Devil's Elbow

Act III: Chapter 13

One year ago…

Shani walked inside his family home, and couldn't help but notice the quiet air around him, where not a sound was made.

“Mom? Jae?” He said and walked into the living room to find his mom sitting in the dark. “Hey Mom, you know where Jae is-”

He paused on hearing her quietly sob and ran over to her and stared wide-eyed. Her face looked to have had a bruise along her cheek and he cupped her face lightly.

“I tried Deshan...”

“Jesus Mom, who did this?” He said, seeing the bruise was already black.

“Who do you think?” She asked, trying to look away, and he knew only one man to be so bold as to try and harm her. The thought made him boil in anger.

“Where is he?”

“He left an hour ago… took Jaelyn with him…” She managed to get out and Shani took her to bed as she began to cry.

“Mom shhh… it’s okay now. Get some sleep.” He whispered.

“He took him from me…” She sobbed.

Shani held a stone face but deep down knew why she blamed herself. She may not have been Jaelyn’s birth mother, she had raised him since he was a baby, promising Shani their father wouldn't be the sole person to raise him. Shani's devotion to Jaelyn, despite their differences, was unmatched.

“Just sleep mom…”

As she finally calmed down, Shani closed his eyes before opening them and left the room. As he walked out, he grabbed what looked to be his brother’s baseball bat and walked out the apartment, his expression twisting to rage as he knew what he needed to do.

Present…

Shani then woke from his nap to find Mica curled into him against the fire. He looked at his watch and sighed seeing the thirty minutes passed by.

“Have to get up?” Mica groaned with closed eyes, cuddling closer, a reaction Shani had no arguments against if the circumstances were as they were supposed to be.

“Afraid so,” He whispered and pecked her cheek. “It's your turn to keep watch.” He said as he hugged her close.

“I may need that machete?” She asked with a soft smile.

“Nice try Rini. I’ll go with you.” He smiled at her.

“I can live with that.” She smiled and leaned up to kiss him. Despite the obvious dire situation, Shani couldn't help but hold the kiss as it deepened. Frankly, if someone had told him a day ago that Mica Rini -the girl he had pined for ages- would be in his arms, he would probably have punched them. And now, he felt he had a larger reason for getting out. And killing this Entity. Whether he was even capable of doing so remained to be seen.

Mica smiled before seeing a tattoo on his wrist. “What’s that?”

He looked at it and for a moment, she saw his face darken slightly. “A little project I have. The more mistakes I make in life, the larger I decide to make this tattoo.”

She looked at his hand for a better look. Sure enough, it was a circular spot with a crescent moon around the front of his hand.

“How did I miss this both times?”

“I do my best to hide them. Like I said, the Black Spot represents the decisions I have made.”

She took his hand gently and kissed it gently and closed her eyes. “Am I a mistake?” She asked only to have her chin lifted and his lips make contact with her own, silencing her question.

“Never, not even when we met.” He smiled gently, his words making her feel a sense of warmth inside her soul.

As he and Mica finally got dressed, he noticed how she couldn't avert her gaze and smirked. “Not a slab of meat, Mica.”

“True, but I’m just taking in the picture. You know in case…”

He nodded, understanding what she meant. He did indeed. If the Entity's words were any indication, it was going to stop playing around to come after them. They had to be ready for anything, anyone that came after them. Clearly, this monster was not above using their friends and fears to get under their skin.

He sighed as he got on his shirt and boots and looked at her as she got on her clothes as well. “Ready?”

“If you are,” She replied and both walked out towards the cave's entrance. Gavri looked at the two. “Been quiet as can be, unlike inside that cave.” Gavriella grinned softly.

Both Shani and Mica couldn't keep a calm expression as both of their faces became flushed in embarrassment, with the former getting flustered while the latter smiled.

“Jesus, were we seriously that loud in there?” Shani asked.

“Probably louder to Vincent. Ohhh his poor virgin ears.” She laughed. “I won't ask for deets, just if you two are exclusive,” She winked.

Both looked at each other and shrugged, smiling. “No arguments here.” Mica smiled at him as she tiptoed, kissing the edge of his lips, making the young man frozen.

Gavriella couldn't hide her smile. “Much as I would hate to break Dica-”

“Wait, what did you just say?”

“Dica?”

Mica and Shani both stared wide-eyed before bursting into laughter.

“That is so not gonna be our ship's name.”

“I second that.” Shani said between his bouts of laughter.

“Well, you do one better then,” Gavriella huffed.

“Okay…. Shaca?” Mica offered, only to receive a hard no from both.

“Mica, it sounds as bad a reference as Dica. The first one sounds like something from Freud,” Shani chuckled.

“And Shaca sounds like you're prepping to diddle around.” Gavri smirked.

“Fine then you critics, let's see Shani come up with something.” Mica smirked, rolling her eyes.

“Hmm… how about… Shana.” He asked, and both girls made a “can't argue” frown and nod.

“Cute and effective.” Mica smirked and held out her hand for the pistol. “Care to give this lady her turn?”

“Be my guest,” Gavriella chuckled while handing it. “Holler if you need us.”

“You’ll be the first to hear.” Mica smirked, sitting on the largest stone as she checked the clip and c****d it.

Gavriella stood by her best friend as they went back inside and smirked. “So tell me how it feels to no longer be a choir boy,”

“Shut it,” he whispered, grinning.

She giggled before the smile vanished. “Shani?” She asked him, making him stop.

“Is there something you are… keeping from me?”

“You mean aside how I had s*x with your best friend?” He chuckled.

“Shani, please. Is there something you’re keeping secret, something… dark?”

As she said it, she saw a flicker of confusion as he furrowed his brows. “Gavri, what’re you-”

Neither finished as they heard Mica call for them. Shani ran ahead, still confused by exactly what Gavriella meant.

As they reached her, they saw her point in the distance. At the sight of familiar unfriendly creatures roaming towards them. “Wolves?” Gavriella asked, holding her knife.

Shani looked and they weren’t wolves. Not normal ones at least. These wolves were patched in black but even from afar, Shani could tell these animals were bigger and some of their flesh was exposed, revealing in some areas, sinew muscle and something far more unnerving: a deep hunger shining in the light of their blood-red eyes.

“Nope, definitely not the same wolves! RUN!” Shani shouted as everyone began to run back into the cave, the monstrous creatures hot on their tails.

“VINCENT! GET YOUR ASS UP NOW!!!” He shouted as they ran down into the center cavern where the fire was. “Mica! The pistol!” He shouted, getting behind a wall, hearing as the wolves ran in. Mica spun around and shot one clean in its skull despite the distance.

As Shani heard the entire pack close in, he swung his ax, shouting in effort as the demon's speed worked against it. Upon contact, the blade of the ax used the abrupt momentum to amputate one of the demon's front legs. It screeched loudly as it fell, not able to stand quickly enough as Shani screamed, dropping his ax again and again trying to cut off it's head. Despite killing the beast, it barely blocked one of it's packmates, who lunged at him, the haft of his ax saving him just barely as the creature clamped it's jaws around it.

Soon he was sent back, straining as the beast tried snapping through.

“Shani, I can't get a shot!” Mica cursed, trying not to aim at him.

Shani groaned as the jaws began to nearly find their way toward him. “I can't hold it!” He said as the creature drooled, trying to reach him. “Nonononono-!”

He didn't finish as Gavriella tackled it, holding it to the ground. “Shani now!” She said as she stabbed it's neck, only to scream out as her arm was bitten. Shani stood quickly and raised his ax, shouting as he dropped it straight into the animal's skull, making it go limp. Everyone inside the cave panted as they realized they had survived the outcome. “That… was for Seth.” He panted, pulling the ax out and went to Gavriella. “Jesus Gav…”

“Looks worse than it is.” She winced, smiling boldly only to stare wide-eyed as Shani pulled her into a hug.

“Don't do something like that again..!” He said as he finally shed his tears for the first time that night.

Gavriella looked at him as he hugged her and smiled, returning the hug. Despite what so-called “darkness” he may have, she knew deep down he was still her “big brother,” someone she could always count on.

“Guys..!” Mica said, getting their attention as a more enormous and fearsome beast appeared cackling in a deep voice.

“Hello Shani .” The shadowed shape chuckled with a grin, a grin so large it seemed almost inhuman.

Because it isn't human!

“Everyone move!” Shani shouted to the girls, who didn't hesitate nor look back as they ran into the cavern.

The snarls of the Entity and its beasts followed as they ran. The more they ran however, the more they began to feel something was missing. Mica stopped and looked around. “Guys, where the hell is...”

Shani stared blankly until he remembered. “VINCE!”

Shani couldn't even hide his frustration from his friends. In all the chaos, he didn't remember Vincent staying inside the cave to block the other way. The only problem was, they had already run passed where Shani left him.

“Shit..! Guys, take the path and get out.” He said, pointing in the exit’s direction.

“Wait, what?” Mica asked, staring wide-eyed.

“Shani , you are not staying here-!”

“Gav, I can't just leave him here.” He said and gave Mica the ax he wielded and switched to the machete. “Mica, get Gavri as far from here as you can.”

The auburn girl stared stunned and shook her head. “Shani, why..? You can't…”

Shani blinked as he let go of her hand as it gripped the ax tightly and began to walk back inside. “Get out, I'll be right behind!” He shouted and ran the opposite way.

“SHANI!” Gavriella started to flail, screaming as Mica held her, pulling her away.

“Gavri, we gotta go!” The redhead growled, struggling as her friend tried to run back.

“We can't leave him!”

“He’ll be behind us!” Mica growled, but deep down in her heart, doubt lingered right along with hope.

The Entity stared down as it stopped at the diverging path. It could sense the girls down one path including their emotions and thoughts.

Perceptive, fair… but secretive?

The first two emotions, it could tell easily, but the last piqued its interest.

Hearing each echo in the opposite direction, it could tell that the voice belonged to one of the two self-made martyrs of the group.

But it was curious as to which; the lionheart… or the wounded eagle.

It decided to sate its curiosity and follow straight to the martyrdom of two fools.

“Vincent!”

As Shani ran down the ongoing pathway, he could somehow feel the presence of the Entity closing in behind him. Like his stomach was sinking the farther he ran from Gavri and Mica, Shani slowed down to a cautious walk as he caught his breath.

“Never going to find him at this rate…” He panted. “For god’s sake buddy, just give me a sign your stubborn ass is still fighting..!”

He froze when he heard a gunshot up ahead of him and moved up slowly gripping his machete in both hands, not afraid of whatever was waiting.

He paused, hearing a familiar shout in the distance.

“C’mon! C’mon, that's all you got, huh?! That's all you can bite with motherfucker?!”

As he heard the voice, Shani sprinted down the path towards the sounds of his best friend. What he found was his best friend gripping a demon wolf's neck to keep it from biting his throat.

“Vincent!!!”

Vincent looked up to see his friend charging at him, swinging the machete upward at the beast gashing it's neck.

The beast flew off with a yelp as Shani swung his blade down once more before it could recover.

Vincent watched as Shani swung the machete, using every ounce of strength he had trying to get the head of the beast to come off of the body. Reaching the base, Shani shouted and decapitated the wolf with one more forceful swing, decapitating the beast in one swing, the head bouncing and rolling away.

As he looked at his friend, Vincent saw a fierce rage in his friends' eyes as blood covered his shirt and cheek. Shani’s hand had not shaken, he almost seemed to show no signs of humanity. Nothing but cold intent in his eyes before they flashed back to concern as Shani ran to his friend.

“You okay brother?” He said, hefting his friend up.

“Not dead yet, so I guess that’s a start.” Vincent smirked, wincing through the pain as Shani draped the man’s arm around his shoulders.

“That’s my boy.” He said and started to move forward. As they moved a couple feet down the path, Vincent stopped his friend in his tracks.

“What? Why are… you..?”

Shani never finished, as he saw a shadow on the path ahead.

“Vincent, how many shots does that gun have left?” He asked, not taking his gaze off the shadow as his friend c****d his pistol.

“Five in the clip, one in the chamber.” He told Shani as the man dragged him.

“Whatever is around that corner,” Shani said, reverse gripping the machete as he tried to balance holding his best friend.

“Ain’t gotta tell me twice.” Vincent winced as he lifted his arm and aimed the gun forward.

Shani made sure to move slowly and cautiously, because for all they knew, what they could be walking toward could likely be the Entity waiting for them.

Soon the two friends were hugging the wall of the cave, building the strength to move around the corner.

“On the count of three, get your gun ready.”

Vincent nodded, raising it as Shani got his legs ready to move. “One… Two… THREE!”

The two whirled around the corner aiming into the cave and froze in place at the sight before them.

A man hung off the wall with needles in his wrists, his arms being somehow held up by them as foam came from his mouth. His veins were completely blackened ,with a mess of hair covering his face. And yet, even with all these changes, both young men recognized the blonde man who hung before them.

“Kodi…”