Grievers - Lurking Beyond the Shadows

An encounter with fate as Misa walks home on a late, dark night. Will she survive her encounter or will she be consumed by it?

The rain was pouring down hard onto my back as my umbrella was fighting hard against the wind. My shoes splashed against the wet surface of the ground, soaking my socks. I was wet from head to toe. The umbrella was not doing its job, so I closed it. It was getting darker by the second as I walked down the street. "Man, I better hurry up when it gets dark .... I really shouldn't say that." She placed her hand over her mouth as she started to hear footsteps behinds her. She looked behind her and saw nothing but knew what was there. She tried walking faster but that only made the footsteps behind her quicken. Her heart was racing so fast she could feel it beating through her chest. The sound of her heart filled her ears to the point that is all she could hear, and she knew that what was behind her she could not outrun. And in that moment, she finally turned around to face the person, thing, that was following so closely behind her. Her voice trembled as she fixed her mouth to speak to the thing in the darkness "What do you want”! “Who said I wanted anything?". The voice that replied made a shiver slide down her spine. The voice was thick, dark, and sickening. Just the sound of the male’s voice made her stomach turn because she knew what he was and what he wanted. In a moment of bravery, she responded "You are following me so you must want something”. A small whimper escaped her lips praying that he did not hear it. "Well, well aren't we just the wise one." A tall dark figure stepped out from the shadow that was casting down on the side of the building. The man stood at about six feet even and had a slender frame. She could only make out the shape of his face but no defining features except his eyes. His eyes shined through the shadow, a sickening color of red and yellow. She examined the space between her, and the creature and he was closer than she thought. "Oh, did you think that you could get away from me? By the look on your face, you seem surprised as to how close I am." He was only ten steps away from her. "I-I guess”. Her voice betrayed her, trembling as she answered him.

He took a few more steps to reveal himself fully but his face was still shrouded. You could see his rain drenched clothing clinging to his thin, sickly looking body. "Hmm now to your original question.... I want a nice house, with three kids maybe two .... And a dog, a big attack dog ...oh yeah and a wife." He laughed at his own joke. He seemed amused to be playing mind games with her. "My joke wasn't funny or is it because I am a "bad guy" as they so blatantly put on the news." He had an agitated look on his face. "You know not all of us are like those ... Some of us do have control and are smarter on how we .... kill..." The word just rolled off his tongue. She was struck with fear as if running would get her anywhere. "What is it you want?" "I told you a house, kids, dog and wife or at least I was about to have it all that before I was attacked ... and turned into this." He motioned his hands over his body with a look of disgust. "But what can I do beside go with the flow..." His look of calm returned. "No, I mean what do you want from me?" He looked directly at her. "Oh, I think you know .... Misa." "How do you know my name?" She stumbled over her words. "Oh, you don't think I'm that stupid. I study my prey before I attack." "I didn't say that..." "Oh I know but you implied it." She looked down trying to avoid his cold and creepy gaze. "Do my eyes disturb you?" She looked up and he was right at her face. She tried to step back but he had grabbed her arm. "I said do my eyes disturb you?" "Why should I answer?" "Good point but it is not like I don't know the answer already. Many stupid women before you said yes, and I killed them without delay.... Good times." Her heart was beating so fast as she tried to pull her arm away, his grip only tightening. "Silly girl you already know you can't get loose." "Worth trying..." "Or stupid, fighting back only makes it more fun for me." "Why don't you just kill me already?" "Because I like to talk, not many people are willing to talk to me being a Griever and all." "Well if you didn't suck the life out of everyone you meet maybe they would." "Is that sarcasm I detect?" "No.." "Smart girl ...Always knew you were smart..." "Always knew ...Who are you?" "You honestly can't remember, can you?" "Well considering you have your shadow protecting you I can't see your face..." "So, you know about that?" "I studied your kind." He grabbed her by the chin and made her look at him directly in the face. "So that means you know how to kill us?" "Yes ..." "Of course ..."

He ran his hand over his face and as his hand moved downward the shroud that covered his face was removed. Misas eyes widen as she instantly recognized who the Griever was. It was like time had frozen for a moment and the only words she could muster up to say was his name, Mikel. "Oh, so you do remember." He said with a satisfying tone. Time stood still as she looked at him and all the memories, she had of him flashed through her mind. A small tear rolled down her cheek as she raised her hand to touch him, but she lowered her hand remembering that this thing was no longer the man she loved. She managed to choke out a few words "I thought you died..." "Well, I did ... You remember that night I told you to meet me in the park and you couldn’t because your job wouldn't let you go. I blamed your job, never you but I knew I shouldn't have stayed outside that late; but I did anyways. You warned me constantly, but I paid the price. A woman Griever attacked me." "Oh my ..." "Those words don't even begin to explain the pain I felt... Do you know how they turn you? They cut open your chest and rip out your beating heart. Then they sow you back up and breathe the breath of death. It’s this ash that comes from the souls they have taken. This taste never goes away." She started crying, covering her mouth with the same hand she used to almost touch him. Her mind was racing a million miles an hour as her thoughts rushed back to the night. She always knew something had taken him, but she refused to the believe the worse; this was the worse. "I would have come back home but I was afraid you wouldn't want to be with me anymore considering I am this. So, I stayed in the shadows, watching you. Years past and you found another guy ...that broke my heart ...or the heart that was taken from me... So, I killed the guy." "What ..." "Yes, killed him ... You remember that note saying that he couldn't be in this relationship anymore ...that was me." Mikel smirked at her.

"How could you do that? He didn't know!" She banged her fist against his chest, knowing it would not do anything, but it still made her feel better. "Well how could I just stay in the shadows and watch you make a life with another man? I couldn't do that! I had to get rid of him!" "If you would have just came to me in the beginning none of this would have happened! None of it!" His placed his hand on her chin and looked deeply in Misas eyes as if he were searching for something. In that some moment he let go of her chin and the grip he had on her arm. He turned around as his shoulders visibly dropped. Mikel stared at his hands in horror thinking of all the things he had done knowing that if he had come to Misa when it happened that there could have a been a chance at a normal life. "None of it?” his voice broke the silence. "I knew a way of curing you but it’s too late! After your first kill it’s too late!" "Curing me..." Mikels eyes widen as he stared at his hands, his body began to shake, and his knees could no longer hold the weight of his body. He clasped to the ground, on his knees. He closed his eyes and clenched his fingers into the palms of his hands. "What have I done? I could have had that life I dreamed for us." Misa, horrified and in disbelief, covered her face and began sobbing uncontrollably. Her body was trembling due to the shock and the cold chill in the air that followed the rain. Anger flashed across her eyes and in that moment, she yelled at him. "Well, it’s too late now .... Look what you've become! You're a monster”! Even though Mikel felt remorse for what he had done Misas words felt like a hot knife stabbing him in the chest. Those words caused him to become angry again and a low growl escaped his lips. Within seconds he had stood back up and had his hand around her throat. It happened so quick Misa did not have time to respond. He said in protest "I am no monster!" "You killed people and you think you are not a monster”? Misa glared at him because she was upset but more than that she was hurt. It felt like the night Mikel went missing was happening all over again, but the pain was intensified because he was turned into something much worse than she ever imagined. "I did what I had to do to survive!" "Killing is wrong and you know it, no matter how you try to justify it." "I AM NOT A MONSTER!" His eyes began to glow red as his angry intensified. The grip he had on Misa throat tightened and her eyes began to turn pale as he began to suck the life out of her. She clawed at his hand that was wrapped around her throat. She made small gurgling sounds and her eyes widen because she knew he was not going to let her go. And in that moment her body went limp.

His eyes stopped glowing as he returned to normal. He lost control and, in that moment, killed the only woman he had ever loved. He removed his hand from her neck as he was wrapping his other arm around the curve of her back. He gently laid her on the ground, a small tear fell down his cheek. "Misa ...No what have I done. I am a monster…" He fell to the ground right beside her and he leaned over her. He caressed her cheek as her lifeless eyes stared off into the distance. Mikel mumbled to himself the word ‘no’ repeatedly before exclaiming, "Misa, I love you so much please come back”. Misa body grew colder and all the color from her body slowly faded. She was a pale version of the color she used to be. "No! You can't die. I can't live without you!" There was a long moment of silence before a voice from behind spoke. The voice echoed through his ears. "You are not alive anyways”. It was a voice of a woman. After she spoke you could her a faint laugh because what she said had amused her. A low growl slipped from Mikels lips because he knew exactly who it was, and he had no patience’s to deal with her right now. He yelled to the woman, "Go away! I don't want you”. A cool, even voice replied, and he could tell she was even closer now. "You will eventually”, "Go away. I love Misa, not you!" "Whatever you say. I can save her you know”. The woman stood with her hands placed behind her back with her fingers interlocked. She was wearing a sleek red outfit with a pair of black heels that wrapped around her ankles and calves. She adjusted herself moving her one arm around her waist and the other resting on it. She looked at her nails to examine them as she waited eagerly for his response. Mikel sat there for a moment and for a second, he was going to agree to Misa back but then he decided that he did not want Misa to have the same life he has now. "I don't want her to be like me." "As well as I have the breath of death, I have the breath of life. So, she won't be like you." "What do you want in return"? She tapped her chin as if she was actually thinking about what she wanted. She already knew and Mikel knew it. She was toying with him because it brought her so much joy to toy with people. “You.” All amusement left her face and turned to a serious look. “You can never see Misa again and you must be at my side forever”. Mikel gritted his teeth.

He turned and looked at Misa for a moment, his gaze softening as he did. He caressed her cold cheek knowing that he could never see her again if he agreed to this, but he would give anything to bring her back. Anger filled his body knowing that all this was his fault and he had to be the one to fix it. "Fine! As long as it means she lives again." "Move aside." He moved using his knees and the woman kneel beside her. She was a very gorgeous woman, but her eyes had nothing but pure evil behind them. Even her eyes made Mikel shiver and he was just like her. She leaned in and placed her mouth over Misas as she did this a bright light came from within her and into Misa. As the bright light flowed from the woman’s mouth to Misas the color in Misas eyes regained its dark green color. The woman moved away as Misa began coughing as she regained consciousness. Mikel was in shock he did not think that this would work because Grievers were only known for taking life, not giving it. He looked at that woman. “How is this possible?” “I am able to use the life I take and give it to someone else if I choose. Only pureblood Grievers can do this. Now it is time for you to do your end of the deal, cut all ties and be mine.” The words she spoke were like thick molasses, sweet and sickening. Mikel fixed his eyes on Misa as she looked at him confused. “What does she mean, Mikel?” “This is all my fault, so I had to fix it. I made a deal to cut all ties with you if she brought you back. It was my only choice other than turning you into a Griever and I knew you wouldn’t want that.” “No…” Misa could barely speak due to being in shock. This night was getting worse by the moment. Misa mind went over every scenario and all of it ended up with her being killed again and she felt defeat. She started to cry as she moved herself into an upright position while sitting on the ground. The woman laughed at Misas pain, this brought her such joy. “Ynara!” Mikel sneered at the woman, for the first time speaking her name. Through Misas tears her eyes looked up at the woman, her face was shrouded due to the cloaking spell Grievers had. She could not recognize her face but the name, she remembered that name. Her mind flashed back to the night parents went missing.

Misa was searching through the documents that her parents left out on their desk. She had to know what they were keeping secret from her. She picked a file that was labeled “Ynara”. She opened it up and it was filled with papers that had a lot of writing on it. Misa began reading the first page.     

“Ynara is a pureblood. She is one of the leaders of the Council and is very dangerous. If you ever find yourself face to face with her without proper protection, make a deal. She loves a good deal but if you don’t want to go that route anger her, she will give you a quick death. There is no use in running away she is faster, stronger, and smarter. There is only one way to kill her you have a blessed dagger from the lost tribe. These are rare and hard to come by…”

Misa was unable to finish reading the paper because she heard her mother and father coming through the front door. She quickly placed the paper back into the folder on her father’s desk. She quietly opened the door to her father’s office, closing it behind her as she snuck back down the hallway. She slipped into her bedroom. Her father peeped into her bedroom and saw Misa sitting at her desk doing her schoolwork. “Hey dad, how was date night?” “It was good; don’t stay up too late, okay?” “I won’t”. That was the last time she spoke to her father before her parents disappeared later that night.

Misas mind returned to the current moment both Mikel and Ynara were staring at her. Mikel looked concerned and Ynara looked annoyed. “Hello, are you there?”, Ynara said in an annoyed voice. “We are leaving now, and Mikel wanted to say goodbye, but you spaced out like a moron.” Mikel sneered at her before waving her off. “Give us a moment alone and then I’m yours”. Ynara walked away from them, giving them enough space so that they could be alone but not enough that they could run away. “Mikel… why?” “I had to… I’m so sorry.” She reached up and caressed his face, pulling him close to her. She placed her lips close to his ear and whispered something to him. Ynara was distracted so she did not catch was she had said. Mikel stood up and then helped Misa to her feet. He held her hand for a moment as he gazed into her beautiful green eyes. She smiled at him as she let go of his hand so that he could leave. He walked towards Ynara and all the emotion that was on his face left as he looked at her. All that was left was pure hatred and disgust. “Aww don’t look at me like that. We are going to be together forever, and you don’t want to spend all that time hating me, do you?” “I will hate you for as long as I am in this world.” “That will change with time.” Ynara held out her hand for him to grab. He hesitantly grabbed her hand as they began to walk away. Mikel stopped for a moment to look back at Misa one more time before continuing but she was no longer there. He sighed and turned back to continue walking but was shocked to see Misa standing in front of them. His eyes traced down from Misa face to see her arm extended at Ynara and he noticed that there was something lodged in her chest. Mikel looked up at a Ynara’s face and she was in shock. “Y…you planned this? Is this what she whispered to you…?” “No…” that was all he could muster up to say. Misa looked up at Ynara and stared directly in her eyes. “I told him that I would never let him go and I meant it.” Misa twisted the dagger forcing it to go further in. All life left Ynara’s face as her body crumbled to the ground in pieces before turning into ash. The remnants of her body washed away in the rain. From Ynara’s ashes a massive ball of light floated upwards to sky before breaking off into smaller pieces of light. Each orb was a soul of a Griever that she had turned. Some of the orbs went further up into the sky until they disappeared, and the others ripped through the air rushing to Griever it belonged to. One of the orbs flew straight to Mikel and hit him in the chest. His eyes widen as he looked at Misa before screaming a blood curdling scream. His body went into convulsions as he clasped to the ground. Mikel was gasping for air as the orb caused his whole body to glow. The light poured out of his eyes and then subsided, and you could see that the red and yellow colors faded, and his normal hazel color returned. Mikel lungs filled with air bringing life back to his body. His chest moved up and down as he could now breathe again. Mikel was human.

               He looked up at Misa and spoke softly “How did this happen?” Misa rested her head against his chest. The rain stopped and they lied on the ground cold and wet. After a long moment of silence Misa finally was able to speak. “I remembered something I read of my fathers before my parents went missing. It was about Ynara and how to kill her, but I didn’t know that by killing her it would bring you back to life. I thought it would kill you so that you could finally be at peace.” “You risked your life to save mine. She could have killed you.” “That was a risk I was willing to take.” Mikel wrapped his arms around Misa pulling her closer to him. “I knew if I could close enough to Ynara I could stab her the blessed dagger and it would kill her. I knew she was the reason my parents went missing because the night it happened all the research that talked about how to kill Ynara went missing too.” After Misa had spoken, they both got up from the ground and stood their staring at each other. Misa smiled at Mikel before slapping him hard across the face. “Ow! What in the hell did you do that for”? Misa laugh so hard she had to hold her stomach. Between the look on his face and his reaction to her hitting him made her laugh for some reason. When she finally caught her breath, she looked at him and said, “Because you killed me and then you were going to leave me.” “Oh, well I deserve that. You could have done much worse, so I settle for a slap that nearly made me lose my eyesight. When did you get so strong?” Misa flex her muscles, laughing a little. “I’ve always been strong, you never noticed?” “Well, you never had to a reason to slap me until now. It is weird feeling pain again.”

               Misa grabbed Mikels hand as she looked to the ground. “Tell me everything, okay?” “Everything?” “Yes”. Mikel nodded his head, knowing that what he was going to tell her could very well scare her off for good, but he proceeded to do so anyway. Misa wanted to know all that happened in the years that he was gone. She felt as if a sizable chunk of their lives were taken away from them and wanted to put the pieces together. They walked off into the distance, knowing that they had a hard road ahead of them, but it could not be any harder than what they had already faced.

 

 

 

 

Author's Note

This was from a long time ago, please be kind.