In My Hands, Know Suffering

14: Fearless Demonstration

What would the world be like, I wonder, if you were the last person alive? If that last person lived in a beautiful and pretentious pantomime, wouldn't that be ecstasy in itself? If it found a flicker of life, you'd just have to take it away.

Let the visions of death play, let lifeless eyes follow you around. A world where the absence of life is but child's play. Then, look around. Isn't the silence beautiful? Don't you want that kind of solitude...Llone?

Slumping in his bed in that late afternoon, Castellone opened his eyes from a quick nap. He looked around the room as if deep in searching, and was confused. Now why would he thought that someone was actually talking to him? He got up and rubbed his face.

Just as he lay his hand down, he saw another image of himself standing right before his physical body that was now lying on the bed, sleeping once again. For some reason, he couldn't move and everything was hazy. In one corner of the room, he saw something standing. It shared the same image as him. He saw himself smiling at him. Wickedly.

It wasn't like him to illustrate that kind of expression, but it somehow sent shivers down his spine. He tried to move but something had paralyzed him.

"What are you?" His mind tried to communicate. At least his mouth wasn't restrained.

It continued to smile. It wasn't answering as it just stood there, watching the phantom of himself.

Castellone knew he was awake despite seeing his physical body sleeping. This wasn't a dream. That thing smiling at him wasn't an imagination either. Just when he thought it wasn't about to speak, it left a message right before it vanished.

Those where death looms over will not receive mercy.

From there on, as Castellone was left paralyzed, he was drawn to sleep. His surroundings were engulfed into a pitch darkness of a sphere, as if the light of day was ignored. He wasn't allowed to roam freely nor was he allowed to be a witness this time.

In the silence of the dark, he waited.

He saw unfamiliar faces who tread past him along the hallway of the Science building. With a subtle sneer on his face, he eyed each of them until he found five familiar faces that the Freak had summoned to become an offering upon Gehenna's door.

Freak.

He loved the name that the Runt called him. He was a freak, in every sense of the word. His senses ached at the memory of the Runt. She was something else. It was painful to think about her. Instead, he shifted his thoughts back to the now. His gaze followed the students. They were deciding on where to go next.

"Why not the movies? We can definitely kill some time in there."

One of them had spoken up, a guy. Lester was his name. He knew it the instant he peeked through his mind. Lester was looking at his phone before sliding it back to his jean pocket. His other companions were two ladies, Peggi and Varah, and two other guys, Weslie and Tracen.

They all agreed to the idea and soon found their way outside the campus. They've headed into town.

"Too bad we can't find Abrielle anywhere. She'd be a better substitute than the movies."

Some smiled while some chuckled. He sneered at the idea too. To them, she was an irreplaceable plaything. Something that completed their day whenever they saw her and did things to her. He also wanted her to be his plaything. He wondered what her screams would actually sound like when he'd have the chance.

Kill time.

His gaze narrowed with glee. Then he followed the five students until they reached town for some leisure activities in the nearest theater .They've entered to watch whatever tape was currently rolling in the box office.