Matthew

Bad blood

I was off the porch and tugging Kindle inside before I even fully processed what I was seeing. Ryan was quick to swing open the door and slam it shut after us, staggering for the bucket of blood Kindle dragged behind him before it could tip over.

I accidentally knocked over the potted plant by the door in the process, but it wasn't a critical casualty.

Ryan set the bucket by the door in the corner of the hallway, turning back around to stare at Kindle with a bit of shock. The demon seemed completely and utterly unbothered by the various bleeding holes in his form.

Jade rounded the corner to see what all the noise was about, and immediately stiffened once she saw Kindle. She looked the demon over as I dragged him through the hallway, passing me calmly as she went to retrieve the bucket of blood.

"There's a first aid kit in the library." She said cooly, the crystal pendant swinging on her neck as the turned away. Then, under her breath. "Don't get any more blood on my damn carpet."

"Would you mind explaining what happened?" I snapped, Kindle looking back at me as I shoved him forward. He seemed calmer than he should be as Ryan trailed behind us.

We entered the library, cautious where we walked to avoid the demon traps. Surprisingly, we never ended up wandering over them. Part of me wondered if Jade happened to take a few apart.

Then the other slapped me and told me how much of an idiot I was. Then it did it again.

"Relax." Kindle voiced as I fussed over the dripping scarlet gouges.

I glared at him as I wandered into the bookshelves. I rummaged around a little bit as I searched for the first aid kit my aunt mentioned.

"Sit." I ordered Kindle, pointing over to the spinning chair that I had once stood on about a week prior.

The place where I looked where I shouldn't and brought the book home that started it all. It was strangely symbolic, I think. And it just reminded me of how much of a failure I can be. People often called me out for it, but I'm starting to understand I really am impulsive.

Eventually, I found a small rusted looking box. It was placed against the wall behind some green glass bottles that held who knows what. I shuddered at the posibilities.

A faded white insignia on it made it blatantly obvious that it was what I was looking for. I struggled with the first aid a little bit as I tried to open it. A few of my nails, which, were rather long for a guy, broke in the process.

"Does it even hurt?" Ryan questioned,  poking his chest. His eyes blew wide when a bit of blood transfered onto his fingers. The demon just made a sour face as Ryan hurriedly wiped the blood off on Kindle's shirt.

"It's uncomfortable." He said slowly, eyes wandering over to me as he sat down.

The kit finally snapped open, and a few rolls of gauze, band aids, empty syringes and needles stared up at me. It would work.

I looked back to the demon, and admittedly, the sight of so much blood and injuries drew my thoughts back to the vision, and I grimaced. I still needed to know what I saw.

Kindle started working off his shirt as I started back over at him. Admittedly, I hesitated, and rolled my eyes when he looked up into my face. I could feel myself turn red when he smiled. Why would he smile like that? Something else was a bit off too. Were his irises...pink?

I shook it off, and steadied the gauze in my hands.

"Now, would you mind explaining what exactly happened to you?" I voiced, frowning at the five penny sized holes in his chest. They looked familiar, in a way.