Johnathan’s origin

*This story is underneath my folder titled “At the Southwark house”. Gacha Club character designs are under my forum titled “My character designs<33[2]”. Enjoy!*

Introduction

Johnathan Southwark couldn’t help the tears. They were inevitable, they fell from his eyes like a waterfall.

It was just that…there was so much to cry about and so little to be happy about.

But one day, Johnathan’s cries would be the last of him.

One day…

Chapter One

EARLY SEPTEMBER MORNING-IN BED

“WAKE UP, JOHNNY-BOY!” Celine screamed.

Maybe she wasn’t screaming. Maybe it was just Johnathan’s imagination.

Either way, it hurt his ears and made him scramble out of bed.

Why did she have to be so loud?

Chapter Two

GOING TO CLASS

Johnathan walked in the halls, holding tight to his poster board. He didn’t want to drop it, it was for his school project.

He didn’t have to make a glitter poster board, but he wanted to.

After all, it was about his Mom. It just had to look nice.

Chapter Three

“Johnathan Southwark?” Ms. Vivi called out from her sheet of paper. He was in class, with his project.

Johnathan got up from his seat, ignoring the stares from his classmates. Everybody else read from papers, no one made a glitter poster board.

But they would like it. They would all like it, because glitter was pretty and who didn’t like glitter?

Chapter Four

Johnathan held up the poster board for all to see. There was glitter, yes. But there were also picture of him and his Mommy. He even taped a poem he wrote, which he memorized by heart.

The project was about an important person. Everyone else did papers on famous people, but Johnathan made a project board just for Mommy.

“Mommy, you are the best.

You make my days amazing.

You always cheer me up.

There’s no one else like you.

I love you.”

Johnathan finished reciting the poem, awaiting a reaction.

Chapter Five

There was a reaction, alright. Just not the one he hoped for.

“You…made a poster board? With glitter? About your Mommy?” Asya asked, a smile on her face. She wasn’t really asking him anything, Johnathan knew her too well.

“Isn’t that…for babies?” Asya “asked.”

Adara and Alder were the first kids to laugh with her, followed by the rest of the class.

Johnathan’s face fell as he lowered the project board. He wanted them all to like it, he didn’t want them to laugh.

“I think it’s very creative.” Ms. Vivi said softly.

That was nice of her, but it didn’t help much.

“Quiet down, everyone! Or no movie later.” Ms. Vivi said.

The laughter died down, but as Johnathan made his way to his seat, he still felt their judgment in the air.

Chapter Six

THE END OF SCHOOL

Johnathan stood with Ms. Vivi in the cold, cloudy outside, waiting for Mommy and Celine to show up. Mommy picked up Celine before him and he was the last of the kids to stand.

It was September, which meant that the weather was like the kind Johnathan imagined to be in scary movies, as if nature didn’t like anyone.

He liked sunnier, warmer days that blossomed with summer love better than the bitterness of Fall.

Chapter Seven

Mommy and Celine were coming! He could see them! He was finally going to leave.

Johnathan didn’t wait for Ms. Vivi to point them out. He ran right towards them, towards the ones who loved him.

He wanted to go home.

Chapter Eight

“What’s wrong?” Mommy asked. She must have noticed that he wasn’t talking. He and Celine filled the moment with their voices, but both were silent.

Johnathan took a deep breath. He had to speak. He to tell her or else she would never know.

“There…there was a project we had to do about the…the best person…I did you…everyone else did…did…they did…famous people…I used glitter and stickers…all the nice things…they…said…it…was…”

“The same kids?”

Johnathan nodded.

“They said…it was…stupid!”

Against his own wishes, the tears came crashing down again. Why did he cry so much?

“Did the teacher like it?”

“She did, but…they all made fun of me! They said that it was stupid, that it looked like a baby made it.”

Nobody else said anything, but when they laughed with Asya, they agreed.

“Did they?”

“Yes.”

Johnathan took a deep breath, steadying his thoughts, his heart.

“You’re a good kid, Johnathan. Don’t let words push you down. They don’t know you like I do.”

“Okay.”

The tears stopped, but they were waiting behind his skin. Waiting to seep out. Waiting to make him look the worst.

Johnathan knew himself well enough. He knew who he was.

Asya was right, he was a baby.

Chapter Nine

AT HOME-DINNER TIME

“So, how was school?” Dad asked.

Johnathan wanted to speak, but he felt his throat clam up, go cold.

“Horrible. The teacher got mad over a phone.” Celine said.

Johnathan sighed in relief. Celine spoke up. At least he wouldn’t have to talk, he didn’t want to spend another moment thinking of what had happened at school.

“Well, maybe you should have-“

“Should have done what? I was just texting my friends! I wasn’t hurting anybody.”

Wait, why were Celine and Dad yelling at each other? It was just a simple conversation, wasn’t it?

“You need to respect your-“

“I don’t need to respect them. Just because Mr. Davies is my teacher doesn’t mean that I have to respect him. He needs to respect me first!”

They both seemed really upset. Maybe they should all talk about something else?

Johnathan tried to think of something more pleasant to talk about, but his mind was blank with fear.

“Go to your room, Celine.”

“But I-“

“Go!”

Johnathan turned to Mom. Mom would make them stop. She would tell them to be quiet and just eat dinner.

But instead, she smiled wide, showing all of her teeth, just like Asya did when she found something cruel to say about him.

“You heard what your Dad said. Go to your room and think about what you just said.”

“I-“

“Go.”

Celine pushed back her chair and stormed upstairs, to her room. Johnathan felt his heart constrict within his chest.

Did that really just happen? Did his family turn against each other, like animals?

No matter how much he wanted it to be a nightmare, he couldn’t deny it.

It was real. It really happened.

Chapter Ten

SEPTEMBER 17TH-2016-HALLOWEEN COSTUME SHOPPING

Johnathan opened his eyes to the bright morning sun, glazing through his window.

His heart pumped with a newfound excitement. He smiled sweetly, remembering what day it was.

It was Halloween costume day.

Chapter Eleven

IN THE CAR

Celine was at home, with Dad. She already shopped for a costume with her friends the other day, so Mom was driving Johnathan to the Halloween store.

Johnathan watched the cars go by, brainstorming what he was going to be.

Would he be a hero? A villain? Who knew?

He could transform into someone else for Halloween. Someone who could either be deeply feared or deeply admired.

Chapter Twelve

IN THE STORE

“Stay with Mommy, Johnathan.” Mom said softly.

Johnathan was afraid of many things, but the Halloween store wasn’t one of them. To him, the monsters were kindly greeters that wanted nothing more than to bring mischievous fun. Halloween was a time when everyone was connected in a grand celebration, in which people were friends with one another. The only people to fear were the ones dressed as ghastly creatures of the night, not judging peers.

So while Johnathan respected and loved his Mom, he didn’t just want to stay by her side. That was awfully boring. What was Halloween costume shopping if one didn’t get to wander off in the splendid world of terror?

Johnathan broke away from Mom’s grip, running off to the favored world.

Chapter Thirteen

Past him were costumes of the loved, costumes of the feared, and costumes of the funny, but only one caught his eye.

It was a solider costume, ready to fight and protect at all costs.

Johnathan wanted to be on the front, helping others, instead of crying away. People would like him more it, that was for sure. Without further ado, he took the costume from the rack.

It was perfect.

Chapter Fourteen

“Are you sure you want that?” Mom asked.

Johnathan jumped. He didn’t expect her to appear right behind him.

“Yes, I’m sure. I want to be a soldier for Halloween.”

Why did Mom even ask? Was she doubting him? Did she think that he wouldn’t like it? Of course he would like it, what wasn’t there to like about a solider?

“Really? Once you pick now, you can’t change your mind.”

“Yes, I’m sure.” Johnathan said. It had bite to it, it was meaner that he intended. Would Mom be mad? Would she yell at him? Would-

“Alright.” Mom said calmly.

Huh. She wasn’t mad at all. She was mad at Celine when she spoke that way, but…why wasn’t she mad at Johnathan?

No matter. At least he could get the costume.

Chapter Fifteen

OCTOBER 31ST-THE MORNING

Johnathan opened his eyes to the blazing sun shining through his window. Downstairs, he could hear the TV flashing. Mom was watching her favorite crime show, the one that had the scary theme song that sounded like…like death ticking away.

Johnathan’s eye went to the army costume, piled on his chair, waiting for him.

He was going to be strong. Nothing would hurt him.

Nothing.

Chapter Sixteen

A FEW MINUTES LATER

It was still bright and early in the morning, but Johnathan and Celine were already at the front door, in their costumes.

Celine was staring at Mom, who was watching TV.

“Come on, Celine! We have to go!” Johnathan pleaded, tugging on her costume.

Why wasn’t Celine moving? Why was she just standing there?

“Alright.” Celine said after a while.

With that, they left.

Chapter Seventeen

THE WALK TO SCHOOL

“Why did you just stand there? What was wrong? Were you scared? Possessed?” Johnathan asked.

He couldn’t keep silent on the walk to school, even though Celine liked silence. It just didn’t sit right with him. Johnathan never saw anyone stand so stoically as Celine did, like a mannequin.

He heard stories about people standing completely still. Those people were usually possessed by demons. If someone stood completely still, that meant that they were going to attack with demonic rage at any second.

“I’m not possessed. Why would I be possessed? I was just waiting for Mom to say goodbye to us? Don’t you think it was weird, how she just stared at the TV?”

Johnathan thought about it. All morning, Mom hadn’t spoken a word. She stared at the TV, eyes wide, mouth closed. She didn’t say anything to anyone.

“Is Mom possessed?” Johnathan asked quietly. Celine being possessed was easier for him to take, but Mom being possessed? That felt like the end of all things good, the end of all things lovely.

Mom cared about everyone, she shouldn’t have been possessed.

“Possessed? What is this to you, a movie? She’s not possessed, no one is possessed. This is real life, not a movie. She’s just being weird.”

But still, it felt like there was something else going on…

Chapter Eighteen

ENTERING SCHOOL

After a long, silent walk, Johnathan and Celine made it to school.

Johnathan hugged Celine tightly, knowing well that they would have to part their ways, that her friends were waiting for her.

“Celine! Come on!” Amiria called out.

Celine let go, leaving Johnathan with the cold, empty feeling of loneliness.

But he would see her again after school, wouldn’t he?

Chapter Nineteen

AT HOME

“Can we go trick-or-treating? Please? I don’t want to go at night because of the monsters.” Johnathan said.

He and Celine were back home, talking to Mom. Cartoons were on the screen, but they weren’t watching. They were talking to her.

Johnathan needed to go trick-or-treating at that moment. He couldn’t go at night, for it was dark, the hour of the spooks.

“Want to do some Halloween baking with me?” Mom asked.

Halloween baking? Halloween baking?! Of course he did, why wouldn’t he?

“Yes!” Johnathan said excitedly, thinking of ghost cookies and pumpkin cupcakes.

Celine agreed too, for it was something the Southwark siblings enjoyed equally.

Besides, it was nice to do something with Mom, after all the days she spent watching TV…

Chapter Twenty

Johnathan followed Celine, with her bloody, scary cannibal costume, to the kitchen.

The door closed behind them, enveloping the three of them in darkness.

Why…why was the kitchen so dark? Why weren’t the lights on?

Suddenly, Johnathan heard Celine scream, loud and clear. He backed away, trying to feel for the doorknob.

Something was pushed onto the counter, he could hear it.

“Finally, I’m done with you ungrateful kids!” Mom cried out.

Why…why would Mom say that? Mom loved them, didn’t she? She…she wouldn’t hurt them.

“Mom?” Celine asked. It sounded like she was crying.

No…no…no. Celine never cried…never! It was he who cried, not her.

“Yes, it’s me, sweetie.” Mom said.

Something squelched in the room, vile and disgusting. It sounded so alien, so inhuman.

Johnathan desperately felt for the doorknob. He had to get out, he had to open the door, he had to-

“I’m not going to let you out.” Mom said, grabbing him by the collar of his costume.

Johnathan writhed and squirmed under her grasp, but he was hopeless.

She pushed him to the counter. Johnathan tried to get off, but she kept him on with her firm grip.

“Goodnight, Johnny.”

Johnathan screamed, a throaty, strangled scream, the blade of a knife digging into his neck.

It wasn’t long, though, before his eyes drifted off into true, natural darkness.

That was it. That was the end.

Epilogue

In the Southwark house resides four ghosts, four  ghosts of blood, four ghosts of gore.

Johnathan hides in the corner of his room, wishing nothing more than to disappear, than to escape the Hell of his home.

But he cannot leave. He is attached.