Cold-Blooded

Unseen Danger

 The scratches on the walls had multiplied since the last of my memory. The day was drawing ever nearer. The day all would end. A chill filled the previously humid air and I craned my neck hearing the quiet footsteps draw nearer. The sounds were almost masked by the timid water drops I had grown so accustomed in these caves. I was far too intelligent to be fooled by nature's ploys to allow others to catch me unawares. I quickly dropped into my enclave hiding myself from view of the new comer.

"Gavryn?" A young girl, no older than eleven peered forth into the gloom. "Sir Gavryn? Are you there?" I panicked and tried to flatten myself down further and grunted as my weak knee gave out again. The girl perked up at the sound, even as it reverberated through the chamber. It wasn't long now before I was discovered, so I moved out standing at my full height hoping the stature of a disheveled mad man towering over would be enough to deter her from staying. A quiet smile tugged at her lips.

"Sir Gavryn, I'm happy I could find you."

I scowled. It had been many years after my outburst. No one had come or spoken with me in a long while. Not after my attempt at a warning.

"What do you want... girl." My voice was dry from lack of use, and only continued to remind me of my solitude. The girl paused, looking down at herself, before turning back to face me.

"Right... Are you as mad as they say?" I grunted, but my eyes were drawn to the many tallies lining the cave walls. The girls eyes darkened, an untouched wisdom glinting deep inside.

"Well then." She clasped her hands together happily. "I am still assuming you believe in this apocalyptic 'devil' of yours?" Though she was a young girl, her voice seemed much older than her years. Her tone had grown to a formality I hadn't heard since my youth.

"Only a madman would speak of such things." A flash of a smirk appeared, and the girl swept off the peeling piece of skin on her hand.

"You wouldn't have tried to warn the others so vehemently if you didn't believe it. And you certainly wouldn't have given up your title for it. The question is, do you still see it?" A burning fear had risen from my gut and I stepped back.

"I don't know what you mean."

"Oh, don't go all soft on me now." There as an air of disappointment in her words. She stopped, her hawk-like eyes running from my head to my dirt crusted feet. "Ah, good. You do. That will make things easier." I moved backwards and felt my back press up against the wall. She ran her fingers through her hair, pulling a large chunk of it out into her hand. She sighed and the strands fell gently from her hand. Flicking the last few hairs off her shoulder she reached past me and brushed the lines etched in the stone just over my shoulder.

"You know... you are a little off in your counting." I looked over in surprise as she used her unnaturally sharp nails to scratch the final two marks. The nails broke and splintered off before ripping open her fingertips. The ear-splitting sound of nail on stone echoed in my skull as she shook off some of the blood droplets. The blood spatters slowly trickled down the wall before dripping on my trembling feet.

"Can't say I am going to miss this one. Keeps falling apart." She took a small step back. "You look much stronger." My eyes widened and the girl coughed, a flash of fear evident in her eyes as she hunched over gagging. A spot of black ink splattered on the ground as the girl threw back her head and I could only watch in horror as four death-black fingers reached out of her mouth. The girl kept choking as the putrid demon pulled itself out of her. It's soulless form lay intact just in front of me as the girl empty shell collapsed behind it. The demon smiled and slid forward, its yellow eyes flashing as it lunged for my head. I scrambled along the wall trying to find some way past it, but it latched onto my face wrenching my lips apart. A scream arose in my throat, but it was squelched as the demon propelled itself downwards. The cold darkness settled deep in my bones and the thing stood up inside me, compelling my limbs up. The demon flexed my arms, and smiled with my mouth. I... it stepped over the girl's crumpled form on the ground and exited the cave breathing the crisp mountain air facing the village.

"Now let's start that apocalypse you were so worried about. Wouldn't want to disappoint."

What do you think? Unanswered questions? Theories? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for reading!