《Walpurgisnacht》 1. Our Convocation Notice: the following story is a fiction contains violence, morbidity, obscenity and features characters of dubious moral standing, emulate them at your own risk! The face of the unknown liquid in the great dark cauldron perfectly reflected the empty night sky, an immaculate void that suggested nothing of that which may lurk within its unfathomable depths. The first bubble to rise was soon followed by countless more, sprawling the surface as if to desperately dissemble whatever window it may have served. At long last the time of the ritual had begun. I adjusted my wide brimmed hat and held out my staff, both christened with symbols astrological and arcane. And now the chant. Hark! At last our fortunes yield Betwixt the trees, within the Field, A devil, a fiend brought forth by we Dreadful and great, us witches three, Amid the black as witches ought Upon this dark Walpurgisnacht- -Wrong. I was cut off. Excuse me? I turned to Javinka who had barely said a single word the entire night, only deciding now to interrupt me right in the middle of my chant. Its Halloween, not Walpurgisnacht. She clarified. Give me a break, why are you always such a buzzkill? Because it''s wrong, Its Halloween. Its the same thing! Quit splitting hairs you pedantic- -Its not the same thing, Walpurgisnacht is the night between April and May. wh- eh? What? No, shes right. Did you not know that? Heather chimed in. W- wait seriously? it''s really not? I looked back and forth between them for some indication this was a ruse. No. But Isnt it just the olden day term for it? Nope. Thats All Hallows eve, it''s completely different. Said Javinka. I shite I reluctantly accepted the truth, Javinka was not the type to play practical jokes, though she apparently had no issues with public humiliation. Damn It! Now I look like an idiot! Not that it matters that much in front of these two though Even our attire couldnt be more different, I with my astrologer''s robe, staff and pointed hat, hand meticulously crafted by myself over the course of countless hours, embroidered with golden esoteric sigils and embellished with tassels at its edges. Heather in her cheap, plus-size Halloween store costume and Javinka wearing her dads old bathrobe and a wide-brim hat from school. F-fine give me a moment to think of something that rhymes with Halloween Why does it have to rhyme? asked Heather. Because it does, real magic is in the power of words, manifestation and all that crap. If I was a demon I wouldnt show up for a chant that didnt rhyme. Are we actually trying to summon a demon? she asked, a twinge of fear seeping into her voice.. Were not really trying, were just seeing what happens. Thats such a weirdly vague thing to say. Just tell me yes or no. Were just three girls, doing girl things, having fun, seeing where the night takes us if a real demon shows up well well just roll with it. I really dont know about this Liz, it seems like a really bad idea- -Come on, when are you ever going to get the chance to do something like this again! Once Kestrel finds this cauldron theyll either lock it away or smelt it into paper clips or some other equally frivolous mundanity. But why was this cauldron left here to begin with? Why hasn''t Kestrel already taken it? she asked. I dunno- who cares? So, if a real demon shows up and offers to possess you and grant its power in exchange for your soul, what are you gonna say? Id politely decline of course I assured her. Aye right, No thank you mr demon, dont make me a contractor I dont want preternatural abilities, Id rather keep my shittey soul I cleared my throat. But anyway this ritual is supposed to call a wish granting demon anyway, not a contract-possessing-power granting one anyway. Is that why were using a cauldron instead of a black book? Yes actually. I confirmed. Ok and what''s the difference? Couldnt you just wish for demonic power? And what if it still wants your soul in exchange for that wish? Look if it does show up, let''s just hear it out, its not going to force us to deal with it, its something we have to agree to. But how do you know that? what if we get cursed or something? Heather appeared to be growing more anxious, Javinka as usual said nothing. Demons dont dally up curses all willy-nilly, they only do it for a reason, to punish hubris and greed and what have you. I replied. What kind of demons are these? Why wouldnt they curse us for wasting their time? Or even just because they can? Theyre demons! Since when did you become a demonologist? Is that not hubris you''re showing right now? Demonic accords are voluntary transactions, thats something Kestrel PR has made clear. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Yeah, but you said the K were a scheming pack of liars, isnt it in their best interests to convince everyone that all Contractors are monsters by choice? So no one feels bad when they get captured or flat out misted in the street? Christ Heather- just- just chill out ok? Its gonna be fine, I researched all this alright? In the pretty unlikely event something does happen, the fence out of the Field is literally meters away, all we have to do is sprint down the hill, climb back over it and well be fine. I gestured towards our exit but in earnest it was almost impossible to make out in the gloom, the fire beneath the cauldron was our only local source of illumination and if it weren''t for the lights in the town just behind us, we may have been liable to wandering down the other side of the hill and into the depths of the Field. Come to think of it, if sprinting is involved then she probably wont be ok the look on her face tells me she knows this too. I was about to suggest she could roll down but I stopped myself. That would just be cruel. Is a chain link fence going to stop a demon? she continued to press me. Well it''s not like it can chase us through a populated residential area. and why not? How could you know that? Real life isnt a horror movie, so relax already? That''s exactly the kind of thinking that gets the people in those movies killed. The people in those movies are stupid, we are not. I retorted. Are you sure about that Liz? You only just found out Halloween and walpurgisnacht weren''t the same thing. I pinched the bridge of my nose. Will you shut up already? How long are you gonna drag this out? We are standing on the precipice of the unknown, a truly original experience and you wanna what? Run back home and rewatch your shitcoms for the zillionth time? She looked down at her feet. come on Heather, I already said it''ll be fine, so just relax alright? At the very least Itll make for a good story, how many people do you think can say theyve dabbled in the occult and actually meant it? This seemed to reassure her at least partially. Good now, it''s kind of getting late so let''s just do the offerings. I cleared my throat. I, Vescuria, thrice cursed of fate and scion of the shimmerless sun; giveth unto thee mine offering of blood. I took a capsule from my pocket inside my robe and poured the red fluid inside into the pot. Wait, is that real blood? asked Heather. Aye? Whose? Who do you think? Is it yours?! Did you seriously-? -Shush, Its not a big deal Ive got lots left over. She still looked somewhat disturbed but she said nothing more. your turn. I gestured to Heather. She took a plastic wrapped tray out of her bag, in it was a few thin cuts of meat. my name is Cmaria the uh witch, and here is- thine offering of flesh. She let it slide off into the pot. Did you just buy it from the supermarket? I asked. It was on sale. What?! w-where else was I going to get some flesh? I dunno, some dead animal from somewhere, not discount schnitzel. Dead animal?! she looked back at me in shock. -n-never mind it should be fine. Javinka walked up to the cauldron. Im Ishtar and here is the offering of bone. She poured a small bottle of milk into the cauldron. God, maybe I should hope this thing doesnt show up after all it might think were trying to piss it off. so what now? Heather asked. Now we do a summoning chant again just give me a second to finish thinking one up You haven''t found a word to rhyme with Halloween? I did! Im just putting it together, that''s all. I cleared my throat and prepared my verse. Hear me, oh great demons of the Field! Through rot and ruin neer shall we yield. On tonight we witches three have gathered here to summon thee. Upon this Walpurgis- eh- ween, Sweet gifts we offer for your spleen. really? Heather nearly raised her voice. Can it Heather! -I mean Maria- you wanna do the chant instead? She said nothing. Aye, I didnt think so. Just give me a minute, Ill think of something better ahem upon this hallows eve, sweet gifts we offer for your reprieve. nothing happened. No demon. Observed Javinka. I can see that! Its because you two have to say it with me, -and you gotta actually mean it Hear me, oh great demons of the Field! Through rot and ruin neer shall we yield. On tonight we witches three have gathered here to summon thee. Upon this hallows eve, sweet gifts we offer for your reprieve. They spoke my verse in unison, but did so only half heartedly, like they were singing happy birthday for someone they didnt like. Come on, use your lungs! We chanted again and with each subsequent verse got more into it. We chanted six times in chorus, and by the end of the last we were out of breath. But still nothing happened. It occurred to me only now that shouting at the top of our lungs in the middle of the night here of all places was probably actually very stupid, and not trying to wash your eyes with soap stupid; the kind of stupid that would other instances have me roll my eyes at the newspaper article detailing the terrible and gruesome fate of who so ever just raised the collective iq. Here and now at least, we seem to have gotten off alright. Although our demon is still a no show, guess it was a long shot unless theres something Im missing? So is this demon gonna show up or what? asked Heather. After all that I think Ill be pretty- I began. The cauldron suddenly began to boil much faster. Oh! Thick wafts of vapors rose from the giant pot. OH my god! Thats the worst thing Ive ever smelt! Heather squealed. What did you expect? After all that crap we chucked in there, not to mention whatever was in there already. Said Javinka monotonically, though she herself leaned in for a whiff, only immediately wince backward, her glasses entirely fogged from the steam. I wasn''t expecting it to smell nice! I just didn''t think it would be that bad. Heather insisted. Unable to resist my curiosity now that everyone else had, I tilted towards the pot to sniff the air and almost instantly regretting it Jesus thats vile! What else was in this thing before we got here? It didnt smell at all until we heated it That stench was dreadful, but it wasnt unwashed public bathroom bad or nauseating chemicals bad, it was something else, something that I couldnt recognise and yet I knew was setting off primordial alarm bells in my brain. I made sure to hold my breath while I stood close. The air suddenly grew cold and the world beyond the meager light of the flame seemed to darken further still. The boiling began to grow more intense. hey guys are you seeing this too or the words died in my mouth. I could see shapes forming in the darkness just above the pot. Or what? I eh- I There was nothing there, only the wafting of steam. I was sure something was just about to happen there! I must be mistaken So when does the demon get here? I dunno maybe it needs to cook some more but let''s have that picnic while we wait. We sat down on the mat we had brought and went about divvying up the food. Our haul wasnt too bad, Javinka had brought a large bowl of biryani cooked by her parents, which was as always, supremely delicious. Heather''s parents had bought a few snacks for us and I only managed to bring the sweets I had to scrape off the top of my parents'' Halloween stock. Our humble coven and our convocation'' was only a tepid affair. Despite our modest feast, I found myself unable to properly relax as the night went on, my head constantly flicking to look behind me, back at the pot and the darkness beyond. So much that my neck was starting to feel sore towards the end of things. Javinka maintained her typical demeanor of ever aspergic monotonality, apparently unbothered by the situation but nonetheless a stilted conversationalist as always. Heather on the other hand was dealing with it worse than I was, sweating rivers and stuffing her face by the truckload, I nearly had to physically intervene to stop her from going on another stress eating binge. She was too psyched out for any worthwhile interaction. I dont know what I was expecting but I still feel somehow profoundly disappointed. They say you can choose your friends but you can''t choose your family. But thats a lie isn''t it? You cant choose a goddamn thing in this world. 2. What would you have wished for? The streets were as empty and quiet in the dark as they were in twilight a few hours ago. I had proudly thought to myself of how our costumes would have disguised us perfectly as trickle-treaters but we didnt pass a single person by on the way there anyway and I might as well be naked for all it matters at this point. Even though thats probably a good thing no one at all saw us, I still feel unsatisfied. Then again I expect this part of town is usually pretty quiet, most likely due to fear given its proximity to the outskirts of the Field. There was actually one house we passed nearby on the way here that was apparently audacious enough to break this unspoken law. The echoes of their raucous revelry were audible long before we were even close to it. I had cursed their discourtesy earlier but now in its absence, an eerie silence was left in its wake. There was not even low playing music or drunken ramblings to reassure us that there were people nearby. In retrospect staying out this late probably wasnt a good idea Well that was underwhelming. Said Heather. at least you actually did something tonight. But Im relieved honestly, messing with demons is too scary. she brushed her blonde curls from her forehead. Aye, but youre scared of everything. Kestrel could lock us up for attempted communion! -Fuck the birds, and every other tendril of the GFA, if they dont care about the pot enough to move it then they aren''t going to care about us trying to talk to it. O-ok but literally every story about making deals with demons ends badly. Heather retorted. Aye stories, written long before demons or the Field ever existed, why would they be experts on something that neither they nor anyone in their era could even experience? You dont think its alarming how greatly the demons of reality resemble their mythical and fictional counterparts? They were called demons based on arbitrary similarities. I''d wager half of my blood that most of the parallels between the two are either exaggerated or straight up fabricated by the K, makes their narrative easier to shill. Historical people have zero factual basis for their knowledge regarding demons of the modern day. Yeah and what about all those news reports of contractors murdering people and using their abilities for other dreadful things, that seems to line up pretty well if you ask me.. Of Course the news tells us that theyre owned by the Birds! you really think they''d want us to know about the contractors who are normal and chill? But dont they say you have to give up your soul to make a bargain with a demon. Aye and it''s almost certainly bullshite! Dont you think if we had scientific confirmation that the human soul actually exists it would be a much bigger deal? Its probably a metaphorical kind of soul selling, like eh when you take a job in government. Even if that''s really true, isnt it still a big risk? Meddling in forces you dont understand? Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Do you really think humanity would have gotten anywhere if their first response to something they didnt understand was to just run away? What do you think went through the head of the guy who made the wheel? What have I done? oh the horror!? Sure, people made advancements by taking risks but how many do you think were culled in that process? Ach- why are you such a-? I felt a light but strangely tangible sensation on my left shoulder. did you feel something just now? what? asked Heather. I dunno I just- I spun around but there was nothing but an empty street behind us. What is it? I thought i- just felt like someone touched me on the shoulder just now dont say that shit Liz, it''s freaky as hell! Fucks sake Heather I wasnt trying to-! Look It was probably nothing, dont get so hysterical! Probably nothing? Calm down already. Sheesh. We walked in silence for a bit. Well I guess it doesnt matter at this point anyway, what were you gonna wish for if it was real? I asked her. I''m not sure what would you have wished for? I think Id wish for Scarlett and her clique cursed with perpetual agony. Thats horrible! Whats wrong with you?! she spun around. Chill it out! That was obviously a joke. Jeez. Heather said nothing. Come on, did you actually think I was serious?! What kind of person do you take me for? I attempted to settle her. Right What would you actually wish for then? Money would probably be the practical thing, pretty boring though. If you suddenly acquired a massive sum of money out of nowhere, the Global Financial Assemblys Revenue office would immediately investigate and seize it from you, said Javinka. Vampires! I suppose I''d wish for cash to eternally be drip fed to my bank account instead. There, I said mine, Now it''s your guy''s turn. I guess a boyfriend. Said Heather slightly embarrassed. Wishing someone to fall in love with you is just magical date rape- where do you get off blowing up at me for-?! -No-no-no I-I mean Id wish to meet a guy who would really like me. Oh. Well- thats just asking to be monkeys pawd. Youd probably be sent a seventy-year-old homeless dude. Thats why Id ask to meet my perfect match. Ehh tthat might work provided it doesnt figure out how to twist your words But honestly even if you found a decent guy with standards that low youd probably blow it anyway. What about you, Javinka? A time machine. Aye? Where would you go? World war two. She replied almost immediately. If you stopped it from happening it might prevent us from being born. Why would I stop it? Right, forgot who I was talking to. I want to see it first hand and collect memorabilia. Of course you would Id want a first hand account from soldiers too, ask them how the feel about sacrificing themselves for a nation that ultimately betrayed the ideals they were willing to die for- Javinka continued rambling about her hyper fixation without our consent. Shell say almost nothing for hours but once the conversation arrives at world war 2 it never leaves, her historical knowledge could be considered encyclopedic if It didnt include certain facts that were considered by the GFA to be illegal. Lucky for her kestrel doesn''t seem to give a shite but I don''t see why she couldnt have just gone with dinosaurs or trains. She continued on until we parted ways. I stuck with Heather for a while longer, seeing her current state I opted to detour and walk her all the way home. Someone of her fragile composition wouldnt well handle being out on their own this late at night. 3. Communion with the unnatural world Well that was underwhelming What am I thinking? Of course it wouldnt work- I knew that I just wanted to do something fun- something new thats all Theres nothing wrong with that, is there? I had insisted to the others that we were too old to be trickle-treating but now I wonder if I don''t regret that My parents would be pissed if i woke them up sneaking but at least they dont care about me being out late. Fortunately I know the house well enough to get through it without making a sound. I crawled into bed and soon fell asleep, but I found myself awake what felt like only minutes later. My room was dark, darker than it should be even at this time of night. I thought at first something might be wrong with my eyes but after a while of failing to adjust to the gloom, I started to feel that something else was off. When I lifted the curtains to look outside I saw that beyond the window was nothing but black, as if my bedroom was floating inside a void. This cant be real right? A tiny sound made me shoot my head back around. There was a black patch in the corner, darker than anywhere else in the room, even than the shadow under my wardrobe. It may as well have been a hole into the abyss outside. It was much too large to be anything I could have tossed on the floor but then what else could it be? As I looked longer into the solid clump of shadow it seemed to grow even darker, my eyes may have been adjusting to everything else but that thing was no less distinguishable. I had focused so much on the spot that It took me longer than a second to register the long dark hand rising up from beside my bed, right in front of my face. A scream burst from the top of my lungs, but no sound left my mouth. I understand youve been trying to contact me. Said a low voice from under my bed. w-what? You attempted to beckon me tonight? Is that not correct? the hand pointed at me. It was greater than that of any regular human though not by a lot, its digits however were very clearly unnaturally thin and disproportionately overlong. Oh God. I-I well- I Im sorry please forgive I- I didnt- Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. -Shhhh It pushed a finger close to my lips, not close enough to make contact but I could feel a chill radiating from its skin, if it even had skin. I prayed that it wouldnt move any closer, somehow I knew more than anything in that instant that it would be very bad if it touched me. You misperformed the ritual It spoke again. P-pardon? You must make the appropriate sacrifices in order to call me. Uh oh. Your offerings were insufficient. oh right, well y-you see- I began. -It was a matter of technicality. You were quite close. It interrupted me. Eh? seriously? You have to make a sacrifice of vitae for the first summon. Im sorry, what is that? Living material. Oh no I see and eh what does that entail exactly? A living thing, or a significant part of one, ideally still alive or only recently dead. What about Heather''s meat? The beast it came from died years ago. oh ew I-I guess my blood wasnt enough? It was accepted as a separate requirement of the full ritual. Wait, Whats the full ritual? Your wish of course. So I can wish for anything? Of course not. But I can give you what you want. I Im sorry, what do you mean by that? It remained silent for a moment, its digits independently flexing as if in individual contemplation. There was almost certainly something very wrong with this hand even beyond its bizarre proportions, discerning whatever that was however; would be impossible from only its silhouette.. Can I grant you wealth beyond imagination? No. Can I make you the apple of every man''s eye? No. Can I take you back through history? No? Can I make your enemies squirm and writhe with the most exquisite suffering you can conjure in your imagination? It made a twisting gesture with its spindling fingers. Yes. I uh how exactly do I do that? There are three requirements. It held up three fingers. The first is a sacrifice of vitae, as aforementioned, the second is the offering of the self which you have fulfilled this with your blood, the third is the offering of the other, which in this case is a piece of the one you hold in contempt, the hated foe that you wish to curse. How am I supposed to get her blood? A hair will suffice. Really? Thats all? that is all. there''s really no other requirements? you must also desire it, with your heart and soul, but I can tell that wont be any trouble for you. alright well thats good If that is all, Ill be waiting The dreadful hand receded below the side of my bed and as it did it seemed to draw what faint ambient light that remained with it, the pitch darkness swelling from the corners as it did so, like it was pulling on the edges of a shroud of pure blackness and casting it over everything. And then I woke up. Jesus christ I knew without a doubt that wasnt an ordinary dream but one of the sort we had been warned about, an Onierius. A vision of communion with the unnatural world, most well associated with demons, or other unknown things from the Field. Kestrel insisted we report this to their information offices but even if I hadn''t been the one to invoke it in the first place, you wouldn''t catch me dead running to them. 4. Sweating bloody oceans Heather and Javinka didnt seem any different that day at school. I knew that if Heather had the same dream as me, she would be sweating bloody oceans right now. but as she appears to be at her usual level of crippling anxiety, I can probably rule that out. Javinka on the other hand is much harder to read stoney as she is, I could see her just telling us outright, or keep it entirely to herself. I was probably not hiding very well myself. Is everything ok Liz? You seem off today. oh uh, Aye I had an unpleasant dream. still a bit shaken thats all what was it about? gross stuff, dont really want to talk about it. It''s not because of what happened is it? she asked. what happened? You said you thought you saw something in the pot, remember? and that you felt a hand behind you. i- a hand? you said something touched your shoulder? I never said it was a hand. She gave me a strange look. What else did you think it was? I-it wasnt anything, just my mind playing tricks on me. I think it was a bad idea, it''s not right to mess with that stuff even as a joke. Hmmm Aye well, lesson learned. And Nothing happened anyway. You can do nothing every other night of the year. W-well I I did get invited to a Halloween party that night but- she said quietly. -Wait what?! Whos party?! I blurted out, not thinking to conceal my shock. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Justine invited me to the one at her place. Urgh that slag? well why didnt you say so? We could have just crashed in on them. U-uh she said if I go, that I couldnt bring you. of course she did! Well the next time you see her tell her I said to go fuck herself. Heather said nothing. Well, whats life if you arent blacklisted from a few places No wait dont tell me Heather only joined us to the fence because she pities me?! I could not handle that! Wel, I would have disowned her if she did go. Youd probably just end up staring at your phone in a corner the whole night anyway. Heather looked away. come on Liz Hey come on, it wasnt that bad was it? How many people do you think can say theyve been inside the Field? Even if it''s only the edge. You know guys are totally into that kind of wild adventurousness. They are? she asked. Sure, guys totally dig crazy chicks. My brother said guys just tolerate them because the girls are either attractive or because they themselves don''t have any other options. Your brother is a degenerate and a fiend, what would he know about women? hes had a few girlfriends actually Heather replied. A few crackwhores maybe. She went silent again. Using drugs to accomplish shite you couldnt do without them only gets you hollow results. I elaborated. On the contrary. Javinka perked up the same way she did whenever she noticed a potential tangent she could use to redirect the conversation. Meth powered the early blitzkrieg and it was actually very effective. Said Javinka. Oh boy here we go As Javinka rambled endlessly my mind returned to my previous thoughts. Alarming as that hand comment was, I think I can probably rule out them having the same dream as me, Heather probably would have spilt her guts about it, and even if she didnt, shed be showing clear signs of holding it back. Question is if these two probably didnt have that dream, why did it only come to me? Was it because I used my own blood? Did I unwittingly spiritually dox myself or something?! Will it leave me alone if Ignore it? or will it try and torment me? I sure hope not The idea of laying a curse on Scarlett is tempting but at the same time that thing was creepy as hell, it''s not worth getting involved with even if she does deserve it. As long as I never have to directly interact with her again Ill accept tolerating her existence. 5. The only freedom you yet possess I had received a message that evening from Heather in our group chat, aptly named the witchcraft portfolio H: You dont think we might have been affected by the Field do you? L: No? H: I felt kind of light headed today, they say you go insane if you spend too long in the Field, from exposure to the strange. L: That''s only if you spend weeks in there, and only much further in where the concentration is higher, we waded at the very edge for a few hours, youre fine, dont worry about it. H: But it affects different people differently, if I were actually losing your mind would I even be able to tell? L: In that case the fact that youre worried would prove that you arent. H: But I would still be going insane, I just wouldn''t be able to tell. Youve already lost it, you hypochondriac. L: Look, If enstrangement it was that prolific the birds wouldn''t have built their hq right on the perimeter, nor would they be able to send troopers in as much as they do. H: I suppose not. L: see? Dont stress out about it. Shes stressing herself out over lightheadedness while I''m getting literal visits from shadow demons in my dreams. How could i even suspect her having the same ones, shed be such a wreck she wouldn''t even be able to speak. But what am I going to do? If it comes to me again what do I tell it? Do I have to keep lying? How long will I be able to keep that up though? I had done my best to put it out of mind but now that i started thinking about it I began to feel nervous myself. I awoke again to darkness, the silhouette of a hand hanging over me. Did you lose your nerve? Or did you never have any to begin with? it asked. I- ah- oh god! well? I just- I couldnt think of anyone who really deserved to be cursed, that''s all. Its a lie of course, but it''s not completely unbelievable So, you underwent a moral epiphany since our last meeting? uh I just curses are just too much I think. Lies w-huh? You lack any such good will, indeed you stew with impotent wrath, hatred clings to you like an odor. I-I just dont want to curse anyone, whys that so bad? because it is an act of delusion. Your reluctance is no motion of piety, it is one of cowardice, you are simply paralyzed by fear of the consequences, being arrested by the red ones, being cast out by your peers, as if they have not already made an exile of you. Im not- You did have potential but it is utterly eclipsed by your cowardice, I see now that you are of no value. E-eh?! What do you mean?! That you are worthless, that you are without utility or purpose, as are all those dominated by fear. Their only merit is in service as slaves. What the hell would you know about my worth?! Im well accustomed with the habits of your ilk, self obsessed, believing that you alone understand the patterns of this world, All the while knowing nothing, doing nothing and being nothing. Nothing beyond your flesh. I-I- but I-?! You- Youre just pissed I''m not doing what you want. No, only shame that you are incapable of following your own desires. But I will not turn you from the existence of your desires. You are welcome to wallow in your stagnant, seething mire of futility for as long as you wish, while you wait for your flesh to rot Its the only freedom you yet possess. The darkness closed in and I awoke once again. Sheesh, what an asshole But at least I dont think hell be back Well how many people can say theyve been verbally abused by a demon I felt a bit better that day, I didnt care for being chewed out by some pissed off dream apparition but at least I think itll leave me alone now. Time seemed to fly the next day until the final class, which was history. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Javinka had waited her whole life for the subject to finally come to world war two, only for her to be banned from the class entirely less than two weeks in for correcting the teacher too many times. She was forced to take hospitality instead. I can picture her glowering right now, that grievous scowl she only does when she gets very unhappy, carved onto her mouth in place of her near perpetual deadpan expression. It had been ingrained into us from an early age (only somewhat successfully) that ridiculing Javinka and people like her for their peculiar traits and mannerisms would be something akin to kicking a three legged orphan puppy off a bridge. It''s probably why shes able to get away with spouting so much unsavory shite completely unbidden, getting shifted to a different class instead of being expelled or arrested. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to be so utterly single minded. She doesn''t even care that everyone thinks shes a freak she might not even know it herself. Wouldnt that be liberating? I resumed my train of thought to the class at hand, ancient Greece taught by Mr. Kleeny. You see the pattern of three sisters show up a lot in Greek mythology, you have the gorgons of which only medusa is renowned, the gray, the charities, the muses and the most well known who are the fates and furies . he rambled. Scarlett? he called. yes? she snapped out of her conversation with the girl next to her. Since youre paying so much attention do you want to tell me what the furies were known for? he asked. If you want to know about furries why dont you ask Liz? she turned back to face me with a smirk on her lips. The classroom burst into laughter. Mr. Kleeny, as useless as all teachers, completely ignored it, continuing his lecture as usual. I was forced to do the same. All I could do was bury my head in my arms, and pretend to be asleep. So I do one crow demon cosplay and suddenly Im inseparably congealed with those degenerates. I just brushed off their teasing at the time but after the incident in the yard, an entirely different light was shone on that memory. To think-! To think I actually said I didnt know anyone who deserved to be cursed! I actually choose to be the bigger person and do the right thing, I refuse an easy deal with a devil and this is what I get?! Fine. Obviously, assuming that common decency goes both ways isnt going to pay off. You could have just kept your mouth shut! But if youre so insistent on continuing to kick the dust into my eyes then I will reciprocate! Forgive and forget?! NO! misgive and regret! You will get what you deserve! What was it that thing needed? Three offerings, a piece of myself, a piece of her and a sacrifice. That thing said I already gave blood so all I need from her is a hair it should be easy enough to find a stray one on her belongings. Scarletts is long so she probably molts a lot, I just need to have access to her school bag where and when no one will see me search it. Since she does one of the sports, volleyball or something, shell probably leave her crap in the gym changing rooms when she does practice, that would be the most ideal time to sneak in and steal one. I found the practice schedule on one of the school info boards and from there I just waited until fifteen minutes after school inside the library, pretending to study before sneaking into the gym once the students were all gone. Too easy. I had a few lies prepared in the event I was caught, depending on who it was, if it was someone I didnt know then I was lost looking for the bathroom, if it was someone who knew me, then I had lost an item somewhere in here, if I got caught with my hands inside her bag I would confess that I believed she might have stolen something from me, citing our grudge as a motive. Definitely not an ideal scenario but preferable to the alternative. There''s no possible sane excuse for pinching hairs, everyone in the entire school would think I was a freak. The bags had name tags so it took me less than a minute to find Scarletts, and what''s more there were several hairs already sitting on top. HAH! She molts like a dog, but it works for me. I plucked a few of them and stuffed them into a small ziplock bag. EXCELLENT! But these are hers though arent they? Isnt it possible another girl could have dropped a hair on her bag but it looks about the right length and color though right? What does it- Liz? wuh-eh?! I spun around and stuffed the bag into my pocket. Ellie Webster had somehow entered the room without me hearing, only a few seconds sooner and she would have caught me in the act. Fancy seeing you here, it''s been a while. What are you doing in the gym lockers? she asked nonchalantly. I- lost something in here, just trying to find it Oh really? What brought you here?. Shite! I didnt rehearse the lie beyond the initial explanation- I didnt prepare myself for someone who would try to drag it into small talk. I did a try out for lacrosse the other day. That''s great, I didnt know they were in season right now. Argh! I dont know why she always does this! Is she actively interrogating me or does she just think shes being friendly?! It''s so annoying! It was like a tryout for next season, a one off thing. Oh ok was good of them to get together and do that just for you haha how did it go? badly, I suck at sports. Well it just takes a lot of practice, you know, which teacher did that for you? Good grief, I''m gonna need to switch tactics. Uh... why? I said as if I was confused and offended. oh- er I just wanted to know who was nice enough to do that Why exactly? just making conversation Aye, well Im sure it''s nice to have the time for things like that but Im really quite busy trying to find something I lost right now so its like she''s made of bricks or something. Oh well, What did you lose? Maybe I can help you look for it? she offered. No, thats fine. It''s really no trouble. God this is such a pain, why do you have to pretend to give a shite!? nah, Im pretty sure it''s already been taken you know what these girls are like What does that mean? My patience was almost entirely burned out, I had just enough to say nothing and shrug. um well I can let you know if I see it? dont bother, I have a doctor''s appointment now anyway. I gave her a short wave and quickly left. Shes no doubt going to tell all her stupid friends about having a nice conversation with me in the gym lockers. But it''s not like I actually stole anything, taking hairs is super creepy out of context but she didnt see me do that so theres really nothing that could trace back to me out of this. uh- see you later Liz. I heard her call after me. God I hope not. Every time I see her she tries to force me into one of her agonizing small talk sessions. I know for a fact she doesnt give a shite, why cant she just be honest! Its painful for everyone! The worst ex-best friend you could hope against. But I got what I came for, thats all that matters. I left from school and headed to the pot. 6. The Hand This part of town always felt kind of eerie to me, somewhat less so now that Ive actually been inside the Field at night, even if it was only the very edge, but still The great trees that grew from the sides of the road had been cut through the middle of their crown to let the power lines through, But the way they had grown back made it look as though the branches were holding them up, like gnarled ancient fingers raised in reverence The fence lay just on the other side of the street, there was something undeniably ominous about the very edge of the Field; that great swathe of forbidden wilderness and the unknown that lay within. Here the low hum of distant winds seemed to inundate all other surrounding sounds, as if the vast unknown wilderness was imposing its dominance over the fragile and deliberate world of man. The pot still sat on the hill where I had first seen it just a month ago, next to a copse and before the rolling grass plains that stretched onto the woods which themselves were dark beyond the first few trees. Is that natural of all forests or is it just out here? It used to frighten me a lot to wonder about what could be hiding just those first few trunks to a lesser extent it still does. Kestrel had informed the populace somewhat of contractors, icons and the strange, they had always been very coy about that which lay within, going little further than confirming that it was entities unnatural to this world. What exactly that statement entailed was left to the wildest of speculations. Sometimes an unusual anecdote or a blurry photograph of some dreadful beast will make its rounds on the Internet but most people write it off as fake, enough pieces of evidence have been definitively proven to be hoaxes that disbelief is mostly the standard reaction. But with the strange rendering all electrical devices inert, of course no one is able to take good pictures or videos on their phones, and even if you somehow did manage to get a hold of a non-electric camera in this day and age, the last thing youd want to hit with a bright flash bang is some mysterious demonic beast. It surprises me that anyone would remain so skeptical though. How is it that demonic possession, madness inducing waveforms and icons of power can appease the standards of new age logical positivists but Field dwelling monsters and pagan clans are designated pseudoscience? Has humanity not observed enough impossible things to know better than ruling anything out? I looked to the edge of the haunting treeline for ominous silhouettes. No, I can''t think about stuff like that! I came out here for a reason! Ill show that damn thing whos a slave! I climbed over the fence and into the Field. Come on, I don''t need them! I approached the pot, it was unchanged since the last time I had been here. It had been there for at least a month now, possibly longer since that''s only when I first noticed it. No one appears to have touched or tampered with it since. Unsurprising given its weight and size, but its presence here means someone did use it at some point. And I can''t imagine anyone rolling a cast iron pot that big all the way up here just to boil some water. And what''s more, how did they get it over the chainlink fence? Unless it was brought from the inside no that couldnt be right, it''s nearly all wilderness out there, even if it was taken from some old shack somewhere it''s still a long ways to carry But If it really is haunted by a demon No, Never mind that now. I lit the fire beneath the cauldron. Oh, thats right I still need the sacrifice offering, but vital material is so vague I could pretty much just throw in anything Could I not just toss in some grass clippings? Would that count as being alive? What about a fully uprooted plant? Hmmm maybe I turned over a nearby rock lying on the ground and picked up one of the earthworms writhing underneath. Probably a more solid bet. Sorry worm I tossed it into the pot along with the hair. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. alright you damn pot demon asshole whatever- I changed my mind after all, those are the ingredients you wanted so There was no further sound, the water had not yet begun to boil. So ehis that it or did you want me to do another rhyme? I''m sure there was something about a chant in that post online, but I dont think there was anything specific about it roses are red all things reserved, give that stupid bitch what she fucking deserves. Heh I came up with that on the spot. Ahem well Ill just assume you got all that and that Im not talking to myself like some kind of schizo- my breath caught in my throat. A sickly hand rose from the pot, its plaid, gray form; slender and elongated, unraveling from the dark fluid as though it were some kind of profane nativity. My confidence began to seep away as it curled and uncurled its spindly fingers. I had been so sure of myself until now, but now the reality of the situation was beginning to sink its teeth into me and I started to realize I may have crossed the line. My whole body starting to ring, my nerves at war with themselves over whether to stand my ground or just bolt. For a few moments there was only an agonizing silence. Demons as we had been taught were more akin to evil spirits than anything corporeal bearing horns or wings but this thing before me was not only visible to my eyes but it had a physical shape, its form was making ripples on the surface of the water in the pot. I dont know what I was expecting but I did know it wasnt this. The hand spasmed and twisted around as if to face me, as if it had a face, as if it could see me somehow. I was unable to see it properly in the dream but in the evening sun I could see that not only did this hand have six fingers, each one was triple jointed and moved in a way that reminded me of water weeds in a stream. What''s more there were no nails on Its fingers so they almost resembled spongy worms. Oh god! It''s real! This is really real! Why is it just an arm? What am I supposed to do? I cleared my throat but no words would leave my throat. The silence became unbearable. I-I- eh- h-hows it going? I finally croaked. It said nothing to me, only its fingers writhed as though it were annoyed. W-well what do you want me to say?! Nothing more is necessary, you have fulfilled your end. its voice emanated from beneath the water though it was fully audible if slightly distorted. It carried in the air as if all my surroundings were submerged in that same fetid liquid. So it worked? Indeed It is done. thats really it? Just some hair and a worm? That seems too easy? You would be surprised how much in this world occurs through effortless happenstance it flicked its wrist. However future requests will require a more substantial sacrifice. more than an earthworm? It said nothing, Arent demonic accords supposed to require some great and terrible cost? I asked. I am not a demon as you think to know them. what did you mean by as I think to know them? Are you a demon or not? Does it truly matter what exactly I am? Not really I suppose, it just seems like a weirdly specific thing to say What you know of as demons, are something different to myself, perhaps had I been observed a long time ago I would have been granted that moniker instead, but the lords and scholars of modernity with their classifications and their lists Would likely denominate me a separate title. I see Well, where did you come from? Is it necessary for you to know that as well? It''s not everyday I get to chat with a whatever you are, why would I not be curious. I shall indulge your questions in regards to my services, but anything else is irrelevant. Fine whats this curse going to do exactly? Youll have to wait and see. It better be good. Im certain youll be satisfied. if you say so There was silence. so ach- what happens if that hair wasnt hers? Hypothetically of course? I asked. A curse requires your inclinations towards the target to function, if you have no emotions for the owner of the hair, then nothing will happen. Aye, ok thats actually fine then I cleared my throat. Soo Im not like, damned to hell now am I? I asked tentatively. Do you believe in hell? No Then I wouldnt worry about it. Is that all? it asked. yes Ill be heading off then see you later It gave me a small gesture that might have been a wave and I reluctantly returned it as the arm slowly sank back into the pot. Its not going to come back to haunt me is it? But then I guess It already knew how to get into my dreams I wonder what itll do to Scarlett ? This really is her own fault for being such a bitch. Its like precision aimed karma, rectifying a universal imbalance of justice. As long as it cant be traced back to me, even if nothing happens itll all be fine. 7. I can鈥檛 think of anyone who deserves to suffer less than you I kept my eye on Scarlett the next day but nothing out of the ordinary happened. It occurred to me that this curse could come in the form of something minute like a bruise or something completely indiscernible to me like toothache- What if it only gave her something like mild indigestion?! Considering all I gave was a hair and a worm, maybe I shouldn''t get my hopes too high Maybe I got the wrong hair? But why would another girl''s hair be on Scarlett''s bag? Maybe she started slagging it up with one of her cronies Well, in the end it''s not like it cost me anything more than another forced conversation with Ellie A whole day and nothing has it already hit and I just have no idea? I should have asked when it would hit whos to say it won''t take a week to happen? Would the hand just have left that out? Damn it During my last class of the day, history again, I turned my eyes to her once more. Scarlett scratched her head and as her hand moved away a large number of strands came away with it, she didnt even notice, but Natalie sitting next to her did. She looked up and down incredulously. She prodded Scarlett and pointed to the hairs lying on the ground. Scarlett moved her hand back to her scalp and lightly held her hair, this time it was a large clump that came away, removed without resistance like cotton candy. She then did it again. For some reason Natalie was the first one to start screaming. Like dominos of panic each one of her group started after the other, joining into the cacophony before rushing out, presumably to the nurses office. Unable to contain any longer myself I burst out laughing. I can''t believe it! It actually worked! That freaky hand demon thing came through! This is better than anything I could have expected, it''s almost a shame she has no idea it was me. Shell just think it''s some kind of karmic retribution, or perhaps the ploy of one of her flunkies. Ive heard a story online about a girl putting hair remover in her friend''s shampoo after said friend slept with her man. Something like that is probably the most logical conclusion to reach, and since I havent even been in her house in years that pretty much rules me from suspicion. I suppose it makes sense that giving the demon a hair made her hair fall out, but it said anything would suffice what would have happened if I gave it dried off skin or a sample of blood? Would her skin have sloughed off? Would she have sweated out her blood? Would she just have straight up died? That would have been pretty gruesome to watch, not to mention it would almost certainly traumatize the entire class. Probably not myself, but still. I didnt have any dream that night, I slept pretty well all things considered. Scarlett was absent from class the next day, I wonder how she feels about being too embarrassed to even show up to school? Guess the curse worked perfectly, I wonder if her hair loss was permanent or only temporary? I was curious if there had been any other advancements in her situation but taking a sudden interest now might spark suspicions I cant risk that happeningEspecially when there''s still so much fun to be had. I spent the morning trying to eavesdrop on her friend group but it was difficult to get close enough without looking deliberate and my curiosity went unsated Once the bell for morning tea rang however, one of them approached me, or more, stormed towards me. You! Natalie slammed her hands on my desk. Eh? You did something to her didnt you? she demanded. What?! What on earth are you talking about? Dont play dumb with me! I saw you ogling her like a creep all of yesterday, and then you start squawking when her hair falls out, you were waiting for it to happen! How did she notice that?! h-hold on, So let me get this straight, you think I made Scarlett s hair fall out? I know you did! And how do you suppose I did that. You think I broke into her house and rubbed hair remover into her scalp while she was asleep? all sorts of crazy shit goes on in this town, You could have used some kind of poison or something. Poison? Thats her first assumption? Some kind of poison a bullet proof accusation if I ever heard one. Aye, why dont you go make yourself a tinfoil hat and share it with the rest of your theorists. Dont try that gaslighting bullshit on me you slimey rat! I know what youre like! Insinuating that theyre crazy is usually enough to make people like this back down but shes surprisingly persistent. Do you have even a single piece of substantial evidence to support this wee crackpot conspiracy? Ellie said she bumped into you snooping around the girls lockers while she was at practice, despite the fact that youve never done a sport in your life! ACH! That stupid bint cant keep anything to herself! why dont you tell me what you were actually doing in there? thats- none of your damn business! You were tampering with her stuff weren''t you! no- I got lost looking for the bathroom, it was urgent. right, because not only have youve never been in there once before but you needed to go so badly you didnt even ask her where it was? i- youre a nutjob! Do you even hear yourself? What do you even think I did? I think you poisoned her, put something in her bag. like what? Why is this even such a big deal? Why cant she can just get a wig. because she lost her teeth too! Natalie nearly shouted. wh- eh? You didnt know? I- no?! how would I know that? My genuine surprise appeared to have shaken her conviction, it apparently doesn''t occur to her that I would afflict Scarlett with something without actually knowing what it did. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Well either way she can just get dentures. Natalie slammed her hands on the desk again. You either undo what you did to her, or I report you to Kestrel. For what? you dont have proof of anything! Whatever you did to her definitely constitutes some kind of anomalous interference violation, when they see the state shes In Im sure theyd be willing to look into it. SHITE! y-youre crazy! Theyll probably turn her into a test subject! Theyll interrogate you too! I have nothing to hide, Why are you worried Liz? I- you know what theyre like, their investigations, it doesnt matter whos guilty or not they dont end well for anyone. Well it''s not looking good for her either way. What more do you want me to say? Sucks to be her I guess? I was not expecting there to be more than the hair not that she doesn''t deserve it. But why teeth as well? I only gave it a hair Im serious Liz! Either you fix this or else. I couldn''t fix it if I wanted to. And I don''t. or else what? Or else there will be consequences. She sneered. God where is this fucking loyalty coming from? Did she drag you out of Vietnam or what? I care when something bad happens to my friend Liz, its a thing called basic human decency, you should try it sometime. basic hu-?! Scarlett wouldnt know what decency looked like if it put a crater in her frontal lobe, and come to think of it neither would you. and you probably wouldnt recognise a filthy rat if you looked in a mirror, but there would still be one staring at you with a long nose and big pointy teeth. Go fuck yourself Natalie! Youre vermin Liz and whether you admit it or not I''m going to prove it! Youre guilty, I know it! Liz wouldnt do that. Said Heather, she had been listening nearby but only now chose to invade our argument. She would. Said Natalie incredulously. I would. s-she might be rough around the edges... she began. Wow thanks Heather. But a-accusing her of poisoning Scarlett is going too far. She hates Scarlets guts, why would she not poison her? holding a grudge against someone and actually poisoning them are two completely different things. Natalies ferocity seemed to secede somewhat. who else would have done it? how do you know someone did anything? Couldnt she have a medical condition or an allergy or something? None of the doctors seem to think so. This is almost certainly something unnatural. People dont just spontaneously lose their hair and teeth at once. Maybe it is unnatural but that doesn''t mean it was intentional work of some theoretical saboteur. She turned back to me. this isn''t over liz. If she doesn''t get better I will bring kestrel into this. Natalie stormed off before I could say anything else. God what a bitch. I turned to Heather. Rough around the edges? What the hell is that supposed to mean? it just means youreuh, contentious. she replied. Im not conte-! No, Im simply upfront when pretty much everyone else in this school would prefer resorting to two faced passive aggressivism or subterfugal backstabbing. Heather made a sideways glance. Sure Liz. Urgh. You of all people should not be giving me that look. But at least she got rid of Natalie. Ill admit I completely underestimated her I wrote her off as just another one of Scarlett s bimbo satellites but she wasnt actually that far off the mark and she must be very confident shes right or she wouldnt go at me like that. No, thats just a coincidence, any sane person would think shes grasping for straws. She has nothing more than circumstantial evidence and gut feeling. But if she really did get the K involved that might be trouble Ive heard stories about the kind of things theyre capable of. The Icons they have at their disposal, mind reading and truth serum type shite if she was serious But then would they really waste their time on something as insignificant as this? A girl losing her hair and teeth? They absolutely would be interested in that pot demon but they have no idea it was involved. What are the chances Natalie would be taken seriously? Its certainly not an absolute impossibility I looked downwards to consider my options but as if by some divine providence, There was a single dark brown hair from sitting on my desk. should I? At this point how could I not? I swiftly put it into a zip lock bag. If it hit her too, would that make her more suspicious or less? She seems insistent on Scarlett s curse being poison that I got into her somehow, but if Natalie got cursed without there being any avenue for me to do the same, it would contradict her theory. Of Course she could also realize that Im even more suspicious now and change her hypothesis to something other than poison like having demonic powers for instance. But since I dont have a telltale contractor''s scrawl, attempting to prove me guilty of that would be another dead end for her. Hmmm tough choice Nah, who am I kidding? Im not gonna let that rat comment go. Shes gotta pay. Although Natalie said that the doctors didnt know what it was but the source I read online suggested that they communed with the pot demon before me. If that were true, wouldnt there be other cases of this exact thing happening? I wonder about that Later that afternoon I was approached by Ellie. hello liz, how are you? she said. What is it now? seeing how Scarlett is sick right now I wanted to go around and collect some get well notes for her. Youre joking right? I thought you might want to show some... she trailed off, likely anticipating my reaction. Some what? Some magnanimity. ok, hows this; dear Scarlett , sucks that your bald and toothless now, sure hope nothing worse happens to you, I cant think of anyone who deserves to suffer less than you. That''s not cool liz, shes in the hospital. Ellie admonished me. Where she belongs. Seriously Liz, what''s gotten into you? into me? What are you-? Ach I sighed loudly. Can I ask you something Ellie? Uh yeah, sure. Why do you act like were still friends? Her usual smile seemed to flicker, a momentary spasm, a crack in her cheery fa?ade at last. She opened and closed her mouth repeatedly, utterly at a loss for words. I- I Im just trying to be nice... Why? Because it''s good to be nice? But whats the point when you dont actually give a shite. W-what do you mean? Really, we both know you dont actually care about me, and yet you still pretend like you do, I dont know if this is some kind of fa?ade you feel the need to uphold or some kind of pathological need to be liked by everyone but it''s seriously grating. Well Im sorry you feel that way. no, no youre not sorry, you havent been sorry about anything for a very long time. I dont know why you feel this way but I do still care about you liz- -no you dont, people who care stand up for the people they care about, they dont just brush them aside. God, its been ages Liz you need to let that stuff go- -Spare me your platitudes. You made your choice! You cant seriously force me to choose between my friends, thats just so immature. Im immature?! And that queen of whores and her cronies arent?! Theyre actually really cool if you get to- -Theyre nice to you so therefore the shite they did to me doesn''t matter. come on liz, we used to be friends. Friends stick up for each other, they certainly dont play both sides. Well, they dont care who Im friends with. Of course they dont! Because they dont care about you either. Like you would know, if you just made an effort- -an effort not to be trashed on by the people who hate me? great suggestion: Hey guys can you find it in your heart to forgive me for being so angry about that terrible things you did to me? This is your problem Liz, you just cant let anything go can you? Why would I? Nothing has changed? it has changed because people move on Liz, wounds heal, thats how it is, thats how life is. No. No it''s not, wounds cant heal when theyre continuously resalted. Someday when they leave you out to dry like the damp laundry they see everyone else as, youll finally realize that. Ellie, with nothing else to add, simply shook her head and walked away. I can only hope she got the message this time. 8. A small vertebrate will suffice, or an organ from a larger one I decided I would wait until the weekend to curse Natalie in order to throw off her suspicions. She thinks I tampered with Scarlett''s things on the day before she was afflicted so if I curse Natalie on Saturday when I have no access to her or her belongings, it should contradict her hypothesis. Natalie and I were never close, even when I was in that group we were at most cordial acquaintances. She joined in with Scarlett and her grand torment of me without reproach. On Friday night I awoke in the darkness, it was the same dream I had previously, though unlike the past two times I felt no fear. I dont know how exactly I would describe this new sensation but it was almost intoxicating. I had never been drunk before but this is something akin to what I imagined it being like. I see you seek to make another offering. Said the shadow of the hand. That''s right. I have told you this before but as you have already made a previous curse, making another will require a different sacrifice, something more substantial. As well as a different part of you. Eh like what? something warmer and more complex. So a bigger bug wont cut it? A small vertebrate will suffice, or an organ from a larger one. Preferably something fresh. Hmmm dont know if I can catch something more than a bug the butcher might have organs but I wouldnt know of their freshness. What piece of me can I use? A hair from you would suffice, finger nails, an old tooth. oh pffft easy. Is that really all? It is. Good, good um Yes? Youre from the Field right? In a sense. Do you like, know what''s going on in there? Is all that shite about monsters and anomalies true? and pagan clans and stuff? Im not at liberty to say. figures I can tell you that most of what youve likely heard is false. Oh, well that''s kind of-. -The truth is far, far worse. oh w-well Ill be seeing you soon. There was a moment of silence between us before the dream ended in the same way it did the previous times. sheesh... Hair and nails are obviously the easiest ones but I think there might be some of my milk teeth lying around. When I was young I tried to make a necklace out of them god knows why my parents forbade me from wearing it anywhere so I stashed it somewhere they couldnt find and throw it out. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. It couldnt hurt to have it on hand just in case The sacrifice however, is gonna be the tricky part maybe there''s a freshly dead animal somewhere near the pot? On Saturday morning I found my creepy old necklace sitting at the back of one of my drawers and smothered in dust. I removed one of the teeth and placed it in the coin pouch of my wallet. Cant hurt to have it on hand right? You never know It was cloudy when I finally reached the pot and lit the fire beneath it once again. I then took to examining the nearby ground and bushes in search of a suitable offering though I had no great luck. That was until I looked up that my eyes fell upon a bird''s nest in a tree. Hello I found a long stick and dislodged it from the branches, it fell to the ground with a soft thud Inside were about 6 small blue bird eggs. Is this more complex than a bug? It''s way bigger and there''s six of them maybe it depends on how developed they are Well it''s worth a shot if nothing else. As I turned around to return my eyes caught something on the tree causing me to double take. The trunk of the tree had been marred by what looked like a swipe from something with very large and very long claws. Someone could have just carved that with a knife right? it''s very clean but it''s possible right? A chill went down my spine but all I could hear was the wind in the trees and buzzing of the cicadas. There cant really be some deadly monster skulking around this close to the fence right? No, dont think about that now, I came here for a reason. I carried the nest over to the pot and turned it over, letting the eggs fall into murky liquid, I then plunked a hair from my head and dropped it in alongside Natalie''s. The ingredients floated on the surface for a moment, before being sucked below with a small pop. I held out my arms. Demon of the black cauldron! I offer you a hair of Natalie, one of my own and the children of the bird, lay a curse upon her to make her regret cruelty! May misfortune follow her like a shadow, may suffering shroud her like a cloak and may despair drench her like the rain! The vile hand slowly rose from the pot. as you desire. The voice spoke from the water. I nearly jumped. So- you''ll make her hair fall out as well? I asked. I expect so. You expect? I do not dictate what occurs, I merely transmit. transmit? Transmit from where? From you, of course. eh? Me? Curses are intrinsic, they are a manifestation of the bond between the curser and the accursed. What do you mean bond? the emotions held towards or between the target and yourself Why do you think I needed a sample of you as well? But I didnt know it would make her hair fall out? I thought that was because I gave you a hair for the offering. no, that was entirely coincidental. The process occurs on a subconscious level, perhaps her affliction was something you thought she deserved, or something you feared happening to yourself. Most likely fueled by your strongest emotions, those of vanity and envy. Excuse me? What part of that did you not understand? it asked with a twinge of annoyance. What do you mean vanity and envy? They are the emotions that fueled the curse, alongside hatred of course. You think I need psycho-analysis from a godforsaken hand in a pot? There is no analysis, those are simple observations. I can admit that I might be a wee bit vain but I am definitely not envious. so typical of your kind, terrified of your own nature. what? the hell do you mean my kind?! What do you think I mean? You either mean humans in general or those specifically like me. The hand said nothing. Why are you even casting judgments upon me when youre the one who insisted I get into this cursing shite in the first place? There are no judgements, I merely mistook you as mature enough to accept the truth when it was spoken to you plainly. Ach- Whatever, were done here, I get enough constructive criticism at home. I walked away, unwilling to listen to anymore of what it had to say. 9. You wont catch me shedding any tears at her funeral The next day, to my immense displeasure I ended up passing by Ellie on my way to the store, I was afraid that if she noticed me that this frivolous interaction would inevitably become another pointless story she would feel the need to share to the rest of her pose, so naturally I did my best to avoid her notice. Unfortunately, I failed at this almost immediately. My red hair makes me hard to miss. Liz Ellie Webster''s voice sounded behind me but I ignored it. Liz! Hey Liz! Oh great, what now? Was I not clear enough with you before?! I turned around. She remained silent for a few moments, seemingly unsure what to say. Her expression looked uncharacteristically grave. Scarlett passed away. What? She committed suicide, the day before yesterday. holy shite Well christ, that isnt my fault! She killed herself cuz her hair and teeth fell out?! Did she not know about wigs?! Or dentures? hey! Did you hear that?! she asked, an uncommon temper rising from beneath her usually placid mood. Did you hear that? I replied. hear what? the sound of me not giving a fuck. She looked as if I had just punched her. This isnt a fucking joke Liz a person is dead. Aye, and? People die all the time, you want me to cry about all of them too? What is this? This isnt like you? Like me?! As if you know anything about me! how can you-? -You think Im just gonna forget about everything she did just because she''s dead?! She was a shite stain in life but now because she slit her wrists shes suddenly a saint?! she wasnt worth anything more now than when she was alive! Her expression seemed to flash through a myriad of emotions. God youre such a fucking loser! Her face was stretched into a fierce scowl, the likes of which I had never seen directed upon me, let alone by her. W-what did you just say?! I said youre a fucking loser Liz. You think she was worthless? Less than you? What the fuck gives you more worth than anyone else huh? e-excuse me? You heard me! I was taken aback by her sudden uncharacteristic aggression. -What''s so great about you? You werent smarter than her, she had better grades; you dont have better social skills, obviously! And if you were under the delusion that you were more attractive, let me dispel that here and now; you arent. Rage surged through my brain and I opened my mouth but my dry throat choked. I was at a loss for words. I was closer to screaming out loud than conjuring any kind of retort. SHE HUMILIATED ME! in front of everyone and no one cared! You all went on being her friend like it was nothing! Why the hell would you expect me to suddenly cry for her now? God, You complain about why no one fucking likes you? Why on earth would they? Youre such a miserable cunt! its a wonder those two even tolerate you- -tolerate me?! Then why did you never leave me alone?! Because I felt bad for you! I pitied the insufferable bitch who was too smug and too stupid to figure out why no one wants to be around her! And I''m pretty sure those two feel exactly the same way. Words were fighting over the tip of my tongue and yet no comprehensible string of them came forth. I just stood there speechless. Ellie shook her head and turned to leave. But before she could OW!? She yelped as I plucked a hair from the back of her head and spun around angrily. There was a spider on your head. Ellie struck me with a slap on the right side of my face. I resisted the urge to retaliate with anything more than a cold glare. Her palm still stinging on my cheek, She shot me an disgusted look and stormed away. Ill show you whos less than me. I honestly dont blame Scarlett for killing herself, if I lost my hair and teeth Id probably do the same. There is no more dreadful fate than the endless bulging stares of contempt that the common public reserve for the marred, invalid and condemned, or worse still; of those of pity. Well, if I permanently lost them, that is, Id at least wait to see if it grew back first I suppose the teeth are a done deal but you could still get them replaced, if you could afford it, and she probably could, her parents are reasonably well off. But even if she wasnt, it''s kind of a premature reaction isnt it? Was she that certain it was permanent? Or was it just an in the moment thing. Maybe she didnt deserve death but either way, you won''t catch me shedding any tears at her funeral. I was originally going to let things go, she was the one who chose to disturb my buried grievances. As for Ellie, shes had this coming for a long time. There is nothing, nothing in this world I despise more than being looked down upon by those who are less than me. Hey pot demon, I need another curse, can you do that? I spoke into the black cauldron. I wasnt actually sure if the hand would show itself without me even lighting the fire but it did. of course, with the necessary materials. I already have the hair- I stopped, as the hand rose from the water. I noticed for the first time that it had fingernails now and not grotesque elongated claws like one would expect on the end of such dreadful appendages but ordinary short and rounded ones, manicured even. The six fingered pale hand covered in slime was freaky in and of itself but the nails were so out of place it became so much more uncanny. I was sure it didnt have any the first time I saw it but during the last time I couldn''t say for certain. I was tempted by the urge to inquire but I suppressed it. I dont think I want to know. As this is your third request I will require a proper sacrifice of flesh and blood. It spoke. what?! you mean-? Like a full animal? The entire of a lesser animal. or an organ from a greater one, rich with blood thats not too bad I guess there werent dead animals near the pot so I might have to buy a rat from the pet store. Id feel bad about it but theyre bought to feed other animals anyway My train of thought was cut off as my attention was drawn by the approaching sound of what I assumed to be a chainsaw somewhere close behind me. What the-? A kestrel officer on a quad bike drove along the inside of the fence and turned towards my direction when he noticed me, driving up the hill. Shite! Hey. He said coming to a halt in front of me. His uniform was the same striking crimson they all wore. I spun around to look at the pot, but the hand had hidden itself. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Coward! Im looking for a missing person, a middle aged man, brown hair and a mustache, have you seen anyone like that? he asked. n-n-no I havent sorry. Alright, thank you. Please inform kestrel information services if you do. Wait, is that it? He looked like he was about to drive off again but he stopped and turned back to me. You do know you arent supposed to be here right? he asked o-oh- dear really? I- -Did you miss the big red signs? w-which ones would those be? He rolled his eyes. Were not lifeguards you know, we expect you to take some responsibility for your own safety. But lingering around here is just tempting the call. Call? The call of the Field? Haven''t you heard it in the PSAs? I thought that was just for contractors? Well they experience something a lot more compulsive but even ordinary people will just drop everything and go running off in there, we get missing reports every-... he stopped. you get the picture. Wasnt that was just a new style of suicide? not anything specific to the Field itself. Considering how unusually popular it has become, that seems unlikely. I see. We dont have the resources to go chasing after every single lost sheep. So If you go missing, dont expect anything more than a cursory search. oh, w-well cheers for the h-heads up Ill definitely remember that. I mean it, go home, do something else with your time. He nodded and drove off on the quad bike, continuing along his original path by the edge of the fence. Phewthat could have gone a lot worse I had heard that Kestrel vehicles had all been retrofitted to function without electricity, allowing it to operate within the Field but as a consequence of this, they made an incongruous amount of noise that allegedly undermined their effectiveness deeper in. Makes me wonder why I didn''t hear that thing sneak up on me?! that encounter could have been far worse What if he had seen the hand? And me speaking to it? Would that pot demon be able to do anything? Whats it actually capable of besides cursing people? Would it be able to prevent Kestrel from yanking it out of the cauldron and into a glass jar? hmmm Well I honestly cant believe he just let me go. For an authoritarian military they sure are relaxed. Walking away I realized that I had forgotten to light the fire beneath the pot, I guess that wasnt a requirement after all. To my immeasurable discontent, the pet store was closed on Sunday, meaning I had to either wait or find a different source. Impatient as I was, I messaged the group chat once I returned home to see if they knew of any alternatives. I wasn''t optimistic but I didn''t have anything better to do. L: I don''t suppose you guys know where I can get a fresh and disposable or recently dead animal? H: wtf?! L: It''s for my weird aunt''s art project, she insisted. H: I thought you didnt get along with your family? L: I don''t but shes a smoker and I can hear death crawling down her throat when she coughs. Figured now''s the best time to curry inheritance favor. H: L: don''t you ... me! Im the one who has to deal with these maniacs! Why should I not at least reap some slither of benefit? J: My uncle breeds stoats, you can probably have one. L: Actually? That sounds perfect. H: I thought stoats were pests in this area? J: They are. H: Then wouldn''t breeding them be illegal?? J: It is. H: Then why is he doing it??? J: revenge on the HOA H: What the hell???? L: HAHAHA L: where is his place? J 63 Reuben street. L: Can you meet me there in an hour? J: yes. L: Thanks. I met Javinka in front of her uncle''s house, she gave me a small wave and led me down the side. The building smelt unusual though not altogether unpleasant. I could hear rustling coming from underneath the foundations. What the hell is up with her uncle? Revenge on the HOA? As much as it amuses me this kind of thing is pretty unhinged. Perhaps this family precedent for mental derangement is why Javinkas parents are so easy on her. The only reason mine even let me make cosplay is because someone once paid me a check for a commissioned work. Javinka put some food in a cage and put it up to a hatchway at ground level built into the wall of the house. She shifted the hatch open and after a short while a stoat entered the cage. She shut the hatch behind it and locked the cage. Realizing it had been tricked, the stoat began to make angry hissing noises. Uncle says it''s fine if you wanna kill it but you have to do it humanly. A-aye of course, Cheers, Ill owe you one. Yes she said in a weirdly off putting manner. What is it? You know what I want said Javinka, looking at me expectantly with her dark eyes. I sighed. Absolutely not, I already said I''m not making it for you. What if you just made part of it? And what will you say if someone asks where you got it? Ill say it''s passed down from my ancestors. I can think of three good reasons why no one would ever believe that! Historically speaking-! -Shut it, I''m not putting my neck on the line like that ok? Ask me for something reasonable. No one would find out. They would, one way or another. Javinka pouted. Ill treat you to some Italian takeaways, how''s that? She scrunched her face, still displeased. Its free. Fine. she conceded. Good. I''ll return this cage when I''m done. What incredible luck! Maybe not actually, waiting until tomorrow to get a pet store rat wouldnt have been much of an issue but still. I picked up the cage and headed back towards the pot. Now how am I actually gonna do this humanely? My dad doesnt have a gun and even if he did hed never let me use it. Should I just knife him? But how do I do that without opening the cage? I bet theres some tutorial online about how to euthanize animals like this cant you use carbon monoxide or something to kill yourself painlessly? There has got to be a simple and humane way- OW! JESUS! it stuck its jaws through the bars and bit my finger. Though its teeth were small they had dug quite deep, the hole in my finger was overflowing with blood. Fuck me! this thing might rabies or stoat AIDs or some shite! Why didnt I wear gloves?! Ok thats it, I was gonna be nice about this, but you just pissed me off. Quick and dirty it is. It was fortunate that Javinka''s Uncle''s house wasn''t too far from the fence, carrying this all the way across town would get me put on a list. Bringing it over the fence would be tricky, I had considered simply throwing it over the fence but that might wreck the cage or even set it loose. Taking it slow and steady, carrying the cage as I climbed was the safest course of action, making sure to keep all parts of me out of range of its jaws. Until I finally reached the caudron. If I needed another curse I was planning to use some finger nails but I hadnt got around to actually clipping them, fortunately still I had the old milk tooth in my wallet. What good foresight that was. I dropped it in the pot along with her hair. Demon of the cauldron hear my beseechment! Lay a curse upon my enemy! May her skin be left to peel, her flesh to rot and her bones to be gnawed by vermin. May her soul cower neath the shadow of death till the day it claims her. May she finally meet the ends of a god that does not exist and may its memory be scarred into her brain so that she never forgets that her place in this world is beneath me! I opened the cage and shook it over the pot. The stoat clung to the bars of the cage with its teeth and scurried its feet against the bottom. Get in, you stupid thing, youre just making it worse. I shook it harder but it held fast. Damn it. Hey, would you mind giving me a- a hand here? The sickly thing rose out of the pot and gently grasped the stoat, the shock made it let go allowing me to yank the cage away as the creature was brought into the water. From inside the pot the stoat let out a hideous scream. A scream like nothing I ever thought it was capable of making. I was anticipating some kind of abrupt cutting off maybe followed by a crack or crunch or something but it just continued to shriek, I couldnt even hear it thrashing or struggling, God just kill it already! I yelled but it didnt seem to hear me as the dreadful noise continued. I covered my ears for what felt like several minutes before it abruptly stopped, leaving a deep unnatural silence in its wake. Jesus Christ. What the hell did you do to that thing? The sacrifice has been accepted. That wasnt what I asked? Do you really want to know? IIm not sure then perhaps you ought not to ask. Jesus. So it''s done? Yes, the second curse acted faster than the first, I expect this one will swifter still. Why is that? I have grown more facilitated to your emotional transmissions. alright, fine by me. I cleared my throat. There''s one more thing I want to ask you. And that would be?. on Halloween night, Why did you only come to me? Why didnt you visit my two friends? Was it because you had my blood? Who said I didnt visit them? What? It''s true your blood made you easier to track but your associates left traces of their own that night, i was able to follow those instead. So then you-? I started but it raised its palm to silence me. I did peer into them, but I did not reveal myself. They were unworthy of my capabilities, unlike yourself. unworthy how? because they would have rejected my offer out of hand for one reason or another, but more so because they lacked that depth of emotion that is only found in the most wonderful and most wretched of specimens. You lurk in that fetid pool, covered in slime like some dysgenic amphibian and you call me wretched? "I don''t believe I specified which of the two you were..." I glowered at the thing. but regardless, I am not beholden to the same criterion as you, or the rest of your kindred. For something inhuman, you sure talk like one. I retorted. Speech is not a uniquely human capability, a parrot can speak, so can a machine. A Parrot can mimic a few words and phrases but it will never understand a fraction of what it speaks, a machine is an artificial construct that is purposed only to say what it was created to say. Neither are truly capable of cognizant conversation, they arent equivalent comparisons. True... what are you attempting to insinuate? Im saying that for a thing that has an awful lot to say about ''humans'' you don''t don''t seem terribly far from being one yourself. It remained silent for a few moments, I almost wondered if I had offended it. You know, there''s a palpable irony in how so many of you believe that the demise of man will come from greed or pride or some such techno-industrial overstepping. but it wont. it pointed its finger at me. It will come from his insistence on anthropomorphizing everything he sees. What the hell is that supposed to mean? I asked. It means you are all so in love with your own reflections you fail to notice when it holds up the wrong hand. No what I meant was-? So then what exactly are you implying? Im merely giving you valuable advice, had you a care to listen. Whatever impressions you hold of what I am; if you could see through this water you would hold them no longer. Ach, whatever I gave a curt farewell to the pot and returned home, meandering for the rest of the day in my bedroom. That thing said a pretty ominous statement about anthropomorphizing, it has me distracted from my final victory over Ellie. The downfall of mankind will come from seeing inhuman things as though they are human? Is that something I should worry about or is that in the sun exploding category of existential threats? If it was referring to itself it wouldn''t have told me to begin with... 10. Be sure you keep your eyes shut The morning after, before heading into school there was a call on my phone, a number I didnt have registered Hello? Liz? a voice asked quietly. Aye? It''s Ellie. There was a sniffle from the other end, she was crying. Is she that upset? oh hey I answered softly. I..I think I got what Scarlett and Natalie got I think I''m gonna die. What? My hair is falling out and my teeth feel weird, I think it''s happening to me. Im sorry to hear that but youre not gonna die. I tried to assure her. The others did. Wait, Natalie is dead too?! Yeah But- but Scarlett killed herself how d-? -Natalie died in the hospital early this morning, her sister called me, it wasnt suicide and I-I dont think it was suicide for Scarlett either, everyone just assumed because it was so sudden but I-I think they were wrong Oh god Oh my god. It''s some kind of disease, It might- might be from the Field. I- Im so sorry I- I think I might have passed it on to you when I hit you. Oh Ellie L-Liz I-Im sorry about everything- I- I- the reason I- She was spluttering through her tears. We- we had been growing apart for sometime and we didnt have that much in common anymore. With the others I had so much fun I- I didnt want to give that up and I- Im sorry- I know I wasnt a good friend but we werent what we used to be anymore- I thought we were both moving on but I still- I still wanted us to be nice to each other for old times sake- I really just didnt didnt want you to hate me thats all. Im sorry if you want you can have my- my laptop when Im gone... I still have our old character file on Highfort 3, remember...? Dark Witch Vescuria? She burst into tears and no longer able to hold back, so did I. Fuck me what have I done?! What''s wrong with me!? You- youre not gonna die. I think- I think I know how to cure you. W-what? she sounded startled. I- just give me some time ok! Youre going to be fine! Just- just trust me. I hung up the phone before she could ask anything else. Christ! After wiping off my tears, I half ran, half jogged across town to the pot. I gave it a firm kick though it stung my foot. You! I asked you to curse them not to kill them! What the fuck is wrong with you?! Oh? the voice emanated. I never wanted you to murder them! I believe I already told you this, but the curses come from you, I simply placed it upon them. Thats bullshite! I- I wanted them to suffer but I never intended for anyone to die! I used parts of you to make it, your hair, teeth and blood, it is born of your being, of your malice. If you did not truly wish for them to die, then it would not have occurred. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. no! I would never thats not true! The guilt or regret you may feel now is only a reactionary response. Your underlying emotions are proven by the effects. Reactionary?! I am reacting to you murdering people! Ofcourse Im fucking pissed! If anything you should feel proud, I have laid many curses before, but you put almost all of them all to shame. what? a soul as twisted as yours is truly a rare thing. my soul?!- Whatever, that doesnt matter! Just remove the curse from Ellie! Y-you can do that right!? I can. Oh Thank God then do it. Please. It held out its grotesque hand in expectation. w-what is it? Removing a curse requires a counter curse and thus, a new arrangement with and offering. Eh?! I- whatever, what do you want this time? As this is your fourth request, Ill require a heart. Ach Well ok, that should be fine, they probably sell them at the butchers- -From a human. W-what? Ill need a human heart to counteract the curse you made for her. It spoke plainly as if this request was no different from the previous. y-youre joking right? I already informed you that each subsequent curse requires a greater sacrifice than the last, this is no different. You asked me for a stoat last time! I asked you for flesh and blood. T-t-thats not my point! look you said it was born of my hatred right? s-so if I stop hating will that make it stop? Bubbles erupted from the pot, resounding almost like laughter. I highly doubt that would work even if you were capable of it. What if- what if I died, would that stop it? If it did, would you kill yourself to save her? it asked. I-No- I dont know- Im just asking if it''s an option? Curses are made to last beyond the death of the instigator, indeed they are designed specifically so but in this case... But what?! how the fuck am I supposed to get a human heart?! If youre really so desperate that shouldnt be a problem. After all, You already have one. huh? Right here. It pointed at my chest. M-M-My heart?! You w-want my heart?! It will do quite nicely. h-h-how would I even give it to you?! Just hop inside the pot, and Ill take care of the rest. I screamed. Should you wish to provide an alternative, I suppose youll have to get creative and soon I doubt she has much more than a whole day left. I screamed again clutching my head. This can''t be happening! Oh god what have I done?! What is wrong with me?! There is one more thing youll need another sample of yourself, you might want to get that out of the way first. f-fine damnit, you want some fingernail clippings or-? That will no longer suffice, hair and nails are composed of the same material after all, I need something you havent given me before. Like what?! what else do I have? a bone would do, some skin or an eye. f-f-f-fuck! H-how am I supposed to-?! If youd like, I could pull one of your bones out from a finger or a toe, I could take one of your eyes if you prefer but I can also remove a thin layer of skin from your arm, that is perhaps the less painful and less permanent option. my skin?! a portion will suffice. jesus- fine, just get it over with! very well, but to do this i''ll need you to kneel on the ground turned away from the pot. what?! why? so I can remove a piece of your skin. but how-?! Shut your eyes then lower your head into the grass, roll up your sleeve and hold your arm. What the hell is this? I did as it instructed. There was a sound from behind me, something rising out of the water. And stepping out of the pot. WHAT THE HELL?! IT HAD A BODY?! AND IT COULD WALK THIS WHOLE TIME?! Be sure you keep your eyes shut. The voice wasnt from the pot anymore. I heard footsteps on the grass beside me, delicate and wet, growing closer until they stopped, just behind me. For a moment there it must have just stood there unmoving, but then I felt it''s touch upon my arm, an indiscernible sensation at first but it soon became a damp and icy sting. It slid what I could only imagine was its vile fingers across the length of my bicep and then peeled off a thin layer of my skin from that same spot. Bile shot up the back of my throat. It was painful but not unbearably so, its touch had been somehow more unpleasant. Behind me I heard that wretched thing step back to the pot, climb back inside and submerge itself in its fetid murk. Now all that remains is the heart best of luck. There was almost an air of smug mockery to its tone. Jesus Christ, what the fuck have I done?! 11. More than two hundred thousand Ok-ok-ok calm down. a heart, where am I gonna get a human heart black market maybe itll cost me my life savings damn it! but it''s my fault, Ill pay what I have to Heather''s brother is a druggie or a dealer or something, I''ll ask him if he has any connections. Thats the first course of action. I spent a few moments preparing a believable and reasonable explanation for why I would need a human heart before calling her on my phone. Heather. Hey Liz where are you-? -I need to speak to your brother, it''s important. What? why? I cant explain but its urgent I- I majorly fucked up and he might be able to help me. with what? eh some illegal shite. Christ Liz she sighed. I know! I know ok but please I need- I need his help. ok Ill get him to call you. Thank you! thank you so much! About three minutes later I received a call from an unknown number, I picked it up. Hello? This is Liz? This is kestrel information services, you have been reported for- -WHAT?! REPORTED FOR WHAT?! HEATHER YOU TRAITOR! HOW DARE YOU-?! -Hey, hey woah calm down it''s a joke. said the voice on the other line Jesus Christ man! Dont do that shite! Sorry, I didnt know youd freak out like that. Im going through a lot right now! I can tell heather told me to call you, I''m her brother- -Yeah, yeah I know, Desmond right? Kenneth Oh sorry. It''s fine, you uh, interested in some camping supplies? Eh aye, kind of but eh not the usual kind of stuff. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. uh, sure, what do you need? I need a heart, a human one. The fuck?! he nearly shouted. i-its for a transplant, my friend is sick and badly needs one but she cant go to the hospital because shes in trouble with Kestrel and in hiding, I was wondering if you could get one for me, or point me to someone who can. Jesus- Look I dont- I have no idea what- I heard him take a deep breath from the other side. I have the surgeon and everything else prepared. I just need a heart. I- look, whatever youve gotten yourself into, you sound like youre in way over your head. my honest advice would be to cut your losses and run. that isnt an option for me anymore. Yeah I figured look, I cant help you, but assuming you''re telling the truth If I was in your shoes and I was truly desperate Id probably go to the smuggling federation. I know they operate a nightclub called Mariposa down in the central district. Your best bet would be to go there, theyre very dangerous, but they''ll be civil as long as you dont step out of line.. though youll also need a small fortune to pay for it. Ive got some savings at least. h-how much are we talking about? I have no idea but Ive heard a kidney goes for two hundred K so I''d say a lot more than that. m-more than two hundred thousand?! are you sure? Definitely wouldnt be less than that. FUUUUCK! Th-thanks- Th-thats all I wanted to know. Alright, good luck. I hung up. NOOOOO! What was I thinking?! Believing I could afford a heart! There was another person trying to call me, it was Heather. Christ Liz what have you gotten yourself into? her voice came from the phone. I just-I made a mistake and Im trying to fix it ok? Heather let out a sigh. Liz -I know- I know, I fucked up. Is there anything I can do that wont get me dragged into this? I dont think so, but thanks also I want to thank you for sticking up for me in school the other day, for believing me. Youre wrong Im afraid. she replied. Eh? I didnt do it because I believed you, I did it because you were my friend. I- -You literally said you would curse those girls, it was a bit hard to think otherwise But if I knew you were going to kill them I dont think- -I-I didnt know it was going to kill them! Is that really true though? she asked. I wouldnt- you know I wouldnt- -I honestly dont know Liz you always had that side to you Im not- really a bad person, you know that right? There was a long pause from the other end. I dont think thats my call to make but you treated me better than most people did she finally said. alright, I can accept that good luck, with whatever youve got. Thanks goodbye Heather. Goodbye Liz. Christ So, thats not gonna work. But I have a back up plan; stealing one from the morgue. It cant be that hard right? Like only fresh organs are worth the trouble of stealing for trafficking, a bunch of old rotten bodies would only be of interest to super obvious creeps and weirdos. No one would suspect me of anything. 12. What do I do about the ribcage? I had a labcoat in my wardrobe for a cosplay I did a while back. That''ll have to do for a disguise, playing a clueless intern is probably my best shot Ok- ok itll be easy I just sneak in, pull out a body while no ones looking, cut out the heart and get out. But what if that makes a huge mess?! Dead bodies dont have blood flowing through them but it''s still there, is it gonna be all clumped and sticky or is it gonna go everywhere? People are definitely gonna notice if I leave a huge bloody spill and a trail of red footprints. No wait, I''m not thinking this through? I cant cut straight through the chest! What do I do about the ribcage? Do I have to cut through it? How do surgeons do it? I researched heart extraction online under the guise of surgical procedure. Huh they do actually just cut straight through thats not so bad all things considered I just have to make sure I dont make a bigger mess than I need I could ditch the lab coat if it becomes bloody but could it be used to track me? Itll have my DNA but that''s better than being seen soaking red What other choice do I have? I really dont want to do this but- if I do nothing Ellie is dead and itll be my fault. Searching online revealed that there was a morgue in town that wasnt a part of the hospital but how do I get in? Can I just slip through the back? There was a back entrance and I could get to the address via bus. The trip wasnt especially long but my anxious mind made every second slow agony. I brought a freshly sharpened kitchen knife with me from the kitchen in my handbag for the deed, it''s no scalpel but it would have to suffice. If I was lucky, perhaps I could procure something better while I was there Though the morgue looked fairly unassuming from the outside, It took a good twenty minutes before I mustered up the courage to enter. Only once finally overcoming myself did I realize only a few meters in, that my chances of success here were basically zero. There weren''t that many people around but it was enough to make getting in and out without being spotted more or less impossible. But even if none of them bothered to stop me, there were security cameras mounted on several of the walls which was not only bad in and of itself but also meant there were likely cameras outside I didnt even notice. I felt ashamed of how na?ve I was to think I could accomplish something like this, I shouldnt have even bothered attempting it. I might as well be stealing from the goddamn bank. I need to get out of here, plan B Is a bust- Can I help you? asked a voice behind me. Shite! Uh no Im fine, thanks. I dont believe youre supposed to be here. My detractor was a youngish woman with stark blonde hair and pale blue eyes. Despite her youth she possessed a sternness and rigidity in her expression that looked beyond her years. Fuck. o-oh well then maybe Im lost, Im supposed to be meeting my new supervisor here. Does your supervisor work here? something about her voice was subtly patronizing but I couldnt tell if it meant she knew I was bluffing or she was just an asshole. Yeah. She told me to meet her here, to come through the back door. Whats her name? I turned my head to the side and tried to remember the name I had prepared but my mind, crippled by trepidation, hauled up and spat out the first name that popped into my head. Beatrice Wilkinshire. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. She stared at me for an uncomfortable amount of time. I planned this out in the event I was caught. I would play the role of a social invalid, the victim of a cruel prank and unintentional participant in a harmless misunderstanding. Surely I''ll be able to weasel out of it. The woman continued her silent appraisal, carefully eyeing me up and down. um Yes, I know Beatrice Wilkenshire, follow me, I''ll take you to her. What?! That cant be! Who the fuck is named Beatrice in this day and age?! Even then what are the chances of one working here- let alone one with the same last name I made up! The odds of that are like- subatomic! She beckoned and I followed her down the hallway. It must be a lie, shes luring me into a trap to detain and interrogate me, might even call the cops!- but why? Maybe if I was a dude she might think I''m a necrophiliac and worth dealing with harshly but I''m not! She could just give me a warning and tell me to piss off! Something felt strangely off about this woman though I struggled to articulate it. Something unnaturally cold. She led me down a spiral stairway down wards into the facility. It went down four floors and she took me down to the bottom. It opened into a similar corridor to the one before albeit underground. How big does this place need to be?! At the end of the hall was an elevator, which made me wonder why we took the stairs. The rooms through the corridor had windows but they were all blocked by shuttered blinds. I knew they had people in them because of the indistinct muffled sounds coming from inside. Is this normal?! Its a morgue, not an Emperors treasury right? At the end of the corridor, the woman pressed a button on the wall beside the elevator. Why did we come down here if were just going back up?! A man poked his head out of one of the rooms. Brittany, there you are, we need your help with an issue. He spoke, the look he gave me indicated that his use of the word issue over something more descriptive was due to me. Im in the middle of something. It''s a code three-two-two. He said in a hushed voice. Shit. She groaned and turned to me. Just wait here, Ill be with you shortly. She followed the man into the room. What kind of emergency issues could they have in a morgue?! Are the stiffs raising a fuss about the accommodation? The elevator door opened with a ding and I realized why we hadn''t taken it to this floor in the first place. That was because this elevator that opened four floors below ground level only went down. Where the hell are they taking me?! What the hell am I doing waiting for her?! I made a brisk break for the stairway at the other end. As the stairway was empty I practically sprinted all the way to the ground floor opening. Though I wanted to wait for two people in the hallway to leave, the sound of a door opening on a floor below me urged me onwards despite it. One of them gave me a weird look but thankfully made no attempt to interact with me. I walked briskly until I turned the corner after which I broke into a sprint. FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK! By some miracle I arrived at the bus stop just in time to hop on board. I took a seat at the very back. Thank god What the fuck even happened there!? I need to- damn it, I''ll be on the security cameras- but I didnt do anything, surely it wont be worth a manhunt just to tell me off. But what was even down there? Surely they dont need all that space for bodies right..? Thats got to be a front or something? Organ harvesting? No that''s no good with corpses maybe if theyre super fresh but then it wouldn''t be in a morgue would it? Maybe they were doing what I was doing and using it for demonic offerings What were they going to do with me?! Did I nearly die back there?! I dont even have time to freak out about that because I still need that damn heart! Damn it I still have one last option So what''s my last option? I was really hoping it wouldnt come to this but If theres no other way Then I have to kill someone, some trash no one will miss someone I can lure to the edge of the Field and push into the pot. Someone who would go out there with me, and someone whos life is worth less than Ellies. Fortunately, since Im a young, attractive girl, baiting some creep from a bar should be easy. I just have to make sure they dont get over eager and try and rape me in the alley. I still have the knife not ideal but itll function in a pinch. I just have to make sure they never get the upper hand over me. That and I gotta make sure I dont drink anything either. I got off the bus at the stop closest to my house and returned to my room for preparations. 13. A fisher of men I dressed myself in various items and clothes accessories that I wouldnt ever normally wear by themselves before standing in front of the mirror. God I feel as disgusting as I look. If anyone I know sees me like this I just might give that thing my own heart I caked my face in makeup and eyeliner fit for a clown, as much to disguise myself as to lure my target. Dressing up like a slut is something so far beneath me, but I need to look deliberate. But Is this trying too hard? Would that be off putting? They might find it suspicious for someone as good as me to be showing interest in someone so depraved then again Ill sleep a lot better knowing I used the worst possible person to fulfill the ritual. Someone who wont be missed. But then I too must be someone who won''t be missed, someone who no one will attempt to save. I cant have anyone try and intervene nor point me out later either. Ok. ok I can do this. I just have to abandon my dignity and pride and pretend Im everything Im not. I''ll be an actor playing a role, instead of Vescuria, Witch of the black arts and conjurer of the abyss Im Victorique the bar skank. Oh Christ I dont know if I can do this No, what am I thinking?! Why am I worried about being seen dressed as a hoe?! Im planning to fucking murder someone! I can do this, whats the life of some random creepo to Ellie- even if shes a lamey sports girl now. It was my understanding that dive was an undesirable adjective for an establishment that didnt involve scuba gear but an internet search quickly shattered my illusions of this fact. I set my destination to the skeeviest looking one and traveled there by bus. No one tried to stop me or ask for my ID when I entered Sgoon, but I felt the eyes of the entire room hit me the instant I sat down at the bar. Not just the leers of the men but the veiled scorn of the women too, I think I overdid my outfit, by a lot. The interior of the bar was dark and dank, the only source of illumination some kind of sourceless yet omnipresent dim red hue. The music genre was something of an experimental blend of inside of falling airplane'' and broken coffee machine. Considering also the damned souls within, if it wasnt so cold it might have passed for an upper circle of hell. Urgh Ok. I can do this. I have to do this. I sat at the bar and skimmed the menu while I contemplated my courses of action. The items on display looked so awful I wondered if it was on purpose to make sure no one actually ordered anything. So Do I just go up to the creepiest guy and ask him to buy me a drink? Is that how people do these things? Can I just wait for someone to come to me? How long is that gonna tak-? Hey there, I havent seen you around here before. A young and reasonably normal looking man came up to the bar, he had glasses and dark hair, despite how plain he was, something about him immediately set off alarms. Nope hahaha, Im new. Damn it! be cool! how do you like it? its alright I guess for a shitehole yeah? aye I love your accent, it''s ah- Sicilian right? You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Scottish ah well I wasnt far off. mmm So what brings you here? I dont even know honestly Im just bored out of my mind you know You just got here. Aye well, to be honest bars arent really my thing. Then why did you come here? Fuck me do I have to do everything?! I thought Id try it again but, I dont really think Im feeling it you know. There are more interesting places I think oh yeah? I think I know this one place its kind of a secret though Tell me more. Well, I cant tell you but.. I might be able to show you I said, trying my best to be seductive and mysterious. Well what are we standing around here for? A-aye that sounds good. He took me out to his car, some crusty white shitebox. When he opened the passenger side for me I saw the floor was covered in junk. There''s no way anyone''s going to miss this dude I directed him to the location of the fence. Once were there I''ll lure him by the pot and push him in, provided there''s not too much noise it should be fairly simple and fairly clean. Worst case scenario Ill use my knife I can do this, I have to do this. Its not often a girl as pretty as you comes by the Sgoon. That''s because there arent any girls as pretty as me. and if there were, they sure as hell wouldn''t be found dead in that place. Hah, cant argue with that. so, you do this kind of thing often? Not in a million years, men should be queueing up for me, not forcing me to crawl down into some 5th rate garbage chute for attention. High quality men too, not a bunch of talentless jags. Well ach but do I say yes or no? Which is the most expeditious choice here? Does he want innocence or experience? Probably the latter, considering what I''m wearing and the dump I just went into. aye, you could say that My friends call me a fisher of men. So you''re pretty wide then? wha-? no! Not a fissure, a fisher!. Oh, word. At least Im not at risk of this guy figuring me out. He put his hand on my thigh but I almost jumped out of my seat and he retracted it. Are you sure youre ok? he asked. Aye, y-yup Im fine. Have you ever actually done this before? l-lots haha. Come on be real with me here, you look terrified. I-Im just a wee anxious thats all haha I-its fine. You are literally shaking, like youre being electrocuted. -Im just cold thats all. He sighed and pulled the car over into the street. what are you-? -Come on, this isnt what you want is it? he asked me sincerely. no, no its just- -You know you dont have to do anything that makes you uncomfortable. I-I dont have a choice. Of course you do. No one can force you to do anything you dont want. y-you dont understand. Trust me, I know what Im talking about. you have no Idea Youre not ready, and that''s ok, Youre allowed to take your own time. I dont have any time left. You have plenty of time and you can find someone who will be happy to wait for you, someone who is right for you. Thats not Look, why dont I drop you off at home or some other place you feel safe. I my mouth hung open for a few moments. I knew that letting him go would doom Ellie, but I also knew that I couldnt kill him. I didnt have it in me. yeah ok. I directed him to drop me off by the fence near the pot. Are you sure youre ok here? Yeah My house is nearby. I just have to make a stop somewhere first thank you Youre welcome. be safe getting home. I will thank you again. I gave him a small wave as I stepped out of the car and made my way down the sidewalk. I waited for him to drive away before climbing the fence. 14. You were pretending long before you met me What the fuck is wrong with me? I was really planning to murder that guy- just to erase my own sins but even he was less deserving than I was! He never even considered hurting me What did Heather mean when she said I was always like this?! That demon said it saw potential in me but I never would have dreamed of going this far only a week ago If I had known they would die I would never have done it wouldnt I? Do I have horns sticking out of my head that can be seen by everyone but me? The sickly hand rose from the pot in anticipation. youve returned. Did you bring a heart? It asked me as I approached it. No! how am I supposed to get a fucking heart! It made a shrugging gesture with its arm. Cant you call it off?! Anything!? it is entirely beyond my control. -What- what if someone else made a wish? highly unlikely, for that someone else would need to hold the same emotions you have towards your target. Only the depths of your own shame and regret has any hope to counteract the curse. Damn it! God damn it! It isnt so bad. Eh?! You dont actually have to do anything, you can just step back and your life will essentially return to normal, barring a slightly emptier classroom. Ill have to live knowing that I killed them! So what? You said yourself that it wasnt on purpose. You can still pretend youre a good person. you fucking asshole! Youre the whole reason this is happening to me in the first place! Where do you get off trying to guilt trip me?! Those feelings come entirely from within yourself. horseshite! You called me a slave for refusing to curse them and now youre telling me Im a monster because I did. I never called you a monster. You just said I was pretending to be a good person. You were pretending long before you met me. If I really was a monster, at least I wouldnt have to feel like this. It made that bubbling laughter sound again. Mankind is such a thoroughly ridiculous species, fascinating, amusing, but ridiculous, how you indulge yourselves in the pain you inflict on others and then indulge yourselves again with the consolation of the pain you feel in remorse. God damn you! You slimy, filthy, pot lurking atrocity! Is that all? How long do I have left? I asked. a couple of hours. so if I give you my own heart youll be able to save her? I can. and what happens to me? my mind went back to the stoat grasped in its hand, how it screamed. The same thing that happens to anyone who loses their heart. Damn it So If I agree to that, what will you do to me? as I already said, I will remove your heart. I leaned over the edge of the pot. The dark liquid sat as still as stone, its surface now an immaculate mirror reflecting the sorry expression on my face. The arm shifted to the side, watching me carefully with great anticipation. I took a deep breath. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. WHO AM I FUCKING KIDDING?! I fell back on the grass. Im doomed to live the rest of my life in guilt and paranoia. Ive ruined my own life! I''m basically a murderer now- or a manslaughterer. Kestrel might overlook hairloss and suicides but this plague of similar deaths it might be enough to draw their interest, and if they look hard enough with their tools, theyll find me out. Ill be imprisoned and maybe experimented on! Its over there''s nothing left Beyond the grassy hill stood a wall of dark trees. Refuge of the outcast and forsaken. Salvation of the damned. That temptation to run into the woods and leave it all behind. This must be what they refer to as the call of the Field I just chalked it up to madness but now I think I understand... What other choice do I have left? I made my way through the copse, towards the treeline beyond the meadow. If nothing else, at least I''ll be free. As I took another step my foot caught under a root and I was sent plummeting forwards, my entire body slamming onto the ground FUCK! Of all the cursed- stupid fucking thi- My train of thought screeched to a halt. It wasn''t a root I had tripped over. My ankle was lying on top of a leg. I nearly jumped back to my feet. Laying on the ground behind a bush was a body, the corpse of an adult man. His clothes only slightly dirty, his skin a milky pale, He had brown hair and a mustache. His skin was cold to the touch and he had no pulse. There is no way I cant believe it! Is this real!? How can it be?! After years and years struggling to stay above the icy waves of misfortune- has the hand of fate finally cast me a life ring? I placed my hands all over the corpse, feeling and pinching the rigid and cold flesh, trying to confirm this wasnt just some cruel hallucination. But I could feel the texture of its skin against my own, the corpse was real. If this actually is happeningthen I need to act quickly! My first action was nearly to cut into him straight away but I stopped myself, realizing that would soak me in his blood. I removed all my clothes and folded them aside. Ive got way bigger problems than being seen naked right now and I can worry about washing myself off afterwards. Worst case scenario I can use the leaves to wipe most of it off. Following the instructions I had previously found online, I cut his chest down the center and used the weight of my body to bore through the sternum. My old kitchen knife was not as effective as I had hoped. Gruesome didnt begin to describe it; the blood had blacked and partially congealed, it seemed almost more like oil than blood though it still slicked into the newly made wound. I had to cup my hands to scoop out as much of it as I could, wiping my sticky hands on the grass beside me. The elation I had felt upon finding the answer to my problem seemed to wither as I continued with the foul work, digging through the viscera with the blade and pulling it away with my bare hands, until finally I reached its heart. After draining more blood and unintentionally slathering myself in it, I slowly severed each of the connected veins by sawing through them until finally, it came free. The cold glistening fruit of my salvation parted from its stubborn branches at last. here! Heres your goddamn heart, you goddamn pot spawn. I tossed it into the cauldron, hitting the foul water with a splash. The hand stared at me from a moment. Well? I demanded. It''s a bit stale but it will suffice, as you wish, so will it be done. Oh Thank god! Aha! I did it! I cant believe I actually did! I lay back on the grass, this time in relief. I feel like Ive just woken up from a nightmare, the disturbing deformations that had haunted me have returned to their natural form. Holy shite What were the chances of there being a body right there?! Thats gotta be some insane odds Like on the level of divine intervention. I suppose two people still died technically because of me but no ones gonna miss them anyway- or I won''t at least. Ellie and I will probably never be friends again but- Im fine with that. She didnt deserve to die It''s insane to think that even after all that happened no one will ever know about any of it, what I went through, what I did, no one will ever- There was a sound behind me. I raised my head only to freeze mid motion. put your hands in the air. stand up and turn around slowly. The kestrel scout I had seen earlier was standing only a few meters away, and pointing a gun directly at me. A million thoughts were flying through my head but strangely enough the most prevalent was that since I was a child this was the first person besides my parents to ever see me naked. I-I MOVE! As I rose I saw his eyes look me up and down, his expression of confusion and concern shifting into one of disgust and horror. My arms instinctively bent to cover myself. IN THE AIR! NOW! but-! DO IT! -G-give me a towel or something first Jesus! He still looked stunned as if unable to understand what he was seeing. He raised something else in his other hand and fired a screeching yellow flare into the sky. A few moments later I heard the wail of sirens closing in. I sort of phased out as it all occurred, like I was watching it all happen to someone else, like watching a tragic comedy play out in front of me, no more than inconsequential actors performing their preordained roles. It didnt seem possible that this could happen to me of all people. They tossed me a large raggedy blanket before cuffing my hands and shoving me in the back of a van. I had pretty much accepted that my life was over barely an hour ago, before believing I was saved after all only to be cast into hopelessness once again scarcely minutes later. Would I be sent to juvenile prison? Or regular prison? Would they keep me locked up in their own private dungeon for my meddling with forbidden forces? How much did they actually know? They brought me underneath kestrel headquarters and threw me into a windowless concrete room. Its saving grace being the few basic necessities it held such as bed, bathroom implements as well as a table with two chairs facing each other. There also looked to be a clean set of clothes folded on the bed but on closer inspection I saw these were something like a gray prison jumpsuit. undignified though it was, I had nothing else to wear. Here in this dull pit I was finally stationary and barred from all other actions besides thought. It was in this prison that my mind found itself trapped in a state of flux, a sensation like having just woken up from a nightmare, only to find yourself in a reality so much worse. My mind; so unwilling to accept the truth that it incessantly dreamed up more pleasant, more acceptable delusions, every now and then returning to reality to drown in a chaotic cocktail of panic, anger and despair. 15. We aren鈥檛 bidden by petulant bureaucracies After what felt like several days but could just as well have been one, someone entered the room. He was a kestrel man but his attire distinguished him as above the usual grunts, some kind of higher officer. He sat down at the seat by the table and he gestured for me to take the chair opposite. How are you doing Liz? he asked. Do I get a lawyer? He chuckled. No. what?! We are not the police, our duty is far more important than simply sorting through riff raff and as such we arent bidden by petulant bureaucracies. Ach what do you want then? To start Id like your full and honest account of the events that transpired leading up to this recent incident, the sooner you can do that the sooner you ca do that the sooner we can all move on. All we want from you is your full account of events. And then what? what happens to me? I asked. that depends on what you tell us, but if you speak the truth and cooperate with us, we can perhaps come to an accord. If you guys arent bidden by any petulant bureaucracies then what guarantee do I have that you arent just going to screw me over afterwards? Im afraid there are no guarantees with anything in life, but your two options are to cooperate or impede. I think you can at least believe your chances are much better going with the former. I suppose so. Before we begin, are you hungry? Would you like something to eat? Yes, I would. What do you want? What are my options? Whatever we can get from town. in that case how about cookies and cream cheese cake. He looked surprised. really? not very nutritious. If it might be my last meal, Id like it to be something good. I was hoping that hed laugh and dismiss my concern but he didnt, My statement marinated in an excruciating silence. very well. He finally said. I really hope that doesn''t mean what I think it means These guys and their psychological bullshite He returned a while later with the cheese cake. It was delicious for the first few bites but soon became too rich and sat poorly in my stomach which was doubly poor from my stress. I should have just gotten a pizza instead, some fancy Italian marinara My name is Declan by the way. Said the officer. I dont believe I had an opportunity to tell you earlier. Aye. Now, then to prepare us both, Id like you to take a brief psychological test. he placed some papers on the table eh? He took out a metronome and placed it on the table between us to face me. It was a bizarre looking object with something resembling an eye sitting near the top, almost like the face of a grandfather clock. When it started to tick, it did so with an unusually fast rate. What''s that for? A device to help us focus, Now what is your name? Lizbet Maclamont. What is your age? 17. your favorite color? black? Or orange maybe? Do you believe you deserve to be here? I- no? The metronomes pace quickened momentarily. Eh? I leaned in to get a closer look at the thing as I did the eye on the metronome followed me. Hey! that thing just moved! As if responding to my reaction, its pace sped up again, its speed keeping up for longer this time It might do that every now and then. Is that-? An icon? Declan looked up at me but said nothing. Pay it no mind. He said finally. can you at least point it the other way? no. he smiled slightly after speaking. I moved my body around to see the eye follow me. It''s creepy. Are you afraid of such a tiny thing? no but- The ticking sped up once again. Wait, is this thing like a lie detector? If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Something like that. Shite. Couldnt you use it on yourself to prove to me the sincerity of your offer? no point, I know how to trick it. But I didnt know that! You could just-? Now then, it''s been calibrated so Id like you to tell me your account of events. I sighed loudly. So what exactly do you want to know? Everything, from the beginning. well In the end I told the full story and confessed to everything, given that this was as far as I knew a professional interrogator with a lie detector who may or may not know more than he let on, I decided it was the safest course of action. I had literally been caught red handed. Red bodied for that matter. There''s no way Id convince anyone I wasnt guilty of something. and everything you told me is the truth? No missing details? Declan asked when I finished. That''s all there is, all true. The metronome maintained its consistent rate. I see your story is quite interesting to us Liz it sounds like quite the ordeal for one thing. He said. you dont say so what happens now? Well, a thought occurs to me you see Liz, exposure to the strange of the Field can make people behave in ways they wouldnt ordinarily, say and do things entirely out of their character. So I''ve heard. Its far from impossible that demons or- demon adjacent entities are capable of similar pernicious influence. what are you saying? Well, for all we know this hand demon as you called it could have compelled you, against your own desires and perhaps against your own will, you told us this creature communicated to you in your dreams, thats a definite symptom of possession. Is he saying what I think hes saying? After all, you''ve never done anything like this before, you have no criminal record. Its more than possible that with the right information we could even be able to prove you were just a hapless pawn in all this, a completely innocent victim. None of that was true, I knew it and I was fairly sure he knew it too. Do you understand what Im trying to say here Liz? He was making me an offer, a pretty good one too all things considered. I do sir. very good, but that does depend on what information you can help us obtain regarding this hand entity. Aye, what do you want to know? First of all, wed like to meet them. They let me rest for the night before taking me out to the pot the next morning. We started by having me attempt to call it alone, but to no avail, nothing I said or threw into the pot incited any kind of reaction. Eventually they tired of waiting and with a small army of men using rudimentary tools of leverage, tipped the contents of the cauldron into a large glass container. As it flowed out a dreadful vision flashed across my eyes, of a pale, sodden, almost fetal-like body falling out with the flow, one with my hair and wearing a warped mask of my face. It''s empty eye sockets staring out, bearing a rictus grin with all its teeth. But the water was empty, besides a brownish tint, there weren''t so much as even dead leaves within it. That thing had gotten out of the pot to remove my skin who knows what happened to it Kestrel personnel returned me to my cell and let me stew for a while longer before Declan visited me again. We have the test results back from that water. and? nothing, no trace of anything, not you or your peers, no animals, it''s just dirty rain water. what does that mean? It means were disappointed. I wasnt lying- I- I started. -I dont believe you were, at least not to your own knowledge. But that fact is that nothing youve told us has been of any use. Im sorry but that''s not my fault. No, but your end of the agreement was that you helped us obtain information, and you have failed in this. thats not fair i- He held up his hand. We have wasted enough time on you. So what, you''re just leaving me stuck in this cell? We have nothing to gain in locking you up Lizbet, the GFA subminsters and flunkeys might get a kick back for sealing away capricious delinquents but for us it comes out of our own budget and reduces what we have to spend on things we actually need. Then you''re just gonna take me out that back and wipe me off the records? Do you really think youre significant enough to warrant an execution? That youre somehow a threat to us? well i-? What are you capable of Lizbet? The pot is gone. Then what? then nothing, were done with you, youre free to go. He dropped my clothes and handbag from that night into my hands, folded and washed. just- just like that? just like that. seriously? After all that? Are you disappointed? I kinda figured youd want to punish me. I personally believe the consequences of one''s sin are oft punishment enough. All of that and youre letting me off with a guilt trip? His expression betrayed a tiny smirk, one that made me feel very uneasy. Farewell Lizbet, I doubt well meet again. He went to leave. wait. what is it? You said the pot is gone, gone where? somewhere it can be put to use. Use? You didnt destroy it or lock it away? Are you insane? I dont see why we should need to. I dont see why you even let that thing sit there for so long in the first place? it was obviously demonic in some way. He smirked again, but he made no attempt to hide it. You poor thing, who do you think placed it there in the first place? what? did you imagine it was rolled up that hill by a band of roving wildmen? Are you saying that was you? You put that there? We couldn''t get it to respond to us so we needed someone else to try in our stead. My mouth hung open. I- what?! Thats- that''s insane! that''s entrapment! It would have only qualified as entrapment if we charged you with anything but as you see, you are free to go. but I dont understand-? why? Knowledge, my girl, the most valuable thing in this new age is knowledge. The wars in times to come will dictate the future of this world and they will not be won by technology or manpower but by that which is known and that which is not. and youre- youre just telling me this? It''s entirely self evident to anyone of significance. Im insignificant?! Of course, Are you really going to debate that? You think that being some bureaucrats lapdog makes you important. He shrugged. There''s nothing inherently wrong with being insignificant, people who can be content with that get to avoid being made a demon''s pawn. I''m no one''s pawn! Then what? A murderer? Is that your great claim to glory? Im not a murderer! I didnt know they were- -They died from a curse that was made of you, at the very least it still makes you a killer. he affirmed. Damn it, you''re the ones who put it there! You bastards are the ones toying with people''s lives. We go to our extreme measures to master the Field for the sake of the world, you do it because you cant stand people having one over on you. Damn it, you dont know the first thing about me! Maybe not, but that creature did, and it clearly saw something in you that it didn''t see in me. Ach! You bastard-! He waited for me to continue but I wasn''t able to come up with anything else to say. Im telling you this for your own good, you know. Why?! Someone has to humble you, otherwise youll just make the exact same mistake all over again. Oh youll see, Just you wait. He smirked again. Maybe, but I doubt it, now did you have anything else to say? No. Good, then be on your way. Bastard. 16. You鈥檝e been transferred It was mid day when I finally returned home, both of my parents were out and I was left wondering what to do with the rest of my day. Going to school was the last thing I wanted to do but Id have to catch up on my classes at some point, I was also somewhat anxious to see if anything else had happened there, what had become of Ellie, Javinka and Heather. It had only been a few days, but it felt like I had been gone for a long time. It was lunch break when I arrived at school, Id only have two more classes after this so it wouldnt be too bad. From first glance everything seemed to be otherwise normal but as I walked further in I realized that I was attracting the attention of a lot of students, they even were halting their activities to watch me. I guess I had been away for a while but surely my absence hadn''t been that big a deal? Deciding ignoring them was my best course of action, I simply kept my head down and pressed onwards. Why are they staring at me like that? Heather and Javinka were sitting down at the end of one of the benches, apparently with a large group of other girls. Some of which were from Scarletts posse. Hey guys, how''s it going? I asked them, ignoring the piercing stares of the rest of the gathering. Hello Liz. Said Javinka, slightly less monotone than usual. Hey, how have you been? asked Heather. Ive been better, but Ive been worse- -what on earth do you think youre doing here?! a voice shouted at me. I turned around to see a girl with bracers, a buzz cut glaring at me. Her face wrought with an expression of righteous indignation. eh?! Who the hell are- Wait, Ellie?! I had barely recognized her. Get the hell away from them! she stormed over and positioned herself between us. Excuse me?! How dare you come back here you sick fucking psychopath?! she had snapped at me before but this was like nothing else. What did you just say to me?! I knew- I always knew there was something wrong with you but I never- ever imagined it would be something like this!" What the hell are you even talking about?! you fucked a corpse and ate its heart! Her words unraveled in my head like some kind of shrapnel bomb. WHAT?! I did not! There were pictures of you Liz! Naked and covered in blood! Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. What?! where?! Did you miss the reports?! OH NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! I-I- thats not-! -get away from them, right now! You goddamn subhuman degenerate! she shouted, the other girls were nodding their heads in approval. After everything-!? You bitch! I did all that for you! I saved you! Youre insane, get the hell out of my sight! Or Ill call school security or the fucking police if I have to! I managed to walk away from everything- the demon, kestrel- all mostly unscathed- only to meet the consequences here of all places?! Fucking Ellie! The person I did all that for!? I put everything on the line to save her and this is my thanks?! you dont know a goddamn thing you-! I was cut off by the sound of a siren playing over the school loudspeaker, it was only a short two tone burst preceding a transmission: Lizbet Maclamont, please report to the principal''s office immediately. Oh what now? you heard him, get going. She stared me off. Heather and even Javinka gave me sympathetic looks, but said nothing. Christ I headed to the principal''s office, facing the same piercing gaze from almost everyone around me this time. The principal was nervously awaiting me in his office, though we had no prior direct interaction he recognised me immediately. Lizbet, how- how have you been? the principal looked around almost desperately. eh, Im fine, look I think there''s been a misunderstanding. ah yes, yes that''s right, you already know. Well yeah, I was there, do you think you could make an announcement clearing things up? Of course, of course yes. he spoke anxiously thank you, just tell them that shite about me- just tell them everything they heard about me is a lie I didn''t do any of that stuff and the whole-... naked and bloody thing was because I was possessed you see- it all happened entirely out of my control. If you could make that announcement that would be great, thank you Yes , I would of course be happy too. He seemed to look behind me. Then youll do that now then? of course, I would of course do that, but I cant. eh? Why not? its just a matter of- well you see we werent expecting to see you back here. What do you mean? Everything is sorted out, I got released. That''s right, and youve been transferred. what? where? the school board and your parents both agreed that given what you had gone through, a different learning environment would be more beneficial for both you and the school. Oh no. You didnt answer my question? And what do you mean And the school? where does the well being of this school come into it? we just feel that- ah yes! he gestured behind me. Two large men entered the room. These gentlemen here will escort you to your new faculty. They were wearing indistinct light blue nurse uniforms, but they were well built and carried restraining apparatus on their waists. are these-?! Are these fucking tard wranglers?! theyre trained professionals who work in the field of- -Youre sending me to a nuthouse?! You cant be serious!? I leaned forward, slamming my hands on the desk and causing the principle to leap backwards. The wranglers immediately jumped me, seizing me by my arms. Get your filthy hands off me! I tried to pull my arms away but they tightened their grip, pining me in place between them. Release me at once you mongrels! I struggled and kicked but to no avail. damn it, let me go! They did not. Seeing no other option I relaxed myself. fine! Ill go- Ill go quietly, just let me go. They did as I asked, slowly releasing me. The two men escorted me off the school grounds, the piercing judgment of each and every student searing through my flesh to charr my soul into pitch black ashes. 17. The Shadow rose I had another dream later, I was in my room again, shrouded in darkness but something was different, I felt no sense of familiarity or intoxication, I felt disoriented and very afraid. I started to question whether this was even my own room. As I scanned for something or anything I could recognize my eyes fell upon a dark shape crouched in the corner, a deeper shadow within the darkness. The longer I looked at it the more I began to be able to make out the edges of empty eye sockets, a mop of red hair and lips that stretched to expose a rictus grin full of faintly glinting teeth. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. The shadow rose, standing upright so tall that it had to hunch down beneath the ceiling. In terror I turned around and faced the other way in my bed, pulling my sheets over my head in some hopeless attempt to protect myself. I heard wet footsteps pacing on the floor, coming towards me. And then a pressure on the bed as something pressed down on the mattress beside me. For a few moments I could hear a deep, wet, panting breath only inches away and then the movement of moist lips and teeth as it spoke. As It spoke right into my ear. Thank you. Epilogue Declan had told me the consequences of one''s sins are oft punishment enough. but It occurs to me, these are not in fact the consequences of my sins. I am not here because I cursed three people and ended the lives of two, no one even knows what I actually did besides kestrel who dont even care. Im here because of my endeavor to spare her. It was not wickedness that placed me bare and blood soaked before the officer that night. Because when I stripped myself and defiled that corpse I did so in an effort to undo the evil I had wrought. I went to such lengths to save Ellie''s life even against my own best interests. And what was the final culmination of that attempted redemption? Damnation to this bespoken hellscape, scorned most of all by the very person for whom I debased myself to save. Had I simply accepted her fate and walked away, had I surrendered to apathy, had I been frigid enough to simply let her die, I would not be here, I would have been spared all of this and she would have gone to her grave thinking me no less than an incongruous soul and no one else would ever suspect a thing. I would have returned to school and lived out the rest of my otherwise ordinary life, perhaps I would be haunted by the specter of guilt, but would that be a worse fate than this? Somehow I doubt it. And now for the rest of Ellies potentially long life, I will forever be a maniac of the most vile capacity. To all of them I am spiritually and physically beyond salvation. I awaited my next weekly checkup with the psychologist in the corridor, sitting outside his office on one of the chairs. There was a strangely dressed man sitting on a chair opposite mine, he was reading a newspaper. Looking at his attire I briefly wondered if he was a cosplay enthusiast like I was, but chances were he was more likely to be one of those retvrn to tradition larpers and probably be more akin Javinka than myself. in for another check up? he asked without lowering his newspaper. Are you talking to me? I dont see anyone else here? Well what else do you think I would be here for? I was just being cordial. Listen Ebineezer, Im not in this godforsaken nuthouse to make friends. Oh I disagree, I think a friend is exactly what you need right now. then I am afraid you are thoroughly mistaken. He lowered the newspaper to consider me. The man had red hair not entirely unlike my own but he also appeared to have eyes of a curiously similar color. Contact lenses? Maybe he is a cosplayer after all. What are you even in here for? Trying to espouse nineteenth century values? I asked. no, Im just visiting an old acquaintance. He gave a smile of mild amusement. oh. but I did hear about your whole ordeal. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Did you now? Yes, I''d rather say you got lucky. lucky? Lucky?! Everyone I know thinks Im some kind of sick freak and Im locked in this fucking asylum. no, not that nonsense, I was referring to the he made a movement with his hand, his fingers softly coiling and uncoiling in a fluid motion. My blood went cold. w-what-? how do you-? -shall we say, Im good at knowing things. Dont give me that vague mysterious bullshite! Answer my question! He gave me a look of mild bemusement. What''s life without a little mystery? Its a shiteshow with or without I had my eye on that cauldron since it was put there, so when you came along and started singing around it, I started paying a bit more attention. You were watching the whole time? Then do you know where it came from? I havent a clue. he shrugged. Useless... So what the hell do you really want? Im more interested in what you really want. I want to get out of this shitehole for one thing. And? he asked. and what? what will you do when you leave? Surely your ambitions are greater than that? I dont know? What do I even have at this point? have you even thought about it? He raised an eyebrow. Why even bother at this point, My parents-my school- Everyone thinks Im some kind of degenerate maniac! Well, invoking demonic forces to settle a petty grudge, speaks to some degree of social sickness, dont you think? I didnt choose for them to- end up that way. Perhaps not, but you arent tearing up with remorse either. Why should I? Did you come here just to guilt trip me as well? What is it with these-? -Not at all, What kind of place would this world be if every single individual was simply content to be trampled upon. I dunno, that doesnt sound too far from how things really are right now. Mmmm Maybe wed simply be further along the path. Aye, I don''t suppose you were about to offer me the keys to this abyss just before were you? No, in fact I was going to offer something much better. Oh? He smiled. Id like to offer you a deal. No, nope, no way, no more deals- Im done with that shite. Surely there''s no harm in hearing me out? No, youll just try your little manipulation tricks on me. If you''re so certain then you dont have to fear being swayed. As if I''d trust that. What do you have to lose at this point? Are you afraid theyd kick you out of here for being too depraved? he asked. I fine say your bit. Let me first ask, do you know why you wound up here? Because I trusted a demon, Because I didnt keep my head down, because I tried to do the right thing? No, you lost out simply because you placed your faith in powers that were not yours. From the beginning, your own fate was surrendered to the whims of someone or something else. Aye and? What you need, what you really need is power of your own. What kind of power are we talking about here? I reclined into my chair. The power to break out of here for one thing, you might call it a gift though, it doesn''t come for free . and how exactly would one go about acquiring this power? That''s the simple part, the true matter is the price. right, and how much is this gonna cost me? It''s certainly not cheap, but it''s nothing you cant afford. I think youre vastly overestimating how much money I have. It''s not money Im interested in. His eyes burned with a restrained intensity, as if his very pupils were holding back the fury of hell itself. What exactly are you insinuating? He reached into his coat and brought forth a thick rectangular object. An ancient tome, untitled and bound in worn black leather. My body lurched forward in sheer subconscious impulse. Even without ever having seen one before, I knew exactly what it was. As my eyes returned to his, he smiled slightly. Do I have your attention now? I considered the situation and my options. There was no ambiguity to my answer. Im listening Tell me more