I park the car in the driveway, nearly colliding with the garage door from the speed in which I pulled in.

My breaths are heavy and panicked as I pull the key out of the ignition, my other hand still tightly gripping the wheel. I glance at the seat next to me; Masky was slouched and looked completely worn. His eyes were droopy and sullen, and his fair skin seemed to now display a 'grayish' complexion.

"We're her-re," I finally utter out, causing him to raise his sunken head and look through the windshield. His eyebrows furrowed and he side-eyed me with a dark glance, "you've been hiding out here? This whole time?"

"Just...just for a-a while."

Part of me wonders if it was a wise idea to even bring Masky to (Y/N)'s home, but since I knew from the bottom of my heart he wasn't the murderer of the  other proxies, I had to protect him, I had to keep him safe.

He was the only, closest bond I had left...

Masky was hesitant to even listen to me, to even come with me. He throughly explained to me what happened, and everything started to line up. I still couldn't bring myself to believe the fact that (Y/N) was responsible for the massacre. They were just a normal person...they had a perfect life, in my eyes. Did they even understand what they were doing when they killed them? Don't they understand that they're putting themself in danger??

Admittedly, I felt slightly responsible...I intruded, I took over their life when I should've immediately went back to the mansion. I was just so...so entranced by their parents. With them...for once in a long time...I felt happy.

But I guess, all good things come to an end.

"Let's go," I order, finally pushing open the car door and slipping out of the seat. "I'm not going in there. This is some stranger's fucking house. An outsider's house. What the hell were you thinking?" Masky hounded me.

"That's the thing...I wasn't—."

"Yeah, like you never do. Disgraceful—"

I don't hear the rest of what Masky mumbles, as he finally noisily removes himself from the car, slamming the door shut. He declines my offer to help him, despite the fact he was limping and had open sores on his body from me beating him. I knew he hated me...even when I wasn't the one directly responsible for the deaths, everything still came to be because of me.

I lead him to the front door and quietly into the house. I'd planned to hide Masky in (Y/N)'s room so he could rest up till I could come up with a plan myself to get back to the mansion. I don't know of the whereabouts of (Y/N), but Masky did inform me that they seemed to imply wanting a way back to the mansion.

There's no way they could've found it themself, anyways. The mansion itself is completely shielded and hidden from outsiders.

I lead Masky into the bedroom and help him settle onto the bed.

"I don't get why you couldn't have taken us directly to the woods, Rogers. Why did we have to come here?" He argued with me, seemingly uncomfortable having to rest on someone else's bed. "If something's up at th-the mansion, you're not in a condi-ti-tion to face it. Plus I...."

I trail off, feeling uncomfortable at having to tell Masky the real reason I came back to this house.

"Don't tell me. You're attached to them. To people. To prey!"

I tighten my fists at his comment and suddenly roar out at him in anger, "They're not PREY."

Masky flinched at my outburst and remained silent. I stay leering at him, trying to calm myself and I eventually relax my fists, letting out a frustrated sigh. "I'm sorry."

Masky glared at me for a bit before turning away from me. He hesitated a moment before getting himself comfortable on the bed.

"It doesn't matter anymore," He finally spoke up, "I don't give a fuck what you do. Go find comfort with those people. Betray us. I don't give a damn. Im not joining you, and I'm not keeping any secrets for you. When this all blows up in your face and everything falls apart? You'll be the one to suffer."

His words resonate in my head for a bit. He had every right to not comply with me, even to make himself known to (Y/N)'s dads and reveal the truth about me and what happened to their real kid. He didn't ask for this...yet neither did I. All I wanted was to be happy, and to feel what it was like to be appreciated, just this once. Alas, every time things seemed to look up for me, there was always a raging waterfall at the end of the river, preparing to take me down.

"That's all I've ever known is-s s-suffering," I softly respond to him, moving away from the bedside and heading to the door to exit the room, "Heh...all of this is just another rou-round in the game..."

꧁꧂

I sat at the dining table by myself, slowly munching on some cereal I had helped myself to despite not being hungry. I glanced to the back doors of the house; the sun was high up and the sky was blue as ever. If I weren't in the current situation I was in with Masky and (Y/N) possibly going on a murderous rampage, I'd be smiling and thinking of all the things me and Ryan and Steven might do today.

Even though I was just a false number in the equation that was their family...

A fake. An imposter.

"Good morning, (Y/N)!"

Steven's sudden greeting ringing out from the bedroom startled me and I accidentally splashed the cereal I was messing with all over myself. The man glared at me as he walks over before chuckling, "What're you so jumpy for?"

"N-Nothing...sorry."

I lowered my head and quickly swiped a napkin, beginning to clean myself up. He comes over and gives me the usual ruffle on the head, then tried to catch my eyes as I seemed to be avoiding his.

"(Y/N), you alright?"

"I'm fine."

There was a moment of silence, and I felt Steven's worried glare burning into the back of my head. I slowly turn to look at him and he frowns, "You must still be...pretty shaken up by what you heard happened next door last night, huh..?"

"...Maybe a little."

He says nothing in response, and it remains awkwardly quiet between us for a while. I already regret even mentioning I was upset in the first place. I hear footsteps entering the kitchen and see Ryan walking in, stretching and yawning. "Good morning folks, it's Saturday!" He exclaims, pulling open the fridge and turning to look at us. "What's...what's with the sour faces?"

Before Steven could say anything, I quickly stood and shot him a smile, "Nothing. Good morning Da-ad. Saturday right?"

Ryan's smile returns and he nods, "No work for me today (Y/N). I'm free so what're we gonna do?"

I glanced at Steven and he seems still worried about me but he smiles a bit and walks off into the kitchen. "Actually," I step up to the kitchen counter and watch as they start getting things together for breakfast, "I wanted-d to take a walk out-outside this morning—by myself."

Steven looked back at me again, his concern returning, "By yourself? With all the crime that's been happening here lately?"

"I'll be fine, I swe-ear...."

"Ah stop worrying Steve," Ryan spoke up, setting some eggs on the counter, "(Y/N)'s a grown adult, they can take care of themself. If anything they know to call us or come running home."

I nod my head at them and push away from the counter, "I promise I'll be o-okay."

Steven looked mighty unsure as he eyed me down before rolling his eyes and waving me off with his hand. "Just be careful, my (Y/N)."

I nod again and give them a quick wave before starting back to (Y/N)'s room and swinging open the door. Masky was asleep on the bed. Despite resting, he still looked uncomfortable and worn. I couldn't blame him—he's been through a lot in the last couple of hours.

"Don't w-worry Mask. I'm gonna head back to the mansion and fi-find out what's going on," I say aloud, heading into (Y/N)'s closet and pulling out a dark hoodie and some jeans I could change into, "then, I'm gonna hunt down tha-that kid and put an end to all of this."

I pause while pulling on the hoodie and sigh. I knew 'putting an end to this' most likely meant finding and killing (Y/N) and having to leave Steven and Ryan forever. If I were to return to them, it would put their lives in danger of being hunted by one of the other killers.

I hated the fact that I would have to leave them and they would have to loose their loved one forever. I've completely ruined their lives...

I sigh heavily and pull the hoodie over my body and collect the gun I had left on the dresser, sliding it into the pocket of the hoodie.

"I'll be b-back Masky. Stay put," I tell his sleeping form. I then quietly slip out of the room and close the door behind me.

I head for the front door and pull the hood over my head before stepping outside. It was hot out and the sun was bearing down on me as I stepped onto the dry grass. It didn't affect me much though, and I continued ahead, walking off briskly across the street.

I was determined to get to the mansion as fast as I could.