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welldonekhushi · 2 months ago

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Silent Decay

Disclaimer: This fic contains content that may be unsuitable for readers uncomfortable with profanity, body horror or grotesque visuals. It is a psychological horror story featuring me and my friends' OCs! Story is all written by me!

The age description to read this fic is 16+ so if you're younger than that, please avoid reading this! Proceed with caution, and enjoy! (Don't worry! You may opt out of this fic if you like, self-care is absolute necessary <3)

Special thanks to @efingcod, @imagoddamnonionmason, and @alypink for allowing me to use their OCs for this collab fic! Park and Adler belong to Black Ops: Cold War, by Treyarch!

MASTERLIST.

PART TWO.

PART ONE

The morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow across the Adler House. A day had passed since their father’s departure, and the household slowly fell back into its regular routine. Mila was preparing breakfast, while Jodie was taking a nice warm shower, and lastly, Vincent was cleaning his room, arranging his books and making space for the new ones that would be coming soon once Adler was back home with the surprise.

Jay comes out of her bath, and looks at herself in the mirror to wipe off the water from her face, only to find out that her eyes had dark circles. Frowning, she reaches for a small jar of cream, taking some on her finger and spreading it carefully over the discoloration. Yet, no matter how much she applied, the exhaustion lingered.

Confused about this, she wondered when was the last time she slept? It wasn’t like her sleep schedule was messed up for some reason; she always slept on time.

Sighing as she ignores that subtle detail that made her face look different, quickly dresses herself up and goes downstairs. Mila walks out of the house to pour Timmy’s food into his bowl. He excitedly lifts himself up and wags his tail, eating it all eagerly as she pets his head. “Good boy. I want you to finish it, okay?”

Walking back into the house, she set up a warm breakfast ready on the dining table. She coughed lightly as she approached the table, grabbing the small ring bell next to her plate and shaking it. Jodie comes walking downstairs, joining her sister..

“Morning.” Mila smiled, as Jodie joined at the dining table, dragging the chair back so she could be seated. “Where’s Vince?”

“Ah, he’s coming. He’s been so excited for the new books that he’s already making space for them on his personal shelf.” Jodie chuckled, picking up the knife and spreading butter on the toast.

“Tell him he can arrange them a bit later, his breakfast is getting cold – Vincent!” Mila calls him again from upstairs.

“A few minutes!” Vincent groans, and opens the door to his room, shutting it quickly and making his way downstairs. His feet slumped through each staircase, as he made his way to the dining table with Mila and Jodie for breakfast. Pulling the chair opposite to them, he seats himself in front of the plate and the food, observing what was made today. “Toast and eggs, again? With vegetables?”

“Vegetables are healthy for you. In fact, everyone should eat vegetables for their well-being.” Mila replied as she ate her broccoli, and looked at Vincent.

“I was hoping you’d roast some bacon..”

“We ran out a few days ago, remember?” Mila reminded him as she settled in. “You don’t even check what’s left in the fridge. You just inhale everything like Kirby.”

Jodie nearly choked on her food, stifling a laugh. Vincent shoots Mila with an offended look, shoving food in his mouth mid-sentence. “Hey! It’s not my fault that I need something to munch on every time. It’s called a fast metabolism which you don’t." He justified his statement, his chewing being faster than usual.

“Come on, Vince. Give the fridge a break for god’s sake.” Jodie laughs and puts some of the egg on the toast and eats it. “I just don’t want Dad coming back to find the food supplies gone. He’ll say, oh who ate all the food! And we’ll not even try to defend you.”

Vincent waves her off dismissively but then squints at her. His chewing slows. “Wait a second. What’s up with your eyes?” He leaned in slightly. “You look exhausted. Did you not sleep well last night? Have you started studying that seriously?”

She gently caressed her eye circles. “No.. it’s not that I had no proper sleep, either.”

“Tch, you’re literally making this up. Just say you stay awake at night like an owl. Your face even looks like that.”

“Oh really? Should I tell Mila that you also stay awake late at night, as well? You think I wouldn’t notice?”

"Wait a minute, how do you know that I'm awake in the middle of the night?" Vincent raised an eyebrow towards Jodie.

Jodie shrugs, stabbing the eggs with the fork. "Whenever I go downstairs for a light snack or grab a bottle of water, I always notice you're sitting on that couch, looking stressed and weirdly staring at the basement or something."

When Jodie says that, Mila tilts her head in confusion and eyes at Vincent, hoping for an answer from him. Vincent really didn’t have the courage to face anybody on the table and patiently ate his breakfast. "That's not me.. I-I sleepwalk at times."

"Very smart of you! As if we both will never find out what you're going through, huh?"

There was a long pause in the middle, as Vincent sighs and finally breaks the silence. “Jay. The fact is, I’m trying.. it’s hard, and stressful because of the competition among many colleges. So to avoid myself from being lazy, staying awake at night from this guilt of not being able to do anything, and unconcerned about my future which.. looks kind of bleak—”

“You always self-degrade yourself, Vincent I’m tired of this!” Mila groaned.

“Alright, alright.. sigh, so in order to not have my efforts go to waste.. along with the psychology books I got from the store in town, I’ve been reading novels by Fyodor Dostoevsky too. He’s such an excellent writer who writes complex characters while studying the nature of humans with their psyche.” He continued. “Which is why, I was arranging my shelf up there once Dad gets back. He talks about guilt and suffering too.. something that I quite oddly resonate with.”

“I’d not let you waste all of Mila’s money over your tons of boring, sad and so-called suffering books, Vincent!” Jodie argued. “Why don’t you read something happy for once?

“They’re classical literature!” Vincent groaned. “They teach this in schools back in Russia, too! And it’s not boring when this is reality! The real world! Have you ever read one of his books that makes you judge my favorite author for no reason?”

While Jodie and Vincent argued in the background, Mila’s mind wandered elsewhere, towards something quieter, something just hers. Lately, she'd been thinking about saving up for a motorcycle. It was a silly dream to some, but not to her. Back in high school, she used to ride one. Her ex-boyfriend had taught her how. Those moments felt like freedom, like absolutely liberating with nothing to worry about.

But after their mother died, and with Russell barely around, Mila had to let go of that part of herself. Responsibilities came first. The dreams? They had to wait.

Due to the family pressure and her role as an elder sister, she made sure Jodie and Vincent create their best future before she makes her own, with nothing to worry about.

“Okay, hush!” Mila defuses the little argument the two siblings created with each. “God, don’t make a ruckus in between our peaceful breakfast at least!” Their voices silenced, as they proceeded to finish their food.

Vincent looks at Jodie with a concerned look. “You really need to rest more nowadays, Jay. I’m worried for you. I mean, we all are. You also haven't been doing your daily exercise these days."

Timmy in response wagged his tail, whimpering as he too agreed to what the two said.

Mila turned to Jodie, her brows knitting together as she took a closer look. “He’s right. Jodie, are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine—” Jodie started, but mid-sentence, a cough escaped her. She quickly cleared her throat, rubbing a hand to her chest.

"No, you're not. I can tell something’s off." Mila rubbed her back, helping her relax so she could ease her breathing. Her hand then reached the jug full of water, pouring it in the transparent glass and handed it to her. "Here, drink this."

“Maybe the dust is making me sick.” She takes the glass from Mila’s hand, gently taking a sip of it. “My lungs feel full of it.”

"If it gets worse, we’ll call the doctor. Heck, Aunt Helen is not even far from here.” Vincent ate the rest of his toast, munching onto the last piece.

“She lives an hour away. By walking it’ll feel like ages. Still far, though, but not much.” Jodie puts the glass of water aside, softly sighing in relief. “At least we have someone familiar in our contact.”

“Wait, did any of you get to know about Uncle Hudson?” Vincent remembered they had another relative, along with Aunt Helen.

“I don’t know. We never heard of him anymore.” Mila answers, laying her back on the chair as she explains. “It’s been like.. three years ago since we last saw him? All I remember is that Dad and him argued a lot and he abruptly left without saying anything.”

“He didn’t even say goodbye.” Jodie pouted a little, softly stabbing onto her food with the fork in her hand. “Did he even care about us?”

“Well, not all relations turn out to be healthy, Jay. There can be conflicts, misunderstandings, arguments. But it also depends on the kind of relationship you have with the other person.” Mila continues. “Some believe they don’t mean it. Some believe they may be lying about it. And some believe they must be hiding something. Those never ending questions are the reason how everything around you breaks.. once the truth comes out.”

Outside the house, the shadow of a woman’s legs showed walking into the entrance of the Adlers. Timmy, who was outside, saw the woman and barked. She tried feeding him biscuits, but he growled at her, angrily.

“Not hungry? It’s fine, darling. I’ll keep them here just in case you’re feeling starved.” She placed the biscuits in the bowl, and pet him, before reaching towards the door.

Timmy never appreciated Park’s presence, despite the closure the three siblings had with her, especially. Maybe because Timmy had never spent time with her much, or have a kind of deeper connection to the woman.

"Anyways, Dad said before leaving that she’d be checking in on us often. Which is why I need you two to behave well." Mila added, narrowing her eyes at them. “Because you know how nosy she can be.”

“Don’t look at me. Just look at Vince, he’s more of a troublemaker.” Jodie raised her hands in surrender, putting the blame on her brother instead.

"Hey! You little—" Vincent’s sentence was cut short by the sudden chime of the doorbell. The siblings froze, exchanging quick glances before hastily gathering their plates.

Mila was the first to move, making her way to the door. When she opened it, there stood Aunt Helen on their doorstep. A woman in her early thirties, being a frequent visitor, sometimes bringing fresh bread, sometimes just stopping by for a chat with their father. And now, as per Adler’s request, she had come by to check in on the siblings.

“H-hello, Auntie Helen!” Mila gave a welcoming smile, bowing herself a little in respect. Their aunt, Helen Park smiles back, hugging Mila in her arms.

“Oh, my precious, sweet Mila!” Aunt Helen chuckles, happy to see her again as she pulls back from her to walk inside the room. “Your dog still doesn't seem to want to be friends with me, what a shame.”

“It takes him a while to get used to somebody he doesn't know properly, Auntie.” Mila replied, shrugging as she couldn't seem to understand why Timmy never got along with the woman.

“Well, I can't blame dogs when they see what humans can't from within.” Helen added. “Where are the other two?”

“Aunt Helen!” Jodie and Vincent stepped out of the room to see their aunt, greeting her with a warm welcome as well.

Aunt Helen’s face lit up as she saw the siblings. "There they are!" She exclaimed, her voice full of warmth and playfulness. "The troublemakers themselves. I believe your father left yesterday?”

“Yeah, and we got the message you were coming.” Vincent replied, lifting his head up as he talked to their aunt.

“I did get your father’s message too. He left town again for a few days, right before poor Mila’s birthday too." Park caresses her face gently. “But I trust him, honey. Your father kept his promise, and he’ll be back.”

“But how long can we hold onto this hope, Auntie? We’ve seen it many times.” Mila’s voice tinged with pain. There was a moment of silence after that sentence. Jodie couldn’t really say anything, but Vincent was feeling very skeptical about it, as well, folding his arms and huffing in slight annoyance.

“I know him, sweetheart. He has often talked to me about you three. He’s been absolutely grateful to have you as his children. But unfortunately, he couldn’t see you all the time due to his business. Which is why your father trusts me. So don’t worry, if you ever need anything, I’m here. You know my house, right?” Helen grins.

“But what kind of business Dad does? Surely he must have told you about it.”

“Uhm, not exactly because.. I don’t even know what goes on in his head.” Helen laughs jokingly. “There are some things he never told me about, so I can’t say the same.”

“Good lord.” Jodie responds.

“Now anyways! If any of you munchkins can carry this bag for me. I have brought some yummy blueberry jam, made just for you!”

Jodie gasps at the mention of blueberries. “Blueberry jam! Oh my god, I’m going to have this right away.” She grabs the bag and takes it to the kitchen, as Helen chuckled, the day resumes as the three enjoy their time with Aunt Helen, before she takes her leave in the evening.

Hours later, she steps out of the house, casually wearing her basket hat, and wrapping the scarf on her neck, while the siblings talk about the things they discussed with their aunt, laughing and giggling along the way.

"Alright, little troublemakers, I should get going before it gets dark. But don’t you three get into too much mischief again, alright?" Helen teased, adjusting her scarf as she stepped onto the porch.

“Thanks for the day, auntie. The blueberry jam was delicious!” Vincent grinned. “But you got to bring some more because Jodie finished it all. Now I wonder who’s the real Kirby in the house.”

“Should I tell auntie that you almost emptied the fridge? At least it was just a jar of jam.” Jodie replied, folding her arm as she fires back at him sarcastically, as Vincent looks at her with his brows narrowed in disappointment, Helen laughs at their banter. She walks closer to Mila’s ear, whispering in it. “I secretly hid some more jam in the cabinet. Feel free to eat from it as you like.”

Mila passes down a smile with a nod. “Sure, Auntie.”

“And Jodie.. do take care of yourself. Your eyes don’t seem like you’re okay.” Park said with concern in her voice. “Did you have the right amount of sleep?”

Before Jodie could say something, she coughed once more, wheezing a bit louder as she huffed. “Ugh.”

“She doesn’t seem to be feeling well. Have you given her any medications?”

“We did give her some cough syrup and a warm cup of ginger tea.” Mila answered. “We’re keeping a check if anything goes worse, we’ll contact the doctor right away.”

“Good. You should always be prepared. You never know when a simple cough might turn into something much worse.”

Aunt Helen’s words raised something within the siblings that made Vincent and Mila exchange uneasy glances, while Vincent absentmindedly rubbed Jodie’s back, concern evident in his touch.

Helen cleared her throat, adjusting her scarf one last time before flinging her bag over her shoulder. “If you need any help, give me a call. Or reach my house this instant.”

“We’ll take care of this, Auntie, don’t worry.” He assures.

“Bye, lovelies. And bye Timmy.” She waved at him, as he gruffed and turned away. She opened the fence and stepped onto the path toward her house, walking away.

Mila saw Vincent staring at Aunt Helen leave, holding a small smirk on his face. She gently slaps his head, bringing him back to reality. “Hey, ow!”

“Just because you find our auntie pretty doesn’t make you want to stare at her like you’re in love with her or something.”

“But she’s pretty! Admit it, duh!” Vincent justified as he looked at Mila.

As things were going normal, Jodie coughed again, this time a bit harder as she walked in the house. Timmy saw Jodie in distress, and his ears flopped. Vincent and Mila exchanged another uncertain glance, their concern growing even worse for their own sister.

While Aunt Helen’s words still lingered in their heads.

END OF PART ONE.

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