DEMON HUNT

Chapter 34: Memories and regrets

*TWENTY TWO HOURS LATER*

*PLAINVILLE, 250 km east of Marcella*

Mari is quietly seated on the backseat of a taxi. He's wearing a sweater with two large front pockets at the lower end. He tucks his hands in them as he stares through the car's window. It's raining outside and so, the windows aren't lowered. Mari's mood depicts sorrow and regret as he becomes lost in thought. His current environment triggers a memory. It's a memory from two years ago.

Mari is frustrated, causing him to complain. A jovial looking young girl, about his age, is seated beside him. She looks at him with a warm smile on her face.

Mari: (sighs) Aw man. This is terrible. It's raining again?

Carmen: It's not that bad. I love it when it rains.

Mari looks at her in surprise.

Mari: Why would anyone love that?

Carmen: I don't really know. I just think it's beautiful.

Carmen closes her eyes as she smiles innocently.

At this moment, memories of Carmen just came rushing in, without any obstruction whatsoever. It became difficult to track when they were from, even for Mari.

Carmen: Blue hair?

Mari: It's weird, I know.

Carmen: No, no. It's beautiful. I don't think you should ever get it dyed. It's unique...just like you.
~~~
Carmen: Huh? You want to have dinner...together...alone?

Carmen's eyes widen in surprise, making Mari flustered.

Mari: No, no. It's not like that. It's just a normal hangout...just with food and music and...

Carmen muffles her laughter and settles for a wide smile.

Carmen: I think it's cute. It's a date then. Don't be late, Mr. Blue.

Carmen smirks.

Mari: Geez. You sure do like nicknaming people. Don't worry, I'm never late.

Mari smiles.

~~~~~~

Mari yawns as he gets out of bed. He exclaims as he takes a look at his watch.

Mari: It's Seven pm! I'm super late. Carmen must be waiting. Gosh! You just had to screw up, didn't you? Why'd you have to fall asleep?!

Mari checks his mobile and shakes his head in disappointment

Mari: She's been texting and calling non stop! I'll just have to hurry.

Mari grooms himself and rushes out to meet Carmen at their planned location. He buys some flowers on his way, intending to give them to her. On getting there, he doesn't find Carmen. He intends to call her but discovers he left his phone back home, to his dismay. After waiting for some time, he decides to go back home. By this time, it was already nightfall.
On his way back home, Mari hears a distant scream, it seems to be Carmen's. Without so much as a thought, Mari rushes towards the source of the scream, not caring its location. Mari sees some glimpses of Carmen while still some reasonable distance away. This eases his mind as he slows down and begins to walk instead. On getting closer, Mari finds her defaced, being fed on by a demon. His presence makes the demon take a pause to look at Mari, his blue eyes peering at Mari as if he was wondering what Mari was doing there. Mari drops the flowers on the floor, frozen in shockland fear Being a hunter in training, it was Mari's first close-up encounter with a demon.

Demon: Come to join the party? This one had fight in her. What have you?

Mari's eyes become stone cold in animosity as he mutters slowly.

Mari: Car...men?

The once dark sky suddenly becomes blood red, as Mari begins to gnash his teeth. A barrage of red lightning bolts begin to pour out of the sky in rapidly increasing numbers, all aimed at the demon. At the end of the assault, whatever remained of the demon was unrecognizable. Omero, already a captain at the time, appeared at the scene a few moments later, before the demon's remains faded away.

Mari's moment of reminiscence is brought to a halt by calls from the taxi driver, who informs him that he's reached his destination. Mari's glare frightens the man as a renewed sense of anger from his memories of Carmen arises. It stopped raining. Mari soon gets a grip and calmly gets off of the vehicle. Mari quickly remembers he'd left the flowers he'd purchased in the vehicle. He grabs them and watches on as the car zooms off. The cemetery is only a walking distance away.

After minutes of walking, Mari reaches the characteristically quiet cemetery of Plainville. He locates Carmen's gravestone within seconds. He drops to his knees with teary eyes. Mari sobs quietly as he places the flowers by her grave. The dark moonless sky seems to be threatening to unleash another downpour at any moment, but Mari doesn't care about that. He doesn't even notice it. What he does notice, however, is a male voice coming from behind him.

Mark: I'm guessing that used to be your comrade.

Mari turns to see who said that. The cemetery is pretty well lit, which helps his vision, as if he needed any help.

Mari: What?

Mark: She used to be a hunter like you, didn't she?

Mari rises to his feet. Mark doesn't realize. Mari wasn't asking for a repetition because he didn't understand or because he didn't hear clearly. Mari asked in disbelief. He isn't wearing his hunt suit. Mari stares at Mark in an awkward way. He recognizes him from the encounter at Iceberg town. Mark instantly senses the rising animosity, which in turn means rising danger levels for him. He hollers out in his defense as he waves his outstretched hands.

Mark: Woah, woah, woah, woah, woah, woah, woah! Chill out, kid. I'm not here to fight.

Mari: You know who I am...?

Mark: You want to know why that is? Then fine, I'll let you know that and more. All you have to do is come with me.

Mari: I'm pretty sure we've been through this before. That reminds me, where were we?

Mark: You're stubborn, I'll give you that. But you need us. You're seeing things, aren't you?...Visions...

Mari becomes surprised, but soon becomes angry.

Mari: This is your doing, isn't it? This all started after your toddler messed with my head. You'll pay for this. I'll make sure of it!

Mark sighs.

Mark: Truly, I had hoped you were different, but deep down, you're just like the rest of them. Blinded by rage, and shortsighted. I'm disappointed.

A ferocious rumbling sound accompanies Mari's rage. He becomes set on putting a hole through Mark. Mark braces himself for what's to come. Mari's head suddenly begins to hurt as he falls to his knees again, screaming in pain. He loses consciousness of his surrounding, becoming incapable of saying anything besides a certain sentence.

Mari: Don't touch me. Don't touch me! Don't touch me!!!

Mari's screaming soon ceases. He falls flat on the floor as he loses consciousness. His eyes, however, remain open.