Chapter Text
Nockfell, Minnesota, fall of 1999, Addison Apartments.
When you hear of cults, monsters, goblins, and ghosts you just laugh it off and hope none of it's real. No, you know none of it's real. It's only in the movies and books to tell you a good story or to scare your children into making good decisions. When you think you see something, you know it's all in your head. You know it's all in your head because there is no way to prove it isn't. Plus there are lots of other factors that prove it's not real, like lack of sleep, forgetting to take your medication, and no one else seeing it but you. Even if something is wrong the only answer to what is wrong is you. There's no such thing as cults and ghosts you're just sick in the head.
But, what if you didn't know? People like to believe they know everything but no one knows everything. What if cults, monsters, goblins, and ghosts weren't created to tell stories? You might just be sick in the head, but the whole world is sick in its own fucked up way. And what if there is proof, proof of these twisted fantasy worlds? What if those shadows you see weren't just hallucinations? What if they were reality trying to warn you of what is to come? Reality is trying to tell you that you are the one who is meant to see beyond what people think they know.
Sal Fisher knows. He's seen all the proof you need to see. From talking bathroom ghosts to underground temples. Nockfell was supposed to be a new beginning after all the shit that went down in New Jersey with his mother's death and what used to be his face. At first, he thought he was crazy, I mean after getting shot in the face and watching your mother die you're not exactly mentally well. But, once he saw that temple underneath the apartments he knew it was all real. None of this was just some story he made up in his head this was reality.
At first, he thought he was meant for this. He was supposed to move to Nockfell and uncover all the town's secrets like it was his destiny. But, as time went on it all just became too much for him even with the help of Larry and Todd. It was so tiring and their attempts felt so meaningless. They were too busy trying to save the world to be normal people. Sal thought frequently of what they were to do once they saved the world and he never had an answer. After all is said and done that's not just something to be forgotten about. They can't trust anyone either, all they have is each other.
Well, maybe not anymore. Larry had killed himself with a laced booze bottle inside the old treehouse and Todd was currently sitting on the cold Addison Apartment floors with bloodshot eyes and a huge slash in the middle of his chest. The cult had gotten to Todd and the darkness had crept up on Larry and everyone else who was a resident of Addison Apartments. Terrance had told him there was no choice. He had to kill everyone he loved. There was no saving them they were too far gone, Terrance had also told him. And so, he listened.
As Sal stood in the hallway on floor one of Addison Apartments he realized he wasn't cut out for this. His mission was to save the world but most importantly save the people he loves, but if they were all dead what was the point of saving the world now? Sal couldn't help but sob. He was a monster just like Terrance had become, they shared a similar fate both having to kill the ones they love but Sal couldn't go on. He thought maybe he could just kill himself but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He knew Ash would be calling the cops and they'd arrive any moment now, they'd take him to a cell to rot. But, he wasn't gonna let that happen, he had half a mind to destroy the cameras as he was making his way through the apartments earlier, he has half a mind now to get the hell out of there. He couldn't stay there any longer and if the cops took him he'd be in the hands of the cult, he couldn't let that happen.
Sal booked it to the apartment's fire exit making his way down to the basement and running through Larry's old apartment to the stairs leading out back. Pushing the door out into the pouring rain he stood there for a moment holding onto the door trying to catch his breath. He hated having to wear a prosthetic sometimes. He glanced over at the treehouse trying not to remember but there was no forgetting.
Approaching sirens snapped him out of it and he ran behind the building into bushes making sure he couldn't be seen. The only place he could think of to go was home. And so, he went.
Luckily he wasn't spotted by the police while leaving and was able to make it there safely. Upon arriving he banged on the locked door knowing Neil would be home considering how late it was. A few moments later Neil opened the door.
"Woah, Salio? Is that blood? Are you okay?" Neil had a look of concern and confusion looking down at the bloody knife Sal still carried in his hands. Sal rushed passed him. He trusted Neil he knew he didn't know everything about the cult but Sal knew Neil wouldn't rat.
Sal made his way to his room flicking the light on and ripping his mask off his face, needing a moment to properly breathe. He pulled out a duffel bag and a cat carrier from underneath his bed rushing to pack his things. Neil stood in the doorway asking Sal questions he didn't have time to register.
"Get Gizmo and his things, please." was all Sal had answered to Neil. He saw Neil nod and walk out of the doorway listening to his request.
Sal had changed into clean clothes consisting of a black zip-up hoodie and dark blue jeans and wiped his mask and hands of any blood. He shoved the bloody clothes and knife into the duffel bag along with his other things. When Neil came back he had Gizmo cradled into one arm and the cat's few needed things in the other. Neil had handed everything to Sal and he settled Gizmo into the cat carrier.
As Sal adjusted his prosthetic back onto his face he told Neil "I'm so sorry Neil, I had no choice. I must go I can't stay here I wasn't meant for this."
Neil gave a nod of understanding in response. I mean who can blame him what was he supposed to say to that?
Sal picked up the cat carrier and threw his duffel bag over his shoulder. The van was back at Addison Apartments, so he grabbed Todd's car keys. He wasn't allowed to drive due to being blind in one eye, but he had learned from Larry and watching others drive so he was sure he'd be just fine. He frantically left the house and got in the car placing Gizmo in the passenger seat and his duffel bag in the back.
As he started driving he didn't quite know where he was going all he knew was he needed to get out of Nockfell and fast.
A day went by and Sal finally chose a destination, he was heading back to New Jersey to visit his mother's grave. He hadn't visited her grave since her burial, his father couldn't stand looking at it so he never took him. He felt bittersweet about it he knew she was dead, but it felt like he was actually going to visit his mother. He had always blamed himself for his mother's death, but deep down he knew it wasn't his fault yet he couldn't help but feel like it was. Heading back to New Jersey was odd to him, he wasn't expecting to ever come back after everything that had happened, but the apple never falls far from the tree.
During the long 20-hour drive between Nockfell, Minnesota, and New Jersey, Sal felt nothing but paranoid. Although having his fat orange Maine coon with him settled his nerves a bit it didn't compare to having an actual person with him. When he had to stop to get gas and food with the little money he had interacting with the cashier was the worst. He felt like the cashier knew what he had done despite it being some random teenager in Chicago. Man, he really needed his medication, but he had left it behind in Nockfell not even thinking to bring it.
He fed Gizmo his cat treats and ate his applesauce just realizing how low on money they were. He thought that he should've planned ahead, but there was no way to plan for this. He didn't even know what he was gonna do after he visited his mother's grave. He already had a lot to worry about and pushed it aside, worst comes the worst he'll just be living in Todd's car he basically stole.
At around eleven at night, he finally made it back to his hometown of New Jersey at the graveyard where his mother lay at rest. He stood at the chained locked gates and went around to climb the vine and moss-infested metal fence. It wasn't a big graveyard so it didn't take a lot of wandering around to finally find his mother's grave.
He sat in front of his mother's grave reading 'Diane Fisher 1948-1984 beloved mother and wife.' Her grave was well taken care of and he Sal was thankful for that. Now that he was there he didn't quite know what to do. He knew some people liked to talk at their loved ones' graves so he thought to do that.
He sighed heavily before speaking "I'm sorry Mom. I wish you were here. I didn't want to do it I had to," and before he knew it he was sobbing with his breath hitching at his mother's grave.
He didn't know how long he was there talking to his invisible mother's grave till he suddenly heard footsteps approaching. He quickly got up and looked over to see a flashlight pointed directly at him, the florescent light lighting up the surrounding area. In the darkness, he could see a blonde-haired man.
"I'm so sorry for this I'll head out now," he said as he dusted off his pants from sitting in the grass for so long.
The man spoke, "Sally face?" If Sal didn't recognize that voice from Nockfell he would've assumed it was one of his old 'friends' from back when he returned after the accident.
"Travis?" he spoke with hesitancy, his voice coming out raspy and broken from crying. The blonde man had approached him.
"Um, you don't...have to go. You can stay, I was just checking who it was." He slightly turned to go back to wherever he originally was.
"Wait," Sal stopped him having a lot of questions and not wanting to be alone anymore. When he was alone he felt like he was going insane and it didn't help considering what he had done prior to coming back to New Jersey, safe to say he wouldn't be sleeping for awhile.
Travis gave Sal a look of confusion. Travis looked very different now from what Sal could see he had piercings, his hair curly and turned a dirty blonde, and his right eye seemed to be healed only leaving a little scarring behind. Sal sat back down in front of his mothers grave patting the ground next to him signaling for Travis to sit, Travis complied.
They sat in awkward silence and surprisingly the first to break the silence was Travis.
"You know, when I came here her grave was overgrown with weeds and I recognized your last name. I made sure to take care of her for you." Travis said in a monotone voice.
Sal looked over at him and a small smile formed underneath his mask. He whispered a quick 'thanks' and Travis just nodded. The silence afterwards made Sal's brain go back to the other nights events and quickly decided to distract himself with the thought of Travis. The two boys hadn't seen each other since graduation and haven't talked to each other since the bathroom incident. This whole interaction felt very odd with Travis being so nice, well nicer than high school Travis. Travis stopped bullying Sal and his friends after what happened in the bathroom but it was still weird. He wondered why he was so far from Nockfell though, residing in New Jersey of all places.
Sal decided to ask "Why are you here? Why are you in New Jersey I mean."
Travis gave him an odd look "I could ask you the same thing."