The Tainted

Mania

I didn't know then that just one night could destroy what little of a life I had built for myself. But looking back, even if I had, there's no way I could've stopped him.

The sun had set early that evening and had given way to a heavy darkness, the kind filled with thick midnight that sticks in your lungs like tar. Stars battles with the night to through their weak light onto the damp streets below. I watched as figures shivered underneath thin blankets, looking tired and tattered. Despite me not quite fitting in with the other homeless I sure looked the part. My was dark hair matted with grease against my head, just covering my sunken eyes and my once pale skin saturated by dirt and littered with bruises. My torn clothes stunk and hung off my body like rags. I melted into the shadows, leaving behind the empty echo of engines in favour of a deafening silence. I moved slowly through the back streets and alleys, never leaving my armour of darkness. I was going to leave this city soon. Maybe head to somewhere bigger, like London, somewhere I could disappear. Sometimes it was nice to be nobody. I kept walking until I'd lost myself in the maze of this city, not really caring where I was going or where I would end up. I stared upward and saw the moon high in the sky, telling me I had hours until the sun would rise.

It was as I returned to my wandering that the ache began. It began as a dull pain in the coils of my stomach and at first it was so small I didn't notice it, but as I walked first the feeling grew and a heavy sense of dread settled on my chest. I knew what came after this but still I tried to fight it. I needed to get as far away from this place as possible, find somewhere isolated so maybe a life could be spared. My feet had began moving before I noticed. I ran at a desperate pace, hoping beyond all reason that maybe this time I resist the darkness that festered inside me. Suddenly my feet gave way beneath me as a sharp searing pain ripped through my body, sending me crashing into the concrete. It felt as if something was trying to tear its way out of me making me scream in agony. Each time felt more terrifying from the last. Maybe this time it would finally be the death of me. I began to claw at my skin which felt like it was melting, blistering and bubbling over my screaming muscles. My breath as forced out of my lungs as the overwhelming sense that I was being crushed set in. Poison raced through my veins, clouding my eyes and smothering the sound of piercing sirens around her. My body convulsed in the darkness. I felt my whole self sinking. Falling fast as merciless fury and uncontrollable hunger took control over every sense. I was trapped now, with no escape until the monster released me. I had lost again.

My head felt like it was going to split open. I barely had the energy to open my eyes. I lay there still for a few moments in attempt to still my spinning mind and allow my vision to clear. I was staring at a dusty grey sky; it looked peaceful. It made my chest ache. Every one of my muscles was screaming in pain and each breath sent agony tearing through me making my eyes water. A sickly sweetness saturated the air around me and a metallic sting lingered in my mouth. Blood. It was all around me; I dragged myself upright and stared at my trembling hands. They were sticky and black in the frail light, but I knew that when the sun rose the blood on my hands would be as stark as my guilt. I felt sick. But it was the slumped corpse not 2 meters from me that made my heart drop. They lay half in the shadows, my victim, the face turned towards me at a strange angle, their features twisted in terror. I could only imagine their suffering and wished that they could've been saved. Their body was scarred with cuts and black and purple bruises bloomed across their dirty skin. They were young; early twenty's at most. I had taken everything from them. They could've had a chance, maybe, to live a normal life, a happy one.

I began to sob. Bitter and desperate tears leaving clean trails through the dirt on my face. I wanted to die. Like so many of my victims, but I couldn't, I had to endure this violent and bloody existence. I lay there for what seem like hours, but could've been just minutes. The reality of time is lost on someone who doesn't want to live.

When dawn first began to touch the sky I lifted my head. Pale light filtered into the narrow alley where I sat, casting long and looming shadows. I knew I had to get away from here before the morning, but I couldn't bring myself to move, my heart as heavy as my limbs. But I didn't deserve rest. I dragged myself onto my feet, wincing as a sharp pain shot up my left leg. I braced myself on the wall next to me, cursing under my breath. I must have injured myself last night. But it didn't matter now, I needed to leave, and fast. Fleeing under the soft caress of sun's first light, I made my way through the maze of streets, not caring where each turn took me as long as it was far away. However after a while the pulsing pain in my leg became too much and I finally stopped, my body shaking with adrenaline. There was a patch of wet blood on my trousers but I couldn't tell if it was mine or my victims. I laid my head back on the wall behind me, trying to catch my breath. It was then I heard it, the quiet but unmistakable sound of soles on the damp floor. I froze. I pressed myself against the wall, wrapping myself in shadows, trying to stifle my raspy breaths. It was then that they walked into the pale light. They were tall and dark and menacing. I let out a small gasp. They turned sharply to where I was standing barely visible in the remaining darkness, staring at me but without expression on their face. I only caught their gaze for a moment but I knew suddenly that I had to run. Their eyes glowed a deep gold flickering with light that made my hair stand on end, they were both familiar and alien and neither was a good thing. It took me just a second to burst into movement. I leapt into the powerful flow of the wind and fled. I drew the last of the mornings fleeting shadows around me and raced through the air as if the very hounds of hell were snapping at my heels.

As the streaming light of the sun touched my face as I ran. I didn't know who or what they were but I did know that I wanted to be as far away from them as possible. Unfortunately my injured leg was becoming cold and stiff. I stumbled in my desperate flight, crashing to the ground. Without the wind racing past my ears, I could hear them again, footstep gaining on me. I raised my head to see a tall brick wall looming over me. I was at a dead end. Trapped by either side by tall warm houses. I scrambled to my feet, turning only to find my exit blocked my pursuer. They stepped a little closer. I was shaking with terror now. I had one last chance, make it past him and find my was to a main street before he caught me or I passed out. I had to try. I bolted across the gap between us and slipped past him. I went to breath a sigh of relief but it was trapped in my through as strong fingers wrapped themselves around my throat, yanking me back. I was raised into the air then slammed into the wall behind me, their relentless grip crushing my windpipe. There was a sharp pain in my right arm as a needle was pushed into my skin. My feet twitched helplessly. Those fiery eyes stare into my soul as I feel my limbs turn numb.

"Hello again Umbella" they whisper as they lean close to my face. I try to look back at their face but black spots flicker in front of my eyes and I can feel blood soaking through my hair. I struggle weakly, the life being choked out of me. Then the tight grip was gone and I dropped lifelessly to the ground. As the emptiness of unconsciousness consumed me I felt powerful arms lift me and carry me into the fading night.