Finding Darkness

Chapter 14

My head rests on my arms, which rest on the sill, all my tears spent. My body is slumped forward, and my breaths come out in shaky gasps. The past hour has been spent by reliving the times of freedom I had. I don't even care anymore how long those humans are staying. I just want to kill my brother and get the fuck outta here. I check my internal clock to see how many hours till night. Three. This is gonna be a while.

Tar enters the room. I give no reaction to his appearance. He sighs. "That was the police," he reports before I can ask.

Still not moving, I ask without letting any emotion to my voice, "The what now?" Guess I'm just as clueless about humans as Astral.

"You don't know who the police is? The ones who enforce that law?"

I slowly shake my head.  "Still not getting it." And I mean the "enforcing the law" part.

So, Tar gets into the tiresome explanation of the "police" and what their job is. Protecting people's "rights" and seeing that "justice" is sought. Seems kind of familiar, no?

Once I have a grasp at their job, I ask, "What did they want?"

His voice grows grim. "They said that since the killings, they're going to patrol the streets at night to catch and arrest the murderer."

The knife finds its home above Tar's head. "Who says who gets arrested, hmm Tar?"

"Wh-what do you mean?"

I click my tongue at him. "Well, this won't do, now will it, ne?" I say calmly. Under that calm is the bubbling rage that has built up over the years. My calm demeanor conceals a sensitive bomb. The slightest touch could set me off.

Tar begins to get nervous. He's seen me like this more than enough times to know that I'm angry. "P-please calm down, Number 96," he pleads.

A thought comes to my mind. "How long will they be patrolling the streets?" I ask a little too calmly.

"All they said was they were going for several days. They didn't specifically tell me."

I clench my fist. "Did you give any indication that you're hiding something?"

Tar crosses his arms and sighs. "Give me some credit, Number 96. I know how to handle the police."

I sigh. Three hours have passed quickly. Night has arrived. Such a shame I can't enjoy a few hours of freedom. Or can I? I grin. Before Tar can stop me, I jump through the window to go outside.

"Stop!" Tar runs to the window. "They'll catch you!"

I plant my hands on my hips. I smirk. "As long as I don't attack, no one will catch me. I'll just go out for some air and free space." Then I mutter, "With the occasional deaths."

Tar hears this and frowns slightly.

I cross my arms, feeling defensive. "If it makes you feel better, I won't kill tonight." The thought makes me unhappy, but at least I won't get caught. So really, it's for my own security.

Before any more arguments can be exchanged, I take off into the night. I make myself invisible to humans as usual and circle around the buildings, looking for something to do. Finally, I decide to pay Astral another quick visit.

I follow his energy all the way to his house. I feel too lazy to remember the way there. I peer through the living room window, where Astral sits on one of the chairs, clearly unable to go into his trance. I grin. One of the effects of my blood in someone else's body. I begin listening to his thoughts.

What is going on? Why can I not rest? This has never happened before; why now? Why is it still bleeding? And why black?

I let myself in the house by floating through the door. "Hello, Astral," I greet.