Chapter Text
Cold.
She felt so cold. Tara's body trembled as she struggled to keep herself conscious. The coldness that had spread inside her was like nothing she had ever experienced before, and it consumed her every thought. It was a bitter, numbing sensation that crawled through her veins and left her shivering uncontrollably. Despite the pain and overwhelming fear that had just gripped her moments ago, the icy sensation was now the only thing she could focus on.
She had never imagined that being stabbed would feel like this, as if a thousand tiny icicles were piercing her flesh from the inside out. And as the seconds ticked by, the adrenaline rush that had kept her going began to fade, replaced by an instant weariness that threatened to pull her under. Tara knew that her brain was slowly shutting down, but she couldn't stop the name from spilling out of her mouth, the one that had been running through her mind ever since the sharp blade of a hunting knife first cut through her skin.
"Amber, please," she begged, her voice hoarse and desperate. The sound of her own voice was barely recognizable as if it belonged to someone else entirely. But she clung to the words, repeating them like a mantra, hoping that they would be enough to keep her alive, "Don't do this."
The masked figure loomed over Tara, their black costume blending into the darkness. She writhed in pain as the killer withdrew the knife from her abdomen, crying out as the cold metal scraped against her flesh. With a mocking tilt of their head, the figure reached up to their mask, turning on their voice changer.
"You really believe your own girlfriend wants to kill you? Well, isn't that sad," Ghostface's distorted, but taunting voice echoed through the room, each word dripping with disdain.
Tara's breath caught in her throat as she struggled to speak, the pain in her abdomen intensifying with every passing moment. "No, I do not. She loves me," she pleaded, her voice barely above a whisper. She closed her eyes in a desperate attempt to stop the tears from falling, but they spilled down her cheeks nonetheless.
"And yet..." Ghostface brought the knife up to her cheek, tracing a fallen tear with the tip of the blade. "You think I am her," he said, their voice low and dangerous. The knife glinted in the dim light, a silent threat that hung in the air between them.
"I think she is sick. I've always known she is."
It wasn't a lie. She had known for some time that there was something not quite right about Amber, something that went beyond the occasional odd behavior or overprotectiveness that she had initially found endearing. Her thoughts drifted back to the way Amber looked at her, the love in her smile belying the darkness in her eyes. There was a sadistic spark that flickered in them whenever Tara was in pain, something that had become increasingly difficult to ignore. Amber was also obsessive, to the point where she would become agitated and almost manic whenever anyone else tried to get close to Tara. She knew that Amber's behavior was far from healthy, but she couldn't deny the sense of comfort and safety she felt when she was with her. She had tried to resist Amber's obsessive tendencies, to assert her own independence and carve out a space for herself outside of their relationship. But every time she tried to pull away, Amber's love would pull her back in, suffocating and possessive.
The silence after Tara's response hung heavily in the air, a tangible reminder of the danger she was in. But despite the fear that threatened to overwhelm her, Tara found herself continuing to speak.
"But she has always been there for me. She cares about me, in her own twisted way. I know she loves me. Even if her love is nothing like mine. " she stated, while staring into the black lifeless eyes of the cheap plastic mask that was facing her. Her bottom lip was slightly quivering. She wondered if this really was Amber behind the mask, then what would she think of her right now? Would she think Tara's pathetic? Stupid for believing someone who loves her would do this to her. Or would she listen to her and let her live? Realistically, Amber would probably think Tara was naive. And weak.
Tara was immediately pulled out of her thoughts, as Ghostface stuck the knife deep inside the side of her stomach. Her scream pierced through the entire empty house.
"You think a heartfelt speech about how fucked up your girlfriend is going to save you?!" he growled, the knife still embedded in her flesh. His tone was laced with anger and something else, that she couldn't quite decipher, but almost felt like desperation.
Tara's vision started to blur, but she held on to the last shred of consciousness. "You won't kill me," she croaked, her voice barely audible.
Ghostface's grip tightened on the knife. "Oh, but I will."
Tara took a deep breath, trying to gather all her strength. "If you do, you'll have no one," she said, her voice shaky but determined. "No one to not just understand you, but also to accept you the way I do. I am the only thing you love. You love me, for fuck's sake! And I love you too. You will be completely alone. Is that what you want?"
Ghostface's tone was flat, lacking its usual menace. "You seem so sure that this is her behind the mask."
Tara gritted her teeth, pushing through the pain. "You'll be miserable without me," she whispered slowly. Her voice was steady and her eyes were no longer teary.
The coldness didn't feel as cold anymore.
***
Tara's eyes fluttered open as she woke up in the hospital bed. Her vision was blurry at first, but as she adjusted to the bright light in the room, she could see the familiar faces of her friends standing at the foot of the bed.
"Hey, you're finally awake!" Chad exclaimed, relieved.
Mindy rushed over to Tara's side, hugging her gently, tears streaming down her face. "Jesus Christ, Carpenter. Never scare us like this again!"
Wes approached the bed and cleared his throat. "We're just happy you're okay, Tara."
Tara's gaze shifted to the corner of the room where Amber was standing, looking cold and distant. When their eyes met, Amber's face softened and she walked over to Tara's side, gently taking her hand in her own.
"Hey, T, How are you feeling ?" she asked, her voice so soft, as if she was worried she'd startle the other girl.
Tara forced a smile, avoiding looking at her girlfriend and shifting her gaze to her friends instead., "I'm doing okay, I guess."
Chad piped up, "We were so worried about you, Tara. We're just glad you're okay."
Wes nodded in agreement, "Yeah, we're all here for you, Tara. Whatever you need, we've got you."
They all chatted for a bit, mostly small talk and catching up with Tara on what was going on at school. But underneath the surface, tension simmered between Tara and Amber. Tara was trying to keep up the facade of normalcy, but every time Amber touched her, she couldn't help but feel a shiver run down her spine.
As the conversation trailed off, Tara knew it was time for them to leave. "I think I need some rest now, guys. Thank you all for coming."
They said their goodbyes and left the room, but Amber lingered by her bedside. Tara's heart raced as she felt Amber's breath on her face.
"I'm really glad you're okay T," she whispered and bent down to place a soft kiss on Tara's cheek. Tara closed her eyes, trying to push away the memory of a knife piercing her flesh. Amber's touch was both comforting and suffocating, and Tara felt herself slipping deeper into her own delusion.
Desperate to cling onto the illusion of normalcy, Tara turned slightly and pressed her lips against Amber's, hoping that this would make everything okay. But as Amber pulled away, Tara's heart sank as she felt the weight of their unspoken truth hanging between them like a heavy shroud. They both knew what had happened, but neither of them was willing to acknowledge it. It was easier to pretend that everything was fine, even when it wasn't. A part of her almost believed, that maybe, just maybe, she was wrong about everything. Wrong about Amber and that she wasn't the one who had almost pierced a knife through her heart. And that little part made her think that things might just be okay. As long as they have each other.
Tara watched Amber's back as she was leaving the hospital room when she suddenly turned to face her with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"I would be miserable without you."