Chapter Text
The gym still reeked as a homecoming banner draped down to the ground. Hatchetfield High had begun to clean up from the event newspapers would report as a "Prank gone wrong". Some speculated it was a tribute to the late Max Jägerman.
The Chastity home knelt in prayer as Grace gently put away her homecoming dress. "Thank God for delivering Grace from that disaster and guarding her heart at the dance."
Grace grabs a glass of hot water and murmurs "Yeah, thanks..." before turning in for the night.
Richie and Steph would walk each other home silently. They held one another's hand gingerly fearing too much passion. Would she know? Of course she couldn't, she wasn't omniscient, right? It was hard to know now.
As they neared the Spankoffski household, Pete would hesitate. Steph teased "What a loser, making a girl walk you home and not even having the balls to kiss her?"
"But Grace..." squeaked Pete.
"Who cares!" muttered Steph, leaning in.
As they kiss, Grace gets a message from the Black Book, which shakes with the power of 5 voices.
PETER AND STEPHANIE.
"I don't need to know that!" retorts Grace, "I never needed a live recording of all the pervs in Hatchetfield. And they don't count, they're nerds!"
LIKE YOU?
"I'm above those labels. You know I'm spoken for!" said Grace.
HAVE YOU CHOSEN YET? JESUS? MAX? MAYBE US?
"It is and will always be Jesus, stay in your lane!" grunted Grace, clutching a cross so tight it leaves a mark on her palm.
Over the next weeks the town would evolve. People would go missing without a trace. It was still Hatchetfield, after all.
However, this was not the same vagabonds and loners as usual. No, this was all sorts of men. Adolescents, married men, bachelors, even some well-respected community leaders.
Each night Grace would pray before going to sleep, whispering
"As I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lords, my soul to keep.
If my faith is shaken around
I pray dirty dudes into the ground."
Each night would be sleepless for Grace. Her hair grew long and tangled, her jaw slowly tightened into a permanent clench, and no one at school talked to New Grace. She would snap at any affection with a harsh "Leave room!!", implying a "for Jesus" that never came along. Everyone slowly left room around her and expressed affection behind closed doors and separate hallways.
No one liked New Grace, and she topped that list. Where was the proper girl who led Abstinence Camp sing-alongs? Where was the demure lady who saw herself above worldly needs? What did the Lords in Black do to her?
On another night of prayer, Grace heard a knock on her front door followed by her father teasing "I'm sure she'd love to see a friend, just keep that makeup away from my holy little girl."
Steph knocked gently on Grace's door before opening it before Grace could say anything. "it's a warning, not a request." huffed Steph. She scanned the room, a disheveled space. Old altars were covered with new clutter, prayer candles spilled and soiled the floor with wax, and the Black Book was placed on a miniature lectern.
"Grace," whispered Steph, "what happened?'
Grace straightened her spine. "Nothing's wrong, okay?" she proudly stated, "but these five sickos are messing with God's plan for me, and that son of a B-word isn't helping!"
Steph softened, kneeling on the floor. "Next you're going to tell me you're touching yourself and lying. You scandalous woman," she gently teased.
As Grace moved next to Steph, she slowly extended her body to lay her head on Steph's lap. "I see we're doing abstinence camp flashbacks, huh?" chuckled Steph, softly stroking Grace's hair.
"I remember that song I wrote" said Grace, "Saved by Grace to be Chaste. Girl Jeri and Boy Jerry loved it."
Steph laughed "You really were the biggest nerd at abstinence camp. Remember my version? Girls Like Grace, and She'll be Chased?"
"Ugh, don't remind me," grumbled Grace, "the Jerry's still ask me to join them for coffee."
Three breaths passed, each a sigh deeper than the last. Steph broke the silence. "Pete left, you know. Got a big scholarship for nuclear science. A loser all the way through, eh Grace?"
Grace curled in tighter on Steph's lap. "I guess it's just us?" whispered Grace.
"Don't act so excited" scoffed Steph, twirling slow curls into Grace's bangs.
"What happened... Like, how did we get here?" questioned Grace.
Steph chuckled, "Well, we used my family's freak book to summon bigger freaks, you freaked a ghost and then Max freaked off to freak world. Then you got your holy freak on at Homecoming."
Grace sat up, "Why in the world did I do that? I lost my virginity to -"
"Save me and Pete" interrupted Steph, "It's the last thing I ever expected you'd do. Grace Chastity lost her chastity in the least graceful way. But I think it's why I still respect you."
Grace looked down and crossed her arms. "Did I ever tell you what I did between that day and homecoming?"
"No clue" said Steph, "I thought you were taking forty baths and forty showers in a week to finally clean up that undead jock spunk."
Grace both gagged slightly and laughed "Besides that, I also read the book."
Steph gazed over. The Black Book seemed like it was a third person in the room now. Grace began to rant "And I was mad! Mad at Max for making me feel that way. Mad that you and Pete made me give up my self. Mad that Ruth and Richie didn't have the decency to stay alive. And the book helped me."
Steph looked down. Of course it's her family's fault, and now Grace was starting to scare her again.
Steph shakily said "Was that why you went to homecoming and-"
"Yes." Grace had snapped around. Jaw thrusted forward and eyes mad, Grace smiled "I had a goal. A holy mission, Steph. Destroy all the dirty dudes. And I am getting their souls, They're making me strong!"
Steph grabbed Grace's shoulders, and her muscles seemed to pop out with the grasp, and it was only now that Steph noted Grace had grown taller since homecoming. "And what? What happens when the dirty dudes are gone? Is everyone dirty to you?" Steph felt her heart pounding as she began to rant herself. "Frankly, I don't think Wiggog Y'wrath is in the Bible. None of those guys are. Grace, you're the furthest from God that I've seen someone!"
The gaze was held intensely swinging between rage, love, and fear. The Black Book shook and fell as Grace steeled her gaze towards Steph. "Run." she growled. Steph left without another word.
Grace Chastity sat on her bed, panting and with her heart pounding.
WHY DID YOU LET HER GO?
Silence filled the room
GRACE.
"I couldn't," murmured Grace.
DO YOU KNOW WHY WE CHOSE YOU?
"Because I gave it up to the jock that always leered at me. After he died?" snipped Grace, "Was that all you wanted to see, you pervs?"
The book flipped open, showing a projection of a fierce face full of teeth. Nibbly. They gnashed at Grace "YOU CANNOT CALL US NAMES! GRACE CHASTITY, WE OFFERED A FAIR DEAL! YOU ARE FAILING US!"
"Why?" said Grace, startling back. She looked up as the book closed up again, shaking less. The voice again sounded like a five-part harmony.
BECAUSE WE ARE BORED. WE EXIST ONLY IN THE BLACK AND WHITE. WE SEE ONLY THROUGH THE BOOK AND OUR ENVOY.
Grace gulped. They had seen so much, then.
WE ONLY CRAVE OBEDIENCE, ATTENTION, AND FEAR.
"Then why did I get all those souls for you?" shouted Grace. It was silent for a minute. She knew. She set up a holy mission hoping it would cleanse her soul. It couldn't, and now Grace Chastity understood that.
WE NEED AN ENVOY BUT WE DO NOT NEED YOU. DO YOU UNDERSTAND? IF YOU CANNOT FIND ANOTHER SOUL...
WE WILL.
The Black Book snapped tight. Grace was alone again. She furrowed her brow knowing what she had to do.
Steph. She made Grace feel those butterflies flying low. She led Grace astray since abstinence camp. Her fingers were too soft, her face too pretty, her body too... distracting.
Stephanie Lauter tried to sleep this day off. Her time with Grace ended terribly, and she felt truly alone. As she curled in bed, she heard a shaky voice
"Forgive the dirty dudes"
A woman with butterfly hair clips stood at the end of her bed.
"Forgive the pervs"
The voice grew stronger.
"Forget the past"
Steph began to sit up
"Invoke these words:"
She stared softly at the woman in front of her. Even with the flashing multicolor lights from the Black Book, she still loved Grace
"If I am worthy
To find divine grace
Then I shall repent
And by Grace be sav-"
Grace Chastity choked up as Stephanie Lauter wrapped her arms around Grace. It was the warmest either of them felt. The Black Book clattered to the ground with a crunching sound. The spine cracked open and the book settled flat.
Grace and Steph hugged. Grace felt 4 years of tension release as she kissed Steph. Who cared that they were not supposed to feel this way? To Grace, nothing made sense anymore, so why not?
In a flash the Black Book flipped over and showed Blinky's unbearable eye. She teased "HMM, EVEN TWO NERDS CAN BE PERVS, IT TURNS OUT. HAHAHAHA, YOU TWO ARE SO DONE FOR."
As the two split up, Grace stared at Steph and nodded slightly. Always in control, thought Steph as Grace gingerly fingered around all the corners of her cross necklace.
Grace shouted "I invoke you, Wiggog Y'Wrath!"
A green figure rose up, filling and stuffing the room. It felt like Grace and Steph were squished into the corner by its presence. "HELLO FWIENDY WEND" it bellowed.
Grace peered around Steph's room. She had several stuffed animals strewn about. "John 1:14" she whispered, "And the Word became flesh".
Steph stared, stunned at how Grace thought of a Bible verse as an Eldritch god stared her down. "You said you grew bored in that book right?" said Grace.
"YOU LISTENED TO US, GWACE. WE ARE TIRED OF WAITING,” said the monstrous form.
Grace smiled, "Last God I knew could do a lot more by adopting a form on Earth." Wiggly glared and Steph raised her eyebrow while Grace kept strong.
"I invoke you as the strongest Lord in Black" stated Grace, her voice growing stronger by the word. The Black Book seemed to protest and shake slightly. "You may come into our world, but you need to take us back before Max Jägerman died." Steph gasped.
"WHY SHOULD WE DO THAT? HAVE YOU SACRIFICED ANYTHING FOR US?" questioned Wiggly.
Grace smirked. She opened up her backpack. "I'm giving up my memories. The moments I had with all my friends. Losing my virginity. All of it. You can have them." As this happened Grace took out a pair of scissors and cut open the stuffed animal in her hands.
She knelt down and gently handled it while Steph collapsed beside her. "Grace," pleaded Steph, "You don't have to do this! You can just let it be."
Again Grace's jaw clenched and protruded. "No. I'm done pretending I can purify the world. I'm here to fix it." Grace took out a twisted piece of metal "Ruth's headgear!" she proclaimed, stuffing it into the doll. "Richie's jacket. Pete's glasses. My homecoming dress." Each filled up the doll more.
Steph closed her eyes and handed Grace her black lip balm. The one she wore since cheating off of the nerds.
"And to close it up..." Grace kissed Steph again. The two held each other tight fearing they could never know one another again. As they held together Grace took her scissors and cut locks of both of their hair.
She dangled it above the doll. "My most precious memory will be Steph. Always."
Wiggly glared as the Black Book began to shake and writhe on the ground. The other Lords became angry that only one got this attention.
As the hair sprinkled down, it began to sew itself into the doll. Soon the overstuffed creature rose into the air. Wiggly chuckled. "WHAT A CHOICE. YOU SURPRISE US AGAIN, GWACE!"
The doll grew larger. Hairs twisted into tentacles below the mouth while the eyes bulged outward. It began to resemble Wiggly fully as the godlike figure dissolved and the Black Book crumbled.
Thunder crashed as Hatchetfield began to grow covered in black and white swirling radiance. Soon the school bell would ring as Grace Chastity held a sign to protest "Homec*mming" and Stephanie Lauter tried to ace a test she never studied for.
5 miles away, at the local mall, a gruff young woman named Lex Foster would unpack her first Tickle-Me-Wiggly doll.
Far beyond the borders of town, a black SUV pulled to a clearing. Seeing the radiance, an older Hannah Foster took a drag on her cigarette. "It's happening again, they made another effing doll," she mumbled.
Hannah took out a notebook labeled "Misketonic University"'. She flipped to the Jägerman docket which had the following notes:
Cycle 1:
- Max dies
- The Nerds invoke the Lords to undo his death
- End cycle
Cycle 2:
- Max is revived after death
- Max becomes The Nerd Reckoning
- Max continues to bully students
- Ruth invokes the Lords to end Max
- Ruth becomes The Performer, absorbing the souls of all who doubted her
- The Nerds invoke the Lords
- End cycle
Cycle 3:
- Max murders Ruth after his death
- Richie invokes the Lords to end Max
- Richie becomes The Winner, absorbing the souls of anyone who competed against him.
- The Nerds invoke the Lords
- End cycle
As she writes down Cycle 4, Hannah scowls. Hatchetfield was falling apart more and more each cycle. There were two murders this time, and Grace would be up next. They barely escaped. This couldn't go on much longer.