“Move,” I growl, the word barely leaving my lips as I step forward.
Dr Moss’s smile stretches wider, as if he’s enjoying this moment. “You really think you can just walk away?” His tone is calm. “It’s not that easy, Mr Easton.”
“Don’t fucking call me that,” I snap with a scowl, my dad’s most used name striking straight through me.
The two doctors behind him take a step forward, closing in on us. Their faces blank, detached, but I can see the threat in their stance, the way they grip their electric rods.
“You can’t leave,” Dr Moss finally says, his voice growing colder. “You both lied. You both need to be cured.”
Raven scoffs beside me, “You’re out of your damn mind creep. You need curing.”
Suddenly, the doctor on the left lunges at us, his hand reaching for something at his belt, likely a syringe full of some fucked-up drug. I don’t wait to see what it is—before he even gets close enough to jab me, I swing my axe in a wide curve, slamming the blade into his side. The sickening sound of metal meeting flesh fills the air, and he lets out a strangled cry as he crumples to the ground, blood pooling beneath him.
The second doctor hesitates for a fraction of a second, shock spreading across his face before his eyes flicker toward Moss. I see the acknowledgement in his eyes—he knows that I won’t fucking hesitate to kill his ass.
“Which one of you motherfuckers are next?” I ask, a wide grin stretching across my face, now holding my axe in both hands, shuffling on my feet.
The doctor eyes me warily, his hand still gripping the syringe and electric rod, but I don’t wait for him to make a move. With one swift motion, I bring my axe up again, the sharp steel gleaming in the harsh light as I swing it down toward him. He jumps back, narrowly avoiding the blade, but I’m already on him, closing the distance too quickly.
He stumbles, and with a sickening twist of my wrist, I drive the axe into his shoulder, spinning him around and slamming him against the counter. I don’t even think twice, I yank the blade from his shoulder, catch Raven’s hand again, dragging her toward the back of the kitchen. But before we can take another step, a sudden, cold voice slices through the tension.
“Not so fast.”
I halt, realizing I ain’t done with this fucker. I don’t even need to look, I hear the way Dr Moss’s voice oozes with malice and control. Every muscle in my body is ready to move—but before I can react, a sharp gasp rips through the air.
I turn to see Dr Moss standing there, a needle in one hand, pressing it against the throat of the dark-haired woman—the one Raven had been with, the one who helped her escape. The girl’s breath is catching in her throat as Moss holds her like a puppet, his other hand gripping her arm
“Release her,” Raven growls, but Dr Moss doesn’t give a shit, bad shit crazy cunt.
“Relax, Ty,” Dr Moss hushes, his smile thin and dangerous. “You really think you’re in control here?” He leans in closer to the girl, the needle digging slightly into her skin, making her wince. “Don’t worry, it’s just a little prick. You’ll be fine. If you’re lucky.”
I take a step forward, my axe still in hand and try to think of all different ways to fuck this cunt up.
Dr Moss looks directly into my eyes, gleaming with cold amusement. “Do you know who she is?” he asks, voice dripping with mockery. “This lovely woman? She’s your sister.”
My entire body freezes in place, and I look at the young woman, still not able to see some of her face beneath her hood as she struggles against him. My mind begins to spiral as the words hit me. Penny?
“What the hell are you talking about, old man?” I spit, stepping toward them, his heart racing. “My sister’s fucking dead.”
Dr Moss laughs, a cold, bone-chilling laugh that makes my blood boil. “Not dead, just forgotten. You see, I have a little thing for keeping people like her. Your sister... She’s not as far gone as you think, Ty. She’s been under my care since the week she went ‘missing’. She been under your nose for the last fifteen years. You two have been some of my greatest and worse experiments.”
I feel like everything’s spinning out of control, my mind racing, but before I can say anything, the dark-haired girl suddenly moves. In a desperate flash of action, she stamps down on Dr Moss’s foot, hard, with a loud crunch. Dr Moss groans in pain, his grip loosening just enough for her to break free. I reach out, grabbing her hoodie and yanking her behind me.
“Now what mother fucking cunt.” I bite out.
Dr Moss snarls, a look of pure rage twisting his features, but I don’t hesitate. I stride toward the walk-in oven, the handle cold under my hand. I yank it open, revealing the dark interior, the metal shelves inside. I don’t give it a second thought. As Moss charges toward me, eyes full of wrath, I take a swift step forward, swinging the axe high and bringing it down hard.
Dr Moss shrieks as soon as my axe slashes through him and his arm falls to the ground with a splattering thud. He grits his teeth, but before he can react, Raven lifts her leg, kicking her foot straight into his balls with all her strength, making him fall to his knees with a loud groan.
Without hesitation, I grab him by the scuff of the neck and chuck him inside the oven before closing the door and locking it with a final click. We watch through the window as Dr Moss roars in fury, scrambling toward us, trying to claw his way out of the oven.
I smack the button, turning the temperature up to max. The oven begins to hum to life, the sound of the heat starting to rise as the fire behind him comes to life. Then, he stands eerily still. He stares at all three of us expressionlessly, devoid of emotion, but I notice he digs for something in his pants. When I see it’s a button, my eyes expand slightly, knowing exactly what it is.
His voice—weak but filled with venom—echoes from inside the oven. “I never lose,” he hisses. “And I take everything with me if I do.”
“He’s going to blow this place to pieces,” I mutter under my breath, my blood turning to ice as the realization of what the fuck is happening sinks in. Without wasting another second, I grab the girls’ arms and whip around.
The sound of Dr Moss’s voice pierces the chaos. It’s louder now, twisted with manic glee. “You’ll never escape! It’s too late for us all!”