Born of Chaos and Grace

Chapter Nine: Stay - Part I

The bodies are both cold and doll-like, the faint indigo tint of their skin accented against the metal table they rest upon, arms limp at their sides. Closed eyes stare up at the ceiling, never to see the light of day again. Blood no longer colours their flesh, and the veins the liquid life had pumped through can be seen beneath their translucent skin as it's drawn taut against the bones. Both don identical incisions in their abdomens, the cut running jagged yet precise, as if the assailant meant for it to be a pristine mess.

Laine traces the path the cut takes with her eyes, noting the clean lines done with practiced ease.

The cut starts at the top, near their ribs, where the instrument had punctured the skin with a light prick and then delved deeper at a slow pace until it was lodged in their skin and muscles. It travelled downward and tore the tender flesh apart, threads of sinew ripping apart one at a time. The instrument had gotten caught halfway through its travels and it was pulled up an inch to relieve it of its fixture before it dived in again – not too deep, but deep enough to slice through each piece of flesh in the way. By the time it had reached the end, the incision was complete and a signature was left behind.

When it had reached the end just below their belly button, it had stopped for a split second before it was yanked upwards, pulling away a piece of skin along with what it had been searching for all along. The victims had long since died due to the trauma and severity of the incisions, their lives ending before they had any chance to even attempt to stop what was happening. Their stomachs were drawn apart in perfect symmetry down the center, and the life they had been guarding within was snatched from them without any remorse.

Claw marks were left on each of the victims, three in total and akin to a signature for the work the demon made of these women. To Laine, it seemed as if the demon was proud of her work and wanted to show her masterpieces off to the world, signed neatly with her name so no one else can take recognition for her work.

She wants to be sought out, she wants to be found, and by God, they will find her.

Yet, during the entire time the horrible act was being committed, no blood had been spilled and gotten in the way of the prize the demon was after. It was as if their life essence had been frozen in their veins, their hearts failing to pump the evaporated substance to where it needed to be.

This is what confuses her beyond measure; how this could have happened without the spillage of what every human has flowing through their bodies. Even an insignificant little paper cut causes blood to rush to the surface, so how a gaping wound did not spill a drop baffles her.

All of the medical examiners that have been called in to analyze the body to see if they could determine what exactly had stopped the bleeding had come up blank, only getting a result regarding a paralyzing toxin that hasn't existed for hundreds of years. They all said it to be impossible or a fluke, yet every time they re-examined the substance, they came to the same results as before. It confused them and frustrates the two hunters beyond belief.

They finish talking to the examiners as fast as they can, excusing themselves once they have an opportunity before they rush out of the laboratory and into the vacant hallway.

"This doesn't make any goddamn sense," Laine huffs and runs a hand through her hair, eyes closing in frustration.

"I know." Dean leans against the wall opposite the laboratory doors, a hand shoved inside the pocket of his black slacks.

She opens her mouth to say something, but an officer walks past them and she waits until he rounds the corner and is far enough out of earshot before speaking.

"We need to figure out what this thing can do, and fast, 'cause if she can paralyze people, we're kinda fucked," she states as she fishes her phone out of her pocket, tapping a few times on the screen.