Asylum
Gah, sorry for such a late update. School and this horrid cold is keeping me locked away in my room. Thanks for all your support though! I realized a mistake that I don't even think anyone else noticed! I kind of added Mira/Nygus twice, once as Spirit's friend and then as a volunteer so, chapter 4 has been edited just the slightest. Just a name change so you really don't have to go back and read it.
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To say he was worried would be an understatement. He chewed on his bottom lip and drummed his fingertips against the wooden desk, glaring at the white board in the front of the room with something scrawled across it that he couldn't quite make sense of.
"Damion? Are you paying attention?"
His head snapped up just as the ruler's smack had stopped echoing in the now silent classroom. It'd be best to just say 'yeah', but, pissing off this teacher was probably the most amusing thing in the whole school to do, despite the ultimate detention punishment. He had something to do today though.
"Yes."
"I've called your name four times. Are you suuure?" the woman drawled, staring down at him knowingly.
"Very suuure," he hummed, mimicking her tone.
The teacher made a face and stared at him for a long moment before turning on her heel and walking away back to the front of the classroom. A few of the students where chuckling quietly and giving him sideway looks but he ignored them totally. Spirit hadn't been at school yesterday and he wasn't here today either. He didn't visit on Sunday and wasn't returning any calls. He was worried about him. He wouldn't even answer his door.
If he didn't have to volunteer today at the Asylum, he'd probably break one of Spirit's windows and crawl inside to make sure he hadn't killed himself of something. He chewed on his lip until he could taste blood, frowning hard and drumming his fingertips against the desk. What was wrong with Spirit?
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"Death? It's Tuesday already?"
He turned at the call of his nickname, scanning the shorter boy from top to bottom curiously. The white haired boy looked worn out, shoulders slumping forward and dark lines underneath his eyes. It appeared he hadn't slept for days.
"Yep! That it is. I would have thought that you would be counting down the days for me!" he cried out dramatically.
Stein made a face as though the high pitched noise was all too irritating, "Sorry but I'm actually forgetting days."
"Huh? Did you tell Dr. Black?"
"Truthfully, he's the one the told me."
"Dude, that's weeeeeird. You might want to do something about that."
Stein looked at him blankly, "And what do you suppose I do oh wise one?"
"Don't be a smart ass, smart ass!"
"Then don't be a dumb ass, dumb ass."
They glared at each other for a few moments before Death sighed and shook his head. He couldn't even argue playfully without his mind wandering to his red headed friend. He frowned before giving Stein a questioning look.
"What?"
"You said you know Spirit, right?"
"I do…why?"
"He told me he met you here….I was just wondering…well, I guess you wouldn't know actually."
"What? Death what is it?"
Death gazed at him curiously. His tone had gotten a bit high pitched and he was frowning like he was worried. He sounded almost…frantic.
"I haven't seen him since Friday and he won't answer my calls or house visits."
Stein frowned harder, "Is that odd?"
"It's like the Apocalypse! How can he not answer his beloved's call?"
Stein shook his head slightly at the thought of Death being anyone's beloved. He was a weirdo. He paused and raised a brow, thinking to himself. He was legally insane, 1000% weirder than the boy ranting on in front of him. He chuckled breathily.
"Hey? Don't laugh to yourself, it's scary," Death informed, giving him a look.
"It's scary?" he questioned, the words igniting something a familiar feeling.
"As hell!"
He frowned, eyes narrowing. He was actually quite offended by that and he could feel his stomach churning, anger bubbling and threatening his vision with specks of black and red. He shook his head, closing his eyes with his fist clenched at his sides as he took a deep breath before letting it go, wanting to calm but that just seemed to make him angrier.
"Franken?"
"It's Ste—"
He found himself pausing in his soon-to-be rant as his eyes shot open, positively seething. All his anger dissipated immediately though as he took in his surroundings. It wasn't bright as it usually was. No, it was dark and oddly, he felt intimidated. Dare he say….fearful?
"Franken~!" the voice sang impatiently.
His attention snapped away from the grove of dark, wilting trees and blood red skies to look over to the blonde girl. She was covered in blood, almost as though she took a bath in it and tried to wipe off whatever was on her face with her hands. It was disgusting really and it showed on his face.
"Oh don't look at me like that, Franken."
"Marie, what's going on?" he questioned, his stomach twisting painfully in the rare feeling of fear.
Marie giggled, her golden eyes almost a sickening brownish-orange as she swayed, stepping over tree roots and branches to make her way over to him. There was suddenly a large black and bloodied tonfa in her hand and she was giggling, expression one of pure insane glee as she lunged forward.
Stein frowned, letting out a surprised noise as he managed to pull himself together to lurch to the side and roll away just as she swung. He'd have no head if he'd hesitated a moment longer. He had to act quickly though because Marie was already coming after him again.
"Marie!" he cried, ducking behind a tree and was only met with her shrill cry of dismay as she swung at thin air.
He grit his teeth, angry they he was in a damn dress being attacked by a damn girl in a fucked up world that he could only say was in his head. He could hear her bare feet crunching on the twigs and he spun around the tree just as her next swig sent it splintering and falling over.
"Timber!" she cried excitedly before blinking, seeing Stein out of her peripheral view.
Stein growled and landed a well-aimed kick into her side and she flew into another tree, surprised, her grip on the massive weapon loosening and she dropped it, hissing in pain as she slid down the trunk and her head lolled to the side, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth, staring at him surprised from the corner of her eye since she couldn't turn her head to look at him completely.
"Stein."
"What?"
"Stein."
"What?!"
"Stein! Stein! Stein! Stein! Stein! Stein!" she chanted hoarsely, terror swirling in the golden depths in which her eyes were.
"Shut up!" he shrieked.
"Stein!"
He rushed forward, fisting pulled back and even though it went against everything he'd (probably) been taught, he punched her in the face, ignoring the sound her head made as it was forced solidly against the tree. He noticed that a crack went up through the tree as though it had split but it was weird. Didn't stuff only split like that with walls…?
"Oh my god!"
He blinked, staring at the dark, lifeless gold eyes framed by locks of hair. Blood was rushing down from beneath the strands of hair, cascading over one forever open eye. The body was limp, bruises already littering his cheeks and jaw, not to mention whatever was blooming beneath his scrubs.
"What have you done!?" the voice cried, insistent on getting an answer as it neared.
The snowy bangs were being stained with red and the rest of the hair - which was abnormally black - was becoming highlighted with the ruby liquid and Stein felt his lips going dry at the sight.
No.
Was the only thing that came to mind as Death stared at him, his eyes hollow and a few teeth missing, visible from in between his parted lips. The wall behind him was cracked much like the tree had been, or at least, how he thought the tree had cracked.
The tree hadn't existed in the first place, had it?
His own hands were dripping blood and he suddenly felt strong hands grip his wrists and he felt the cold string of a needle point being slid into his neck and he hissed as the medicine was forced into the vein, eyes rolling to the back of his head as he fell into unconsciousness.
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I think this is kinda a cliff-hanger?