Six
It was no mystery to Isaac why Iris was such a homebody after he had initially visited her flat. Her house was a cozy, beautiful space filled with precious crystals and rich scents. Neither he nor Thomas ever opposed visiting her place rather than theirs. Today, however, Thomas was blissfully missing from the scene, and so was Iris’s intimidating older brother. Unsure if this was intentional or not, Isaac couldn’t help but vocalize his concerns to Iris as they sat on the couch together.
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“No Thomas today?”
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“No, just you,” she clarified with a sincere smile. “I hope that’s all right.”
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Isaac stretched out and smiled. “Of course,” he said, “it’s what I’d prefer.”
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Iris made a small, amused sound, but she was mostly distracted in the book she was holding. She scanned something within the pages, then closed it and her eyes began to dart around the room. Despite the pensive look to her face, it was impossible to know what she was thinking. Isaac watched her, wondering if she was about to speak to him, but instead, she stalled.
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It was difficult to see Iris’s face, which was tilted downwards and away from Isaac. She was growing increasingly restless in her silence, and with a strangely determined look on her face, brought her attention back to her guest.
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“Hey, um,” she began, clearly flustered. “I have a question I wanted to ask you, but I don’t want it to sound rude, and I don’t want you to feel obliged to do anything you’re not comfortable with, but--”
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“What’s up?” he interjected. “You can ask me anything, I won’t think it’s rude.”
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Iris swallowed nervously. “You got attacked by vampires recently, right? A couple days ago?”
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Isaac nodded. His full attention was on her, which only added to her nerves.
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“You healed that black eye so quickly, I just… I’m really curious about how that works.”
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Slowly but surely, Isaac pieced together what she was really asking. “Oh! You wanted to see the scars?” he observed.
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Iris nodded shyly, averting her eyes. He found her anxiety endearing and reassured her.
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“That’s fine, not weird at all.”
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He pulled off his sweater to reveal a tee shirt underneath. Iris was covering her eyes, apparently waiting for permission to look. Isaac chuckled and told her she was allowed to see him. She uncovered one eye and blushed immediately, not used to seeing much skin from him, but her curiosity quickly overtook her timidity.
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Noticing her eyeing his arm in particular, he held it out towards her. Unexpectedly, she grabbed it lightly and turned it to follow the tracks on his skin. Her touch made him stiffen, but since he found the discomfort unwarranted, he carefully tried to hide it.
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If only to distract himself from his strange nerves, he pointed out the newest additions to the collection. Though Iris was engrossed with the marks, there was a hint of remorse in her eyes as she scanned them. In what felt like an odd brag, Isaac lifted up his shirt and showed the long gash from the knife. Her face reddened once more and she couldn’t even allow herself to look. When she realized Isaac was just teasing her and trying to embarrass her on purpose, she protested while he laughed.
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Eventually, he pulled his collar to the side to show off his more ghastly-looking scar from the other night, and Iris gawked at it. She leaned in, her proximity to him making him nervous, and then gently reached out to touch the old wound. Her hand barely brushed the spot before Isaac jerked backwards, genuine fear crossing over his face.
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Startled by the reaction, Iris also recoiled, her face riddled with guilt. Isaac stared back in wonder, surprised by his own instinctive reaction.
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“Oh my god, I’m so sorry,” she bumbled, putting her hands to her face, “I didn’t mean to--”
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Isaac felt his cheeks turning red. “No, no, I’m sorry! That wasn’t-- it wasn’t you, it’s not you.”
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Both of them jumped at the sound of someone clearing their throat. Looking towards the hallway, Isaac found Ifrit, visibly pleased with himself, as he watched them.
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“Should I have knocked or something?” he asked, leaning against the wall.
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Isaac bunglingly pulled his sweater back on while Iris stammered to explain her innocent curiosities. In what Isaac had deemed a rare sight, Ifrit grinned at them and let out a quiet snicker.
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“I’m just teasing you,” he affirmed before walking into the room. Iris stared at the ground, her thumbs twiddling wildly. Ifrit’s piercing gaze moved from his sister to their guest. “I’m glad I got a peek, though. I doubt I’d get the same treatment if I asked to see those marks.”
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There were no protests; Isaac figured he was probably right. Iris was infinitely more trustworthy than her brother. When he couldn’t find anything else to focus on, Isaac finally addressed Ifrit, only to catch sight of his cast for the first time. He opened his mouth to ask the predictable question, but Ifrit cut him off before the words got the chance.
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“Yes," he said, "I broke my arm.”
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Isaac tilted his head, his mouth opening once again, only to repeat the pattern of Ifrit answering him before he could speak.
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“How? Why don’t you take a guess.”
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Feeling baited, Isaac waited for a few pauses to make sure Ifrit wasn’t going to speak over him. He inhaled, and then Ifrit picked up where he left off.
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“Correct! It was vampires,” he admitted.
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At least Iris looked amused by the situation. Wonder had reentered her eyes as she watched her brother’s routine. Isaac was silently thankful for Ifrit’s effort to reset the atmosphere. One final time, Isaac lifted a finger and pursed his mouth to speak, and instead of outright speaking over him, Ifrit simply held up his uninjured hand at him to prevent him from speaking.
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“No, this is not my ‘psychic ability,’ Isaac. You’re just incredibly predictable.”
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Isaac blinked at him, his expression blank. He turned towards Iris and murmured, “He’s pretty good.”
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Iris giggled at the remark, but Ifrit wasn’t paying attention to them. He looked up, poised quietly as though he were listening for something. After a moment, he nodded.
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“Okay, but be quick,” he said quietly to himself.
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Before Isaac had a moment to question whether or not this was a continuation of the previous banter, Ifrit closed his eyes tightly. When they reopened, they were an eerie, luminescent white. A giddy grin appeared on Ifrit’s face. It looked wrong. Unnerved by the ordeal, Isaac looked to Iris for guidance, but she was pleasantly surprised by the change in her brother’s appearance.
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“Hey, Sol!” she elated.
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Immediately, Ifrit, who was no longer Ifrit, began to bounce excitedly in place. The voice that came from his mouth sounded incredibly different now, sending a shiver down Isaac’s spine.
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“Ifrit says I don’t have much time!” the voice explained, speaking quickly. “Isaac, it is a pleasure to meet you, I’m Solomon, or Sol! I’m their familiar spirit and Ifrit’s best friend.”
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Sol, though speaking frantically, was wholly invested in prodding at the cast on their arm.
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“You should get people to sign this,” they said, though the idea didn’t appear to have much thought put into it.
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Seeing that the spirit in front of him was waiting for his response, Isaac perked up.
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“Oh, hi, Sol. It’s nice to meet you.”
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The response was glorious to Sol’s ears and they giggled excitedly to themselves. The gestures and sounds coming from Ifrit’s body were ones that Isaac didn’t even know were possible.
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“If you ever need me, I live in Ifrit’s brain!” they said, knocking on their head with a closed fist. “I’m always there! Just say my name and I’ll come hang out with you, or tell you the secrets to the universe-- whichever you prefer! Dealer's choice!” The humor in their face became thoughtful for a moment. “I actually don’t know what that phrase means. I hope I used it right.”
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There wasn’t enough time for Isaac to decide how to respond to the strange offer. Sol was making the same expression that Ifrit had previously; listening to an invisible voice, before groaning and disappearing as quickly as they had appeared. Before he knew it, Ifrit was back in his body, holding his head and grimacing.
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Iris quietly thanked Ifrit for letting Sol speak, to which Ifrit responded with a weary smile. Though his actions were still far from warm, Ifrit’s gestures were the most affectionate that Isaac had ever seen him make. Noticing his wonder, Ifrit steeled his expression and cocked his head. He raised an eyebrow at Isaac, but there was still the faint glimmer of humor in his eyes.
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“Any question?” he asked.
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Isaac nodded. “A few.”
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​
--
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The rising sun shone through the blinds on Elon’s window. She sat calmly at her desk, scribbling down thoughts and doodles in a notebook as she idly snacked on a bar of chocolate. It was her first day off in a long time and she had been insistent on staying in her room the entire day. She thought she heard her roommate slam the door and shuffle around downstairs and briefly considered shouting a greeting at her, but decided that would take too much effort and remained seated. The approaching footsteps sounded more like stomps, and Elon expected them to pass by. Instead, the door to her room swung open. She attentively leapt to her feet.
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Thomas entered her room, looking incredibly frustrated, and theatrically threw himself face down onto her bed, where he remained, motionless. Elon relaxed her stance as she watched him. He screamed loudly, the sound muffled greatly by her pillow. Then, as if nothing happened, he turned onto his side and propped himself up by his elbow so that he was facing Elon.
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“Hey, Elon,” he said casually. “How's your day off?”
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“Are you okay?” she asked, blinking vacantly at him.
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“No,” he said, sitting up and folding his legs beneath him, “but I will be.”
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Already knowing the answer, Elon asked if he wanted to talk about it. He shook his head and picked idly at the blanket beneath him. Then she offered him chocolate, which he swiped out of her hand immediately.
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“See, this is why I came here,” he said excitedly, chewing on the bar.
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“Yeah, about that,” she wondered aloud. “Do you have a key or something?”
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“I picked your lock,” he responded candidly.
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Her eyes widened. “I didn’t know we were allowed to pick each other’s locks!” she exclaimed. “This changes everything. Your apartment is way cooler than mine.”
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Thomas closed his eyes and nodded thoughtfully. “That is objectively false, but nonetheless, you’re free to stop by any time. I know how much you hate your roommate.”
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“I don’t hate my roommate,” she responded.
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“You do, she sucks.”
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“You suck!”
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Thomas gasped and put a hand to his mouth. His eyes narrowed.
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“I can’t believe you,” he said solemnly. “I’m hurt.”
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“You should be.” She stuck her nose up and turned her face slightly away from him.
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He huffed. “I can’t believe I come here at the end of my wits, riddled with despair, and you treat me like this. You say such… Such poison to me.”
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Elon softened and tilted her head to the side. “Okay. I can’t tell if you’re being serious or not, Thomas. Do you want to talk about something?”
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“No, I’m good.” He laid back down, his eyes glued to the ceiling. “Is it okay if I stay here for a while?”
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“Of course,” she said, sitting back down and returning to her desk. “Let me know if you need anything.”
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“Just you,” he supposed, sounding uncharacteristically earnest.
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She smiled in response and waved a dismissive hand at him. Thomas was quiet for a while, which was a strange occurrence. Eventually, he hummed to break the silence before he began to speak.
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“So, uh, I’ve been seeing this guy lately.”
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Elon looked at him slyly. “Ifrit? I know, you’ve spoken about him.”
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As he became more flustered, Thomas began to ramble. “No! That’s not what I-- that’s a casual thing, okay?” He collected himself. “I mean I’ve been literally seeing a guy. Outside my window.”
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“Oh… is he cute?” she inquired, not showing much concern.
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“No,” Thomas responded, “he’s creepy.”
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His posture was unusually conservative, his restless hands still as they folded over his chest. It was rare to see him so lost in thought. Elon swiveled the chair to face him properly and raised an eyebrow.
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“Wait,” she recounted, “you’re really shaken up over this?”
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“Of course!” exclaimed Thomas. “I’m not joking. He’s got this, I don’t know, cloak and mask on. At least, I hope it’s a mask.”
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Elon looked at the corner of the ceiling, pondering the best response. “What does he, you know… do?”
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“Nothing. I mean, he just stands there.” Thomas shivered. “But he’s been appearing more and more often, and I know he’s looking at me. It’s creeping me out.”
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“Do you think it’s another vampire?”
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“Maybe,” he mused, though it didn’t sound as if he truly believed the suggestion. “If it is, it’s a weird one to be sure.”
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With a frustrated groan, Thomas pulled himself up and hugged his knees. “Ugh. Okay, I don’t feel better at all, this sucks.” He looked over at Elon with a weary smile. “Tell me something good in your life.”
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“Are you sure?” she asked.
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“Yes.”
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“Okay. I’ve uh,” suddenly, Elon blushed. “I’ve been really interested in this girl.”
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Thomas beamed at the news. “Yes! Perfect!” He sat up and clasped his hands, giving her his undivided attention. “Keep going. Oh my god is it Sam? It’s Sam, isn’t it?”
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“Y-yeah.” She laughed at how fast her heart was beating.
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“She’s the best!” he exclaimed, but a darker expression shrouded the excitement in his face. “But also the worst and I swear to god if she ever upsets you, let me know and I’ll break her kneecaps.”
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“Please don’t break--” Elon furrowed her brow and readjusted her stance. “I don’t even think you could, Thomas.”
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The faerie tilted his head back and peered down at Elon. “You may be right… But there’s only one way to find out.”
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She swatted at him. “You’re psychotic.”
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--
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Hours after he had left the safety of Elon's house, Thomas found himself pacing in circles outside of the library. Though it was old and decrepit, it was a nice marker to meet up with other people. Today was a rare day where Thomas was not the one who was late, but rather far too early for his liking. Killing time, no matter how brief, was a painful experience when he was alone.
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When he spotted Isaac popping out from around the corner, Thomas was elated. Not used to Thomas being happy to see him, Isaac furrowed his brow and blinked at him as the faerie slinked over towards him.
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Thomas’s typical smirk appeared. “Word travels fast, doesn’t it?”
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Unsure as to what the faerie was referring to, Isaac awkwardly rubbed his own arm. “Well. I guess,” he muttered, “but you’re the one who asked me to meet you here.”
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Thomas held up a hand to silence Isaac. “There’s no time to get caught up in the details!” he explained. “My life is in danger. It is likely your fault, and so you must protect me.”
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“I doubt it, but I already agreed to help you.”
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“All according to plan…” Thomas observed, rubbing his hands together.
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Isaac’s only response was to frown at him. Thomas continued his one-sided conversation.
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“So who’s this guy you’re introducing me to?” he asked, referring to the text Isaac had sent him in response to his stalker problem. “Some buff bouncer dude who could snap a vamp in two?”
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Frankly, Isaac looked disgusted. “What are you on about? Are you rhyming?"
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“Slant rhyme. And the help you’re offering me! I assume it’s physical safety beyond what my bestie Elon can provide me with a bunch of arrows and whatnot.” Thomas was becoming visibly exhausted with how dry Isaac was being.
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“Oh, yeah, okay.” Isaac did not alter his delivery, but rather indulged in subtly annoying Thomas with his disinterested tone of voice. “It’s more like information than anything, Thomas. What exactly were you expecting?”
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“What! I can’t fend off a specter with a book, this sucks,” he bemoaned. “If I wanted dangerous words I would have asked Ifrit for help.”
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Once again, Isaac did not respond to Thomas’s ramblings. He only led him away from the library towards the walkway.
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“Who’s your nerd source, anyway?” Thomas needled. “ I didn’t know you had friends-- or acquaintances…? I don’t know your life.”
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“She’s… an old friend of mine.” He sighed. “If you’re worried it’s a vampire that’s after you, she’ll be able to give you some answers.”
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They were approaching a small, cute girl. Thomas perked up, but the moment she turned towards them, he yelped and ducked behind Isaac, grabbing his arms and using him as an befuddled human shield.
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“Hey, Isaac!” Eden accosted him. “Is that your friend cowering behind you?”
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Isaac nodded and gave a tired smile towards the girl. “As you can probably imagine, he’s a little skittish.”
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“Excuse me!” the faerie fussed. “I’m cowering because she tried to eat me the other day! She’s a vampire, Isaac.”
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Eden tilted her head to the side until recognition entered her mind. “Oh! You’re the faerie who had Isaac’s wallet, aren’t you?”
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Upon hearing this new information, Isaac glared at Thomas.
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“You had my wallet?”
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“Shut up! That’s not important,” he rambled, still keeping Isaac in the center of them. “I was being a good samaritan-- how dare you change the subject!”
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After a delicate chuckle, the vampire spoke up. “I’m sorry I tried to ‘eat’ you,” she said. Thomas raised an eyebrow at her. “It won’t happen again, I promise.”
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“There. Problem solved,” Isaac murmured. He gestured towards the vampire. “This is Eden, by the way.”
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“Eden?” Thomas repeated. “You said your name was Eve!”
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She whistled and rocked on her heels. “Weird.”
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“And why do you have a pet vampire, anyway?” he asked Isaac, to Eden’s amusement.
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“What makes you think I’m the pet in this relationship?” she quipped.
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Isaac groaned. “There is no relationship, oh my god, there is no pet.”
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Picking up on his torment, Thomas snickered. The way he and Eden were looking at each other made Isaac’s skin crawl.
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“This was a mistake, I take it back. Please, for the love of god,” Isaac begged, “do not mingle with each other.”
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It took no time at all for Eden and Thomas to mingle with each other. Both of them were fervent about upsetting Isaac, which somehow concluded with Eden in Thomas’s bed, one room over while Thomas inspected the bite marks on his neck and collar bones. When he returned to his bedroom, he exhaled and flopped backwards onto the bed. With his head resting in her lap, Eden gingerly stroked his hair. He closed his eyes and a wide grin grew on his face.
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“I think these marks are going to be a lot harder to hide than hickeys,” he mused.
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“You better stock up on turtlenecks,” she retorted.
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Thomas’s eyes drifted open and he let out an amused laugh. “Oh, that’s why he wears those?”
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“Probably,” Eden affirmed. “Though he is much more shy than you are. Tell me, are you really intending on hiding those bites, or are you going to show them off?”
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The faerie gasped, but didn’t put too much effort into the action. “I can’t believe you know me so well when we’ve only just met!”
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A loud tunk at the front door startled them both and reminded Thomas why he had been introduced to Eden in the first place. He paled and sat up, his wide eyes glued to the door. With bated breath, they waited for another sound, but there was only silence. Frightened, Thomas flashed his begging eyes at Eden. She smirked at him before hopping out of bed onto her bare feet.
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“You know I can’t resist that helpless look on your face, Thomas.”
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The momentary blush Thomas felt distracted him from the panic. He watched as Eden walked towards the door, her small figure shrouded only by the ironic sundress she was wearing. It was a wonder that Isaac hadn’t spoken about her sooner, and Thomas wondered how long she had been his well-kept secret.
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Eden cracked the door open and peered out. Thomas held his breath and hugged his own knees. After she had surveyed the area, the door closed and she shrugged. He heard her lock it before heading back towards him.
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“There’s nothing there,” she determined. “Do you think the neighborhood kids could be pranking you?”
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While the sentiment calmed his nerves some, Thomas was still squirming uncomfortably. He shook his head, certain it was something more dastardly at play than children.
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“Aw, you’re so frightened of this ghost,” she teased, crawling back into bed. “You are skittish, aren’t you? I mean, I saw how scared you were of me, too.”
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Suddenly, whatever was haunting Thomas was no longer important to him as Eden hovered above him. He opened his mouth to say something, but the words caught in his throat. Noticing him struggling to speak, Eden leered at him. His heart fluttered, and he wasn’t sure if it was fear or desire he was feeling.
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“As much as I love your snide remarks, I think I prefer you speechless.”
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She hooked a finger into the collar of his shirt and pulled it to the side.
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“Have you ever passed out from loss of blood before, faerie?” she coaxed. “I hear it gives you the most wonderful dreams.”
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--
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The sun was shining overhead, warming Isaac as he walked towards the greenery in front of them. It was unusual to be called to the woods in order to investigate demons, let alone in the middle of the day. Regardless, he was excited to finally be spending time with Jonathan and Elon together.
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Jonathan had immediately taken a liking to Elon’s bubbly and helpful personality. In fact, they looked similar enough with their blonde hair and brown eyes that they could have been mistaken for siblings themselves. Jonathan had been fascinated by the similarities in their upbringings; both raised by supernatural hunters in their own right to protect humans from the threats that lurked in the dark. Best of all, they were both warm, social people, which took most of the pressure off of Isaac when it came to contributing to the conversation.
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“They’re in the woods?” Elon asked, repeating Isaac’s own confusion. “That’s kind of weird, don’t you think?”
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Still, he felt the need to give her a hard time. “What, are you a demon expert, too?”
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“It’s all connected,” she added.
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Jonathan was thoughtful for a moment before chiming in. “Elon is right; why would there be demons in the woods?” He hummed to himself. “There aren’t a lot of people around these places; they’re going to be bored if they’re looking to cause trouble.”
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Isaac shrugged. “Look, Iris said there’s been loads of them nearby. I don’t know why, but I figured it would be best to stop them before they get into town.“
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Failing to pay attention to where he was going, Isaac bumped into Jonathan, who had stopped walking. He held up a hand to stop Isaac from going any further.
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“Hey-- quiet down,” he whispered. “Look over there.”
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Elon and Isaac did as they were told, peering through the foliage in front of them. Antlers wiggled in the distance, barely discernible against the tree branches.
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“Oh my god!” Elon cheered quietly. “It’s a deer family! There’s so many.”
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There was something immediately suspicious about the animals, though. Isaac eyed them anxiously until one moved to where its face was visible. They had a vacant look in their eyes, and upon closer inspection, Isaac noticed the uncanny way they were moving. Their muscles twitched and jerked unnaturally, their pelts merely covering some grotesque form that wriggled underneath.
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Isaac tensed up and whispered. “Not quite… What are they doing out here?”
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“Do you think there’s a portal nearby?” inquired Jonathan, mimicking his stillness.
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“There shouldn’t be, but we can investigate.”
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The three of them crept closer, as slowly and soundlessly as possible. They were only able to gain a few feet before the imitation deer, of which there had to have been a dozen, turned their heads in unison towards them. They held their breath, but it wasn’t enough to diffuse the situation.
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In an instant, the creatures were gurgling and contorted, revealing a more accurate form. Some stood on two legs while others hunched over, resembling large canines, all with their antlers fixed and their deer pelts ripping at the seams.
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“Gross,” Elon murmured.
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She was the first to make a move, quickly drawing an arrow back and sending it towards the swarm. It stuck in one of them, piercing its blackened eye, and resulted in a guttural shriek. Jonathan and Elon kept a healthy distance; Elon shooting arrows and Jonathan keeping them away with a blessed chain whip when they began to swarm them. Isaac, however, wasn’t afraid to get in the middle of the demons, fighting up close and personal with his light staff. As it typically went, Isaac felt responsible for clearing out the majority of the threat, while Jonathan prevented stragglers from escaping. Elon proved to be incredibly useful, shooting down several of the more animalistic demons that were beginning to panic in the commotion.
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The bipedal ones drew their attention to Isaac, and he had no trouble fending them off. Their cumbersome bodies and clunky movement made them ill-equipped to defend themselves, and Isaac was easily able to smite them. As he stabbed and slashed at them, Isaac took a few cautious steps backwards to elude the reach from their impressive, inky claws.
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Jonathan shouted a warning, and Isaac spun around, barely managing to avoid being gouged by the intimidating antlers that had greeted him. Before he could react to the threat, Elon had shot an arrow through its head, and the large creature collapsed with a thud before it began to melt away into ash. Isaac gulped, then thanked Elon with an apologetic grin.
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They were still for a moment, surveying the area, before determining that they had eliminated all of the pests. Jonathan pushed forward, creeping behind the foliage as he approached where the demons were initially positioned. He ducked down, his blonde hair disappearing behind the leaves.
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Jonathan’s voice rang out from his hiding place. “Isaac, come here. Look at this.”
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Elon and Isaac both hastened towards the indicated spot. They crossed through the tall bushes that had obscured their sights and entered a small clearing. They gaped at the discovery.
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“Whoa, that’s spooky,” mused Elon.
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In what was roughly a ten-foot radius, all of the grass was blackened. It took a while to realize that the plants were not burnt, but rather covered in an inky substance. The surrounding plants were wilting, morphing into unusual spiraling shapes as they extended their branches and stems. The green of their mutated leaves had gone entirely white, standing out bizarrely against the blackened scene.
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“Okay, something weird is going on,” said Isaac, pointing out the obvious. “Have you ever seen anything like this before?”
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“No,” replied Jonathan. “I don’t think so.”
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“I have,” Elon noted, surprising both of them.
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“You have?” the brothers asked, perfectly in unison.
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Elon was watching the damaged plants carefully. “Yeah! I mean, I was a kid, though, so the details are fuzzy, and it wasn’t to this extent, which is why Iris was probably worried…”
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“What is it?” Isaac pried.
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“I think you hit the nail on the head with the term ‘portal,’ but this one doesn’t look right.” She made a soft tutting noise as she perused the scene. “Where I grew up, every once in a while, really young kids would go missing. Years later, their bodies would show up in the woods near one of these things. It’s not exact; but I think it was similar enough.”
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Jonathan cocked his head. “Well, if that’s the case, then where are the bodies?”
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“I… I don’t know,” she admitted.
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With a shrug, Isaac interjected. “Whatever it is, it’s a hotspot for demons to congregate. Can’t you bless the spot or something, Jonathan?”
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“I can try,” he attested. “But we should keep up with Iris and this area, just to be safe. I have a feeling this isn’t entirely infernal in nature, but it’s dark nonetheless.”
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The three of them agreed. Jonathan produced a small jar of holy water and flicked it near the ground. The darkness corroding the plants did not react in the slightest, and Jonathan could not conceal his vexation at the scene. Isaac, curious, produced a small dagger of light and prodded at the leaves. The celestial energy had no effect on it whatsoever, the plant reacting as though it were an ordinary blade. Amused by his findings, Isaac raised an eyebrow at Jonathan and Elon. Neither of them had any input.
​
--
​
The small park was quiet and peaceful, not a child in sight. The early spring weather was finally beginning to warm up again, the sun shining brightly in the sky. Yet, Sam was feeling as cold as ever as she sat on the bench. Once again, she glanced at the phone in her hand, and once again, it was her own message staring back at her.
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Are you still coming?
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Sam knew that Elon had a forgetful streak. Still, she was not used to the feeling of being stood up. Moreover, she was frustrated with just how disappointed she felt because of it. Elon had an alarming amount of power over her mood.
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A few more minutes had passed and Sam felt the need to check the time. Upon realizing she had been waiting for over an hour, she groaned and slumped into the seat. Staring at the phone, Sam wondered how desperate she would look if she sent yet another text to Elon. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard. However, before she was able to type anything at all, a tall figure stopped in front of her, blocking out the sun.
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Without hiding the agitation in her face, Sam looked up to see which passerby had the gull to approach her. To her own surprise, she saw Cain’s face looking down at her, his hair haloed by the sun. He had the same plain expression on his face that he always had, but this time it had spread to Sam’s face as well. She blinked at him blankly, a question on her lips. Noticing he might have alarmed her, Cain took an apologetic step back.
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“You look quite distressed,” he observed. “I am sorry if my presence startled you.”
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Sam closed her mouth tightly. Her eyes narrowed at him. Frustrated responses bounced around her head, but she repressed them, knowing it wasn’t Cain who she was upset with. Instead, she shoved her phone in her pocket and stood up, all the while averting her coworker’s gaze.
​
“I’m just surprised to see you here, in the sunlight,” she retorted. “I thought you’d catch fire.”
​
Cain did not respond, but there was clear confusion in his face when she glanced up at him. A twinge of regret made her soften and sigh.
​
“Sorry. You’re right, I’m not in a good mood,” she recounted, looking back down. Her voice still sounded harsh. “It was nice of you to notice.”
​
Though he was visibly hesitant, Cain eventually spoke with slow, uncertain words. “I could, perhaps, assist you.”
​
Sam was initially bewildered, but her confusion melted into amusement. She felt herself smirk and let out a small laugh. Cain’s coldness mixed with his good intentions was incredibly humorous to her, albeit endearingly so. Her response, however, seemed to displease him with a subtle shift in his features. She gave him a reassuring smile.
​
“It’s fine,” she said. “Just girl problems, I guess.”
​
Cain nodded. He looked as though he were piecing things together. “If you have more enemies, I can help you defeat them.”
​
Sam snickered and waved her hands at him. “No! It’s a girl I like, we’re dating.” She still had a smirk on her face, but her eyes were sad. “She was supposed to be here.”
​
“I can locate her if you are unaware of her whereabouts,” Cain offered.
​
For a moment, Sam mulled over the idea before shutting it down. “She’s not in danger, I think she’s just forgetful.” She gave a halfhearted shrug.
​
“Very well,” said Cain. “Is there something else that might bring you joy in her absence?”
​
Sam lightly punched his arm. “You’ve already given me the social interaction that I had been craving, guy.”
​
This appeared to satisfy Cain. Sam stared at him in amazement when she noticed the faintest smile on his face. It had disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, making Sam wonder if it had ever been there at all. However, before Cain could give one of his formal, out-of-touch responses, he cringed. His shoulders jerked upward and he put a gloved hand over his nose and mouth.
​
With a raised eyebrow, Sam tilted her head. “Are you… okay?”
​
Cain nodded, but his eyes were tightly shut. He turned away from her and spat a dark liquid onto the grass. The sight caught Sam so off-guard that she jolted. He remained twisted away from her, his head bent. His gloved hand wiped at his nose, and she caught a glimpse of the blood it came away with. It looked black against the white fabric.
​
“You got a nosebleed or something?” she asked, though his face was still concealed from her.
​
Holding his awkward position, Cain nodded again and returned his hand to cover his mouth. His voice came unexpectedly, as clear and steady as ever.
​
“Yes,” he said. “I should tend to it.”
​
Before she could protest, Cain had turned and began skulking off. She watched, more baffled than concerned. When he was truly out of earshot, she mumbled to herself.
​
“All right, weirdo, see you later.”
​
​
--
​
​
Before he was aware of anything else, Thomas could feel the hardwood floor beneath him, his head on a lone shag rug. He hoped it was his own room, but his head was pounding, and he was unable to open his eyes to find out. His heartbeat sounded strange, though it was hard to pinpoint what precisely was off about it. When he found himself able to draw in a long, refreshing breath, pleasure tingled in the back of his head. The accomplishment was enough to send him back adrift.
​
The second time he came to, fading in and out of vivid thoughts and faint dreams, Thomas could feel his entire body buzzing. There was a persistent ringing in his ears; the sound only grew louder and more unbearable the longer he fixated on it. In his own frustration, Thomas felt his face contort, and that was when he was sure he was still alive.
​
Flinching at the light in the room, Thomas struggled to open his eyes. Static in the corner of his vision distorted the view somewhat, but he was certain he was laying on the floor of his bedroom. He reminded himself to breathe again, but the insistent, throbbing headache he had was making it difficult to not stagger his breaths. As more of his surroundings came into view, he noticed the small, dark puddle that had formed under his head and soaked into the rug. Crisp, dry blood stuck to his neck, and he discovered it when he tried to move. The fresh wound on his neck vivified with a sharp pain that rang throughout his body. Defeated, he abandoned his attempt to rouse himself from the floor and opted to fall back asleep for a while longer.
​
The next time Thomas was able to open his eyes, the light in his room had faded, barely illuminated by the moon outside of his window. His body ached from the awkward position on the ground, and there was a dryness in his mouth that motivated him to finally get up. Though it took intense concentration and effort, Thomas was able to pull himself into a sitting position as he leaned on the bed behind him. Given the darkness of the room, it was hard to determine whether or not his vision was still unreliable, but the ringing in his ear was certainly starting to subside.
​
It took much longer for Thomas to be able to stumble to his feet, and most of his motivation came from the annoyance he had towards his body daring to feel so weak. Getting something to drink was a hassle enough, and anything more was out of the picture. Proud of his minor accomplishment, Thomas crept into his bed under the covers.
​
With great irritation, it took a moment to realize that half of the blankets were caked with blood, scratching aggressively at his skin. He rolled to the opposite side, curled up, and fell asleep with a grin on his face.
​
The night had disappeared within a blink of his eye, and Thomas awoke alongside the sun. Though he was still more sluggish than usual, he was finally able to walk around like normal, inspecting the damage to his bedding and floor. He noted that Eden hadn’t bothered taking care of him, but rather left the second she was done. He was unsure how he felt about the predicament.
​
The whole morning, all Thomas could think about was the annoyance that would be on Isaac’s face the moment he saw him. He was smiling to himself the whole time he cleaned up the mess, both on himself and in his bedroom, even as he deemed his favorite rug a lost cause.
​
Curiously, Thomas checked his phone and eyed the date. It would have been more informative if he had known what the date was the day Isaac had introduced him to Eden. Scanning through the notifications and missed messages, he figured he had been asleep for a full day or so.
​
Though he didn’t have plans for the day, Thomas was growing stir crazy and readied himself to go outside, get some fresh air, and find some companions to relate his most recent feat to. When he made his way outside, he closed the door and turned to lock it. That was when he stalled, his gaze glued to the handle, but the glimmer of something metallic in his peripheral vision. Slowly, his eyes wandered up from the doorknob to the aged sheet of paper, pinned to the center of his door with a knife.
​