Birthmarks and Bruises

A New Companion

The smell of smoke still clung to their clothes as the survivors trudged their way through the night, armed with a couple of flashlights and only the small remaining pocketknife from the shop to protect all three of them. With Felix leading the way back towards his home, Andrea and Daniel trailing along behind him, the trio felt somewhat better knowing they had some sort of guidelines to follow for the time being. Andrea had managed to force down the lump in her throat, reassuring herself that she was going to be okay.

Everything was going to be alright.

"Hey um, Felix?" She stammered, still clutching tightly to the ends of her hoodie from paranoia. Felix turned towards her.
"How long is it gonna take..?"
Felix smiled in return. "Not much longer, I promise. Why, are you cold?"
Andrea was almost shocked by how nice he could be. It was almost impossible not to trust him.
"No, but... aren't you?" Andrea replied, glancing at the goosebumps which were starting to appear on Felix' bare arms. The boy shrugged.
"No, I'm fine, actually. I normally get little bumps on my arms like this. Just an old man in disguise, always shaking. I've gotta get used to the cold anyway, we're probably gonna have to venture out in it a lot. And its ok to shiver, I mean I'm probably not actually that co- omph!"  Felix was cut off by a grey sweater being thrown carelessly onto his head. He pulled it away from his face with a huff, shoving it back to the owner.
"Daniel, I'm fine."
"Just put it on."
"No, it's yours."
"Dude! You're shivering like crazy."
"Won't you be cold?"
"No."
"But-"
"Felix." Daniel narrowed his eyes. "Put the damn sweater on. God, it's exhausting just watching you shake." Andrea chuckled a little at the exchange, causing Felix to roll his eyes and reluctantly pull the grey jacket on. It barely reached past his rib cage. Felix snickered, patting the head of his shorter friend and kneeling down to his height.
"Maybe I can borrow your clothes when you start to eat your greens and grow big and strong." He said, in a lowered voice, causing Daniel to turn away and hide his amused smile.
"Hey! I kinda feel as if the roles have changed a little here, Felicia." Daniel mocked, catching the sweater Felix had tossed back towards him. Felix beamed back at his friend.
"I don't know what you mean."

Arriving at the front door to Felix' house, the trio couldn't suppress the feeling that something was off. The exterior looked fine, sure- but Daniel had a bad feeling in his gut as he wrapped his fingers around the handle.
"So, I'm not scared. But..." he released the handle, spinning in his heels to face the other two. "Shouldn't Felix be the one going first? Since it's his house and all?"
Andrea shrugged a little, making eye contact with Felix, who's expression was a mix between trying to be confident and being absolutely scared shitless.
"I guess it makes sense." She said, practically pushing Felix towards the door.
"But.." he started. "What if something's in there?"
Daniel pushed the pocketknife into his hands.
"What, this tiny thing? Dan you can't just-"
"We'll be right behind you. Just scream, like you always do."
Felix kicked him lightly in the shin, annoyed, causing Daniel to snicker. "Yeah! Do that, but probably harder."
"Every single day I get more and more done with your shit Daniel."
"No you don't."
"No, I don't."
Felix took a deep breath, opening the door.

It was dark, and strangely dusty. It had only been a few days since he had left, but everything had already acquired an abandoned kind of tone to it. Maybe it was just the atmosphere. The electric wasn't off or anything, but the group decided it was best to just use their flashlights- if anything was in there, it'd know straight away if all the lights suddenly turned on. Daniel grabbed a knife from the rack in the kitchen, convincing Andrea to do the same, as reluctant as she was.

There was a rustle from upstairs.

The opening of a wrapper, maybe, or litter scattered around the floor being trodden on. Felix halted, raising a finger to his lips and trying to listen closer through the intense ba-dum of the pulse in his ears. He was terrified, but- shoving the fear deep back down inside of him, he managed to listen closer. Andrea was clearly holding her breath. Daniel was trembling a little against him.

What was it? Another Snatcher, as they had decided to name the demons? A person? Friend or foe, at that? He crept up the stairs, his companions keeping close to him. The sound of crinkling and somewhat heavy footsteps emitted from the room, along with the soft glow of his bedroom lamp. He swung open the door, pocket knife in hand.

A sharp pain pulsed through his skull as the feeling of cold plastic met his skin. Rubbing the side of his head, Felix grimaced up at the figure of his attacker- making out a human silhouette. Good.
"Hey, what the hell?? Do you normally greet your visitors like-"
Felix turned around to see Daniel's annoyed expression glaring back at him.
"...that."
As the spots of light dancing in front of the boy's eyes cleared, he made out a clearly feminine, muscular body before him. The girl let out a curious 'huh.' before a leathery hand was swiftly thrust out in front of him.
"Maxine." The figure announced cooly, her voice thickly accented, but gravelly. Maxine was around his height, though maybe a few years older, with jet black hair only just reaching past her ears. She seemed to be of Asian decent, with a thin but muscular frame and an olive skin tone.
"I apologise for that. I wasn't prepared, so I used the closest thing I could to strike you. I can never be too careful about who approaches me." She said.
Laughing nervously, Felix took her hand and shook it.
"Oh, it's okay. I guess this is kinda sudden and unexpected and stuff but I'm glad to find someone else here who's still-"
"Your handshake is pretty weak. I can tell you're the timid and unwilling type." Maxine interrupted, scanning each person from head to toe with her dark, stony eyes. It was Daniel's turn to step in front. "Look, Maxine. I don't know what your deal is or... what your intentions are, but you're actually human. And apart from Andrea here-" he pointed at the girl in question, who waved meekly at the new person. "-we haven't met anyone who hasn't either been turned into a god damn hell demon, or killed."
Maxine stiffened. "So, you know about them." Andrea nodded, shuddering a little as she remembered her traumatic experience. "You know too..?" Maxine nodded, almost robotically, taking a step towards Andrea. Felix intervened, apprehensive of this stranger. Sure, she was a person. But that didn't automatically mean she had good intentions. She merely pushed him to the side.
"I can see you still have much to learn. I do not yet care for you, but either way you should know-" Taking ahold of the blonde girl's head and tilting it slightly, Maxine peered at the birthmark decorating her neck, tutting.
"That right there..." she released her. "Is your death sentence."