Ghosts of the Past

Chapter 20

Kaneki had her against a wall, hand on her throat, so fast that her mind took a few seconds to realize the situation.

When she finally realized what was happening, her hands shot up to pull Kaneki's off, her body struggling to get free. "Kaneki! Stop!"

"I told you to leave." His hand was slowly squeezing her windpipe. "I told you to go away before I hurt you. You didn't listen, and now you want me to stop? I warned you. Your stubbornness and stupidity blinded you."

Tears burned in Lily's eyes as she desperately struggled. "Please, stop!"

"You're stupid, naive, stubborn, and weak." He growled. Kaneki could feel his ghoul eye burning behind the eyepatch. He wanted to let her go, but his hunger wasn't satisfied. It made him sick that Lily smelled so good.

Lily didn't know why he was doing this. She didn't know why he so badly had wanted her to leave. He said he was going to hurt her. On purpose? Unwillingly?

"I'm insane." Kaneki managed to speak. He let Lily drop to the floor, the girl breathing heavily against the wall, gulping for air that Kaneki had refused to give her before.

"W-What?" She looked up at him, fear in her gaze.

The bloody, gaping hole continued to pour blood while the substance dripped from his lips, though it looked as if he couldn't even feel it.

"I'm insane, Lily." He repeated. "I'm unstable. My mental health isn't good, and when I'm injured, it's even worse. This is the last time I'm telling you. Leave this dorm and go back to your room. Don't call anyone and don't get help. If you don't do so, I'll let the last bit of sanity I'm gripping to right now go, and I'll kill you with no hesitation."

"You can't." She protested weakly, not able to understand why he would do such a thing.

"I can. You're smart, so do the smart thing and leave. Leave me to bleed here, leave me to die. Leave me to go insane. I don't have much sanity left right now, and what sanity I do have is slowly dwindling. I can't grasp something so small for so long." Kaneki threatened.

Lily quickly thought of her options.

Kaneki didn't want to kill her, but he wouldn't be able to keep his sanity for long, and she'd be dead if she stayed.

If she left, she would feel guilty for leaving him to die, even if he had begged her to do so.

If she was going to die, then it was best to do it while trying to save her best friend.

"No."

Kaneki let tears stream down his face. "Please, Lily." He begged, voice cracking. "Leave, please. Please, dear god, please!"

"No. I'm going to die right here if I have to. I'm not leaving you. I'd be a horrible friend if I did." Lily denied.

"I'm a horrible friend." Kaneki sobbed.

"Why is that?" Lily asked.

"Because you smell so good!"

Lily's face turned to confusion, but she never got to ask before the killer intent she'd felt before emitted from Kaneki. His gaze turned to complete insanity and hunger.

"Flesh!" His cry was that of a psychopath, craving to kill.

He leapt forward at inhuman speeds and ripped her shirt, biting into the flesh on her shoulder.

Lily shrieked in pain and her body was frozen in fear. Was Kaneki eating her?!

The cannibal hummed and pulled back, looking into Lily's eyes. "Delicious." He laughed.