Madness

chapter 17- reality devours

Waking up was hard, especially when dreams were better than reality. There was a fleeting moment were Elena felt whole, normal but it dissolved faster than flames devour. A carousel of confusion spun through her mind. This wasn't home, it didn't feel even remotely like it. Then again what did?

Groggily, Elena pushed herself up and peered around, her mind still caught in slumber. After a moment of confusion, she realised she was at Luna's. After another moment of confusion, Elena studied the smudge of what Luna was in her memory before recalling that night's events.

Picking through her memory, she felt her insides grow cold. Pushing of a knitted, yellow blanket that had been thrown over her, she found herself much hungrier then she could control. Peering through the window, Elena's doleful eyes studied the unfamiliar, uneven brick roads. It was still night. An idea streaked through her mind. She didn't have to kill Luna.

Silently, Elena made her way out of the living room and down the narrow corridor. She felt herself clumsily stumble in furniture which had a way of becoming nothing more than a silhouette of a shadow at night.

Picking out the spare key from a small, circular tray, she closed the door behind her very cautiously as if not to stir the sleeping Luna. She already knew she couldn't stray too far or that would lead to finding herself roaming around unfamiliar streets and in her mind she knew she was returning. Human company was one of the few ways she clutched onto her sanity. Do things like they do. Become their shadow for at least you know you're acting sane.

She wondered what Luna had saw when the shadowy monster had somehow arrived. Its fleeting appearance left smudges on Elena's eye. Perhaps she couldn't see anything. After all she'd let her sleep on her sofa. Her grim face wore a serious smile. The hunched, miserable shape of Elena steered into the drab, shadowed alleyways. The snow had faltered into a light drizzle of rain.

She wished more than anything that the rain could act as a rubber and wipe her entire existence into nothing more than a shadow of a memory. She wished it could wipe away her sins and her monster-like mask. She wished it could cleanse her damaged soul and splintered mind.

Elena became aware of the town around her, the only sound being the chimes of the church bell ringing some time pass midnight, each voice lonely and cold. The rest of the sounds had been muted as the night grew deeper and darker like the sounds of advancing death.

There was a motion in the darkness, stirring the sinister, grave undertones of the streets. For a moment everything paused, holding in its breath, listening. The sound of loud, clumsy feet tapered off into a hesitant sound. Elena's face became very, very grave. A new-found excitement ushered over her. Excitement told her that whoever was wondering the vast, smoky shadows wouldn't live much longer.

Hushing her own steps, she made her way towards the movement like a shadow, quick, deft but soundless.

"Next time you kill don't hesitate," she whispered to herself, the certainty ebbing from her tone. "It's natural to you. It's how you survive and that's not your fault."

She could make out the outline of the figure now, swaying a little. As she moved closer, the figure became gradually clearer and more defined. Her heart drooped. Instead of a heartless, uncaring teenager or a drunk man who barely remembered their own name, Elena could made out a small child.

She halted, irresolute in front of him. His cheeks were grubby, and tear stained. Misshapen sobs forced its way out of its throat. He ran towards her but not fast enough to outrun the darkness. The snow came to a gradual stop, his face much more visible. He stopped in front of her, tilting is head upwards, squinting at her.