Killer Behind the Screen

Chapter 2: That New Home Smell

The two of them walked to the house in silence. Elliot's head spun and thoughts were racing through her head.

    Prey? But he's helping me. why? If Lazarus didn't try to fight him, he must be strong. Why doesn't he just kill me?

    Once they arrived at the house, he lead her to a bathroom with first aid supplies and a fresh pair of clothes. Elliot wasn't sure how he knew to have these here but she cleaned herself up and bandaged her back. Before she put the clothes on, she stared at herself in the mirror. Her dark brown hair reached to her shoulders. Her face was gaunt and her green eyes were unusually pale. Her body was skinny and lanky, malnourished from the weeks of being locked in Lazarus's basement.

    She hesitated to grab the clothes, the shirt was a men's shirt but it was nice. It was a plain grey long sleeve shirt. There was a pair of blue-grey sweat pants that made her already small body looked smaller and a pair of socks.

    She opened the bathroom door to a living room. Her head began to reel, she swore the bathroom was attached to a hallway. She peered out to see Habit sitting on the couch with his head tipped back and a hat over his eyes as he mumbled to himself. Suddenly, he stopped talking to himself and spoke to her.

    "Ya know it's kinda rude to sneak 'round and shit?" he gestured for her to sit in the recliner as he pushed his hat back to look at her. She padded over and sat down avoiding eye contact.

"Well?"   

"Huh?"

"No 'thank you'? God, I mean I saved your fuckin' life and nothing?"

"B-but I thought-"

"Thought I'd kill ya'? Nah that whole 'prey talk' was a bluff, yeah kid, if I was gonna kill you, woulda proly done it already,"

  "I don't understand, what's so special about me?"

"You see, you've been around that demon prick- alone, for like- uhh year now? Yeah about, anyway, most people he either kills or leaves alone," Habit paused to think what to say "You're... different. Yeah. . . You'll be useful,"

"Is that last part supposed to be a compliment?"

"Fair, Oh I never introduced myself. Now this person you're lookin' at, his name's Nick, he's a vessel, he's not important; but the one your talkin' to is me, Habit,"

"I-i'm Elliot "

"I know who you are," Habit smiled, teeth sharp but it wasn't malicious but genuinely amused and she felt more at home.