Malicious Tales

Chapter 5

    Salem was worried. He was generally a laid-back kind of guy, the happy-go-lucky, devil-may-care type. He wasn’t the kind to be anxious over much, even when they were running for their lives. But maybe that had something to do with it. They weren’t running. They weren’t even moving. Felix and Fallon had left nearly a week ago, and Malice still hadn’t even gotten out of her bed. She hadn’t eaten or spoken. He wasn’t even sure she went to the bathroom, but that was probably impossible. Salem had made her food every day, but every time it was just left on the floor, untouched. He even made spaghetti Bolognese for her, which he knew was her absolute favourite, but still she wouldn’t go near it.

    Salem sighed as he looked for something to eat, finding the camper’s fridge empty. He had wasted it on Malice, and now it just looked like he’d have to go hungry. He couldn’t drive, he wasn’t exactly sure where they were in the first place so he couldn’t walk, and it sure didn’t look like the Necromancer was getting up anytime soon. Sighing again, Salem curled up on the couch, trying his best not to cry. Somebody had to be strong around here, didn’t they?

    Malice was lying in the same position she had fell into after Felix had left. She hadn’t moved an inch. She couldn’t. Even though she heard Salem trying to speak to her, and she knew he was worried, she just couldn’t  bring herself to move. She had been strong her whole life. When she was a child, she would be beaten by her peers, the guards, her father, all because she was a filthy half-breed, but still she remained strong and she got back up, over and over again. When she got a little older, she had been strong enough to get herself and Felix out of those dungeons, and ever since then, she’d been staying strong for her family, so that they would be safe, so that they wouldn’t worry. But now that Felix had gone, she didn’t want to be strong. She wanted someone else to be strong for her. A single tear rolled down her cheek as her thoughts roamed to the Faerie once more.

    Felix was nervous. He knew he shouldn’t have gone against Malice’s judgement. But he also knew it was too late to turn back. He was trying to remain nonchalant so Fallon wouldn’t be afraid, but it was getting increasingly more difficult.

    The pair had arrived at Sanctuary the day before, and Felix had instantly realised it was indeed a trap. It wasn’t glaringly obvious, and Fallon didn’t seem to notice at all, but he did. There was about fifty hybrids there in all, and about a hundred Risen surrounding a very small perimeter. Of course, it could have just been the Risen trying to keep their new citizens safe, and that’s what Felix tried to tell himself, but he knew it was a lie. He could hear the screams in the distance. Screams of hybrids that had asked to many questions, hybrids that tried to escape. The half-Faerie knew they weren’t there for “a better life” as his father had promised. They were there to be lab rats. Pets. A gloating factor for the Risen.

    As if all that wasn’t bad enough, he still hadn’t gotten any Pixie Pills. His hunger was getting progressively worse, and already his teeth had begun to cut into his lip where they had sharpened too much, and his Faerie markings had extended down to his neck.

    He just hoped Malice would come rescue them soon, before he lost the little control he had.

    Salem couldn’t help it. He let the tears slip out and he sobbed softly, letting the despair take over. He couldn’t deal with everything. He was sure that most nineteen year olds didn’t go through the stuff he and the others did. He thought if everyone else had to go through it, there would be a lot less people in the world.

    He jumped when he felt a hand on his cheek, looking up to see Malice, finally out of bed. Her crimson eyes were bloodshot and her usually pale face was red, as though she had been crying too. But the Malice he knew would never cry.

    “Come on, Salem, don’t you go all soft on me now, eh Kitty-cat?” she teased, smiling softly. Salem ignored the silly nickname, leaping onto the Necromancer and wrapping his arms around her. Malice was momentarily shocked, but slowly, she wound her arms around the half-Daemon, petting his hair.

    “Mal.. I-I’m so glad you’re alright, I was so w-worried. I.. I thought he broke you,” Salem sniffled, his voice barely a whisper. Malice said nothing, staring off into space, ignoring the mention of Felix. Salem could tell he’d said something he shouldn’t have, and so he too chose to remain silent.

    The two sat like that for hours, neither saying anything, content in their silence, until there was a knock on the camper door. Malice shot up out of her seat and straight to the door, flinging it open and holding a flame to their visitors face. At first she thought it was Synister, but then she realised her mistake as she spotted the whole Fallen army behind the familiar figure.

    “Malicious, my dear daughter, how you’ve grown. Though I must say, your living standards don’t seem much better than your old cell,” Lord Ruin greeted her, and that was the last thing Salem and Malice could remember before the darkness suffocated both of them to unconsciousness.