IGNATIUS The Colors of Rage

Chapter c Reflex

Emi’s eyes became smaller as she accepted the challenge. “Say whatever you want, but nothing changes the fact that only an i***t wouldn’t look in the same place they had left someone who is lost.” 

Nansen’s teeth flashed. “I told you, I looked for him there. People don’t just become invisible-”

“I’m not going to argue with stupidity. That’s where I found him, and he will tell you right after we feed him someone.” 

They ventured into the part of the house that had always been strictly off limits to Iggy. It was called the basement. The basement was like a narrow corridor. Doors lined both walls. With each door, there was a row of three lights on top. The first was white, the second was blue, but when Iggy’s eyes saw the third, he couldn’t determine what color it really was. It was something that he had never seen before. It burned. It danced around the light in mystical waves. Wherever it reflected, it swarmed. It was like looking at the sun from the bottom of a swimming pool. 

They stood in front of the door with this majestic light shining down on them. Iggy’s mouth became dripping wet simply seeing it. He mumbled, “what… is that?” 

“Just looking at it makes me thirsty all over again.” Emi licked her lips. “That’s what the color red looks like, now.” 

“Red?”

“Yes.”

Her hand grasped the doorknob. 

“Wait.” Amare stepped forward with one hand raised. He peered at Nansen. “OK, this is adorable and all, but shouldn’t we take a minute to tell Baine what’s going on? Awakening the thirst reflex is a very special moment for us.” 

Surely, they could have waited another excruciating hour for Baine to witness the birth of Iggy’s thirst reflex, but Nansen was longing to take it for himself as a moment just between the two. He selfishly grinned a grin that wasn’t from happiness, but a due respect, and shook his head subtly. “Baine? He can’t make it. He’s searching the outer wall, still trying to set everything right from the attack last week. Besides, Iggy’s thirst reflex won’t let him wait much longer. Wouldn’t it be worse killing him rather than awakening who he’s meant to be?” 

Amare lowered his chin and took a step back. “I’ll take your preference as an order… but don’t say I didn’t warn you.” His finger flipped over a well disguised control panel on the wall next to the door. He pushed a button and the door lock banged open. 

It was a cold cement room and there was a row of five metal chairs stretched from one wall to the opposite with a foot or two in between. Tattered leather straps hung from the armrests, along the legs, and at the top where the head would be. In the furthest metal chair there was an unkempt man strapped in. From his waist up, he was bare, and his hairy reddened chest was heaving. A taut cloth was pulled through his mouth and tied into a lump at the base of his neck. His forest green camouflage pants were caked with dried mud and were torn profusely at the knees. He jerked his arms and legs back and forth within the restraints, creating static vibrations in the air all around him. 

Emi stepped inside and laid Iggy down onto the hard floor. He could feel the fast jittering movement through the stone. A strong salty smell filled the air. It smelled so good, so delicious. He could hear a wet pounding noise louder than everything else. He gazed to his side and saw dark metal chair legs bolted to the floor. Emi stood at the man’s side, raising her palm toward Iggy. Inviting. Her voice sang, “come, we can feed on him together.” 

Iggy’s body wanted to join her, but his soul was screaming for him to leave. To withhold. To repress. He shook his head and arched his back forward as if he was going to vomit; the pain in his stomach was terrible. His face flattened against the dirty floor in fatigue. “I… won’t.”

She clenched her fists at her sides and her voice rose in volume and shrillness. “But, you have to!”

“I can’t-”

She stomped toward him and balled her fingers so that they appeared like claws. “Don’t you want the pain to stop?! You’re so thirsty! Just drink it and all the badness will go away. I promise.”

Nansen leant against the doorframe with his legs crossed at the ankles. His arms crossed high over his chest, yet his fingers on one hand fidgeted impatiently. He sighed loud enough for everyone to hear. “Emi-” he held up one hand like a stop sign “-you don’t have to do all of that. Just cut the man, and he’ll come to you.” 

Her soul eating black eyes peered back at the man strapped to the chair who thrashed himself against the restraints still unable to loosen them enough. A quick smirk played on her lips as she strolled back to him. 

“Please, don’t,” Iggy begged. “Spare him. I’m not worth it. Please-”

Her hand rose, lingering in the air next to the man’s stubble neck. “You are worth it,” she stated. Iggy lashed his head side to side, still begging to leave the prisoner alone, but she dragged her nail along the man’s fragile skin, cutting him deep on the side of his neck. His rich red blood trickled downward. The hot salty smell exploded through the room. Iggy inhaled deep. His pupils dilated. He looked up and saw the majestic glowing color streaming out of the man, even more vibrant than the lights in the corridor. It was red. It was alive and luring him to the darkest parts of his mind that he’d never even known existed. 

Then, his mind became dead silent. There was nothing to think about except for getting his body from where it was to where it needed to be. His hand gripped the floor and he pushed up. His limbs trembled, his legs took him forward. He was in even more pain, however unable to recognize it over the craving. 

He was only inches away.

He gripped the side of the chair and pulled himself up onto his knees. His hands squeezed tight around the man’s tight forearm. He could feel the thunderous pulse so easily through his beefy arm. Not needing to be shown, he opened his mouth and buried his teeth effortlessly into the man’s flesh. His meat was soft. Delectable.

His blood swelled around Iggy’s teeth and warmed his gums. The first drops fell onto his tongue and a blast of excitement surged through him. Carried away by the excitement, he bit down and heard the sharp splintering of bones beneath his mouth. The pain along his throat and stomach instantly vanished.