Life of a Demon Slayer

Chapter 4:Lily Alborne - Part 1

I could feel Marks' anger burning through my skull, I couldn't hold xis eyes.

"You don't know that I'd die--" my voice trembled slightly as I spoke. I could feel a prick of heat around my eyes.

Mark's grip tightened around my wrists.

"I do know, Lily--better than most--because I survived; my parents weren't so lucky."

Mark lifted xis shirt and I felt my heart sink.

The left side of xis body was covered in bloody bandages and blackened bruises. The sight of it made my stomach churn.

"Look at this and tell me you still want to fight."

"Mark, I--" I wanted to reach out to xim, but my body wouldn't move. It was as if every limb was tied down with lead.

"Forget it." Mark spat, pushing away. "Just forget about me."

Before I had a chance to process what had happened, Mark disappeared down the hall.

All at once a wave of emotions crashed over me; my legs buckled under the weight and my lungs collapsed. I found myself struggling to breathe through the tears that flooded my cheeks.

I don't get it—why does xe make me feel this way? Why?

I didn't have much time to think about it as the bell interrupted my thoughts.

The halls were suddenly alight with people; I quickly stumbled to my feet to avoid getting trampled and hurried back to the classroom.

When I arrived, it looked like a tornado had gone through—my classmates were all frozen in place.

"Did Mark come through here?" I asked, glancing around at the stunned faces.

"U-um. . .he just left," one of the boys that sat near mark spoke up.

"Xe left? What do you mean 'xe left'?" I moved toward the boy and he shrunk backwards.

"Well. . . He—"noticing my stare, the boy quickly corrected himself—"xe. . . just grabbed his bag and walked out not long ago."

"I can't believe xim!" I huffed, snatching my bag from under my desk.

As I made my way back to the front of the room, a girl with long, curly brunette hair stepped in front of me, blocking my path.

"Move, Alena," I stared down the class president with a deadly glare.

She held her ground.

"Lunch is already over. If you leave now you'll be marked absent." Alena spoke in her matter-of-fact way.

"Then tell the teacher I'm sick," I growled, shoving past her.

I ran down the hall to the stairs. As I approached the steps, a pair of boys was walking up.

"Did you see a masculine person with blue hair pass this way?" I asked, rather forcefully, as I grabbed the closer boy.

"Huh? Um—yeah. They went that way." The boy stuttered, clearly bewildered." It looked like they were leaving."

"Xe what?!" I dropped the startled boy and dashed down the stairs, throwing a thank you behind me.

Jumping the last couple stairs, I slid down the hallway and sprinted to the front entrance, dodging the few students left in the hallway.

"Mark!" I burst through the front door and quickly scanned the yard.

There wasn't another living thing in sight.

Damn. Xe's fast. I kicked at the dirt in frustration, I'm gonna kill 'im when I find xim.

I picked up a small rock and hurtled it at a nearby tree with a releasing scream of rage.

"Fuck!"

Suddenly there was a rustling in the tree that I'd abused.

My hands flew up as a tall figure dropped from its branches.