I perched upon the cold kitchen bench with my eyes closed. Each of my other senses became enhanced as I breathed out a sigh of content, unmoving against the bitter chill. I let it consume me, flowing over my tingling skin like a tsunami of soft lace, an insurance of the changing season.
Winter. My favourite, where the misty rasps of the half-dead humans catch onto the breeze, spinning like ballet dancers into the sky and disappearing with their last breath. The one beautiful thing left in this world.
They were foolish in thinking that light steps and small movements could take me by surprise. I enjoyed allowing my prey to play pretend as hunters. It made watching their hope fade with their lives all the more satisfying.
I was everywhere. One with the darkest shadows, yet real as the the certainty of death. I was the unrelenting plague of guilt and fear devouring their minds, only stopping when a mangled skeleton of insanity remained. If I were feeling kind, I would put them out of their misery.
But I was not kind. It gave me a great sense of catharsis, watching my victims suffer, until they eventually cave and finish my job for me of their own free will.
The eerie night was like a rope, coiling tighter around my neck, yet unable to choke me. It morphed into a gentle caress, vanishing with the peaceful silence. A siren sounded in the distance.
And so the fun began.
My knives appeared in my hands with a dash of black smoke, their surfaces adorned by glittering gems of stale blood. These mortals would experience my wrath.
I was inevitable, and I would show them tonight.
Weak hands began to pound against the locked door, accompanied by the loud cocking of several guns. I marvelled at their pathetic imaginations. Bullets could not pierce a shadow.
I leapt off the counter and nonchalantly flipped one of my knives, catching it again as the door finally gave way.
Three suited men rushed inside, instantly pointing their guns at me. I simply faded like ink into the gloom as they opened fire.
I appeared behind one of them and slammed my heel into the small of his back, laughing as he hit the curb. One of his friends rushed to him while the other turned and began to shoot at me again. I dodged the bullets with ease, toying with him in a whirlwind of destruction.
Twilight crept through the ruined door, a startled spectator of my little game. I disappeared again as the men regrouped, supporting their limping comrade. Attachment made them weak.
The three of them scanned their surroundings, frightened, yet determined. The one I kicked earlier looked straight at me as I materialised. My knife flew into his throat before he could even utter a warning and he convulsed against the others, alarming them. They could only stand in shock as he dropped, gurgling, to the floor.
I would lead them on a pointless chase, make this more entertaining for myself. My knife returned to me as the angered men began to sprint across the room. I faded into the shadows just as they reached me and appeared on the balcony of the second floor, calling the darkness to form a platform and lower me to the ground. I heard more footsteps ascending the stairs. They must have called for backup.
I moved in the ways of the most admired murderers, slitting their throats one by one as bloodlust overtook me. The remaining force soon realised their assured fate, turning tail to run like cowards from my hungry blades. I pursued and slaughtered them one by one, their blood painting my skin a beautiful portrait of red and black as I revelled in the fragrance of death.
Sated, I licked the colour from my fingers and my blades, my wounds instantly healing as they came. The taste of their blood mixed with mine was pure hell. It was delicious.
The night was silent once more, as it should have been all along.
Soon, the stars would wink to a blank canvas. The world would be cleansed of the venom that sought to destroy it, leaving space enough for nobody but creatures like me. I was willing to wait. I would do whatever it takes.
This was only the quiet before the thunder.
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