04/13/2022: Ch C is now re-canonized yaaaay :D

This place was haunted.

Not in the "ahhh there's a spooky ghost around" kind of haunted, but in the sense of-

No matter where she looked or turned, that girl was there, and Divine was all up in her space. She was wearing that girl's clothes, because her own were ruined. She was sleeping in that girl's bed, 'cause well what else was there? She was just there, in this girl's home, as if this girl was never here to begin with.

But she was. Hanging on the wall in the form of framed photos, and in the way everything had been arranged, left in place in a way only a girl did. No offense to Ryan, he seemed like an okay guy, but it was just too obvious that at one point, a woman made her home here. And while she was physically absent, her presence was overwhelming. There was plenty of Ryan here in the bedroom too, he also clearly lived here.

It was something Divine couldn't quite put into words, her thoughts were all jumbled and ping-ponging madly around her head. Despite lying in a big, comfortable bed for the first time in weeks, she had the worst time falling asleep. She was beyond tired, but her brain wouldn't shut off. In her exhausted delirium, it felt like that girl was staring her down, judging her, hating her even.

The other factor keeping her from getting any real shut eye was the horrific, wet coughing coming from the other room. It felt like the moment sleep seemed to creep up on her, a new chorus of ferocious hacking and wheezing filled the entire apartment, even with the door shut closed.

'This poor fucking guy,' Divine thought sympathetically all the same. The worst she had to deal with for the last week and a bit was just a pesty Hunter, and general paranoia before that kept her awake. Ryan? Had his own lungs working against him. But luckily, at some point, her body won out, and she fell into a dreamless sleep before Ryan had a chance to startle her awake.

When she finally opened her eyes again, the first rays of sunlight were creeping into through the bedroom windows. She blinked up at the ceiling in a daze, struggling to remember where she was, and why this felt so off. The actual bed under her? Yeah, that could be it. The fact that she didn't wake up underneath a certain Hunter as his personal body pillow? Oh, definitely different.

Not that Zach was far or anything, he was breathing softly right into her ear, his face mere inches away from her own. He had his arms and legs curled around her, keeping her pressed up against his bare chest. Oh god, right, his gross ass hoodie was still in the bathroom. How she had managed to negotiate it off of him last night to not just clean it, but also himself, was nothing short of a miracle, and one Divine didn't expect to repeat again anytime soon.

Had she promised as many cuddles as he wanted without her complaining? Could have. Maybe promises not to stare too hard at him? Yeah, that sounded right. Divine wiggled a little, just to roll over a bit and get the best angle to look at him with. Most people would be absolutely pissing their pants, having a killer zombie this close to them like this. And admittedly, it had frightened her too at first. In fact, the sight of him was still pretty jarring. The gouges around his eyes were ugly looking, still red and puffy as the skin attempted to grow back over. But they hadn't become infected, by the looks of it. Granted, she'd have no idea if they ever did, but so long as they weren't like, green and runny, they were fine, right?

Carefully, Divine freed an arm to reach up, and gently push his bangs back from across his forehead. His hair had been filthy and matted before, and he yowled like a drowning cat last night after she had taken some soap and water to his head. It was still incredibly messy, but she had managed to clean out the filth and bring back his hair's natural color of a rusty brownish-red.

It made her exhaustion riddled mind wonder if he had been handsome before. It was sort of hard to tell now, with the scratches all over his face and his ashen pallor. Overall, with her fingers still curled around locks of his hair, just what kind of person he had been before all this? Would she ever find out? Or… Was it just too late?

She retracted her hand and settled back down, shutting her eyes with the intention of getting in a few more minutes of sleep-

And her eyes snapped back open when a furious fit of coughing and hacking came from the other side of the door. Alongside wheezing, and gagging, and a very loud "Chuh-rist!" that punctuated it.

'Yeah, alright,' Divine thought, and pulled out of Zach's grasp to start getting ready for the day.

"So like, what can you eat?" Divine asked over a bowl of instant oatmeal.

"I dunno," Ryan shrugged. "I haven't tried yet really."

"You haven't been hungry? Like, you're not even hungry right now?"

"I mean, I guess I could eat, I dunno," he shrugged again. "I really- Coughcough- Don't know how honestly…"

They both stared down at the long appendage spilling out from his mouth. Now that Divine could see it in the light, without it wrapped around her or in the dark of a broken store… Yeesh. It squirmed every time Ryan spoke, or just so much as moved his jaw. It glistened wetly from the sunlight pouring in from the windows. It looked so thick, absolutely dense enough to say, oh, snatch up a short woman off the street from the rooftops. She recalled the feeling of it around her from a week ago, tight and unrelenting. But she had also managed to tear through it with her teeth alone so… What was the deal with that?

"That's weird," Divine finally commented. "That's some real weird shit."

"Uh, thanks? I think?" Ryan quirked a brow at her.

"I just mean all this going on is some weird shit," she said, waving her hand around for emphasis. "You and Zach are like two totally different types of zombies. But you both have the same disease. That's not weird to you?"

"Now that you say that, sure?

"And those fucking guys we ran into all day yesterday," Divine continued, propping one hand under her cheek while she spooned up oatmeal. "They got the Green Flu too, but like, I don't see you two getting ready to pop like puke filled balloons."

"I- Gee yeah, I'd hope so?"

He only looked extremely concerned over that statement. Divine continued staring down into her bowl.

"It's just ya know, I've been out in the thick of it for like over a week or something now, and it still doesn't make any real sense. Like I still don't get what's going on," she sighed. "Everything's such a mess."

"You're- Coughcough- Telling me…" Ryan rolled his eye.

Oh man, that hadn't been offensive or something had it? She hoped she didn't insinuate that she had it worse off, 'cause if that were a contest, she was sure Ryan would have won already. Turn into this thing, forget most his memories, and then lose his gi-

Yeah, Divine supposed she was doing pretty good in comparison.

"W-Well hey, at least when we go out, we can pick you up some new pants?" Divine offered in an attempt to salvage the conversation.

"New pants?" he echoed. "What's wrong with the ones I got now?"

"Uhhh, 'cause they're too small now and they're squeezing the life out of ya?" and she looked under the table at him and smirked. "And I don't think it's doing you too many favors."

"Yeah yeah, whatever," Ryan scoffed. "Fine, new pants. That's all you wanna go out for?"

"Well I also need new clothes too," Divine said, sitting back up. "Mine are kinda uhm, all Boomered up."

"What's wrong with what you're wearing now?"

"Well they're not mine,I'm just borrowing them!"

"From who?"

He stared at her, genuinely confused. And she could feel her chest tightening up uncomfortably.

"I just need new clothes okay!" Divine snapped hotly. "You can stay here if you want to so badly!"

"Okaaay, jeeeze," Ryan threw his hands up in the air in defeat. "Fine sure, I'll go with ya, sounds good.

"Good," Divine chirped, and shoved her face full of oatmeal before she said something else that was dumb.

The neighborhood had, at one point, been bustling by the looks of it. Cars still in the streets, small stores and stoops crowding along the pavements. Aside from broken windows, and still rotting bodies on the ground, you could almost trick yourself into thinking nothing had happened here. But Divine knew better. She could feel it, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on edge the moment they stepped out of the store. The feeling of danger around every corner.

She had to wonder how, after yesterday's events, there were still even infected hanging around. But as they just meandered down the street, there were still plenty of Commons milling around. She stuck close to Ryan, able to hover just under his smoke cloud enough to prevent choking herself out on it, but also enough to mask most of her scent. The Commons still turned their heads when she walked past, and the ones who did make a move were swiftly driven away by her companions.

After all, the need to not get trounced by a very large Hunter and tall Smoker outweighed the need to trounce her. Fuck the gun in her hands, big dudes always won out. For now, at least, and hey, Divine would take it. They didn't have far to go, the moment she spotted a shop with "Second Hand Thrift" labeled on it, she directed the other two towards it. The large window in front had been shattered, mannequins toppled to the ground. Otherwise, the interior was relatively intact. Divine picked up a plastic basket and started shopping.

"Are we now the poor and needy?" she asked, examining a yellow shirt. "And should we feel bad about taking second hand clothes without paying?"

"Well I don't see anyone who's gonna stop us," Ryan said, leaning against the small store's counter. "So, yes and no?"

"That's what I think too," Divine nodded. She stared at the shirt for a second before putting it back on the rack. Yellow wasn't her color anyway. She actually wasn't sure about what exactly she was looking for. Maybe something that looked a little newer? Something that wouldn't fall apart after a single horde chase? Ooh, but maybe something easy to clean that blood and brains wouldn't stain too badly. Jeeze, what a world removed from "dry clean only".

She sifted through more of the racks, finding bits and pieces that she shoved into her basket, but nothing that really stood out. Divine cooed softly over a thick, denim jacket with a cotton padded collar. She wiggled her red pack off her back and threw the jacket on. A little big for her, but it was warm and comfy, plus the denim felt thick enough to at least soften any blows that came her way. It was perfect!

"What do you think?" she asked, stepping out into the middle of the store to model.

"Yeah that looks cool I suppose," Ryan approved. "Hey- Coughcough- Find me something too, huh?"

"Yeah yeah, if I find one your size," Divine chuckled. "Hey Zach, what do you think bud? Uh, Zach? Hey bud where did- Oh my god."

From behind a clothing rack that sat adjacent to a shoe one, Zachary stood up… With a half-torn apart sneaker in his mouth. Divine slapped a hand across her face as Ryan burst out laughing. Honestly didn't know what she expected, but it sure wasn't that. She also right then and there remembered that the Hunter didn't have eyes, so what the hell was she asking him for anyway?

"N-Nevermind, you just… Keep doing whatever you're doing," Divine sighed. Zach stood rigid, looking in their direction for a few moments more before finally shrugging and resuming his work on making that sneaker pay for having ever existed in the first place.

"Haha, that's awesome, he's fun," Ryan laughed. "Where'd you find this guy anyway?"

"Alleyway bear trap," Divine replied, picking up and slinging her pack back on. "You know, where all the guys hang out."

Ryan didn't answer, just looked at her for a moment, visibly rolling the statement over in his mind… And then obviously deciding to let that just go over his head.

"Hey come look at this," Divine called for him, pulling a coat off a hanger. The Smoker pushed away from the counter and staggered over to her. She held up the coat to his torso, best she could with the height difference anyway. It helped that he was a literal skinny green bean stalk, and none too broad either. "Yeah I think it looks cool."

"I dunno, I don't really like the color," Ryan said.

"Aw no? I think red would look good on you," she pouted.

"It's red?" he asked.

"Okay, well like, a dark red, but it's red-"

"It's brown?"

"What?"

They stared at each other. The coat was red, visibly red. A deep red, but recognizable as red.

"This isn't brown," Divine scrunched her nose. "It's red.

"Is it really?"

"Cross my heart, dude."

"Aw fuck me," Ryan muttered, reaching up to rub his eye.

Divine regarded him curiously and then asked, "What color am I wearing right now?"

"I dunno, green?" he offered. "Light green?"

"Denim is fucking blue, my dude."

"You know what, I'm just gonna go sit down," Ryan threw his hands up in defeat. "I'm too tired for this shit."

Divine shook her head as he stumbled away to an old looking chair sitting nearby. What the hell had they just been arguing about? Was he colorblind? Well he could see green, apparently, but she didn't know what the hell that meant. And brown, where was he getting brown from? What the fuck was going on-

There was a loud tearing sound that broke her out of her thoughts. Wide eyed, she looked up at Ryan, who was halfway to sitting down in the chair. This chair in particular was very low and squat, and in order for Ryan to sit down in it, he had to go way down and widen his legs out. But it was just enough stress to tear something in his pants. His very already stressed, too tight pants. Ryan looked like a deer caught in the headlights, frozen in place in his very awkward position.

The Smoker slowly reached down behind him… And his jaw dropped in shock. Divine wasn't sure what it was for her; the stupid stance, his face, or just how right she had been. She vibrated in place, trying to keep it in, but she couldn't help it. It all just came rushing out. Maybe she was just stupidly tired. And maybe this was the best thing that had happened to her in weeks. But she started laughing, loudly.

"BAAAAHAAAAAAHHAAAAA!" she shrieked, the coat dropping from her hands as she wrapped her arms around her middle. "AHHHHHAHAHHHUEEEEHAAAHH! YOU RIPPED YOUR PANTS!"

"Sh-shut up!" Ryan spat in embarrassment.

"EEEEHEHEEEE YOU RIPPED YOUR PAAAAAAAANTS!" she cried, sinking down to her knees, and tears running down her face. "I TOO-HOOO-OOLD YOUUU! AHHHAAHHAHHA!"

"Shut up!" Ryan hollered now. She kept shrieking with laughter. She thought her guts were going to fall out from how hard she was laughing.

"Eeeeheeeeeheeee~"

"No really, Divine, shut up! Do you hear that?"

She covered her mouth to stifle herself, and her giggles faded away as the sound finally reached her ears.

Ka-pow. Ka-pow. Ka-ka-pow-pow.

It was faint, but it was audible. And the longer she listened, the louder, and closer it got. It sobered her up immediately. It was the sound of gunfire, which only meant one thing.

Someone else was out there. Another survivor like her.

Without really thinking, Divine was up on her feet, and scooping her rifle up as she headed out the door. Didn't wait for Ryan or Zach to catch up with her, she just ran, following the echo of gunfire, and letting aggravated Commons lead the way. They all seemed to be congregating towards the end of the block where the current street they were on converged with a smaller side street.

She watched as a small gaggle of Common turned onto the side street, disappearing between two buildings… And then one of them came flying back out after a loud KA-POW blasted them backwards. More turned in to take its place, and Divine flipped the safety off her rifle and started shooting. The Commons fell to the ground with little resistance, jets of blood shooting out like miniature geysers where bullets tore through flesh. The street echoed with ka-pows and ratta-tat-tats as Commons met their end with feral cries. When no more came running right away, Divine took the time to lower her gun and call out, "Hey you okay?"

The other survivor didn't reply right away, and after a few moments, a figure came peeped around the corner, shotgun at the ready. A young man inched into view, hugging the wall of the nearest building, glancing between her and the sky.

"Take cover," he warned, looking around nervously "We're not safe yet."

Oh shit?

Divine quickly ducked down behind a car, keeping an eye out for whatever it was spooking him.

"Are you alone?" the man asked her.

"Kinda- Sorta- I mean, it's complicated," Divine said quickly, inching towards him. "You?"

"I wish," he muttered, looking back up at the rooftops. "One of those hoodie fucks is following me."

"Oh jeeze," Divine groaned. "That's gonna be a problem, see 'cause-"

"It was an accident!" the man suddenly snapped at her. "I didn't know! It's not my fault! I did what anyone else would have!"

"O-Okay!" she blinked at him. "I believe you!"

She had no idea what the hell he was talking about.

From the direction Divine ran in from, she heard the tell-tale choking wheeze of a Smoker. Oh no, Ryan.

"Aw hell, just what we need," the man shook his head, digging through his pockets. "Oh god we gotta move fast, or this is gonna end real bad."

"W-Wait!" Divine cried. "Hold on, lemme explain, you don't gotta freak out-"

"There's goddamn monsters after us!" the man screamed now, utterly hysterical. "We're gonna die out here!"

And as if to agree with him on the matter, an ear-splitting caterwaul echoed across the street. It moved so fast, it was almost impossible to trace. A blur that flew from above them, pinged off a car, around a lamppost, and barreled right into them. Divine flew back into the brick of the building hard from the force. Stars danced in her vision briefly, but honestly, she wished they had stayed longer. The sight before her was horrific, to say the least. She didn't know what she wanted to hear less, the way the Hunter screeched in unbridled anger, or the way the young man screamed in agony.

Divine flattened herself against the wall, paralyzed in place. This Hunter, distinctively clad in a dirty green hoodie, freely tore at the man's sides fervently. The man screamed for help, but she couldn't move, just watch in utter terror. Perhaps the screaming was too much, perhaps the Hunter was just really feeling it, but her eyes widened further as the Hunter reached down and clamped his teeth around the man's throat.

The man gurgled and thrashed, his movements becoming weaker and weaker by the second. Her stomach turned as the Hunter pulled away with a long, wet, red piece of something between his teeth. There was a loud snap as the long piece broke free, and he spat it out. The man still twitched beneath him, blood pouring out from the remains of his throat. The Hunter still growled menacingly, shaking with fury and bloodlust.

The green clad Hunter raised his hand, and then sunk his nails down into the man's face, and here Divine was finally able to close her eyes. But she still heard the thunk of the man's skull hitting the pavement over and over again. It eventually stopped, but only after what felt like eternity. When she dared to peek, she saw the Hunter hunched over the body still, panting tiredly. The other survivor was fully dead by now, at least, she sure hoped he was at this point.

She glanced over at her rifle, dropped from the impact of being thrown to the wall, but within reach. Her eyes darted between it and the Hunter. Taking the risk, she slowly started leaning over to reach for it. The tips of her fingers had just brushed the butt of the gun when she looked back at the Hunter… And saw him staring back at her.

A single sliver of amber-gold was trained on her intently. And she couldn't quite describe the way he looked at her. The combination of fury, pain, and sorrow all wrapped up in one. A fresh, clean streak ran down to his cheek from the eye. It felt like he was looking through her, yet still right at her at the same time. Her heart thumped against her chest, shitshitshitshit-

"I… Don't want any trouble," Divine said slowly, her hand still reaching down. "I-I won't… Hurt you… Unless I have to."

His teeth flashed at her as his lips tore back into a snarl, and he cautiously climbed off the body to fully face her. His back arched up defensively, like he was the biggest, scariest housecat he could be. Her hand was fully on the rifle. All she had to do was pull it up and shoot. Anger and fear still burned brightly in his gaze. He made no move towards her, and actively backed away until he was bumping into a car, and even then he kept going.

He knew what she had her hand on. He knew what she could do to him. And despite the splattered mess on the ground between them, her heart broke.

"I don't want to hurt you," Divine whispered, and pulled her hand away from the rifle, and extended it out towards him. "Let me help you instead."

He rumbled nervously, confused and uncertain of what she wanted, of what she was doing. And honestly? Divine wasn't sure either. She slowly sat up to sit on her knees, her hand still outstretched towards him, fingers curling together in a beckoning motion.

"It's okay," she said calmly. "I get it. I'll help you, I promise."

He paused, visibly gulping. Did he understand? Was he considering it? Or would he just turn and run anyway? Whatever the answer was going to be, Divine never found out. She watched him turn his head past her, and he hissed defensively. A shadow fell over her, and a deep, threatening growl rattled past her.

Oh no.

"Zach," Divine warned. "Don't you dare-"

Her words fell on deaf ears as he roared behind her, and the wind rushed around her as the other Hunter leapt. The green hunter, trapped next to the car, was barely able to jump when Zach went crashing into him. They rolled across the ground in a flurry of angry screeches and tangled limbs.

"Oh hey!" Ryan called out as he caught up. "You're alive! Haha, great, I was scared you got gotten and- Whoaaaah- Coughcoughcough- What the FUCK happened here?"

"Ryan do something!" Divine yelled at him as she got to her feet.

"What do you want me to- Coughcough- Do? I ain't getting in the middle of that!"

"Uuuugh!" she groaned, frustrated. Well what the hell was she gonna do any different? Shoot 'em? No fucking way! Think think think think-

There was a sharp cry and a thud as the tornado of screeching hunters came to a halt. Zach had the green hunter pinned down by the throat. It was easy to see now the considerable size difference between the two, with the green hunter being obviously smaller. Not that he had a chance anyway, Zach was tall and broad, and had no trouble holding the smaller hunter down. Zach leaned down to roar in the other hunter's face. The green hunter wriggled desperately under him, whimpering and choking in utter terror.

"No," Divine gasped. "No no no! Zach!"

Her legs moved on their own, carrying her towards them, and she started hitting Zach's shoulder. "Let him go!" she shrieked. "Stop it! Stop it right fucking now!"

Zach was hardly phased. A few slaps from her wasn't going to suddenly stop him, and he was far too focused on his adversary to care. Realizing that was the key, Divine grabbed him by the collar of his stained hoodie, and yanked his head back.

"I! Said! Let! Him! GO!" she roared. Zach made a face at her, a snarl that switched to an unpleasant grimace. He still growled like a motor engine, and she responded by tugging his hoodie collar harder. What felt like years later, he finally huffed at her, and released the green hunter's throat. The smaller hunter wheezed as oxygen finally flooded back into his lungs. Divine released Zach's collar, and he rolled back to haunches, enough to let the green hunter wiggle free.

The green hunter looked between them, hissed, and then ping-ponged away across cars and up the the side of the buildings, until he disappeared over the lip of a rooftop. He was safe, for now, or so Divine hoped. No thanks to someone, of course.

"The hell was with you!" Divine started. "He wasn't doing ANYTHING to me! We had like, zero beef! You just went and jumped him for no reason! You almost killed him for no goddamn good reason! What is your prob- Hey!"

Zach cut her off when he suddenly grabbed her by the shoulders and started sniffing her. Her face, the top of her head, and around her neck. And when his short inspection was finished, he pulled her tight against him, and let out a huge, relieved sigh. It occurred to her then that the simple answer to his attack was merely just him being insanely worried and protective over her. That, from his perspective, there was one dead body, and she could be next.

God, what a mess.

"I'm okay," she assured, reaching up to pat the shoulder she had been smacking earlier. "Sorry for hitting and screaming at you."

He cooed softly at her, as if to forgive her. But she still felt bad. Like, really bad. Super terribly bad, actually.

"Zach, would you be a dear and carry me home after I throw up?" she asked.

"Brrp?" he beeped at her in confusion. She smiled sweetly at him, pushed him away and walked off a few feet before she promptly doubled over, and vomited into the street.

Once again, Divine found herself lying in the bed, staring at the ghost on the wall, and feeling really bad about it. She had sent silent apologies to That Girl about having to borrow her clothes again, this time the comfiest pajamas she could dig up. Hopefully That Girl would understand this time, Divine felt awfully sick. No fever or cough, just an upset stomach and a frazzled mind. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get rid of the image of that young man being torn apart. His dying screams of terror still rang in her ears.

And the green hunter?

His piercing gaze was seared into her brain. Not just from when they stared each other down either. Zach had lovingly carried her in his arms on the way back to the apartment, and she had thrown her arms around his neck to rest her chin atop his shoulder. And as she had done that, she had looked up in time to see the green hunter watching them from down the street. Chances were, he followed them back. She had a distinct feeling that this guy was really living up to the Hunter name, based on today's events.

("It was an accident! I didn't know! It's not my fault! I did what anyone else would have!")

And what had that man done? How does one so royally piss off a hunter that he chases you down to cave your face in? It didn't seem like it was fun. She vividly recalled the tears streaking down the hunter's face. His anguish. His despair. Her heart still ached for him. She wanted to truly believe that, had Zach not jumped in, she really could have done something for him.

Ugh, it was gonna bother her for the next century and a half. And that's if the nauseous passed first. She'd fully admit it, seeing a man torn apart in front of her? Previously on a list of "Shit I Never Wanna See". And hopefully, shit she would never see again. It was one thing to stumble across a body that had been out in the open for a few days or even weeks, knowing there was nothing to be done about it now.

It was another thing completely to watch it happen in front of her, and be unable to move. She had completely locked up, because she knew that a false move would make her the next blood splotch on the pavement. It was a sort of real, legit terror that she hadn't felt since finding Zach. And now she knew what hunters- Both the green one and Zach himself- Could really do. So naturally, it made her question just what the hell she was doing here.

Labored breathing broke her out of her thoughts, heralding the arrival of the Smoker in the room. She lifted her head to look at him. The corner of his mouth twitched upward in a smile, and he approached the bed… And held out a small object to her.

"Here, I thought you'd like this," he offered. "To make you feel better."

"An unopened can of soup?" she asked. His smile fell as he pulled the can back to stare at it disbelievingly.

"Oh shit I knew I forgot something," he sighed, then turned his head to cough into his elbow. "Fuuuuck, sorry, I think I missed a step."

Divine couldn't help but giggle.

"I appreciate the gesture," she thanked him. She sat up in the bed and scooted over, patting down the spot next to her. Ryan let out a bemused huff and he sat himself down next to her. At least this time, it was much easier on him. "Sorry that we didn't get you new pants."

"Ah well, I think you left some stuff behind too," he said. "So, I guess we'll just have to try again later."

"Yeah," Divine's smile faded. "Later…"

Outside. With him waiting for them.

"Uh, maybe not later?" Ryan asked, quickly catching on to the change in her mood. "We can just stay in here then…"

"No it's fine," she shook her head. "I'm just… I can't stop thinking about that guy."

"Oh yeah, that was brutal," Ryan nodded. "That guy got fucked up. I still can't believe it-"

"No, not him. I mean, yes, him. But I mean the other guy too."

"Oh the little guy, yeah. In the uh oh god… He was wearing green right? I didn't fuck that up right?"

"Yes he was wearing green."

"Phew," Ryan sighed in relief, wiping his brow. "Nailed it. Yeah he was something else. What, you're not scared he's gonna get you next, are ya?"

"Ugh, that's the thing, I dunno," Divine shrugged. "I… Ugh I'm gonna sound crazy, but I feel like he was hurt. And he needed help."

"Help like… Before or after Zach had him pinned to the ground?"

"Before."

"Huh okay. Well good luck trying to help him now I guess. He must be piiiissed off."

"Thanks Ryan, that's really helpful."

"Hey don't look so glum," he smiled at her. "You still saved his ass back there. Hopefully he'll still remember that?"

"Yeah, I hope too," Divine sighed and looked out towards the window. All she could see was their blurry reflection in the glass, darkness yawning out behind it. She had no way of telling what could be out there right now. It was one thing knowing that the monsters were just out and about, hanging around and hoping something would show up.

It was another to know that one might actively be waiting for her to poke her head out of the door.

She looked away from the window suddenly fearful and in need of a new distraction. She pointed at the soup can, still in Ryan's hand and asked, "Want me to remind you how to open that?"

"You know?" Ryan chuckled. "That'd be great actually."

Divine forced herself to smile again, and to head out with him to the kitchen to heat up a can of Spaghetti-O's like the starving college student she was. It was just… The farther away from the windows she was, the better she felt. The more unseen they all went, the better in general it would be.

For now, anyway.

It took hours, but eventually, the lights in the windows were all shaded, then turned dark. She moved swiftly between each one, scurrying like a scared mouse, a shadow that darted between each one. But try as she might to hide, he could still smell her. An intoxicating, sweet scent. Clean. Unsullied. Even with the smell of death clinging to her skin, he could pick her out easily.

And he didn't know what to do about it.

White hot pain lanced at his stomach, at his head, at his heart. A rage that threatened to boil over, a tide that would not hesitate to pull him in and drown him within an inch of his life. It hurt. It hurt so much. An ache that wouldn't go away. He didn't know what to do about it.

The image of her flashed across his mind. She looked at him- Like he was a monster. But she had also looked at him, as if she could peel back his skin with just her eyes and leave him bare on the ground. It infuriated him. He had never felt so disgusted. He had never felt more fearful. Dying under the grasp of the Other would have been preferable to her… Her…

Her pity.

He had to ground himself into the rooftop and shove his hand into his mouth to keep from screaming. He hatehatehatehated her. How DARE she look at him like that. Why? Why did she do that? She took everything away from him. She had to have, right? Yes? She allowed him his kill, the one he had spent all morning chasing, his vengeance. But then… She had RUINED it. Wouldn't let him live happily. Wouldn't let him die deservedly.

And now she cowered in her hole, behind her Tall One and behind the Other, who would most certainly not hesitate to attempt to kill him again if given the chance. It made him want to scream more. It made him want to cry. He wanted to howl in utter agony.

(How could this happen? How could he lose everything he ever had like this? Why did they all die? What did he live instead? Why was he still alive? Whywhywhywhywhywhywhy-)

He curled up into a tight ball, holding onto himself as if his anger and sorrow would suddenly launch him away. Misery. Pain. Anger. Hate. Sadness. Despair. It all swirled through him all at once, barely giving him a chance to breathe.

It was her fault.

It was the Other's fault.

It was both their fault. He hadn't done anything.

It wasn't fair.

Not fair-

Not fair-

Notfair, notfair, nofair, nofair-

It was the only solution.

He'd make them pay.

He'd make them paypaypapypaypay-