Children Of The Dark One

C H A PT E R
CHAPTER ONE
O N E1

The empty sound of droplets falling to their pointless deaths echoed in his mind. He sat there, staring into his possibly acid-bleached hand, staring into its pigment-less whiteness. The black of his eyes flared in its reflection as the ever-burning sun lit his skin up as if it were marble. He flung his hand up, moving the silvery-black thrashed hair from his eyes.2

“I guess talking to myself is the only friend I have.” he whispered into the empty air, as if continuing a previous sentence. “Well, friend, I guess its the day.”3

He stood up from his previously crouched position, now standing straight and with some form of posture.4

“Perhaps the day to die?”5

He began to walk off, out of the ally of which he currently found himself in.6

The leaves on the ground of Oak Lane were particularly dry that day, as they crunched beneath his boot-clad feet. Fire burned in his eyes, he was ready to die for his goal. All the previous darkness that had once gripped him had left him, his mind was finally on a track that had no room for his frozen heart. Vengeance rued in him, his body almost leading himself, and then he stopped in his tracks.7

“Mike?” its feminine voice questioned, with a slight sarcastic edge to it. The figure stood there, as if trying to maintain an almost humanly existence. Cloaked, yet carrying a grocery bag. Dark, yet passing by people unnoticed. Her face was not visible to him, but he knew the name assigned to it well.8

He looked at her, her barely visible in the shadows she stood in.9

“You...” Mike started, grinding it in his teeth, “Sha'aktivay... What are you doing here?”10

“Well, lemme see about that one, Mike. Even we, HIS children, the loyal servants of darkness, must eat, am I right? And... this is free land, is it not?”11

“...” He was speechless. Even her, the mistress of darkness, had a fair point. He wandered into thought for a mere moment.12

“Even so,” he started, “Your goals contradict this world. May I suggest a duel to the death?”13

“After a year of falsifying our existence, you now wish to 'fight'? So be it, oh Cotdo of the weak, so be it, lone wolf. BUT, know now that even though you were HIS chosen, HIS heir, I am still far above you.”14

Mike kicked off the ground, ran at Sha'aktivay, jumped up, his thin body showing more energy than previously thought of him, and attempted to crush into into her skull with the edge of his fist. She merely dodged, leaving Mike with a handful of cement. It slightly cracked under his fist, but he felt the pain of it as his knuckles bled. He didn't have time to remorse over it, he quickly rearranged his hand so his palm was facing the ground, then kicked up to leg sweep the woman. Goal, she fell, tripped up over his leg, and hit the ground, her cloak still covering her face, though not as well.15

Her skin, too, was without pigmentation, but it was smoother than Mike's. Her face, from what Mike could see as he glimpsed by after the kick, was beautiful, her face defined, her nose perfectly sized, and she was obviously thin, but not to the point of anorexic.16

He kicked off the ground, easily reaching six feet into the air, and then kicked down on her. He found himself blocked. His foot had been grabbed, not by Sha'aktivay, but by a black, leathery hand, claws piercing into his boot, reaching deep enough to his skin. It was not the hand of a black man, but a hand of a demon who's skin was truly black, a darkness that, if black could, almost glowed. And that's all it was... Just a hand, reaching out of the air through a dark spot just floating there.17

Mike began to feel himself fall, and retaliated by kicking down on the hand with his free foot. No avail. He fell straight to the ground, the crazy hand still grabbing him, now pulling, attempting to tear into his foot.18

Mike's hand began to block out light, as darkness gripped it, he thrust his own darkness-covered hand into the one that was squeezing the life out of his foot. It disappeared, the demon dispelled.19

“Well, Mike, there's some fight in you after all,” Sha'aktivay taunted, now standing above him looking down. Mike was on his back, clearly open for any attack she'd wish to throw at him. She lifted her foot, preparing to bring it down on him, and as she did, Mike kicked back, landed on all fours, and then thrust his darkness enveloped hand into the ground. Tendrils of black and white grabbed at any matter around them as a dark hole formed, little flakes of whiteness where the light had been forced to compress visible. Out of the hole rose a small impish creature as the tendrils of darkness enveloped and lightly wrapped themselves around Mike, as if tasting his skin. They encircled him as she backed away.20

“Why such a small creature?” she whispered to herself, then jumped at it, grabbing it by the neck. “Mike, is this ALL you can muster? This, even for you, is pathetic, a failure!”21

She threw the black imp, and in mid-air, it exploded in a fury of red and black, and then she walked towards the easy target that was Mike.22

“Is that really all?”23

Suddenly, she felt herself being grabbed from behind. A creature fit to be a general of the dark one himself had her by the neck with just one of its huge, scaly hands. It looked like a mix between dragon and demon, parts of it covered in scales, parts of it just... black. Its face looked like any normal mans, save it was covered in scales and its eyes were just white pits.24

“You? Him? Why?” Sha'aktivay said in a fit. “Why would you serve our- -”25

The sound of a cracking neck was heard as the demon crushed her beautiful neck, then, feeling it necessary, snapping it with its other hand. The demon smiled slightly in its deed as its spiked tail came from behind him and stabbed into her spine. It flicked her to the side easily, and she fell to the ground, its tail covered in her black blood as her body fell to the floor.26

“Heh heh heh,” it laughed to itself, then looked to Mike.27

“You have done well, Trious,” Mike told it, “You may now return to your sleep, my equal.”28

Mike bowed to it, and it returned the bow, then dispelled itself as Mike smiled to himself.29

“Maybe... I do still have a few friends,” he thought, acknowledging the demon was not very talkative. “Just maybe...”30

He picked up the body of Sha'aktivay, looking around. Several pedestrians were looking at him oddly, and some were covering their eyes, but most just merely looked stunned. Her head bobbled around easily: there was clearly nothing holding it together any longer. He placed his once darkness-covered hand into the hole that Trious had created in her spine, covering his hand in blood, and then he proceeded to use it to paint a symbol on the ground. Upon completion, he placed Sha'aktivay's body in the middle of it, her head still covered by the cloak. The entire thing looked like a circle full of runes and designs, double lined and having an 'X' where he placed her body.31

“Good Night... Sha'aktivay,” he said, then as his arm was eclipsed by darkness, he drove his hand into her and to the X under her as the entire street was encompassed in darkness. When it was gone, the blood of Sha'aktivay was gone, the memories of anyone there was cleansed of the time in which their battle took place, Mike was gone, and the only reminisce of him being there was a crack in the ground where his fist had failed him. The town known as “Scritabe” was totally ignorant of what had just taken course over the past several minutes.32

The dark priest looked up. Just hours ago their leader, the only one they'd ever had, had ceased living. He looked down at the gathering below him. There were at least thirty people, at most fifty, all members of their happy little cult of darkness. Sha'aktivay had told him many times that this ceremony would be needed, but he'd doubted even she knew it would have been so soon.33

He was currently in the darkest place of Scritabe, a place covered by the reminants of what once may have been a theme park, a tourist attraction. It was a place where no sun shined, a place of gloom and dark browns, the graveyard of Cotdo.34

He looked down at them again. Some had left, false believers only members because of Sha'aktivay's presence. They would be killed, he'd known, but that didn't matter now. He rose his arms, holding in hand the book that Sha'aktivay had given him, a book possibly containing the words of Satan himself, and spoke:35

“Our unholy leader, The Great Sha'aktivay, has fallen. Her murderer is Mike, the heir of Fallacy, our traitor. Our scriptures and Sha'aktivay herself have warned of the death of our leader for some time, but none have would have predicted it so soon. Because of this, Sha'aktivay has picked several heirs to her placement, and they will be tested by her cleansed blood, to test if they are worthy, to test if they are loyal.”36

He looked over at three challises as three robed figures stood up, each wearing an upside down black cross, each with their faces covered, and each holding a knife they'd created themselves, with their own names written on each with their own blood, blood that those knives drew. They walked toward the challises, removing their hoods before each taking one, holding it in their hands while their knives hung at their sides by simple threads. There, they waited, the ritual would soon begin.37

“Each of these Challises are filled with the blood of Sha'aktivay!” the dark priest shouted, then looked to the three. “Shin, master of minds and one whom has never taken the drug of Satan, The Dark One Himself has given thee the permission to drink from the Mistress' soul. Do so now, following the great guidelines of the ritual of selection.”38

The tallest one of the three, a man in his mid-twenties, with flaming red hair spiked backwards, took his knife, which on it read 'Shin', in his right hand, bringing it to his neck, then rose the challise to his mouth, and drank from it, almost seeming to enjoy it as he finished each sip. As he finished, the spirit of the fallen one rose from him, still cloaked. She looked at Shin, evaluating him once again.39

“You, Shin, one loyal to Satan with your torn and tattered heart, are deemed worthy of taking my place. Whether this power will be yours alone or shared, I cannot promise you just yet, but you are worthy of leading with the unindulging evil of which I have led us with for years,” She said to him, then took his knife in hand. “Shall you ever betray me or Satan for any other idol or “God”, you shall die a most horrid death.”40

She shoved the knife into Shin's chest, piercing where his heart would be, but blood was not drawn. Instead, the blade merely sunk through his skin, not damaging him, as Sha'aktivay's soul was sucked back into him, and the knife was soon no longer visible.41

“Savath, merciless killer and one whom has never taken the drug of Satan, The Dark One Himself has given thee the permission to drink from the Mistress' soul. Do so now, following the great guidelines of the ritual of selection,” The dark priest said, perfectly repeating with the same tone and attitude as the first time.42

The other male looked up, bringing the knife to his neck. He quickly sucked the drink down, throwing his knife into the ground as he did. His piercing white hair and marble skin seemed to wither and tighten around him as Sha'aktivays soul appeared.43

“Savath... You are not worthy of drinking from me,” it said, “What have you been doing all these years, training to kill Satan himself? Your dreams and goals are not in Satan's interest. Die now, and forever miss the place you could have had,” her soul said.44

Savath's knife rose up from the ground as Sha'aktivay's soul was sucked into it, then it flung itself at him, landing cleanly in the center of his neck. Blood sprayed out, even covering the last of Sha'aktivay's chosen, whom gripped her knife as if with greed as Savath's body twitched and fell to the floor. It grabbed her ankle, looking up to her.45

“My... my... l...” Savath said to her, then his eyes dilated as he drew in his last breath.46

“All today have witnessed what will happen to our traitors, all today know now what you can expect if you fail to meet the expectations of Satan,” The dark priest explained, then looked at the girl standing there. Her hair, like Mike's, was black, her skin like Marble. She had the same eyes of Sha'aktivay, but darker. Her interests were terrible, her purposes were terrible, and she... was the only Cotdo of Sha'aktivay's chosen. He shivered, as she was reborn only shortly after Mike, much younger than him at the time. He was there at her recruitment, at least six years ago, and he had witnessed her first intake. What kept her from repeating Mike's betrayal? But Sha'aktivay trusted her, trusted her more than any Cotdo.47

“Kim... Child of The Dark One, He Himself has given thee the permission to drink from the Mistress' soul. Do so now, following the great guidelines of the ritual of selection,” he said, his uncertainty in his voice. He pondered how easily he had lost it, the shiver in his voice had taken over, something he was sure wouldn't happen, but it didn't matter, what was said was said.48

She looked into the cup, watching the shimmer of the blood within it with her black eyes. It was red, unlike the black blood Sha'aktivay normally had. Had the silver been removed from it? Either way,she brought the knife to her neck, and sipped from the challise, taking in its taste. It was beautiful to her as she savored the flavor. Sha'aktivay's soul rose from the ground, looking at Kim.49

“Kim, you who are unlike all of my chosen, one with more loyalty than I've ever seen, a Cotdo to the truest degree... will take my place with Shin as leader,” Sha'aktivay said, Kim's knife flowing to her hands, “but if you betray me or Satan, death shall befall you. Know this well.”50

Sha'aktivay stabbed Kim's knife into Kim's heart, the thing doing the same as it did with Shin, sucking in and then disappearing, her sucking in with it. Kim grabbed her chest, cherishing it as tears poured down her eyes. Pain engulfed her suddenly as she knelt down, grasping herself for breath. Tears of black blood flowed down her eyes as she felt the skin in her back being stretched, her spine growing out new limbs, as bones and muscle broke out, quickly covering themselves in a leathery skin. Bat like wings were forming out of her as her fingernails grew thicker, sharper, like claws, and her mouth produced fangs. She began to laugh, at last freed from the cheat that was Humanity. She could kill them now, any of them, without fear of her own genes betraying her: She was no longer a member of that chain of disgust.51

“Servants of The Dark One, look up upon our newest leaders, one of mind, one a newly born demoness,” The Dark Priest said, Kim's laughing and crying shrieks almost drowning him out. Almost, but not quite. One thing he knew, one thing that put him as a priest, was his powerful voice. “Witness her birth into Satan's inner circle, were we will all be, where we will be cherished in evil.”52

Mike walked through the door to his home, a graffitied thing full of awkward moments. He wasn't popular, but he knew it anyways. He looked into his hallway. Torn, rodent crap all over the ground, as a muscular, small, gray mouse scurried by.53

“Oh, home, I'm here!” he exclaimed, as he heard something large moving in the living room.54

“Shoes?” he thought, looking down at his own torn boot. “Damn... reminders.”55

He stepped in through his greeting hallway to find a girl there. Red eyed, and somewhat anorexic, she was sitting there on his couch, wiping her eyes. Her eyes were green, her skin unhealthy, and her hair long and unkempt, slightly curly, and brown, she looked around fourteen, Mike himself seventeen, if he remembered right. She was wearing simple jeans and a black t-shirt.56

“You are?” he questioned, not honestly caring all that much.57

“Uhm... er... Amy,” she replied.58

“...Well, I'm Mike. Don't get in my way and I won't bother you.”59

Mike began to walk off and then turned her head over to look at her again.60

“If you need to talk, though, I could listen,” he said, then continued on.61

He reached what could be called a kitchen, no perishable goods to be found, save a few fruits. He had no electricity, so therefore no fridge: How would he pay for it? But he did have a can opener, a few cans of food he stole, and crackers and ramen: Nutrition for those who don't really care.62

He pulled out a package of Nissin Brand Beef Top Ramen. He opened it as he bent down to sit on the floor, cross legged. He pulled apart the wrapping, then took the packet of seasonings, tearing off the top of it, and sprinkling it over the dried noodles. He shook the noodle block, spreading out the seasonings, then took a bite, throwing the packaging into a garbage heap by the wall. Maybe later he'd clean it up, but for now, he was satisfied.63

“Ah, does it feel good to be home,” he thought to himself, enjoying his ramen. The seasonings slightly hurt his mouth, but it tasted great to him. He almost smiled while eating it, proof of his enjoyment.64

“Hey, Mike,” Amy's voice said from behind him.65

“Yeah?” he replied.66

“Do you... live here?”67

“Yeah.”68

“Alone?”69

“Yeah.”70

“...Why?”71

He shrugged, not bothering to think about it.72

“Dunno, just do. I like my solitude.”73

“Oh... What are you eating?”74

“Ramen. You can have one if you want.”75

“Eh... No thanks.”76

She pulled up the only chair in the room, and old one that looked like it was rotting away, but could still support her weight. Mike watched her as she sat down, crunching on his ramen.77

“You should eat something, you look about to die,” he advised her.78

“No, really, I'm not hungry. Thanks, though.”79

He stood up, grabbed an apple, and then through it to her. She, unexpectedly, caught it, almost dropping it.80

“Trust me, eat it. I don't want to find a dead girl here tomorrow.”81

“...Will you kick me out if I don't?”82

“Nope.”83

“Ah...” she said, taking a bite. It was an old apple, like the ones you'd find at a third rate high school, somewhat crisp, but soft, not that fresh crisp you'd get out of a good apple. It tasted alright, though, not too bad, and after a few seconds of silence, and a few bites later, she spoke again.84

“Its late...”85

“Yeah”86

“Uh... is there anywhere I can sleep?”87

“Yeah.”88

“uhh?”89

“You can sleep in my bed. I'll sleep on the couch.”90

“Thanks.”91

Mike took the last bite of his apple, then walked back to the living room, where he'd first seen Amy. There were tear drops on the side of it, but he ignored them, then plopped down, using his arm as a pillow.92

“Hey, where's you room?” Amy said from the kitchen.93

“There should be a hallway in there. Third door on the right. Don't open the first or second doors” he replied, then drifted to sleep.94

Amy followed his instructions, finding that there were no doors on the left side of the hallway, and entered Mike's room. Surprisingly, the room wasn't as bad as the rest of the house, though it was eerily black and its window had been nailed shut. His bed was covered with a somewhat tattered blanket, but other than that, the room looked fine.95

Amy laid herself down on the bed, finding it somewhat comfortable. A pillow was no where to be found, so she also used her arm as one, falling asleep on her chest...96

C H A P T ER
CHAPTER TWO
TW O97

Chapter 2
Second Threat98

--
Homeless
-Amy S. Thera99

Too late for me to continue on
Remembering inside, my soul is gone
Hating myself for existing as am
Knowing nobody gives a damn100

Every day I walk alone
Telling myself I should have known'
But in the end there's nothing here
Nothing to see but my own fear101

And I can't control it
Can't... let them see
Can't turn around
Can't let them see
Can't feel myself
The can't see me!102

Can't stop it yet
Just let me be
Just let me be
Let me be
Please let me be103

I feel it inside
Knowing its gone
As my thoughts collide
Everything's wrong104

Just repeating my fear to my brain
Only living to fear the sane
Just a girl with no mind left to corrode
Why can't I live and find my abode
--105

Amy awoke with a stir as the images were emptied from her head. What had she been dreaming about? She couldn't remember, the entire thing had left her memory with just a blur, nothing noteworthy and nothing remembered. She sat up, using her hand to prop her up. The mattress was wet with her sweat.106

“What was I dreaming about?” she asked herself, with no recollection what so ever. She looked around for a second. Through the boarded up windows, she could see beams of light flowing through: it was morning. But what time was it? She tossed her legs to the side of the mattress and stood up, looking around. Although it wasn't as dark as last night, the room she was in was still anything but bright, with just enough light to make out some of the details the room she missed before going to bed.107

From one side of the room to the other, there was little in the room, save a slightly crooked picture frame with an nondescript, faded photo in it and a simple wooden bed stool. The entire room was painted a faded black, with slight sections scratched up and several holes where mice might have converted into their homes. As Amy considered the thought, on small, white mouse with beady red eyes poked its head out of a hole near to the rotted door, then decided now was not the time to explore, and withdrew itself.108

“Eh... heh...” Amy said, nervously. She wasn't exactly afraid of mice, but the lack of cleanliness associated with them gave her second thoughts about the residence. She then took a quick look at herself, then took a few steps and opened the exit door. Upon exiting, she looked around, the worn down paint and stains amongst the walls reminding her of where she was. She then turned to her left and walked forward, after a few steps finding the kitchen.109

“Howdy,” Mike said, kneeling over a can he was opening with a knife.110

“Oh, hey,” She nervously replied. “What's happening?”111

“Just getting ready to eat. You hungry?”112

“Kinda,” she replied, taking a seat at a nearby chair. There was no visible table in the vicinity, but several other chairs, some with torn seats, others crooked, one stained brown, as if it had been older than the other chairs or had taken quite a few spills.113

“Ah, good,” Mike replied, putting down his knife before he removed the top of the can. He tossed the metal top into the sink, then with a flick of his wrist, he opened a drawer, withdrawing a fork from it. He shoved the head of the fork into the can, then quickly walked towards Amy, handing her the can, its contents, and the plain, 'self-proclaimed' stainless steal, slightly rusted fork. The contents of the can happened to be Chili.114

“Canned-ala'-chili,” he said with a grin, then turned to begin opening another can for himself.115

“Er, thanks,” she shyly replied. She looked into the mixture of beans, meat, and whatever liquid that they used in chili, thinking to herself how she wasn't much of a fan of chili, heated or not, as she heard the “pop” of Mike opening up another can for himself, doing the same routine to draw a fork for himself.116

“Well?” he questioned, sitting down on a chair, himself, one hand on knee, the other holding can. He looked at her slightly intently, waiting a moment for reply, then replied to himself. “Well, come on, take a bite!”117

She looked into it again, starting to worry about the age of the can. “Ehh...”118

Suddenly, while she still had her mouth open saying “ehh”, Mike grabbed her fork, scooped up a small amount of the chili, and quickly inserted it into her mouth.119

“See? It aint to bad,” he proclaimed, smiling to himself as Amy began to cough it up, the fork hitting the ground and bouncing a few times. After taking a bite of his own, he replied. “Hey, y'all right?”120

She coughed a few more times, the small mouthful of chili now on the ground, but the can of it still in her hand.121

“Hey...” she heard.122

“What the hell?!” Amy shouted after recovering her posture. “What'd you do that for?”123

“Ehh... you seemed to need a bit of... what's the word...” Mike pondered aloud.124

“Screw you, too!” she replied, as she stood up.125

“Hey, hey! I'm sorry. I just thought...”126

“Thought what?”127

“Tha-”128

“You know what, screw it, I don't wanna know.”129

She then stormed off back into the black room, closing the door behind her as several large, corroded chips of wood fell off of it. Mike stared at the direction she took off for a moment before replying to himself, “Eh... she could have at least left the food...”130

He then took a rather large bite of his own chili, closing his eyes and smiling as he did, making a silent 'mmmMmmm” sound.131

“What a jerk!” Amy thought to herself, sitting on Mike's bed. She had set the chili can on the bedrest, and had no current plans to sample it.132

“Eh...” she said silently, feeling the slight spice of cinnamon on her tongue. “That... actually wasn't too bad.”133

She glared at the can, regretting not grabbing another eating utencil before recklessly storming away. She then reached for it, grabbing it firmly in her hand, then brought the can to her face, and took a small lick of it.134

“You haven't eaten anything like this in days,” her mind suddenly told her, “Come on! I'm HUNGRY! FEED ME!”135

She stared at the can a small time longer, then stuck two of her fingers into the mixture, scooping the chili to her mouth. She then put the fingers into her mouth, sucking the chili off of them. She then quickly chewed and swallowed the pre-cooked bean and meat mix, bringing now three fingers full, then four, then more, more, more... ...136

She went for one more handful, trying to grab the last bits of chili from the bottom of the can as a tear ran down her eye.137

“Is this... really the best meal I've had since then?” she questioned, chewing on the remaining chili, licking her thin fingers clean. It wasn't spicy chili, but it slightly spiced her tongue. She then dropped the can onto the floor and then curled up on the bed, drawing the tattered clother blanket over her simply clothed body, then silently sung a song to herself.138

Next dream will be so much better than the first
At least mother says it can't be any worse
Holding onto a vague feeling so clean
Remembering how once I was treated so mean139

Yet one day maybe I will be treated well
Wouldn't that be something so swell?
Mother whom I love very much
I wish again to feel your touch140

But until that day
I will fade away
Crying tears of joy, forever141

“Hey, you alright in there?” Mike's voice rung clearly through the rotted door. “Would it be O.K. if I came in?”142

Amy sat up, replying, “YeAh”, her voice echoing her holding back of tears as she wiped her face. Just as she finished wiping her hand across her face, the door creaked open. There stood Mike, perfectly posed in the dark atmosphere, small, thin clouds of dust embodying his face as small beams from the morning sun strung themselves past the boarded up door, highlighting his face and body, revealing his dark eyes and slightly tightened face. He took a few steps forward as the light faded the illusion away.143

“I'm... sorry,” he said, nervousness in his body as his hands became jittery, “I wasn't thinking, I guess. I just... thought you'd enjoy the taste as... as much as I do.”144

Mike wasn't sure exactly when, but his conscious had kicked in, and his lack of social experience found him with nothing else to say at that point. He waited, hoping for a reply that wouldn't involve him getting smacked in the face. What felt like an eternity of awkwardness later, he heard her.145

“It... tasted great,” she said, staring into the corner of the room, hoping Mike wouldn't see her reddened eyes. She knew it, she was too emotionally unstable, but...146

“I'm... glad,” Mike said, interrupting her thinking, “Err, glad that you liked it, that is.”147

Amy looked shifted her eyes from a blank corner of the room, to Mike's eyes. “Thank's for worrying.”148

Mike let a smile crack on his face, “Its good for people to watch out for each other.”149

“You... don't really strike me as the type to say that.”150

“I don't strike myself as the type to say that, either,” Mike said with a grin, “But I guess I'm discriminative? In any case, I'--”151

A rumbling sound echoed through the house, then – BAM, CRASH – the house rumbled.152

“Mike-y! Oh MIKEY!” a young girl shouted from outside, “I want to intro myself!”153

BOOM! Wind echoed as the boarded up window – and the wall with it – exploded before them. Sun glared into the previously darkened room, blinding both Mike and Amy in the flurry of woodchips and dust. The outline of the interrupter slowly began to solidify, then take form, as she stood there. Wings spread like loose skin on bone, tail wrapped around her thin, frail looking leg, body small, shadow branching torward them, she looked down upon them.154

“My, my?” the intruder proclaimed, “Who's this, Mike? A friend? Perhaps a lover? You pedophiliac bastard”155

After finishing, the intruder rose both hands to her face and kissed them as she flung them to her side, making a pose. “How BEAUTIFUL!”156

She entered the entrance she had made for herself, walking up to Amy, and looking at her. The girl was interesting, wearing a poofy, dark red and black hat, and a similarly colored black jumpsuit with black boots.157

“So... whom are you?” She asked, then waited a moment.158

“You are?” Mike said from behind her.159

“Terrible, terrible,” the unnamed girl said, turning to Mike, then stepping up to him, stopping barely a foot in front of him, and then looking up at him. “You... whom killed her... SHUT UP!!”160

As she yelled, Mike flew back, being forced into wall, all the while hearing an awkward whistling sound that sounded like nails on a chalkboard in the form of a musical. Painfully pleasant, but now he felt he weighed a ton. He tried to get back his posture, but couldn't even find the strength to stand.161

“Now... you,” she said, turning back to Amy. “Who are you?”162

Amy was silent, thoughts running through her mind of what the hell just happened, what a puffy-hat wearing winged girl who looked barely older than herself was doing blowing through walls with what seemed to not explosives related.163

“Heh... heh... answer me... I... I don't... don't like not getting... the answers I ask for...” the unnamed girl began, “STOP MOCKING ME!! TELL ME WHO THE HELL YOU ARE!”164

“I...” Amy began.165

“You?”166

“I'm... just a visitor?”167

“Oh? Name?”168

“Amy...”169

“Nice to meet you, Amy. I am Kim,” Kim said, extending her hand, which was clothed in a black thin-cloth glove. Amy reached out to shake it, to find her hand locked in Kim's.170

“I like you,” Kim said, turning to Mike's disabled body, “You won't mind if I borrow her, do you, Mike?”171

“You... Y...you bit--”172

“Oh, its fine,” Kim interrupted. “Thanks, Mike. I'll be keeping her in late”173

Kim then backhanded Amy in the forehead, cleanly and effectively knocking her out.174

“Say bye, bye to Mikey,” Kim stated, waving Amy's lifeless hand. “Bye bye, Mickey!”175

She then side jumped out of the entryway she created, taking flight on wings that shouldn't have the muscle to be efficient enough to carry two.176

“Bi...t...” Mike tried to say, before he blacked out.177

C H 3 A P T ER
CHAPTER THREE
TH3 REE178

Chapter 3
Living Dead Girl
--
Woken
Mike W. Schala179

Many days before the dark ones came
I can remember we were all the same
Human in our own little home
Of only at the time I'd known180

Cause when they came they took our lives
Killing our parents, handing us knives
They stole upon the the souls that were ours
Feeding off our painful scars181

And when I killed him, only I remained
Blood flowing down my clothing so stained
And as I sat there, I grew insane
Consciousness seeding in my brain182

And one day I finally grew to wake
And what I knew I could not take
As I awoke I saw where I stood
I saw my life, it was not good.
--183

Mike opened his eyes, slowly as he was blinded by the light.184

“Where... am I?” he thought to himself for a second, then forced his eyes open upon coming to the realization of what had happened. He quickly forced himself up, his back still stinging from the impact.185

“That girl...” he whispered to himself. “...Why would they take her?”186

He took a few steps forward, considering what he should do.187

“I'll be keeping her in late”188

“Damnit!” he shouted, punching in the wall he'd been driven into, “I... I've got to get her back...”189

He stepped forward, still, covering his eyes as he moved into the UV-rich sunlight.190

“Whys it gotta be so damn bright?!” he said, then he lowered his arm from his eyes, “Get used to it. See, not so bad, right, friend? No pain at all. Now... to get... where?”191

He looked around for a moment, noticing the rubble that was once part of his residence. Most of the hallway, kitchen, and everything behind those areas seemed intact, but his room, the room Amy had slept in, and the living room were in ruin.192

“Shit!” he aloud, “Come on, what the hell?”193

“...I don't have time for this...”194

He was in the same pair of clothes he'd worn the day before, standing out in the plain daylight. Against the light brown dirt and yellowish dead grass, he looked out of place, his dark, monochrome clothing standing out with a contrast of a stain on white sheets.195

He took a few steps forward, still covering his eyes.196

“We should go there, shouldn't we? Yes... but... I doubt they're still there. I know what you mean but... we can try, right? Yes... yes we can.”197

Mike started walking, swiftly and with intent. As he walked, he stared forward, passing a few nondescripts as his black overcoat swayed in his speed. Some gave him the ice cold look he was used to, a look of disregard, the look of considering one to be inequivalent, inferior, useless, as if a stain on society. That look, Mike hated it, but he continued on, automatically shoving thoughts of anger to the back of his head. He was too worried to care, anyways. Though he hadn't known her long, that “Amy” girl had been one of the few people not to give him... that look.198

“Please still be there, please be there,” the thought echoed in his mind as he continued on. He was sure they'd have relocated on, but he continued for what seemed to him to be hours, and then stopped. Just in front of him was a gate under a rusted, slightly detached, iron sign that simply read “Scritabe Cemetery”, in surrounded in poor calligraphic designs and some wannabe Celtic handwriting. Behind the gate were many graves and their headstones, some magnificent, some generic, some tilted, some without titles.199

Mike took a deep breath, and with a loud 'creak', opened the gate. He took a few steps forward, hard dirt beneath his boots, then stood there for a moment, staring forward.200

“I'm... back,” he said aloud, his arms hanging limply at his side, as his glare drifted towards the sky. “Why does it feel like... I've been missed?”201

“Because you have,” a voice said behind him. Mike swung around to meet whom was there, only to find nothing.202

“Heh heh heh heh,” the voice laughed, “They're not here anymore, Mike.”203

Mike swung around again. Nothing, again.204

“Who's not here anymore?” Mike questioned the voice.205

“Your old friends, silly,” the voice responded, as if from all around, fading in and out as it spoke.206

“How--” Mike began, being interrupted as something slightly transparent brown fibers appeared in front of his face.207

“You don't remember me?” the voice said, in his left ear. He turned to meet it, and was met with a slightly transparent face and arm. He turned to his right side, finding an arm. Something was... hugging him. He didn't feel it, but he saw it.208

“I... missed you so much,” the voice said, as the lips on the transparent face moved. It was a girl, about his age, a familiar girl. “Years... and years ago... they... I dunno why, but... look... at what they've done to me.”209

Mike stepped back in surprise, the girl's arms passing through him as he did, still hugging the air, as if unaffected. She withdrew her position, standing there with her hands to her eyes.210

“I... can't even feel you anymore,” she said, ghastly transparent tears flowing down her smooth face. She was but maybe an inch shorter than Mike and as thin as Amy. She was wearing a sleeveless overcoat, which hung just below her knees. Slightly transparent black spandex stretched to her wrists, and under her coat, a tight black tank top that reached down to her lengthened black shorts and studded belt, which it was tucked under. Her slightly transparent black stockings then reached down to her black boots, which where only about six inches below her shorts.211

Mike stood there, silent.212

“Please... tell me you remember me...” she pleaded, hopefully, tears still flowing down her eyes, her transparent pale face washed away with sadness. Mike was silent, as if in thought. It was as if his voice had been stolen, and with it, all the sounds of the world except her crying muted.213

Mike took a step forward, and tried to return her embrace. Even though he couldn't feel her, even though she passed through him as he tried, he positioned himself to match every curvature of her non-physical body.214

“Shh...” he whispered, finally breaking the silence, “I remember you, Ruki... I... remember.”215

Her crying became louder, its tone changed as she tried with no avail to stop the tears.216

“You... hated me,” Mike admitted, looking into her eyes, through their non-existence, yet still into them.217

“No...” she refuted, “I... hated what you... the demon... they allowed you to...”218

“Shhh...” Mike shushed her, “Its alright now...”219

“No... No its not,” She said, voice now clear of sadness, she backed away from Mike, fazing through his embracing arms. “Look at me! Look at yourself! We're... freaks in our own continuation! Demons walking alive!”220

She was was storming around now, looking at her hands as she paced around the graveyard as a genius in revelation.221

“Look at what they've done to me!” she shouted, throwing her hands at Mike to look at them. “I'm a ghost, perhaps the only one around! And... You... Cotdo, THE One, they said! Look how good that got them when you stabbed him in his heart.”222

“Ruki...”223

“No, Mike! NO! ...I'm tired of being.”224

Mike was silent, as he stared at the ground, then without looking up...225

“I'm... sorry, Ruki. I wish I could stay here longer... but they've taken something that I must get back, so please, if you know where they are--”226

“What did they take?” Ruki asked. Mike looked up to begin telling her, to find she was standing but three feet in front of him, peering at him with intensively curious eyes.227

“They took someone... whom I barely knew. She was --”228

“She?” Ruki interrupted with a grin. “Tell me more.”229

“She was... someone whom seemed in need,” he answered, “I don't know much about her, but. . . she was taken right out of my home. I feel...”230

“Yeah, yeah. You feel its your need to go save your 'damsel in distress'. You won't last long on your own, you know.”231

“...That won't--”232

“Yeah, I know. 'That won't stop me from trying',” she said, poorly faking his voice, “But it wouldn't hurt to have... an ally, now would it?”233

“Hmm?”234

“Shortly before my 'death', two others betrayed them,” she replied, holding her hand up in a peace sign, “Twins. Odd, twisted little suckers, but more on your side than theirs none the less. They... took up an interesting little hide-out, actually. Unlike you, stupidly returning to your 'home', they took up residence inside the town monument! The Clock Tower! A place a lot easier to defend than a house, for certain. Try to get them to join your, and maybe you guys can end this game before it truly begins.”235

Mike stood tall, then replied, “Thanks Ruki... I'll never forget you.”236

Then he turned, making his leave.237

“Bye Mike!”238

He continued, a few more steps, then paused.239

“Ruki... where have they gone.”240

“Only God knows.”241

4C H AP 4T E R4
CHAPTER FOUR 4.4.
F 444 O U R242

--
So Much Time
--Amy S. Thera243

So much time
To be anywhere
To act like I care
To act like this life has a meaning
To think that for once I could be something good
But that just won't work244

Trying to think of my self as much more
Trying to kill what makes my mind sore
But its not working out like I thought
Nor does it matter, like it ought
So as I sit here in my own little torture
I can't help but wonder when I'll feel better245


So until that day comes I'll keep running away
And maybe I'll find that I'm happy some day
--246

Mike took his next step, looking up as he did. There it was, his destination: The Clock Tower.247

“So this is my destination?” He sighed, with question in his eyes. It was a stupid place to him, with its so-called 'beautiful' architecture, perhaps of Victorian descent. Would they be here? If so, would they oblige to help him? He wasn't sure, he thought he didn't care, but his mind bothered him with these questions.248

He took another step forward as the big, perhaps copper minute hand moved closer to the fifth roman numeral.249

“7:24,” he noted, “Its... getting dark.”250

And dark it was. Though there was no snow or ice, it was winter, a word Mike himself had concluded he didn't remember after trying for a moment to remember it and only coming up with “White”. White it was not, but it was getting cold. And noting he didn't remember the word, “Winter,” he took several more hard, fast steps, and pushed open the polished, wooden door of the tower.251

Inside the tower was vast, like a chapel, or wide cave opening, but baring more resemblance to a combination of the two, smelling of moisture and mold. While the clock was indeed still functional, for whatever reasons, the inside had been abandoned for at least a year, with no upkeep at all. Staring at the ground, Mike didn't wonder why. The carpet, a long, thready variety, was splotched all with brownish colors as much as there was text on a newspaper, degrading its otherwise blue-ish color. The walls had similar running-stains on them.252

“Blood...” Mike assumed, continuing forward. He didn't have time to make view the ugly, though somewhat interesting to him, assumed murder scene. Each step forward he took, he pondered upon the idea of what might have once been blood being reddened again by his own. And then he heard a crunching sound beneath his boot, of what was probably a bone.253

He ignored it, making his way to a long stairway with wooden supports and handles, and what appeared to be extra-steep steps.254

And then he heard a sound. It was a somewhat saddening sound, like of a child softly crying, and Mike assumed, yet again, that that's what it might have been. He rushed up the stairs like an idiot chasing a thief, and actually hoping to catch him, as the tearful sound stopped and was replaced with the sound of creaky, old wood being stepped on.255

The sound pit-padded itself in a direction opposite of Mike's. At that point, Mike continued his dash, from thief-hunter to assassin as he felt the musky air pass through the threads his hair. Trying to separate the distant pit-pat footsteps from his dash, he headed towards it, stopping as he passed through a corridor he let his mind ignored. He felt as if operating on pure instinct as he stopped suddenly.256

“You...” a lone preteen, dressed in pitch black denim clothing with flaming red hair, leaning against the rotted wall before Mike, with his arms crossed muttered, “Want to take me as well?”257

“Hmm?” Mike retorted, unsuspecting of such a 'greeting', “Take?”258

“First her, now me...?” the person probed, taking stance. “Well, ready yourself, then, pawn.”259

Suddenly, the young man lashed out with a blade the color of night in his right, and the speed of a punk rapper on acid, landing the blade right into Mike's shirt, tearing it as he Mike dodged.260

Before Mike could consider retaliating, the boy had the palm of his hand over Mikes face, as Mike saw through a crack in the kid's grip the blade of that sword. Mike twisted his body around suddenly, dodging the sharp edge as it passed his abdominal area.261

“Holy Shi--,” he though, interrupting his thought process to retaliate with a sharp knee-thrust into the guy's hand, which was still gripping the blade a few feet from Mike. The blade swung out from the boy's hand, flinging itself into the air as if a juggler had thrown it. Mike grabbed up, himself being a few inches taller than his opponent, grabbing the blade with his left, only to meet an elbow to his abdominal, a sleight of movement to his hand, and the loss of weapon strung together with the slickness of silk. He fell to his knees, winded, meeting a blade at his neck level.262

“Where is she?!” his attacker shouted, with an meat of anger and sadness wrapped in a taco shell of rage.263

“Wh-oo?” Mike wheezed out.264

“You damned well know who, bitch. My sister!”265

Mike was silent as a bunny whom had escaped a chaser – he honestly had no clue what the kid was shouting on about.266

“Answer me, Cotdo!”267

He brought the blade closer to Mike's neck, touching it as it tore a slight scratch into Mike's neck.268

“I haven't a clue who your sister is, let alone yourself,” Mike made known, rebutting his attacker's defense, and after a moment of silence and a few drops of blood, continued with his newest realization. “And what do you know about Cotdo?”269

“Hah!” he laughed, “Can you not feel his blood in me, fellow Child. Your act is good, but I am not fooled!”270

He raised the blade above his shoulders, and as he came down to cut down Mike, was met with a retaliatory counter to his neck.271

“Hwaaaww--” he croaked, breathing in on his tightened airway as Mike stood in front of him, taking a few steps back as he thrust his hand into the ground. As Mike did this, a deafening darkness appeared around his hand, encompassing it as it formed a path towards the unnamed youth. Upon reaching the boys feet, the ground seemed to tear as solid black tendrils emerged from the ground, bonding themselves to the boy with knots and ties.272

“Kill me now, you pathetic excuse of a Cotdo!” The youth shouted, rage building up as his face went red.273

“I'm not your enemy,” Mike calmly explained. “I was actually looking for someone here... suppose you know them?”274

“Like I'd help you,” he hissed in rebellion.275

Mike deeply breathed in, sighing as he let out the air in his lungs.276

“Look, I don't really think you're this naive, but I aint working under 'them',” Mike calmly explained, “I'm just looking for a couple o' twins. Do you know or are you one of them?”277

“...What do you want from us?” the imprisoned kid questioned.278

“I need some allies, honestly,” Mike admitted.279

“For?”280

Mike grinned for a moment, then answered, “To defeat them, obviously.”281

In his bondage, the youth's new-found grin stretched from ear to ear. “If it means I can kill the mother fuckers who barged in here and stole my second self away, I'm in.”282

“Good,” Mike celebrated, placing palm in palm as the tendrils entangling his new-found ally weakened and absorbed themselves back into whence they came.283

“Very,” Mike's partner agreed, as he adjusted to being freed.284

“So, you got a name?”285

“Samuel.”286

“And your sister?”287

Samuel was silent for a moment, then spoke up. “Its her business to tell you. ...What about your name?”288

“Mike. MikeSchala.”289

“Ah... so you're Mike.”290

“Yeah, what about it?”291

“You're the heir, eh?”292

“...I might have once been.”293

“Heh heh, yeah, and I was once a Cotdo. You are or your aren't, there's no might. You gonna be a bitch about it, though... well, your problem, man. Reality bit you in the ass and you don't know how to handle it.”294

“...Yeah, whatever.”295

“Oh, man... hahahahah.”296

“...Lets just get outta here.”297

“Man, you're in a hurry... but I don't think you're ready.”298

“Huh?”299

“Your use of abilities, great play, great as all hell, but... man, at melee range, you fuckin' suck. You couldn't use a blade effectively if you're life depended on it.”300

“...I didn't even get a chance to swing.”301

“You were too slow, too clunky. It was too easy not to let you swing.”302

“...”303

“Heh, lemme give you a hand at least, 'k?”304

“...And what about your abilities?”305

“Heh... heh... man, you got me good. You got me damned good.”306

“Alright, then. I'll let you help me out with close combat, and you'll let me get your technique side up. Good?”307

“Great!”