{Reader's POV}

            Sunlight flooded the room as I opened the curtains, making me wince and shield my eyes with a soft groan. The chain rattled lightly as I crossed the room to the dresser, pulling out some clothes for the day, though I wasn't planning to change just yet. Usually I liked to start the day with a shower before changing my bandages, but I couldn't really do that while wearing the shackle on my ankle.

            In the end, Jack never had come to my room last night. As a result, I'd been stuck in the shackle all night long, which made it pretty hard to sleep. Even if I wasn't wearing it, though, I doubted I'd have gotten much sleep. After hearing Jack scream like that I wasn't really that sleepy. Just remembering it sent shivers down my spine. As terrifying as he usually was, hearing that violent swirl of fear and anguish in his voice had been so painful.

            Hesitating, I steeled myself and opened the door, peering into the hallway. "...Jack?" I called softly. Getting no response, I slowly walked to the end of the hall as far as the chain would let me, and cautiously glanced around. From where I stood I could see most of the cabin's main room. There was a noticeable dent in the wall by the front door, the plaster cracked and broken in, and I couldn't help noting it seemed to be fist-sized. That explained all that thumping last night. There was no sign of Jack, though, so I retreated back into the hallway.

            Since the bathroom door was open, he must still be in his room. It was at the back end of the hall, and I hadn't even walked in that direction since arriving. I stared at his door from a distance, feeling a small shiver. I didn't really want to wake him up. Dejected, I turned and walked back to my room when suddenly I heard a gasp from Jack's room. I tensed, listening closely. It almost sounded like... sobbing?

            Slowly I walked to the door, hesitating before knocking. "Jack?" I called softly. The sounds stopped, and after a few moments I inhaled sharply and called again, "Jack? Are... are you in there?" There was a pause, but then I heard some shuffling from inside and the doorknob turned. When the door opened, I nearly stumbled back at the sight. Jack stood in the doorway, wearing a black tank top and sweatpants. His brown hair was incredibly messy, strands sprouting out in every direction from behind his mask which seemed to have been put on haphazardly. What really caught my attention, though, was his body. This was the first time I'd seen him out of his usual black hoodie and jeans combo, and I couldn't help noticing how thin his gray arms were. One of his hands was also bandaged.

            "What is it, [Name]?" he mumbled groggily, lifting his mask a little as he yawned.

            "Well, uh..." I stammered, already regretting knocking on his door. Shuffling my feet nervously, the chain rattled a bit. Suddenly Jack gave a startled yelp and jumped back.

            "NO!" he screamed, scrambling back and shaking his head violently. "STAY AWAY! LEAVE ME ALONE! LEAVE ME ALONE!" Startled by the sudden outburst, I backed away only to trip over the chain and fall. I yelped, more out of surprise than pain, and Jack suddenly froze. Slowly his shoulders slumped as he relaxed and shook his head, mumbling curses under his breath, before glancing down at me. I shrunk under his gaze, scooting away until my back was pressed against the wall. He gave a small sigh and stepped towards me, and I flinched and closed my eyes. After a few moments nothing happened, though, and I cautiously opened one eye to peek at him.

            Jack was now crouching in front of me, hand extended towards me. Staring at it dumbly, it took me a few seconds to realize he was offering to help me up. Hesitantly I took his hand and he gently pulled me to my feet, glancing away. "...Sorry..."

            "It's... okay?" I mumbled uncertainly. His gaze fell to my ankle, and after a moment he just silently walked down the hall, quickly returning with something in his hand. Crouching by my leg, he revealed the key and fit it into the shackle, unlocking it and letting it fall to the ground with a clatter. "Ah, thanks..."

            "..." He didn't respond right away, but then he abruptly reached for my ankle. Squeaking in surprise, I watched as he rolled down the sock, eying the bandages. He sighed as he rolled it back up and stood. "Sorry... I forgot to unlock it last night... I didn't have a good night."

            "...I heard," I muttered, and could have sworn he flinched.

            "...I'll make your breakfast..." he started, but I shook my head.

            "Uh, why don't I make it today?" I suggested meekly. "No offense, but you seem a little... off." He looked at me silently for a moment and I held my breath, expecting him to refuse or get mad, but instead he just nodded slowly.

            "...Alright..." Wait, did he really just agree? I'd expected more of a fight. Something really WAS wrong. I kept silent, though, as I followed him to the main part of the cabin. He plopped onto the couch while I headed to the kitchenette and opened the fridge, only to quickly close it.

            "...There's a half-eaten lung in there."

            "Oh, that's just leftovers from last night... I couldn't finish, though."

            "...You said you had cereal?" I wasn't in the mood to open the fridge again.

            "Yeah. It's in the fridge, bottom shelf."

            "...You don't know much about human food, do you?" I asked, and he shrugged. Seriously, how had this guy been feeding me the last few days? I walked to the pantry and opened it, locating a loaf of bread and some jelly. Jelly was supposed to be refrigerated, but I assumed he'd put peanut butter in the fridge. Wordlessly I took the jar and bread and made myself a warm jelly sandwich, quickly tucking the jar into the fridge with my eyes closed so I wouldn't have to see the lung before hesitantly sitting at the table. Jack glanced at me but didn't offer any objections, so I assumed it was okay.

            Neither of us spoke, each in our own little worlds. My thoughts quickly wandered to Jack's little outburst this morning when he'd seen me. What was that about? While at the time he'd just seemed angry, now I thought that I'd heard a little panic in his voice, too. I glanced at him discreetly. At the moment he was just staring at the dim TV set, probably deep in thought as well. One of his arms was draped over the back of the couch, and again I couldn't help noticing how thin it seemed. Muscles were there, sure, but overall it seemed rather, well, scrawny, probably from who-knows-how-long of disuse.

            Wait... Suddenly a new possibility struck me, making me pause mid-bite. Could it be...? I quickly shook my head, finding the notion difficult to believe, but at the same time I couldn't dismiss it so easily. His screaming from the previous night came back, his voice desperate and filled with panic. This morning he'd had similar notes of despair when he'd yelled at me. I recalled how I thought I'd heard sobbing from his room as well. Somehow I knew it was all connected, and the pieces seemed to fit together in regards to my new theory. Still, it was hard to believe. I couldn't exactly ask him about it, either...

            "[Name]?" I was jarred from my thoughts by Jack's voice, and turned to see him looking at me with his head tilted. "Are you okay?"

            "Uh, y-yeah," I mumbled, blinking. "Why?"

            "...You've been holding your sandwich next to your mouth for about three minutes without eating." I blinked and turned my head back. Sure enough, I was holding it just inches from my mouth. Staring at it dumbly for a few seconds, I then took a large bite and swallowed.

            "Just thinking," I explained with a shrug. Jack looked at me for a few moments but didn't press it further, turning back. He switched on the television, the screen lighting up to display an ad for some special baking pan. He quickly changed the channel, flipping through them until he reached the local news. I watched in surprise, half-expecting to be sent back to my room, but he didn't say anything so I just turned in the chair for a better view of the TV.

            "...will hopefully win," the newscaster chuckled, apparently wrapping up a story on a local sports team. "Today a young man's body was found in the lake after having gone missing for six months." A picture showed on the screen, and Jack snorted, surprising me.

            "Sounds like BEN," he muttered, and I blinked.

            "BEN?" I repeated, puzzled. He turned his head back to me, making me flinch.

            "...A friend." He left it at that, and I didn't press any further. I didn't want to know too much about Jack's friends. The reporter featured an interview with the victim's mother before cutting to commercial, and when it came back they gave the weather. Sunny, the smiling woman reported, with high temperatures. As soon as it finished Jack turned off the TV and got up, stretching. "Where are your shoes?" I blinked, jarred by the sudden question.

            "Huh? Oh, uh, my room... Why...?"

          "Put them on," he told me, heading for the hall. "We're going out."