A looming shadow sat in the corner, just as menacing as he was charming. Most considered him to be a demonic entity; one with impure motives. But to his victims, he was more of a savior. An angel, who had arrived at their most pivotal moment of need, to guide them through to an end. A being who offered them an escape. A way out. All they had to give was an answer, as to whether they wanted it or not. But every last one of his victims he chose eventually agreed. He gave them time, for he was a patient man. But virtuous, he was not.

The young teenager sat in his room, his nearly dead eyes staring out the window. He was alone in this world; he knew that not a soul would miss him if he were gone. He felt as though he had no purpose, no reason to walk this earth. So why should he be here? Day after day he asked the same question, over and over. Until he reached the brink of complete madness, searching for a way out… or a way to feel worthy. That was until, the strange man began to appear before him.

At first, he thought it was a figment of his imagination. A trick of the mind, that his pathetic one had come up with to comfort his loneliness. But the more the man appeared and spoke, the more he came to believe… He had offered him a way out. To bring death; something no other had offered to do before. At first… he did not accept. But now, he was considering it more than he ever has.

"Have you made your decision?" the enchanting voice whispered from the shadowed corner.

The boy pursed his lips, before shutting his eyes. "Yes. I'm done," he breathed, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes.

A low chuckle rumbled from the corner, as the being stood. "Wonderful," he nearly growled, seeming far more than pleased.

Stepping into the light, the boy had finally been able to see the man. His skin was like ash, a pale grey. His hair, relatively long and dark as night. He was dressed in a simple hoodie, just a shade darker than his skin. A dark trench coat laid on his shoulders, open and falling almost to his knees. A hat sat on his head, appearing almost like a sleeping cap, in a way. The one thing the struck him odd, was the luminescent yellow of his eyes. No white. No pupil. Just the golden glow that was nearly hypnotic. His lips pulled up into a smile, the inside of his mouth, along with his teeth, just as golden as his eyes.

The boy stared at his gloved hands, as what appeared to be golden strings spilled from his fingertips. They snaked forward, winding and twirling as if the man had full control of their every movement. He subconsciously backed away, intimidated by their sharp, yet swift movements. His body began to shake as they winded up his body, slowly wrapping around his neck and arms. Tighter and tighter they became, squeezing the life out of him as the man smiled, bloodlust shining in his golden eyes.

The life drained from the boy as he gasped for breath, clawing at the strings that would not budge. Within moments, his heart had ceased it's beating, the boy hanging lifelessly in the air as the strings held him up. Almost like a puppet, he appeared, the man able to contort his movements using the strings. A sick chuckle spilled from his lips as he dropped the boy's body to the floor, content for now. All that was left was to find a new, desperate being for him to manipulate.

The Puppeteer disappeared from sight, already searching for a new victim. One that he would find, soon enough.

Out the window, the snow fell from the sky in light flurries, the sky a pale grey overhead. The sun tried, but failed to peek out and heat the world below. The ground was covered in a sheet of white, along with the trees that contained sparkling limbs. Ice clung to them for dear life, reflecting the light off in dazzling sparkles. It was a lovely day. A lovely day to either bundle up and enjoy the cold weather, or wrap up in a blanket with a hot cup of cocoa.

However, the girl whom was looking out this window was doing neither. She was sitting as still as a statue on the wooden rocking chair. Her brown eyes, not far from black, were hard as they stared out at the world. They were like stone; emotionless. Her dull, dark hair, that matched her eyes, fell into her face, nearly blocking half. Only one eye visible. One half of her lips, which were turned down in a frown.

She felt nothing as she stared down at the world below. Children across the street were laughing brightly as they built a snowman. Did I ever build a snowman? Her thoughts were an empty echo in her head, as her eyebrows furrowed. She couldn't recall a time. Ah well. Her arms were tightly wrapped around herself due to the cold, seeming to hold herself together as she sat. A thick, pale blue sweater covered her torso, helping to keep her warm. The dull sweatpants were a great help as well, along with her fuzzy socks.

When you had no place to go, it was wonderful to dress as you please. As for her, she never had anywhere to go. Her frown deepened as she sat in silence, debating on going out. Try to enjoy the snow. What's the point. She remained still, not even trying to argue with her thoughts. They were usually right. Her bleak eyes continued to stare out, the snow growing deeper and deeper on the ground below. I like the snow. It's cold. Cold was better than heat.

Thoughts flickered in her head of flames and fire and smoke. She flinched, quivering slightly as she rocked back in the chair. She protectively shielded her face with her hair, trying to even out her breathing. Her heart rate was starting to speed, and that was the last thing she needed. In. Out. In. Out. She continued to chant the familiar rhythm in her head, forgetting. Slowly forgetting. But you never will, Raven.

Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, and she knew it was true. She would never forget that day. The last day Raven McDaniel had a somewhat normal life. Was happy, loved. It was long in the shadows now. She no longer felt as if she had a point. A reason, a future. The thoughts continuously circled her mind every day, not a single one missed.

A shuffling sound in the corner broke her from her thoughts, her head snapping over to it. Her room was painted a pale blue, the carpet a soft white. A basic white bed, along with a desk, lamp and vanity. Simple and quaint. Nothing seemed out of place. Prepared to turn back around, she heard the noise once more. Her cold eyes now showed interest as she stared at the dark corner behind the door. Something… was there, she was sure.

"Hello," a musical, charming voice whispered, just as two brilliant yellow eyes opened, staring right at her.

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