Tell No One

Chapter 12

"Kiera." Kiera ripped her attention around from Zeke, bristling at the confusion. Behind her, and the dead end of the valley, stood Mera. "I wouldn't play with him if I was you." Kiera felt a stir of anger in her, and as she whipped her head back around, she saw that Zeke had disappeared, ran off whilst her back was turned. 
"What the fuck Mera." Kiera's voice was ice cold, infuriated at Mera's meddling. Here she was, getting some real answers when Mera intrudes. Kiera bet he was the one who let Zeke loose too, disabling her wall. Mera raised an eyebrow at her response.
"The fuck is, that man would've killed you." Kiera felt a wave of shock go through her, but she didn't let it show. She wouldn't give Mera the satisfaction. Kiera still felt pissed. 
"Why's that, Mera." Kiera refrained from spitting the words. The red haze still hadn't left her vision, and she found herself struggling for her last strand of calm. 
The air was thick with tension, Vestigueonly the patter of rain breaking the silence. She was close to snapping, and Mera knew it.
"A Vestige inhabited his body. He could've killed you in a heartbeat. " Kiera knew she should've been thankful that Mera stepped in, but she didn't want to feel anything positive for him. She also knew she should ask more questions, follow up on what Mera said. In fact, he was waiting for it. Instead, Kiera crossed her arms and glared at him.
Mera's face mirrored her stony expression. But, with a resigned sigh, he explained.

".... meaning, he was technically 'possessed' by a Vestigue, a malevolent force. Much more than you possess." Mera half chucked at his own pun. "You were just lucky he was dormant at that time."
Kiera still had so many questions. Did Zeke know? Could he really have killed her? How did he know to get here right now? But Kiera voiced none of these right now.
"Mera, you're here to report on me, not keep me safe. If I'm going to die, let me die." Mera's face revealed a degree of shock at her words, but quickly returned to the cool, sly mask he usually wore. "Besides, how did you know to get here?" Mera didn't miss a beat. 
"Lucky timing." Kiera didn't believe it for a second. His arrogance, his composure, he knows something more. Kiera narrowed her eyes, and Mera narrowed his back, a smile curving his face. The game was shifted in his favor. Without saying another word, Kiera turned on her heel and left. 
***
The rain was beating down heavy as Kiera left the alley. A quick glance behind her, and sure enough Mera had disappeared. Exactly as expected. Surprisingly, however, Kiera still felt angry. Not a mild, niggling irritation, like a bad mood. More of a grasping, grabbing clawing anger that made Kiera want to punch something. The day was turning into night, and already  some of the street lamps had turned on, the sky a darker grey. The streets were still decidedly empty, a few people walking in the rain, umbrella's  held over their heads. Kiera's thoughts flashed back to her friends, but easily shook them off. Scowling, Kiera walked the opposite direction to the Magnolia. Idly, she wondered if the unshakable anger had something to do with Ramatee, but if it did, she didn't care. The rain was still pouring down. by now, she was drenched, and she still had to get back home. But walking along, Kiera didn't feel like going home. She felt unsatisfied, irate. She... she felt like killing something. Killing someone. The old Kiera would've been disgusted by how she felt, but that was before she realised the meaningless of life. She lied outside the confines and rules everyone else lived by. The blood lust pulsed in her veins. She could do it. Kiera had come to the bad side of town, the disreputable side. She had hardly ever come here, if only passing though. The old Kiera hadn't felt safe here. Kiera now could almost see those two sides of herself as different people, one who was conscientious of what people thought, and how she behaved, and one who was now out to take a life.
The water ran into her eyes and it made it hard for her to see, but Kiera caught sight of a dive bar. This'll do. Walking in, Kiera felt as people turned to look, but quickly resumed with what they were doing. No one else paid her any attention. The place was decrepit, filled with old men and hardened patrons, drowning their thoughts in alcohol. Towards the back of the room were some snooker tables, games well under way. The lights were dim, and Kiera could smell that someone had been smoking, several people even. The air was hazy with it. Perfect.

In some fucked up version of a choir, every single person in that room began to choke, choruses of half screams through throats that were smaller than straws. There was a clutter of chairs being scraped out, people standing and flailing, clutching at there throats for hands that weren't there. Kiera took a seat by the door, watching as a room  full of people died in sync. A woman near her had fallen by her feet, still gasping wheezing breaths as she struggled to hold on to life. She reached up, her face turned towards Kiera, one hand reaching whilst the other still holding her neck. Kiera looked at her tired face, the deep wrinkles. Her body was old, worn. Death will be a release. Kiera met her eyes, that shone brightly with fear. Deepening her concentration, Kiera collapsed her windpipe. The woman died almost instantaneously, one last gasp before falling limp with a thud. Kiera returned her attention to the rest of the room. Many had collapsed to the dirty floor, departed. A few were still standing, many more writhing on the ground like fish out of water. Kiera sat there as the last of the people died. Faintly now, Kiera heard the music that had been playing over the bar.  It was surreal, the sea of bodies in a hazily lit bar, with ironically upbeat rock playing. Kiera stepped over the arm of the woman who had reached out to her. Kiera felt calmed, appeased.

No doubt she would be reliving this night when she turned on the news tomorrow.