Of Monsters And Men | Discontinued |

Episode Eighteen - Visitor

Evren wakes up cold. She heaves herself out of the bed. Rot is restless, twisting and churning in her gut, pushing her to her doorway.

'Someone is here.'

No one should be at her apartment. She glances at the window. It's the middle of the day. She hesitantly told the two her address the night before, right before she slipped from the window, Rot already forming over her skin to take her away. The had nodded, already sorting something else out between the two.

The front lock clicks. Her heart leaps to her throat. No one should be able to unlock that. She slips into the kitchen, cramming herself under the kitchen cupboard. The door swings open, gently being shut. She holds her breath, Rot gently grasping her lungs. It feels weird, but not uncomfortable.

A man slips into her small view, the crack just enough to see his silhouette. Dark suit, short curly hair. Her heart tugs in her chest, tight and hard. She frowns, pressing her hand over her ribs. It beats so loud in her chest, leaving her wondering if the man can hear her.

He turns, eyes darting, and her heart slams to a stop. James- James Wesley. That's James. Her James. She tries to spring from the cupboard, to cry and fall into his arms, but Rot pins her into place, forcing her to remain still. She opens her mouth to scream, to scream for James to help her, but nothing escapes her throat. She doesn't remember him- not really- but she knows him. His favorite color is blue- dark blue, he hates light blue. His favorite food is Boeuf Bourguignon- a French food she had never eaten before she met him.

Her gaze lands on the ring in his hand. Rot is screaming, screeching in her ears. She tries to cover them, to shout for the alien to shut up and leave her alone, to tug at her hair until it's ripped out, fistfuls in her hands. Rot flings from her skin, smothering her, wrapping around her until all that's left is a hulking beast exploding from the cupboard with an agonized yowl, her scream finally tearing free. The man- James. James James James.- stares at her, eyes clouded with silent tears.

"Evren?"

Her heart shatters. Fragments dig into her stomach and lungs and she can't breathe. That same voice welcomes her with open arms to the organization- welcomes her into his own arms with a kiss that swept her off of her feet and flung her into feelings that she never had before. Not like this. Never like this- this was so different. Like a wildfire, burning her cheeks every time her gaze strayed on him for too long, or the fire in her eyes as she smirked and led him into her apartment for the first time, then the second, and then every time after that.

And now James is staring at her as her lungs heave, Rot's flesh burning her skin as she squirms inside of him, desperately trying to reach for him. Rot snaps, bellowing as it digs its claws into his head, into hers, dragging claws down her scalp and temple and cheek. She can feel her blood soak into Rots flesh, the creature almost greedily drinking it. She screams, the sound silent to everyone but herself. James is there, right there in her reach, yet she can't fall against him and cry in relief and let him protect her.

No, for is there for that- Rot will protect her.

"Evren," James whispers, reaching out tentatively. "Evren, I'm here. I-I promise." He takes a tentative step forward. "What did they do to you?"

Rot flings them out of the window.

She can't even turn her head, can't raise her cement arms to reach for him as her James lunges after her, tidy suit tearing on the nail that has always poked out of the windowsill, his glasses nearly slipping from his nose, his mouth curled in desperation. James, who's always been so good at keeping himself composed, loses himself as he cries for her.