"Henry… Why would you do something like that?!"
Elena yelled at Henry, her eyes fierce with anger, her hands balled into fists.
"What did I even do?"
Henry asked in confusion, his voice calm.
"Oh yeah? You don't know? You sold your engagement ring. Our ring!!"
She yelled loudly.
"Look, Elena, it's not what it is, I promise…"
He tried to approach her, but she took a step back.
"You're so selfish!! So disgusting and I fucking hate you!!"
Her eyes filled with tears as she said that before running to the bedroom, slamming the door behind her and locking it.
---
Henry's heart pounded as he ran for his life, the sound of the monster charging behind him blinding him with panic. He couldn't see anything, just taking turns at random.
The monster let out a loud deep scream.
Henry tripped at the sound.
While running, Henry noticed a door with light coming from the gap under it.
He quickly turned toward it, barged inside, and locked the door behind him.
He covered his mouth so he wouldn't make a sound until the monster ran past the room.
Henry then exhaled in relief and took a good look at the room.
The room was lit with cozy lights and had cozy furniture. There was calming music coming from a vinyl disc.
Henry took a few steps inside before opening the bathroom door.
There he found Harry laying on the ground.
The bathtub was full of whiskey.
The sink and the toilet too.
The shower head rained whiskey.
Harry's expression was unreadable, almost empty.
His voice was hoarse as he said:
"You… You hurt me so much, Henry…"
Henry stayed quiet, looking down at his hands.
"I hurt you? How come?"
Harry simply chuckled before rolling over and getting up, dumping his head into the sink inside the whiskey.
Henry took a step toward Harry, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Are you okay?"
His movement was cautious.
Harry suddenly took his head out quickly before smiling softly at Henry.
"Couldn't be better!"
Henry took a step back.
"Why are you here? Aren't you scared of that thing outside?"
Henry's expression was serious and filled with unspoken fear.
"Hm? What thing? What are you talking about?"
Harry answered in confusion.
"The monster. Do you not see it?"
Henry took a few more steps back, the bathroom lights flickering.
"I guess I don't. Because I live here. Feel free to show yourself around."
Harry flashed a smile before turning around and dumping his head back into the sink.
Henry shook his head in confusion, then turned around and exited the bathroom.
He explored the room and found a note sticking on the wall.
The handwriting was elegant and calculated.
He read:
"Today at the bar no clients came. It's weird. Everyone used to love coming here. Did I do something wrong? Or is this just the end? I think it's time that I start looking for something else to do. But it's hard. I'll just keep drinking. It's less worrisome that way."
Henry shook his head again, his face dark with an intense feeling he couldn't quite describe.
He looked to the side and found a room with a lock on it.
Henry approached the door and kept kicking until it opened.
Henry's eyes widened, that intense feeling growing stronger.
Inside was a chair.
Above it hung a rope.
He felt a hand on his shoulder.
It was Harry, his careless tone returning.
"This? This is a new decoration I just got. You should try it."
He gave Henry a push.
Henry opened his mouth, his jaw shaking.
"N-No… I gotta find E-Elena…"
Harry's aura changed, becoming fierce, his voice barely controlled.
"Oh come on now… Don't you think you deserve a rest?"
Henry shook his head slowly, lowering it, whimpering.
"Elena is dead, Henry. She's not here anymore. Please stop hurting me."
Harry whispered into Henry's ear, his voice cracking.
"Shut up."
Henry closed his eyes, Elena flashing in his head.
The lonely lightbulb hanging from the ceiling buzzed and flickered.
The shower still rained whiskey from the bathroom.
The sound of metal scraping against the floor outside was heard.
"Henry, you will live. You just need me. So do as I say."
Harry's voice was calm and reassuring.
Henry opened his eyes slowly, his vision blurry.
The hanging rope from the ceiling.
He approached the chair slowly, his body trembling.
He stood on it and grabbed the rope.
"Elena… I'm sorry…"
He put the rope around his neck.
Harry grinned at the scene.
Henry then kicked the chair to the side.
The rope tightened around his neck, choking him.
But for some reason that fierce unnamed feeling overpowered Henry.
He started kicking his legs in the air, struggling to survive.
His vision blurred as tears welled in his eyes.
Harry's eyes widened in shock.
"Stop this right now! Stop resisting, please… You're so painful…"
Henry's arms kept pulling at the rope, trying to break it from the ceiling.
Elena's image flashed before his eyes.
Their days together.
Their laughter.
Their arguments.
"Henry… I beg you… stop… She's not here! Just live your life! No woman should keep you living in pain… Don't you think that's fair for you…?"
Harry fell to his knees, staring at the ground, empty again as he listened to Henry's desperate whimpers.
Finally, with a loud thud, Henry fell to the ground with the rope still around his neck.
Henry panted heavily, his vision blurry, a loud whistle ringing in his ears.
Harry just stared at him, empty and hopeless.
"You're so stubborn, Henry. In a bad way, unfortunately…"
As these words left his lips, the wall on the north side of the room broke apart.
A loud gurgle came out.
Then the heavy scrape of metal against the ground.
The room became dark.
Heavy steps entered the room.
Neither of them could see anything.
Henry's eyes widened in horror as he tried to crawl away toward the broken wall.
He heard a loud swing.
Then the sound of blood and flesh splattering around.
Henry kept panting, his heart pounding as he crawled over the rocks.
The steps turned around toward him.
They got closer.
Closer.
Until they stopped behind him.
Henry rolled onto his back.
The lights started flickering rapidly.
The monster—Heavy Leg—had a cubic head.
No eyes.
No mouth.
Nothing.
Just solid, heavy rusty metal.
Its body was wide and tall, brownish grey.
It raised its axe and swung toward Henry.
Henry spread his legs, making the axe hit the ground between them.
The ground beneath Henry shattered.
He fell into a deep hole.