Lost Library of Absolute Fucking Horror (Whumptober 2024)

DAY 15: My Purpose

THEME: Childhood Trauma
PROMPTS: Painful hug/ Moment of Clarity/ "I did good, right?"
PROMPTS USED: Painful hug/ Moment of Clarity/ "I did good, right?"
SUMMARY: Despite having done this again and again his entire life, Tsukasa is met with a strangely unique experience in the final moments with his target.

He had not forgotten the family picture above the fireplace. Never.

WARNINGS: Death, gore

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It wasn't that Tsukasa wanted to do this.

No... No. In fact, he felt the complete opposite.

Who was he, a young boy, at the ripe age of ten- who was he to hold a knife to someone's throat? Who was he to take someone's life?

Despite having done this for years, despite having gotten used to it, Tsukasa would never forget the looks on their faces. No, in all his years, he had never gotten over the fearful expressions on every single one of his victim's faces. They were all permanently etched into his mind.

"You are more than this, son," The old man pleaded gently. Strangely- perhaps it was because of how bushy the man's hair was, obscuring his eyes and expression- Tsukasa could not tell if this man felt fear.

The way he spoke was soft. It was unlike any other voice Tsukasa had heard from any one of his victims before. He seemed.. calm, at peace. As if the old man had already accepted his fate.

Tsukasa was unnerved. He had not experienced anything such as this before; and he did not like it.

"...Why?" Tsukasa breathed out, "That is... that is what they all said to me."

"And they are speaking the truth," The man croaked, his hands trembling as they laid atop his wooden cane. "A child like you... should not be doing this."

"It's what I was born to do." Tsukasa muttered. What was he even doing? "That's- that's what I was made for."

"Nobody is ever born for the reason of harming others." The senior spoke up. "Fate did not create us so that we would harm her own creations."

Tsukasa bit his lip.

"What are you even going on about?" He choked out, his eyes narrowed. His grip on the dagger tightened as he spoke. "Y- You're wrong, you're.."

The old man lowered his head, humming calmly.

"Have you ever... walked around your neighbourhood, your city?" He asked slowly, "Have you ever seen all the other children, laughing and talking and enjoying their youth?"

Has he ever...

"That is what you should be doing," The man whispered. "Not taking lives. Son, you should be living them..."

Tsukasa inhaled sharply.

Wrong. No, that was... that was wrong.

Tsukasa.. he was born to kill. From the start, ever since he was a kid, he had to..

He had to do this. He was born to. He was made to, this was why he was created.

"Put your weapon down, son," The old man pleaded softly. "Why must you hold it against me? I am old, boy, there is no need to spill blood... I'll be going away soon, anyway.."

"They told me to do it." Tsukasa mumbled.

They told him to.

He could not put his weapon down. He couldn't. He couldn't, he had to do what was told of him.

It was... all he could do. It was all he was supposed to do. Why was this man saying otherwise? It wasn't fair.

This isn't fair. Not fair, not fair, not...!