Crewmate

8

I finally managed to get rid of Ezra. Holy fuck, he's been on me like a hound, and I don't mean that in a sexual way, which would be much preferred. Instead, he's just been keeping a close eye on me, never letting me out of his sight and insisting that he has to be with me at every moment for my "safety".

Look, even if he wasn't doing this because he thinks I'm the imposter, I would still be very annoyed. Maybe I'd be even more annoyed than I am now. I mean, at least I know he has a good reason for being a helicopter. Nonetheless, it's not healthy for our relationship, but then again, our relationship is based entirely on my lies, which also isn't healthy.

I hate having to lie to him, in all actuality, but I have to. Otherwise, he'll know that I'm the imposter. Even if he loves me more than his own mother, he still wouldn't be able to deny a confession. If he had certain proof that I was the enemy, he'd kill me in a heartbeat. He wouldn't even hesitate, unlike I would. He'd just do it, but he wants to know for certain first. He wants to be sure that it's me before he makes a mistake.

Of course, he couldn't keep his eye on me forever. I'm a slippery one. He turned his back for a second, and I vented to another room. I just needed to escape. I've got to get another murder in, even though it could damage his trust in me. Just as much as I crave Ezra, I crave death. I need him, but I also need to kill.

My steps echo through the empty hall a little too loudly for my liking. It's too quiet. I check each room as I pass, and I gradually get more irritated as I go. It's like as soon as you want to kill someone, they all disappear, but they have no problem bugging you at every other time of day. Jeez, can't I catch a break here? Ezra's probably already looking for me, so I don't have much time. I just wish someone would just show up already! Why aren't people lining up for their executions?

I check inside communications and still find no one. I groan and start back down the hall. I almost give up, but then, I see her. I stop in my tracks, and so does she. Both of us stand facing each other, tense like predator and prey. Yellow's only a few feet away from me in the opening to storage.

I can feel the tension between us, so thick I can hardly breathe. She knows exactly what's happening. A smirk grows across my face, and I can practically smell yellow's fear from here.

"Hell-o," I tease her in a malicious voice, and her eyes widen in terror. She starts to walk backward, but she trips over her feet and falls to the ground. I walk towards her at an unsettling pace, and she desperately tries to crawl away from me. Her breathing quickens as she kicks her legs, trying to find her footing to stand and run. She finally scrambles to her feet and scampers away from me. Cute, she thinks she can escape, but don't they know I'm faster?

I chase her down the hall, and I feel my body start to shift. The pressure builds in my stomach before my body splits open in a sea of black tentacles and razor-sharp, serrated teeth. I reach forward and wrap my appendages around her. A few go around her waist, but another wraps around her head, obstructing her vision. She raises her hands, trying to pry the tendrils away from her, but I am merciless.

I squeeze her helmet tightly until I feel her shield crack beneath the pressure. I loosen my grip just the slightest amount until the glass slips from between us, minus the few pieces that stick into my smooth scales coated with saliva. The shards fall to the ground with a soft tinkling, and distantly, I think I can hear yellow's screams, muffled by the large black mass now covering her face and mouth.

I tighten my grip on her and pull her body into mine, engulfing and devouring her flesh. Her blood runs over her yellow jumpsuit, soaking it in dark red stains that surely won't come out in the wash. I savor the feel of my teeth sinking deep into her delicate skin. Her taste is divine, like thick liquid metal with the slightest trace of something sweet that leaves me gasping in pleasure.

I send a tendril through her stomach, and her body collapses into my powerful clutch. She stops struggling, her limbs going limp and falling to the floor. Her chest ceases to rise, but her blood still flows in thick waterfalls from the lacerations covering her skin. I drag the rest of her lifeless corpse across the now warm linoleum and into my gaping mouth, consuming her completely. Then once I am satisfied with my meal, I fold my extra limbs back into my body (along with my teeth), and I return to my more human-like form.

I look around me and sigh with content at the scene I've left. It's nauseating chaos of blood and chunks of yellow's mangled remains that escaped the tangle of extremities that protruded from my being just moments ago. Dark red cakes the floor and drips from the walls like wet paint. The smell of iron hangs rich in the air, but I don't mind it in the slightest. In fact, I relish in it, taking in a deep breath and committing the scent to memory.

Then, I turn around, and all the high from the kill dissolves into nothingness at the sight of his face. "Ezra..."

The pain in his eyes is undeniable, quite like the happenings he just witnessed. His broken heart is on display for me to see, and I feel a pang of incomparable agony pierce through my chest. He's just standing there, wide-eyed and vulnerable. He doesn't even glance at the gore surrounding me. He just stares into my eyes, making his disappointment in me evident, and it brings me nothing but aching torment. I feel the tears well up in my eyes, and I feel a sob form in my throat.

"Ezra, I'm sorry," I choke, but he doesn't respond. He just shakes his head slowly and takes a step back from me. Is he afraid of me?

I take a step forward toward him and slowly reach out, but he steps back again. I cringe despite understanding the action. Understanding doesn't make it hurt any less though. I try to take another step forward to him, but he holds his hands out in a defensive position.

"Stop," he says in a broken voice, so I do.

"Ezra, I'd never hurt you," I reason with him, but he shakes his head again.

"I know. I know that, but I don't... I'm not afraid of you, but I... Please don't come near me," he clarifies in a shaky voice.

I feel like that makes it hurt even more. He's not afraid; he just doesn't want me. He just doesn't love me. He just doesn't want me near or around him because of who I am. He just hates me, and it's the worst feeling I've ever felt. I love him, and he can't even stand my presence.

I open my mouth to speak, but I see Ezra's eyes flick behind me, looking at something. For a moment, I'm confused as to what caught his eye. Then, I realize.

I never caught pink.

I whip around, but I'm not quick enough. I feel something hit me in the side of the head with enough force to knock me to the ground. My body crumples to the sodden floor, and my head slams against the tiles, making my vision swirl obnoxiously before I black out completely.

It's over.

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Ach, one last chapter! SO EXCITED. This will be the first book I've ever finished! Wowie. Hope y'all enjoyed!