The Misfortune Cycle: River Desert

Chapter 27

Kalyani curled up as Budda turned into a giant slug made of dimension folding shadows. Her skin grew bright as melting iron, and her scream had turned into a tea kettle whistle. The apartment shook with power.

A crazed gush of wind went past Torun and slammed into what used to be Budda. The shadow flapped like a flag, and somehow shifted away from Kalyani.

"Oh, a big one," Budda's voice came out, and the wind cracked.

Abdul crashed down on the floor.

He was larger than life, almost fifteen feet long. His skin was a deep blue, and a pair of batlike wings came out of his back. His feet were on fire. He swung a hand full of blue flames at Budda.

And the hand disappeared.

Abdul screamed, a vibrating basal sound, and turned into blue flames. It struck the wall opposite to Budda, and launched itself at him.

The shadow surrounding Budda flowered, and sprung towards Abdul.

The two forces met in a swirl, tearing and ripping each other.

Only for a second.

Then Abdul's fire went out like a candle in a storm, and his scream was sucked into the restless void that remained.

Budda giggled, and turned to Kalyani, who's limbs were now melting together with her torso. 

Torun heard shuffling behind him. He turned back.

Someone was with Mohona. It was that girl from the clinic, only looking even more ragged. Her hair was tied back into a spilling bun, and her blouse was missing several buttons. Her lungi was torn on one side, but that looked like something she did herself to run faster. She was trying to guide Mohona away, but Mohona was refusing.

Budda barked something, and the new girl's eyes widened. She took a step back, and something seemed to twist inside of her. She fell down like a log. Mohona caught her and sat down, eyes frantically searching for escape.

"Why?" Torun yelled at the mottled black thing that was Budda, "Why are you doing this?"

Budda purred. It was a grating, mechanical noise.

"It's what I was hired to do," he said, "By the same employer as you."

"To make us suffer?"

"To make him a transit through this realm," Budda corrected him. Kalyani was now a vaguely fetus shaped thing in his hand, glowing like a filament and shrinking visibly. She filled the place with orange light as night fell outside.

"Who... Why?" Torun felt tears rise up from inside him.

Everything they fought till now may have been strong. They may have regenerated soon, but their bullets and blades did go into it. It stalled them, gave Torun and everyone else enough time put distance.

But now?

Now Torun had thrown the most powerful thing he knew at Budda, and Budda shrugged Abdul off like a particularly annoying puppy.

"Oh, look at that," Budda sounded annoyed, "Why are you crying? Really, why? You're getting what you wanted in the beginning, in the same terms as you were given in the beginning. What are you even crying about?"

Shuvo let out a shriek and swung for Budda. His hand passed through like the shadows were a curtain.

"You shouldn't have gotten so attached, knowing that you'd have to give her away," Budda kept saying, "You shouldn't have given her the freedom to form attachment with others."