《Beyond Blood and Bone》 The Not-So-Great-But-Anticipated-Escape Minutes after dawn, the bright summer sun shot its killer sunrays in between the curtains, assaulting Rui¡¯s eyes faster than she could cover them. She wriggled aimlessly in bed, wrapping and unwrapping her blanket, struggling to catch her breath. The air unleashed a thousand hooks onto her skin, tugging and pulling off her flesh for what seemed to be hours. She flailed her arms desperately as if she were pushing away the fishing lines. She swallowed her pain and got out of bed. It was finally the 27th, the day she was to leave everything behind. She brushed her hair under the sunlight, but not before cursing at it. When she was younger, Rui had decided to try out empathy¨Cfor the sun at least. Day in and day out, she¡¯d watch as it burned through the skin of travelers, how they melted and wiped off the excess with a square piece of cloth. She always thought of humans as walking candles but made of flesh. Oh, also lit during the day, and also¨Cwell, never mind. The list of comparisons was endless for Rui. She could compare a rock to a human, but never fully know why. She didn¡¯t know much about the world. She was not allowed to think of it. Not under Abi''s watch. As the years went by, she¡¯d grown used to their demands. Abi knew what they were doing, and it was definitely for Rui¡¯s wellbeing. At least, she hoped so. Once in a year, Abi would gift Rui a book. ¡®The 7 Habits of Highly Obedient Teenagers¡¯ and ¡®The Power of Then¡¯ were among a few. When they were away, Rui would slip into the library to switch the books, but she kept one or two to avoid suspicion. She would sift through the dusty pages trying to find some meaning of her existence. How was the world outside and why was she hidden away from it? She soon learned that it was best to find out at an even pace. The earth wasn¡¯t going anywhere, and neither was she. For the next few years. Or maybe months, or even weeks. Who was to know? She spent as much time as she could reading and rereading books, scribbling her notes on the insides of her clothes. She¡¯d even found a calendar to mark the date. July 27th, or six months from then. And now, the time had come. Abi was to leave to gather food for Rui. They did this every three months, trusting her to never disobey them, but she couldn¡¯t stay here forever. She wore four layers of clothes, shoving as many as she could into her pocket. She had to bid goodbye to the rest, so she stood in the middle of the room, thanking them by name for their services. Once she was done, she carefully stepped out of her room, checking for Abi one last time. She made her way to the front door, but as soon as she grabbed the handle, sparks flew around her hand. She writhed on the floor as her hand twitched in pain. Of course, it wouldn¡¯t be this easy. The windows wouldn¡¯t budge either. Dejected, she made her way back to her room. She paced around, cursing at her fate, at Abi and the sun. ¡®How dare the sun peek through my window to mock me every day and¨Cwait.¡¯ She stood still, letting the thought emerge. ¡®If the sunlight could pass through the window, maybe a solid object could!¡¯The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. She gathered all sorts of objects she could find, assessing whether they could break through the glass. She threw her books, but the windows just rattled. She looked down, unable to think of anything else. As her gaze wandered, she looked to the chair. In a quick swipe, she shattered the window glass. She broke off the jagged ends with the backrest of the chair. There, she was free at last! She sprinted across the field and didn¡¯t stop running until it had grown dark. ¡®This is bad,¡¯ she thought to herself. ¡®I¡¯m already melting.¡¯ She wiped the sweat off her brow, but the clothes she¡¯d worn were wearing her down. She leaned against a tree, trying to rest. She tried to squeeze her eyes shut until she fell asleep, but that didn¡¯t work. She stood up, watching the leaves rustle. She climbed on to the top of the trunk, grabbing the nearest branch for stability. In the distance, she saw a house with lit-up rooms. This was her chance. Maybe she could convince them to let her stay. Perhaps this was farfetched, but Rui did not care. Now was not the time to make assumptions. She dusted off the dirt from her clothes and walked to what she hoped would be a place of shelter. She gathered enough courage, she knocked on the door. Whispered voices and the sounds of chairs dragging scared her. ¡®What if this is a bad decision?¡¯ she asked herself. Slowly the door handle turned. A figure cloaked in darkness answered the door. As it brought the lamp up to its face, Rui shrieked in horror. Abi grabbed her by her shoulder and dragged her inside. Red Room of Reality ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Abi glared. They folded their arms, shifting their gaze to the side. Lost in thought, their head tilted. Blood streamed down their cheeks, dripping onto the white table cloth. ¡°Please don¡¯t cry, Abi,¡± Rui softly begged. ¡°I should have killed you the day I found you,¡± Abi said. They wiped the blood off their face with their wrist, bringing it to their mouth. Slowly, they licked their hand clean. Rui couldn¡¯t bring herself to look at them. ¡°All I ever do is bring you down.¡± She paused for a moment, lifting her head up to look Abi in the eye. ¡°But I refuse to be captive forever.¡± The sorrow in Abi¡¯s eyes vanished under the immediate rage they felt. ¡°So you thought it was best to leave without telling me?¡± they asked, anger seeping through their voice. ¡°You just left and you thought I¡¯d be alright?¡± Rui looked up to the ceiling, holding back her tears. ¡°All I want is to be free. To live like, like the people who live in houses like these.¡± ¡°Rui,¡± Abi said softly. ¡°Where do you think your food comes from?¡± they asked. ¡°Where do you think I vanish to and why do you think I leave home so often?¡± Rui¡¯s eyes widened. Abi pointed to the kitchen. ¡°Why don¡¯t you have a look?¡± She walked slowly, each step seeming further than the last. She tried desperately to close her eyes, but her stomach let out a growl, leading her to the entrance. She quickly covered her hands with her eyes, but through the gaps between her fingers, she saw the remains of what used to be a human man. His carcass hung from a hook, the skin peeled off his body. Bones poked out through a hollow cavity in his chest. His blood was pouring down rapidly, filling the bucket beneath his feet. Rui gasped. The man had opened his eyes. He let out a scream so hoarse, it seemed as if his voice scraped through his throat with a knife. In a flash, Abi sliced his neck open. ¡°Humans are difficult to kill,¡± They said, moving the twirling the man with one hand, cutting through his neck with the other. ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to see this.¡± Once the head had been completely removed, Abi dunked it into a plastic bag. ¡°For the dogs.¡± Rui¡¯s knees crumbled to the floor, her hands too weak to hold onto anything. She could almost taste the blood from its scent, and her mouth began to water. A loud banging noise came from the cupboard beside her. Rui shrieked, pulling the doors wide open. A boy sat inside, with his hands and mouth tied shut. He wriggled out of the space like a worm, desperately crying for help. Rui didn¡¯t know what to do. ¡°I¡¯m not like you,¡± she said to Abi. Her claws began to spread out. ¡°I won¡¯t ever be like you!¡± Rui¡¯s stomach could no longer take it, its teeth ripping through the layers of clothes she had on. The boy was howling, pushing his body back into the cupboard to get away from her. Abi poured themselves a glass of water, quietly sipping it as they watched Rui crawl towards the boy. She stopped an inch away from his face. Her eyes slowly began to focus. She pulled her head out from the cupboard, turning to face Abi.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°I¡¯m not like you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you aren¡¯t.¡± They took another sip. Rui¡¯s tongue emerged from her stomach. She grabbed her tattered clothes, pulling them down to her waist to cover it up. Abi leaned against the counter, smirking. ¡°You think you¡¯re so much better than me, but guess wh¨C¡± Rui¡¯s tongue lashed at Abi, wrapping itself around his body. Her teeth plunged into his shoulder, biting the flesh off. Abi screamed in agony, his hands and feet twitching uncontrollably. Another bite and their arm disappeared in a second. As Rui snapped back into reality, a third of Abi had been wiped clean. Their eyes had rolled to the back of their head. She quickly let go of them, placing her hands on the sink to vomit his flesh, but nothing would come out. She turned back, and Abi was nowhere to be seen. She bent down, holding onto herself as tight as she could. So much had changed in such little time. She looked at the man¡¯s corpse. ¡®If I were to survive for the next three months, I¡¯d need something substantial,¡¯ she thought. She paused. She slapped her face, unable to believe she¡¯d think of something so sinister. ¡°I¡¯d do it if I were you,¡± an unfamiliar voice said. By the window, a tall woman stood, with her striking blue eyes peering into the room. Rui stared at her dumbfounded, unable to respond. ¡°If you won¡¯t have it, I will,¡± the woman said, climbing into the kitchen. Rui stared in horror as the woman invited herself inside. She looked so human, so..normal. It was a strange sight for Rui. As the woman chewed through his bones, a soft cry from the cupboard caught her attention. ¡°More food?¡± she asked. ¡°No!¡± Rui yelled, standing in front of the woman to block her. ¡°Relax, this much is good for me.¡± she chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m Baruni, an amateur extrovert, and an expert human-eater.¡± Rui didn¡¯t know what to say. Baruni handed her the bucket of blood. ¡°At least this will keep you full for a while,¡± she said. Rui¡¯s tongue latched onto the bucket, pouring its contents into her stomach. She looked down, ashamed. ¡°Let¡¯s pack a few supplies from here. We¡¯ll drop off the kid in the nearest village while we¡¯re at it,¡± Baruni said. Rui nodded. She looked around the house, stuffing anything of use into a satchel. She took a quick shower, wiping off the dirt on her body. There was a shirt by the bathroom floor, presumably belonging to the man. She wore it along with one of the skirts she¡¯d packed. She took a quick look at the mirror, combing her hair into a neat bun before walking out. Baruni stared at her in surprise. ¡°You¡¯ve never worn a shirt before, I¡¯m guessing.¡± Rui looked confused. ¡°I thought this is how you wear it,¡± she said, embarrassed. Baruni chuckled, aligning the buttons properly. ¡°There, it¡¯s fine now,¡± she said. Rui tried to smile, but her thoughts were drawn to the boy. ¡°It¡¯s alright. He¡¯ll be fine,¡± Baruni said. She patted Rui¡¯s head, smiling sadly. She went to the boy, watching him with a blank stare. She smacked the side of his neck, immediately making him faint. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Rui yelled. She tried pulling Baruni back, but she wouldn¡¯t budge. ¡°I told you to relax. I know what I¡¯m doing,¡± she said. ¡°Do you trust me?¡± Rui didn¡¯t know what to say, so she took a moment to think. Nothing was going in her favour, and she could use all the extra help she could get. ¡°Yes,¡± she replied. ¡°Great! Then let¡¯s get going.¡± Breezing Through Baruni carried the boy on her shoulders, occasionally turning back to check on Rui. ¡°You all good?¡± she asked. She stopped to wait for a reply. Instead, Rui bumped into the boy¡¯s head, making him groan. ¡°Great! Now we have lesser time than before.¡± Still no answer. ¡°What¡¯s your story?¡± Baruni asked.¡°I¡¯m just..a nobody,¡± Rui said. ¡°My father dumped me in Abi¡¯s care for some reason, and now I¡¯ve disappointed them as well.¡± ¡°Geez, that¡¯s harsh.¡± Baruni slowed her pace, trying to match Rui¡¯s. ¡°Abi is the guy who butchered those humans? He doesn¡¯t seem too nice.¡± ¡°They,¡± Rui corrected. ¡°They might not be the nicest person, but they did this all for me,¡± she said. Her eyes began to tear up, but she refused to cry. She slanted her eyelids with her fingers, looking upwards. Baruni laughed. ¡°It¡¯s okay. We can just chop this kid up if you¡¯re out of blood.¡± ¡°No!¡± Rui yelled. ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat humans. They have feelings like I do,¡± she said. The light in her eyes returned for a brief moment, only to fade in seconds. ¡°I just wish I could live like them, without having to hide for the rest of my life.¡± ¡°I get that,¡± Baruni said. She smiled softly at Rui, holding her for a moment. ¡°May the future hold something special for each one of us.¡± Rui closed her eyes as if she were sending those words to a god in hope that they would listen. She couldn¡¯t remember much of a life before Abi. Sometimes, she could feel the warmth of her mother¡¯s touch on her cheeks. A kiss that lingered for years, making her yearn for a mother who would never return. Soon, they came to a hut in the middle of a forest. Baruni lay the boy against the wall, making sure his head didn¡¯t hit its edge. She knocked on the door three times. A woman¡¯s voice asked, ¡°who is it?¡± Baruni picked Rui up in her arms, turning to the forest. ¡°Nobody you need to know about,¡± she said. With one jump, they were high up in the sky. Baruni¡¯s plum coloured hair was flowing with the wind, capturing the stars in between a few locks of her hair. She seemed so perfect to Rui. ¡®How easy it must be for you,¡¯ she thought. Her light blonde hair just made her pale skin even lighter, making her look like a ghost. Her eyes were a boring shade of brown, too. In her mind, Rui looked like one of those shady guardian spirits from folklore.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Baruni cleared her throat. ¡°You¡¯re staring, you know,¡± she laughed. Her laugh grew louder when she saw Rui blush. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I know I¡¯m gorgeous,¡± she said, winking. ¡°You are, ¡± Rui said. The silence returned. ¡°How are you this strong?¡± Rui asked, trying to break the awkwardness around them. Baruni jokingly shot her a look, curling her mouth. ¡°Why don¡¯t you have a mouth on your face?¡± ¡°Touche.¡± Baruni landed with great force, but she let her foot take most of the impact. She gently let go of Rui. ¡°You okay?¡± Rui asked. She nodded. She took a handkerchief from her pocket, bringing it close to Rui¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯ll be too obvious to them if they find your lack of, er, mouth-less-ness,¡± she said, laughing. Rui rolled her eyes, but she complied anyway. Baruni was right. Once they were in the village, they walked into a place that called itself a bar. Rui didn¡¯t know what it meant. When she looked around, men with reddened faces and slurred voices danced around clumsily. She grew worried for them, so she tugged at Baruni¡¯s sleeve to catch her attention. ¡°I think these men have what they call a fever!¡± she said. Baruni chuckled. ¡°Yep, it¡¯s a fever alright. The Peggy Lee kind.¡± Rui didn¡¯t understand what Baruni meant, but she guessed it wasn¡¯t as serious as it seemed. The music stopped abruptly, which made one man yell at the owner. ¡°Megh!¡± Baruni called out. The man walked up to us in a hurry, knocking over a couple of chairs on the way. ¡°Baaru!¡± he yelled back as he pulled her into a tight hug. She hugged back. Rui looked to the side. Baruni grinned. She introduced them to each other. ¡°Megh owns an inn nearby. I use our friendship for a discount,¡± she joked. Megh feigned disappointment, looking to the ground. ¡°She isn¡¯t kidding,¡± he said to Rui. Rui giggled, finally smiling. Baruni smiled back. Megh cleared his throat, moving past them. ¡°It¡¯s pretty late, so why don¡¯t we leave?¡± he asked. Baruni nodded, stretching her neck. ¡°I¡¯m dead tired.¡± Megh walked ahead, so Baruni slipped a bottle of wine into Rui¡¯s satchel. ¡°Stealing is bad!¡± Rui whispered to her. She shushed Rui, pulling her hand as she ran after Megh. Rui was out of breath by the first minute, but she continued to run. It seemed like things were turning out good.