Death's Stigma (NanoWriMo14)

Chapter 7

Grim was the only one still up when Nadia opened her eyes. He had already pulled the tube out of her chest once he was sure all the blood was out of her lungs.

"How you feeling?" He said walking over to the table.

"Like a hell hound sat on me then tried to burn me alive."

"Just go back to sleep, as long as your leg doesn't get infected again you'll be fine tomorrow."

She nodded and her eyes closed once again. Grim made his way out of the apartment and took the elevator to the top floor, then the stairs to the roof. He kicked over a garbage bag to reveal a intricate summoning circle. He pricked his finger with a knife and let a drop of blood hit the circle.

"Fulcrim, get your scaly ass up here."

A yellow scaled lizard man clawed it's way out of the portal that had formed.

"What the fuck Fulcrim! I convince death to make you a deal, give you a chance to regain your humanity, then you spit in my face and fail to do the one job I ask you to do!"

"What do you mean Grim?"

"I mean, why the hell did we have to preform back-alley surgeon on my friend after hell hounds attacked her!"

Anger radiated from Grim and the lesser demon pulled back a little in the circle.

"Chill Grim, yelling isn't good for your blood pressure."

Grim took a step forward and knife apeared out of his sleeve.

"Alright, Alright, I'm sorry. The hounds a special order, direct from the boss lady herself. She even had some humans open a gate on this side."

"Next time I won't be so forgiving, so next time make sure you warn me about what that bitch is send through. Got it." He said menicingly.

"Got it." The demon said then disappeared into a puff of smoke. Grim covered the portal up and fumed.

"You know he's right Grim, yelling isn't very healthy." Grim instantly recognized the gravely voice and bowed.

"Yes Lord Death."

"Relax Grim, I'm not here on buisness."

"Then why are you here?"

"A warning. You know I am powerless in this world right."

"That's what we are for."

"Trouble's brewing down bellow. Skyra is gathering power and her forces, but she is keeping them hidden." Grim clenched his fists and let out a sigh. "Grim, I know how angry you are but I need you to focus."

"Lord Death I have served you for the last two years and all I ever wanted was to kill that bitch. Now she's making a power play and you want me to focus."

"What she did to you is wrong, but you know the living can't enter my realm."

"Damn it!" He slammed his fist into the rooftop door. "I can't do this boss, not right now. I can barely sleep and tomorrow it will be two years. I just can't." He said falling to his knees. "She was only fourteen  years old."

"Grim, I cannot pretend that I know how mortals feel. What happened to your family and their souls was wrong, but I need you to be strong. You are the teams leader and they rally behind you. What will they do if you give up?"

"What do you want me to do!" He said jumping up. "Just ignore the fact that tomorrow I have to sit there knowing my baby sister would be sixteen if it wasn't for Skyra. Sit there knowing I slit my wrists two years ago because my family was wiped out. One fucking day out of the year is all I ask to stop being your perfect soldier and be human, at least give me that."

He turned to look but Lord Death had already dissapeared. Grim wiped away the tears on his face and went back down to the apartment. He grabbed a bottle from the cabinet and locked his bedroom door behind him.

...

Nadia was jerked awake by someone pounding on a door.

"Grim, can you hear me?" Ryan yelled.

Nadia slowly sat up with a groan. She swung her legs over the table and stood up.

"What's doing on?" She asked.

"Grim locked himself in his room and what are you doing up?"

"Here I can get the door." She drew a small glyph on the lock and it clicked. She leaned in and said. "Grim, you in here?"

She couldn't see him in the room. The bathroom door was ajar and it was the only room with the light on. She pushed the door open and gasped. Grim was sitting on the floor. In one hand was a mostly empty bottle of scotch and the other was a razor blade. Scattered around him were photos and drops of blood. Angry red slashes covered both of his arms.

"Grim." She said quietly. His hair was disheveled and he reeked of alcohol. He was mouthing something but he couldn't here him. She kneeled close to him.

"I'm sorry Kelly, I'm so sorry." He whispered. She grabbed one of the photos and looked at it. Grim was dancing with a girl. She was the spitting image of Grim with slick black hair, porcelain skin and intense blue eyes. He raised the razor blade and Nadia put a hand over his arm. Instead of his forearm he made a shallow cut across the back of her hand. He stopped whispering and looked up.

"Nadia?" He said suprised. She hugged him and he went limp against her. His body shook and she pulled him closer.

"I'm here Grim, I'm right here."

7531 words, so many words so little time.