Wheezing hysterically and yet incapable of inhaling my vision remained sightless to everything around me. My skin paled even as my trembling form struggled to revive itself. I felt gentle arms cradle me within their warm embrace, and nevertheless I couldn’t focus my eyes as I felt them repeatedly roll back beneath my fluttering lids.

“Breathe Anna, just breathe,” Andrea repeatedly whispered anxiously as a small semblance of calm engulfed me feeling the soft touch of her fingers brushing back my wayward curls, half of my form still lying in frozen puddles.

My constricted lungs expanded finally allowing the earth’s breeze to enter my stunned figure, my limbs at last stopping its contorted convulsions, my mind finally free of the traumatic past. Then suddenly darkness faded and all I saw was the tranquil display of cerulean.

Andrea’s eyes full of unexpressed worry gazed down at me before quickly checking the concealed shadows for demons as Clarice rushed to end the flow of water. “Anna, what happened? Did a demon attack?”

I rose unsteadily onto my wavering feet aided by Clarice and Andrea’s hands trying to figure out why escaping a memory had been so difficult, so strenuous on not only my body but my mind too. Never had it taken such an arduous toil that even now as I stood clearly encased in the present I found myself strangely bewildered whirling around searching for Rick’s existence. “I …” I began only to trail off, staring dazedly at my reflection or what was left of it in the small sliver of glass before me.

Seeing my wild curls, my skin drained of its usual pallor, my discolored eyes; red prominent within its white orbs, the terror within my gaze… before Andrea stepped before my reflection impeding any further view, “look at me, Anna.” She spoke softly, turning my resistant form towards her. “When we came in you were seizing on the floor, the room was a wreck, did a demon do this, or did your darker half reappear?”

Even now with that slight fog still clouding my befuddled brain I could see the worry in Drea’s eyes, not just concern for my wellbeing but for the secret she wanted to keep buried, could see the truth in my sinister clone’s words. “I saw it,” I said simply.

“You saw what?”

“You,” I whispered watching as her hands fell limply from my shoulders to her sides. “You were getting ready to leave that night. Before all I could remember was that glimpse of babysitting Courtney and cutting on the water in the tub, but everything else that happened that night was a blur.”

“And now?” Andrea visibly forced the words from her lips, her eyes intent on my own.

“Now it’s like a curtain is slowly lifting and I can see through the darkness.”

“And what is it you see?” she asked, her tone deadened as if with each word spoken from her lips drained her of emotion.

“Rick wouldn’t let me leave.”

Brows furrowed in confusion, a glimpse of that unexplainable relief in her mystified gaze, “what? We already knew that, Anna. You failed your test and Mom-.”

My damp curls hit my face harshly as I shook my head in denial, “no, he never intended for me to leave the house that night.”

“Why would Rick intentionally force you to stay home, Marie?”

“Don’t you get it, Drea? Mom threatened to make you stay home too, but he took up for you.”

Completely confused, “so…”

“So… he never does that! When has he ever been on your side especially when it comes to anything to do with our father?”

Comprehension slowly donning on her Andrea began to shake her tresses in defiance, relief fading in her gaze as moisture filled their distraught exterior while still trying to refute what she already recognizes as true, “I don’t like where you’re going with this, Anna.”

I took a step closer, my eyes beseeching hers to understand, “doesn’t make it not true, Drea. He insisted you get in the car, and made sure as hell that I didn’t.”

“Anna-.”

“He wanted you out of the way.”

“No,” she whispered, her hand covering her fallen mouth as if it too would hold in her sorrow.

“Yes, think about it, Drea. You were the only one protecting me, the only one he needed to remove. He had no idea killing you would turn you into a guardian he just assumed it would be one step closer to getting to me.”

Those tears trapped within Andrea’s eyes finally trickled over the rim, clinging to long lashes before tumbling down her pale cheeks, dropping uncaringly pass her chin, her words of denial faint, weak even to her own ears, “no … no the crash was an accident.”

My troubled gaze held hers, “are you sure?”

Her dejected eyes fell from mine as she racked her brain for answers, for some small clue that would prove that what I spoke of was lies and yet she found none, her footsteps slow as she blindly walked from my side. “It can’t be. It was an animal in the road… Dad, he couldn’t avoid it… No, my life couldn’t have ended simply to remove me from your side. Anna, it makes no sense.”

Hysterical and yet broken sapphire clashed with hazel silently begging, “it makes no sense. Tell me it makes no sense!”

“It’s going to be okay,” I softly whispered, my hands held up in a semblance of surrender, my footsteps hesitant as I approached her stunned form, her shoulders shaking with pent-up sobs, and yet as my palm touched her arctic skin I found that it was my gaze that widened in alarm.

I felt as if my body had been callously submerged once again, held under in the horrors of the past. Red malevolent iris’s iridescent with untold souls devoured; ruthlessly demolished surrounded my death’s black kiss. It stared deep into me as if trying to penetrate not just my mind but the core of my very being. As if trying to enter into sacred space held inside my consciousness and unravel everything I once thought to be true.

I gasped, our bodies springing apart as I fell harshly into puddles once again gazing up at my sister in a way I never dreamed I would. Gaping up at her with fright consuming every cell in my stationary form, “what the hell was that?”

“Why are you staring at me like that? Anna-,” Andrea began, her arms reaching for me only for terrified figure to quickly scramble away from her.

“Why was it that I saw a demon when I touched you?”

“You don’t really think your fiends were the first I’ve come across, do you?”

“There was something familiar about that demon.” I rose to my feet trying and yet failing to see through that impenetrable black void in my mind. Rubbing my temples in order to stop the blinding pain the effort caused and yet I insisted, “Its right there. I know it, there’s something missing.”

Drea’s hand rose to comfort me, “Anna-.”

Moving from within her reach I gazed back at her furiously, “I haven’t seen so much power inside such evil eyes since… since… the only demon I can think of is the demon of illusion.”

My sister froze, her expression neutral as she gazed upon me, “and what, you think now that I too am corrupt? Or maybe I control the demons around you in some way?”

How easy she turned my fears into such ridiculous notations, and yet still, “I wouldn’t disregard him so easily if I were you Drea. He did force me to stab you just in order to prove that his altered reality wasn’t real.” She stood her ground even while mine felt as if it was crumbling, “just tell me Drea, what else are you hiding?”

Her expression swiftly turned into one of fury, impatience evident within her pretty features, “I don’t know Anna, why don’t you tell me? You seem to know it all.” Her footsteps echoed through out the room as she took in its devastated state. “If no demon was here I can only guess that all this was done by you, and I can only imagine who your target was! And so I ask you, what the hell are you hiding, little sister?”

Seeing the anger obvious in both our eyes, Clarice clearly forgotten stepped forward, “maybe we should call it a night? We can figure out the answers to everything tomorrow.”

Andrea with defiance still swimming in those blue depths fixated upon my hazel lenses replied, “Good idea. Clarice could you make sure Anna gets to her room alright?” She broke her gaze with me, dismissing my distressed image while whispering over her shoulder as she sauntered out the door, “suddenly I need some air.”

I remained staring transfixed even long after the slam of door was silenced. “I hate that,” I murmured into the stillness, the only sound heard other than my voice was the endless droplets of water into the incessant cluster of puddles.

“Hate what?”

My miserable gaze fell to the wet floor wishing I could add my own tears to the water’s collection and yet fearing once released they might not stop, “that even when I’m mad at her that she has a way of making me feel guilty.”

My back still towards her I heard Clarice sigh before she responded, “Yeah, well that’s sis-.”

Her sentence ceased so abruptly that my brows creased in confusion, “that’s what?”

I turned slowly, my arms swinging out to rub the sudden goose bumps I felt rise along my skin as the temperature seemed to decline in almost an instant. My breath came out in small clouds of white, my bare feet almost numb in the icy puddles of water seeping into the edges of my jeans before I caught sight of Clarice knowing deep within me something was horribly wrong.

My soles were silent as I approached her; all was hushed except for the tiny sound of droplets hitting the water beneath my feet, ripples branching out around them. “Clarice,” I whispered and yet received no answer as I took in her stationary figure; her hair motionless floating in the still air around her static expression, her mouth unfastened as if the words had frozen on her tongue, one leg in midair as if at any moment she would resume walking towards me while water remained dripping from her raised foot.

“Clarice,” my fingers rose to touch her elevated hand, a palm that was still damp, and yet stiff, cold as if someone had replaced a human being with a statue made of wax. My gaze quickly scanned the dimly lit room, searching pockets of darkness for evil lurking, relief engulfing me at finding none. And yet still my gaze traveled up towards the few lamps that remained, reassured in discovering that there was no horrifying flicker. I released the breath entrapped inside me gazing at my be-stilled protector before a stench that couldn’t be disregarded wafted towards my trembling figure.

The scent of rotting flesh, of perishing human tissue was so disgustingly potent that it filled the space in seconds causing me to gag on reflex, my hand rising to cover my nose just as the lamp light began to wretchedly sputter before the furthest from where I stood died taking any ounce of hope my foolish heart had once harbored along with it. My fingers grasped one of Clarice’s, clutching it as a frightened child would a parent and yet unable to find reassurance in the squeeze that never was returned.

“Marie,” I heard my name whispered.

My eyes widened, my curls swinging out around me as I scanned the shadows for its source just as another lamp lost its fight to the growing darkness. Panting, my chest rising in falling quickly beneath my gaze it wasn’t until the taste of salt lingered upon my tongue that I realized that I was crying.

“Marie,” that voice erupted once again, only this time more panicked, this time forcing me to acknowledge that its tone resided in my head.

My eyes went back to Clarice’s frozen expression before quickly swinging back to the growing blackness, how it seemed to consume the light, that overwhelming odor growing stronger with every second wasted, “I can’t just leave her,” I whispered.

“She’s not who they want.”

The sound of a pebble falling against the tiled floor caused me to jump, but the crumbling of the back wall, the dust settling inside the air had me sliding my fingers reluctantly from Clarice’s palm.

“But-,” I whispered internally wishing there was some way to argue this futile point, my bare feet icy as I backed away sinking, splashing into awaiting puddles, my eyes forever on that spreading, endless expanse of ebony.

“Marie, listen to me! Fuck everything else… Just get the hell out of there!” my darker half screamed within me.

Never had I heard such intense fear inside her voice, such urgency within its tone. No longer did my conscience waver over Clarice’s fate, with whispered words of forgiveness thrown her way I hurriedly dashed towards the door yanking it open just as the rest of the wall collapsed under the weight of so many, and I was greeted with the glimpse of iniquitous crimson tinted eyes shimmering in its need to feed, enthusiastically scanning the room for life to consume.

The door slammed shut on the sight as I sprinted full speed down the hall, the sound of crumbling rubble impeding the quiet; a soundtrack to my desperate need to escape, or depending how warped the mind; their hunt set to music. Tears fell unaided down my face, sliding from my cheeks into the wind as my curls rung out behind me as I ran into the light while horribly aware that with every step I took the illumination behind me was extinguished, captured forever to the shadows. I glanced over my shoulder, my eyes fixated on that bathroom door wishing I had more of a distance between it and yet hoping in vain it would remain closed. With my sight transfixed on what I had just left my body rounded the corner, with fear propelling my every movement I ran full contact into the stiffened hardness of the cold form of the night janitor, our bodies crashing hazardly to the hard ground, his bucket of water spilling out onto the tile.

I lifted my chest from his tentatively, my curls cocooning around us. It was like gazing upon a corpse, how his eyes remained lifelessly fixed to the ground, that mop still attached to his hands, nevertheless all thought of him left my mind swiftly as the sound of the door banging open rang out into the hall. On slippery tile I silently whispered apologies to deaf ears as I launched myself back to my feet already rushing towards my cell. One of the night attendants still stood there bent at the lit up vending machines awaiting a snack that stood suspended inside its confinements, the nurse remained sitting at her desk; coffee cup tilted to her lips, liquid resting on her tongue, the phone still fixed to her ear as I flew by. I crashed against my door causing it to fly back on its hinges, winded so much so that I thought my heart would rupture beneath my heaving chest only for more sobs to discharge at the realization that it remained distressingly empty.

“Marie, keep running you don’t have time to look for Andrea,” my darker essence raged inside my head.

“She’s my sister,” I insisted as my body hurried towards the end of the hall, the sound of thunder erupting around its corner alerting me to their impending arrival was deafening, almost as loud as the pound of my heart echoing throughout my ears. My eyes scanned the area as I ran towards the elevators, my mind telling me to hurl myself inside those metal confines, but my heart telling me otherwise. Foolishly I darted away from freedom and into the dimly lit lounge area wondering how it was just earlier this day we had safely walked through this doorway. This time there was no girl repeating the television, no dancing teen to step around, no child talking to herself, and definitely no guardian resting upon the couch. No, all there seemed to be in this cold, empty, lifeless room was an idiotic teenager so obsessed with family I had allowed myself to be entrapped.

Tiptoeing towards the entry I fell harshly on bended knee allowing my curls to drag the floor as terrified hazel gazed out into the hall. It remained bare, soulless and I gathered my courage enough to rise, my eyes intent on those elevator buttons that would lead me to safety only to halt at the commencement of those damning flickering lights. I collapsed back to my bruised knees, my hand rising to smother the sound of my frightened pant, watching as those fiends rounded that same corner. Their bodies blurred within my sight as if moving faster than humanly possible, their forms abnormally bent at odd angles, darkness like a cloak clinging to their forms or like a trained animal on command quickly leaping forward to smash whatever light that would dare to penetrate their dilapidated skin. To say the smell was nauseating up this close was putting it kindly, the scent choked me and silently I retched beside me only hopeless tears hitting the floor.

They sniffed the air, red eyes rolling beneath their lids as if gaining pleasure from the scent, drool slithering from their teeth before many roamed the lobby, crawling colorless walls towards my cell. The others remained in the corridor as if skilled soldiers awaiting instruction as three attendants separated from the crowd eyeing the prey still lingering stationary within this space. Even from here I could see the yellow auroras pulsating around their forms, the crimson glowing in their eyes, the shadows that tore, ripped before sucking the droplets of blood from their skin. One moved behind the nurse’s station eyeing her with lust coming off him in waves; his fingers rising to caress her blonde hair softly, his gaze entranced at the opening of her blouse. Another shifted towards the frozen attendant trapped before the vending machine, his eyes intent on the vein along his neck knowing how easy it would be to rip into such soft skin and taste of his life force.

And yet even as I watched them separate I knew the one who held himself back, who gazed longingly at my empty room held dominion over them all. Darkness seemed to radiate around his huge form, his flesh rotting, pieces of it falling to the ground before him. His orbs completely black and yet those scarlet lenses glowed. There was a relentless spasm repeatedly going throughout his body like an unknown force yanking his head to the right as if mother nature ruled against this obvious abomination, or his enforced host still refusing him complete entry. He smiled ominously towards the lounge as if he knew exactly where I remained concealed as he sniffed the air around him, hunger drowning out his lustful desire, his decaying tongue hastily sliding over dry lips.

“Nolens volens, whether willing or not we must take only what we have come for,” his baritone voice hissed into the silence, his orders drawing his men back to his side and away from the innocent lives around them. “We find the girl, we secure our futures. Who can deny us once we are the fathers of the new revolution of evil? She shall give us that…” his voice deepened with passion as those around growled, stirring in agreement. His demented speech empowering them while scaring the living shit out of me.

“She shall be the key to our rise in power. No longer shall we be minions, be underlings, be rouges to the committee. We shall be kings!” as he spoke that same follower had shifted back towards the frozen attendant, his teeth glistening even in the dim lighting as his mouth opened to sink sharp incisors into supple skin. The menacing ruler with speed not of this world pinned his devotee by the neck in seconds, his grip smashing his subordinate’s stunned head into the vending machine, snacks spilling onto the floor as blood ran down the demon’s face. Shadows quickly slithered over the wounds reveling in his scarlet seepage.

With anger trickling into his every word he raged, “We do not feed on this assignment!” Leaning in close to his captive, holding his gaze hostage he reiterated, “Remember, the more death we cause the easier it’ll be for the committee to track our movements.”

He closed his eyes, his nose inhaling the air as if the sweetest scent lingered within its breeze before those red uncaring lenses pierced open gazing determinedly towards the lounge again. I gasped, hoping to god that he couldn’t see me.

His gaze still upon the lounge’s entryway he released his unyielding hold, the other demon crumbling to the ground before finally rising to his feet, his head bowed in shame before its leader continued, “no, this assignment… is only about mating.”

Rounding the rest of his demons together he ordered, “divide et impera, we must divide in order to conquer.” He draws in the air once more this time his body slowly luring him closer towards where I hid, his rotting face becoming clear in the dim lighting. “Yes, I can practically taste her fear lingering in the air. We separate, we find our future queen.”

Suddenly with eyes blazing an untold fury he warned, “The first worthless creature to feast on these lesser beings,” his hand struck out ruthlessly without admonition decapitating the head of the nearest demon, blood oozing out onto the floor around its fallen body. Smiling eccentrically, his hand easily drops the blood-spattered skull to the ground, “is that clear?”

“Marie, we have to get the fuck out of here. He’s nuts!” my inner self whispered and for once I completely agreed, and yet still…

“But Drea,” I whispered internally, still unable to leave her behind, images of Andrew fresh inside my mind.

“Drea, will understand! I don’t think she’d want any of them for a brother in law!”

“I can’t leave her.”

“Hell, Marie if they find you, you won’t have a choice.”

I powerlessly watched as they methodically prized open steel doors, doors that could never have been unbolted by man’s strength. All the while unrewardingly they tried and yet failed to trace my scent as I attempted to harness the terror overwhelming my shaken form, endeavor to gather my courage to strive to execute what my darker essence would soon ask of me. They tirelessly trailed along the hallway like evilness spreading chaos, lights perishing into darkness as they made their way closer to my vicinity while inside I unfortunately knew that soon they would run out of locations to inspect and I would find myself unbearably imprisoned; enslaved mind, body, and soul.

Barely breathing, my eyes focused on the moving army of darkness, I finally heard her voice loud and clear.

“Now Marie! Run!”

Sliding to my shaken feet I noiselessly dashed pass the horde of demons that were still searching for my hidden form, running blindly towards the waiting elevator. It was only as I hurriedly jabbed the button that I realized how much my fear had tuned out my other senses. I didn’t hear my darker essence begging me to stop; I didn’t sense her warning me against my actions. It was only as the bell deafeningly chimed signaling the elevator’s ascent towards me that I became aware of my foolish decisions, as alas my other half’s dejected whispers finally penetrated my mind, “they only froze this level…”

Twisting unhurriedly I examined the voracious need in their eagerly famished eyes, drool falling from their jagged teeth, their impetuous bodies hunched in attack mode, her voice continuing in the silence as I realized the true extent of my own stupidity, “using the elevator will only draw them to us…”

My lips fell ajar, my gaze expanding in dismay, “Oh… my… god.”

Akin to someone removing the pause button off the screen they all mercilessly rushed forward at once, yearning to prove their exceptional prowess by seizing me, some ripping callously through walls; plaster littering the floor while their malicious leader remorselessly snapped the necks of minions who lingered too long within his path, bodies now lying among the debris.

“The stairs, Marie! You have to get to the stairs!”

Dashing towards the exit sign I heard the distant ping of the elevator opening as I sprinted from its side as bodies fruitlessly crashed within its interior as they foolishly leapt towards me. Running without thought I made it to the stairwell aided by pure adrenaline than by anything else. Their feet were unfaltering as they hammered after me, my indestructible resolve to be free the only thing keeping the diminutive distance between us.

“The shield, Marie. You need to use the shield,” Anna desperately implored me.

My unsteady hands rose quickly propelling an impatient demon from my side that had gotten too close; his body hurling helplessly into the ravenous crowd. The fatigue of it all caused me to awkwardly stumble in my quest for freedom and yet still I ran. “The shield will drain me,” I whispered inwardly, my mind racing for a better solution.

“And you think propelling them from you side won’t? Marie it’s the only way, there’s too many of them.”

Racing at a tremendous momentum down the endless flight of steps, talons reached for me tearing at my defenseless skin only to be content with small trickles of blood which they happily consumed as I united amongst my inner identity. Combining our strengths collectively we merged until dark and light fused creating an enveloping inferno swirling around my running form like an inexorable whirlwind of hell. It inflamed all that was near, their useless cries, pathetic pleas for solace overwhelming the small space of the stairwell, the horrid scent of charred flesh rising within the smoke. The flames had halted some; my more intelligent, intended captors paused at the start of the staircase gazing upon me; within their crimson iris’s an intense sense of longing, coveting what they couldn’t seem to obtain while holding several minions behind them. Countless others blindly leapt within the conflagration as if only too eager to please, or just that fervently delusional in their haste to taste me.

The painful flickers of combustion like a newfound guardian aided in my escape flawlessly while unfortunately igniting the surrounding bare walls; flames engulfing paint and plaster like lighter fluid atop a blaze. “The fire is spreading! The whole building will go down in flames!” I screamed to my carbon copy.

“No, it will save them all. The building will have to be evacuated. They’ll be safe from the demons!”

My shield extinguished once I reached the base level’s doorway, whether it was the decline of my energy’s power or my fear depleting its fiery flames I didn’t know. All I comprehended was that my body was growing rapidly weary, and although the fire assisted in forging a vital gap between us as my eyes connected with those red determined lenses through the growing flames as I ran through the entryway somehow I knew this was just a propitiously fleeting moment of reprieve.

Oh yes, this was one monstrous beast that obstinately refused to be detoured.

The panicked crowds on the ground floor shuffled like a hectic sea towards the small row of glass doors, their faces full of terror, that unrelenting blaring of the alarms sounding out above us as smoke filled the lobby, flames shooting out through the cracks under the door. I wedged myself inside the chaos hoping to blend within the pandemonium; my hysterical pants joining easily inside their petrified shrieks as quickly those too anxious to wait pushed the horde forward causing bodies to collapse to the floor, many helpless victims being crushed beneath impatient feet.

Physically forcing my way to the edge of the crowd I searched its endless faces for a pair of familiar blue eyes, disappointment surpassing my fear for once. The door to the staircase flew back harshly against the wall, the impact cracking the surrounding plaster, fire leaking out into the room. The inferno shot forward and yet framed the sinister figure in its entrance as if compelled to never grace his tarnished skin as he sauntered inside the room, his followers emerging unharmed behind him. With my sight glued to his abhorrent frame I silently crept to the other side of the massive lobby watching helplessly as he surveyed the crowd, the panic-stricken flock immobilizing within his hateful gaze. It was as if ice slowly encased their frenzied forms, solidifying their showcased terror while he scanned and discarded human life searching for the one missing piece of the puzzle.

“Anymore bright ideas?” I inquired silently to my darker self as the few inflamed demons burst through the now empty doorway crying out for relief while falling atop frozen humans only to awaken them to the cruel horrors of burning alive.

Frantically jogging for the other stairway I struggled to disregard the odor of burning flesh, tried to not recall the continuously poignant cries of humans igniting while inwardly knowing the culpability I felt consuming my damned soul would reside within me for all eternity. The final glimpse I had of the entrance hall showcased the awfulness of unpitying flames, countless innocent bodies ablaze struggling for aid only to subsequently ignite another bordering victim, one vile attendant wandering beyond the balcony’s entrance, and as always that penetratingly crazed look of those ruby tinted eyes searching petrified features for my own.

I raced through the stairway’s entrance if only to escape my guilty conscience let alone that malicious probing gaze, my legs burned as they moved almost like a blur with an energy I had no idea how long it would last. The sound of the door closing behind was like a gunshot signally the final moments of my dismal life. I had no time to glance back to see who would follow only the knowledge that right now I had a short lead on my enemy and to keep it I had to keep moving. I burst into the first level’s identical hallway, my eyes glancing at its bright lights with eternal gratitude. Here was safe, here no shadows lurked with intent to harm, here no demons resided… yet.

My footsteps decelerated, my heartbeat quickening as with widened hazel orbs I wandered aimlessly down the hall, that familiar beeping sound of countless heart monitors ringing out around me. My bare feet were soundless as I approached the nurse’s station, the sound of recognizable voices dropping me to my knees.

Breathing heavily, I crept closer crouching on all fours suspiciously listening to everything around me.

“Aaron, maybe you should have went with Gus to check out those alarms,” the nurse whispered, fear easily detected inside her voice.

The male attendant snorted humorlessly, “honey, if I wanted to do security I would have applied for that job. You know this place is older than sin itself that damn alarm is probably on the fritz again… besides,” he paused the sound of a coffee mug sliding off the desk’s edge piercing the hallway before he continued, “You know brothers die first in horror movies.”

She laughed animatedly, “You’re an idiot, Aaron.”

“I’m just saying.”

I eased my way pass their station praying to the heavens above that they wouldn’t detect me on the cameras, or god forbid walk around the counter and discover my trembling figure. My eyes went back to that door, my curls gliding along the tiled floor just as the lights at the end of the hall began to flicker. I flipped over onto my back continuously praying it was just a fluke, that Aaron was right about old buildings and yet… by now I knew better.

“Oh great, now the electricity is tripping too,” Aaron complained, the wheels of his chair sounding out as he rose to his feet.

“Those alarms haven’t stopped either, and Gus hasn’t returned. You don’t think…”

The screech of the staircase’s door penetrated the silence as finally pass their desk I rose while slipping inside shadows watching as Aaron boldly began walking towards the sound.

“If it makes you feel any better I’ll go chec-,” he began only to abruptly cease all communication, his body now frozen within the hallway. I backed away slowly observing Jill nervously following his footsteps.

“Aaron,” she whispered, the lights blinking frantically before her, her footsteps silent as she approached. “Aaron? I don’t like it when you try to-.”

Her slim form halted just as the flickering stopped, the lamp light bursting into a hail of sparks before that allusive darkness transcended as that lone figure stepped ominously into the corridor while I hurriedly crept out of it. The sound of an erratic heartbeat pierced the stillness as I took noiseless footsteps backwards into that same room I once hid in, it was only until I gazed into Lucy’s motionless features that I realized the sound of the irregular heartbeat was not that of machines but was my own distressed thump. I was once again trapped in a nightmare I couldn’t escape only now I was no longer naive enough to believe hiding in the closet would conceal me.

I blindly stumbled back against the windows edge, spiraling to allow my eyes to view the beauty of night as their footsteps grew closer. The stars glimmered down upon mother nature’s beauty as I heard the dreadful sound of the curtain parting, smelled the despicable stench of flesh rotting at the start of my hiding place’s entrance. Observed the wind blowing through the tree branches below, leaves drifting in its wind as that contemptible unstoppable force moved closer to where my quivering figure stood, but it was only as my desolate gaze drifted towards the balcony below us that the tears began to fall. There directly beneath us entrapped within that depraved demon’s embrace stood my frozen sister, clueless to the imminent danger she remained in. Scarlet tinted lenses rose from behind her to meet mine, a decadent grin upon those decrepit lips, its disgusting tongue slinking out to lick the side of Andrea’s immobile face as my fist balled, blood lining my palm before I turned to face my more imperative captor.

“We meet at last,” he hissed into the quiet, his eyes drinking in my appearance while mine attempted to overlook the peeling of his skin, the exposure of blood covered muscle and tissue lining his features. Tried and yet failed not to notice the black decay of his teeth, pieces of his nose missing altogether.

“How cute is this,” he continued those scarlet eyes always watching as he paced before me, “flirty thing we have going here.” He laughs insanely gesturing between us, “you run, I chase. It really does bring out the…,” licking his decomposing lips while gazing at the thin strip of skin exposed at the start of my jeans, “hunter in me. I see you shall be quite the handful.”

“Stay the hell away from me,” I muttered furiously as he began to walk closer, minions now clawing the walls as I moved closer against the coolness of the window pane, feeling it crack slightly beneath my palm. “I want nothing to do with you.”

He cackles in pure unadulterated amusement, “as if your desires matter. The only thing worth wanting from you is what lies in between your legs.” His head jerked harshly to the right like a forgotten spasm, that unforgiving gaze slipping down to the front of my jeans, eyeing them as if he could see pass mere material, “oh, yes your womb is all I yearn for, but if you play nice I’ll certainly be gentle before I pass you along.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” I whispered unconvincingly as if at last realizing the true intent of his chase.

“I just want to go on the record with saying, I really don’t like this plan, Marie,” my inner personality whispered into my sub-consciousness.

“That’s because it isn’t a plan… It’s called improvising,” I replied silently, my eyes intent on the view of so many still crowding the room.

“Improvising implies a creative way of thinking! This isn’t a creative way of thinking!”

“Yeah, well if you have a better idea I’m all ears,” I interjected.

“My dear Anna Marie, its almost as if you think you still have a choice,” he resumes, that old contraction of his body almost as distracting as the lust in his gaze as he turns to take in Lucy, her small form still strapped to the bed. “You dimwitted humans, so fragile in your fallible makeup… so easily breakable,” he whispers, his neck popping uncontrollably even as he struggles to maintain authority, “even now this body I must seize jumps and jerks in refusal of my possession, too brainless to realize its defeat even as its flesh as you can so plainly see rots and deteriorates.”

He slowly saunters nearer, his footsteps silent, his intent licentiously sinful, his eyes lingering on my chest, “I have spent much too long inside it you see… You my dear have been cloaked well from both sides in fear that one will find you before the other has made their decision on your fate…”

“My fate,” I questioned, employing any stalling tactics I could think of to keep him from my side.

He paused, openly laughing at my oblivious nature, “you didn’t think the illustrious higher immortal council of fucking guardians is the only board you face, did you? No, no, no my naively beautiful Simpleton. There’s a more pressing ruling from the underground committee marking you as off limits until a decision can be reached… rather to end you entirely, or to appoint you a mate.” His vulgar sight skimmed downwards to my flat stomach, tenacity lying inside such eccentricity, “a sire to all your future immoral offspring. I just thought I’d save them some time and simply jump the procession.”

“They’ll kill you if you lay one finger on me,” I raged hoping to vanquish the demented obsession in his gaze.

Shaking his head unhurriedly in disagreement at my words, shadows tugging at his malicious smirk as he persisted, “Not in hell they won’t. That’s not how it works in purgatory, my Angel. They’ll envy what I’ve captured; the child in your stomach. I will be king amongst the most powerful, the most corrupt, the most damned…”

Despondent tears dribbled from my long lashes in dismay at the depiction he portrayed as I finally heard the minuscule section of glass drop into my open palm.

He took another step closer, his eyes trailing my trembling body, “you have no idea how long I’ve waited for this moment…”

Expression deadpan I responded, “Then I guess you’ll just have to wait a little longer.” With power surging from my fingertips the glass behind me exploded; shattering out into the night as my body jolted back in complete freefall, smiling madly at the shock on his deformed features.

He raced towards the broken glass; too far away to halt me but just close enough to watch as gravity helplessly pulled me to the ground, “no!”

I twisted inside the gentle wind’s embrace seeing the balcony below coming up fast, dismissing my fear my hands rose hastily within the gust incinerating every last demon that rested beneath me while propelling the idiotic contemptuous attendant from Andrea’s side, watching as he wobbled disastrously upon the ledge before being tossed carelessly over the railing down into the brutal hillside. The cement rushed up to the break my fall subsequently shattering the fragile bones inside my right leg along with it. I landed haplessly with screams of true horror rolling off my tongue, the pain unforgiving, blood seeping out onto my jeans. Tears blinded me as I gazed out helplessly towards my protector wishing for once that she would awaken to my shrieks.

My body riddled with unbelievable pain, my energy depleted, my bloody hand rising out towards my sister’s inactive form, pathetically pleading, “Andrea… Andrea, please.”

I heard the movement of an army coming towards us, my eyes intent on my sisters as I tried to pitifully drag myself towards her only to halt screaming in agony as my amused captor filled the doorway. His sight barely acknowledging his minions burning around him, leaning over my tear soaked face he allowed his hands to caress my cheek, to linger along my neck, to slide over my chest before heartlessly gripping my broken leg, my tragic whimpers filling the night.

He released me, his eyes traveling the paleness of my skin, “look at you… your pain, your fright,” his fingers lingered back along my skin, “I can practically taste your fear.” He closes his eyes in enjoyment as if it lies along his tongue before he licks his lips opening his lids to hungrily gaze upon my alarmed features. “This will only make our union together all the more enjoyable…”

Trying to gather what little strength I felt lingering inside; my palm rose weakly only to be captured within his hold. Lying gently atop my shaken figure he whispered, “Now lets get rid of those pesky powers, shall we?” His fingers as if claws dug deeply into my shoulder, blood seeping out around his nails, uncaring to the shrieks his callousness caused as slowly I began to feel myself deplete, power being drained from my exhausted form. It was like being sucked dry of everything but the very fundamental elements of living, the bare basics while stripped of every ounce of energy I once possessed until completely motionless I laid before him like a banquet ready for devouring.

Tears slipped down my chin feebly aware of fingers softly stroking my cheek, his skin nauseatingly crumbling off in the process. His tongue licked away the moisture of my despondent emotions, his decrepit lips tasting my neck; biting until blood exploded upon his tongue. I could see the hunger in the eyes of his desperate followers gazing down upon us as if viewing a film rather than the utter disgrace of my destruction. Fingers caressed naked skin as my shirt was yanked higher before they traveled to the button of my jeans and then…

I froze.

All dejected thoughts ceased inside my head, all distressing emotions halted inside my hammering heart, all desperation leaving my inert body as this demon continued to ferociously ravish my broken form until suddenly I gasped beneath him as if new life reborn within me. My now forgotten palm traveled the length of his body; lovingly caressing his rotting flesh watching as shock ensued forcing him into immobility as he tried to meet my eyes. Tried to understand my sudden willing compliance. It was only as my wandering hand gripped the front of his jeans, my fingers fiercely boiling his manhood within my rigid grip that I allowed my sadistic scarlet tinted lenses to meet his own.

Blood tinted tears oozed out of such malicious orbs, shock registering upon his decaying features, “but I took your powers away,” he softly alleged.

I beamed up into such astonishment, “the thing you need to learn about Marie and I…”my hand melting through fabric only just beginning to roast skin, blood now lining my palm as my other hand dug into his shoulder reveling in his anguished bellows, “is that we haven’t fully integrated yet.”

Feeling his spiteful life-force flowing into mine, death taking hold of him swiftly I shifted him off my body while favoring my damaged right leg, my hand still draining him of his dark essence, my red eyes practically shimmering in the moonlight.

“This isn’t possible,” he whispered weakly, his eyes traveling to the inattentive demons all gazing with unemotional eyes, watching him die.

Such loyalty amongst their ranks.

“You consumed Marie’s powers, but the thing is Marie can only give you what she knows she contains. There’s a whole plethora of gifts she hasn’t come close to tapping into…. Oh but trust me, I have. And you know what,” I asked his almost emaciated form, “I think it’s high time I taught her a thing or two.”

My hand left what remained of his manhood leaning over his withered lips, feeling only the faintest of breath coming from between them before I inhaled deeply, fingers still connected to his blood, a ribbon of ebony slithering onto my tongue. His body convulsed uncontrollably beneath me in refusal but it remained ineffectual as his being grudgingly released every vestige of power into me, until replete, I withdrew from his now lifeless form lying beside me, my orbs now completely black as I gazed amongst his timid followers.

Turning, I looked down upon his shrunken body with unsympathetic eyes, “what a mess… should we clean it up, Marie?”

Joyfully responding from within me my honorable identity replied, “Definitely.”

My arm rose, skin rippling, feeling the dark essence inside me ripping at the very fabric of my muscle before black locus dripped from my fingertips devouring at my command. It viciously feasted upon what was left of the unfortunately possessed attendant until all that remained were a few useless bones and small splatters of blood. Still feeling oddly restless I allowed them to target a… livelier host, watching in depraved amusement as they consumed the surrounding army of demons. I cackled loudly amongst their cries watching as blood like a river flowing washed the pavement transforming grey into a deadly decadent cherry.

“Now that little power may just come in handy,” I murmured within their annoying pleas, their eyes strangely human when consumed by misery before without warning a thick black blast of air like an endless cloud of smoke swept over the balcony. I moved swiftly, ignoring the agony of my leg to rest in front of Andrea knowing it would be the one thing Marie would want before a voice rang out within the inescapable void.

“Cease this,” it roared as the gust consumed the screaming fiends wrapping around them in a vice like grip before the earth opened up in front of my trembling form, chucks of concrete brushing back to fit around the massive opening as the cloud swept the still bellowing creatures downwards into its hole subsequently restoring itself effortlessly, transforming back into that plain grey cement. Footsteps sounded out, gradually moving in our direction as I quickly released my control back into Marie’s capable hands.

The newfound darkness plundering inside my body compelled everything in me to cringe in pain, to wallow in misery in order to feed its unappeasable appetite but I somehow disregarded its compulsion, my excruciatingly throbbing leg now blinding me to it all. My eyes barely opening as burning bejeweled fingers gripped my chin. Red irises’ gazing deeply into my hazel lenses, obvious disappointment lining his handsome features. His dark hair remained unruffled, his black suit wrinkle free, his expensive watch shining in the dim lighting, shadows lingering along his frame. Discounting my profusely sweating form as I collapsed back against the hard pavement he rose to his impressive height emotionlessly taking in the trails of blood the minions had left behind, “as stupid as those underlings are they rarely ever disregard commands…”

Walking slowly towards the splash of blood, the small scatter of bones that remained of the attendant, this stranger replied, “but then again maybe they had other orders to follow.”

He turned back to me so swiftly that had I not been so weakened I would have ran, instead I cowered, unwisely shifting as an intensely immeasurable amount of agony raced throughout my traumatized form, my cries shrill as they bounded out into the sky.

He stoops before me, his gaze strangely gentle, “you’ve been foolishly reckless, Anna Marie.” He stared somehow absorbedly attached to my feral gaze, “how smart your other half is. To disappear knowing it was her I most desired to meet.”

Rising back to his feet, fixing his unwrinkled suit, reminding me so much of my Stepfather that it scared the hell out of me before he dismissed me completely from his sight continuing towards the entrance, impassive to my obvious pain. “There will be no more attacks on you for the time being, my dear Marie. Let’s just say your clueless guardian over there,” he responded, glaring disdainfully at Andrea’s unmoving form, “shall not be the only protection watching over you from now on.”

He strolled towards the open doorway, his expensive suit fitting him flawlessly before pausing to gaze back upon my limp form, “Oh and Anna, Rick told me to relay a message… something about being disappointed in not being able to come to you himself, and how upon your impending release he shall be seeing you soon…”

Then he too permitted shadows to envelope his willing form, disappearing into darkness as if his indifferent existence had never graced this ill-fated balcony. I collapsed onto my wounded back, my cheerless sight on the unchanged incredulity of the beautiful night sky finally letting the virtual plummet of emotion to surge from my eyes, my torturous screams rising up into the dark clouds above. This was how horridly bleak my night had distorted into, this was how I unbearably remained until my solitary shrieks transformed into a chorus of similar

sobs of misery as the fire resumed and chaos ensued as everything frozen melted back into mobility. And this was how Andrea found me; at last unfrozen, rushing to cradle me in her loving arms.

“Oh my god, Marie what happened,” Andrea exclaimed seeing the extensive amount of blood staining my clothes, the pitiless flames still shooting out from the building but the surroundings quickly faded in comparison to the pallor of my skin. “Anna, when you were with our Abuela you drunk from the eternal waterfall. You need to search from within; traces of it should still lie in your blood.”

My vision of my sister’s gorgeous face blurred, darkness like the perpetual fiend it was weaving in and out temporarily capturing my wavering view, “Andrea… the darkness … inside me… it’s ripping me apart. The pain feels… overwhelming. Its,” I coughed uncontrollably, blood squirting from my quivering lips, “too… much.”

Blue eyes full of unshed tears looked upon me, pink lips trembling even as she spoke, “Marie, you can’t allow it to win. It’s feeding off your most tragic emotions. You have to control it. Find the light inside and heal everything that is broken.”

I felt so unbearably hot, so dreadfully tired. I wondered if I just closed my eyes… if only for a second…

“Anna, Anna!” Andrea screamed, my body shuddering violently within her frantic shakes.

I felt myself withdrawing from the outside world, slipping further away from that beseeching voice, away from the distant screams, away from the piercing alarms, away from the wail of the fire trucks finally arriving, drifting into obscurity.

There was a small red light in the remote expanse surrounding my lone figure. As it came closer it seemed to glow before separating into two, it wasn’t until it stood directly in front of me, features finally clear that I recognized it as myself.

“Looking for this?” my replica questioned.

I glanced at the crystal glowing goblet in her outreached hand, gripping it before I returned her gaze, “doing this for yourself, I’m guessing?” I joked insultingly, knowing of her past selfish comments as I raised the glass to my lips.

Her curls shook out around her oddly contented face, “no, as always I’m doing it for you.”

Hazel eyes sprung ajar, my lips falling open inhaling hastily, my gaze once again taking in the nature around me feeling the liquid travel throughout my broken form. Bones popped excruciatingly back into their rightful places, cuts sealed unaided by man’s medicines, and that inexorable darkness as if suddenly starved by light’s abounding love shrunk back into the recesses of my tortured soul.

Smiling through her tears Andrea pulled me to her, fully embracing my mended figure, “Oh god, you scared the heck out of me.”

Pulling back I beamed into her ecstatic expression, dimples forming in my cheeks, “didn’t think you’d get rid of me that easily, did you?”

Clarice raced through the thick smoky doorway out onto the balcony, her white scrubs covered in soot, her normally unruffled bob standing on end, those green eyes panicked, “we need to get to the front entrance. Their doing head count and the last thing Anna needs is for the blame to be placed at her feet.”

Andrea helped me rise, my mind amazed at the ability to stand let alone walk effortlessly with my once injured leg, “Clarice, what’s the hurry no-?”

“Yes, what’s the hurry indeed?” Christopher coldly questioned, his voice causing us to spin towards the side entrance of the terrace, his eyes livid as they landed upon my blood covered appearance. “How did I not guess that this had something to do with you?”

My arms crossed under my chest, a defensive stance while facing what I perceived as a truly weak challenger, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Dr. Foster.”

He snorted humorlessly, his thinning hair blowing in the wind revealing skin while mocking his ridiculous comb over, his silent footsteps bringing him to our side, “Of course you don’t. It’d be a miracle if you did. I’m guessing the lives lost tonight, the blood soaking your clothes will go unexplained, that the cameras will cease to function, and everything that happened this evening will somehow get swept under the rug?”

I stared at him blankly, my guilt for the lives taken buried so deeply within my heart it would have taken Sigmund Freud himself to reveal it, “that may well be Glover Dale’s policy, but tonight was simply a tragedy, but other than that there’s nothing more I can say about it.”

He openly laughed, his green eyes twinkling with contempt, “patronizing to the end, I see. I’m just happy I won’t have to deal with it any longer.”

Puzzled, a brow rose over guarded golden eyes, “what does that mean?”

“Its means, my princess of darkness, that your release came through. You’ll be out of here first thing tomorrow morning… no longer the thorn in my side,” he beamed as if finally able to receive some relief. “Even with an inflamed lobby this night is about celebration. Finally I rid myself of you, and hopefully this institution can thrive once again.”

Smirking in wry amusement, my fingers pushing back my windblown curls, “if you want this place to flourish you should have let it continue to burn and just collected the insurance money.”

He glared at my obvious insult, “yeah, you would know all about conning the system, wouldn’t you? Will you even remember this conversation?”

I frowned at the apparent slur, rolling my eyes at his maturity level, “you could have gotten rid of me weeks ago for all I cared. Trust me, I won’t miss this place.”

“And it sure as hell won’t miss you. I would have gladly gotten rid of you if I could’ve but its seems my pull doesn’t reach that far. Let’s hope that sarcasm you seem to favor assists you out in the real world when Daddy won’t be there to buy your next pardon.”

I froze, my heart hammering in my chest, shock surpassing my earlier amusement.

He grinned gleeful at the fear seeping into my features, “Oh, you didn’t know? Yes, Major Stevens arranged for your discharge.” His brows furrowed in bewilderment, “Lord only knows why he’d want such corruption on the streets. He’s a more forgiving man than I could ever be… but then again who gives a fuck, your society’s problem now.”

Silence ensued after his explosive words and considering my shell shocked expression, my inability to be baited further; oddly disappointed he began to retrace his footsteps. His final words he couldn’t seem to suppress traveling back to me, carried along within the gentle breeze, “yes, enjoy your freedom while you still can Anna Marie, we all know it won’t last.”

…………………………………………………………………….

(That was a lot of work, but fun lol I have this feeling I did not edit well lol… Oh well)

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