"Breakfast?"
The voice that came from nowhere startled me when I was already struggling to wake up.
My back was pressed to the couch to give myself some protection in this strangers room. The blankets I had dug out formed a soft cocoon around me.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSD7Odn94Ea
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I wouldn't do anything to hide me, just make it harder if Solanine came poking his nose around here.
The silver eyed copy smiled as he lowered a cup to the ground along with a plate that had a flakey croissant on it. I saw movement at the table set up beside me where Angosia was tearing into his own while eyeing me closely.
"You should get ready" the copy grinned before heading to the table to sit down and take a sip of his own drink "you just needed somewhere to stay for the night, right?"
Right. Maybe I should have tried to squeeze another day out of them? It was nice waking up to not see Solanine lurking around, waiting for me to take a shower so he could perve on me.
I dragged the plate towards me to try and get through the food as slowly as I could. Drag it out for as long as I possibly could.
Angosia saw what I was doing. He was already scoffing down his second croissant when he rose from the table to stomp over to me.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp2IIX3bCSu
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With a swift movement, he grabbed the cup to gulp down the contents and place it back on the floor. I laid there with my nibbled croissant in my hand which he swiped from me to force down his own throat.
"You're done" he spoke through his mouthful "get out."
I looked to the other who did nothing. He just sipped his drink as he watched Agnosia tower over me and try to tear the blankets from around me.
"I'm going! I'm going!" I complained at his aggression "jeez!"
"Don't come back here" he snapped to my face when he bent down to scoop up the plate and cup.
Whatever.
I rolled from the bed and got up from my hands and knees. No hot shower would be awaiting me to freshen up before I headed out into the Base again.94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIMLfq3fpvz
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I was going to reek. I could already feel the warmth of the bed starting to stick to my tacky skin like a thin film of sweat.
"Nice meeting you!" the copy waved when I headed for the stairs "If you need anything, I'll be around the Base."
"No!" Agnsosia stabbed a finger to the copy then to me "no!"
I smiled and nodded, seeing how riled up this made Agnosia.
Solanine wasn't waiting for me when I checked the area and slipped outside the room. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9RGpgWCXCx
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I saw the gouges the beast chasing me last night had left in the door I closed, tracing my hands over the gouges smeared in black goop.
The blackness was splattered across the ground to where it must have leapt up the side of the railing. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡID94eRxqT8
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I peered over the edge to see a pool of it on the level below that scattered further down.
I wasnt going to follow it like a fool. I had barely escaped with my life to be chasing the thing that wanted to take it.
But, now I had the issue of trying to avoid Solanine.
He'd be lurking nearby for sure; watching and waiting to drag me back to his room for what he considered punishment.
My Mission was to avoid that. Buddy up with someone who could act as a barrier between us.
I had to be quick. Solanine was powerful around here; people weren't going to get in his way if they saw him coming for me.
I'd go to Eagle's off is first to see if he had a Mission for me to kill the time. The more I spent out of this place, the better my chances. And if he didn't have anything for me, I'd go to Scalpel to see if he wanted me to be his runner for more supplies. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYQBpSXD6MQ
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The guy looked like he was always a breath away from running out.
That would be nice. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCrmhksDUjv
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Somewhere less dangerous than the last place would be good, but whatever got me away from him.
Right. Eagle's office first.
I marched with renewed purpose towards the towering block dividing the Base.
People bustled around, talking in thier groups or comparing notes in thier own Mission folders. I saw others hanging back as they chose to take in everything by themselves.
This was going to be good. Today was going to be good. I wasn't going to be with that arsehole anymore and I could actually do something I wanted to without him there to second guess it or laugh at me.
The first day of freedom.
The smile soon slipped from my face when I twisted downstairs to cross to the other side of the Base. Walking towards the other set of stairs opposite me was the stern red eyes of Oxalis.
I immediently turned back around to backtrack. I could go the long way around. Crossing his path was the last thing I wanted to do.
But when I climbed to the landing, I saw he was following me.
He had bolted across the floor to catch me in my panic. I stood there while Oxalis joined me on the landing, contemplating if I should just sprint up the stairs or try and make a jump for it over the edge.
It was so damn high. I'd break all the bones in my legs.
"I wanted to talk to you" Oxalis grunted when he saw me peering over the edge "it's about the other day."
He caught my attention. I hardened my gaze at him, but he saw it was a shallow rouse. He raised an eyebrow at it and slid his hand into his pocket.
"I should have helped you in there" he mumbled as he ran a finger over the little wrapped packet he held "I wasnt thinking of what needed to be done then and there."
Where was all this coming from? The guy hated me for no reason. Was his partner prompting this sudden change of heart?
"I'm sorry for not doing anything. I should have."
He held out his hand and I steadied mine below it so he could drop the packet into it.
"What is it?" I asked without undoing it.
"It'll help keep you safe" he explained before my fingers tore at the paper "it's not much, but it's something small and easy to carry."
I saw a little wooden figure snarling back up at me. The edges on it were choppy and the features were gouged into the dark wood. It looked like it was supposed to be a Blood Demon, but was more shaped like a curled dog than anything else.
I noticed the cuts on Oxalis' fingers and realised he must have carved this himself.
"A piece of wood..."
He heard the uncertainty on my voice and actually grimmaced at it before hardening in defense.
"I've been trying to find you to give that to you for a few days now" he spoke "but you are a hard one to find."
"I've been trapped with Solanine" I folded my arms back and grumbled "he's adamant on keeping me with him. Who knows, I could have thrown this at him?"
Oxalis didn't pick up on my joke. He just peered at the figurine and huffed. His eyes looked elsewhere and he let out a grumble.
"Do you want to join me?" he blurted out "you know, around here? Unless you have something to do or somewhere to be?"
My chance to keep Solanine away. I felt my heart leap into my throat at how this was all working out for me.
"No! I mean, I've got nothing to do" I chuckled back "I'm just trying to keep away from you-know-who."
Oxalis smiled at my prompt glance around and checked with me.
"Well, I know for a fact Soly doesn't like messing with demons, and I have two of them currently guarding our room. Perhaps, you could give me another chance? Ruin might not trust you, but I think you are kind of fun. We had a good time on that Mission, huh?"
"Yeah" I agreed with a smile that faltered "until you got up me for just looking at Verge."
"Oh!" Oxalis waved his hands "that was Ruin, honest! He's very protective over Hunt. He doesn't want some meger male taking her from him; his words. I'm just the body and mouth."
"That must get old pretty quick" I pointed out.
"Very" he smiled again "but it is what it is. We have things to protect now, and I'll make sure nothing happens to them. His family is my family."
Oxalis actually sounded like he was a decent guy. He had good morals and a big heart. It was just a shame his ferocious demon made him come across as such a douchebag.
Maybe Angosia was the same? Just a mean face hiding a kind heart?
"So, I've got some things to do" he jerked a thumb to the wall behind him "want to tag along? You can be my plus one? I need someone to hold the bag while I go pick out some bones."
He was trying to hard to win my trust over again. After throwing me to my rapist, I could see how badly Oxy wanted to have me forgive him.
Bone picking was an easy job. Much better than anything Eagle could throw at me.
"I'm specially trained to hold and pack bags" I laughed back "you've come to the right guy!"
He clicked his fingers and pointed.
"Bag packer!" he gasped in realization "you know, I used to be one of those people living paycheck to paycheck."
We both started to love from the stairs and back down towards the tunnel that would lead outside.
Oxy had me go first, sliding into the darkness behind me.
"I used to work in a furnature shop" he spoke with a small laugh "we'd collect driftwood from the beaches and make all sorts of things out of them. I'd be in charge of sanding the wood and mixing the glue to stick the wall hangings onto backing boards. It was fun. Got to listen to music and everything."
"Sounds fun" I admired "how did you end up here?"
"I was in the wrong spot at the wrong time" he acted casual, peeking out into the light when I waited for him "found the best branch of driftwood; huge thing with lots of twisty bits. I thought it would have been great to put into the support of a chair me and Reem were making. He was screwing in the parts while I was dragging it across the road..."
I felt my gut clench and grimaced at Oxalis' face.
"You were hit by a car?"
"No!" he snorted and waved my guess away with a laugh "no, I had the wood collection come crashing down onto me when I tried to put my new piece into it for later. Pierced me straight through the side and in my back" he lifted up his shirt to reveal the massive patch of twisted skin there "bled out in the back of the ambulance."
"Damn."
What else could I say? The guy had such a horrific death that he was laughing about to me.
"The shelf was bound to collapse one day. We kept putting it off for next time until boom. Theplace shut down after that. No-one wanted something from a place that had killed someone. Then, I came back."
Oxalis spread his arms wide with a grin.
"Ruin found me and we ended up captured by some Soul. Now we live here with our own area and our own family. I think it's great. Sometimes, I still get to go see Reem and we hang out like we used to, but he has his own life so I try not to bother him."
I watched Oxalis strut along like he was proud of himself. Being impaled to death had no effect on him. He was boasting about it like it was the best thing that had happened to him.
Maybe.... It was?
"What... is dying like?" I mumbled out as we walked past the trees and continued down the gravel path on foot.
I saw the concern when it spun back around to run over me. Oxalis slowed down so he could walk beside me now, leaning forward to study my guilty eyes.
Perhaps I shouldnt have asked? Did it make it look like I was contemplating?
"Scariest shit I've ever done" he began when he straightened up "just picture all of this, but dark. There's not a single light except for your soul and those of the dead shining into the sky. Monsters hunt those lights; scarier than anything this Base has. They fight over the lights and tear each other apart for food. I was dead for three months before Ruin found me and bought me back. Wouldn't wish it on anyone."
"Three months in the dark?" I gasped back in awe "how on earth did you survive?"
"You have to become one of them to live; there's no other way. I ate the lights and hid in houses away from the bigger ones. You adapt to survive, just like you do here."
I lowered my head to kick at the dirt as I walked. Ever since I had been dragged here, nothing I had done to try and adapt to this place had pulled me out of danger.
Oxlais had it easy. Just his red eyes and demon alone would keep people away. I had nothing like that; only a block of wood shaped like the thing that has refused to protect me.
"You know, it's not hard to keep your head down around there. You just need to look the part and get yourself a good, strong friend" Oxalis pointed out and patted his arm muscle to try and lighten the mood "maybe change this up a bit to throw off the scent that you are easy pickings."
"You just gestured to all of me" I grumbled back.
Suddenly I was very self-conscience about everything. Nothing about me was good enough to escape another attack.
Fuck.
"Ruin taught me you just need to look intimidating, even if you are not. He's back at Base, but for all anyone knows, he's still right here with me. Acting like he is is what could save you."
"So.... I just need to talk to myself?"
Oxalis snorted with a shake of his head. He stopped and gestured for me to, turning me towards him.
"Look" he said sternly now "you have to carry yourself with some pride. Make it appear like you have control of the situation. Lean into things; throw off anyone prodding around. Try this."
His lips pulled back into a snarl and I watched his mouth start bleeding. It dripped over his chin and onto the dirt before he swiped it away. With his equally dark eyes coldly boring through me, I was immedianlty uncomfortable even looking at him.
"Go on" he urged.
This wasn't going to work. It couldn't, could it?
I rolled my eyes and copied his stance. I bared my teeth and let out a little growl as I pushed the saliva between my teeth, only for it to dribble down in a goopy, swinging clump.
"Very cute!" Oxalis laughed at my attempt "at least I know you aren't hiding anything behind your skin!"
I glared at his mockery and swiped the drool away in burning shame. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVHMwglu6HH
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I knew the damn fool was tricking me, and I had fallen for it anyway.
"I think you should stick with contacts" he giggled and started leading again "maybe change up your look a bit? Get some good blood into you and have a decent meal. It'll throw off the scent that you've just been reeled in from some shopping-centre floor."
I hated the way he thought he could just tell me how to lead my life. That all these little changes would do anything for me when nothing had so far.
Some food and a different colour in my eyes wasn't going to do shit.
"You should stay with me for a while" Oxalis stated as he slowed down and pulled from the path to slink between some trees to our right "live like a Skin and learn how to fend for yourself. Or does Solanine do that for you still?"
I bubbled and boiled as I followed behind Oxalis. I came to a stop at the edge of the trees, with a glare to him.
"He doesn't do anything for me. You saw that yourself."
"Some mates can be possessive over what is thiers" he shrugged back before his eyes ran over me "and what isn't."
I kept quiet at the suggestive jab and stared ahead at the gathering of deer grazing the grounds quietly. Thier fur was swarmed with masses of mushrooms that looked like they were growing from the skin itself, piling and pulling up from all angles to weigh down the dainty creatures.
"These ones aren't poisonous" Oxlais whispered as he watched a few from the group check the surroundings as the others grazed "they don't point at the tops. You can make them taste really good fried in butter. Do you like mushrooms?"
I went to reply but saw Oxalis still staring at the group while unfolding a knife from his pocket. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqorOhwN7T4
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His stare wasnt natural. It was that of a killer stalking its next victim.
I watched him wait there in the same frozen stance. With his knife pulled against his side, he tracked the nearest deer and its head that dipped down to tug at the grass.
He bolted for that deer without any warning. I sat in the grass to witness how fluidly Oxalis moved. His knife pierced the neck of the deer he swung his body up onto, snatching up the spiraling horns to tank its head back when it tried to flee in panic. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL3nMShlCTI
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With it disorientated, the creature buckled into the grass and bellowed as the others left it to dart away.
Oxalis tore the knife from the side of its throat to stab it into a place lower and twist. I saw the frantic energy ebb from the deer who kicked out and slowly faded underneath Oxalis' grip.
He waited for the creature to die before pulling out the knife and using the dripping blade to start sawing off the mushrooms blooming through the body.
"Bag packer!" Oxalis clicked his fingers to gain my attention "come help me with this!"
He pulled out a folded bag from his pocket to toss to me. I plucked up the mushrooms rolling from the body to dump them inside the bag.
Was there going to be a monster waiting to ambush us like the first time?
"Its fine" Oxalis soothed when I checked the area fearfully "the area around here has no larger predators. The hunting grounds around here are ours."
"Filled with mushroom deer and grass" I muttered back, unimpressed.
He chuckled and sawed into the neck to peel back the blubbery skin to reveal a white film stretched underneath. When he cut into that, Oxalis carved himself a chunk from the deer to bite into it, groaning in delight as it dribbled between his fingers clutching to it like a lifeline.
"Have some" he offered the chunk to me "it's good for you."
I wrinkled my nose up at the raw meat and juices dripping from the gleeming lump. I could smell the earthy rot of the mushrooms that had burrowed thier way through the creature along with the dried grass and ammonia of its old urine that had turned the fur around its tail yellow.
I shook my head but he didn't want to accept this as an answer.
"You know, it's not as bad as you think" he spoke when he walked over to gesture for me to lift my hand so he could drop the lump into it I cringed under "take a bite. Then, if you don't like it, I'll have it."
Did I have to? It was raw meat. Couldn't I get some sort of disease by eating this?
"Well?" Oxalis nudged my leg with his foot "go on."
He looked and sounded like a parent trying to get thier fussy child to eat the meal they had slaved over to provide. I felt my stomach churn when I slowly raised the lump to my lips and held it there, mere inches from them.
Oh God. This was going to be so bad! Just do it! Get it over with in one little bite!
My teeth couldn't pierce the thin film over the lump. It was incredibly tough and forced me to chew down on the corner of it to try and get some sort of sliver from it.
Blood snaked over my skin and spurred into my mouth with each bite. The flooding taste of rust assaulted my throat and immediently dried it out. The meat itself was like I was trying to swallow a wad of grass wrapped in leather. It tasted and smelled foul.
Oxalis snorted when I gagged and tossed the meat to him to tear into. There was no water to wash away the fire burning down the back of my throat and into my stomach.
"You better not do something like that if the others offer you something" he warned when he dropped back down to carve the deer further "it's very insulting to turn down a good kill like this."
"So many rules with you guys around here" I sighed back "everyone has all thier little things that someone else can't do otherwise it'll offend them."
"So you better learn them" Oxalis added "adapt. Don't offend the wrong beast."
I snorted.
"What do I do to not offend you?"
"Turn down good meat" Oxalis replied simply as he kept carving "and never reject anything handed to you by a Blood Demon, no matter how gross it may be. If you get offered bones, you better not hand them back. That's the biggest insult."
"Solanine had a thing with bones too" I pondered "heads particularly. Giving me a skull was a huge deal for him."
I saw Oxalis' eyes lift to me in interest.
"Did you accept it?"
"There was none to begin with" I waved it away "he acted all mopey that he didn't get me one, but i didn't want it to begin with."
"Shame" Oxalis grinned when he turned back to the body beneath him "you'd be mates if he pulled through."
Eww. Like fuck I wanted something like that to happen. Being partners with him just because he gave me some stupid bone? No wonder he made a big deal out of it when he came back.
Why didn't he just force me to take one? He forced everything else he wanted on me anyway.
"Blood Demons like particular bones from particular creatures. If you really want to get on thier good side, find out the specific ones and give them that. For example..."
Oxalis heaved at something inside the carcass that lurched with every violent movement. He held up a dripping bone that he wiped along the grass beside him.
"....Hunt likes ribs from these types of creatures and the spines of giant spiders. Ruin prefers the spines of snakes and the skulls of dragons. He's very particular when it comes to the knuckle bones too."
"So, which ones do you like?" I questioned casually while he continued to snap off the ribs "you and Verge are parts of them; you have to have favourites too."
For some reason, Oxalis was quiet. He looked flustered when he broke more bones and cleaned them.
"It's no big deal" he tried to play it off "arms from light-chasing monsters, and the little round discs with the wings of flying ones. They are pretty hard to come by anyway."
He wanted those bones. Maybe if I were to get some for him, he would continue to hang around and be my shield between me and Solanine?
Even if it didn't stop him, it would slow him down enough so I could escape again.
"And Verge?" I pried.
If I had her on my side as well, I would be untouchable.
The red eyes snapped up again in defense. Oxalis snapped another rib and deliberately made a show of cleaning it off to intimidate me.
"That doesn't matter" he growled out "don't get any ideas."
I held my hands up to show I wasn't. But I already knew I needed to find out what she prefered. I'd have to ask her when Oxy wasn't around. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGeeORjrkE5
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He'd get over it when he saw how happy she'd be over some stupid bone offering. Maybe he'd even be a little jealous of how someone as ordinary as me upstaged a Blood Demon Skin like him.
"We can't be out here too long" Oxalis muttered to himself when he sawed off chunks of the body to slap into the bag "people will come looking if we are gone too long."
He got to his feet and wiped his stained hands down his legs with a sigh at the body below him.
"Such a waste. I'll have to get Ruin to clean it up after."
He slapped the bag I held to make the contents slosh around inside. I groaned in disgust and held it away from me as we walked back.
"You know, you are kind of funny" Oxalis chuckled by my side "you don't like anything, Bag Packer."
"I like things that aren't dead" I grunted back under the strain of the bag that squished against my side when I lowered it "and video games."
I saw his eyes light up instantly. He looked around and dropped his voice.
"Online ones?"
"There's no wifi around here for that!"
His sly smile told me otherwise.
"We aren't completely in the middle of nowhere. If you head down to where the road joins to the real one and head up a few kilometers, by the light pole there is service. Go into town and you get full bars. We aren't supposed to have things like that, but what they don't know won't kill them."
I smiled with Oxalis who pushed open the tunnel entrance and let me go first again.
"You can't tell anyone about that though" he warned in the darkness "anything that can send messages out to them can get you killed around here. The higher Souls think just anyone will just tell them where we are and lead the authorities right here."
"For a phone? Or a console?"
Oxalis shushed me but agreed.
"Don't tell anyone" he whispered when he came to the other side of the Base where voices rose up "some might already know, but you didn't hear it from me, OK?"
"Alright."
I had won a sliver of trust from him. I saw it in the small smile Oxalis flashed when the door was slid open and his hand carefully took the bag from me.
I went to follow him after sliding the door back, but found he hadn't moved a muscle.
Oxalis was frozen on the spot, staring up at Eagle's office everyone gathered underneath. Voices buzzed in discussion at the gruesome sight dangling above them all.
Up there, tied around the railing leading from both sides to Eagle's office, were hanging people; two each side.
Thier heads lolled against thier chests so that the pillowcases over them hid thier faces while they gently pivoted from side to side. All of thier hands had been severed from them and tied off with plastic bags that bulged from the dark blood they had collected.
Oxalis almost dropped the bag that faltered in his grip. He barged through the crowd to try and identify the hanging victims. I used the cleared space to follow behind him. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡglfntry7bK
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People parted when they saw both of us burst out underneath the hung Souls. Oxalis dumped the bag so he could scuffle around to try and peer up at the faces, starting with the first on the left.
"Who are they?" he called out to the nearest Souls when he saw he couldn't identify them "what happened?"
"They were leaking information" one spoke up "well, that one anyway. That's what they said."
A finger pointed to the very last dangling Soul.
Oxalis tore his eyes from the second he was trying to identify, and stood there in confusion.
"What did the others do?" I spoke up before he could.
The speaking Soul was nervous. They pointed to the first.
"They failed an important Mission."
They moved to the second.
"They were diseased and had to be put down."
The third.
"Emotions made them weak."
Oxalis' head turned to the third immediately. I could see his wide, red eyes glistening with fear and hear the whisper of a word he repeated to himself.
"N-names" he demanded, but was met with silence "WHAT ARE THIER NAMES?!"
"Trypano" another Soul gestured to the first body.
I felt my gut clench instantly when I looked up at the hanging Soul above us.
Trypano? She was the one who stayed out of the way and did everything right. She was the only one in here who treated me like an actual person right from the very start.
Her kindness had been abused by everyone. She was supposed to be here to teach me everything she knew. I was meant to see her and make sure she was alright.
She had been put on display like she was nothing; her hands cut off and her face covered to make her less of the person she was.
"Uh, that one is... Ever" the Soul frowned as they tried to remember the name.
It had no meaning to me. To Oxalis, it looked like it didn't matter to him either.
He was just waiting for the third one.
We all had someone we knew had affected us and that we cared deeply about behind closed doors.
That Soul had paid for those consequences. It had slipped under the watchful eye of Eagle and had been made an example of.
I didn't know anyone I cared about that I would mourn over if it was them ganging up there. Trypano had been the closest I had to a friend; her swinging body was still rattling me at how surreal it all was.
"That's Hunt" they pointed to the third, pausing "hang on, isn't she yours? You both got the same eyes."
"Yeah, she is!" the other gasped in realization "what a way to go."
I saw the life leave Oxalis when he stared up at her body at the confirmation. All of him went into immediate shock, his feet shuffling towards her as he covered his mouth to try and muffle the anguish tearing through him.
He didn't need to hear the last name. He had gotten the one he had been wishing desperately wasn't there.
"Ox" I heard a gruff voice whisper when he reached his hands up to try and grab her feet dangling out of reach. I saw Souls move aside in fear as Solanine came barging through to grab his shoulder roughly and lower Ox's shaking arms.
I moved away too. There was no way I wanted to be anywhere near arms reach of Solanine. Once his focus shifted, he'd be after me.
"You need to pull it together" Solanine hissed to him "there's nothing you can do now. She was found out and dealt with. We knew this was going to happen."
"NO!" Oxlais wailed and shoved Solanine away "SHE'S SUPPOSED TO BE HERE, UP IN THE ROOM! She was there this morning, and now...."
He choked, covering his mouth again. I saw tears of blood pouring down his face and over his fingers gripping desperately to keep himself quiet.
He crouched down before the watchful crowd. His knees drew up around his face as he still held his mouth that I could hear his screaming sobs muffled against.
"Oxy" I whispered when I heard the muttering "come on, get up."
He swung an arm when I tried to grab him. He just shook his head, falling onto his arse so he could bury his head into his knees he hugged.
He couldn't be left here like this. He'd end up like Hunt if Eagle came to investigate what was starting to cause a scene.
"Leave him" Solanine scowled to me when I went to grab his arm again "he's made his mind up. You won't move him without touching him."
I felt so useless just standing there looking down at a mess of a man trying his best not to lose himself to the agonising grief tearing through him. I couldn't drag him from her or even get him back to his feet. Oxalis was going to remain planted underneath her and swing blindly at whoever tried to move him.
I grabbed the bleeding bag from the ground beside him and picked up a few of the mushrooms that had fallen out into the puddle.
I had to do something. It wasn't much, but I could at least make sure his demons got what he had gone hunting for. It would just be another painful reminder if it was left abandoned right next to him.
Slowly, I made my way towards where his room would be, pausing only to check on Oxalis who still hadn't moved from under his dangling partner.
Then, like the emotionless Soul I was expected to be, I left him behind to focus on getting myself to safety.
With a warbling scream piercing the air and forcing tears of my own to pickle at my eyes that found the smeared circle on the door, I swiped them away and slipped inside so I could shut out the fate Oxalis had just sealed for himself.
Emotions had made all of us weak, but I wasn't going to be the one who bent and broke under the truth. I was going to adapt and survive; nothing less.
ns 15.158.61.20da2
