Chapter Forty Three
1085 Words
NINA
Fear.
I once witnessed a disturbing scene involving a police officer and a teenage addict. I had just finished a transaction; the teenager’s sweat-drenched note was still in my palm. I swiftly pocketed it and ducked in a roofed corner using the roof’s shadow as my haven. Then I proceeded to watch.
I watched as the teenage boy’s hands began quivering as soon as he saw the officer’s gaze intent on him. I watched as a trickle of sweat meandered down the side of his head. I watched as his eyes darted between his clamped hand and the approaching officer. I watched as he attempted to move his left leg but failed, miserably. I watched as he stumbled and fell on the ground. I watched as fear devoured him alive. I watched as the boy remained paralyzed, awaiting his fate. Why didn’t he run? Why didn’t he fight his impending doom? Why hand himself to the officer willingly? In my mind, I labelled him as weak. If only I had understood his fear.
* * *
I couldn’t move. My mind was screaming for me to run, for me to fight; I couldn’t. I remained wide-eyed on the ground, burying my nails into the earth as my mouth opened on its own accord to scream. No sound came out. The creatures before me were like anything I had ever witnessed before. They were grotesque, fleshless yet alive, spirits yet embodied. They reeked; their pungent smell brought tears to my eyes or perhaps the tears were a symbol of my fear.
Pa-bum.
Pa-bum.
What was that awful sound and why was it so loud? Was it the sound of the ghouls approaching?
Pa-bum.
No, no it couldn’t be. The ghouls were barely moving.
Pa-bum.
Pa-bum!
There it was again. Incessant, urgent, terrified.
Pa-bum!
Pa-bum!
Slowly I brought my head down to rake my eyes over my chest. I choked down a laugh; it was my heart. The loud, urgent noise was the sound of my heart beating ferociously against my chest.
I was scared to death.
Grim reaper, here we go again.
GUZMAN
He had to do something. The dwarves had retreated leaving the girl as prey for the ghouls. Guzman had never understood Rupert’s ghouls. Weren’t these demon spirits meant to feed on corpses? How come they had the ability to feed on living, breathing, fully functioning beings? Well, his curiosity would have to wait. Right now, there was a girl to save.
“Guzman?”
Guzman slowly turned to regard Rupert who was currently recuperating. He was rubbing the back of his head, his face etched with confusion.
“Where is Roselidah? Did we go hunting without her again?”
Guzman froze.
“Rupert? Where do you think we are?”
“The grounds of course. We are hunting gnomes, aren’t we? Where is Roselidah? She will be miffed we did not alert her, again!”
Guzman swiftly tore his gaze away from Rupert lest he began tearing up in front of him.
“Guzzy, what is the matter?”
Guzzy? Was this some kind of cruel joke? Was this some elaborate farce of some sort? Rupert had not called Guzman by his moniker for a long time. In fact, it felt like the two had not expressed warmth towards each other in a lifetime.
“Listen to me. There is a girl in the clearing. She is human and she is an ally according to Tamara-“
“A human? Ally? Impossible! We must kill her Guzzy!”
Yes. This is the old Rupert. The Rupert who despised humans with very fiber of his being. The Rupert who would do anything for his kind. The Rupert who was his greatest friend.
“I am afraid we cannot kill this one Rupert-“
“Then we burry her alive…”
“That is still killing-“
“Launch your flamed club at her…”
“What do you think killing is?”
“Let me summon my ghouls then…”
“Rupert!”
But he was not listening. Somehow, he had mustered enough strength to hoist himself from the ground and approach the clearing. Before he could yank him back, Rupert had stepped in the clearing and spotted ghouls, his ghouls.
“What is going on? When did I do this? Is this some sort of farce?”
Guzman refrained the urge to knock Rupert out again. Instead, he shifted his focus towards the ghouls and the girl. The human was staring at them, frightened and alarmed. Paralyzed. Guzman understood fear, he understood her. He nodded at her in what he hoped to be assurance before shoving Rupert to the side and placing his left leg forward.
* * *
Nina felt as if she was watching a film, something surreal. She watched as the behemoth hunched a little and breathed fire through his nostrils. She watched as he retrieved his club from his waistband and wielded it. She watched as the club suddenly ignited with a feral violet flame. She watched as the behemoth blared a warrior cry before launching the club at the ghoul that was immediately before her. She then watched as the behemoth launched himself towards the ghouls.
* * *
Rupert stared bewildered at the scene unfolding before him. Was his friend helping a human? Who was the girl? How was she even in the magical realm? Where, had his ghouls come from? Where was his sister? They were inseparable! He had promised never to hunt without her, ever again!
Rupert rubbed the back of his head in frustration. There was something else bothering him. Why was the girl looking at him as if he was…he was…a friend? Like he was obligated to help her? Rupert felt like he had to do something to put a stop to this madness. Nothing was making sense. Was this a test? Yes, that was it! This was a training session! He was being watched right now. The Ninth Order wanted to see whether he would remain loyal to his friend or his kind. Would he help Guzman salvage the human’s life even though it went against everything they believed in?
Rupert sighed before folding his fists and forcing his ghouls to return to their dwelling; beneath the earth.
- Writer
