King of the Corn
Carving pumpkins wasn't enough for Anti and it's been awhile since it properly harasses JJ. Let's try a new activity to really get into the seasonal mood!
Word count: 2243 Warnings: Blood, knives, gore Prompt: Scarecrow
Prompt and blurb was given by my roommate and this is the version that I think he would like most. The more shippy(kinda) Version is over on AO3
The virus had to give it to the U.S. They really knew how to do Halloween and horror, something it could appreciate. This time of the year was always one of its favorites and it was really just starting to get into the mood of the season; there really was no better way to do this than with a good hunt of its favorite puppet.
Anti looked around the edge of the corn maze taking in the late evening sunset. It had given Jameson a head start on running, even telling the puppet that if he made it to the end before Anti caught him that it would leave him alone. It hadn’t decided yet if it had been lying about that or not. It had been a while since the last time Anti had bothered to mess with Jameson, too long in the virus’s opinion, something it intended on rectifying.
Deciding that Jameson had enough of a head start the virus started into the corn maze, locked into hunting down its prey. It was harder to track scent in the corn maze thanks to the fact that there was corn everywhere and the ground was wet thanks to the fact it had rained earlier. The wet did serve as an advantage though being able to track the tracks in the mud. Sure, Anti could just teleport to Jameson, but where would the fun be in that.
It moved quickly through the maze eyes keeping track of the puppets tracks as it followed behind gaining on the man. Anti could tell he was getting closer by how much easier it was to catch Jamson’s scent. The virus rushed forward intent on catching up with its puppet while it had the scent and tracks. A sharp gust of wind would prove to be detrimental as it blew through the corn making it rustle and obscuring the scent. Anti growled as it also lost the tracks to a spot where the corn had fallen over into the path.
It kept moving forward doing its best to keep on the path it had been tracking Jameson from. One turn and the virus got a strong whiff of Jameson turning sharply to dart towards the scent; it snarled running face to face with a dead end and a scarecrow with Jameson’s hat, tie. The puppet was clever, Anti could give him that, It was one of the reasons he loved messing with the man. Not clever enough it would seem however as its head snapped hearing movement in the corn. It watched a moment making sure it wasn’t just the wind before a smirk curled on its face as it took off again.
The day was quickly turning to night which would only further serve to give advantage to Anti. It made sure to move quickly but as quietly as it could, wanting to sneak up on Jameson. It was close enough to hear Jameson’s feet hit the ground as he ran through the maze trying to get out and evade the predator chasing after him. It could even pick up on the mutes heavy breathing making it just want to move faster to catch its prey.
Anti watched as Jameson stopped at another dead end with a scarecrow. It savored the look of panic on Jameson’s face, the mutes eyes darting back and forth as he looked around the desperation clear on his face. It could almost taste the fear dripping off of the other; licking its lips as it stayed just out of Jameson’s sight. To Jamie’s credit he was so close to the exit, so close but so far.
Jameson had moved to try and keep moving through the maze as he knew he didn’t have much time before Anti would be on top of him. He had already caked himself in mud to try and throw the virus off. He was tired and wanted this nightmare to be over already. Fear was the only thing keeping the man going. He sluggishly started to move his legs burning from all of the running he had already been doing.
As the puppet looked around still trying to be alert, his eyes locked with a pair of green ones watching him in the corn. Jameson’s blood ran cold as he felt his breath catch in his throat; his brain screamed at him to run but his body didn’t move. He knew he needed to run, his heartbeat swelled drowning out any other sound as he stood eyes locked with the monster in the corn.
Anti smirked when its eyes met Jameson's, practically tasting the fear that was dripping off its puppet. It lurched forward and the man finally was able to move as he turned quickly to bolt away from the demon. It took chase after him, easily closing the distance between them until it was able to grab Jameson’s arm pulling him close hearing the puppets racing heart.
“You were so close, but not quite, puppet.” Anti mocked, pulling Jameson so it was holding both of his arms forcing the puppet against him. Jameson struggled in Anti’s grasp trying to pull away or kick at the virus who just laughed at his feeble attempts to get away. “You know that isn’t going to work, rabbit. Here, why don’t you try getting a little further, or begging, maybe that will change my mind.” It shoved Jameson to the ground wanting to rough him up a bit and it wanted to see what the man would do.
Jameson hit the ground with a thud, heart still beating in his ears and he was breathing hard from panic. He looked up at the monster that was just watching him. He knew there was no getting out of this situation. He was getting hurt one way or another. It was just how much he could play along with Anti’s little game and maybe it wouldn’t be as cruel to him. He swallowed hard, not sure what to do before turning to try and crawl away from Anti. He didn’t dare to try and get up knowing that would likely only piss the creature off.
Anti followed after Jameson never letting him move far, disappointed its puppet didn’t decide to try and beg. It did realish in bringing the fear out of the other, not letting him get far before pulling out a knife and grabbing Jameson’s leg pulling him back quickly and stabbing the back of his knee easily using enough force that there was a sickening crunch as the knife broke through the bone. The mute made a garbled cry of pain before kicking Anti harshly in the head with a sick crunch of more broken bones.
The virus reeled back after getting kicked in the head dropping Jameson as it went to grab at its face, black ‘blood’ dripping from its broken nose. The man was shocked it had managed to hurt Anti and looked at it with wide eyes before going to try and get up to run. Pain bolted through Jameson’s knee forcing him back to the ground before he could even try and run from the creature.
Anti didn’t give Jameson the chance to try again either as it lunged for the knife in his knee ripping it out only to slash both of his ankles drawing another cry from the man. “It really has been too long since I’ve come around, you forgot your place in this relationship.” It hissed going to stand straightening its own nose with another crack of bone.
Anti moved to grab one of Jameson’s legs using it to drag him through the rest of the corn maze, which much to the poor puppets dismay had only been a turn away. It dragged Jameson all the way to the barn on the property dragging the poor puppet inside. “Now we have the real fun puppet.” Jameson shook his head trying to bring his hands up to sign to maybe try begging.
It paid the puppet no mind though, grabbing his hands and tying them together with a red rope. Anti used a pulley in the barn roof made for processing cattle to hoist Jameson up. The action of being hung by his hands brought a cry from the man as pain shot through his shoulders not meant to be supported like that. The virus laughed hearing the cry of pain lowering Jameson so he could be on his tiptoes though that brought its own pain as his body tried to stand though still couldn’t find any relief between his busted knee and slit tendons.
Gray eyes watched the monster circle him unsure what its next action would be. “I could almost just leave you strung up like that for me, but I do have other plans this time.” Anti twirled the knife that was in his hand before using it to rip open Jameson’s shirt leaving him with a clear view of his chest. It used its knife to push into the bottom of the man’s stomach, the knife sharp enough that it slid in with little resistance.
The sharp scent of fresh blood filled the demon’s senses as it dragged the blade up from the bottom of his chest all the way up to the bottom of Jameson’s chest bone. Jameson had cried out in pain when the knife priced his skin though in the position he was in there wasn't much he could do against the creature, knowing that trying to kick at it would only cause him more pain then it would it. He did try to struggle when the knife was pulled out of his skin though that struggle was starting to get weaker as blood loss caught up with him.
Anti discarded the knife to the side a moment before sticking its hand into the wound it had just made, electing another cry from the hanging mute. “You really are a treat to play with Puppet.” It praised hearing the other cry in pain. Its attention turned from the organs that it was pulling out of the puppet and instead watched Jameson’s face twist and contort in pain. It watched the others eyes start to flutter as it was becoming too much even for such a perfect toy and he was about to pass out. Anti couldn’t have that though and pulled his hand out of the other grabbing his face and forcing eye contact. Jameson didn’t get the chance to look away before loud static ripped through his head keeping him from being able to pass out despite the pain that he was in and the blood he was losing.
“Ah ah, you don’t get to skip out on this that easily.” Anti says rather cheerfully, clearly enjoying itself. It took a step back from Jameson a moment pulling out its phone to take pictures of its handy work before pocketting the device. “That is for later for now…” It moved to grab its knife again, cutting out the intestines it had pulled out letting them drop to the ground. It walked away to a different part of the barn only to return with straw that it shoved in the opening. Jameson jerked still able to feel everything and the scratching of the sharp straw felt like needles stabbing every part of his sensitive insides.
“Oh come on no struggling now we are almost done.” Anti mocked a needle with red thread glitching into its hand and it sewed up Jameson like he really was nothing more than a scarecrow. The creature stripped the man of his pants, replacing them with a pair more fitting that of a scarecrow. It then let the rope drop the hanging puppet, Jameson hitting the ground like a pile of rocks making him cry out in pain again the poor mute being forced to be awake through all this torture feeling the straw move inside him when he hit the ground.
The virus moved the ground with Jameson removing his shit that was just scraps at this point and forcing him into one that looked like it was stolen right off some cheap fall decoration. “There we go, the puppet turned into a scarecrow for the season. Now let's go find a good place to display you.” It says going to grab Jameson easily picking him up as the poor man had no fight left in him. It dragged him out to where there was a pile of hay bales and the t post for a scarecrow but none to be found, like the creature had set it up beforehand. “Perfect.”
It dragged the poor man up to the post using red rope to tie him to it so he wouldn’t be able to get himself down, not that it would be a problem. It was such a public space that surely someone would come and get the man down. Once everything was done Anti took a step back looking over its work with pride.
It took out its phone taking another picture, blood dripping from Jameson down to the straw that was under him. “Well as much as I would love to say and relish in my handy work, I do have other things to be doing. See you around puppet.” Anti glitched away right before the man's eyes. Now that the virus was gone its influence left with it letting Jameson finally pass out.