Afterlife - A Horror Story

7 - Anger

3rd

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Akhet wasn't sure what to think about the current situation.

Gradient's only part of that. Ever since we found him at the car wreck about a week ago, he's been getting more and more short-tempered with us - and then five seconds later, he acts as if nothing happened. He reminds her of a character she saw in a play once, who kept snapping back and forth from calm and sweet to utterly mad.

Which is definitely not a good thing.

And then there's Aiko. She's been acting a bit strange lately. Sure, she's still very playful and clingy, as most five-year-olds are, but she's been... really quiet. And while she used to basically question everything the others asked - to her or otherwise - but now she just tends to stare off into space unless she's directly spoken to.

Akhet was suspicious that Gradient may have something to do with it. She wished that she could speak to him, like she could everyone else, but she can't reach ritualistics for some reason.

"Akhet?"

Akhet looked up from where she was sitting, pensive, on her bed. Praxus was standing in the doorway. A troubled expression was spread across his face.

"What's wrong?" Akhet asked telepathically.

"It's Xyan and Gradient," he sighed, "They're arguing again, and I can't get them to stop."

Akhet nodded, and followed him down the stairs.

Ever since Gradient came back the night of the wreck, he always seems to start arguing with Xyan one way or another. It was REALLY annoying, and it was difficult to get them to stop.

When Akhet got down to the main living room, she could see why Praxus was having trouble. The argument seemed more heated than usual. And louder.

Aiko, as usual, was sitting off to the side, staring off into nothing. That seemed to be her normal behavior now.

"Gradient, I'm trying to at least keep you safe! And what you're doing is not helping that!" Xyan said, exasperated and angry.

"I do what I want. And you stay out of it!" Gradient growled back.

"You're letting your killing state control you! How many times do we have to repeat that for you to understand?!"

"I do understand! And I'm not letting it control me!"

"Yes, you are!"

"No, I'm not!"

"SHUT UP, BOTH OF YOU!" Praxus attempted to intervene, but it seemed to do nothing. As they continued to argue, Akhet simply stepped in between them, cutting both of their views of each other.

Xyan sighed.

"Akhet, you don't have to get involved in this," he said.

Akhet shook her head no. "You two need to stop fighting like this. If we're gonna figure out how to keep Gradient from going back to his killing state, you're gonna have to stop arguing with him about it. Because that's obviously not working."

Xyan shrugged. "Alright, then. Thanks."

Akhet smiled.

Gradient just scoffed. "Whatever she just said to you, don't let her fool you. Who knows what goes on in that silent mind of hers."

Akhet gave him a death glare (ironically).

"I trust Akhet. She's been my friend much longer than you have," Xyan remarked, "If you're even that, anymore."

"You know what?" Gradient said, surprisingly calm for his state of rising anger, "I'm done with this. I'm obviously no longer welcome here, and I won't stay where I'm not welcome."

"Gradient, stop!" Praxus cut in, "That's not what he meant, he's angry right now."

"I know when someone's lying and when they're not," Gradient said, "And I'm certain that is no lie. I'm leaving."

He switched to his killing state, and paused for a moment. His left eye was a scribble instead of the usual X.

"Sayonara!" He said sweetly, and flew upwards, phasing through the ceiling and out of sight.

The others remained silent for a moment, before Xyan said simply,

"Oh, crap."

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Oh crap indeed

653 words