The leaves crackled under the broken soles of my filth-ridden shoes as I walked. Shivering, I pulled my coat tighter around me to stop the angry winds that tried to freeze my body. The looming mansion before me seemed to sway in time with the limbs of the trees and the sky became grey with a type of hatred that no one could ever begin to understand. Light streaks suddenly filled the sky. Rain poured from the black hole that had taken over the heavens. I walked quicker, my steps turning into a slow jog and then finally, into a frantic sprint. All around me were the whispers of the trees that filled my body with a paralysing fright and my head felt heavy. It was like I had turned into a statue; frozen and unable to move a single part of my body - including my eyes - meaning I couldn't tear my gaze away from the distance. Then, I ran.
My hard footsteps mimicked the pounding of the rain and my breath, disguised as smoke, swirled arrogantly in front of my eyes. Pushing my braided hair away from my face, I carried on. The trees turned and reached out to grab me with their gnarly fingers while my plucking stray hairs from my head. All hope by now had disintegrated as I watched the flames lick the sky in the distance. The scorching heat could be felt from miles away and my skin tingled at the thought of what had happened. I covered my ears with my gloved hands in an attempt to block out the painful screams that the wind carried. With no more fight to give and no more will I could muster, I slowly let myself sink to the ground. My sweat, my blood and my tears mixed in with the mud and the rain as I struggled to keep consciousness. I could still see the angry flickers in the distance and my stomach lurched with guilt.
"This is my fault...." I whispered psychotically. "My fault..."
* * * Earlier that day * * * *
I grabbed my keys and quickly stuffed my feet into my combat boots, ready to leave the house. Crossing my bedroom, I caught my reflection in the mirror; my skin, once tanned was now pale and my eyes that used to sparkle green now had been dulled as if a fire had been put out within leaving a frosty glare in its place. The person in the reflection was a mere shadow of my former-self, yet it seemed fitting for the person I had become: cold, hard and ruthless. I looked away and hurried down the stairs. As I passed my foster mother Naomi I shouted my goodbyes and left the house. I turned in the direction of my destination and set off.
The hospital looked abandoned on first glance, showing no signs of life to the uncaring eye, yet looking closer, you could make out the occasional movement within and daring to come nearer, the smell of antiseptic, rot and chemicals would cling to your skin like a child clinging to it's mother.
"I'm home..." I sang into the building, making my way further into the hospital. My eyes met with the familiar sight of children's bodies in piles on the floor and lights flashing as the equipment carried out its purpose. The dead lay in mounds: some with limbs and some without, others disfigured and many rotting away; a constant reminder of my failures in the past. Despite this, I carried on with my experiments on the next subject. The needle lay waiting for me. Smiling, I picked it up with one hand while holding the next child down with the other as he screamed in protest.
The child's cries fell on deaf ears. "Please! No! Put me dow-" His sobbing instantly stopped as the needle punctured his warm flesh and the blue liquid merged with his blood and he fell limp on the metal table. Suddenly, the small figure started to convulse and writhe violently while white froth poured from every hole in his body. Until he became stationary. My hopes deflated in that moment as I realised this was just another failed attempt at my end goal : creating something even Danté would be impressed with. Without a second thought, the body was tossed among the others yet my attention was stolen by something flashing in the midst of the heap. My hands rummaged among the flesh to find the device until my fingers curled around something metallic and solid. Once pulled out, it twisted in my hands and my eyes grazed over it to determine what this was. It clicked. A live stream video camera... Anger flared inside of me and an urge to destroy became too powerful to resist. My hands found a metal bar and I smashed the device into tiny fragments of metal, glass and wires.
"Come out, wherever you are... Tick tock goes the clock, you've watched these children cry, tick tock you have one chance, your time has come to die...." I laughed manically, waiting for the intruder to reveal them self.
A woman emerged from the shadows of the room. Tears ran down her cheeks as she spoke. "Raven..."
The voice was familiar and my mind connected the voice... Naomi. Perhaps it was the chemicals, but my eyes filled with tears. A choked sound emerged from someone yet I realised it was me. Her hands shook as if she had a fever and her eyes matched her feverish tone, darting around the room like she couldn't decide where to rest them. A while passed, until they came to a stop on me. I could not force down the feeling of disappointment that was arising but this only confused me further. Why should I be the one to feel inferior, when the work I was doing here would make me superior; a god among mere humans like her. I said nothing. I moved nowhere. I watched everything.
Her hand opened to reveal a lighter and an empty oil can. My heart plummeted. "I'm so... sorry.". The lighter fell from her hands towards the floor and it was as if time itself had frozen; holding it's breath in anticipation.
Flames engulfed the room as I screamed. One by one the deceased caught alight, burning like they still held the life they once had. Chemicals exploded and glass shattered - a visual representation of what my heart felt like. Now desperate, I struggled to find something worth saving however my attempt was in vain. Everything I had worked towards was now ashes. I looked for Naomi but was greeted by her lying on the floor: half decimated, half preserved. The sight sickened me.
"No..." I couldn't believe it. It were as if I had been punched in the stomach. Naomi, the one who had cared for me - the only one who had cared for me - now lay dead on the floor along with every other worthless body. I couldn't take it any longer. I needed to get out. My priorities had switched from saving my work to saving myself. The only option was to run. So, I ran.
