Finding Darkness

Chapter 9

Part 2

~Black Mist~

Idiots. Gullible idiots. Doesn't anyone think before listening to anyone if my level of evil? Apparently not.

I stare at the stars as I describe the world we came from. The world I was kept prisoner. Astral sits next to where I lay, listening intently to every word I say. Gullible idiot. He's confused most of the time he's on missions, which works to my advantage.

"That is where we live?" he asks almost in a whisper when I finish (not like that to you dirty-minded readers!).

Insert evil grin here. "Yes. The Light Forces are keeping you from knowing where you come from." Seriously, why did Astral believe that I'm here to just tell him that? Seriously, why doesn't he suspect me to be the killer! Baka (look that word up, reader! Hint: it's a Japanese word). Still, score for the unseen one!

Now, you might be wondering how I remain unseen. That's right, I'm talking to you, Ana! Don't think I don't know you're reading. What? The rest of you weren't wondering? Well, I'm gonna tell you anyways! Thanks to my underling who lives here, I have a decent place to stay for the daylight hours, and I can just make myself invisible to humans at night. My servant would never tell a soul that I live with him if he knows what's good for him. Besides, he wants to get rid of Astral just as much as I do.

"I must go now," Astral says as he gets up. He drifts tiredly over to where he lives with that idiot human child.

As I watch him leave, I start thinking. There's one problem with that picture. Can't really put my finger on it. Oh, yeah! He looked tired. As far as I know, we don't get tired after one day of sleep. I grin. The gift is working like a charm.

I hear a sudden static buzzing in my ear. I jump at how much it pierces the inside of my ear. Damn sensitive ears!

I groan in annoyance. "What?" I demand.

"It's almost daylight, Number 96," my servant answers. "You should get back."

I sigh, deliberately making myself be heard to show how irritated I am. "Fine. I've finished what I need to do anyways." I push myself up until I'm hovering upright. Now that I'm looking around, I can see that humans are already up. I plant my feet firmly on the concrete and push off into the nearest shadow. "Seriously, we need to fix our communication system," I tell my underling.

"Don't worry, Number 96. I'm working on it," he answers.

"It makes my ears hurt like crazy whenever you're calling," I complain as I make my way to my place. "You'd better hurry up or I'll be half deaf, and you know how much we hate being unsymmetrical (Soul Eater Kid reference! What? You don't know Death the Kid? Screw you then!), even in little things like hearing."

"Well, that's kind of ironic. You're pretty unsymmetrical yourself."

"I know, I know. It's a disgrace."

"Don't beat yourself up about it, Number 96. None of us are perfectly symmetrical."

"Don't use those blasted words on me! I have no idea what 'beat yourself up about it' means!"

"I'll explain later then. Over and out."

I glance skywards while I move. Judging by the sun, which isn't very high, it's barely five am. Humans must really like being up so early. I myself would much rather be resting for the night.

I dart from shadow to shadow, not letting myself be seen by humans. Yeah, yeah. I know what you're thinking: why don't I just use my invisibility ability? It only works at night. I know, bummer. That's the whole reason why I stick o the shadows during the daylight hours.

Finally! I see the battered old building where I stay. I'd have preferred a hotel, but the idiot wanted to keep that sorry excuse for a house. So, I reluctantly agreed. The next human I stay with had better be loaded.

I slip easily into the single window of my dark room. I sigh with relief, leaning against the wall next to the window. This is still better than my prison cell where I stayed in my world. The door opens, and my servant walks in.

"Oh splendid, you made it," he says in that silly accent of his. I can't really tell what it is. He is a shadow against the hall light, but with my vision, I can see that he's smoking again.

"Keep smoking around me and see what happens, Tar." The nickname I gave him two years ago fits perfectly because I heard someone say once that smoking fills your lungs with "tar." I thought it would be a nice name. Well, as nice as I can be...which isn't very nice.

"Number 96, why don't you ever call me by my real name?" he asks. His voice holds a hint of whining. I hate whiners.

I rub my temples. "I don't call my servants my their real name. I don't need to explain it again." I sink down on the floor, still leaning against the wall. The beginnings of a headache pound in my head because of the smoke.

Another human enters the room, and I carefully slip behind one of the many boxes and barrels (BARRELS!) in my room. This human isn't aware of my existence, much less my stay here. I intend to keep it that way.

Tar and the other one discuss something apparently important. I remain out of sight, which means I can see absolutely nothing. That irritates the crap out of me.

Suddenly, I hear footsteps. Tar desperately tries to stop the intruder from getting nearer, which makes the other human want to see even more. I realize to my horror that the sounds are getting nearer and nearer to my corner.