My Demonic Ghost #3: Hunters and Creators (13 page)

Chapter Nineteen:

I didn’t know if Gargoyle had returned or not that night. If he did he snuck in silently and remained hidden. When exhaustion finally won the battle over my body, and I felt comfortable enough that Lock wasn’t going to harm me, I finally fell asleep. I shouldn’t have been surprised to see that my old nightmares replayed themselves, but this one was different. This dream felt real. Sometimes you can just tell that you are in a dream by the sense weightlessness. There’s nothing physically holding you down, there’s no restriction in your chest when you breathe and you can’t feel your feet touch ground when you walk. It’s a trick of the mind when really everything is built out of air. But in this dream I felt everything. Every uncomfortable tickle, every breath and brush of tile against my fingertips. I had convinced myself that this was my reality, standing alone at the train station, waiting for my train on an empty platform.

The lights overhead were annoyingly bright; so much so they cast a white fog around the entire station. It was eerily quiet as I stood in the middle of the platform, my arms crossed and my head turned towards the dark tunnel opening on the other side. As time ticked on, the temperature dropped dramatically. I wrapped my arms around my midsection and curled my fingers into fists. My shoulders started to tremble and my bones ached. The chilly air created frost against the white tile walls. The frigid air caused the generator to fail and the lights started to flicker. They struggled for a moment then stopped blinking. I glanced up to where one of the lights at the far end had blinked off. The shadows created underneath the dead blub started to burgeon with life.

I took a step back as the light next to it turned off, and then the one next to that also switched off. The shadows pooling together shifted upwards, forming the body of a man with green eyes. It was Lock; I knew it, even with his face completely masked in darkness. He stood at the end of the platform, bearing his sharp white teeth and glowing green eyes. Then he ran at me.

He charged forward, blowing the lights out as he passed underneath them, their brittle glass bodies cracking and exploding with sharp pops. Panic hit me hard and fast, forcing my legs to stumble backwards, but I was no match against his incredible speed. He was a tidal wave of darkness and I had nowhere to go but backwards. I bolted as the shadows reached my ankles. Where there was once a door at the end of the platform was now just a sealed wall and I hit my palms against it, trying to find the exit. I turned around and pressed myself away as the last light remained on above my head. Darkness flooded the area, basking it underneath a heavy blanket of dark smoke. The light above me struggled, its faint warmth choking on the cold. Lock was right there, standing within reach, where the shadow met light.

“What do you want with me?” I demanded, but he didn’t reply. He breathed heavily in anticipation. “What do you want? Why won’t you just leave me alone?” I repeated, but still no reply.

The words that haunted my subconscious sprung up from the back of my head,
the green-eyed monster is following you. The green-eyed monster is thinking of killing you. The green-eyed monster wants you all to himself…

“Do you… do you really think of killing me?” I gulped.

His eyes smiled, “Every moment of every day, I think of killing you.” Chills pinched the back of my neck, his voice horrendous. It was an unnatural mixture of boy and monster, an undertone of demonic possession.

“Why?”

“So I can have you all to myself.”

“Why? Why do you want me?”

He didn’t say anything for a long time, only stood there within an inch from reaching out to touch me. The light faded faster and faster, there wasn’t much time.

“Tell me why?” I pleaded when the light buckled underneath and snapped shut.

                                            ***

I jolted upwards. The world spun and I clutched my chest, able to finally feel the difference between my dream reality and now. The room was silent and bare, the morning sunshine overspilling from the window. I got up and searched the house for Gargoyle, but he was nowhere to be found. Not even the Banished spirit, Lock, seemed to be here; though he was the last person on earth I wanted to see. I rubbed my stomach as it clenched for food. I hadn’t eaten since yesterday lunch and the cottage was left unbearably empty, considering the Hunters didn’t need nourishment. We had only gotten enough to sustain me for the week.

But Gargoyle had said not to go into town;
I drummed my fingertips against my chin.
Well, I can’t very well starve. 

By the time I hit the main market within the centre of Whitehaven I had fished into my pockets only to remember I had left everything I owned back at the house. I didn’t have a single cent on me and I felt too prideful to beg people for the scraps they couldn’t finish.  I even contemplated stealing a chocolate bar from the convenience store, but my better judgement wouldn’t let me stoop so low.

So, I ended up walking the streets with a graunchy stomach, trying to waste time till Gargoyle came back. I walked back past the old high school where we had planned our midnight meeting with Miira. There was police tape around the perimeter and scorch marks painted the entire building. The earth had erupted, the rocks unbalancing the school walls where it split in two. I hadn’t noticed before how much damage had occurred. I lingered for a moment to watch. The local news reporter stood with her back to me, mic in hand and her blonde hair tucked back behind her ear. She was talking into a camera that faced the main body of the destroyed building. I left when the crowd started to grow.  I also noticed Chō’s absence. He must’ve run off after the commotion.  Not really knowing my way around, I went back to the only place that seemed familiar to me, back to my Uncle’s old home. The leaves crunched beneath my shoes as I stepped onto the driveway and took a deep breath.
Maybe Chō will be here-?

“Where are you going?” A voice suddenly barked at me. I stumbled onto my back foot, disoriented, before catching Lock’s gaze poking through the gaps in the trees. He leaned with his back curved against the truck, arms firmly crossed and his body carefully covered underneath the shadows. 

“I’m just… nowhere, I’m just wandering.” I replied defensively.

“Wander somewhere else then.”

“Why? I’m not doing anything wrong.”

“There’s nothing for you here.” He stepped around the tree trunk to confront me. His body fully healed now, the black veins that marred his skin now gone, leaving him unmarked. If I hadn’t just seen him thrashing in a pit of darkness, I wouldn’t have thought he was a demon. They are creatures of temptation and corruption; I guess it made sense to have them appear alluring to others.

I tightened my frown, “You’re not the boss of me. Chains or no chains, I can walk anywhere I want!” I attempted to step around him, but he quickly blocked me. I tried again only to have him step in front of me again, his broad chest creating a barrier.

“Why are you blocking me from going to the house?”

“You ask too many questions.”  

“And you avoid too many.”

“Don’t make me do it…” He warned with a hint of a smile. I weaved past him irritated that I accidently stepped through his body. I halted and glanced back at him as he tightened his glare. He looked like a solid person, but his body was weightless smoke.

“I can’t touch you?” I whispered.

“You sound disappointed.” He smirked back. I rolled my eyes at him and continued on when a tension suddenly pulled on my neck. I placed my hand on my throat able to feel the muscles clench and tighten. Then I was pulled around so I was facing Lock again. He hadn’t moved a muscle as his eyes bore into mine, that familiar touch an outside invasion tickled my memories.

Go back.
He commanded. I shivered heavily; I had forgotten that Banished could do this, invade the minds of their hosts. 
Don’t make me force you.

No!
I sharply replied before my body swivelled on the ball of my foot and marched myself away from the residence. Lock’s voice tickled against my inner ear, g
ood girl.
 

Chapter Twenty:

I marched back to the house where I found Gargoyle pacing the front. He perked up when he saw me approach.

“Where did you go? Are you okay? Are you hurt?” He appeared by my side, cupping my chin and holding it up so he could examine my face.

“I’m fine… Sorry, I was bored. I just went for a walk.” I shook my head loose from his hold, finally glancing up at Gargoyle’s face. His brows were pinched with concern, “Seriously I’m fine. Where’s Damage?” 

He let out a frustrated growl, “I don’t know. I fear she’s gone to Miira to beg, but I don’t know for sure. Miira wants us dead, we are not safe there. We’re not safe anywhere. What makes things worse; I can’t contact the Wolf Reaper to arrange a trade, either.”

“Why not?”

“Mainly because I don’t know the first place to start searching for him. We used to have lanterns up in Heaven that acted like tracking devices. Without them, the Reapers are free to wander wherever they want.” 

“I would hate to suggest it, but maybe the Banished can help? I mean, he must know their whereabouts?”

Gargoyle considered it for a moment, “Is he strong enough to talk?”

“Oh!” I scoffed under my breath, “I think he’ll survive a few more words.”

Gargoyle nodded before indicating to go inside. Once inside, he carefully placed me on the couch before he curled his hands around the chains and pulled Lock through the floorboards. Dragged up by his throat, he coughed and winced, gingerly placing his hand to his chest again.

“Lock…” Gargoyle straightened his posture as he addressed the spirit. Lock turned over, snarling as usual.

“Don’t just yank me like some dog, and I thought I told you I don’t go by that name!” He choked. 

“Where are the Reapers?”

“Looking for a rematch?”

“Don’t mess around with us; you are in no condition to fight.”

“Us? By the looks of it, you’re all alone now. But, regardless I’m not here to fight.”

“Tell us what we want to know!” Gargoyle yanked Lock up by his collar so he dangled in the air.

Lock curled his lips into a scowl. “I don’t think you’re a natural red head.” Gargoyle rattled him, which only caused Lock to laugh, “Aw come on Gargoyle. We’ve done this dance before. You haven’t got the guts. You’re not like me…”

“Last time a fellow Hunter wasn’t at stake. Now, I’ll repeat myself one more time. Where are the Reapers?” Lock gripped Gargoyle’s knuckles, his eyes burying into him as his internal debate raced across his mind.

He twisted the corner of his lip into a lopsided grin, “Your mum’s house.” Gargoyle threw him to the ground. Lock’s body didn’t make a noise as he stumbled back. Now that I looked at him closely, his body seemed to be off balance, like he was constantly floating an inch or so from the ground.  

“Rachael you should leave, I don’t want you to watch.” Gargoyle muttered and I nodded my head quickly.

“Won’t he just follow me?” I questioned.

“Not while I hold him here.”

Lock glanced over at me, then leaned forward like he was about to say something. He hesitated, closed his mouth, and leaned back smirking instead.  “Don’t want to look ugly in front of her? You guys are nothing but pansies.” He mocked.

Gargoyle snatched at his collar again, lifting him high enough that the pressure was uncomfortable around his throat. Lock kept his face a constant feral snarl. “There’s nothing stopping me from snapping you in half right here and now.”

Lock rolled his eyes, “Yes there is. It’s called having no balls-”

In a snap Gargoyle slammed one fist into the side of Lock’s head. Lock clenched his jaw to stop himself from wincing. He let his breath out in an irritated huff, “Why don’t you just do it already? You’re already a killer, what’s one more person? If it helps ease that conscience of yours, I would kill you if I had the chance.”

Gargoyle crept forward, “I’m better than you.”

Lock scoffed, “That’s the funny thing… you’re not. You smell just as repellent as I do. I’ve seen where you come from, who you really are. Gargoyle, the hybrid freak. It’s just so fitting.”

Gargoyle punched him where the stab wound wept before dropping Lock to the ground, watching as he crumpled onto his knees choking back his pain. Lock’s rough voice growled from his throat, “You are so much like him, but you know that already, don’t you? That’s what you can’t stand about us Banished; you think cleaning us up will amend your own sorry damned soul. Next time I see daddy I’ll tell him his disappointment of a son says hi.”

Lock cruelly smiled, his eyes gleaming with a touch of malice as Gargoyle buried his eyes deep into Lock’s gaze. Lock stiffened and clutched at his forehead, as if something was being drilled into his skull. Immediately Lock fell over, clutching at his head, hissing to stop himself from crying out. Not a moment later, he lashed out to break Gargoyle’s stare before sinking into shadows. Once released, Gargoyle let out a quivering breath and stumbled over. His hunched back faced me; and I tip toed up to him and gently placed my hands on his arms. He shrugged out of my grip. 

“Gargoyle, I…let’s talk about it” My voice was weak as he stormed towards the door, purposely keeping his gaze turned away from mine. He flipped the hood over his head and vanished into thin air.

***

Day tipped over into night and the pain in my stomach was so unbearable I felt sick.  I had scavenged the house for hours, only finding half a biscuit that had grown stale and brittle.

“Just go and eat…” Lock’s voice dragged out from the shadows. He sat on the floor, one leg stretched out and the other drawn to his chest. He rested one arm across his knee as the other remained limp by his side and his head tilted back. His eyes were glaring forward; his face a concentrated frown like he had never had nice thoughts.  

I stopped my pacing and crossed my arms. “What you said earlier was really cruel…”

Lock merely shrugged, not in a way that suggested he was uncomfortable, but in a manner that expressed he could not care less, “He deserved it.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I didn’t realise you and Gar-goy-le were so close.” He scrunched his face up distastefully.

“He’s been a great friend to me.”

Lock snorted, “Yeah, I’m sure.” He then lazily turned his head, “I really don’t like this, Rach; your whole… memory problem. It’s starting to mess with my mind too. I get it, your memory is blocked, but I thought once you saw me it would trigger it back.”

“Well, it’s not; and there’s a good chance those memories aren’t ever going to come back.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah” He dismissed me with a flick of his wrist, like he had been lectured about this a million times before. I turned around to head back to my room when he stopped me in the hallway, unfolding from the shadows. He looked at me carefully, running his eyes over my hair and face.

“What are you doing?”

“Shhh!” He held his finger to my lips and I instinctively felt myself shuffle backwards until my back hit the wall. He towered over me as if trying to take the air I exhaled. He lifted his hand and ran it atop my head, skimming it till he hit the wall. A part of him slouched in mild relief, “I’m taller than you now.”

“Lock, why don’t you want me to go back to the house?” I asked him. Lock’s eyes shifted back to mine, the moment of tenderness quickly overshadowed again.

“The same reason why I don’t like being called Lock.”

I exhaled heavily, “Are you going to tell me what’s going on here?”

His lips twitched, “You wouldn’t believe me anyway.” My stomach gurgled as I quickly curled my arm around myself to ease the pain. “Go eat.” He ordered again in a sigh.

“Eat what exactly? There’s nothing here!” I motioned to the kitchen before pulling my head back and noticed Lock’s sadistic smile. “What?” I cocked my eyebrow as Lock winked.

“Let’s go for a walk....”