Light to Dark

Gorthonn; A word just enough to make your soul jump out of your body if you might ever encounter one. They make look like you, but the only difference is that their appetite is for humans.

Chapter 1

 

 

Two birds desperately peck at the same apple for the worm until there's nothing left but the core, and until the other bird dies from starvation.

 

The butterfly is black and white, having lost its blue toned wings, as it flies throughout the skies hoping to find a place where there's balance amongst the colors.  Is this our upcoming reality?

 

Chained by oppression; survive the Desolation. A popular phrase used to describe the harsh reality and conditions the Earth that they once knew has come to; a phrase that one shall remember for the years of their darkest days. Sometimes our nightmares are just aspects of our reality, or just an endless, cruel, dark world that you hide your insanity with. Sometimes these worlds are escapable; sometimes they aren’t; just as the world can go from light to dark.

 

 

Begin...

 

 

Sprinting for dear life, a man, 37 years of age, rushes off a road and into the woods. His business suit is tattered. Blood trickles from his forehead as he holds his arm in agony. His red handprint leaves a mark on a passing tree as his breathing becomes uncontrollable, he's too struck with fear. Fear that those eyes could be beaming in his direction, everywhere he runs. Whatever you're thinking, it's not an animal, it's not a beast....anything but that.

 

It's too dark out to see anything. This proves to be so as the man trips over a thick tree root protruding from the soil.

 

He face palms directly into the ground and spews blood from his nose. He screams. Halting his cries, he hears a short burst of movement around him. Which direction did it come from? He hears it again. His heart beats out of his chest as he backs onto a tree. That seemed to be the only protection the man was going to get. He reminiscences on his wife and two children, closes his eyes and prays to God, just trying to find something. A little bit of hope without disparity. But there was no turning from the true fact: He's going to die.

 

It was silent, too silent. The man was afraid to open his eyes but....what if it's right there; right there in front of him? What if it isn't and his wasting his time to escape? There's no telling the possibilities.

 

The man opens his eyes..............."He's right in front of me.......he right there! He's right in f*****g front of me," Is the last thing the man said in his head before everything blacked out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 2

 

The Night of Conversion (Present)...

Clair enters the comic book store, browsing through various books. "Mr. Marvelous...Ace...Murder Man...Jesus these comics suck." Her finger lands on one particular comic book that seems to be the last copy of its kind. Clair reads the title, “Tenebrous...” She flips it to the back, “A story that tells the chronicles of an eighteen year-old girl who was born as a Super, in a world that is torn between humans and power wielding beings..." Clair checks out the cover art. "Seems right up my alley."

     Clair freezes. She feels the presence of someone’s eyes fixated on her. Now Clair doesn’t have powers, but sometimes you just get that sketchy feeling that someone has their eyes on you without even looking at your surroundings. Looking through the corner of her eye, she spots a man. He looks to be in his late 20s. The creep tries to make it look like he’s reading a comic book. As soon as Clair turns around to try and confront him, he stands up and leaves the comic book on the table he was sitting at.

“Sir, can you please put the comic book back where you found it,” the manager sitting behind the counter says. The creep walks out the door. “Sir!” The creep runs off to God knows where. Instead of chasing after him, he just sighs and puts the comic book back where it was. “Screw it.”

“You’re not going to stop him?”

“After the years of people coming in here, being held up at gunpoint, and robbed for collector’s items and comic books, I just don’t care anymore. They can come and take all they f*****g want, I don’t give a s**t. I could care less about what happens to my shop anymore. I’m surprised this placed hasn’t gone out of business yet.” The manager looks at the comic book in Clair’s hand. “Take it” Clair gets this flummoxed look on her face. “The comic book,” He says. “Take it”

 “Really, a-are you sure?”

“Don’t make me change my mind.” The manager sits back down behind the counter.

Clair couldn’t help but put a smile on that face. With how money been tight lately and how Rose refuses to revert to asking her father for money, she needed something as nice as this. “Thanks”

“Don’t mention it.” The manager props his feet on top the counter and reads a news-hologram, which was projected off a small device in the palm of his hand. He scrolls to the next page with the swipe of a finger. The date of the articles displays the year November, 2019.

 

Few Days Earlier Before Conversion....

 

"Clair Warrick, the woman, the myth, the legend." Rose takes a sip from her plastic cup filled with soda. Clair does the same as they both walk away from the Carnell Theater. Clair wears her black beanie low as her rare, pure, white hair runs all the way down to her triceps. A denim vest with decorative pin buttons on the front of the chest completed the outfit with a white hoodie underneath, sleeves rolled up, and a white and black checkered flannel beyond that. Even though with Clair's sense of style, it can never top how Rose looks more like the dominant person when they're together.

Clair checks the time on her phone: 9:13 P.M. "When did Emiel and Logan say they were going to meet us in the mall."

They both walk up the pathway to the Zafraye Mall which was basically connected on the same property as the theater. "9:20," Rose answers.

"Well then that gives us 2 minutes to kill with us having to walk to the mall which might take us 7 minutes depending on how fast we walk."

"Alright." Rose and Clair hold hands as they walk. "Also, Clair?"

"Hmm?"

"Can you and Logan not fight, at least for today. We're all here to have a good time."

Clair stays silent for a minute. "I'm not making any promises," She says.

"Thank you." Rose speaks in her head, "Yup, they're gonna to fight."

Two Nexus Patrol Officers stand armed with their guns at ease as they converse with each other about John Wick Chapter 3 on the outskirts of the pathway that directly connects and leads to the Zafrye Mall. Along the pathway resides many outside stores in it's areas. Mainly food joints such as 'Firebirds Wood Fire Grill' or 'Buffalo Wild Wings.' Water flowed out a fountain within the center circumference of the path.  

We fast forward a little into time inside the mall. With Logan, Emiel, and Rose, out of everybody, Clair's the only one who got something to eat as they sit at a table with her eating Panda Express inside the mall on the first floor. People ranging from teens to 50 year olds fills the place full of life and keeps stores booming with business. The sound of footsteps and conversations can be heard if you listen with an open ear attentively. An aroma of various nourishments smell as if a feast is taking place, and the food being served is takeout. Logan slouches in  his chair, laid-back chilling.

"You guys aren't getting anything," Clair says. They all nod 'no'. She turns to Rose, who was sitting to the right of her, "Nothing?"

Rose shakes her head. "Nah, don't have an appetite yet." Logan and Emiel look at Rose like she said something wrong. "--at the moment, but I'll just eat something when we get home," Rose adds on.

"But I haven't seen you eat anything all day. You've been like this for like, a while now and you still won't explain to me why that's so," Clair says.

"I don't have to eat in front of you."

"You rarely eat in front of me at all anymore."

"I said I'll eat something when we get home, but right now I'm not hungry at the moment. We'll talk about this when we get home. Now can we please change the subject," Rose ends.

Clair eyes Rose but removes her gaze and sighs, eating some of her noodles.

Emiel clears his throat and starts off, "You guys know that one test in Math is tomorrow--"

"Nobody studied for it so the teacher can ram that test up his a*s. We just had a test Thursday and she expects us to take another on tomorrow, especially since it's Monday," Logan interrupts.

Clair chimes in, "Oh my God, please no talk about school. Anything but that. Talk about something else like-- I don't know...comic books."

"What if we don't want to talk about comic books," Logan jabs at Clair as he leans foreword.

Rose puts her hand on Clair's shoulder, putting her back at ease. She turns to Logan, "Logan, watch it."

They both taunt each other with their piercing gaze. Both of them staring into each others eyes as if they can see the souls of one another. But it looks like Rose one this one.

Logan rolls his eyes. "What ever..." He leans back in his chair.

Silence blew over the table. Clair took a bite of her orange chicken. She munched loud to break the awkwardness amongst them. Rose held in her laugh. Logan just closed his eyes and tried to sleep where he sat.

Emiel breaks the silence. "So...how was the movie. I heard it was good by some people--"

"Shut up Emiel," Clair sips her soda after saying.

"Okay."

Under the table Rose rubs Clair’s leg. Nothing short from inconspicuous.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 3

 

2 Days Before Conversion...

With the chime of a bell, students rush out the front gates of Valley Allegro High School. The dark clouds cover the skies of Sunpass, Arizona as the winds dance with the shadows. Cool, moist, air gives a hint of a storm.

Nobody likes being shoved in the middle of a crowd to deal with the inevitable odds of no leg room while you’re trying to walk. This was Clair predicament unfortunately. Clair steps on a girl’s heel. The girl turns around. It was as if the storm was just released right in front of her.

“Can you watch where you’re f*****g stepping, these are brand new shoes,” She backlashes at her.

"And nobody gives two s***s," is what was trying to roll off Clair's tongue, but she grit her teeth, reversed her frown, and calmly utters, "It was an accident." The girl doesn’t respond. Clearly she’s too angry about getting her new shoes flat tired rather than answering back. It was a shame Clair wasn't one to get a write up or a suspension. Otherwise, she would have socked the living s**t out of that girl. Being bunched up in a crowd with chatter that filled the noise gap around her, one particular conversation stood out from amongst the others, catching Clair’s ears. It was two boys going back and forth about the subject no one wanted to bring up, not even think; And when that happens, it makes your stomach drop to the floor.

A specific word resonates from one of their mouths: Gorthonn.

That name, let alone, was just enough to send chills down your spine and let the fear pulse through your veins. It made Clair’s heart pound at the just the freight of hearing it.

Out the blue someone bumps into Clair going the opposite direction. It was so sudden, her bag knocks off her shoulder, sliding down her arm. She didn't even see anybody coming her way. Odd.

She re-positions her messenger bag and turns around to spot the a*****e. Now she's ready to sock someone's teeth in.

“Alright, what the hell is your--” she stops mid sentence noticing that it’s-- “Logan…”

“Why don’t you watch where you’re going, clearly you not paying attention to what’s in front of you,” Logan counters.

"Not paying a-- now hold on just a damn minute. I didn't even see you in front of me."

"And?"

"And! How the f**k am i supposed to--" Clair cools herself down and grits her teeth with every word she says. "You're the one bumping into me. I was aware and alert of my surroundings. My eyes were directly straight forward. And I-did-not-see-you." She ungrits her teeth. "As a matter of fact, how come you heading back inside the school? The games and clubs are canceled today and they're locking down the entire campus early because of--" Clair couldn't force the word out.

"The Gorthonns. Yeah, I know." Clair was surprised Logan said that like it was nothing. Logan continues, "We've both been here since freshman, sophomore, and junior year. And now we're seniors. All the school lock down stuff is nothing new. Why do you even care about what I'm doing anyways Clair? It's none of your Goddamn business anyways."

"Maybe if you weren't such a jackass I wouldn't badger you on how it's just a simple question." Clair knew saying that would really turn Logan’s face more dourer than it already is.

Logan was about to verbally retaliate but transitioned into sudden silence. His heads jolts in the direction of the High School, sniffing like a dog trying to find a trace.

Clair raises one eyebrow. "Um...Logan..." She snaps her fingers in front of Logan’s face. “Hello, earth to Logan.” Continuing his walk into the building, Logan doesn’t finish his sentence. “What the hell…f****n’ weirdo.....this day man, I swear…” Clair's argument with Logan made her realize the time that has trickled away. The crowd isn't as big as it used to be; dimmed down. Buses aren't present in pick up area and individuals make their way to the student parking lot. Clair being one of those individuals.

In the parking lot, Rose calls out, "Clair." Clair pans over to see Rose waiting at their car, waving her over.

Proceeding to the car, Rose gives Clair a warm hug. “Hey Rose.”

Rose looks at Clair like she’s grown two heads. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Clair answers.

“Then why are you giving that bewildered look on your face?” Rose mentions.

“It’s nothing it’s just something stupid.” Clair opens the door to the passenger side. Swiftly, Rose closes the door without hesitation. From all the time Clair has spent with Rose, she is just now noticing this new-found strength she never knew Rose had. It is as if her finger could slam the door shut with little to no effort for the amount of strength Clair felt emit through the car.

“Is someone bullying you…hitting you…calling you names?” Rose sounds more subtle and sterner. This was the more serious side of her; the side that no one wants to see; the side that no one wants to f**k with. Except Clair. She was the only one allowed to piss off Rose and get away with it scot-free.

“D****t Rose, no one is doing anything to me. I don’t need you to be my personal caped crusader to my rescue, alright.”

There was silence. Then Rose then breaks a smile.

Clair can’t help but crack a smile too, “F**k you." Clair says as she enters the passenger seat. Rose goes around the car and hops on the driver's side. Popping the keys in the ignition, they instantly, they drove off campus.

“Clair,” Rose says.

“Yeah.”

“How come you say Gotd****t instead of Godd****t?”

“.....F**k, off” Clair smiled as she looked out the window. Rose can’t help but laugh at her failed attempt to piss her off. For Clair, one of the greatest things about car rides is that you can look at the scenery and enjoy the ride, like all your worries slip away from just the hum of the air conditioner going through the car. Sometimes everyone needs to forget about the bad things; to forget about the pain that they hide, despite what they show. Clair, feeling drowsy, decides to take a nap and delve into slumber.

 

The Night Of Conversion (Present)......

 

Clair sits in a park reading her new comic book, her focus delved into each page. You would think that a plethora of kids would be playing at the park, but no. There are no kids, not even adults to be found. Those people are probably smarter than most of the people that still roam the streets carefree, Clair and Rose are obviously excluded from that

Clair got so indulged in her comic book, she forgot to check her surroundings just in case she sees that creep from before. But there’s only one reason people aren’t enjoying a day at the park, only one: Gorthonns. One of the things chilling about them is that they look just--

*Honk Honk*

“Motherf...” Clair jumps out of her skin. “D****t Rose, don’t do that!”

Rose is parked near the sidewalk in front of Clair. Not directly in front of her, but a couple feet back.

“Well I’m sorry I thought you would hear the only car in the parking.”

Clair walks over to the car. “You see that I’m reading a comic book though” Clair hops in the passenger seat.

“Jeez, sor-ry. My day was nice thanks for askin.” Rose and Clair drive off. “So since I already practically told you how my day went and you’re probably not going to ask it after I just said something about it, how was your day” Looking out the window, Clair tries to adjust her brain to what sees registering. A couple cars pass by them. Most noticeably, two Nexus patrol cars.

Standing on the sidewalk, staring them down, is the same creep that was staring at her in the comic book store. He doesn’t even blink, his eyes just follows the car as they drive by him. “Earth to Clair, incoming transmission: How-was-your-day. Was it good, was it bad, was it lame?” Sound becomes distant echoes. “Yo, Clair.” A burning question pops in Clair's head. Rose taps Clair’s shoulder. “Clair!”

Clair turns to Rose. “When I was at the comic book store, there was this�"man that kept staring at me. I saw it at the corner of my eye.”

“What? Did you confront the fucko and tell him to f**k off or did you at least tell the manager?” Rose asks.

“Right when I turned around and looked at him, he ran out the store and just now down that street, I saw him looking at us.”

Rose takes a hard U-turn and heads back to the street Clair pointed out. “He’s not here”

“He must have left or something,” Clair says.

“So you think this dude's following us? Did you see him escape in a vehicle outside the comic book store?” Rose inquires.

“I-I didn’t chase after him...I don’t know where he went when he ran.”

Rose sighs. “So how do you suppose he would know, we would drive down this street at this exact time if you last saw this dude at the comic book store about an hour ago?” Rose hangs her arm out the window.

“Did you see the guy on the sidelines as you drove down this street?” Clair asks.

“Clair I don’t pay attention to pedestrians on the sidewalks while I’m driving because I could give two s***s about some average Joe or some plain Jane walking down the street.” Rose responds.

Clair puts her hand over her face. “...Forget it...Just...drive...”

“You don’t have to beat yourself up over this Clair. There was a weirdo in the store that looked at you and ran off. To be honest, that jerk-off hasn't been laid not even once in his miserable life and was too p***y to face you, cause I know you would have kicked his a*s.

But I highly doubt that he would tail us and know exactly which street we’re driving down on and monitor which direction we’re going.” Rose starts heading down the same direction they were heading.

 

Hours Before Conversion...

 

Morning circles around, casting a rainbow over yesterday’s gloom. Clair awakens from her slumber back in the apartment she shares with Rose. Not a very spacious apartment like most. But at least it’s better than nothing. Clair stretches her limbs and lets out a yawn. That might have been the best nap she’s ever taken, at least a nap that she could sleep through without waking up frantically multiple times during the night. The television echoes down the hallway. Sizzling can be heard in the kitchen with the screech of a plate setting on the counter

Clair sniffs in the aroma. “Is that what I think it is?” she thinks to herself. She jumps out of bed but quickly stops by the pain evoking through head. Last night’s experience is still settling in. Clair decides to take it slow for the time being, not sexually speaking of course. Entering the kitchen, she sees Rose cooking. Being sneaky, she goes up behind Rose and gives her a hug. “Good morning.”

Rose smiles. “Good morning.” Clair looks over Rose’s shoulder to see her making two grilled cheese sandwiches.

“You’re making grilled cheese sandwiches in the morning?” Clair sees that there is only one plate on the counter.

Rose takes the pan and goes over to the counter, sliding the grilled cheese sandwiches on the glass plate. “We ran out of eggs. I have to go to the store to get some after my shift is over.” Rose washes the pan in the sink.

Clair takes a bite out of one of her sandwiches. “Mmm, this is good. You’re not gonna have one for yourself?”

“Nah, I’m…not hungry”

Clair raised one of her eyebrows. “Again? You’ve been doing this for the past week. I’m beginning to think you’re secretly depressed or there’s something you’re not telling me.”

Rose clutches the dish rag tighter in her hands. “I’m going to go to the store after my shift to get some eggs and more toast.”

Clair had her curiosity as to why Rose changed the subject. Despite that, she left the subject where it was at so far. But Clair will definitely pick it back up when she sees Rose after her shift. “You can drop me off at the store and I can get the eggs when it’s time for you to head out.”

“I thought you had to work today,” Rose asks.

“My boss said that this Saturday was our day off. I was planning on going to the comic book store and heading to the park afterwards.” Clair finishes off one of her grilled cheese sandwiches.

“You’re going to carry eggs all the way to the comic book store and to the park? I think not.” Rose puts the plate in the dish drain.

“Never mind, just forget it,” Clair gives her secretly pissed off face.

Rose walk in front of Clair. She rests her hand on her cheek, giving Clair a kiss. They both retract their lips. “I’ll get the eggs, alright. You just go out and enjoy your day off,” Rose looks intently into Clair’s eyes. Clair nods. Rose looks at the lonely sandwich crying out to be consumed by a salivated mouth. “Your sandwich is gonna get cold. You better finish it off with a fatality before it’s too late.” Clair giggles. “There’s that smile.”

“Oh hush you,” Clair takes a bite out of the last grilled cheese sandwich.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 4

 

The Night Of Conversion (Present)....

 

 

Darkness casts its shadow for those below as the crescent moon shimmers. From time to time when the night transcends from day, it becomes more apparent that the population of the streets decreases day by day. Clair and Rose drive on a top freeway. In the car, Clair finishes reading her comic book. In her head, she’s strangling the book by its throat, or by the page.

 

“No, no, no, no! Damn these motherfucking cliffhangers!”

 

"Just buy the 2nd issue, goll-ly," Rose says.

 

"There is no second issue. The company making the comic book apparently canceled the story before even making the second installment. I f*****g hate the a******s who thought canceling this was a good idea” Clair says.

 

Rose laughs a little. “Those a******s probably didn’t have a choice, either that, or they were losing sales for that particular comic book”

 

“Well it’s not fair, it’s just plain retarded. You can’t end of with a cliffhanger like that and not make the second issue. That’s betrayal for not delivering the fans what you led them up to!” Clair crosses her arms.

 

Rose sniffs; concerned, she looks out her window, over the edge of the freeway, below are two streets that are closed off from the public. Rose swerves.

 

“Rose, pay attention to the road” Rose corrects herself back in the lane. “Fucken hell, you gonna get us both killed”

 

Rose sniffs again.

 

“Ok what the hell are you sniffi--”

 

*BOOM*

 

A tremendous force bashes itself onto the car as it turns and tumbles. The glass shatters. Shards fly everywhere. Clair screams as he seatbelt fails her from the unreal acceleration going about. Along with the car, she turns and tumbles inside the vehicle. Ramming her head on the dashboard, Clair is knocked out cold, but her body still slams into multiple objects throughout the car due to it’s the motion.

 

“Clair!” Rose screams as she unbuckles her seatbelt and grabs Clair moments after seeing her hit her head, shielding her from anymore harm. The vehicle flies off the top freeway and comes spinning down. Using her back, Rose tries breaking Clair’s fall.

 

*BAMB*

 

The impact is devastating.

 

Rose opens her eyes to see that she’s alright. She checks Clair: Blood runs down her head. Cuts and brushes show in the moonlight. Rose shakes her. “Clair...Clair...” She says. No response. Rose checks her pulse. She feels a heartbeat, leaving her a breath of relief.

 

Despite Clair’s damages, Rose doesn’t seem to be hurt at all: Her clothes are a little tattered, but no blood, no cuts, no nothing. With the car lying on the street sideways, Rose looks up through the driver’s window to see up in the air from wince they fell. A masculine silhouette from the top freeway jumps down. Rose sniffs again. This time, her look wasn’t “concerned,” it was the, “Oh s**t” face.

 

The masculine silhouette lands on top the car and rips off the door like it was nothing, throwing it elsewhere.

 

“If you want her, your going to have to go through me you son of a b***h” Just then, Rose gets dragged out the car.

 

Clair being left inside the vehicle. Outside, the masculine silhouette is chucked a good distance. Rose meets on the opposite end from him as he lands on his feet.

Good vs. Bad standing from each other. But...was there really good standing opposite of bad or was this only the standing of the Bad vs. the Bad.

 

Clair’s vision is blurred. Constant ringing echoes in her ears. Her head throbs as she touched the warm blood streaming down her face. Everything in her body ached with pain. Using all her strength she crawled out of the car window.

 

“Rose...Rose...” Clair groans. Peeking behind the car, she sees Rose and the silhouette stare each other down. “Rose...” Rose’s body freezes at the sound of Clair’s voice. Slowly, Rose looks behind her. Clair’s eyes widen. Her breathing becomes uneasy, her body trembles with fear.

 

Rose’s sclera turns the color black...her iris glows a haunting orange. Those eyes are not that of any normal human. Those eyes are the greeting of your death if you were to ever catch a glimpse of them. Well...Let’s just hope that you don’t ever get to.

 

Chills crawl down Clair’s skin. Her heart pounds out of her chest. “R-Rose....is....a-a....Gorthonn....?"

 

Chapter 5

 

The Night Of Conversion (Present)...

 

With a rush of adrenaline, Clair attempts to stand up. Her vision goes in and out of focus. A flood of pain courses through her left leg. She hops on her right leg, letting her left foot drag. Clair stumbles on the ground. Promptly, she gets back up and limps her way away from the scene.

 

     The silhouette walks forward, revealing himself in the moonlight. Clair looks back and sees him in the distant. It's the creep from before. It's him. He had a grim smile with low cut, unkempt hair.

 

     "Clair get out of here!" Rose yells.

 

     "Rose is a Gorthonn! Rose is a f*****g Gorthonn!" Clair screams in her head.

     

     The creep sprints for Clair. But Rose doesn't let him off the hook that easily. She charges for him and lunges at him, tackling him in the process. All while this was happening, Clair headed for the grass hillside that sloped down the sides of the highway. Looking back, she noticed how fast the creep and Rose were sprinting; it was abnormally swift but not supersonic.

 

     Rose and the creep engage in hand to hand combat.

 

     "That guy is a f*****g Gorthonn! He wants to f*****g kill me! I'm dead! I'm f*****g going to die!"

 

     The creep catches Rose's jab. His head-butt slams her off balance. Each blow delivered by him proves devastating against Rose. Not a single move has landed on the creep.

     

     "Why won't you take a damn punch!" Rose yells.

 

     With a quick, arm slice movement, the creep lacerates Rose's arm as she blocks his attack. Black blood emits from the cut. Rose cringes.

 

     Clair was already up and over the grass hill, limping, escaping for dear life.

 

 

Shortly After....

     

 

     There is barely anyone on the streets. It's like a ghost town. Not much to say considering the real question is: Who would want to be outside at night? Clair goes over and takes refuge behind the corner of a convenient store. She tries to breath easy. Taking a short glance, Clair views the blood from her hand. That hand was covering her wound. And it seemed the bleeding wouldn't stop.

 

     Her limbs felt weak. "I have to keep.....moving.....God....I feel like I'm gonna pass out......I can't.....pass out......not here.....not right now.....not while those things are still out there...." Clair began limping off again. She stops. "The hell was that..." Clair thought she heard a rock skip across the ground. She kept a move on.

 

     Now it felt like a presence was behind her. She jolts around to find...no one. It's quiet, too quiet. No crickets chirped and no dogs howled. It was just her. Clair was standing in a world of darkness. No one to come to her aid. A light lost in the vast arrays of gloom who wants to find its way out but is trapped no matter what corner they turn.

 

     Echoing footsteps race to her. Clair doesn't know which direction they're coming from. Clair starts running using her left leg; pain surges over and over again after each step she takes with it. It's unbearable. Blood streams down from her leg. For her, it's either bear absolute hell from the pain she's feeling or be gut like a pig by a Gorthonn. The footsteps get closer and closer and closer!! It's right behind her!

 

     All of a sudden the footsteps stop. But that doesn't stop Clair.

 

     ....Something leaps over Clair and stands right up close in her face. It's the creep....

 

     Clair is frozen in fear. Her voice trembles.

     

     "Found' ya" The creep says. His breath reeked of literal death and soul clenching flesh.

 

     Two sharp pain emerge from Clair's stomach. She looks down to see the creep's two hands pierced right through her stomach. Clair's mind slips little by little. He then raises her in the air with his brute strength. A rich red pours out of Clair's stomach wound and onto the creep's face. The creep retracts his arms from her stomach and let's Clair's body fall to the pavement.

 

     Rose turns the corner and sees the creep standing over Clair's body. A pool of blood seeps from Clair's body. "...Clair..." Tears form in her eyes. Anger pulses through her. Rose runs up behind the creep right as he's about to feed and puts him in a headlock. "I'm gonna f*****g kill you, you piece of s**t!" Rose yells. The creep doesn't give in as easily. He reaches up and scratches Rose's face and tries to gouge out her eyes. He elbows Rose in the stomach which deals a mighty blow. But Rose isn't going to give up that easily either. Suffocating him isn't going to do it. There's only one option she thought of. With the twist of an arm--

 

     *Crrkk*

 

     The creep's body falls aimlessly to the floor with his head rotated on his side. Rose had snapped just snapped his neck....

 

     Rose spits on the creep's body. "Hope you have a nice stay in hell you son of a b***h..." Just then, Rose stomps on the body. Black blood spews everywhere. In the moment, dark red webbing  type tendrils circulate around Rose's leg and deconstructs the body in a cocoon like wrapping around it. The tendrils retract as they pull and seep the body into Rose's body, her absorbing its essence. Rose's arm wound seals back up. It was as if she was not harmed at all.

 

Rose slides over to Clair and holds her in her hands. She rests Clair's head on her chest. Clair spits out and chokes on her blood. Rose sees the pierce wound oozing out tons of blood. "Oh my God. Clair! Clair don't you die on me!" Rose freaks out, she knows Clair on the brink of death. A hospital wouldn't do any good, they would lose her before the operation even begins. Stopping the bleeding won't help. She's already lost a lot of blood from her leg. "F**k! F**k, f**k, f**k!" At that moment, something hit her. There is a way for her to save Clair. But it's last resort. "Screw it" Rose says. There's no other way.

 

     Clair stares into Rose's Gorthonn eyes as well as Rose starred in Clair's eyes. Five words slip from Rose's mouth: Please forgive me for this. Rose picks up Clair's hand and tells her to hold on tight to her grasp. "This is going to hurt." Rose takes her entire hand and plunges it through Clair's stomach. Clair gargles through the blood in her mouth as she inaudibly screeches in pain. Her grip tightens as she holds Rose's hand. Some type of black looking organism lifts from Rose's arm and transfers into Clair's stomach.

 

     Once the transfer was complete, Rose retracts her arm and shakes the blood off her hand. Rose sees Clair's head dangle from her arm. She checks her heartbeat.

 

    ....It's still beating. Clair must have just passed out from the pain. Rose stares at Clair's face.

 

     "I hope you can forgive me for what I've done to you....I had no other choice but to revert to this....." Rose says in her head.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

End