Half of What I Used to Be

Shadow Knight

Chapter 6: Flesh

Disclaimer: Nope. . .I do not own it.

-/-

They were getting closer. . . .I could tell. My blood was burbling inside me with excitement. Yet, as I glared down the street my fingers felt tense with an unnerving fear. I couldn't explain it, but it scratched at my insides in pursuit of something unseen.

I had seen it on TV today as I was walking by an electronic warehouse. A lady with a long, slender, bundle at her shoulder moved and I caught sight of the television. They had said the "victim was torn to shreds" when they found the body. The victim was "speechless due to a severed tongue" and was found "whimpering." I felt a pride in seeing my work spoken with such awe across the city. They should now know they weren't dealing with a lunatic. No, . . . no. . . I was much more sophisticated than that. I didn't kill randomly. . . no. . . I had a purpose for it all. . . The blood that burned on my hands had been payment for their annoyances.

I would make them pay. . . yes. . . anyone who stepped in my path would be dead the next morning. A bubble of laughter popped at my lips. I would show them all! Yes. . .yes. . .Yes!

A flash of metal suddenly caught my eye. A shudder passed through me uncontrollably. I wasn't sure if it was from fear or delight. The feeling persisted as the source of my unidentified shiver came into full view. My teeth chattered, my lips quivered, and my eyes rolled back and forth. How violently this tremor shook me! My eyes screwed downward from the sky back to the figure on the street.

How the sight of these people I knew made me tremble! I wanted to claw at my eyes to destroy the sights I saw! Then I would never have this fear again! . . . . was it fear? Or was it anger? As I pondered, half distracted, I failed to notice that the sneaky creep had come closer. My teeth gnawed subconsciously at my lips as I thought.

"Hello."

As I heard the voice break through my thought, I jumped and felt my teeth sink deep into my bottom lip. A spasm ran through my face as I tried to quell the urge to yelp at the sudden pain. Turning baleful eyes toward the cause of my pain, I let a small, "Hello," slip past my bleeding lips.

Unfortunately, it didn't go unnoticed.

"Are you okay? It looks like your lips are bleeding." The voice grated on my ears and I could hear. . . yes, I swear I could hear it!. . . the vindictive glee cleverly disguised with concern!. . . It made me sick, like maggots eating away my insides in the pit of my belly.

I sucked my bottom lip, swallowing some blood. How bitter it tasted. . . it seemed poisoned and tainted. . . yes. . . so dirty. . . so nasty. . . so bad. . . .

"Hey, did you hear me?"

I jerked from my reverie and put on the best smile I could. It ended lopsidedly. "Yes. . . I. . . I. . . was just startled."

How those eyes tried to see through me! But no, I would be opaque to those evil, seeking eyes! They would not see the blood that tainted my hands. I slowly slid my hands behind me. . .there! there! I saw those eyes doing it again! Trying to see through me again! "I. . . I must be going. Good-bye."

I turned. If only I could escape this hell I would never do anything bad again! I picked up my pace and tried to escape the demon that waited at my heels, trying to pick my guise apart. So dirty. .. dirty. . .yes. . .filthy were my hands that I had to hide them. . . Or else they would see them. . . dirty. . . dirty. . . .

"Are you afraid?"

A cold chill ran up my spine. I stopped and turned. I hate you! HATE YOU. I wanted to scream it at the figure before me. How had I been figured out?! How? Maybe. . . maybe if we just slipped into a dark alley, I could just. . . perhaps. . . no. . . but I have to. . . yes. . . no!. . . I looked up with veiled fear at the person before me.

"I just thought you might be scared with this murder on the loose. You looked kind of nervous and in a hurry. . so I . . . thought maybe. . . you know. . ."

My breathing stopped for a moment. This was the time I had to pick whether I left a corpse, or living person. I knew that those eyes were trying to perceive some hidden truth! But, they would leave with nothing! "Just a little bit, I suppose," I mumbled, trying to swallow the anger in my throat.

"Oh. Well, I'll see you later. Bye."

My heart began to beat madly. Oh how it beat! It felt like a beast that had been held from its meal for so long had been freed at last, thundering in my chest. Ha! The little demon had not discovered anything! I knew that a frown of disappointment had lit that face, but no, I had conquered! Watching the figure pass down the street, I hid myself in the shadows. I licked my bloody lip in displeasure. I should have done it. . . that pseudo caring act was annoying.

I looked back again. As the source of my irritation walked in the sun, I was suddenly blinded. I felt infuriated! The monster did that on purpose! I knew it! Standing at that angle in the sun, the metal had gleamed like a hideous grin and burned my eyes. Damn it damn it damn it damn it!!

No. . . I. . I had to control myself. . must maintain control. . . yes. . . calmness first . . .I stared up at the sky, watching nothing. This hate was getting more intense. I had to get out of here soon.

I slipped my hand through my hair lightly. But no, I still had some business to do. Yes. . . much more business to do. . .

-/-/-/-/-

I looked at the clock's frozen face.

1: 13

It gleamed brightly in the night against the dark building. Yes, everything was dark, so splendidly dark. . . As dark as my soul, yes. . . my dark, dark soul. . . stained by so much blood.

The silence was broken by my laugh.

How it echoed into the night! Powerful and bold. There was nothing to be scared of! I was invincible. A fiery passion burned through me at the thought. . . I would never be conquered. No, never again! Suddenly, I heard a quiet sobbing. How ugly the noise was! Yet. . . it interested me. I needed to know the source. There was nothing else interesting in this forsaken place. . .

I made my way to the noise, in the elusive darkness seeping. . .pouring into every fiber within me. I was not to be seen or heard. The darkness was part of me, as I was part of it. Quiet. . . yes. . . ever so quiet. I was unable to be heard. . . unable to be seen. . . . yes. . .

The buildings watched me. . . yes! I knew how they stared. . . wanting to reach out and rip my heart out. . . . .I knew only too well. . . but I wouldn't let them. . . I wouldn't let anyone! Step. . . step. . . step. . . yes,. . . closer now. . . closer to that awful wailing, like the last screams of a dying cat. . . . Annoying,. . . . yet. . . the pain was divine to my ears, luring me closer. . . .

The music!. . . it was close!. . . I could hear it. . . yes, just over that wall. I peaked over the wall. . yes. . .so quietly. . . I saw someone sitting on the roof. . . creating the symphony that had hit my ears. . . My teeth gnashed. . . oh how they gnashed! My mind rocked back and forth between hatred and joy for this grating masterpiece. Yet. . . I watched. . . watched like a snake.

A sniffle. .. a wail. . . it grew bothersome after a bit. Now screams. . . yes. . . that's more like it. Just thinking about it. . oh yes. . . . it stirs my blood and makes my body light on fire! But no. . . I was now just listening to crying. . .stupid, stupid crying. I wanted to make it stop. . .yes. . .

That little annoyance was just waiting for a quick stroke with a blade. Something quick to end the broken singing. Just as I was about to strike, another figure jumped onto the roof. As the light hit this new person, I felt a shudder pass through me. . . Oh how I shook! Trembled. . .screamed inside!. . .

Blood. . . blood. . . it rushed to my face and pounded against the thin, stretched skin of my face. My temples pulsed with the wild beat of my heart as I stared, stared at the source of my ire and anger. Oh how it burned within me! Ruled and threatened to destroy me!

I clutched at my face, attempting to control my frenzied breathing. I watched, restraining myself from attacking the bastard as he awkwardly wrapped his arms around the sobbing, annoyance. I stressed my ears, trying to hear what the idiot was saying to the sniveling mess.

"I'm. . . I'm so sorry. I know I can never truly understand but. . . I just want you to know that I'm here for you and no matter what. . . I'll always listen. . . I may not be the best listener in the world but. .. I'll try my best."

I felt bile rising in my throat. This made my gut burble. . . this was disgusting. I couldn't take any more of this.

"Thank you-"

I let my body pool off the fence and slither to the ground. How false their promises were! How cold and manipulative their eyes were. My belly curled and I felt spasms rising through my frame, making me silently convulse. Dry heaves shook my body until I finally felt burning acid spill past my lips. I fell to my knees as another spasm took hold of me. I kneeled there, watching the slick pool slide down a crack in the pavement.

All the impurities. . . yes. . .all the sickness and weakness that had been staining my body with such black marks. . . yes. . .they were all gone now. . . A few drops slid along my wet lips. . . This surely was a sign of the weaknesses leaving me. . . yes. . yes! It had to be!

I quickly wiped my mouth and smiled. I was ready to tell my secret. . . yes. . .to the person I had done all this for. . . Finally! The time had come!

-/-/-/-

"Can I help you?"

My bones grew stiff and tight. With an aching pain, I craned my neck to look behind me. The face staring at me may have seemed innocent, but I could see the dark malevolence behind it. . . yes. .. everyone was trying to catch me. . . I would not let them!

"No! . . No. . .I'm.. . . I'm fine."

Wait. . . this one seemed familiar somehow. . . I knew this one. . from. . . somewhere. . .

"I'm sorry, but you don't look like you are all right. You have smears of vomit and. . .I believe. . blood on your shirt. If you come inside, I can get you a clean set of clothes and see if I can help you in any way," I watched the hand come closer to me, wanting to clutch at me and pull me in.

Ah! This was the one who had gotten in the way those few times in the past. I wouldn't let that happen again. . . I needed to get away. . . .

"N. . No. . I'm fine. . .I. . I'll just be going. .," How the hand made me shiver! Trying to pull me into that cursed prison.. . .

I watched the brow furrow and a frown dim the once "helpful" and "concerned" face. The look in those eyes. . . I could see that my secret wasn't hidden anymore. . . This was not good. . . no. . . not good at all. . . . I had to get away before all was ruined!

"I insist. It would be of no trouble. I would actually prefer that you come in. I don't want you getting sick or anything. Come, come," Suddenly the hand grabbed my forearm.

But how it burned! Those fingertips seared into my flesh! They tasted sensed the sins tainting my once innocent flesh and gripped harder. I must get away, away, away, away! A beast suddenly blossomed within my chest. . . yes. . a beast of new beginnings!

A rush filled me as I turned toward the demon clutching my arm, trying to drag me into a hellish prison. There was only one way to deal with such maggots.

A friendly smile pulled my lips from my teeth. I turned and faced the devil. "Yes. . . .I believe I will come with you. . . . Show me the way."

There was a confused look that passed along the idiots face for a moment before the hand slowly released my arm and pointed to a door. "This way. . ."

I followed the fool's footsteps. As the door shut out the last rays of the street lights, I withdrew my blade from behind my back. . . . .

The hopeless fool never saw it coming.

-/-/-/-/-/-

Okay, I know that was really short and not worthy for not having been updated in so long, but I really have a good excuse this time!!! I PROMISE!!! My schedule has been absolutely haywire lately. I've just needed time to straighten things out. But, hopefully, if all goes well, I'll be able to work on my stories a lot more.

Anywho, with this chapter, the last is next!!!! So, after the next chapter, you better have your guess for the murder and victim in mind. A lot of you are doing well, but you're missing some vitals. Yet, all will be (hopefully) cleared up in the next chap. I revealed. . . well. . . let's see. . . 5 characters in this one. Yup, 5. So far 10 have been cleared off the suspect/victim list. Let's see if you can guess who.

'till next time,

Ciao. :P

P.S. PLEASE REVIEW, I really enjoy reading your speculations. A lot of you guys are really good at this! Starting to scare because some of you are getting so close!!!

P.P.S. As for my other stories, I will try my best to update Dancing in the Dark, and Broken. DitD I'm working on now, but Broken. . . well. . .it might take a bit. I'm in a bit of jam at the moment. But I've got everything laid out, so don't worry. Thank you all who have been continuing to egg me on to continue. I'll try my best