“Can you understand me?” Jarvier says as he grabs a handful of Sophie’s hair and pulls it back.

“J-Jar?” She says softly as a wicked smile grows across her face. Jarvier let’s go and takes a step back in shock.

“What, you don’t want to be my valentine anymore?” Marilyn says as she slowly shuffles to her feet, standing awkwardly like a puppet who’s strings have been cut.

“W-W-What the fuck is going on? W-We had a DEAL!” He yells.

“Had is such a naughty word, isn’t it lover boy,” she says with a wicked laugh. “But deals change as the wind blows, and yours my love is blowing hard.”

Jarvier quickly has his revolver out and his finger threatening to squeeze the trigger. “I’ve kept my end this far, so will it!” He growls through clenched teeth, the spit in his face softens as the blood runs out of his face, and he stares confusingly at a petrified Sophie as she holds her hands over her face in fear screaming his name.

“M-My god S-Sophie,” he says softly in shock. “I-I-I’m so sorry, you have to believe me, it  wasn’t m-m-y, my fault. ”

“What the FUCK happened to you? You’re eyes were like Glenn’s, black empty voids of life and your skin was pale like a freaking zombie!”

“I-I-I, I don’t know, one minute I’m pulling you from the wreckage and the next minute you’re not you and, and I, I-I-I,” he stares off momentarily into the vast emptiness of the space between them before she pulls him back into the here and now.

“Jarvier, are you listening to me? Who was I?”

“S-S-Someone who used to mean a whole lot to me,” Jarvier says as he runs his neck awkwardly, turning away to hide the tears that well up in his eyes.

“Then tell me what this deal is all about?” She asks, slowly Jarvier turns back to her and angles his head like an interested puppy dog.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, what’s the deal you were going on about before. Because it seemed mighty important at the time.”

“It’s nothing that matters right now, it’s from a long time ago. We have to move, it’s playing with us. Making us fight with each other to confuse us of our aim.”

“No it, it doesn’t feel the same. It feels different.”

“What do you mean, different?”

“It feels like this time it wasn’t trying to kill us, it was trying to show us something. That’s why  it makes me think it wasn’t that thing, that did this.”

“Don’t be stupid, if it wasn’t the beast the only other thing it could be is….” Jarvier’s words trail off as he realises who else could be playing with them. “Towns,” he hisses under his breath.