No matter what I did, or said, or fed her, Momma wouldn’t say a word to me. She’s been like this ever since I found the poor woman. It was my duty as her loving son to take care of and protect her in this New World. The least she could do was give me a “Hello” or a “Thank You”.

  Was that bed Momma slept on 24/7 really more important than me? Years had passed since I brought her to Hallowsville, and not once has she ever even sat up. Was I doing something wrong? I was being a good son, wasn’t I?

  Unfortunately, and this was embarrassing to admit, but that last question was up for debate. Because every time I entered the basement of the sixth house on the sixth city block on the sixth hour of the day, that horrifying look would greet me.

  A red eye mixed with an immense fear and hatred that was only directed at me. Even now as I sat on the stool in front of Momma’s bed, that fact didn’t change. I set a plate of sliced apples on her beautiful, blue night gown. They were carefully and wonderfully prepared by yours truly, so her taste buds better enjoy it. An apple a day keeps the doctor away!

  I tried to shove one of the slices in her mouth, but she wouldn’t chew it. Oh, Momma Zoorhees, was I really that horrible? Ah, how could I forget? My mother’s ability to chew was compromised by her bedridden state, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t eat.

  So I lifted my mask just enough, pressed the fruit past my own lips, and chewed until it was nothing but pulp. Then, with my breath ragged against her skin, I leaned close and let the mush pass into her mouth, the way a bird might feed its young. Though now, it was the young feeding the parent.

  As of now, caring for Momma Zoorhees was the only thing bringing some joy into my dull life. Sure, killing and ridding the world of the weak and annoying made me who I am. However, it was like masturbation—very short highs and extremely deep lows.

  Sunshine Hunter was good competition, but what would I do after my blade slit her neck? Those bullies at school gave me the name ‘Jason Zoorhees’ because of my murderous nature. Boredom couldn’t take over my mind just yet. There were still so many people who needed to di-

  “I was not aware that Jason Zoorhees had a mother.”

  “AIDs!” The voice came from behind, and when I turned to see who’d dare intrude on my private space, the sight nearly made me laugh. A man cloaked in black stood in the shadows, trying his hardest to ooze menace.

  Although, any chance of the man’s appearance instilling fear on anyone was erased by the dozens of eyes on his . Knowing how squishy and easy to pop eyeballs were, it was like staring at a dart board, but the whole board was the target.

  “Don’t look so alarmed,” he said calmly. “My name is Eyeler. I was sent here by Michael Corleone to judge your character. It is simply protocol when dealing with partners from the outside. After all, you were part of an enemy faction not too long ago.”

  I quickly pulled out the machete hidden beneath my black jacket. “Headshot!”

  Eyeler bowed his head, but his eyes never stopped looking at me. “I fully expect one of us to die today. That is a given. Additionally…” He raised his hand out of the darkness under his cloak, and pointed at me—no, something behind me. “Outside casualties are also expected.”

  After that ominous message, who could blame me for immediately rotating back to Momma. I froze.

  A large eyeball was resting on the woman, and before I could react-

  “Permanent Blink!”

  Darkness took over my vision.

  Without another thought, I swung my machete in the direction Eyeler should've still been. Unfortunately, the sound of flesh splitting and blood splattering didn't bless my ears. Only the brick wall became a victim to my attack.

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  “Decapitation!?”

  “I'm well aware of what your Radius Ability is, Zoorhees. In fact, that's exactly why I was sent here.”

  My ears twitched, alerted by the sound of speaking to my left. I whipped my arm in that direction, destroying another section of the basement. Still no blood. That longing satisfaction was running away from me, and there was nothing that could be done about it.

  “My power permanently blinds my victims until I decide to turn it off. ‘Permanent Blink’--the perfect name, don't you think? Not to mention, the perfect counter to your ability as well. It only works when you can hear, smell, and see me at the same time, right?”

  My muscles tightened as my brain processed that information. It filled me with an intense frustration knowing there was an ability specifically made to counter mine. What made me even angrier was that I let myself get caught by it.

  All because of the love I had for my mother. The one person who brought joy into my life… was leading me to my demise.

  Suddenly, another sound entered the equation. A gun firing, and a bullet miserably failing to pierce my skin. “Type One Diabetes!”

  Then another bullet. Then another. And another.

  I jumped through the ceiling, ascending until Hallowsville’s air touched my body. My aura’s defenses were second to none, but even it has limits to how long it could stay active. And those bullets were depleting the aura’s health bar.

  My feet hit the roof, and I immediately slapped myself in the face. Bad thoughts, very bad thoughts had entered my head. Blaming Momma for my weaknesses and shortcomings was horrible.

  I punched the roof’s tiles. Bad son! Very bad son!

  “What’s wrong, Zoorhees?” Eyeler asked. “Are you angry? Are you frustrated? Are you going to cry?”

  “Drowning!”

  “The only one drowning here is you. You are descending deeper into the pits of darkness, and it's all because of my Permanent Blink.”

  I sprinted toward his voice, clasped my hands together, and slammed down. Whatever I hit shattered beneath my fists, debris and smoke scraping my skin. It didn’t sound like a wall breaking—it sounded like an entire building exploding under my power.

  “M-Mr. Jason! The building… You destroyed the entire building!” Judging by the genuine fear in their voice, this wasn't Eyeler. This was someone else. “Jesus Christ, did we do something wrong!? We-We-We went trick or treating tonight like you said!”

  A destroyed building? In my Hallowsville!?

  I turned to my right and pointed at my eyes. “Beheading!”

  “What the hell? Why are your eyes so black?” His footsteps drew near. “Is this a new costume thing we have to do?”

  “AIDs!” I pointed at my eyes again, and then made an X symbol with my arms.

  “Oh! You can't see? What do you want me to do?”

  “You can die.”

  Another gunshot echoed across the area, and in that instant, I realized who the intended target was. I yanked the Hallowsville citizen into my embrace as glass shattered behind me. It wasn’t until the man’s grip on my chest tightened that the realization set into my mind.

  Did I just… save him?

  “D-D-Did you just save me?”

  “Did you just save that boy!?” Eyeler shouted in disbelief. “Well, I guess it makes sense. You don’t want your precious city to turn into rubble. That includes your citizens.”

  I ran with the man in my grasps, confused by the changes I was going through. No, confused wasn’t the right word. Perhaps it should’ve been… intrigued.

  Eyeler continued to taunt me from every direction, forcing me to slide and dice even more. My aura was weakened in order to prevent any serious damage to the city, and to protect the weakling in my arms. But the enemy used that to his advantage.

  For the first time in a while, I began to bleed.

  All that did was intrigue me even more. The perfect counter to my Radius Ability, Momma’s life on the line, fighting while blind, saving some random weakling, protecting my city from my own strength—everything about this should've angered me.

  No… This was fun! Being challenged like this by an opponent I so desperately wanted to kill was the funnest thing in my entire life.

  Was this how you felt Jerome? How about you, Sunshine? Fighting me with all your might. Not knowing whether you’d live or die. Win or lose. Forced to find new ways to counter my overwhelming power.

  Wait a minute… That’s it! The Type Two used an entirely different form with a wide array of abilities just to try to stand a chance against me. Sunshine evolved her Radius Ability that incorporates her aura, making it easier to use on someone.

  If I wanted to actually enjoy killing all these amazing fighters, my power needed to evolve. I’d called my Radius Ability “Kill For One” years ago. It had given me every privilege I had today, but it was also the reason for my boredom. Strength meant nothing if it made everything too easy.

  That was the thought running through my head as I stood on what was presumably a street. The new version of “Kill For One” had to be its opposite: difficulty over simplicity. Sunshine and I were both Molecular Radius users—if she could infuse her aura with that “Mind Trick” of hers, then why couldn’t I?

  “Maybe the boss was wrong about you, Jason,” said Eyeler, standing in front of me. “Are you really going to choose to save this embarrassing excuse for a civilization over your own life? That’s not the type of selfishness that was advertised to me. Where’s your murderous drive? Your hunger? Your city shattering strength?”

  Yes. Keep the insults going. Keep my blood pumping. “Decapitation!”

  “M-Mr. Jason. My head’s getting dizzy,” the man I saved muttered.

  Eyeler groaned. “Is this how your story ends!? Eyeler Eyeverson kills the infamous Mad Man of the Apocalypse without even a scratch!?”

  I smiled, forming a ball of aura in my palms. “You know, for someone who can make others blind, you’ve been blind to what you’ve done for me this entire time.”

  “Huh!? What are you babbling a-”

  “Headshot!”

  Through the haze of blindness, I felt the aura condense in my palms, burning hot and ready. I hurled it forward with everything I had. Shapes flickered back into existence—the buildings painted in orange and black, the street poles wrapped with cobwebs, the purple cars with skeletons tied to the roof, the citizens dressed up in various costumes, including the guy I saved.

  My paradise was still fine. The same couldn’t be said for Eyeler Everson. When I approached him, his head was oozing blood profusely like a water fountain. My last minute plan actually worked, and I couldn’t help but laugh over his corpse.

  A laugh that drew the attention of everyone around me.

  This wasn’t just a victory, this was an experience. Freedom was a drug only a lucky few could take, and I just got a boatload of it injected into my veins.

  Jerome Hunter. Sunshine.

  You might have me trapped here, but I know you’re coming. Any day now our fists will clash, and I’ll be ready for it!