Ashes of Vile

01

CHAPTER ONE
Creepin' On The Low

FEAR WAS AN ASTONISHING LITTLE THING, it grappled and hooked into humans like a flesh blood-sucking beast, attaching itself to its host. With no thoughts and zero care for the life it suspends, it pulls people closer to living a shallow life. There was a famous saying, it is better to die on your feet than live on your knees. It felt pretentious to look up to such an honorable inspiration but deep down continue to live a life in anxiety. Cassidy Idgen attested to that cowardness.

Cassidy Idgen knew that all too well. There she sat on the edge of a window, looking down on the crowd of pleasantries, watching the monthly festive parade march around the city. Everyone cheered and happily celebrated, although it was always unclear what they were celebrating. The city had always been lively and social, everyone was acquaintances and was free to exist in the life they desire. Keyword, exist, not live; the city of Ashgrim was a feeding cyclone that craved power and brawn, an enclosed futuristic world wherein people supposedly lived in harmony and chaos: "a world of freedom". But only a few saw through the facade. Though contingent enforcement was still necessary, it was an essence for watchmen to be situated all around, only a few rebels had been caught; vandalizing private properties, break-ins, illegal practices, insurgent sightings, and the most unusual of all: reaching the city barriers. It was no secret that they lived in a closed-off world, with no knowledge of what was beyond the undiscovered walls. But the watchmen's constraint raised the question, what was hidden and what could be so bad. Or what could be so good? The rebels' cause had intended to unveil the barriers, but they were nowhere near success, either they mysteriously disappear or completely give up their heavy efforts.

Dusk had started slipping in and the hooded figure Cassidy usually stalked from afar was nowhere to be found. The stranger had become one of the only few constants in her life. A stranger she had never interacted with but had grown to the familiarity that filled the emptiness of discontent in her. Even with zero words between the two, the figure unaware of her watchful eyes every month, there had been an invisible string tied between the two. Although Cassidy seemed to be the only one who felt the pull of the other side. The hooded figure showed up every month during the parade down the front of Cassidy's street with the exact outfit as always.

She had no intention of unveiling the mask of the person who has kept themself hidden from stalking eyes. But unfortunately, the person seemed to fail to do so, stupidly keeping up a pattern on the days Ashgrim awoke. They had unavoidably caught the attention of the unsocial girl, and it had also been unavoidable for the sixteen-year-old to arouse her curiosity, interested in seeing what has changed today. In a matter of just a few seconds, she had collected herself to be presentable enough to walk the noisy streets of Ashgrim.

The fresh take of air had caught her surprise, she thought that the energy felt different. Something had changed, but she couldn't figure out what. But again, she never truly trusted her instincts, let alone her own thoughts and suspicions. If the summer feel of a cheery prideful Ashgrim has felt the same consistently, an error in the matrix, a well-built system that replicated the same scenario every month, something had shifted. She took a quick look at her reflection, taking in her features well, hair slightly a mess, outfit not too appealing, and a tired look altogether. But eyes always found a way to pull everything and make a woman look like an enchantress despite the circumstances. Her eyes were blue, but not the bright piercing blinding kind you'd notice in the shadows, it was eyes of a fading hue, slightly dispersing to the category of gray, a story locked in worthy of unfolding in the pursuit of uncovering with another deep diving storyteller set of eyes. It was not the color most would desire given the chance, but with Cassidy's soft face, it would get everyone lining up, completely ignoring the ordinary beauty standards.