Worlds Apart

Chapter 20

S H A T T E R E D • S K I E S

Sep. 09 2020 20:20 CET

The Chamber, The Port Inn

Neal stared at the glass. Own frozen face staring back. Shouldn't happen—couldn't happen, it couldn't. Over, over, all over. Hatred in eyes that wasn't his but so close. Hatred and fear of what could happen. Over, over, OVER. Their fist slammed into the glass.

Elin Ihle's reflection flinched away at the scream that escaped him. Their throat hurt, eyes burnt and their nails scraped against the glass. It wouldn't open—over, over—they had to open it—fix it. Thuds echoed across the room and the glass shook and the lights distorted—neon loops and eyes, eyes, watching him. Watching him fail.

I it lit up, it lit up— what did he do wrong—

They snapped their head around, madened eyes locating the Ihle. Neàl stalked towards her, the words ripping their sore throat as he spat: "What did yoU DO WHAT DID YOU DO TO IT?"

Sneering faces clawed at the edge of their vision, warped and elongated, like a defaced painting, whispering, whispering, always whispering, reaching for his eyes but he jerks his head out of reach and gone. Darkness and silence.

Ihle watched them with eyes wide and the detective remained silent, a look on her face he'd seen in the mirror one too many times.

He walked forward and Ihle stumbled, landing hard on the floor. "I didn't—I didn't do anything," she cried hysterically, crawling back, eyes glistening "I swear I didn't—I didnt even know it—"

The look on her face, the one he had seen so many times since that day, that cursed day when...the bright red eyes, the flinching, the fear the fear the fear of him—

"Well now, do not scare her."

Neàl snapped his head in the direction of the voice, murderous whispering filling his ears. Glaring, they spat out, "I've had enough of you, you—"

"Let us keep the obscenities to a minimum in the presence of the ladies, hm?" The man stepped out of the shadows. Seeing his face only made them want to throttle him more.

"You don't tell me what to do," Neàl griped, ignoring the stuttered cry of "Vidar?!" from behind him.

"Vidar!" Elin Ihle scrambled to her feet, rushing to him. "It was them. It was them who did it, who killed my family."

Ulberg gazed at her coolly, face blank.

He looked past her at Neàl.

"You really think you are in charge." He sounded amused, a smile spreading across his face, stretching to his eyes which had warped into evil gleaming crescents puncturing his malevolent face. "The new leader of a long forgotten revolution, a revival, a messiah. Pushing everyone in the right direction, a saviour to all." He paced the room in a circle, around Neàl, who followed him with their eyes narrowed.

"And I just do not know how to tell you this." He tilted his head in sympathy, sorrow lacing his voice and a crimson screen fell over Neàl's vision.

"Do not mock me, D'Alerro."

He walked towards Neàl, leaning in close. "You should be afraid, Jaykio." A pathetic attempt at intimidation.

"Of you?" Neàl scoffed. "You're a thief and a coward, running with your tail between your legs the moment the tide turned against you."

"And here you are, cowering before me. What does that make you?"

"I'm not—" Neàl blinked and the gap between them was wider. He must have stepped away.