Mortal Wounds

Chapter Nine

Davian's POV

They view me as the devil incarnate, as though I was being burned by hellfire before them, believing full-heartedly I harmed Lavender. The horror in Morgana's eyes felt like a stab to the gut. Lavender's accusations came out of nowhere. Everyone believed her, gaping at me in shock. I barely dodged Dwaine's attempt to grab me. I should have allowed myself to be arrested. My innocence would eventually be proven, but I ran, making myself look as guilty as possible.

I've been hiding in the aqueducts for well over an hour hoping the one person who slightly gives a damn about me will pick up. I keep getting the dial tone to Kellin's phone. I curse and squeeze my eyes shut. I have a strong suspicion the 'Lavender' I saw standing in the art room is responsible for this. She was real. I don't hallucinate unless I'm having a seizure. I jolt when my phone rings and immediately pick up.

"Kellin?"

"Nope, Jesus here. Got any sins to confess?"

"How did you get my number, demon?"

"Through the power vested in drunk me swiping all Beau's contacts."

"I need you to prove I was with you last night," I blurt with trembling hands.

This will ruin any shot of a normal life. All I will have left is becoming a Reaper.

"Don't react to what I'm about to say. You're being followed," he whispers,

Ice runs up my spine as I resist the urge to turn around.

"Excuse me?"

"Someone texted me with a picture of you in the aqueducts," he explains with a low tone, "Someone is out to get us both."

How on Earth am I meant to act like I don't know this?

"So, start walking towards Gomorrah's exit and be ready to fight if something attacks you."

"Why is this happening?"

"People can attack each other for numerous reasons; politics, family feuds, ideological disagreements about the shape of the Earth. We'll figure out why later, yeah?" I'm going to ring his neck next. "Do you know how to fight?"

"I know how to fight humans."

"That's a start. Well, are you at least armed?"

I search my pocket to come across nothing aside from my wallet, keys and a pen.

"I have a pen. Does that count?"

"Um, well, it's better than nothing." I'm going to die.

"Alright, if it seems out of it, treat it like an animal. Don't make any sudden movements. If it seems smart, defend yourself then get the f**k out of there. I'll be there in a few minutes. Try not to die before then."

"Wait, what do you mean by 'it?'"

Click. With that, he hangs up on me. A contorted, throaty croak comes from behind me. I whirl around and scream. The fake Lavender watches me with pale, lidless eyes. The creature is humanoid in shape with unnaturally elongated limbs. Her face is a pale slab of skin as if she survived an acid attack. I underestimated how bad my luck can get.

"Ol biab noco de ascha. Pareme. Pareme, reaper. Should of ran while you could," it croaks with disjointed words difficult to understand. She stares at me with some hidden expectation. "Servatis a periculum. Pareme."

The scent of blood and petrol wafts off her and the substance cakes her abnormally long fingernails. It tilts her head to the side with a sickening c***k. The sound snaps me out of my stupor, and I take a step back. That movement prompts it to strike.

It swiftly lunges forward with nails drive ready to plunge into my chest. On instinct, I grab its arm and use the force of its attack to throw it onto the ground. It stumbles and whirls around, slashing the side of my face with its nails. I touch the stinging cuts before it shoves me against the wall, snapping its teeth at my throat. I try to hold it back by its neck. Teeth are inches from my throat, so close her breath blasts hot air against my skin. The pressure it applies is inhuman, pushing me down to a crouch. Through her distorted growls, I hear mumbles of undistinguishable words.

I finally shove it back and drive my pen up into her throat with a strength I didn't know I had. It recoils back in surprise. I yank out the pen and thrust it into its eye. It shrieks in pain and backs off, screeching and reaching for its injuries.

I bolt towards Gomorrah's exit. White flashes spot my vision and red stains the walls. Walls that become decorated with chunks of flesh and blood. Disembodied screams echo through the halls. The blood on my hands is triggering my reaper abilities. For a second, I feel myself in the creature's body experiencing its death. I snap back to reality, relieved to find myself running. I shake my head and try to keep myself from going into a seizure.

I climb a ladder, trying to open the seal to Gomorrah's alleyway. I try to twist it open to find my fingers struggling to turn the damn thing. The sound of footsteps and screeches echo louder through the tunnels. The metal whines and as soon as it opens, I am violently yanked down by my ankle. My back smacks against the floor, knocking the air from my lungs. The creature grips my left bicep and my throat, claws threatening to cut my skin.

"You all abandoned us. Why won't you let me move on? Zodonurenusagi ome," it sounds like it is pleading. I hold my breath, noticing a strange pain in her eyes. It stares at me as if it's waiting for something. Blood drips from its teeth. I wince as blood so cold, it burns, drips onto my face. I try to shove it off, but it doesn't budge.

"I don't know who you are."

My vision quakes. My vision blurs as my body tries to drag me into a vision. I start to go numb. I snap out of it when I hear a loud wail. Virgil's possessed body stands behind the creature, plunging a knife into her throat. Instead of it dropping dead, the creature sinks its teeth into his shoulder. He shouts in pain and drops his knife.

I toss the knife back up to the demon, who catches it plunges it up underneath its jaw. It lets go and snaps its teeth at me. The demon grabs the back of its head and knees the knife up so far, it goes right through its tongue. It cries out agony and tries to pull away. The demon keeps it there by holding onto the knife.

"Attack me again and I will make everything you've been through a walk in a park. Got it?"

The creature gazes at the demon before realising he is a demon. A pretty obvious fact considering how his eyes are now glowing red so brightly, it cuts through the darkness. After a moment, he slides the knife out. The creature shrinks back until it is out of sight. I carefully climb to my feet, wincing as pain creeps up my spine.

"Well, it wasn't the scariest thing I've encountered. Ugly as f**k, but nothing can beat Vanitas' PMS when he is having a bad hair day," the demon grunts, clutching his wound, "But this is going to be a b***h to heal."

"Your arm-" my voice begins to sound distant and I begin to go lightheaded.

"What the f**k is wrong with you? You're not the one who got chomped on," the demon demands but his voice becomes muffled.

My knees give way and I fall forward, my vision blacking out. Instead of face planting into concrete, I fall into an icy body of water. I gasp, getting a lung full of water. An odd metallic taste fills my mouth. Wisps of red floats around me, mixing with the water.

I thrash around and manage to turn my body the right side up. Fluorescent light gleams through the murky surface and I fight to get there. I break through it, coughing out water. Through stinging, bleary eyes, I find myself sitting in a bathtub, surrounded by murky and b****y bathwater. This bathroom is unfamiliar. There is a distant sound of yelling. I try to get up but my hands don't respond. I tremble as I notice they are both mutilated beyond repair. Black substance pours out of my wounds. I stiffen when the door opens, revealing a silhouetted figure. It advances towards me, their appearance becoming clearer the closer it gets. I try getting up to run but my body will not respond.

"D-Davian? I didn't expect for you to turn up here out of all people. I didn't want anyone else swept up in this mess."

It takes me a moment to realise Virgil stands in front of me with wide eyes. This feels different to the visions I have had that warned me about how someone is going to die. This is supposed to be one of my visions of how that creature is going to die. I came in contact with its blood after all.

Or instead, it could be a vision of Virgil's death? I could have touched the blood from Virgil's bite mark. This could be why this vision is so different to the ones I am used to. But since his body is being possessed by a demon right now, am I seeing a vision about where Virgil's soul is now? Is this Purgatory?

Virgil shakes his head and stumbles over to me.

"Y—you can't be here. No. You need to go back."

He grabs my shoulders and begins to push me down into the water.

"Virgil? Is that really you? What are you doing?"

"D—don't get involved with this. You cannot. Leave that town. It's not safe—" his warning becomes muffled as my head becomes submerged in water. As soon as I am pushed under water, I'm paralysed within my own body. My mind tries to shut off control of my limbs. Everything goes black.