《The Demon Hero》
Prologue- Monsters In the Street
¡°What¡¯s going on down there, Bridgette!?¡± said a voice through the reporter¡¯s earpiece.
She ran as screams of citizens rang through the street. She threw herself behind a wall, looking over her shoulder at the scene.
She raised her microphone. ¡°A person was attacked!¡±
Bridgette''s lip curled in horror as the person on the ground clawed at their face, their entire body shaking. Bridgette¡¯s eyes widened. The person¡¯s back was moving in ways a person¡¯s back shouldn¡¯t. It was as if something was trying to break through the skin.
¡°Something is happening!¡± she shouted hoarsely.
¡°What! What¡¯s going on?¡±
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The person on the ground yowled¡ª the awful almost inhuman sound echoed throughout the square.
The thing in their back broke through. Bridgette¡¯s mouth fell open.
Wings. Those are wings.
Devil-like wings had sprouted from their back, their skin having been ripped apart and splayed. Blood dripped from the wing''s tips and trickled down their spine. The now winged person¨C no, monster, stood¡ª it¡¯s screams quieting.
¡°It¡¯s not human,¡± Bridgette breathed.
¡°What isn¡¯t?¡±
As if it could pinpoint her, that monster¡¯s head snapped toward Bridgette, its black eyes glaring into hers. Her heart stopped and she froze.
¡°Oh¨C¡±
The thing bounded forward at breakneck speeds. It sprinted at her as if it were a wild beast. It''s clawed hand reached out to grab her.
¡°What is it? What is it, Bridgette!?¡±
¡°It¡¯s a¨C¡±
The hand wrapped around her throat.
Chapter 1- Dinner with My Superhero Brother
We call them demons. I¡¯m not exactly sure why we do, but the name fits. Many people have died to them. Yet, I feel uncomfortable whenever I say that word. Not because of the creatures of said name but because of what they used to be. They were once human. They were once just like me.
Instead of living their lives, now, they have a desperate need to kill people. I heard that they are also always in pain. I couldn''t even imagine what it would be like.
Whenever I think of¡ demons, I try to shake the thoughts away. Does that make me a bad person? Probably. But what am I to do? There''s no cure for demonization and I¡¯m not an Eternal so I can¡¯t exactly go beat up Giants (bad, bad creatures) and save people like my brother does. And I¡¯m not exactly thrilled at the idea of risking my life to become an Eternal either. The likelihood of surviving would be around 15 percent-- if that. I am unlucky as it is. I¡¯m not going to start asking for trouble even if it twisted my gut into a guilty mess.
Though, speaking of my brother, he should be on TV right about now. Acting like a real superhero!
I peeked into the living room from the bottom of the stairs, eyeing my father who was hunched over on the couch, scrolling on his phone. The TV was off.
Perfect.
I jumped onto the couch, startling my poor old pa. He shot me a disgruntled look that I responded to with a smile that was the very manifestation of remorse. Even so, he didn¡¯t seem impressed.
¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked in a gruff voice as I began fiddling with the remote.
¡°It¡¯s time,¡± I said. ¡°Cory¡¯s first-ever interview. Do you think he¡¯s nervous?¡± I pulled up the channel which Cory said would be the one hosting him. The host was on the screen.
¡°Nah, this is your brother after all.¡±
I nodded, ¡°Cory is so cool it¡¯s actually unfair.¡± I huffed. ¡°Why does he get to be a superhero?¡±
¡°He¡¯d hate it if he heard you call him that.¡±
True.
¡°Why do you always go on about superheroes anyway?¡± Dad asked, finally lowering his phone.
My face heated and I hunched my shoulders. ¡°I dunno. I like ¡®em.¡± The camera finally panned away from the host. ¡°Oh! There he is! Do you think Mom¡¯s just out of shot?¡±
On the screen were three people. The host, who was in a big comfy chair, and two Eternals. My brother, Cory, and the other upstart, Ron Basin. I actually met Ron once, though the guy didn¡¯t really notice me, which was fine. Totally fine. It wasn¡¯t like I was bitter or anything.
Mom should be on set with them. She too was an Eternal and decided to accompany Cory. She insisted it was just to make sure everything went smoothly but I was sure she was silently cheering for him like a soccer mom. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she was wearing face paint in support.
¡°Absolutely,¡± Dad said. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re not there with her.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t feel like it. Besides, I¡¯m meeting up with Cory tonight.¡± Also, Cory may or may not have told me he didn¡¯t want me there, but I wasn¡¯t going to say that.
That asshole.
¡°Welcome, Cory Rogue and Ron Basin! For anyone who doesn¡¯t know, will you please introduce your power?¡± the host said.
Ron flashed that stupid grin of his, it screamed rich entitlement.
¡°Gravity manipulation. I can control the gravity of objects.¡±
¡°Show off,¡± I muttered.
¡°You¡¯re pouting,¡± Dad said matter-of-factly. I waved him off.
¡°And you, Mr. Rogue?¡±
Cory smiled as well, which was odd because Cory never smiled, and spoke as if he was reading off a script.
¡°I have the power of telekinesis. An ability that allows me to move objects with my mind. This becomes incredibly useful in the situations that being a Warden brings, including fighting against the Giants. I don¡¯t think I could have survived through the Wall without the flexibility of my power.¡±
Yeah, I thought, show Ron, Cory.
¡°Hey,¡± I said, pointing. ¡°He¡¯s fiddling with his bracelet. He is nervous! I totally called it.¡±
Cory was in fact twisting the black bracelet he wore. Albeit, he was doing it subtly.
¡°So you both go through the Wall often?¡± the host asked.
¡°More than I expected when I first joined the Wardens,¡± Ron said with a chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to team up with Cory. We fight side by side quite often.¡±
Cory merely nodded. No one else could probably tell but it was obvious to me that he was uncomfortable. Cory never did well in the spotlight. It was unfortunate he was the brother with the power. I would have eaten this up.
The host asked about the Giants they fight and if they had encountered dangerous ones. Ron answered that question, as he did the next one. He continued to answer more than Cory as the interview went on. My brother did speak on the safety protocols the Eternals have in the Wardens, but that may be because my brother was a Warden fanboy despite being a popular and important Eternal. He was quite young for the amount of expectations set upon him. Cory was twenty years old, he became an Eternal only two years ago. Some Eternals in the Wardens had powers for a literal decade or more. I am nineteen and I work in my dad¡¯s cafe so¡ I suppose Cory¡¯s doing all right.
¡°I know this can be a sore subject but have you two encountered any demonizations? Or caught any demons?¡± the host asked.
I gaped. He did not just ask that.
Ron opened his mouth but Cory of all people cut him off.
¡°Not in two months.¡±
Wait. Cory saw a demonization? Since when?! Why did he never tell me these things?
¡°So you have encountered demons?¡±
Cory¡¯s face was blank. ¡°Yes. I have.¡±
¡°It¡¯s a truly horrifying experience,¡± Ron said. ¡°Demonizations are particularly bad. When they are exposed to the Entha it¡¯s like a switch being flicked on in their brains. They lose control. Unlike Eternals, who are engulfed in a light when transformed, Demons fall to the ground and start clawing at their skin. A lot of times their bodies change drastically too. Even if they don¡¯t change, you can always tell if it''s a demonization if they shiver. They always grow cold when they transform.¡±
That guilt twisting in my gut was back.
¡°Uh, I¡¯m going to grab a snack real quick,¡± I told my dad. I then jumped off the couch, my face in a frown.
When people go outside we wear masks. Not normal masks that you''d wear in a hospital but protective ones. These masks filter the Entha from the air so we won¡¯t die when we walk out our doors. Everyone wears them, the only exception being the Eternals and demons. Entha kills most people. If it doesn¡¯t kill then it transforms. Most transformations give people powers, but it can also make people become demons and lose their minds.
Eternals and demons. If Entha didn¡¯t end you then you¡¯d become one of those two. Eternals have magical abilities whether they be weak or strong. They have a resistance to the Giant¡¯s powers and stronger bodies. Demons can also have powers, but that''s rare. They can also have physical changes, like fangs or three eyes. One thing that all Demons share though, other than going into what we call frenzies, is the ¡®death touch¡¯. Demons can kill people with only a touch. My high school used to give lectures on what to do if someone was exposed to Entha and happened to change into a demon. It usually involved running as fast as you can.
The masks we wear are magical in nature. They weren¡¯t created by science or humans. They kind of appeared one day before Entha was a thing. I personally love the feature of it forming on my face as I walk through doors. I don¡¯t know what I would do if I had to remember to put it on every time I went outside.
It formed on my face as I walked out this time too, covering my mouth and nose. I scrunched my face and adjusted to the new weight.
It was a light drizzle today instead of a downpour, I could accept that. Looking around I turned left. Other people were on the street despite the aging day. All of them wore masks in all different shades and patterns. Mine was plain but it didn¡¯t matter what it looked like, I didn¡¯t like the masks anyway. I definitely didn¡¯t want it to be red or look like a spider web or anything.
¡°Rogue!¡± a voice called out behind me.
I flinched and looked over my shoulder. It was Dickhead Jones, a name I personally came up with. Dickhead was a tall guy with broad shoulders and a clear mask that clearly revealed his hideous smile. He was also uglier than Cory¡¯s ex, which was saying something.
¡°Oh, hello,¡± I said, my voice nothing but a mumble.
Come on, Cain! You can speak louder than that!
¡°Is your dad¡¯s shop open?¡± Dickhead asked. ¡°We¡¯re hungry.¡± He gestured to the boy next to him who I didn¡¯t even notice. Yondu is what I called Dickhead¡¯s friend. The mohawk upon his head sure was something.
¡°It¡¯s not.¡±
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¡°Well, will you let us in any way? You can serve us, right?¡±
¡°I would love a coffee,¡± Yondu said. He was skinny, especially compared to Dickhead, but he had muscle on his arms and had the vibe that he could and would strangle me if the situation called for it. He reminded me of a determined monkey.
¡°He would love a coffee.¡±
¡°Sorry,¡± I said, raising my hands. ¡°I''m off duty and I kind of have a dinner planned with my brother so¡ sorry, again.¡±
¡°Aw, come on, Cain,¡± Dickhead said. ¡°You can do it for us. Just this once.¡± His hand clamped on my shoulder and the next thing I knew I was being pushed towards my dad¡¯s shop which was across the street.
¡°Dic- I mean, Jordan, I really have to meet my brother. He just had his first interview and I have to be there in only an hour-¡±
¡°Interview, huh?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right, he¡¯s an Eternal,¡± Yondu said.
¡°That must be sweet,¡± Dickhead said. ¡°Having a rich mother and brother. I wonder why your dad even has this run down piece of garbage.¡±
I tried to force myself not to tense or show any reaction but Dickhead must have noticed something because his grip on my shoulder tightened.
¡°Is everything alright, Rogue? You don¡¯t seem happy. Is it because I called this place a piece of garbage? Come on, you know it¡¯s true. Especially with those Eternals in your family. Or, is it that you¡¯re jealous of your brother? Is that it? Yeah, I know the feeling. It¡¯s not fun watching someone else get exactly what you want.¡±
He pushed me forward, almost right into the doors of Dad¡¯s cafe.
¡°Open it,¡± he ordered.
I stared into the shop through the glass doors. It was dark inside and my face was reflected back at me. I looked quite pathetic.
Remember, Cain. Most protagonists are bullied right before they become heroes. This is fine. You¡¯re fine.
That''s what I told myself for most of my middle and high school years. It still holds some power I suppose. I took a deep breath and turned to them.
¡°I don¡¯t have my keys¡¡±
Dickhead narrowed his eyes and leaned forward.
¡°Then I guess we¡¯ll have to come back tomorrow. I don¡¯t want to be disappointed, Rogue, so make sure to remember your keys. I know how easily you forget things.¡± He smiled a smile that would shame the Grinch. I think it was secreting radiation poisoning, actually. ¡°I won¡¯t be so easygoing next time.¡±
The guy stepped back. He gave me one last creepy look before stalking off with Yondu next to him. I watched them for a moment before slipping my hand into my hoodie. My hand curled around the keys settled at the bottom of the pocket.
That was a close one.
I despised the subway. I wished it didn¡¯t exist. I wished I could teleport. Why was life so unfair? I ride it almost every day, which is reason enough to dig a hole and crawl into it, but what makes it worse is that the one I normally take, the one that gets where I need to go the quickest, has the worst cars ever. Maybe they are all that way but I don¡¯t care, the ones I end up with are the worst of the worst. They stink, they are loud, they are full of people, they have mysterious substances on the floor and seats, and they are always too bright. No one needs the lights to be that bright! If I didn¡¯t have the endurance of a newborn I would consider walking. But with my legs I would probably end up in an alleyway somewhere, unconscious.
When I finally got to my stop, I threw myself out the doors. Even through the mask, it was like finally breathing fresh air again. Light raindrops bounced against my neck and I could feel it in my hair. I pulled my hood on and continued away from the car.
This part of the city was more expensive with bigger and more elegant buildings, even compared to my neighborhood. It was also obviously newer too. Even the sidewalks were cleaner with less cracks. A park with trees was the opposite way, the grass was cut neatly and the paths were paved. The park and the street were highlighted with bright light posts. Because of them, I could see decently despite the rain.
The restaurant my brother told me to meet him at was only a block away and it was easy to find, seeing how it was massive. It reeked of money with its big fancy doors and windows that seemed to be made by expert craftsmen. The customers leaving and entering were dressed in nice clothing that made me feel like I was wearing rags.
I cursed Cory in my head. Why did he have to pick this place out of all the places? Even a hot dog stand would have been preferable.
I sighed and entered the restaurant which was named ¡®Green¡¯s House¡¯. The mask disappeared from my face as the air became safe again. I could feel a few people eye me and I tried not to bury myself in my hoodie. An attendant, holding a clipboard, was standing behind a desk. She met my eyes and her cold gaze roamed over me for a moment before a fake smile was plastered onto her face.
¡°Welcome, do you have a reservation?¡±
¡°Uh, yeah. My brother should have made one. Cory Rogue.¡±
The lady blinked as if trying to process what I said. She shook her head slightly and she smiled again. She checked her clipboard and stepped away from the desk.
¡°Right this way, Ms. Rogue.¡±
"Mr." I corrected, examining the restaurant.
I followed the woman. We passed tables and different rooms with hanging chandeliers, red upholstery, and Tiffany lamps. The entire building smelled of fresh bread and cooked meat. My mouth may have watered a bit. Eventually, the woman stopped before a table with a person sitting at it.
I could recognize my brother¡¯s back immediately. He was wearing the same button up he was wearing in the interview, his black hair was tousled in its usual way, and he was slightly hunched. Even sitting he was tall.
What surprised me was that he was alone.
I waved a ¡®thanks¡¯ to the attendant and bumped into Cory.
¡°Where¡¯s Mom?¡± I asked, sliding into the seat across from him.
Cory didn¡¯t even seem startled to see me. He merely shrugged. ¡°Working late. The Wardens are sending another party into the Wall next week.¡±
I nodded. ¡°I saw the interview.¡± A grin graced my face. ¡°You looked like you were having fun.¡±
Cory groaned.
My smile grew. ¡°Do you have to sign autographs afterward? Were there a busload of screaming admirers? Did a modeling agency give you a contract? Do you have any merch yet?¡±
¡°Cain, stop.¡± Cory ran a hand through his hair, glaring at me. I continued to smile at him. He deflated and raised a finger. ¡°One, stop looking at me like that. Two, I am not going to become a model. And three, any merch I may or may not have is not official nor consented by me.¡±
My mouth fell open. ¡°Wait, you actually have merch?¡± I slumped onto the table. ¡°Dude, how is that fair?¡± My next words were muffled into the table. ¡°I want fans.¡±
¡°I¡¯m willing to switch places.¡±
I lifted my head. ¡°Nah, it¡¯s okay. I like watching you suffer.¡±
¡°Thanks.¡±
¡°Just so you know, if any of your creepy fans give you trouble, send them my way. I¡¯ll beat them up for you.¡±
¡°That would be the smartest course of action,¡± Cory said, a hint of a smirk on his lips.
¡°I know. I know.¡±
A waiter, seemingly appearing from the shadows with a sudden return, set a basket of rolls in front of us.
¡°Do you wish for any more appetizers?¡± he asked.
¡°Actually, can we order?¡±
I got the safest thing on the menu: a basket of chicken strips and fries. Everything else had fancy names that I could barely understand. Cory though got some kind of fish. I half expected him to get chicken strips too seeing how Cory and I always shared the same food curiosity, which was none. We both never really diverted from our normal choices.
¡°Hey, Cor?¡± I started, tearing off a piece of roll. ¡°Why did you choose this place? It¡¯s too fancy. Even for you.¡±
¡°My friend brought me here some time ago. I suppose I thought it would be nice to come here again.¡±
I blinked. ¡°You mean Ron?¡±
Cory made a face. ¡°No. Not with Ron. He and I are barely even friends.¡±
¡°If it¡¯s not Ron then who could it be? You don¡¯t have any friends.¡±
¡°I have friends.¡±
¡°Uh, no you don¡¯t. You are seriously lacking in all things social,¡± I said.
Cory sighed, looking as if he were ten years older. ¡°It¡¯s a business friend. He helped me with some things.¡±
¡°And you can¡¯t tell me what those things are?¡±
He seemed to struggle with what to say.
¡°...Not really. I don¡¯t think I can.¡±
I straightened, all traces of my smile gone. ¡°Is it something you want to tell me?¡± I leaned closer. ¡°Is everything okay?¡±
Cory waved a hand. ¡°Yes. Everything is fine.¡± He ran his hand through his hair again. ¡°I mean, I am fine. If anything, it was more my choice to keep it secret. I¡¯m doing alright, Cain. Promise. I just can¡¯t tell you or Mom and Dad just yet.¡±
¡°Not even Mom?¡±
¡°Not even her.¡±
I leaned back again.
I decided to leave it alone. He was probably sworn to secrecy under the government or something so there was no point asking about it. There were many things both Mom and Cory couldn¡¯t tell me.
¡°So, how''s the cafe? Is everything going alright with dad?¡±
I groaned. ¡°If alright meant more stern than ever. I think he hates me or something. Apparently he wants me to have ¡®an actual future¡¯. What does that even mean? I have a future! Can¡¯t I have an actual future cleaning up coffee stains?¡± I breathed a puff of air. ¡°He¡¯s making me take up another part time job. I don¡¯t have the time for that!¡±
¡°Cain, all you have is time.¡± Cory shook his head fondly.
I narrowed my eyes. ¡°What do you mean ¡®all I have¡¯.¡±
Cory''s face broke and he began laughing.
¡°What the fuck man, are you saying I¡¯m talentless?¡±
Cory only laughed harder. I crossed my arms and huffed.
My stupid brother hiccuped another laugh and met my eyes.
¡°I¡¯m glad to see you,¡± he said.
I tried to keep my expression annoyed but even I couldn''t help the smile that slipped out.
¡°Whatever, man.¡±
RING
Cory tensed then checked his phone which was sitting on the table and his brows furrowed, a look of worry overtook his features.
¡°Sorry, I have to take this.¡± Cory stood up, answering the call. ¡°What is it?¡± he said in an urgent whisper and walked away from the table.
The dinner ended kind of abruptly. Stupid face, I mean, my dear brother had to leave immediately after that call. From what I could tell it was mostly a one sided conversation with Cory listening to the speaker with a stony face. He had made his way back to our table only to tell me he had to go. Of course, despite how rude he was being, I graciously let him go. Before he left he said he would come to the house tomorrow so at least he was giving me that.
Without Cory I felt awkward sitting at that table all alone. I was exposed. I decided to leave with my plate half finished and Cory¡¯s credit card in my hand. He had left it with me so I could pay for the food. He probably wasn¡¯t thinking clearly otherwise he would have never made that mistake.
Should I buy new paint supplies with it? Maybe a new phone with a gold plated case? I chuckled, imagining Cory¡¯s reaction.
My mask formed on my face as I walked through the door. The night''s rain sprinkled onto my cheeks and I shivered. I should hurry to the train, maybe then I won¡¯t freeze my ears off.
As I speed walked I flipped the card through my fingers. I passed the big restaurants, the hotels, and the fashion stores that belonged to huge companies. I tried to ignore the smiling people inside. Maybe I should stop at one, maybe buy a big puffy jacket with the card. Hand warmers would be nice. An umbrella would be better.
I probably shouldn¡¯t. It was already getting late and I¡¯m a responsible person¡
Okay, maybe one stop wouldn¡¯t hurt.
Just an umbrella, a bag of chips or two, a packet of gum, and a pair of white gloves. Not just any gloves but the gloves that you can wear and use a phone! So my fingers will no longer go numb during the winter. Pretty sweet if I did say so myself.
Because of my quick detour I had to take a later train. Less people were on the later ones which was the only upside. The subway at night always gave me an eerie feeling though that may be because of all the movies I have watched. Too many characters have died on trains.
I was just scrolling on my phone a couple stops from my house when an announcement was called over through the speakers.
¡°All passengers. We¡¯re sorry about the delay. We are dealing with temporary system issues. We should be able to move again in one to three hours. We thank you for your patience.¡±
I threw up my hands.
¡°Oh come on!¡±
The doors of the train opened and a person sitting on the other side of the car got out. I grumbled but I pulled myself out of my seat. I checked the time on my phone.
10:22 pm.
I¡¯m about a forty minute walk from my house. If I leave now, I should be home around 11 pm. If I go to bed immediately, I should get enough sleep to function tomorrow. Even with my early shift.
I cursed Cory in my head again. Why did he have to work so much? We could have had dinner hours ago.
After weighing my options I stepped out of the car and into the covered area. The station was practically empty, most people who were there were leaving. That would include me.
I opened the umbrella I bought. It did its job pretty well. I barely got wet. The pitter patter of the rain against the umbrella was loud though. I liked the almost shield-like shape. The street I was on was sketchy as fuck.
There were very few people. Some of the lamp posts flickered ominously, and most lights were off in the buildings. A chill went down my back and I wasn¡¯t exactly sure why. My hold on my phone tightened.
Maybe I should call Cory. Just to have someone to talk to.
¡°RUN!¡± a distant voice shrieked.
I nearly jumped out of my skin. Without planting my feet I twisted to look in the direction of the scream. In doing so my feet tripped over one another and I fell to the ground. My backside stung and water soaked my pants. I closed the umbrella and scrambled to my feet.
Another scream sounded from the same area.
My eyes darted around the street. There was no one. Not a policeman or Eternal in sight. If there were other people they weren¡¯t reacting.
¡°Shit.¡±
I was sprinting.
Chapter 2- In The Garage
The yelling came from a street over. To get there quicker, I ran through a cobweb-infested alley. When I emerged, I was faced with an old parking garage. The stone was cracking and columns were eroding. There was an abandoned car next to the entrance and it smelled of wet stone.
My breath caught when something moved in the shadows of the garage. I crouched and crept to one of the entrance pillars. I pressed my side into the stone and peeked around the corner. It was dark and I couldn¡¯t see much of anything other than shadows.
¡°Stay back!¡± A trembling voice yelled from within. ¡°Stay away from me!¡±
I pulled my head back, my heart rate rocketing. A quiet whine escaped my mouth as my left hand grabbed a fistful of my right sleeve.
Come on, Cain. You can do this.
I sucked in a breath and pushed off the column. Ducking inside, I inched forward.
¡°Please, no!¡±
The stranger sounded desperate and close. Very close. I stepped sideways so I could see behind another stone pillar and even in the dark I could make out shapes. My eyes started to adjust and the details became clearer.
In the dark were two figures. One was a woman. She was shaking and taking stumbling steps backward. The other had a towering body, standing several feet above the woman. They were too tall. I narrowed my eyes for only a moment before they blew open. I froze, my blood became cold and I stopped breathing.
That wasn¡¯t a person at all.
¡®Light purple skin. Horns like an ox that frame the face. Seven feet tall with scales down their arms.¡¯
This thing had skin the color of lavender and something like bone was protruding from the head.
¡®They have no nails. Instead, they have claws that act like a vacuum. If you encounter one, avoid their hands at all costs.¡¯
Its hands were drifting towards the woman¡¯s face. Hands that had claws like nails.
¡®If you are ¡®drained¡¯ you may not live.¡¯
Drained¡ drained...
Fuck!
¡°LADY! Move!¡±
The Giant seized the woman¡¯s head, its claws piercing the skin above her ears. It whispered something I couldn¡¯t understand to her. The woman didn¡¯t react, her hands only trembled. The claws of the Giant began to glow and the woman''s limbs spasmed. Her eyes above her mask were so horrifyingly desperate that I almost screamed for her.
What would a superhero do? I asked myself. What would Batman do?
They would save this civilian.
Then save her! Be a superhero, Cain!
A character like Batman would perhaps give a kick to the face. Maybe a sweep of the leg.
I didn¡¯t do either of those. Instead, I charged at the Giant using my umbrella like a lance. The Giant glanced at me, it¡¯s dark eyes looking me up and down. It didn¡¯t let go of the woman, not even when I stabbed the umbrella tip into it''s side. I soon realized why. The umbrella didn¡¯t break skin nor hinder the Giant in any way. The thing didn''t even move.
Okay, so I¡¯m screwed.
Sweat dripped down my face and onto my mask.
So, metal umbrellas couldn¡¯t hurt it. That was good information to have. It was also the worst news ever.
The Giant continued to stare at me even as the person in it¡¯s grasp started to sag. She was obviously exhausted if the paleness of her skin were anything to go by and yet she still met my eyes. She seemed so¡ sad. So scared. And all I could do was watch.
I gritted my teeth.
I glared at the Giant. ¡°Hey, asshole! If you¡¯re going to hurt anyone, hurt me! Let her go!¡± My grip on the umbrella tightened. I raised it above my head and smacked it into the Giant¡¯s outstretched arms. I smacked it again, and again. ¡°Let. Her. GO!¡± I started ramming into the Giant¡¯s body with my own. If I could only move it a little. If I can do anything then it¡¯ll be enough.
I think I¡¯m getting more hurt than it is.
¡°Kid,¡± the woman muttered. I paused and met her gaze again. My gut sank. She was crying. ¡°Run.¡±
She dropped, her eyelids falling closed. The Giant pulled back it''s hands and she fell to the ground. I threw myself to my knees, my hands hovering over her.
What do I do!?
What are you supposed to do in this situation? This woman was drained and when you get drained¡
A cracking sound echoed through the space. The mask that covered the woman¡¯s mouth was crumbling. Like a spiderweb, fractures traveled across the surface and like glass, it shattered.
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¡°Don¡¯t breathe,¡± I said. I held a hand to her mouth but I could see her chest inflate with air. ¡°Stop. I¡¯ll get you out of here.¡±
My own hands were shaking.
The woman breathed once more. But only once. She fell completely still, not even her chest moved. I could feel no warm exhale on my hand either. She was dead.
¡°Thief,¡± a new voice said.
I dragged my eyes upward. I was met with a gaze that pinned me down.
¡°For Altear, you will do.¡±
Hands with claws reached for me and my brain stuttered. Without really realizing what I was doing, I rolled. Not an elegant roll either but rather a full-body toss. I pushed myself to my feet and staggered when I stepped on my shoelace.
The Giant straightened again and stepped towards me. I took that as an invitation to take three steps back.
Should I run? Would this thing catch me? It could if it wanted to but would it let me go? Would it after killing that woman?
¡°Human, you should not run.¡±
This voice was new. The Giant before me didn¡¯t speak, the voice came from behind.
Dread settled in my gut as I looked over my shoulder. Walking towards me was another one of those things. This one was even taller with broader shoulders. In its hand was the hair of a person. A girl about my age was kicking and pulling at the hand that held her. She froze when she saw the dead woman.
¡°MOM!¡± she shrieked.
¡°What did I say about speaking,¡± the new Giant snapped.
It pulled on the girl¡¯s hair until she was lifted into the air. A pained gasp sounded from behind her mask.
This new Giant then said something in another language to the other Giant before throwing the girl next to my feet.
¡°First the boy,¡± the first Giant said.
¡°English?¡± the new one asked.
¡°It makes them shake more. Look at this one, he¡¯s like a newborn.¡± It pointed to me.
A murderer and an ass.
¡°Alright,¡± the first one said. ¡°Here¡¯s the deal. You don¡¯t give us any trouble and we will leave your friend alone.¡± It gestured to the girl, the same girl who was staring at her dead mother.
I never met her before but I wasn¡¯t about to argue with this Giant about her and me being ¡®friends¡¯.
¡°You won¡¯t?¡± My voice was so quiet and unsteady.
¡°We won¡¯t.¡±
It was total BS, that I knew. There was no way in hell that they would just let her go after killing me. Especially when I hold no power over them. What trouble could I cause them that they would actually strike such a deal? Not much, that¡¯s for sure.
Just buy time.
"What do you want?"
Get them talking. Cory will find you eventually.
"Want¡ He asks us what we want as if they don''t remember." The first Giant crept closer. "You don''t get to ask us that, boy."
Did I mess up already?!
Think!
There are two of them. Both of which probably have armored skin and homicidal tendencies. There''s also the girl who I have never met before. She could potentially help me if the death of her mother didn''t stun her too much. The other Giant had brought her here. But why? Can they only drain people in here? Or was it something else?
"Let her go first. Let her walk away then I will accept your deal."
"No," said the girl. "I won''t leave my mom."
I¡¯m trying to save your life, you idiot!
And my own¡ hopefully.
¡°She¡¯s gone,¡± I said. ¡°You have to leave.¡±
The girl looked at me, and from what I could see over the mask, her expression was twisted with emotion. I wished I could telepathically communicate with her, instead, I strengthened my gaze and gave a quick look at the exit.
Please, understand.
¡°Not yet!¡±
The girl jumped to her feet and ran towards her mother, somehow dodging the arm that tried to grab her.
¡°We¡¯ll just kill you then,¡± the new Giant said as the first one went to follow her.
With the Giant¡¯s eyes off of me, I slipped my hand into my pocket. My hand closed over my phone. Turning it on and using my fingerprint to open it, I pulled it out just enough so I could see the top half of the screen.
Who should I call? Mom or Cory?
The answer was obvious.
I pushed the number named, ¡®Pop pop¡¯.
The only person in my family who is guaranteed to answer is my dear old pa.
The phone buzzed in my hand as it dialed the number.
¡°What are you doing?¡± That voice was a lot closer than I remembered.
I jumped and stashed my phone back in my pocket.
¡°Nothing.¡± I glanced at the girl who was now, hopefully unconscious. ¡°Please don¡¯t kill her. She can¡¯t die in some gross parking garage in Gregton. Not to some Giant like you!¡±
The Giant titled its head. ¡°That name your people gave us¡ it brings back memories. I like it.¡± The monster, being only an arm''s length away, pushed me forward. ¡°Drain him. We¡¯ll take the girl.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know. He seems more cooperative,¡± the first one said, approaching again.
¡°Cooperative?¡± There was a low hiss to the word. The Giant¡¯s hand was suddenly reaching into my pocket and pulling out my phone. ¡°No, he¡¯s just a trickster.¡± A loud snapping sound came from its hand as my phone was crushed like paper.
¡°I see. Then pray that Entha has mercy on you tonight.¡±
Blade-like claws filled my vision and my brain functions stopped working. This was it. This is what all those adults warned us about throughout school. Only 25 percent of people survive.