It's late.
The day has been engulfed in moonlight.
The clouds are consuming the sky;
the rain is violent.

My legs lead me into an abandoned shed.
the wind is cold. Cruel.
I need to rest.


"It's no use."

A familiar voice shatters my concentration.
A silhouette steps out of the shadows.
The hell..?

Oh.
Bird.

He stands for all I am against.
He's a risky *******.

He had been aiding her in her quest to banish me.
I hate him.

"She's leaving as we speak.
No matter how fast you run, you won't catch her."

..No. It can't be.
He's buying her time, he must be bluffi-

"It's true."

...

"I can let you go if you want. You want to see for yourself?
You want to run, feel the rain slam into your skin,
and see how it gradually starts to pierce your flesh?"

He steps closer to me.

"You want to die trying? Die alone in a ***** street?
You're not human. Nobody can see you but her.
And you won't reach her.
You'll be alone.
You'll die alone.

You're going to die, kid.
She's going to **** you.
It's over."

I can't breathe correctly.
My throat is closing.
My vision is blurry.
Tears are streaming down my cheeks. ****.

My knees give in.
Everything is suddenly so heavy..


"It can't be." I think to myself.
"She's strong enough to **** me now.
I was too late. I wasn't strong enough.
I couldn't get there on time.
..I'm going to die any minute, now."

I can't even blink.
I can't express emotion. It's like I forgot how to.
Tears are flooding my vision.
Suddenly everything is too alive.
..
So many memories..



"I don't hate you.
But she needs to grow. You need to leave.
You are her demon.
You are a part of her.
But she'll never be happy so long as you are alive.
You tie her down, you keep her weak.
All so you can stay alive.

..And even though..
part of you might actually love her.."

No. I know what he's going to say.
I'm not that kind of being.
I do love her. I do.

"..you're still a weak selfish *******."


I break.
"NO!! I LOVE HER, I WANT HER TO BE HAPPY!!
I WANT HER TO BE SAFE!!"

I'm sobbing now.
He raises his voice.

"She's been kept safe for far too long, now, demon!
She wants out.
You keep trying to convince her that keeping you alive
is the only way she'll break out of that shell.
When in reality you are her shell.
You are what keeps her from being happy.
And when she comes to you in times of need,
you lie to her, telling her to do things that only fuel your existence.

You're a liar, demon.
You're selfish and weak.
You're pathetic,
and she knows that."

I can't feel my hands.

There is a pause.
I can see clear again.
I see his boots; he's standing there,
towering over me like some kind of god.

The words crawl up my throat,
barely escaping my lips:

"Yeah..so what?"

I try to stand.

"I'm a selfish little ****, yeah."

I'm coughing blood.
I get dizzy as I try to maintain my balance.
..****..

"I did want her to be happy.
I wanted to keep her away from the humans,
I wanted to keep her safe.
I didn't want her to suffer anymore.
In the end..it was too much.
I didn't know what else to do to help her.
I tried giving her satisfaction in misery.
I gave her the gift of laughter whenever she was screaming.."

I clench my fists as hard as I could.
I felt myself getting weaker as I spoke.

"..whenever she was screaming in agonizing pain
over memories and betrayal!!

I gave her what I understood.
I gave her new urges, new needs,
new ways she could alleviate her pain.

..But it was too much.
She couldn't understand my gifts.
She feared them.
I gave too much. She started to fear me."

I cough again.
Blood stains the floorboards.
My eyes lock in the sight of this proof-
proof that soon I'll be gone.

"That's when you stepped in.
It was the perfect chance, wasn't it?
She was already beginning to see me as an obstacle.
All you needed to do was give that little push, didn't you?"

I look up at him.
He's serious, his head tilted back, relaxed.
He's glaring at me with eyes I've never seen before.
..It's intimidating, but I don't care.
I growl at him,
demanding an answer.

"DIDN'T YOU!!"

He didn't respond.
He lowered his head a bit, looked at my body.
My..


"Wh- no.
No. No not yet, no."

My body is barely there.
I'm fading.

My reason drowned with my screams.
My existence faded with my body.

My vision is struggling between the shed I stand in,
and complete blackness.
And the..
the image of that ******
observing me;
he probably feels accomplished.
I try as best as I can to stay.

"I can't go!
I can't!
I love her! I do.
I.. I'm sorry, I'm sorry..
I'm sorry, ****, I'm sorry..

Forgive me for keeping you down..
I'm sorry."

I see him walk back, letting himself be consumed by darkness,
like some legendary hero.
Like some ******* god.

I feel nothing of me left.
I'm torn between cursing at the guy and apologizing to her.

"Keep her safe." I manage to say.

He's probably gone.
I wonder if he heard me?
Maybe I shouldn't worry.


. . .