Man Eater

8 • Dusk

It was a long and sorrowful walk as I stumbled my way downstairs, Redback following with his head lowered. Most of her blood had drained, she was grey in color, stiffening slowly and cold. I carried her in my arms, Redback's jacket covering her head and upper half. The metallic stench of blood made me dizzy, her blood stained my clothes and my cheek. I was so tired and weak, dread filled my heart.

The old mansion was silent as if it were empty, the only souls who knew of our arrival were Brandy, Setting Sun and Tiny, who Redback had called prior. No-one had the guts to tell Moon. I halted before the infirmary door, Redback quickly moving around me to gently swing it open. I swallowed the lump in my throat and trudged inside, the tears welling up once more.

They were all in there sitting and waiting, an infirmary cot laid flat on a set of wheels in the middle. It was draped in a white linen, with a small pillow and some herbs. Candles were lit around, and the sharp scent of Tiny's body preparations hit my nose. It was all too familiar, the ritualistic spices she would use. Tiny was leaned back on the far windowsill in her nightgown, lab coat and slippers, her arms folded as she was looking down at the floor, eyes heavy with sleep. Setting Sun in a tank top and plaid pajama pants sat in a metal folding chair; hunched over with his elbows on his knees. Dark circles decorated his under-eyes, his cheeks tear stained and dirty-blonde hair ruffled. Brandy sat beside him in her slippers and satin pink robe, hair in a bonnet and some under-eye gel patches. Her hand rested comfortingly on his back.

All eyes turned to us, but I couldn't look at them. I couldn't move. Redback went to Tiny, who pulled out a folding chair for him to come sit, handing him a mug with some hot tea. It killed me, how motherly she tried to be without revealing the secret, how he would never know. I slowly paced forward, placing the body on the cot and gently forcing it to lay flat. I moved her hands to fold together by her stomach, I tried to make her look as peaceful as possible. I stood there now, arms hanging at my sides. My clothes were blood-stained like my cheek from holding her so close, I was cold. I didn't know what to do, what to say, I just stared. I couldn't believe she was dead, and it felt like my fault. I could've killed him right there, we could've made it look like an accident. I could've shot myself after. Anything.

My mind stopped racing when Setting Sun slowly got up, his face long with woe, his hands shaking. The tall man slowly reached for the jacket, and Brandy grabbed his hand to stop him. "You don't want to look..." I mumbled. "There's nothing left." His hand slowly dropped to his side once more. "Her face is destroyed, he shot her in the back of the head, he..." I sniffled, slowly looking up at Tiny and Redback. "Snake-Heart killed her for his own ambitions."

Brandy scowled, gently squeezing Setting Sun's hand. "I can't believe someone would do this to her..." She murmured. Setting Sun seemed to sway a bit. "She wasn't the most innocent person, but she didn't deserve this."

Tiny folded her arms once more, looking down at her slippers. She was lost deep in thought. I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. As much as I hated him, as much as he didn't deserve her- it had to be hard. Someone she loved so much was so evil, so cruel. She slowly came forward, to my side of the cot. The older woman bent down and very slightly lifted the coat so only she could see, gently lowering it and shaking her head. "There's nothing I can do. Her face will have to be covered if there is to be a funeral."

"I say we make him see what he's done." Brandy bit the inside of her cheek. "Maybe he'll crack and admit that he killed her. What're we gonna do?"

"We need to shut up is what we need." Redback muttered, sniffling as he looked down at the cat-shaped mug in his hands. "He was going to kill me too, get rid of the witness. One-eye, I think he saw you too, but I'm not sure." he looked up at me, my heart dropped. "He knows you're onto him, though."

Setting Sun shook his head. "You two can come stay with me for a while..." he sighed. "There'll be an empty room now, anyways... At least it'll hide you from him for the time being. Just don't bring anything he can track you with." Redback and I both nodded, for now it was the safest choice. "Don't look at him unless he speaks to you, act as normal as possible."

"Yes sir..." I murmured to my superior, hearing Redback do the same. "Who's gonna get Moon..?" I finally asked. The room was silent other than the occasional sniffle and shuddery breath.

Tiny shuffled her feet a bit, her arms crossed and her hands holding them tightly and nervously. "I-I guess I will..." She showed slight fear, her head low. I wanted to tell her that I would do it, but I really didn't want to face the older. Tiny's fear struck me as always, I knew she was afraid of the older, but why? The small woman took a deep breath, taking a step back and turning swiftly to exit the room.

The silence fell heavy once more, other than the low moans of grief from man beside me, sitting now with his head in his hands as Brandy rubbed his back. My lungs expanded in a shaking breath, looking up at Redback, who still sat in the folding chair, sipping on the hot tea. The younger's eyes looked heavy, he looked as though he seen a ghost. Snake-Heart's gotta go. Will Redback fight for him, or side with us? The thought tore me apart. Would we have to get through him to get to his father? Would my best friend betray us too? I teared up once more, but quickly wiped them away with the collar of my shirt.

After a while the door swung open, the shadow of a tall woman casted over the cold floor. I looked over my shoulder, my chest tightened at the sight of Moon. She looked lost, scared. Her long black hair was a mess, she looked as though she had waited awake all night for the return of Margaret, her Sun. "I tried- I'm sorry-" I couldn't stop myself from sputtering out weak apologies, my heart quickening. A hand on my arm stopped me, Tiny's hands slowly wrapped around my bicep and held on.

Moon paced forward, her brows furrowed in confusion. Her hands rested on the body, she blinked a few times, as if she didn't want us to see the tears. Her scarred hands slowly gripped the coat, lifting it off of the woman. A sharp gasp escaped her, and the coat dropped once more. The underboss stumbled back, a hand gripping her mouth. It was as if she didn't believe it before, and finally saw it was true. She heaved and gagged a few times, stumbling off towards Tiny's bathroom.

I tilted my head back to look up at the ceiling, wincing as a low moan turned into a pained cry from the other room. My eyelids squeezed shut, I never thought I'd hear such guttural cries from the older woman, and I'd never thought I'd be in this situation. I slowly turned, pushing my way out the infirmary door. I needed to breathe.

The trip up to my bedroom was all a haze. I didn't even know where I was going, I just went. My head was spinning, my stomach churning, I started to breathe a little faster. I was far from the medical bay now, but Moon's cries still rang in my ears. This is all my fault. The hand that feeds. The hand that feeds. I shut the door behind myself quickly, leaning back on it with my hand on the knob. My eyelids fluttered shut, my head resting back on the door as my free hand ran through my hair. I finally took a deep breath, relaxing my shoulders and unclenching my jaw. There was so much I should've done, and at the same time nothing I could've done. Tiny's visions always came true, and we couldn't change them. So what was the point?

I inhaled deeply through my nose, slowly letting it out as I stood up straight and headed for my bed. I dropped down to a crouch, pulling out an old suitcase and dusting it off. I sniffed a bit, opening it up and laying it out on my bed, backing away before going to my closet. I didn't know what I was grabbing, I just absentmindedly started throwing things towards my bed to pack up. I stepped back for a moment, sniffling as I wiped my tears, hearing the door open. "One-eye..?" I turned around, seeing a tall, broad figure in the doorway. "Are you ready? Leave your car here, so he won't know you left."

I nodded, grabbing what I needed out of my bathroom as Setting Sun started to carefully place all of my clothes in the suitcase. My heart squeezed as I watched him, I didn't know how to help him. Someone so big and gentle, how could he be a trained and merciless killer? I walked forward, placing what I packed in the suitcase and grabbing my phone to shut it down and slide it in my pocket. The last thing I needed was to be tracked down. If he saw me, he'll be out for me.