remain lifted straight in front of him, his hand and knife in the air.
“That’s much better, notice the positioning of your fingers. I observed you heavily rely on slashing and slicing. I understand and appreciate that it’s a stamina tactic, wearing them out. But you need to learn more about the critical points of the human body and which areas are key for insertion of your blade. Positioning the blade up allows you to feel for critical points as your blade is inside them, letting you know if you should then twist or hold.”
Frank stared at the Ghostface with raised eyebrows, realizing how tactful he seemed to be. Frank nodded, swallowing.
“And change your wraps before every trial or even better get a pair of gloves…” The Ghostface said, backing up to lean against the house again.
Frank remained frozen, trying to remember where he even left his wraps and bandages.
“You can drop your arm now…the second generator is going to go off any second” The Ghostface said.
Frank dropped his arm, embarrassed. Sure enough another generator went off in the distance, sending adrenaline throughout Franks body. Frank immediately took off in full sprint towards the sound of the generator, his knife feeling awkward in his hand from the unfamiliar positioning.
Frank immediately saw a survivor with a flashlight run to a car and he ran to its otherside, trapping her. She glared at him with hatred as she gripped her flashlight and Frank knew it was her who had blinded him.
She clicked her flashlight on, shining it in his face and he turned his head to his side, growling. Frank felt his neck get hot from anger and he gritted his teeth, drilling her with his stare. Frank went to round the vehicle with her matching his angle, keeping him across. She was skilled and seemed to be a step ahead of him.
Frank watched as her angry exspression turned horrified, the light from her flashlight bouncing around from her now shaky hand. She let out a god awful scream and Frank couldn’t remember the last time a survivor screamed from his presence. Frank almost laughed from her fear, feeling proud of himself as he vaulted the car and she fell backwards, dropping her flashlight.
Frank walked up slowly to her, shocked by her clumsiness. He audibly laughed as he went to slash at her abdomen.
“No…what did I just tell you?” The Ghostface spoke behind Frank and he jumped slightly.
“What the fuck! Don’t sneak up like that…” Frank grumbled, shaking his head realizing the survivor was afraid of the Ghostface.
The survivor remained petrified on the ground as she stared up at them both and she began to reach for her flashlight slowly.
“She’s down, it doesn’t matter how I injure her anyway.” Frank said, staring at the Ghostface.
The Ghostface stared past Frank, down at the survivor and lifted his hand to point.
Frank turned his head around to see she was reaching for her flashlight and kicked it, sending it flying across the road.
“Just because a survivor is down does not mean it’s the end, you need to think ahead. You need to injure her heavily to the point where she will leave stains, even after being rescued from a sacrificial hook.” The Ghostface said flatly.
The survivor stared wide eyed in absolute horror and bewilderment. Frank sighed, looking down at her.
“Well where then…” He said impatiently.
The Ghostface walked up to the survivor, squatting to her side. She stared into his voids and she choked an a scream, unable to get another one fully out.
“Hi there, remember me? You poor sight, so afraid you cant even move.” He whispered and lifted his hand just to the side of her waist, shoving a finger in her lower back.
“Here. Feel her from your handle, watch how debilatating it is compared to your multiple sad excuses for cuts…” The Ghostface then stood to his feet, taking a step back.
Immediately the survivor shifted to her hands and knees and pushed off from the ground, running. Frank Instinctively ran after her. The Ghostface remained still as he followed them with his head.
Frank caught up to her quickly and grabbed her by the back of her neck. He awkwardly inserted the blade around the area the Ghostface suggested and she screamed, it sending crows flying from their trees.
Frank let her go and observed her take off at a painfully slow speed. His eyes fell to the floor observing her blood trail, realizing how easy she would be to track. Frank felt foolish as to why he didn’t use this for tracking in the past sooner, strictly relying on survivors mistakes and carelessness.
“Its not always about getting them immediately to a hook, she is critically injured now and will be seeking aid. Use this to your advantage and stop being so god damn reactive.” The Ghostface said, behind Frank once again. Frank slowly turned to face him, his heart racing.
They stared at eachother briefly and Frank felt as though the Ghostface was reading him, dissecting him.
“Co…cocky bastard…” Frank stammered, turning to track the survivor.
“And stop stomping around and making so much noise, I don’t care if it’s “your thing”…” The Ghostface said after him.
Frank rolled his eyes as he walked away speedily, crouching low and slowing his pace when he felt he was out of sight from the Ghostface.
Frank followed the trail from the back of the house inside its rear entrance. He continue to follow to the basement door, noticing it trailed down the steps. Frank tried to steady his breathing but he was too excited. He wasn’t stealthy like the Ghostface and knew he would continue to struggle with that aspect.
Frank straightened his neck at the sound of quiet pained whimpers and slight shuffling. Instantly he tiptoed down the stairs almost comically, like a thief in the night. His breath got more louder as he got closer, grinning ear to ear as he saw another survivors foot as he turned the corner to the small room where a generator rested partially complete.
The survivor who he had originally chased was mending the one he had tracked, unaware of his presence. Frank lunged, bringing his knife around and to the side of the survivor, stabbing him just below his ribcage. The survivor dropped immediately to the floor sending the other injured one sprinting away in a panic. She yelped as she stared at Frank while running, not paying attention to where she was headed. She crashed into the Ghostface who stood just outside of the doorway and she dropped to the floor.
She held her back pathetically as she kicked the ground, backing away from the Ghostface. The Ghostface chuckled darkly as he leaned against the wall, waving his knfie back and forth teasingly.
Frank watched with jealousy at her clear display of fear, as she stared up at the Ghostface with her mouth open in a silent scream. The Ghostface put away his knife tilting his head.
“Aren’t you supposed to run?” And she scrambled to her feet sprinting passed him, tripping on her way up the stairs. The Ghostface laughed, clearly amused.
The survivor who Frank had downed was groaning in pain and he went to pick him up.
“Ah, ah, ah! Surroundings Frank…” The Ghostface said.
Frank turned his head looking around the small basement room, it being painfully obvious no one else was present. Frank shook his head feeling foolish as he hoisted the survivor over his shoulder. The survivor instantly began flailing and pounding on Franks back. The survivor was strong and Frank growled in frustration from him hindering his movement.
Frank walked up the stairs with the survivor, the Ghostface following close behind.
Frank heard the survivor scream in terror, only now just realizing the Ghostface was present.
“Oh my god! Oh god!” The survivor yelled and Frank rolled his eyes.
“Give it a fucking rest…” He mumbled to himself.
Frank was nearing a hook and felt he may actually not make it based in the strength of the survior.
The Ghostface then spoke behind, cupping his mouth with his hands.
“Bring his knees closer together and grip his ankles.”
Frank did just that and noticed immediately how much more hindered it made the survivor, exhausting him. Frank snickered shaking his head as he threw the survivor on the hook, watching him wail in pain.
The third generator went off not too far away and Franks heart skipped, as he had no one sacrificed yet.
“I’m going to have to guard him.” Frank said as he turned around to face the Ghostface.
The Ghostface rubbed his blade with the sleeve of his cloak, intent on getting rid of any smudges.
“Mmm…no. No you will not.” He said as he remained fixated on his blade.
Frank threw his hands up as they slapped down back on his legs. “What do you mean, ‘no’? It’s an easy sacrifice if I just stand here.”
The Ghostface lifted his blade high against the moonlight, spectating for any more smudges before lowering it to his side.
“No. You will stop that small minded thinking of yours. While you stay here guarding, other survivors are completing generators. You should know that it is a poor tactic and only encourages one to be lazy. You will never clean house with methods like that.”
“Well I only need one sacrifice, I’m not trying to get every one of em…” Frank mumbled, rolling his shoulders.
“That’s not the point. That’s not how you become better, please tell me you are not that dense.” The Ghostface voice was demeaning again and Frank felt a wave of anger.
The survivor groaned and grunted as he swung from the hook, eyeing both the killers with a confused and pained exspression.
“Fuck. You.” Frank spat, flexing his fingers on his handle.
The Ghostface did not respond but instead turned to a nearby tree, resting his back against it as he watched Frank stand in front of the hooked survivor. The fourth generator went off and Frank looked around his surroundings frantically, making sure to be ready to attack any survivor that attempted to rescue.
Frank glanced over at the Ghostface nervously, anxiety coursing through his veins. Frank turned around to look at the survivor who struggled against the hook, knowing he had minutes before the Entity would devour him.
Frank blinked wildly as he turned back around to face the street, lifting his shirt to wipe the sweat away from his neck.
Too much time had passed without the final generator being completed and Franks anxiety turned into dread. Frank glanced again towards the Ghostface and froze, realizing he was no longer against the tree. To Franks surprise he felt more vulnerable without him and he secretly wished he was there.
Suddenly Frank felt something crash into his back sending him stumbling forward slightly. The hooked survivor had lifted himself from the rusty hook while simultaneously swinging himself into Frank. At this time the final generator went off and the survivor jumped to his feet, sprinting towards an exit gate.
After Frank gathered himself, realizing what had happened he took off after the survivor, cursing under his breath.
“You motherfucker, I’m going to kill you!” He yelled after him.
Frank looked ahead to where the survivor was running towards. The others were gathered at the gate, the doors opening wide. Franks throat dropped to his stomach and he already felt his mind slipping at the thought of being deprived of his trials again.
Frank saw the survivor heading to a rough looking wooden barrier that still remained erect, knowing he would use that to secure his safety from Frank. Frank watched as the other survivors ran through the shadowy threshold and as the last survivor who he chased approached the wooden pallet.
Suddenly Frank saw metal audibly cut through the air, striking the pallet on its side hitting it with a loud thump causing it to lean. Frank realized it was a knife and glanced in the direction it came from to find the Ghostface lazily leaning back against a nearby shed, hidden well within the shadows of the trees.
The pallet fell just in time to block the survivor from passing through, forcing him to attempt to jump over it. But the survivor was thrown off guard and his reaction time was too slow and Frank yanked him savagely by his shirt, hoisting him over his shoulder once again. Frank didn’t hesitate to walk to the nearest hook, throwing the survivor on with a sigh.
The survivor screamed as he gripped the hook that protruded from his chest. Frank stepped back to watch the Entity devour the man and he lifted his mask to feel the cool air against his face. He turned around to see the Ghostface had moved to the exit gate, standing in the center of the archway, his arms crossed.
“Ah…shit.” Frank whispered as he walked up slowly to the Ghostface, feeling embarrassed.
“Th…thanks. That was…you got some impressive knife throwing skills.” Frank laughed nervously, raising his eyes to meet the Ghostface gaping holes for eyes.
The Ghostface remained unmoving with his arms crossed.
Frank smiled sheepishly, forgetting he had lifted his mask. “Listen man, I’m sorry. I’ll listen from now on to everything you say. Im just used to my own ways is all, you understand…” Frank gulped as he slowly approached the Ghostface who seemed to be frozen in time.
“Hey man…” Frank went to place a hand on the Ghostface shoulder and he felt himself getting grabbed and swung to the floor in one swift movment.
Frank yelped as his mask flew off completely, and he found himself on his back gripping the Ghostface arm with both hands as he pressed against his chest, pinning him to the floor. Frank groaned from the blow, squinting his eyes up at the Ghostface.
“Shit, that hurt. I said I’m sorry, what mo-” Franks voice was cut off.
“Shut up. Stop talking.” The Ghostface voice was barely audible as he continue to press a hand against Franks chest.
Frank swallowed, refusing to beleive how strong the Ghostface actually was.
“You forget that your stupid mistakes make me look bad in the Entity’s eyes. Don’t make me resort to brute force to make you comply, we are not immune to pain.” He said coldy.
Frank blinked, realizing he couldn’t remove himself from the Ghostface pin even if he tried.
“Yes…yes I’m sorry. Please.” Frank said as he patted the Ghostface arm playfully.
The Ghostface grunted and applied more pressure to Franks chest, promting Frank to groan.
“You will take this seriously. Do you understand?” The Ghostface asked.
Frank winced clenching his eyes shut. “Yes! Yes…” And the Ghostface removed his hand, sitting back on his heels.
Frank took in a deep breath while eyeing the Ghostface as he rubbed his chest, his exspression slightly fearful. The Ghostface rose to his feet and bent over, offering Frank a hand.
“Danny.” The Ghostface said.
Frank knotted his thick eyebrows in confusion. “What?”
“My name. It’s Danny.”
“Oh…oh ok.” Frank replied and reached for Dannys hand. Danny lifted him up, causing Frank to crash into him, thrown off by Dannys strength. Franks hands landed on Dannys chest to prevent himself from going any further and Frank blushed fiercely, yanking his hands away.
Danny stood with his hands to his sides, unaffected by Frank falling into him. Danny chuckled quietly before tilting his head slightly, observing Frank.
“Your face is beet red.” Danny said, shifting in his stance.
This only made Frank blush harder, forgetting his mask was off.
Frank searched frantically on the ground for his mask, grabbing at it like a mad man when he spotted it. Frank quickly situated it back over his face, the sadistic painted grin replacing his embarrassment.
Franks gaze remained lowered to the ground as he gripped his handle repeatedly, his nervous habbit returning.
Danny eyed Frank a bit longer, amused, before clearing his throat.
“Replace the wraps on your hand. I want clean and new wraps when I see you next. Yes?”
Frank lifted his head to meet Dannys gaze. “Yes, yes… for sure.” Frank said, unable to hold Dannys stare.
Danny suddenly turned on his heels back towards the realm and Frank wondered where he was going.
Frank watched him dissapear, his heart pounding. He leaned against the exit gate archway, sliding down to sit. Frank lifted his knife in front of his face, making sure to hold it the way Danny showed him, finding himself looking forward to his next trial as he jabbed at the air a few times, stabbing an invisible survivor.
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