STRANGULATE | Markicest

31 | DOUBTS

The moment Mark opened his eyes, dread numbed him to his core.

He sat up to find the sun barely rising, its beams shyly poking out from the horizon. Birds chirped from the forest, their songs happy and upbeat.

Though he was still tired, he forced himself to pull the blankets off him, rubbing at his eyes and grabbing that cursed glass vial from the night stand. He swung his legs off the bed and opened the glass vial, dripping some of the paint on his hands. As he massaged the pure black into his skin, miles away, Ethan was getting ready.

Ethan looked at himself in the mirror like he always did, blinking away the black of his scleras so they turned white. More human—no longer like gaping holes peering into his skull.

"I'm already on the way," he said to his phone as he combed back his hair. Konray spoke through the line, childishly impatient.

"I can make the serum by myself," she said. "I've got Sojour's list out already!"

"You're not making it until I get there," said Ethan, forcing on a shirt and pants. He grabbed his phone and headed out his room, going straight for the door. "I'm the one who needs this. Not you."

Konray groaned as Ethan slipped on his shoes.

"Fine, fine," she said. "When'll you be here?"

"A couple hours," he said. "I have to get through Centauri Park before I can get into the City."

Ethan grabbed his keys and went out the door, opening his car and sidling into it. He gave a huff, propping his phone up onto the dashboard.

"You know," said Konray through the line. "Word spreads fast here in the City—especially the slums. Rumor's going around that—"

"You can tell me about it later," said Ethan. The car rumbled to life, and he pulled off the side of the road, heading towards the Evolved City. "I'll see you then."

"Oh—by the way, Blank—"

"Ethan."

"I don't actually have anything ready," Konray said, and Ethan could practically see her sheepish smile. "You have money for the supplies, right?"

Ethan rolled his eyes at that. Of course she didn't.

"Yes, I do," he said. "But we're only getting stuff from the Market."

Konray made a sound of protest, then gave in with a sigh. "Fine. See you soon."

"See you soon."

And as Ethan hung up, Mark opened the door to his room, staring down the long hallways.

Mark ran his hand along the walls carefully, that thrumming pulse of power faint beneath his fingertips. A few streaks of black smudged on the walls but he could care less—too far in a daze to notice.

Today is the day, was his constant thought. The day I'm sent to that madman.

He'd only ever seen Antinstine on the television once—other stories of him either through articles or outright myths. Stories of sheer power, outright slaughter and massacre... Antinstine was the paragon of what all humans knew Evolveds to be.

Monsters.

Mark took a deep breath and sighed, closing his eyes to find the path to the Dark's room. That blue light flashed beneath his eyelids, and he reluctantly continued through the hallways. His feet felt like lead—dragging with each step.Or perhaps he were in quicksand—every passing moment bringing him closer to his inevitable demise.