ECHOES OF THE DAMNED (ENG)

CHAPTER VII - Rubbles

Matheo stepped back from the scene, the aftermath of his brutal act lingering in the air like the smoke he was about to conjure. He peeled off his shirt, revealing the glistening sheen of sweat and blood that clung to his skin. With deliberate movements, he pulled a crumpled pack of cigarettes from his pocket, shaking one free and placing it between his lips.

He lit the cigarette with a flick of his lighter, the flame illuminating the darkness around him for a brief moment before he inhaled deeply. The smoke curled around him, mingling with the oppressive atmosphere of the hospital, as if it sought to blend in with the horrors that had just unfolded.

Sitting on the cold, hard floor, he leaned back against the wall, the weight of his actions settling in. The casualness of his posture was a stark contrast to the chaos he had just wrought. He exhaled slowly, the smoke escaping his lips like a sigh of satisfaction. The world outside felt distant and muffled, as if he had stepped into a different realm where only his twisted desires existed.

With each drag, he let the nicotine calm the storm within him. He glanced at the motionless forms of Adrianna and Alexis, their final moments a testament to his newfound strength. 'Just another day in the life,' he thought, taking another drag.

As the last wisp of smoke dissipated into the darkness, a chill swept through the room, causing Matheo to shiver despite the warmth of the cigarette still smoldering between his fingers. The shadows twisted and shifted, and suddenly, Marie materialized before him, her figure cloaked in the eerie glow of flickering candlelight.

Her presence was both familiar and terrifying, the embodiment of the darkness that had consumed him. The air thickened with tension, and he dropped the cigarette, the ember hissing as it hit the floor.

'My dear,' she spoke, her voice a haunting melody. 'You have succumbed to the very darkness I sought to shield you from.'

As she reached out, a wave of energy washed over him, unlike anything he had ever felt before. The sinister hold of the curse began to unravel, and with it, the overwhelming power that had surged through him receded like a tide pulling away from the shore.

In an instant, Matheo felt the raw pain of his actions clawing at him, and he was left gasping, the memories of his brutal acts crashing over him like a relentless storm. As the darkness retreated, he was left vulnerable and shaken, confronted with the gruesome reality around him.

He looked down at the lifeless bodies of Adrianna and Alexis, their faces frozen in terror, a reflection of the horror he had unleashed. The weight of guilt pressed down on him, suffocating and relentless. 'What have I done? Did I...do that?' he whispered, his voice trembling.

Marie watched him, her expression a mixture of sorrow and resolve. 'You were never meant to bear this burden,' she said softly, the warmth of her voice cutting through the coldness of the scene. 'You were never meant to overuse my gift to you.'

The world around him began to spin as he grappled with the reality of his choices. He stumbled back, disoriented, and tears brimmed in his eyes as he realized the depth of his transformation. He was no longer the boy who had stepped into Colbert Hospital; he was a vessel of rage, a puppet to the malevolent forces that had taken hold of him.

With a heavy heart, Matheo fell to his knees, overwhelmed by the desperation to reclaim the humanity he had lost.

Matheo pushed through the hospital room door, the air thick with the stench of decay and despair. Confusion clouded his mind; he could not recall how he had ended up killing Adrianna and Alexis. Each step felt foreign beneath him, as if he were a stranger in his own skin.

He stumbled into the dimly lit hallway, his heart pounding with a mix of fear and uncertainty. Shadows danced on the walls, whispering secrets he was not ready to hear. 'What have I done?' he thought, the remnants of a nightmarish fog lingering in his consciousness.