The Devil's Blade

𝟿 || 𝙳𝚎𝚜𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝙳𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜: 𝙰 𝙷𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝'𝚜 𝚂𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚐𝚐𝚕𝚎

I play with the blades of grass on the ground, my gaze fixated on the small grave we had made, bearing Noé's name inscribed with stones. The gentle wind caresses my face, and the warmth of the sunrise falls onto my cheeks. I withdraw my hands from the grass, picking the remaining blades off my fingers. Traces of dried blood still lingering on my fingers, prompting unsettling thoughts that it might be Noé's blood. I forcibly shake the thought off, turning away from the grave, hoping to protect my fragile mental state.

In the distance, I spot Liam and Jude approaching from the house, carrying a bag.

"Are you coming?" Liam asks as he is near me.

I nod silently, unable to meet their eyes. Noé's death had temporarily diverted their attention from my own ordeal, but I knew their questions would resurface again, and I had no idea how I would answer them.

As we trudge northward, my mind churns with the weight of recent events, offering me no respite. The air thickens with tension, and the quiet crunch of leaves beneath our feet forms a disconcerting soundtrack to our journey. On our way, Liam shares some fruits among us that he had taken from the man's house. The flavors do little to distract me of the bitter taste of the haunting memories that cling to my thoughts.

After what feels like an eternity, we decide to take a break in the shelter of a densely overgrown forest. Fidgeting with my fingers, I feel the anxiety building, the blood on my fingertips serving as a gruesome reminder of the horrors we've endured.

The air becomes charged with an unspoken heaviness, none of us having said a word to each other ever since the tragic evening. I glance around, desperate for a distraction. That's when I notice it— a distant rustle, a subtle breeze across the surrounding leaves. The sound increases as an ominous growl resonates through the forest. Panic sets in, and Liam, Jude, and I exchange alarmed glances.

Jude, sensing the imminent danger, takes charge. "We need to move, now!" he declares, urgency in his voice.

As we scramble to our feet, a figure emerges from the shrubs, its eyes gleaming with malevolence. It's not alone. A pack of predatory creatures surrounds us, closing us in. Panic sets in, and our group is forced to retreat, stumbling through the thick underbrush as the creatures follow behind us.

The forest becomes a maze of twisted branches and tangled vines. Our breaths quicken, and fear tightens its grip on us. We manage to put some distance between us and the pursuing threat, but the adrenaline-fueled escape leaves us on edge. It's in this heightened state of vulnerability that we pause for a moment, seeking refuge under the low hanging branches of a colossal tree.

I sit against the trunk, Liam settling beside me while Jude paces. As I attempt to calm myself, I notice that I'm unable to stop shaking. I raise my hands and see tracks of black veins covering them while they twitch uncontrollably. The realization dawns on me that the events that appeared in the house are not confined to its walls. I hide my hands between my tighs, praying that it would come to a stop.

Meanwhile, Jude seems to be done contemplating, and walks our way. Seated in front of us, he opens both his hands, reaching out to ours and locking his gaze with us. "I've thought it through, and I've decided that, no matter what happened in that house, we're going to make it to that safe place. Together, at all costs," Jude proclaims.

Liam locks his hand into Jude's, holding it tightly. Jude's gaze turns to me, awaiting for my response, but he notices that I'm internally struggle to hold myself together.

In concern, both Liam and Jude let go of each other, looking at me with confusion.

"Alex..?" Liam questions as he reaches out to me.

I shake my head; It's all I can do in this frantic state. 

The twitching starts to increase, accompanied by the unsettling sound of bones cracking, yet I feel no pain. My breathing becomes more irregular, and I turn away from them, a cold sweat forming on my forehead.

"Alex, it's okay." Liam's voice reassures me from behind.

I'm changing and it's happening rapidly. Just like in that room, where I can't recall anything from. My head races with questions in my panicking state: If I can't even remember the act I comitted there, then what happens to Liam and Jude when I change? And Liam knows— he knows that I'm changing, so why is he protecting me?

I turn to face them again, my urgency growing. "How... How can you say that? Can't you see me? Why are you protecting me?" I fire a barrage of questions.

Liam rushes towards me, cautiously reaching out as if I were a wild animal, and places a hand on my shoulder. "We're staying together, alright? I'm not leaving you behind," he declares, his eyes betraying a mix of concern and fear.

I stare into his eyes, desperately wanting to believe his words, but my body has other plans. My vision distorts, and I groan as the unexplainable whispers wage war in my mind.

"It's okay!" Liam insists, determined not to let me go.

I push him away. "Stop saying that!" I yell, my voice louder than usual. Liam doesn't retreat; instead, his expression becomes even more concerned than before.

I fall to my knees and groan, gripping the fabric on my chest as I wrestle with the voices in my head. In the background, I can hear Liam's faint voice, calling out to me, but I refuse to hear any more of his reassuring words. I'm monster. Just like that man said. He should've— he should've just killed me when he had the chance.

I can hear Liam's footsteps approaching me, before I feel a hand on my shoulder. His act is like a trigger to my anger when I turn around and basically jump on top of him.

"Alex..." Liam starts, his facial expression shifting from concern to fear.

Completely aware of my actions, I begin to press against Liam's throat; a strained groan escaping from under my breath as I tighten my grip.

"Alex...please." Liam's eyes start to fill with tears.

I can hear rustling from behind me, and while Liam's gasps intensify, I hear Jude's pleading voice begging me to stop. I freeze, as I watch tears stream over Liam's face. The anger fades as if it was never there, and I release my grip, my eyes darting frantically from my hands to Liam. I can hear Liam coughing and struggling for breath.

I glance up at Jude, who dropped his weapon to the ground, his facial expression filled with relief.

"It's okay Alex, you can kill me. I don't care." Liam says with a quivering voice.

His kind words feel like knives to my chest. Despite the wound I inflicted on him, Liam manages to protect my action by turning his own pain into a protective embrace for my dark intents. Jude, hesitantly holding up a weapon conflicted between saving his friend but hurting the other.

I'm nothing but a danger to them.

In the grip of overwhelming despair, I unleash punches upon the unyielding ground, my frustration boiling over into tears. In a painful contemplation of making the right decision to ensure their safety, my sobbing continues with intermittent groans of frustration.

"Go." I tell them, with the little voice I have left.

"No." Liam protests.

"Go! just leave me here." I say more forcefully.

Jude looks me in the eye with a mournful expression, we understand each other with just a look, eventually he wipes his tears away and grabs Liam by his arm.

"Let's go."Jude tells him, softly.

Liam struggles to free himself from Jude's grip. "No! I won't leave him here!"

"Let him go..." Jude begs Liam trying to convince him.

"No! You have to stay with us, please!— Please..." Liam says his voice crying and begging.

I watch as Jude pulls Liam away, increasing the distance between us. Liam, still struggling and fighting in Jude's grip, continues to call out to me, but eventually their so far away I can't even hear their voices anymore.