I
Malem gasped at the sight of herself. She had red rings around her eyes, from where she cries hard at night. She pulled off the corset around her waist and examined the whip marks along her back. They stung, and they were raw, but she was used to pain. Pain was what she was. She inflicted pain onto others just to feel pain herself. She could never be killed, but she could be injured, that's where the whip marks came from.
Malem felt drained and exhausted. But because of her fear to fall asleep, she stayed up all night.
'There are people in this world who want you dead, Malem.' Tiny voices in her head told her.
Her closest friend, Vericia, told her she was schizophrenic for hearing such voices. Malem was convinced she was too. But she learned to live with the voices. They gave her advice and made her feel whole. Without the voices, she'd probably fall apart.
Lightning flashed for a split second, illuminating the room, making her look like a ghost with her pale skin and fragile body.
She ran her fingers down her side, counting her ribs for no apparent reason, sighing at her malnourishment. She came to the side of her thigh where she unhooked her first dagger's sheath from around her leg and set it down on the table by an unlit candle. She did the same to the other dagger on the other side. This time she pulled the dagger out.
She looked over the black blade, twirling it in her hands.
"Maybe tonight will be the night." She thought. She was sick of living with the bounty hunters in their stupid school, obeying their orders to kill. She didn't like killing innocent people for money, but it was the only life she knew. Once, while wondering the streets of the market, she'd spotted children accompanied by their mothers and father, laughing and smiling at one another. The children would look at her happily, and she, unknowing of what she should do, ran away. She wondered what having a mother and father would be like, but she figures it doesn't matter now. Fifteen years of loneliness grows on you. 'Once you're alone for as long as you have been, Malem, who needs family.' The voices hissed in her ear.
She ran the dagger over her wrist lightly, waiting until the demon inside her settled. She was preparing to strike, but then there was a knock on the door.
Vericia stuck her head in. Beautiful Vericia. Her fire red hair and beautifully clear face was a sight for sore eyes. This night she wore black lipstick with too much eyeliner, making her look dead. Her eyes were and emerald green, completely clashing with her fiery hair. Instead of wearing a corset dress like Malem did, Vericia wore a long black bellbottom pants with a black shirt lined with blood red lace. She carried a sword on her back, along with a small dagger for self-defense.
"Malem, come quick, there's a new boy. He's your age, come see!" Vericia smiled. Malem never understood how Vericia could find any reason to smile in this accursed place they were in, but Vericia was alone too, and perhaps Malem gave all the girls hope, considering she's the oldest female assassin in the house.
Malem sat down in a chair and pulled out the black ribbon holding her hair back. Her snow-white hair fell loosely down her back. She ran her fingers through it, clearing it of any snags, "No, Vericia. I don't want to see the new boy, you go without me."
"Why?" Vericia's smile faded.
Malem sighed, "I've lived too long to know better than to make acquaintances with boys. All they want to do is run around with weapons and it ends up getting them killed," she sighed again, "They're not worth my friendship."
"Why not just try and make peace with the boy?" Vericia urged.
"Why would want to do that?" Malem looked at herself in the mirror, examining her ghostly features.
"Friendship makes the world a better place."
Malem's demon riled up inside her, "The world will never be what it once was!" She trudged over to the red haired girl. "This world will fail, just as it did a millennium ago!" Malem raise her fist, ready to violently smack Vericia, but she stopped herself. She took a deep breath and lowered her hand. She sobbed and walked over to the window. Lightning flashed again. Malem's eyes flashed red, as they do when her demon is urging to break out through her. She continued to breathe slowly, but, with every inhale, the demon scraped at her insides, ripping its way through. Malem gasped, felling as though she might throw up.
Let me out, Malem, you know you want to. The demon spoke to her, the voice violent, but feminine, Think of all the people who tortured you, Malem, tortured! We can show them what it feels like to be broken! Just you and I, just let me out and we can make it happen!
Malem struggled against the female demon, No! I won't let you! Her soul screamed back at the demon.
You can't fight me forever, Malem. Try as you might, I will break through. Then everyone will see how brutal I can truly be! They'll see, they'll all see. I'll rip them open, let it all spill out onto the floors! They'll scream as I rip them open alive, tearing out their-
Shut up! Malem stopped her, You can't control me!
Oh, Malem, but I already do control you! Where do you think your anger comes from, your fear, your strength, your pain. I'm going all the way! The demon wailed.
Get away! Please! Malem practically cried.
Vericia, slowly approached her friend, "Malem, please, calm down."
Malem hurled herself around, forgetting Vericia was in the room. She stared blankly at Vericia, not recognizing her face at first, "I'm sorry. I just can't do this anymore, this demon, it may finally break through."
"Don't say such things!" Vericia's face stayed firm, "This demon was placed inside you because the priests knew you were strong enough to carry it. And I know you will hold it back." Vericia placed a hand on Malem's shoulder. It was warm against her pale skin.
Malem slammed her fist down on the window sill, making the books and candle on a nearby shelf rattle. Then she remembered what the demon said, I am you fear, your strength, your pain. "What am I coming to?" She bellowed so loudly, Vericia cowered away.
Vericia continued to advance backwards until she ran into a chair and flipped clean over it. She landed with a thud on the wood floor, she stared up at Malem completely dumbfounded before bursting into laughter.
Malem couldn't help but join her. They laughed until the cried them stopped to breathe.
"Oh alright, it wasn't that funny." Vericia snickered.
Malem wiped her eyes; holding back giggled, and offered her hand to Vericia.
Once Vericia was on her feet, she asked again, "Will you at least see the boy, please, please, please?" She begged, her eyes glowing.
Malem rolled her eyes, "Why do you want me to meet him?" she asked, her smile subsiding.
"I think you'll like him," she winked.
Malem sighed, "Fine. But if I don't like him, we are leaving." She pulled back on her corset, tightened it, and tied her hair back with the black ribbon.
"Splendid!" Vericia clapped her hands and jumped in the air, "Let's go now!" With that she grabbed Malem's wrist and ran out the door, dragging Malem behind her. When they reached the end of the hall, Vericia stopped. They knew how much Jasper hated it when people ran in the house. They had learned that out the hard way, when they were young, he yelled at them, Do you want the Justice- Day-walkers to find us? He would say, referring to the modern-day police. They hadn't needed to be told twice, so they obeyed. As they descended the rod-iron spiral staircase, thundered sounded in the distance, followed by a crack of lightning, sending a breeze through the window, blowing out the candles that lit the girls' path.
Malem, using the little magic she knew, stopped and closed her eyes. She let her aura flow through her veins. Where this aura came from, she didn't know. She let it fill her up, making her feel warm, where all she felt was cold. Her heart rate sped, using more energy to emit aura than to produce it. The ghostly girl waved her hand over the blown out candles bringing them to life again.
Vericia watched in awe, "I didn't know you could do that!" she squeaked.
"I've been practicing," Malem boasted.
"Right." Vericia said sarcastically.
A clap from below startled them. They glanced down, a boy with long blonde hair was looking up at them, his blue eyes meeting their gaze, "Well done." He said, his voice soft and soothing, "What other magic can you do?"
Vericia was lost for words, entranced with the boy, Malem on the other hand, rolled her eyes, "I can lift things, see the future, and produce a dark aura that I use as a weapon and shield."
"Impressive." He looked around the entrance hall.
"Thank you, sir." She nodded her head.
"Sir?" he laughed, "Don't ever call me that! You make me think I'm still at home. My father, before he thought I was dangerous, would always want people to call me that. Just call me Scott." He smiled at them, blinked a few times, and vanished into thin air.
Vericia gasped. Malem stood, arms crossed, her face impassive. He appeared out of black smoke in front of Malem, inches from her face. She never flinched, but, Vericia jumped out of her skin, she nearly fell down the stairs. Scott, being a gentleman of nature, lightly grabbed her hand and set her back on her feet, then turned back to Malem, "And what, may I ask, is your name?" He took her hand and raised it to his face, kissing it.
"It's not that of an assassin to be polite." She said.
"Well, then, think me not an assassin, but an average boy with extremely good poison skills." Scott looked her in the eyes.
"You're annoying." She cocked her head.
"That's what they all say." He smiled, "Now, your name? You do have one don't you?"
"Of course I do!" She snapped, she tried to pull out of his grip, but he held tight.
He smiled wider, "Kitty's got claws!" he laughed.
"I've got daggers in my-" she stopped, remembering she took them off in her room.
"Daggers where?" he asked, curious.
"Let me go, then go away!" She screamed.
"Just tell me your name!"
"I don't have to tell you anything!" She felt the demon rile up with amusement. Malem clenched her teeth, "Malem, my name is Malem. Now let me go!" she hissed menacingly.
"Malem," he savored the name, "It means 'Moon' does it not?"
Malem nodded once.
"Well, Malem, I will let you go," he began.
"Finally!" she cried.
"Let me finish, I will let you go, and, I will see you in the morning," He smiled.
"You're creepy, and I don't want you anywhere near me."
He said nothing.
"Like I said," he spoke again, "I'll see you in the morning."
Malem sighed, not only did she have to see him tomorrow, but she'll have to face him every day until she dies.
Vericia on the other hand, looked star struck. Her emerald eyes sparkled as she beamed at Scott. Her hands were curled into balls as she held them out in front of her in awe, and her mouth hung ajar. She didn't look like Vericia; she was officially a love struck fan girl.
"Ladies," Scott addressed them both with a nod, and then disappeared in black cloud of smoke.
"What an annoyance!" Malem spat once he was gone.
"How can you say that?" Vericia snapped, "He was so polite and handsome in that black suit of his!" She became lost in her fantasy.
Malem was irritated, "Vericia!" She snapped her fingers, "He was crude, and exceedingly unattractive." Malem folded her arms across her chest and headed back up the stairs.
Vericia called after her, but was ignored. So, Vericia chased after her.
"Malem, please," Vericia began.
"Vericia, I told you I'd talk with him, but no way in Heaven am I going to like him." She thought for a moment, "And who does he think he is? Waltzing up to me, kissing my hand, not letting go! Oh, when I get my hands on him!" She was talking more to herself than to Vericia.
"There must have been something about him you liked." Vericia urged.
"Nope," Malem kept walking.
"His hair, all golden and shiny?"
"No."
"Come on, find something… for me?"
"Fine." She whirled around. He truly has nothing to like, she thought, but she looked at Vericia, her eyes filled with eagerness. So she tried. She thought hard, come to think of it, she didn't like anything about the guy… not even his golden, shiny hair. So she made something up, "He has nice… uh, skills."
"See!" Vericia smiled.
"I guess… not really," Malem murmured.
"You'll grow to like him more."
She nodded, but inside I seriously doubt it, was all she thought.
The two girls were back in their rooms, Vericia asleep, and Malem sitting on a beam up in her ceiling. The storm had passed and dawn was approaching. The bright pink and red streamers of the sun rippled through the sky, bringing color to Malem's pale face. She looked around her empty room. A bed in the corner, (which was hardly ever used unless someone stayed in her room), a dresser with a large broken mirror, a fireplace with a mantle holding pictures of people she didn't know, and a shelf of books by the window. No one in the house could read except Malem, (and probably Scott), but she didn't care about him. She taught Vericia the basic ABC's and how to read small children's books, but that's as far as they got. Jasper didn't like books; he said they poisoned the mind of its true purpose, to follow through with missions, so he forbids them. Malem wondered why she'd never been caught with them before. She always had one with her; they were out in the open of her room too.
People are afraid of you, Malem! They fear what you are. The voices told her. Their whispers like daggers in her mind.
The assassin girl rubbed her temples and closed her eyes. Her eyes hadn't been closed a moment when a body flashed. It was a girl's body; she was small, around the ages of 9 or 10. She wore a long black dress that trailed behind her and tight sleeves that lead up to small hands with black nail polish. Her hair was short and curly, only flowing down to her shoulders. It was brown and looked almost damp. Her eyes where a blood red and filled with anger, the bright red lipstick on her lips cracked as she grinned wickedly at Malem. Her teeth where white a straight, a very pretty little girl, except for the fact that on her back was a long rectangular sword, very wide like an axe, almost as tall and wide as she was. It looked abnormally easy for the girl to wield it; it must have weight eighty pounds or more! She stepped forward towards Malem. She walked so gracefully she was almost gliding. She glared at Malem, the evil grin spread across her face. Then the girl pulled the giant sword off her back, stabbed it into the ground and leaned on it. She cocked her head at Malem, looking up at her with large eyes.
"W- Who are you?" Malem managed to stutter.
The girl blinked, "How can you not recognize me, Malem."
The girl spoke Malem's name and it was like pins and needles in her skin. The first word that branded itself in her mind was, Demon. Malem gasped and tried to open her eyes, but found that she couldn't.
"Play with me, Malem," the girl mocked with a giggle.
"Leave me alone!" Malem cried, startling herself.
The demon didn't even flinch, "Malem, why would I do that? Vod wants to play some more!"
"Vod, is that your name?" She questioned.
"Maybe." The demon girl stepped out from behind the blade.
Vod. The name ran over and over in Malem's brain. Demons did have names then. And Vod was the name of hers.
"Play with me, Malem." The demon, Vod, told her.
"No!" Malem screamed.
The demon sighed and shrugged, "Your loss. This is what happens when you stray into your dreams." She picked up her sword with ease and hurled it straight at Malem.
Just as the blade struck, everything went dark. Vod disappeared and there was a loud crash. Malem's eyes flew open; she was staring up at the ceiling and the beam she had been sitting on. Her whole body was sore and her head hurt incredibly. There were footsteps outside the door. The large wooden door swung open and Vericia hurried in, followed by Scott.
"Malem! Are you okay?" Vericia knelt down beside her friend.
"We heard a crash coming from this room. What happened?" Scott stood above her. He leaned over and lit a few candles.
Vericia gasped, "Malem, you're bleeding! You never bleed!"
"What?" Malem tried to sit up, she allowed Scott to support her since she had no strength to push him away. Vericia held a mirror in her face. She was right; Malem was bleeding. Her nose was bloody and she had a huge gash running down her forehead.
Scott ran his finger lightly over the wound, "It looks as if you were struck with a blade or something."
A blade! Vod! Malem thought immediately.
"Vod did it." Malem whispered despite herself.
"Who?" Scott scratched his head.
Vericia on the other hand, slapped Malem across the face.
"Vericia!" Scott grabbed her hand, in case she went back for another slap, "Are you mad? She's hurt!"
"You fell asleep, Malem! You fell asleep! You know you can't do that!" Vericia screamed.
Malem gaped at her, "I didn't mean to." She apologized.
"You're just lucky no one was killed this time." Vericia settled a little.
Scott looked from Vericia to Malem, "This time? You mean this has happened before?"
"Once, when I was young and new to Vod." Malem looked him in the eye.
"Vod. Who is he? You keep speaking his name, but, who is he?" Scott asked.
"She is a demon of unimaginable power. She sleeps dormant inside me." Malem replied.
"A demon? I thought it was only a myth that the live inside humans."
"No, it's true. But this time I saw her. She was right there before me. She wanted to play with me and I told her no, then she hurled her blade at me." She stopped.
"Then what?" Vericia asked.
"Then I woke up on the floor, in pain and bleeding. That's when you two came."
"Good thing we did, too. Veda, or whatever her name is-" Scott waved his hand in the air.
"Vod." Vericia and Malem said in unison.
"Right, anyway, we're lucky Vod didn't do any permanent damage to you."
If only you knew. Malem thought.
"Let's get you cleaned up." That was Vericia.
Both Scott and Vericia helped Malem up on her feet. She felt dizzy and she couldn't see straight. Her head pounded; she retched and vomited.
Scott put a moist clean towel to her wound and mixed up an unidentifiable solution and put them on a rag. He was about to wipe the gash with the mixture, but Malem caught his wrist, startling him with her speed.
"What?" he asked, the ghostly girl glared at him and he knew what she was thinking, "Don't worry, it's a mixture my mother showed me before she died. It'll slow the bleeding."
"I don't need it." Malem said.
"If I don't apply this, the puss will run and you'll have a massive fever. And if that happens, chances are you'll fall asleep to fight the infection, who knows what'll happen then."
Malem sighed and released him. He wiped the wound with the rag, cleaned up the blood, and applied bandaged to her nose and forehead.
"Malem, it's kind of funny, seeing you wounded." Vericia said.
"Yeah… a little." Malem smiled, then stopped when her head pounded telling her she was supposed to be in pain.
"Maybe we should stay with you in case you doze off again." Scott offered.
Malem groaned.
"Alright then, what do you suggest? This is for your own good."
Malem glared at him.
"You're so stubborn, did you know that?" he glared back.
"Really, I hadn't noticed. But I did notice how you were dying over me earlier." Malem mused.
Scott rolled his eyes.
"It's for the best that we stay." Vericia broke the tension.
"Whatever, I don't care anymore." Malem said.
"Then it's decided then. We'll stay here until the sun finally comes up."
"The sun should have come up by now." Malem said, slightly confused.
"No it shouldn't have."
"Yes it should have." Malem insisted, "Dawn was just breaking over the mountains when I went under."
"But when we came in, there was no sun. The moon was still bright in the sky, look." Vericia pointed to the window.
Malem used whatever strength she had left to stand and make her way over to the window. She was right. There was no sun, or streamers of color as there were before.
Have you figured it out yet? Vod asked, You're weak, Malem, I control your sense of reality! The demon's piercing laugh hurt her ears. Malem grabbed her ears and fell to her knees shrieking.
"Get out of my head!" she shrieked.
Scott and Vericia ran to her.
Malem dropped to the floor and thrashed. She lashed out at every known object around her, even Scott and Vericia. She knocked books off shelves, candles off tables. Her mirror fell and shattered, sending spears of glass hurdling in all directions.
I win, Malem. Vod told her, You lose, you lost ages ago. You can't fight me.
Malem cried harder, she kicked out and breaking a leg on her desk, knocking papers, pens, and ink containers crashing to the floor.
Vericia was in tears and Scott was wide-eyed.
"What do we do!" he grabbed his hair.
"We need to restrain her!" Vericia said through tears.
Scott used his magical abilities to bind Malem's with cold fire. He let the magic fill him up, giving him strength and courage.
Vericia lunged onto Malem's legs, using her body weight to pin them down.
Malem screamed, shattering the window. Shards of glass flew everywhere. They cut Vericia's cheek and arms; they gouged Scotts back and legs. But they didn't notice, they were too busy trying to hold Malem down.
A shard of glass fell into Malem's chest, not fatally, but enough to inflict pain.
Malem's tears stained face cringed in pain and her body thrashed some more. Her eyes flew open, making the other two gasp. Her eyes were blood red.
"Vod is taking over!" Vericia yelled at Malem, "Don't let her!"
In Malem's mind she heard voices, some where the voices that talked to her often, the others where voices of demon; their voices scratchy and sly, telling her to stop struggling and accept it.
It's your destiny! One voice told her. You're going to destroy the world, Malem. Others told her.
"No!" Malem cried.
Vod is taking over! Don't let her! She heard.
"Vericia?" she whimpered.
I'm here, don't give in. Please just don't.
"The pain, Vericia, the pain!"
Fight it, Malem! You must.
She cried and thrashed for hours, until dawn broke over the mountains. The light poured through the broken window and onto Malem's exhausted face. All three of them were drenched in sweat, and Malem continued to fight the demon. She continued to thrash wildly.
"What more do we have to do?" said the now panicked Scott, "Perform and exorcist?"
"You know we can't do that!" Vericia yelled at him, "We'll have to wait her out."
"That's what we've been doing!" he shook his hands at her, "We've been waiting her out for the past six hours, and she hasn't calmed down!"
"Give her more time!"
Scott slacked his shoulders and sat down in a chair, he wiped his sweaty brow with the back of his hand.
"What are you doing?" Vericia was getting upset.
"Waiting." He replied, "You should do the same. There's nothing we can do for her now. It's all up to her."
Vericia didn't comprehend his words at first. She looked at the straining Malem on the floor. She blinked away tears and stood up off her friend. Her legs now stung from the glass wounds and the bruises inflicted by the flailing Malem. She walked over to the bed, her eyes wide and stunned. She shook as she sat quietly on the bed staring at the floor.
Scott stood from his chair and walked over to the bed. He sat beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders comforting her as she shook. Once Vericia had calmed down, they both looked over at Malem, who had tears mixed with blood streaming down the sides of her face. She wasn't thrashing as hard, merely writhing on the floor.
The two on the bed watched her helplessly. They both shared tears of fear and helplessness as they watched their friend lose herself. Lightning flashed and in the beat of the flash, they swore they heard a horse neigh.
Malem's eyes opened and she saw faces flash before her. They seemed to fly in circles, and then disappear out the broken window. And with that, Malem forcefully shut her eyes and slept for the first time in a long time.