By popular demand!
Jacques Septique vs. Jack.
“This isn’t your house, Chase.” Jack was frowning at Chase in confusion as he remained in the passenger seat. He’d been under the assumption they were going back to the manor for a game night, not to an apartment complex.
“It’s just a quick stop,” Chase explained. “Come on up with me though, you’ll want to meet him.” He hopped out of his truck with a grin. “Come on Jack, it’s fine. You’ll like him.”
“Sure.” Jack could relent. He liked spending time with the egos, and if there was a chance he could get to know them personally, he was going to jump on it. “Who’s this friend of yours, and what’re you picking up?”
“Some supplies I left here,” Chase responded. “His name is Jacques.” He led Jack up a set of stairs and inside, where they faced a hallway. “He’s chill.”
Jack laughed, feeling his stomach twist at that name. He was sure he’d never met anyone by that name before, but there was something familiar about it, and it wasn’t feeling he particularly liked. Jack told himself it was just the atmosphere of the complex.
Sticking his hands in his pockets, he looked at all the doorways they passed before stopping in front of one. He automatically raised his hand to knock, but Chase turned the handle, opening the door and ushering Jack inside. “Oh.” Jack grinned nervously at Chase. “Or we could just walk in.”
Chase was definitely acting off now. Who’s Jacques?
“Hey! We’re here!” Chase called out, settling right down on the couch. “Jacques!”
A man walked out of a bedroom, covered in paint. He wore a ripped denim jacket, a low v-neck shirt, torn jeans. None of that was as remarkable as the chin-length green hair, half hidden under a very familiar hat.
Jack gasped as he stumbled back a step.
“Hello Jack,” Jacques said, voice far too silky for someone with hatred in his eyes. “I’ve been waiting a long time to finally meet you.”
“I don’t...” Jack turned to look at Chase, who was now completely ignoring him and grinning happily at Jacques. “Chase, why didn’t you tell me I had another ego? Who is he?”
“Non, you will not talk to Chase anymore,” Jacques snapped. He stepped forward, snatching Jack’s arm and yanking him forward. “You fils de pute! Son of a bitch!” For someone who was thinner than Jack, he certainly had a strong grip. “Chase! Come, we have work to do.”
Chase obediently got to his feet, sliding up next to Jack and grabbing his arm. The two of them wrestled a struggling Jack into the bedroom, where he was forcibly seated into a chair. The second Jacques let go, Chase took over, keeping Jack pinned down to prevent him from jumping right back up.
“Chase, what is happening?” Jack asked, voice rising in panic. “Talk to me!”
“He will not talk to you,” Jacques said. “You are the worst human being alive. I know you are not so pure and wholesome as your fans would believe.”
“I honestly don’t remember!”
“Yes, you do,” Jacques insisted. He grabbed a container filled with paint, dumping it on the canvas Jack was seated in front of. “You know exactly where I come from. It is why you were so nervous to walk in here with him.” He waved a paintbrush in Chase’s direction.
“Chase and I are friends....”
“Non, you were friends. He is my friend now. He adores me, mon trésor.” The mix of English and French were confusing, but somehow, Jack knew exactly what Jacques was talking about.
“The same thing I’m going to do to you, you stupid celebrity.” Jacques stabbed at the canvas, swirling the paint around until it started forming a shape. Then, to Jack’s surprise, it was coming off the canvas, dancing around in the air right before his eyes, around his head, and then back in front again.
“Just watch, Jack,” Jacques’ voice had lost its edge. It was softer, silky once more. “It’s pretty to watch.”
The paint continued to warp and shift, forming weird shapes that reminded Jack of those ink blotches so famous in Psychology. Except this was a pretty shade of pink, not black, and...was that glitter mixed into the paint? It definitely had a sheen to it. Jacques did have a point, it was rather pretty.
The odd shifting continued to grow bigger, until it started forming a circle. Growing bigger, then shrinking down to minuscule sizes, then growing in size again. The circle began to hollow out, then break apart, forming a spiral. Somewhere in the back of Jack’s mind, he knew he should be alarmed by this. But, this was so cool. He’d never seen any of his egos do anything like this before. Not even with Marvin, who was a full magician!
Had Jack been paying better attention, he would have realized that Chase had let go of him finally, and was now standing by Jacques’ side, grinning expectantly down at the youtuber. Had Jack been paying more attention, he would’ve seen that the door to the bedroom was wide open, and it’d be easy for him to just get up and walk out and leave.
He was captivated by the dancing paint.
More colors were being added now. The pink was fading into yellow, then white paint, then a beautiful pastel purple, then green. Jack liked the green the most. The colors continued to shift before his eyes, dancing around in a mix of spirals, circles, and pulsing, shapeless blobs.
Just keep staring, a voice in the back of his mind instructed. Just keep staring and relax, let your mind go. It is so easy to sink into the chair.
Jack nodded along, murmuring in agreement. He didn’t know why he was supposed to stare, but it was important that he did.
The more you stare, the sleepier you feel. Embrace this feeling, it is peaceful.
The colors were all starting to blur, Jack’s eyes were starting to water with the weight of keeping them open. He didn’t remember feeling so tired before, but the earlier panic attack had evidently worn him out.
“I am yours...” he whispered. Who was he even talking to anymore? It probably didn’t even matter.