The Pseudo Semicolon

CHAPTER 26: Run Boy, Run

The boy's mouth opened in a scream, but no sound came out, only tears. Big, fat teardrops rolled down his cheeks and Akira didn't dare dwell on the heinous action he had just committed.

"Todd–" Jason stopped short, his eyes widening at the scene behind him, "Aster, what the
fuck—"

"Oh fuck off, Jason." Akira spat out venomously, and without waiting for anyone to understand what he was doing, he dragged Todd back–back to the altar, back to the place where it all began.

"HE'S GONNA COMPLETE THE RITUAL!" Charlie screamed, pointing towards Akira in horror.

"Do you want your father to live or not?" Akira heard Devland say, his voice dangerous and filled with rage. Akira's fingers trembled as he shackled Todd again, spreading him out with his limbs extended on each side.

'Repeat after me.' An unfamiliar voice whispered in his mind, 'Look to the moon and chant what I recite.'

Akira raised his head, staring up at the moon. It looked beautiful; pale yet grey, craters marking its surface. A cloudless dark sky surrounded the celestial body, contrasting its light harshly.

Without missing a beat, Akira repeated what the devil said, sometimes stuttering over his words. Todd's blood dripped from his fingertips, tears streamed down Akira's face, his heart felt like it would stop.

As soon as Akira finished reciting the chant, fire erupted from Todd's body, its fiery tendrils reaching into the air as a madman's cackle echoed the crevice of the cavern. Akira stumbled back in fright, falling backwards as he missed a step.

Familiar arms wrapped around his chest and helped him slowly sink to the ground. "I got you, it's okay, I got you." Devland whispered softly as Akira sat on the ground, leaning back into Devland, "I'm sorry—I got you."

"D-Did it work?" Akira asked, squeezing the other's hand. He didn't care that it was stained with blood, he figured that Devland wouldn't mind considering that they both had blood on their hands now, literally and figuratively.

Devland slowly turned his head towards Charlie, "Well you're the expert, did it work?"

Charlie couldn't even get a word out before the shrill sound of a ringtone pierced through the air. Jason slowly staggered towards one of the rubbles on one side of the cavern, picking up a phone.

"Put it on speaker." Devland ordered and the boy obeyed, pressing a button on the screen and suddenly a voice blared out of it.

"Jason?! Jason, honey where are you?!" A feminine voice cried, "Jason please answer, please I'm so worried—we're all so worried. You've been gone for almost a week!"

"M-Mom?" Jason answered, his jaw going slack, "M-mom is that really you?"

"Honey–Honey please come back. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry please come back."

"Well, I guess it worked. The Devil held up on all his ends I guess." Devland looked warily at Akira, who didn't dare meet the other's gaze. How could he remain so calm? "Show's over. You can grieve in your prison cells."

"Wh-What's gonna happen to us? What did he do?" Mitchel spoke up, voice slightly trembling. He took a step back when Devland rose, glaring at him.

"I already called the police and I'm gonna give them your confessions. If you obey, it'll be good for you. You don't want me to make a visit to any one of your houses right?"

Silence.

"Leave. We'll follow you guys. The cops will be waiting above."

Akira didn't know how he managed to walk back. He remembered waiting for Devland as the other gathered up the confessions, he remembered the coldness of the water, he remembered how weak his legs felt as he climbed up. His grip almost slipped from the metal bar due to the blood. Todd's blood.