The Demon Queen

The Demon

I don't know how long I sat there with him until I fell asleep. The last I remembered, Muzan was still alive, although his body was pulsing harshly in multiple places. Convinced he would die in my arms, I tried to keep awake as long as possible, but eventually, I succumbed to my exhaustion.

I woke to the sound of someone loudly eating. As I first began to hear the salivating, sucking, and smacking sounds, I ignored them, thinking they were parts of my dream. After all, the whole thing was just a terrible nightmare, wasn't it? I couldn't have really been there with Muzan dying in front of me and a murdered body laying in the middle of the room.

The slurping and sucking noises continued. I squeezed my eyes shut tighter and squirmed in my position laying on my back. Those sounds were irritating me and beginning to make me nauseous. I started to notice a rotting, repulsive smell coming from somewhere. I immediately slapped my hand to my nose and squeezed it together as tight as I could.

It reeks here! I thought. What the hell is that?

The image of the dead body suddenly flashed in my mind.

Decaying ...

The slurping and sucking noises continued.

What is that?

The image of Muzan's blueing, pale face flashed in my mind.

Why do I feel so afraid?

I opened my eyes. I could feel my body sweating all over.

Why do I feel so afraid?

Breathing heavily, I stared up at the ceiling. I was at Muzan's. It was dark, as if in the middle of the night, but I could still make out the form of the ceiling due to the moonlight coming from the windows. 

My heart sank like lead in my chest.

He must be dead, I thought.

My eyes became flooded with tears.

Don't cry, I thought. Don't cry.

The slurping sound returned.

You musn't cry here.

I swallowed a thick, sour clump of saliva and slowly made the decision to sit up. I blinked my eyes a couple times, adjusting to the combination of darkness and silver light in the room. Attributing the repulsive odour to the two dead bodies I assumed to be in the room, I loosened the squeeze on my nose. I looked down at myself, seeing that I was on Muzan's futon and covered with a blanket.

"Sakura, darling ..."

My jaw dropped.

Muzan?! I thought.

My eyes lit up and with a huge smile, I turned in the direction I heard his voice come from. "Muza --"

I silenced in horror and threw my hands to my mouth. I started to hyperventilate a little. My body began to shake as my head roughly pulsed at its temples.

There was Muzan kneeling beside the body of the man he had killed earlier. Or rather, what was left of the body.

At least half of it was gone except for the bones. Muzan's white yukata was completely soiled with splotches of blood. His wild, dark red eyes stared at me with euphoria as he held the corpse's half-eaten arm in his hands.

"What have you ...?" I asked in a timid terror.

"I'm hungry," he said and smiled. "We had a little sleep together, but I woke up. I'm feeling much stronger!"

I stared at him, afraid to speak.

He -- he's eating that man!

"Sakura, do you want some?"

I nearly vomited into my hands. Without being able to control myself, I started to cough. The stench in the room was becoming unbearable.

"I felt like I was dying of hunger and got this impulse to eat him," Muzan said. "I think I'm building strength in my body. So much strength! I've never felt this strong in my life!"

I felt some pieces of vomit splatter into my palms.

Muzan's attention immediately turned to me. "You're ill!" he exclaimed with a panic in his eyes and rushed to my side.

I threw my arm towards him and slapped him away. "Get away from me!" I screamed.

Muzan stared at me in shock.

"What the hell are you!" I yelled. "You aren't Muzan! You -- you demon!" I shoved him away from me as he inched back forward towards me.

"S-Sakura, it's me."

I sprung to my feet. The knife in the back of the corpse's head was still there. I darted over and grabbed it, yanking it out of the skull, and spun on my toes to face Muzan. I pointed the knife at him. "You demon! Leave my man's body!"