King of Creatures

Chapter 16

With no sleeping bag, Amari had to make do with the hard ground. He made a makeshift pillow out of his bag and laid down, staring up at the sky as the sun rose. His mind was still racing. Was he the King of Creatures? He'd been called that twice. Once by the elder fox, and once by Buster – "Aayma." Amari said out loud. She had called him the King of Creatures before she died. Just like the fox. Amari's heart hurt for his friend. He felt bad for the fact that he'd been calling her a boy the whole time. Calling her by the wrong name. Amari wondered why she hadn't spoken to him before. He wondered how much of this could've been avoided. With a dejected sigh, Amari rolled over to his side and willed himself to sleep.

Amari woke up just as the sun began to set. He sat up, his back cracking as he did so, the he clumsily stood up. Digging in his bag and taking out a granola bar and a water pellet. "Okay." Amari said to himself before continuing on the journey.

It wasn't long until he reached a large city. Unlike the last one though, the path went through it. Amari walked in, passing by a group of people that looked like the first guy they had met. "Vampires." Amari muttered to himself. The group looked over at him and Amari snapped his eyes forward, not wanting to accidently start any fights.

Amari ran his thumb over his knuckle rings, remembering that they were there. Amari scoffed to himself. He hasn't had to fight anyone since. Save for that cupids' house, nothing has happened. Nothing but walking in woods, fields, through towns and cities. Even the big city they had gotten lost in, nothing had happened. Amari wondered about that big crowd. Why the others had wanted Amari to guide them out so badly.

Maybe they didn't want anyone to recognize him, point him out and say something like; "Aren't you that guy who drowned?" Amari stopped walking and sat on a green iron bench, leaning forward, and putting his head in his hands. They faked his death. Why would they do that? When he had called out the others, their faces filled with guilt.

Amari dropped his hands and folded himself in half, burying his face in his knees, letting his arms swing. He took several deep breaths that didn't work as his tears began to wet his jeans. All of this was messed up. Amari didn't want any of this.

At some point, Amari had fallen asleep. Amari woke up with a start, feeling the hot sun blaring on his face as he sat up, his arm numb from laying on it and his whole-body sore from sleeping on a hard iron bench. He looked down at the path, whose glow was dim and faded compared to the sunlight.

"Who. Even. Cares." Amari said to himself as he stood up stretching. "I'm done. I don't wanna do this anymore. No more prophecy." With a sigh that quickly turned into a yawn, Amari turned on his heel and walking into a restaurant.

He was shocked to see a crown of angry looking hybrids, half human, half animal creatures, looking back at them. "No humans allowed." One of the growled, baring their dog – like teeth. Amari held up his hands before backing up slowly, shakily grasping the handle, and exiting the restaurant. He looked up at the sign in the front of the building:

MUTT'S PARADISE

we have the right to refuse ANYONE.

"Seems familiar." Amari muttered to himself before walking off. He looked around him, looking into various building, wishing that he had money on him. "If I was actually in charge I probably should've had the money." Amari chuckled to himself. "Clearly they didn't trust me enough. I can't believe them."

"Talking to yourself is a sign of madness." A voice twinkled from behind him, making Amari jump.

"What?"

"Startled you, eh?" The stranger said with a bright smile. Amari looked up at them. They had wild orange hair, purple eyes, and a large smile plastered on their face. "You look startled." The person smiled eerily and leaned closer towards Amari. Their violent eyes shaking. "Are you lost?" They asked, their eyes seemed to eye the dimmed path with excitement.

"No." Amari said before looking straight and attempting to walk forward.

"W-wait! You cant go. You're very pretty." The persons voice turned to a sickly tone.

Amari stared at him wide – eyed before snatching his arm away. "Don't put your hands on me." He said before attempting to walk away again, only to see two look alikes' of the stranger.

"Hellooo." One of them chimed.

"The King." The other one sung.

"I know right?" The first one said.

Amari looked at all three before turning and running away as quickly and as far away as possible. He had just turned a corner when a body slammed into him, causing him to crash onto the ground. Amari immediately rushed to get back up on his feet when something crashed down upon his head. He felt dizzy with intense pain before everything quickly snapped to black.