- Evil is everywhere but at least I can be somewhere. -
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Unease was welling up inside the pit of her stomach. Threatening to spew out from the depths of her throat. The steps behind her, trying hard to copy her own, masking itself as another part of her stamp but failing to perfectly fit her timing. It was loud, clammering inbetween the walls of her mind. So close yet far enough for her to question its legitimacy.
Maybe she was just being paranoid. If not for the lack of lighting maybe she wouldn't be reaching so far. Some people walk the streets at night, just like her right now. And it could just be another person walking her way by coincidence.
It could also be a fellow women. But her mind kept jumping to a total stranger who had brushed past her earlier. His unseeable face under the night sky and the rugginess of his body covered by a single vest. His mass outweighing hers by an undeniable amount. She couldn't help but think of him, the encounter was anything but fleeting. How he tilt his head as he walked by to look at hers, seen from the edge of her sight, and the subtle pause in his step after.
She didn't dare to look back then and didn't dare to look back now. It may be nothing but if it was something...
Something evil.
Then looking at it could only make it worse. Or it could give relief, just one glance would dispel the fear inside but she pushed the idea away. It was a gamble she wasn't willing to take. If she just made it home then there wouldn't be anything more to worry about. So she kept at her steps, so much infact her movements felt stiff. Like manually commanding her legs to lift and place.
Her walk disturbed by the restlessness of her mental fortitude. Keeping focus to steady her pace, if she could pretend she didn't know then maybe the follower would tire and give up.
The heavy placing of her shoe, the shaking in her breathe, she had already quickened her pace, just enough to not arouse suspicious. Maybe. Moving her legs was taking up most her thinking process, everything else she would rather not think about.
Her day out with friends, volunteering at an event, serving and preparing food for some spending money. Her first steps to become independent from her parents had unthinkably turned for the worse. The community event lasted longer than she thought. Having to clean up at the end without her, or her friends knowing they had the responsibility to do so. Sky turning from amber to red and to the dark that brew her fear. And it's only getting darker.
Luckily, the walk there didn't feel long, so to get home should be just as quick, if not quicker if she put in more effort. But she'll keep the same pace to not make things worse, hopefully.
Infact, she couldn't hear the mimicking anymore, not one out of sync step. So he must be gone, taking a turn somewhere or had reached his destination. So, she had no reason to make up bad conclusions. But she still couldn't break away from the churning fright in her stomach. He's still there, she knows it. Still following behind in the dark. Perfectly matching her stride after close study or simply lagging further behind.
No matter the case, she's scared. Only one loud noise away from screaming.
Actively keeping pace, hands tucked into her armpits keeping them warm in the cold and wiping off the forming sweat that chilled them further. Fingers wet and squirming, tugging at her coat tighter around her body as she peered ahead with wide eyes, head slightly lowered keeping her small. Her entire back felt like lowering, to hunch over and curl up to protect herself but she knew doing so wouldn't help her in the slightest.
She needed to be big, seem confident, unworried to deter protential predators but that would be pretending to be something she currently wasn't.
Drawing in air, drying her mouth with every inhale of the chills. The situation has left her mouth agape. Her saliva evaporating with each rough breathe and every swallow feeling like she downed a moistureless cookie, scrapping at her throat. Lumping together and ready to be hurled out.
The area didn't feel so eerie this afternoon, when she was walking with her friends giggling and shouting without a care in the world due to how empty the place was. The silence then felt safe but now, the unfamiliarity of the surroundings was wearing down at her. The desolate buildings, the daunting silence screamed danger like alarm bells in her head. Desperately hoping to see another women in the solitude of one's steps. Two's steps.
But remembering how deserted the area was, it was wishful thinking. No one was out here with her. No one would be there for her and it made her heart pound. Her fingers tightened around her coat, eyes stretched awake glaring infront of her, draining every possible piece of light from the constraining black. Sweating felt like needles at her skin, keeping her receptive and prepared to jump at any given moment.
How much she regretted retaking the path? She wouldn't be able to describe it. The thought seemed so much better than the reality that it was, getting home quick and finally having a bite was too apealling that it had blinded her to the risks of the dark and just how stupid she had been to take a path at the edge of the citie's most infamous region alone at night. And it might have led her to the grave. Many forlorn thoughts stuffed her mind.
... It wasn't very soothing.
Even though her pace quickened, the path stretched on and unendingly, like it was denying her exit. Moments felt long and what was a simple walk home had twisted to a dangerous journey. Desperation was clinging onto her, climbing higher and higher while the growing loneliness squeezed her lungs. Fear wiggled in her stomach.
The stomp of her shoe, amplified by the quiet filled her current world. It was drowning her, smothering her like she was nothing. As her breathe trembled, as sweat trickled down her forehead, a little bit of hope shone at the end of the path.
It was a four way, and she only needed to turn right. It would be quick and easy since she was already hugging close to the turning wall anyways. One pivot of the feet and she was away. It was unlikely for someone to also take this turn so when she does. Its sweet home from there on out. So near she tasted salvation. And when fear took her by the hands.
So she hastened her walk, one longer stride after the other. One fast step over the other, beginning to almost jog, reaching the turn in a few more pushes as she took in larger volumes of breathe, and that's when the steps became audible. No longer masking itself; making its way over. Powerful. Booming. Louder than it could possible be and she took the turn, nearly slipping and sealing her ghastly fate. Her body producing sweat like waterworks.
Hands out, holding onto the wall edge as she turned, anything to help her move quicker. Then she shifted, balancing her weight and thrusted forward, arms swinging high whilst her legs struck the ground sending lightning through to her hips.
Mouth fully open sucking in air, body shocked with survival sprinting at her best. But it was gaining, thumping closer towards her the further she ran. So close, heart-splitteringly close. It was undeniable, it's over. There wasn't anything she could do.
"HELP!!"
"HELP! PLEASEE!!!"
Through erratic pants, churning her vocal cords for someone. Anyone, please...
"HEl~~"
She was yanked by the coat, pulled so hard her voice stopped at its tracks and she landed in the cluches of another. A clothe quickly covering her mouth and an arm spread across her stomach, gripping her side.
She fought, writhing and struggling hard to fight back. Trying despairingly to pry open his grip on her. Elbowing as hard as she could and attempting to get better hold on the ground but he was dragging so hard, her feet kept slidding on the dry dirt. Like a lamb against a greedy wolf. He's overpowering and she's too weak.
She could feel it from what her back touched, a wall compared to her. She was on the smaller side in general and with his size, doomed.
A shoe slipped off as she tried gaining traction. Leaving a thin sock to graze the stoney ground. Ripping when she struck the floor with edges of small rocks scratching at her bare feet
There's nothing, nothing at all she could possible do. Powerless and weak as he dragged her away. Desperately fighting, wiggling, squirming. Fight, fight, fight, but what is it if not wasting energy.
She could hardly breath, his hand cupped tight around her face. Seeing the weak light from nearby street lamps go out like embers as she sank further inside an alley. She tried biting, but she was held so firmly with the back of her head against his chest, her mouth was disallowed from opening. No sound, no more call for attention.
Leaving nauseating panic to swell and blister. Hyperventilating through her nose reusing the same hot air.
Sinking deeper and deeper into the maze of hidden pathways. The night seemed to reach its darkest peak, stars dying in the dimmishing land above as her eyes clouded with a layer of fresh tears. Jerked and thrown around, her body heated from pointless movements. Not a single dent on the vice clamping down on her.
Although she agonisingly knew it was hopeless, she continued chipping away because there was no greater comfort. To give up is to let a piece of her die and that thought was crumbling. It plunged her to the deepest ends of sea.
Tears falling onto his fingers, warm and full of bountiful vulnerabillity, vigorous with nakedness. Feeling it right, he was ready to force her down. Entwined with the coverings of brick walls, far enough it was a guaranteed - No interruption.
Both hands straining to pry the grip off her face. Legs unwilling to stop flailing. Desperately wishing for someone, or anything to help her. Repeating for assistance unendingly in her head, again and again and again and again pass the fear that convulsed her brain. And in the pleading, she felt an opportunity. Like gas igniting, like a beautiful glow. A slither of hope surged through her to give her escape and safety.
His hold lessened and she seized the chance with exhilaration. Gathering all her might, she squeezed her back and pushed off with her entire arms as she struck down with her feet, positioned to bolt once she boosted herself forward. And out she would be forever, towards relief and the comfort of her parents as she sobbed into their cloths until they became a snot filled mess.
But before the relief could even solidify. With just the arm across her stomach he turned his torso and she flew. Downwards towards the dirt.
Crashing onto the dirty floor surrounded by throwaway garbage and a scent of drifting coal. Falling on her side, luckily covering her head from smacking the ground but still disjointed from the harsh jolt, took a moment to gather her thoughts and the only though she needed is to run.
So she engaged every muscle in her small body to prop up and run out the devil's lair. And as she was about lift her chest off the ground, a force slammed her to the floor once more. He was crouched ontop of her.
Screaming and attempting to lift him off, an impossible task but what else was there to do. Desperate to crawl away until he flipped her over. Sitting over her hips. Beating him with her flailing legs but with her restrained movement, it was worse than throwing a pillow at his body. Desperately pushing with her arms on his chin and shoulder but he wouldn't budge. Arms buckling whenever he moved.
Through tearfilled eyes, half shut and unable to focus though the pungent panic. The world disappeared one small bit at a time, vanishing from her touch as it steamed up with fog and the cries from her quivering mouth.
And in restless cries and wet on her face, she was forced to plead. Inbetween the snivels.
"plwase, Pllease~."
A hand was choking on her neck. Making it harder for her to beg but before she pleaded again, she was punched. Straight at her eye knocking her head sideways and causing a shriek of pain as her face ached. Bouncing back, another punch was thrown and this time, blood shed on her pale skin.
Disoriented, she hurriedly blocked her face with both her weak arms as her cuffs moistened with salt. Sobbing and mixed with uncontainable fear, her cries dampened as hurt thumped on her cheek.
Covering her face, he let go off her neck and mingled his fingers to lock both her arms, pressing her head on the dirt.
Without resistance, she kept her arms in place, scared of getting punched again. She could feel her flesh squish around her bones. There was no breaking the lock so she didnt attempt.
Her head digging into the ground, sandwiched by her own wrists. The squeeze of her head as it scrapped the ground, it hurt but it couldn't compare to the powerlessness she felt. Restained with nowhere to go. No light in sight as shes roughly handled.
Her screams, shouting cries, all left leaving only the frail sobbing to echo the forsaken walls.
Done with his show of power. With his free hand, he sank them underneath her cloths. The sweet heat instantly caressed his hand as his hand slid on her bare stomach to her ribs, pulling up her clothes.
This time, she freaked like never before. Wailing around, no longer letting herself be easily subdued. Shouting and screaming, trying to free her hands and toss him off.
"No no no! Please, NO!, Get offf me!!"
Trying over and over but his hold was too tight and his body too heavy. Leaving her exhaused as her body tightened and shuddered against the cold.
It was over, the pain that throbbed at her face and the agony her soul was dragged through. Suffocating as she lay on the hard mud. Nothing else but the pitch black and the ice feeling her body. Wishing death.
Death would've been better. Her voice, it was nothing. Her will, it didn't exist. Desolation cut deep while she sobbed. Tears rolling onto the dry ground while the enclosing expanse of a grimy alleyway clogged her throat.
Hopeless. It was going to happen. She could hear the shifting of cloths, drowning her heart into congealed misery, suffocating. Stabbing her like a stake and hammer to the lungs. The coldness. The helplessness. It was too much to bear.
But there was something else, something she couldn't hear nor see. The seperation of wind as it splits under a lightless sky. The low pound on rooftops from a dark distance away. Quick and quiet, yet heavy and howling, carrying with it a serried intent of intangible incursion. Moving swiftly from abandoned building to building like flowing water, like a damning typhoon uncompromising and wilful.
Once set, it would be inevitable. And before her bawling eyes. Falling. Like a comet from the streching of -reigniting- luminating stars above. Tearing through the air, through the world as if a blade parting the shadowy atmosphere. Landing with a startling thump of thunder. Her breathe involuntarily held itself, dazed from the trivial vibrations of shuttering earth. Tears and heat frozen on her young skin. Time slowed before accelerating like never before.
Maybe if the land was weaker it would've cracked into a divot, and if the air was any thinner, it would've hastily left. Leaving a vacuum in its escape.
Visage hidden behind a molded sheet of metal. Hair matching a starless night. Loose clothing covering from neck to ankle with weightless armour tightly fastened onto the shins and forearms. Vambrace and greave lusterless in the death of light.
But need not luster when faced with the undismissable vile.
As her short gasp ended, instantly from landing, like a blur to her eyes the being shot forth. Ground compressing from the surge of great strength. Sounds of a wailing gust heard by her and the evil ontop of her.
Before he could even process, slow to react to the sudden change. As he turned, a sheet of metal near his face and then, something dug into his body. Impaling through his tender flesh and cracking his tough ribs. The impact quaked outwards rupturing his innards, companied with the cries of a dying prey. He was ripped away.
Shrieking as he was launched to the floor. Blood seeping out the unreversible wound, pooling onto the unfeeling dirt.
A hand quickly covering his mouth, pressing down and sqeezing with such power his jaw felt like it was on the brink of shattering. Powerless. The pain crippled his body from moving but he had fight. Or he would die.
Forced to the ground, ready to pounce even though the pain shackled him down. He had to move. But his body was unresponsive, paralysed from grievous misery.
Then, the wound on his side, twisted and stretched. His broken ribs shifted inside his softened chest and his warm blood gushed out as the opening widened. The blade turned and then it sliced. Lacerating from the side, down to the stomach and then across to the other side. Cutting past his intestines and opening his belly like a gutted fish. The odour vapidly integrating itself into the dusty air.
Blood poured feeding the needy soil below. His throat viciously vibrated from torturous agony but his mouth was sealed. Only long muffling escaped and then it was cut off. Dagger raised high, dripping with his fresh red. Desending, increasing in size as it neared his brows.
Watching with blood shot eyes while his hands moved to protect himself, barely able to leave contact with the binding ground. Only to fall back down as the dagger penetrated his skull to the brain. Brought down with such momentum, the cross-guard sunk into his forehead. Blood splattered everywhere like a mini explosion. Pinkie and ring finger immersed in liquid crimson as it filled the deposition.
Letting go of the handle, quickly wiped the blood away from the skintight glove and its plated metal with the corpse's vest and impassively walked over to the laying woman.
Sniffling with snot and tears, was shooked to a subdued state. The event had happened so fast she barely had any time to unpack what happened, but no one was ontop of her anymore. Relief cleansed her mind and heart like a crashing wave. There was nothing else but simple ease that soothed her murky state.
The mysterious figure made their way next to her and kneeled down blocking the nauseating sight behind. Splatters of blood trailing down the mask, caught by the abundant webbing of scratches.
Tired from her constant straining, she could hardly move but she pushed herself upright. Still frightened, she was reclusive, keeping her body curled up as defense. Sitting up as her body ached, the stranger gave her some space, straightening their back so they no longer leaned towards her even if out of concern. Keeping a comfortable distance.
Faced with the woman and close enough to study her condition in the dark, her cheeks flushed red hot from a nasty bruise on the left of her face. A section of skin had torn but it was starting to seal shut. Eyes puffed with tears on her pale skin and most unfortunately, she was young. Her features were too tender to be that of an aged adults.
And behind the mask, their thoughs stiffened, hardening even more from the dense rock it was before. The lax mood stepped back and their conviction took the stage in muted spotlights. But first, the lady needed to go home.
She was safe, calming down since she believed all the dangers had past, dead and down under, fortunately out her sight. Even so, the stranger still gave her a sense of caution. Since, as she had just experienced, the threat of strangers is as real as it could possible be. Facing it first hand and hopefully never again.
The world slowly reeling back the dark and moonshine silently dried her eyes. But with such a hideous encounter, being fully stabilised would need more time
And a few short breathes later, the masked figure spoke. She didn't know what she expected but she wouldn't have expected what she heard. Nor did she have the supply of energy to guess.
Even if she couldn't see any emotions behind the bloodied metal. It was reassuring, if not gentle.
"Lets get you home kid."
Hoarse. Extremely rough was the sound before her, belonging to a man. His voice gratting as he spoke, she could faintly hear his throat vibrate with each syllable he said. It sounded painful. Either damaged vocal cords or the voice of a really elderly man. But with such movements from before, it couldn't possible be someone old.
Seeing him lend a hand, with a relucant moment she took it. Lifted up from the ground, he supported her out the tangle of pathways. Walking with her out into the street lamps and to the edge of the deserted area where chatter started to emerge from distant late night outers. Matching her speed as the situation had left her justifiably weary and missing a shoe.
Under the flickering lighting. The decorations of blood twinkled on his emotionless mask and his armour reflected the feeble flames, the wear and tear evident. Donning dreadful slashes and littered with dents and chips. His boots caked with dried mud and stone dust speaking of their frequent use, and his cloths... dark and light, with fresh blood soaking it in red hues. Staining his shirt, but the new and old were near indistinguishable. His clothes, top to bottom was shrouded in dull red hidding its original colour; a dark grey blending into the ill-lighted.
Incidentally noticing the worrying feactures as they walked side by side. She couldn't help but feel a wince of alarm. The man next to her was clearly no loving saint. Quietly matching her slow pace and dressed in the life of the dead.
As she left the worn down buildings and nearer to a well lit street. Abruptly, the man spoke to her.
"Stay safe."
A quick farewell lightly startling her and as she cautiously turned around. He was running back into the lifeless buildings with matchless speed. Scaling onto a roof before disappearing into the dark. From one rooftop to another. Gone without a trace and without recieving a thank you she was waiting to give.
Travelling deeper into the heart of the small wasteland. Navagating through the run-down district with effortless precision, faster than gales and mightier than storms. Ground shivered with each foot he placed and roofs shook from his might.
The irrefutable dark cannot block his keen eyes, nor can brick walls stop the inevitable.
No blade was needed for the next scene, but using one made things simpler. Retrieving his weapon, a boney squelch as it unlatched from the skull.
And after, to a den of vermin that need no longer be.