Bleeding Color

I'm Afraid

The breeze brought deep rumbling sounds of the darkness and what lurked outside the walls. I could hear them pressing to get in. Could smell their hot breathes that carried a hint of decaying flesh, from where I lay. I shuddered rolling closer to Pitri. His even breathing was comforting. He turned towards me in his sleep, his face peaceful despite what I had told him. All the pain and death behind those plastic sheets, all of it caused by humans. Pitri's hand was clenched tightly around something, though the rest of him was relaxed. I stared at, squinting as though it would make his hand transparent. I mean it's not like I knew all my abilities, nothing happened though.

A light touch tickled at the little exposed part of his palm. Nothing. I frowned, reaching out to tickle at his nose instead. He whipped at his nose, knocking my hand away yet still clutching the object. I was very tempted to bit him right then to get him to let go whatever it was he held like a precious gem. Ooh, what if it was? I had never seen a diamond or anything of the like. The thought grabbed hold of me and I knew I wouldn't be sleeping until whatever it was got revealed.

"Pitri, open your hand please." I whispered above his ear.

I groaned as he shot up a hand, knocking me in the face while he flopped back to his other side. Rubbing my aching nose, I crawled back towards him to flick his ear in annoyance and frustration.

"Go to sleep Alice." He grumbled.

I squeaked, hopping away. "How long were you awake for?"

He sat up, his silver eyes shining in the dark night. "When you started staring at me, seriously gave me chills and woke me right up."

"Liar." I mumbled, folding my arms huffly across my chest. "Anyway, since you are awake and all. What's in your hand?"

The dark strong fingers tightened possessively around the object. I tilted over to the side look at him, when he didn't react I let myself fall to the ground staring at him. A slight amusement twinkled through the silver.

"Alice this isn't a joke." He serious tone, trying to find it.

"Oh, I'm serious. More than serious, I'm...hm...grim?"

"That may be a step too far." He sighed, glancing at his fist. "If I show you, you can't tell anyone. I mean it Alice."

I nodded eagerly. "I can keep a secret."

"It's not just a secret Alice." He opened his hand. "This is humanity's sin."

The stone sparkled in the starlight, shining a rainbow of colors that melted together into the rock. In a way, it reminded me of my blood, so many colors. I reached out to grab it, but Pitri pulled away. Blinking at him, I fought back to tackle him for it. Jerk.

"That's the stuff we were mining."

"I know." He held it up, allowing more light to catch it. "I slipped it in my pocket when everyone was busy shuffling out for the day. Whatever this is, it did something to that woman and they used it to make her even worse."

He tossed it at me, even unexpected my reflexes kicked in snatching it out of the air. Sitting up to examine it, I spun it in my hands, tracing out all the grooves and bumps. What made this little hunk of rock so special?

"I still don't see how this is humanity's sin."

"It's a metaphor Alice, this place is supposed to be one of the Hopes of Humanity yet they hid away their dirty little secret."

"And you call me weird." I tossed it back and forth between my hands, feeling the weight. "You really think this could kill all the Others?"

Pitri snatched it back mid-air, giving me a scolding look. "I don't know. The thing is it doesn't matter, not if it means killing so many people for it." He paused to met my eyes. "Don't you agree?"