Where Light Dies

8. The Taste of Affection

With each step he took.

Can't... see...anything...

The haze grew thicker.

Fog?

He was dragging himself along the wall.

"Blake ...," a soft voice called out to him.

Not losing control...

Footsteps echoed in the distance.

"Blake..."

Not losing anyone...

The ringing in his ears was getting louder by the second. His name was being called out from the darkness behind him, each time a different sound. But why did they sound so muffled to him?

No.

"BLAKE!"

Never again.

With a dull thud, he collapsed on the road.

-- Dayton, Surface -- 2015 --

"What the hell was that?"

"Were those bones?"

"All that blood..."

"What the hell is this thing?"

The voices came to him in echoes, as if they had bounced off several walls to reach him. His vision seemed to be failing him, blurred outlines making up most of what could be humans. Right next to him was a brilliant cascade of gold, or was it, amber? He raised his hands to touch it, and soon, the echoes stopped. Blake tried to focus his blurry vision, but it seemed too hard to do at the moment. As his fingers brushed against the soft and silky rivulets of aurum, a pair of keen hazel orbs closed in on him, staring deep into his sunken red eyes.

Is that.... hair?

"Can you hear me?"

"Who are - " the boy croaked, struggling to respond.

"Can you hear me?"

"R-Reyna?" Blake responded weakly, his vision slowly regaining sharpness. He brought himself up, shuffling back to the wall.

The world whirled around him as it came into focus, the dulled senses gaining slow yet definite momentum. His vision cleared up, presenting him the full view of what lay before him. A room lit by a single lamp, a doubtful teenager next to him, and seven terrified adults with their blades unsheathed.

No matter what your actions speak, a woman's words rung in his head, You will always be a monster.

"We've got some questions for you," said Reyna with her knife held sharp over his chest. Blake didn't hear a word of it.

You can run from it... the voice continued as Blake's heart thundered within his frame.

"Hey."

Or...

"Hey!"

You can embrace it.

For a few moments, there was utter silence.

Then a smirk, from Blake.

Without any further remorse, he lunged at the pointed blade, driving it deep into his chest.

You're bound to it either way, his mind screamed, confusion giving way to a thunderous rage.

"You really are something aren't you?" Blake snapped, a hideous grin spreading all over his face. The Harringtons froze in horror as they bore silent witness to the demon in front of them.