"Close to Home" is the twelfth issue of Outcast by Kirkman and Azaceta and the sixth issue of A Vast and Unending Ruin. It was released on September 9, 2015.
Synopsis[]
Our second story arc draws to a close as things spiral even more out of control. Kyle’s attempts to set his life straight seem to just keep pulling him deeper and deeper into darkness.[1]
Plot[]
Mark told Megan that she woke Holly up. Megan growled at Mark and the latter told the former to stop what she was doing. Megan jumped Mark and bashed his head on the ground several times before Holly came out. Megan jumped towards Holly but Mark grabbed Megan by the leg and subdued her before she could hurt Holly.
While eating cereal late at night, Kyle had flashbacks of his days in foster care. He recalled a night where Donnie assaulted him. When Megan came to his aid, Donnie called Kyle a freak for nearly killing his mother. When Megan told Donnie to leave, the latter told the former to wait until Kyle did the same to her. Megan then hugged Kyle to comfort him.
Kyle then had a knock on his door, much to his surprise, he found a bloodied Mark with his daughter. Mark begged Kyle for help as Megan had been possessed. Kyle allowed Mark and Holly to stay at his place for the night as he left to ask Reverend Anderson for help.
Anderson prayed to God to let Kyle see the light of what they have been doing and begged God to bring Kyle back to him. Anderson told God he knows he has been tested but unsure if he had failed or not. Reverend was then visited by Kyle and was asked for help.
On the drive to Megan's house, Kyle deduced that the reason for exorcisms working differently was because everyone had been possessed for different periods of time, with Joshua being the shortest. When Kyle said he felt he sounded insane, Anderson told him he was making sense.
When they arrived at Megan's house, Anderson asked if they could talk about Sherry after the exorcism. Kyle told Reverend it wouldn't get to that point and Kyle told Reverend Anderson to not tell him Sherry is better off.
When the two approached Megan, she asked if he was here to hurt her. The demon inside Megan told Kyle that he should stop interfering as he would be happier. Reverend Anderson told Megan that they were here to help, though the demon reminded Anderson they aren't talking to Megan. As Reverend prepared to exorcise Megan, the demon told Anderson it wasn't afraid. Reverend Anderson commanded the demon leave Megan, before splashing holy water on her. Megan was barely affected but quickly grabbed onto Reverend. Kyle splashed normal water on her, which knocked Megan away. The demon told Kyle they could drive it out but they could never stop all and that the great merge is coming. When Kyle asked what that was, he was told that would be when all demons and humans merge. Kyle was then told he was the key and they had been searching for him for so long. When the demon called Kyle and outcast, Kyle asked what made him an outcast. The demon didn't answer, only demanded for Kyle's power. The demon jumped Kyle and tried to absorb his power, before Kyle reversed it, causing the two to pass out. Reverend Anderson then pulled Kyle away out of Megan's room.
Reverend Anderson asked if Kyle drove the demon out, though Kyle told him he only passed it out. When Anderson asked if Kyle was ok, Kyle told Reverend he wasn't as it was too traumatizing watching another person he cared about being possessed. Kyle then told Anderson they are going to exorcise Megan then look for more who are possessed to learn more about the great merge. Kyle told Anderson they are going to figure everything out and fix it. Kyle then vowed that none of this would happen to anyone again.
Credits[]
References[]
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