Afterlife - A Horror Story

6 - Killing State

3rd

———

He slipped away during the day, when the others were asleep. And even if they had awoken, they couldn't have stopped him.

His urge to kill and consume was just too great.

And yet... someone was awake.

She watched him as he left, phasing through the front door as he changed states.

She was worried for him.

But knew he'd be fine.

She didn't know why, but she didn't really mind what he was doing. Sure, she didn't really understand what he was doing (or how he was doing it), but she trusted him.

Well, she trusts basically everyone. It's why he found it so easy to elude her, make her think he was on her side.

A while before he got back, she just decided to go to bed. The others would find it strange if they found her awake before them.

———

XYAN

———

I woke up at precisely 6:47 PM, the time the sun set that evening. Praxus had slept with me, and I he was holding me close to his chest. He was awake as well, and he ran his fingers through my hair.

"Good afternoon," he greeted me.

"Hey," I said. I felt his tail brush my leg, and I wrapped my tail around his.

I honestly wouldn't have gotten up if Akhet didn't burst in a manner that was a bit unlike her.

"Gradient's gone."

I sat up on the bed. "What?"

"I walked in to check on him, and he's not there. He must have stayed up during the day."

"Well, that's totally not incredibly suspicious and worrying," I said sarcastically. I tend to get sarcastic when I'm stressed or worried. "Is Aiko with you?"

At the sound of her name, the child poked her head around Akhet. She was smiling, completely oblivious to the situation.

At least we're all safe and accounted for, I thought.

I looked at Aiko. "Have you seen Gradient, Aiko?"

Aiko thought for a second before shaking her head no.

God, she's awfully quiet this morning.

"Let's go look for him," Praxus said, standing up, "Maybe he went to walk around the neighborhood."

I nodded, and stood up to follow him.

We were hardly out the door when a police car swept past us on the street.

That can't be good.

We all flew down the street quickly to see what the commotion was about.

I'm not bothered by death anymore. It's a part of me now. I can take a life and think nothing of it, talking to the dead one's Yudae like it never happened.

But what I saw... I could have never done.

Although I know someone who would.

Three cars had completely smashed into each other, the airbags of two of them broken through the windshields. The third was basically upside-down in the driveway next to it. There was a lot of glass and stray metal, and police cars and ambulances surrounded the scene. Maybe two or so people were on stretchers, carried by paramedics, but even they looked like one blow of the wind would break them. Through the mess of cars, glass, and spilled oil, blood stained the ground dark red.

I had no doubts that anyone else in the crash was already wherever the spirits have been disappearing to.

Because I knew who caused this.

And, sure enough, we found him sitting in a tree, watching the whole scene calmly.

"Gradient!" I called out. Gradient looked down.

"Hey guys!" Gradient replied, "Sorry, meant to get back before you guys woke up."

"Did you do this?" I asked him, motioning to the disaster behind us. He looked at it, and tilted his head.

"Yeah. So?"

"You went into killing state again, didn't you?" I sighed.

"Hey, sometimes I can't help myself," Gradient shrugged, "And I got a good few this time, so it was worth it."

"Gradient you know how dangerous it is for you to do this," I said, annoyed and worried, "We won't get corrupted like you could. I don't want you to become some mindless killing machine!"

"I won't!" Gradient said. He hopped down from the tree, landing neatly on his feet. "I'm careful. I don't do it much."

"You still do it more that us," I said, crossing my arms, "And that's still dangerous for you."

Aiko ran forwards, and hugged Gradient's legs, giggling. Gradient laughed, and reached down to pt her head.

"Hey, Aiko!" He said cheerfully, "How are you doing?"

As those two chatted, Akhet spoke to me.

"I'm worried for Gradient. And Aiko. She seems more attached to him than she used to be."

"She could just like him," I shrugged, "She's, like, five. She likes everyone."

"And if I was looking for someone to manipulate, that's who I would choose."

She made a fair point.

I looked back at the two spirits, who were still chatting. Gradient had gotten some kind of bouncy ball for her, and she was bouncing it up and down on the ground.

And I hoped Akhet wasn't right.

———

Another

Gradient acting kinda sus ',:|

847 words