I Will Leave Before Dawn

Chapter 17: My wrath

There was a saying. "Evil, birthed in the heart, finds its kin in wickedness, and as shadows multiply, darkness consumes all."

I came into existence through conception and birth, yet I was treated no better than a lifeless shell.

I was reborn, and even so, moments later, I am no better than the deceased.

Belief had no value if it wasn't followed by action, for there was no inherent goodness in idle faith.

And now, here I stand, devouring the flesh of a cart-driver who berated me for resting on the road in broad daylight.

The snow that once adorned my surroundings, the last image imprinted in my mind before my last moments of wakefulness, had vanished entirely. Who knows how long I had been lost in that deep, dreamless sleep.

I felt a surge of anger rising within me as the cart-driver's harsh shouts echoed in my ears, prompting me to snap my fingers. In an instant, his head detached from his body, leaving a gory aftermath.

My hunger consumed me, and without a second thought, I devoured his flesh. It was the only sustenance that seemed to satiate my gnawing emptiness. I no longer remember what my last meal tasted like.

After I filled my needs, I wandered aimlessly through the dense forest, my steps guided by an unknown force. Eventually, I stumbled upon a lively village.

The villagers glanced at me, their eyes filled with pity, just like how Lin Hu used to gaze at me during our time together, and disdain, just like how she glared at me moments before her untimely demise.

Perhaps it was my appearance, clad in nothing but a tattered thin white robe, stained with fading patches of blood. At first glance, I appeared no different than a beggar that just got a beating.

I observed my surroundings intently, taking in the scene before me.

A child skipped gleefully by his mother's side, their laughter ringing in the air. I couldn't bear to witness it.

A loving couple embraced, their affectionate gestures drawing my ire. It sickened me.

Turning my gaze, I spotted a group of friends engaged in a lively conversation around a table, feasting and reveling in merriment. It grated on my nerves.

It's not fair It's not fair It's not fair It's not fair It's not fair It's not fair

"It's not fair," I whispered to myself repeatedly, my voice beginning to imitate the tone of the voice that taunted me. "It's not fair."

Those scenes were meant to be mine. I was supposed to belong among them.

Tears poured down my face as I surveyed the world around me. As my cries poured forth, the sky shifted its hue to a darkened palette of red and black. Suddenly, those who met my gaze had their head cleanly severed from their bodies. The happy child and mother, the loving couple and the fun group of friends. None of them escaped my sight.

I crouched down, hugging myself tightly as I sniveled uncontrollably.

"This wrath shall be our salvation," the voice within me said.

"Go forth, take everything we desire. Let us manifest our dreams into reality."

The chaos ensued. Those who I didn't gaze at, recoiled in horror at the gruesome scene unfolded before them. The ground became marred with blood, the severed heads rolling across its tainted surface. The screams of the villagers pierced the air as they fled away.

In the midst of this madness, a man approached me, mistaking me for a frightened child. He reached out his hand, and began to speak, "Are you alright? This place is not safe. Let us go some—" But I swiftly silenced his words, leaping upon him and choking the life out of him as I clawed the inside of his throat.