I SAVED YOU.

written by elliott.

Gwen Newlon  &  John Carver

trigger warnings  . . .
blood, & murder.

Gwen rounded the street corner, feeling the cold autumn breeze nip at her legs. as she looked up from her phone, she noticed the streets were emptier than usual, not a soul or a car apart from Lizzie's in the diner parking lot & the mechanic shop across the street.

Looking down at her phone screen again, Gwen wanted to make sure that she read Lizzie's text right, 'Hey, your last paycheck arrived today, meet me before close at 8'
Gwen's eyes darted up to the left corner of her screen, it was only 7:30, why was the diner so dark?

Gwen sighed heavily, pocketing her phone as she entered the diner, "Liz?" she called out, no response. maybe she had her headphones again while doing the dishes?
Gwen walked through the dark building, carefully making her way into the kitchen, she couldnt see anything.
"Lizzie, where are you?" Gwen yelled, flicking on the kitchen light so she'd be able to see.

the dishes were still piled up, waiting to be pushed into the automatic dishwasher, a pan on the stove with the flame ignited beneath it, "fuckin a, Liz! you're gonna set this whole place on fire!" Gwen yelled again, approaching the stove, she turned off the burner with one hand, the other reaching for the Chef's towel to grab the metal handed pan, sighing as she shoved the pan of burnt food to the back of the stove.

Gwen mumbled under her breath as she walked to the manager's office, not seeing any sign of Liz.
retrieving her phone from her pocket, Gwen slid the screen up, texting Liz a reply: 'Hey, guess i didn't catch you in time, i'll slide by tomorrow."
She turned the corner, double checking the building as she exited the doors, "see you tomorrow!" Gwen yelled out, pulling the door shut behind her.

the sound of metal being dragged across pavement echoed through the air, Gwen looked up confused, not seeing anything she shook her head, but decided to continue on foot back home, knowing everyone was too busy to pick her up this late in the day.

"Miss?" a voice asked from behind her, Gwen quickly turned around, being spooked by the sudden noise. "Oh, didn't mean to scare 'ya!" he apologized, chuckling, Gwen shook her head, breathing heavily as she came down from the high of fear.
"you're alright, can i help you?" she asked, He nodded "i was just curious... isn't your pop the sheriff?" Gwen hesitantly nodded, "yes sir, he is."

The man smacked his lips, nodding once again, his expression growing sour, "y'know, im severely disappointed in him..." he began, Gwen looked confused, prepared to dial her dad's desk phone as she still had the phone open in her hand.
"excuse me?" she asked, "your daddy, the stupid son'va bitch had the authority to stop the riot last year... and he didn't.." he stepped closer to her, the toes of his boots scuffing against her sneakers, Gwen took a cautious step back.

"my father did everything he could have. the people of this town act like they have no fucking sense when it comes to a free waffle maker!" she scoffed, shaking her head. "you better watch your mouth, little snot." he warned, pointing a finger in her face as she continued to back away. "well, file a complaint with the city, and have a nice night." Gwen forced a smile, turning to walk away when she heard heavy footfalls on the sidewalk behind her, rapidly growing closer.

Gwen instinctively ducked, arms tucking over her head as she turned around, catching a glimpse of a shine of light coming from something behind swung in the air, followed by a heavy 'THUNK', gurgling and a loud thud.

as Gwen stared down in horror, watching as the man at her feet gurgle as he choked on his own blood, she was frozen,
even with the immediate threat of danger lurking just behind the man at her feet, the heavy boots of the masked maniac growing closer to her practically drowning out the thundering of her heart in her ears.
Gwen yelled as she tried to back away, her brain still in a frozen shock as the man's blood slicked hands tried to grab onto her sneakers, leaving streaks of blood that were so thick they began to soak through the cotton material and into her socks.

"no! god, no!" Gwen cried as she fell down to the pavement, landing on her behind, scuffing the flesh of her palms as she tried to support her fall. her wails echoed through the baren street, all businesses were shut down for the day, just her luck.

John Carver began to walk over to gwen, axe hanging over his shoulder. his boots stopping just in front of her, she tried to look anywhere but between the two men, her heart pounding against her chest as she watched the man bleed out in front of her fighting to stay alive, as the blood poured with every beat of his heart onto the pavement below.

Gwen continued to back away, wincing as the pavement pushed small sharper broken pieces into the open wounds on her palms, her feet slipping in the blood below.
"poor Gwennie, no mommy or daddy..." John whispered as he crouched in front of her, his free hand grabbing ahold of her chin, forcing her to look into the cutout eyeholes of the mask that's haunted her this entire thanksgiving season, the sole reason she had barely left the house since the killings began, hardly ever sleeping because she was afraid to see his face in the one place that's supposed to be her escape from reality.

the other man who was still bleeding out grabbed gwen's thigh, pleading for her help as the masked man sat just above him, "please let me go" she pleaded, her vision growing blurry from the tears welling in her eyes.
"tch... aren't you gonna thank me?" john questioned, his head tilting to the side as his hand moved from her chin to stroke her cheekbone, her silence was overpowered by the dying gurgles of the man as his grip on her thigh loosened, taking his final breath as his head fell slack into the pool of blood below, body going limp.

Gwen's body began to shake, realizing she'll probably suffer the same fate as him if she didn't get away soon.
"i saved you from him. god only knows what he would've done to you had i not been here." he spoke through gritted teeth,
Gwen couldn't look at him, her eyes wouldn't leave the deceased man in front of her as she watched the color drain from his face, skin turning a pale shade of blue.

"my dad's a sheriff... i know he would've been here for me." she whispered, feeling her throat grow tighter as she sniffled.
"now... you and i both know that's not true." he snorted, brushing fallen strands of hair from her face, grimacing as Gwen recoiled from his touch. "you know jack shit." she snapped, feeling an immediate sense of regret as the words left her mouth. "you wanna know how i know?" john taunted, his hand falling back to his side as he held onto his axe handle as he leaned in close to her ear, "because i fucking killed him." he whispered, chuckling darkly.

"fuck you" she seethed, praying to god it wasn't true, "and you wanna know what his last words were?" John continued, a hand brushing through the ends of her hair, toying with her was something he enjoyed. "god, protect my little girl" he faked cried, mocking eric. a loud sob came from Gwen, his attention averting to her face, "oh, but sweet girl, your daddy's better off... away from this world that took everything but you from him; his wife... girlfriend... unborn child. he lost everything in less than a year, and his daughter resented him for his distance. a girl's gotta learn to spread her wings and fly, Gwen... your dad couldn't care for you too much longer. hell, im surprised he didn't take his own life." he cackled, grip tightening on his axe. "fuck you, my dad loved me... he always told me that." she sobbed, hands forming into fists behind her.

"poor baby girl, her daddy loved her." he cooed mockingly, standing up from his crouching position. Gwen took this as her chance, watching closely as his hand moved from the end of the handle to the base for a better grip, pulling it over his shoulder.

Gwen stood up, quickly turning on her foot, barely escaping as the axe collided with flesh and pavement, the man's head was now completely severed from his body, John lifted his head up, watching as Gwen ran away, her figure growing distant.

"you better run, little lamb! john carver's coming for you." he yelled after her, voice booming through the air, Gwen panted as she ran as fast as her legs could carry her.