Chapter 2: Predator
Red eyes. A mirror that reflected the anarchy of images before him, splashing into his vision, staining the panorama. Authoritatively marching down the dark den of insurgence, a blind attack was swiftly defended. The retaliation was disproportionate, but a complete necessity.
The figure searched constantly within the area for his objective. There were other eyes in the room. Observing. Questioning. Mocking. He tore through the barricade of flesh before him, hacking and slashing at random to simply dispose of the immediate threat. They yielded easily underneath his power.
A smirk appeared on his pale face. The screaming continued.
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There were always enemies. Maybe they hid in shadows or were in plain sight, sitting in the daylight. Either way, there were enemies.
The creature that contained him had become so overconfident, blissfully unaware of the shadows that dogged his every step. Ever since the foolish overconfidence, the greatest opportunity arose. It was like a bait that's been sprung, badly managed by the person who did so. The creature couldn't possibly consider feeling secure under such circumstances. So he bit the bait.
The world was washed with red.
His murmurs became louder as his form became more distinct. He made it difficult to say no to his suggestions when he was just that convincing.
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Everything was a chore. When his stomach rumbled, he filled it with the necessary requirements to quiet the demand. It felt like shovelling gravel through his tongue. Taste had become evasive that in his desperate search for the sensation he consumed more and attempted much wider options. People just seemed to find such a quirk endearing. In the rare moments the taste returned, he greedily savored the feeling. In its absence, he concocted its pale memory.
The smells of food were less enticing. Sometimes he would forget to eat. And the food would be right in front of him. Her perfume was so light it just disappeared, even when he dug his face into her black, black hair.
Touch. The feeling of his fingers running through her hair. The sensation of her skin against his. The tickling breath she released against his ear when she giggled at some humorous off-hand comment he made. Numb. He considered the possibility of pressing his hand on her skin that much tighter, just in case he felt it if he was a bit more forceful. But she would stop laughing. Since his hearing seemed in perfect condition, he wanted to relish in whatever of his senses he still had left. He hoped that wouldn't disappear too.
Occasionally, he would lie in his bed simply staring at the ceiling. He would wonder blankly about nothing in particular. Lately, even his thoughts became too fast to grasp. He would realize afterwards that he had just stared at the roof for hours doing absolutely nothing.
The jumbling thoughts were articulate sometimes. At that point, he wondered if he was somehow sharing his sensations with somebody else, which would be why he felt less. Then his mind would race again and he'd just forget.
Gray colored his days. Gray clouds shielded the sun, their shadows that fell on gray buildings. Everything seemed so muted that even the reflection staring back at him was colored gray.
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He has waited for far too long. Sitting in the back of this creature's eyelids, anticipating a chance to strike. All he needed was a push. He waited in the darkness, sidling to the creature's side and handed suggestions; ideas. He had better ideas than his keeper. He was eternally patient and was itching with impatience. In the end, all he really needed was that particular opportunity. A hole. A wound that gaped wide enough to push through. So many opportunities came and past. The creature's strength of character had been too much then, so frustratingly stubborn that shields were raised before he could make his way to the exit.
So he waited. The wait was long but was incredibly fruitful once the turn out presented itself. Now he was free. No chains, no restrictions, no boundaries. The entire universe as his playground.
He breathed air, gulping it as though he was a man who had found the few droplets of water he searched the never-ending desert for days for. What a liberating experience it was.
The crunch of the skull underneath his foot echoed within the cavernous building.
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Confusion. Memory lapses. Strange jumps in logic. He told no one because he knew he could handle things himself. Dragging anyone else through his problems was something he couldn't even consider. He would rather protect other people rather than have others coddling him. He was scared of the concept of needing anyone else's help. How could he protect the people he loved if he couldn't take care of his own issues?
The eyes in the room were judgmental. They probably thought he didn't notice. Everybody seemed to interpret him as dense enough to have little perception. But he noticed. Whatever lay in waiting within the back of his mind nudged and pointed. It jeered him much more loudly than the discreet stares of the people that surrounded him.
It pushed and pushed until the murmurs he thought were only on the edge of his hearing grew louder. The buzzing sound was great enough that his confusion exacerbated.
He had to leave to clear his mind. The steps of his shoes rang louder on the floor than he would have liked, bringing him an unwanted migraine. What was in front of him made him stop abruptly. Was the gaping chasm before him all inside his head?
One thing was for certain: he was standing on the edge and staring into the dark abyss that coiled temptingly. The gulf appeared to be surrounded by rows upon rows of gleaming teeth. It couldn't possibly be real. Maybe his mind was interpreting the images wrong. The confusion made him step that much closer to it. His foot dangled hesitantly. In desperation, he allowed himself to fall.
Behind his tightly closed lids, he could see the color of his own eyes. It was washed in red.
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Author's Notes: Okay, the plot is set. Just writing it would be the challenge. The ending, though? Not so sure. I've been known to torture characters I like. And I like Ben… Uh-oh. Unexpectedly, this was a relatively short chapter so it was easier to write and release faster. Hope the quality has stayed consistent.
Read and review please.
