Static Reflections: Book 1 of The Mortal Guard Series

Chapter 21 - Boris: The Thing At the End of the Strings

Chapter 21 - Boris: "The Thing at the End of the Strings"

After everything he went through with Amaranthe, Boris was unknowingly placed into the back of his car by Tyler. He was then transported back into the peculiar place where Absalom awaited him.

"Rise and shine, puppet," the voice called, and Boris opened his eyes.

Back in the room where everything around him was a void, and the light shining on the wall held the otter shadow of Absalom, the physical otter felt like complete garbage.

"Ugh . . ." he groaned, looking around. "What the hell happened?"

The shadow on the wall walked along it, stopping when it was right across from him. "You were injured in the fight with your target." He snapped his fingers, and the blacklight turned on from above, illuminating Boris' dark fur and revealing many lines where he had gotten cuts.

The biggest thing that stuck out to him was the piece of glass that appeared in his left hand, sunk deep into the skin.

"You can't see it, but your face and torso sustained injuries as well."

Boris, eyes wide from the thing in his hand, looked up at the dark figure. "What was that anyway?! You told me you wouldn't let me get hurt! You've never let me get injured before."

"Did you notice how I handed you the Blade of the Mirror at the last moment?" Absalom laughed. He snapped again, and the blacklight above disappeared, along with the luminescent wounds and shard of glowing glass.

". . ."

"I said I wouldn't let you die. I kept that promise," Absalom explained.

Boris cringed. "So I have to rely on myself to the very last moment where I'm about to be killed?!"

Absalom giggled with delight. "It's a lot easier than wasting my power on making sure you never get hurt!"

The otter clenched his teeth. "Are you serious?!"

"Oh, very! Better improve at killing targets, little puppet of mine."

"Urghh . . ." A fire burned within Boris. He wished he could somehow wrap his hands around the shadow's neck and wring its life out, slowly, painfully.

"No growling." Absalom wiggled his finger. "I have something quite impressive to show you."

Boris stayed silent, as he often did when the demon said something like that.

"You know, your friend Tyler was a weakling at first, but I'm starting to warm up to him!"

The white circle that illuminated the shadow shifted and turned into a rectangle. It slowly expanded and grew until it covered a large expanse. Absalom's shadow shifted to become Boris's, reflecting the chair he was sitting in.

The light above his head that came from the void and converged somewhere behind him told Boris that it was like a projector now. He heard the clicking as the film began rolling, and he stared in awe.

The movie was nothing like Boris expected. It showed Tyler returning to Amaranthe's home, getting out of the car, and finding Boris's injured body. He watched Tyler pick him up and put him in the car.

The otter thought that might be the end, but of course, Absalom was showing him for a reason, so the video continued.

Tyler entered the house and followed the otter's bloody footprints he left behind. He grabbed a knife from the kitchen and then went down the hall, discovering the bodies of the mink, wolf, and gazelle.

Boris had no idea what was coming next, but as soon as Tyler stuck his head over the toilet, he squeezed his eyes shut. He could only hear the sounds, which in turn, made him want to vomit.