STABILIZER ││➴ 𝒯𝑜𝒹𝑜𝓇𝑜𝓀𝒾 𝒮𝒽𝑜𝓉𝑜 𝘹 𝘖𝘤 ➴

【➀】

▤▬▤▬▤▬▤▬▤▬▤▬▤➴𝒯𝑜𝒹𝑜𝓇𝑜𝓀𝒾 𝒮𝒽𝑜𝓉𝑜➴▤▬▤▬▤▬▤▬▤▬▤▬▤

"Spare me! Please! Have mercy!"

The floor beneath him bore the grotesque testimony of violence, marred by crimson stains that seemed to tell a gruesome tale. Kneeling in the midst of this macabre scene was a middle-aged man, his visage bearing the brutal imprints of a merciless beating, rendering him unrecognizable to any who might have known him.

Facing him, a solitary wooden table stood amid the dimly lit room. Upon its dusty surface perched a figure, barely discernible in the absence of light. The lone window within the desolate confines of the house was shrouded in heavy curtains.

Within the shadows, a subtle movement betrayed the presence of another. Despite the lack of illumination, the form seated upon the table exuded an unmistakable femininity, its contours defined by the feeble light that managed to pierce through the thick drapes.

Though his vision was clouded and blurred, the man's senses remained acute. The figure shifted once more, akin to the delicate quiver of leaves stirred by a gentle breeze, prompting a involuntary shiver to course through his battered frame. Though he fought to conceal his fear, his trembling body betrayed the unnerving reality of the situation.

"You know the drill. Speak the truth, and voila, you'll be set free in no time," the woman declared, her voice weaving through the air with a deceptive serenity, seemingly as serene as an angel's whisper. Yet, beneath the surface, she was anything but celestial.

"I-I'm clueless, I swear!" stammered the man, his words a hesitant murmur, caught in the clutches of fear. "I have no information to share! I don't know anything!"

"Really?"

"Yes! I truly have no knowledge! Someone tasked me with caring for the children. In exchange, he promised payment. That's it. Please believe me," he pleaded, bowing his head in a repetitive motion, his last two words echoing in the dim space. "I'm clueless about why they're here and where they came from."

The shadow emitted a chilling chuckle. Abruptly, the window pane shattered, the curtain erupting into a violent dance as sunlight flooded the room in sporadic flashes. In that fleeting moment, the man's eyes caught a glimpse of the woman's countenance.

 She wore a black-laced mask, concealing half of her face, leaving only her eyes and lips exposed. A high ponytail restrained her hair, and as the fractured sunlight cast a fleeting spotlight, the details etched themselves into the man's memory.

Anyway, even if he could recognize me, he'll soon die

Gazing down upon him with an unmistakable disdain, she thundered, "Liar!" Her voice resonated through the room, an accusatory force. "Take care...? Are you implying you were tasked with caring for these children?" She cast a scornful look over her shoulder.

The gruesome scene unfolded behind her – ten unconscious children sprawled across the floor, their pitiful forms marred by cruel lacerations.

"I understand now. I wasn't aware that 'taking care' meant severing fingers and etching their skin with a blade," she declared, her words oozing with biting sarcasm, a macabre revelation of the true horrors hidden beneath the guise of caretaking.

She extended her legs , a languid stride carrying her towards him. Panic seized the man as he attempted to move, only to realize he was held captive by an unseen force.

"Please! Spare me!" he pleaded desperately, his words a pitiful refrain. Why was he immobilized? What mysterious power did she possess?

She halted, gracefully lowering herself to kneel before him. "Fear not. I won't end your life. Instead, I'll take care of you," she declared with a predatory gleam, forcefully lifting his chin.

A chilling smile contorted her features, causing his eyes to widen in terror. "No, no, please, spare me!" he cried out, but her sinister expression remained unwavering, a malevolent grin etched upon her face.

With a fluid motion, she raised her left arm, and the knife that had rested on the table materialized in her hand.

"Shh..." She signaled for him to hush. " I'll attend to you until my associates arrive," she intoned with an eerie resonance. "Sounds good? Yeah?"

He sweated profusely, a sense of impending doom enveloping him. This was a dire situation; he should have exercised caution.

Vigorously shaking his head, she grinned. "That's the spirit!"

As she casually twirled the knife, a furrow appeared on her brow, a momentary melancholy crossing her face. "But, considering my lack of expertise in tending to grown men..."

Her expression then brightened. "How about I care for you just as you cared for those children? Hmm?"

"Have mercy, I beg you!"

Releasing his chin, she stepped back. With a casual wave of her hand, a faint bluish glow enveloped his entire form. Flicking her hand once more, his right arm extended forward autonomously. Despite his frantic struggles, his body seemed to defy him, as if it were no longer under his control.

Without a moment's hesitation, the knife deftly descended, severing one of his fingers, and a spray of blood splattered in all directions, mingling with his anguished screams.

"Aaah!! AAahH!"

Relentlessly, she continued her torment, slicing away another finger. "My, my, what a loud voice..."

"N-no more! Please! Ple-please!" he pleaded, his voice strained.

"Eeeeh~? I was just getting started!" she tilted her head, wearing an innocent smile. "Isn't it ironic? You subjected the children to this too. I imagine they begged you to stop..."

She sighed, the stench of blood forcing her to pinch her nose. A moment of discomfort flashed across her face as she stood, biting her lips until they bled.

"Anyways. They're here," she declared, stretching her arms with a rough rotation before turning her back to him.

Approaching the windowsill, she ran her fingers over it. The shattered glass pieces on the floor lifted, suspended in midair. The shards then pierced themselves, assembling like a puzzle. In a matter of seconds, the window's glass was restored to its flawless state, reverting to its former perfection.

Throwing one last glance at the man, the knife danced once more, cleanly slicing the remainder of his fingers. His agonized cry pierced the air, and he succumbed to unconsciousness.

"Karma's a bitch," she muttered, just as the door swung open right on cue.

▤▬▤▬▤▬▤▬▤▬▤▬▤➴𝒯𝑜𝒹𝑜𝓇𝑜𝓀𝒾 𝒮𝒽𝑜𝓉𝑜➴▤▬▤▬▤▬▤▬▤▬▤▬▤

6/1/2024