Worthless

Chapter Six

As the long days passed on, Ichimatsu, his body still just as damaged as before, continued to watch the priest from a safe distance. Sometimes in the graveyard, other times in the church, hiding behind the podium.

Often, Karamatsu, while blessing children with mental problems or other things, he would notice the melancholy demon, watching him from afar. He couldn't help be give Ichimatsu an encouraging smile. He seemed so lonely all the time.

But one day, despite how quiet and shy Ichimatsu was, he came flying broken-heartedly towards the priest, his wings struggling to keep him up. He was in tears, choking in disgusting ways as he tried to breathe.

"What's wrong, Ichimatsu?" Karamatsu asked worriedly, his voice and sharp eyes showing nothing but concern for the filthy demon.

Ichimatsu was unable to reply through his angst as his sobs grew louder and louder.

"There's only one week left!" Ichimatsu thought, sniffing loudly as hot salty tears ran down his cheeks, some entering his dry mouth. "I can't kill him! He's been nothing but kind to me! I can't do this...I can't do this at all...why did I think I could do this?"

Karamatsu didn't wait for a reply as he pulled Ichimatsu towards him, hugging him tightly.

"Shh..." he whispered into the demon's ear as he rubbed him comfortingly on the back where his wings weren't at. "It's okay. Calm down, my friend,"

Hearing the words, "my friend," caused Ichimatsu to start sobbing even harder than he already had been. And despite all the distressed people Karamatsu had seen while being a priest, he had never seen anyone this upset.

"Eternal loneliness...or murder the one person who has made me feel comfortable...?" Ichimatsu thought in anguish trembling as Karamatsu continued to hug him. His body went limp, falling to the floor as his wings refused to work. "I can't do this at all.."

"Ichimatsu, please tell me what's wrong!" Karamatsu said, kneeling down next to the demon. Ichimatsu pounded his fists on the church floor.

"What would you do..." Ichimatsu rasped through his broken up gasps for air. "if you had to kill someone you loved very much...just to stay safe. Just so someone else wouldn't cause your life to be miserable...?"

"Murder is a sin. No matter how hard it may be, even if I ended up suffering, I would feel wonderful knowing I was doing what was right," Karamatsu replied.

Ichimatsu felt like someone was pounding on his head with a hammer.

"Sin...I am sin...murder is right in Osomatsu's sight...I would be doing wrong if I didn't kill Karamatsu..." Ichimatsu thought bitterly.

Karamatsu firmly pulled Ichimatsu off of the ground and hugged him from behind before the demon began to try to fly again.

"I pray you will do the right thing, Ichimatsu," Karamatsu said before turning away, walking through one of the doors in the church.

As soon as Ichimatsu lost sight of Karamatsu, his entire world went black. And when he opened up his eyes again, the entire world around him was excruciatingly hot.

"Ichimatsu, oh Ichimatsu," Osomatau spat while chuckling a little. "I find that you are having trouble murdering this weak human. Might you be able to explain to me? Why are you having a difficult time?"

Ichimatsu pushed himself off of the ground with his hands, looking up at Osomatau. In his hands, there was a small fat bottle of some kind of disturbing colored liquid. Ichimatsu had a strong feeling that it was snake venom. Maybe it was even snake juice. He had no idea.

"I-I..." Ichimatsu mumbled.

"Speak more loudly!" Osomatsu snapped, lashing his sharp pointed tail around in irritation. "When you mumble, it's like you're trying to sound worthless. If you kill the pure man, you know, buddy, you won't be worthless anymore." Osomatsu's voice rang in Ichimatsu's ears.

"I'm too weak..." Ichimatsu rasped.

"Too weak?" Osomatsu laughed mockingly. "Then tell me this," Osomatsu leaned towards Ichimatsu, "why have you only tried to kill the pure man one time?"

"He's stronger than me! How can I kill him if he always fights me away?!" Ichimatsu snapped. "And why would I want to kill the person who calls me their friend..?" he added to himself.

"Take this then," Osomatsu said, handing the round bottle to Ichimatsu. "It's poison. Put it in the next thing he drinks. If you fail to do that, I don't know what I'll do with such a worthless subject. Execution doesn't even seem good enough."

Osomatsu snapped his fingers, and slowly, the heat in Hell began to fade away as Ichimatsu's world went completely dark.