Picture Perfect Walter/Henry
The pain had erupted so suddenly in his head that he toppled to his knees, grasping his head loosely as the amount of agonizing burning had begun within the inner parts of his skull. He'd felt everything slip deftly into darkness as consciousness cruelly left him for the purpose of abandoning this ache that had occurred.
As it left him he could only think was of Eileen-Was she okay? Had he heard a scream?- and of the bleeding form that had crumpled to the ground previous of this. Hadn't that signaled victory? Weren't they free from this cursed world?
All of this questioning came in quick streaks, but all ended into quiet. Horrifying silence. Like when the chains had first been strung across his door and all the things in his apartment stopped working.
----
The headache that had invaded into his senses causing his agony had disappeared, but he didn't have any time to he thankful. His throbbing head had just been replaced by a new stinging hurt. He could distantly feel something soaking into his shirt but he had other things that demanded his attention.
Cloudy green eyes stung as his lids lifted off to give him sight towards what was happening. He canted his head down towards his arms, where the pain had most dominance. Indeed his white shirt no longer held only that coloring. Thin wires held up his arms, pressing into them and slicing the skin thinly bleeding through into the material of his button up.
He winced looking around trying to detect exactly where he had ended up in his moments of unconsciousness. On either side of him, holding the wiring, was a grated fence, he couldn't tell what could be on the other side as only miles of dark could be viewed. The fencing seemed to take a turn, simply continuing on like in normality. In the real world. He angled back towards what was in front of him, the flooring and walls across were concrete, cracked here and there with black markings. In the middle was a single wooden door.
He blinked, trying to keep his focus else where, away from the stinging from the cuts in his skin, it reminded him of the Building World, doors placed in strange places. He'd... Never seen this place however, thinking it over he'd found so many locked and jammed doors that denied him entrance when he turned the handle, perhaps this was what was beyond on of them.
Then it came to mind, terror rose from his heart bringing in a sick feeling, how in the world did he get there? How had he been strung up like this, violent intents obvious. There was only one in this deformed world who would do something of this nature for sick delusions and ideas of sick murders never ended.
It couldn't be, he'd watched the man die and... It mentally hit him, like so many other things had while in this place. How could the alternate world still stand if its master was dead and passed on. It couldn't, but he'd swung the ax and pulled the trigger after stabbing the hanging corpse that had the ability to groan and move, no matter how it disgusted him, he still did it, had the upper hand.
He didn't realize he'd dropped his head in anguish until he looked back up when a noise, other then light dripping of his own blood, clicked and a stream of light was let in as the door, it was only opened only slightly before the one whom did so slipped inside, not letting him view what was beyond.
Of course, if he had any hopes in those seconds of whom it could be they were swiftly tossed away. Or perhaps broken. Shattered into tiny pieces, to small to piece back together and to sharp to hold onto for extended time.
The nightmare of this world, creator of his entrapment, inflicter of his wounds, closed the door behind him, a thin smile never leaving his face. As if it ever did, he always smiled, even as he and Eileen made attempted attacks on him to protect their own lives... Another mental hit came into play, "Eileen..." He said in a whisper, it was then that he realized he had heard a scream, piercing and horrified, but being who he was, when one thing was meant to be focused on he cared only for that, his attention would be drawn to it to be sure it was done.
How could he not notice she had...Had...
Normally he held onto covering his emotions so desperately, it was his only protection, even with all the things that happened while he remained locked in his room, he kept up the mask that hid how he felt about things, but here, now, after what he had realized that let go. His shield dropped along with his heart, a single tear, even in the presence of his enemy, slid down his cheek, to his chin and dripped to the concrete flooring.
----
Walter stood afar from him, smirking further at this act, it had been years since he last cried himself, back when he was still residing in his disgusting human and mortal form, when the young girl -Ms. Galvin, 20/21, the Mother Reborn- had kindly given him, she had served her purpose, now Henry had to face his death, he wouldn't have the luxury of being in a state of possession during his death. No, Walter wanted to see that anguish and desperation for death to take him just to end the suffering he would endure.
It had him snicker so lightly it didn't disturb Henry in his moment of emptiness, perhaps contemplating what to do, or perhaps he wasn't thinking what so ever. It mattered not. He stepped across the room to the strung up man, he leaned against the fence next to Henry, his eyes laying upon the stream that left his cheek slightly wet, reaching his blood stained hand up he ran his thumb against it, retrieving the salty water.
He snicker again, louder this time to purposely capture Henry's attention staring at his hand still, he licked it, tasting the symbol of depression and distress, he looked up, enjoying the disgusted expression Henry had taken on from seeing this.
He turned towards him, lifting off the fence so he could standing across from the other man, "Henry," He stated simply awaiting a response.
Henry's light green eyes angled down, how sad, he was unable to look towards him, they seemed to be searching for what to say, although there was no use to it, "You killed her..." He growled, he finally looked up, anger giving him a new sense of strength towards being so close to him, though Walter merely smiled on, watching as Henry became further enraged. He pulled on the wires, allowing his wrists and arms to bleed more thoroughly as he began to yell, "You bastard! She never did anything wrong to you! Nothing, and you killed her! I'll kill you... I swear to god..." He growled, his nails digging into his palms as he clenched them further, blood thickly entering as it ran down his arms, he recognized this and winced, "Dammit!"
Walter stayed quiet for a bit, contemplating many different things, finding all of Henry's words oh so amusing, finally, he fully grinned, chuckling through his teeth, suddenly he put his arms out on either side of Henry, grasping his fingers into the fencing causing it to move for a moment, their faces were close, close enough for Henry to feel his vile breath.
It changed when Walter spoke, a laugh within his voice, "You'll...Kill me?" He questioned mockingly, "Do you still believe you have the upper hand Henry? You never have, you followed through with my set plan for you. I wanted you to choose Mother, you did. Every world, everywhere you went and did, I wanted you to do, as it all lead up to you fulfilling your name as Receiver of Wisdom."
He took a hand away from the fencing for favoring running his fingers through Henry's brunette locks, "In a way... You helped me with taking Ms. Galvin's life."
This triggered him once again, he attempted to, even though his ankles were bound, to kneel him in the stomach, to cause any sort of damage but was unable to get that far, he hissed in anger, "I..." He tried to say something. He would never? No he didn't? Wasn't the proof in front of him? Eileen was dead, never to smile warmly or offer a comforting hand to him. Stuck in this horror for all of eternity.
"I..." He repeated but it came out without the previous anger or strength, instead it was a pathetic croak.
Pleased with this, Walter took his hand out of Henry's hair and reached into his coat pocket, taking out something rectangle and metal, he could do nothing but watch in question...It looked familiar... Once Walter held in the dank light he fully recognized it. Confusion and revulsion ran through him, it was his digital camera, he would bring with him on small outings in case he truly wanted to snap a shot of something he would always have something on hand as his professional camera was something he didn't want damage to be brought to.
"Why the hell..." He began to question but before he could complete the sentence the other hand returned to his hair, this time it was in a painful grip, pulling at the strands and forcing his head to be angled up, unexpectedly Walter lifted the camera and with one press of the button it flashed. When he let go Henry realized, he'd taken a picture.
Walter looked at the screen on the back with a devious smile, though his eyes rested on Henry again, "All will know what happened here to you." The hand that did not hold the camera reached into his other pocket, taking a knife out, Henry's eyes widened further, Walters voice dropped to a thick whisper, "As there wont be the evidence to know without it..."
Struggling had no worth, he still did so in fear as the knifes edge was pressed against his cheek, the same he had tasted a tear from earlier, and drug down his skin releasing the seem of skin to allow blood to freely flow down, he continued uncaring and ignoring the cries it ensued. He ended the cut at the side of Henry's chin, he smirked once again snapping a shot from the camera.
Damn him... He'd something that held actually good memories for Henry against him, he felt the cold metal's flat side press against the underneath of his chin, forcing him to look up towards his attacker. At least he didn't have to look him in the eyes, the other mans eyes were looking over the wound he'd just inflicted.
He snickered, taking a picture whilst he held up Henry's chin with the knife, "Your a beautiful piece of work Henry..."
"Shut up..." He immediately responded, he did not want to hear such disgusting remarks from Walter, "Psycho..." He spat out, blood had collected in the side of his mouth, he spit out at Walters shoes in defiance, anything that could be seen as such.
Walter shook his head, he rose his arm placing it bent on the fence above Henry as he leaned towards him, Walters forehead pressed against his own, as he smiled that of a wolf in sheep skin, voice in false sympathy, "Such remarks are going to do nothing for you, can't you see that it's over?"
Henry's eyes stayed downwards, "It's not over until I die..." He smirked slightly, "I'm not going to make it easy for you...You wont...Get to see your mother yet..."
This made Walter frown, such a topic he brought up, to the point towards Henry's sacrifice, ten years of waiting, he sighed deeply, shutting his eyes, "You misunderstand Henry, with every breath taken from you, every inch you take towards death I can feel her closer to me, it is a truly beautiful thing..." He clenched his fingers into the front of Henry's shirt, the camera still held in that hand, "That's why Iwant to drag this out as long as I can."
He brought the knife down, slicing the front of his shirt open, the tip dug into his skin, through the middle of his chest and stomach, blood rising from the slice, it began as a gasp but turned quickly formed into a yell. Walter merely smirked, he swiped his arm, cutting across Henry's cheek, with the speed of this it caused rivets of the crimson liquid to splatter to the concrete ground and stick against the fencing he was bound against.
All was silent in that moment, Henry's head had turned with the force of the knife, and didn't move until he heard the sound of the camera, "This is all one big game to you isn't it?"
Walter only chuckled under his breath as he took hold of his hand left hand holding his palm up, all Henry could do was watch and wince as he carefully cut into his hand, from the careful slices he could tell this wasn't like the previous ones, this was different...
When he was satisfied with it he walked across, the empty smile on his face, taking his right hand and continuing this act, the same exact painful cuts mimicking what he'd done on the left. Walter smirked at it, and without warning he leaned in, licking rivets of blood from his palm running his tongue against the markings.
Henry pulled at the bindings only resulting in more stinging, "God dammit... Stop you sick bastard!"
He did, straightening his posture he stepped back only slightly before taking his wrist and turning his own hand to his sight the hand held a cut into... Indeed the movements had been intended to be carefully done, he had with all of them, a twenty one. His other hand no doubt held the same exact symbolizing, with a pained wince he looked down towards the slice that had been made down the middle of his shirt along with his skin.
From each hand it completed the markings, twenty one out of twenty one. The middle showed the slash for count, he reminded himself that was all he was from here, a number. The last. As he had done eariler Walter began documenting it with Henry's own technology.
"You...bastard..." He breathed out slowly, trying not to disturb the injuries, "You have no fucking regard for...Human life..."
Walter chuckled, it slowly resolved into a complete laugh that cut off as quickly as it had maniacally began, returning the camera temporarily to his pocket, he pressed it to the collar of Henry's shirt, leaning forward towards the opposite mans ear, "You hate me don't you? Yes, you believe you hate me with everything I've made you do but..." Another chuckle, he rose the knife away, due to his position Henry had no clue of where it had gone, his nerve system answered for him.
A searing pain ended up in the soft flesh underneath his collar bone and for a split second he swore it had scraped the bone itself, his pupils dilated in agony before he yelled out, not able to think enough for any coherent obscenities only sound before the volume faded to pathetic whimpering when he realized that he was splitting open crusting over wounds and letting the bleed free again by vocalizing his pain.
This time, he didn't register that the picture had been taken, the flash didn't reach his eyes and sound meant nothing over the ringing and blurs.
His head dropped down with that, forgetting Walters presence, and when it was reignited he was standing there, the mentally obscuring wound acted more as a blessing than a curse. He heard that damn laugh again, god dammit he'd love to punch the son of a bitch in the mouth at that moment. Glaring was all he could do, though it gave him no satisfaction, blood loss had given his skin a reason to perspire causing his skin to stick to his forehead, his eyes concealed mostly from the long strands of hair.
Walter was speaking again, his hands coming up to his shoulders, avoiding the blade remaining lodged in Henry's skin. Dammit did he wish he could block the mans voice out, "You cannot understand hate," Each word added emphasis to the next, "You don't know true pain or suffering or loneliness. You believe you can understand it but you can't..." His words had become a mussed insane ramble, not the controlled slow smooth voice whom spoke to him before their fight, this was what would be expected of a man of his sanity, but that was no reason that Henry wanted to hear that side.
He wouldn't be the one to admit, not ever, but... He was terrified by the new found sound, this was it wasn't it, when he was on the verge of murder as he'd done over and over and over before. This was it wasn't it, that side that he actually believed that he could avoid. No, he could escape this he would and he'd take... No...She was dead he... Couldn't do anything.
Walter continued after an unsteady laugh, there was a high pitch in the middle, his fingers inched deeper into Henry's shoulders, "You don't feel enough to know what it is to truly, truly feel hate... I know you Henry, I knew all of you all too well, every single one of you. You may think I don't, She didn't believe me either, but I do because even for those two long years I was watching. I was always watching you. You're empty Henry, so you can't hate." He moved closer, lowering his voice to a whisper, "But don't worry... I'll make you feel..."
Before Henry had time to properly react towards the psychotic promise Walter gripped the knifes handle ripping it away from the flesh causing him to yell out once again this was paid no mind to. With one swing he ripped down, slicing through skin again, in a diagonal line across his chest and stomach. It did not stop, he ruthlessly brought the knife in all directions where he'd decided. His blood released in the thin streaks, from his cheeks, his nose, his lips, arms and torso. Moving had become an option he could not seek, from every end his clothes were soak with the blood that before this whole mess only was happened to be seen with simple little things. A paper-cut, tripping like an idiot, any accidents that could happen in the kitchen.
Now, it ran down his skin, sickly he thought of it distantly like rain, soaking and pure. Blood wasn't pure like rain.
He heard Walter grunt an enraged response, he snapped a shot with the camera but this time the finger met the button violently making a loud click, ready to break it for any use of calming. Walter took a fistful of hair into his grip turning Henry's face to look to him, the glare meeting a daze, "You still insist on this? Why haven't you begged for your life? They always do, you all always do,"
Henry's breath had become a ragged choke, something he had to focus to continue to do, but after obtaining enough oxygen in his lungs to speak, though fear arose that he'd rip his own skin by moving in such a way, "I...Will never...Never...Beg to you... Even...For my own life..." A strained noise came from his throat as he spoke slowly, trying to continue, "I know I'm going to die, I've... Excepted... That...But you'll get nothing from it... Nothing but your...Demon..."
He could hear Walter breathing through his nostrils, he had small hope that the psychopath would throw a tantrum and break the dammed camera so no one would ever see him like this. They wouldn't know they wouldn't...
"This is how you do video if I'm correct?"
Henry's eyes jolted back open, he'd actually almost let himself slip, he knew it was far from unconsciousness, he'd actually almost allowed himself to die without any further provocation, as if knowing that Walter might get rid of the evidence he was so eager to compile before would actually give him peace. And that one sentence snapped him back, back to this hell, back into its bastard leaders grasps.
He didn't want to, but his eyes flickered up, Walter was holding the small metal so he could see the screen perfectly, "I had seen you do it before," He smirked further, revisiting the statement that he'd heard play on his phone.
I'm always watching you.
Always.
Always.
He'd just accidentally switched it to video at one point when attempting to photograph the apartment and send it to his brother when he first moved in -all those two years ago- instead he'd began filming it, "Ah, hell..." He had muttered but smirked and began moving the camera round the rooms, "Well Mark," He announced as narration, "I know you were expecting a few pictures of 302, but your getting a video instead. You'll be able to deal with it right?"
He actually felt his eyes sting, but did not allow himself to further it, only left his eyes stinging in despair. The screen was turned away and the top button clicked to begin it, he thought bitterly of how Walter didn't want himself included, although he's been so desperately after attention for all these years.
He pointed it at the beginning, his hand where he'd first carved the twenty one, stepping with it, his boots echoing off the concrete.
"Is it painful Henry?" He asked, amusement playing in his voice, "It wont hurt for too long. It will all be over soon."
Was he...Putting on a show?! He breathed in from his nose ready to retort but quickly Walters hand shot out, covering his mouth, the cold handle of the blade touched sensitive skin.
"Should you really be speaking when your in this shape Henry?" The camera was so close, it was the only bright light in this place and it desperately stung, Walter brought his hand a little ways away, dragging the knife only so much that it touched his skin but do nothing to damage it. He knew what was being captured, he was barley recognizable probably not the same with these cuts and slices marking deeply into his skin. He didn't know, he didn't want to.
Though he'd gone numb by this time, nerves probably dying out as his senses dropped, he recognized touch still, with the knife in hand Walter placed his palm underneath his chin, fingers touching his cheek, blood pressed out of it, "You look perfect." He said in a whisper.
The hand moved away and he knew the feeling of the thick blade touching onto the side of his top lip, it pressed more slowly than his quick cutting earlier, when Walter had risen blood he drug against the different texture of skin than the rest of the males body, it was more sensitive, so much more easily damaged.
He'd made a curved slice, and Henry gave no response, "You don't want to smile pretty for the camera Henry?" Walter asked cruelly, smiling all the way, it dropped to his side, though he did not turn it off, with a damaged and silent Henry it caused his anger to arise, he stepped back, standing a little away from him. Reaching into his pocket he seemed to change what he was holding and replace it. Henry wasn't sure exactly what he felt when he saw the gun. He'd viewed it so many times before: one then two, then one again. However he'd decided he wanted to attack he and his female friend.
He watched Walter while Walter stared him down, finally his hazy green eyes shut, and he muttered only one thing, "Well?"
The gun was shot. Loud and echoing off of everything, an ear piercing noise. Henry felt nothing.
His eyes opened once again, they met with the same dim concrete room and Walter holding the gun in his hand that had just been shot. Nonononononono...
Denial wore of, he glanced to the side of his head, there was slight bits of smoke coming off the metal fence from extreme heat. He missed? He missed...On purpose. By the time he'd looked back up Walter had the camera again, gun at his side and taking slow footfalls towards him, "Well?" Walter asked, "Henry, are you that eager to die? Truthfully that eager?" He shook his head, taunting, "I thought you had a little bit of will left in you, your no fun when your like this. Ah well..." He didn't see what happened when Walter had neared him again or how it happened, but the knife was driven into his stomach, he choked and gasped but it did nothing for him.
He heard the camera be shut off, and for seconds Walter did nothing to harm him, only watched him in pain, but that didn't last as long as Henry would have liked it to.
His rough calloused hands touched the sides of his face, tilting his head up and without warning his mouth met with Henry's in a violent kiss. Henry realized these happenings on his ruined and bleeding lips, he struggled tried to get away with no avail his failing body didn't allow anything more than slight moving and sounds of disdain.
Walter finally pulled away, he stroked Henry's wet hair, "You really do hate me don't you?" He carefully slipped the knife away, "It's too bad, because your staying with me for..."
Walters voice trailed into nothing, he didn't know what he said, it didn't matter. All that mattered was the dark.
---
He felt it fade after moment within it, alone and without anything, no heartbeat, no pulse, his blood stopped running, he was cold, freezing in fact. Sickening warmth gave in however, it made him gag to experience it after such cold. When his eyes adjusted he saw nothing but red, deep and scarlet with flecks of black.
Soon he noticed something moving within it, and realization knocked through him. It was the ceiling of his apartment, as usual the fan twisted, keeping any amount of air in his home while the doors were locked. But no... The walls were flesh like, just like when he had those nightmares when the door was first locked. He was himself however, not the nightmare person before. He knew what had happened to him. He sat up on the rusted bed, looking to his right he surprisingly saw his female friend curled up sleeping. Bruises, cuts, and wrappings gone. She was in that pink and white shirt with the green skirt, like he'd seen her before they ventured for freedom. He sat on his knees, reaching out and parting her hair, her breath changed a little but she did not awaken yet, "I failed," He said with a depressed smile.
Moving to where he'd found himself on his bed, he set his feet on the floor and walked around the bed, finding it strange since he normally got off the side where Eileen was. He guessed there were many things he'd have to get use to.
He didn't want to truthfully, but he opened the door, touching the rusted doorknob and softly shutting the door behind him. Walking down the hallways, like he had so many times before, he saw that the rest of the apartment was the same. Flesh like, but different from Apartment world. When he entered the living room, he saw Little Walter lying on the couch, though awake he seemed more interested in humming than offering a greeting.
He glanced at the door, just like in his nightmares, it was no longer whole, only a peephole and an outline of a once open able door, with no chains this time.
Walter sat on one of the arm chairs by the windows, his head was tilted back slightly as he had his eyes shut, enjoying the air of the decayed apartment that he called Mother, "They'll find it on the table," Walter spoke up suddenly, eyes staying shut, "Near your body."
He looked at the table, indeed a rusted bloody version of the camera sat there, it would appear normal in the real world, containing the last moments of his life. He turned away now that he had answers to go back to where he had once found so much comfort but Walter speaking again stopped him, "Do you hate me, Henry?"
Henry paused in the hallways before speaking, "Yes."
He heard a chuckle, strangely warm this time, "You have eternity to change that."