Kid’s body worked the labor Vera had assigned him, cleaning this black mess from the pits of her dwelling. But he wasn’t doing it of his own will. He was doing it by the will of this creature Vera had put inside him before Treycore had arrived.
It had taken him over, left him without the ability to reach out when Treycore came to him.
Oh, how painful it had been when Treycore had come, and he hadn’t been able to say anything.
He wished he’d been able to ask him for help… to tell him that he loved him more than anything and that he needed to take him from this horrible place forever.
Since he’d arrived in Hell, Vera had been cruel and sadistic. She’d made his work hard and provided him with visitors, making this nightmare lair feel like a new Jerry’s place. And as heinous and cruel as that was, it was nothing next to keeping him… depriving him of Treycore.
He’d thought the beautiful immortal wouldn’t come… that he wouldn’t even know that he was alive… or he wouldn’t put himself at risk by coming to a place that surely wasn’t that kind to higherlings, let alone to deal with the cunt that had done this to him.
But he’d been wrong. Treycore was here, and he was trying to help him, but a lot of good that did him now.
He really does love you, the creature overtaking Kid said to him.
Kid didn’t reply. It was just being cruel.
When Vera had put it inside his ear, he’d recalled how his limbs had felt paralyzed, then began moving on their own. When feeling returned, he still couldn’t control them. Something else directed his body’s movements, and Vera had instructed whatever it was not to be kind to Treycore, not to entertain him, and to pretend to be Will, Kid’s real name. Kid supposed it was easy for the creature to do, since she told it she would claim Kid had amnesia.
How could she do that to Treycore? How could she do it to someone she claimed to once love? Or to still love? Which she’d mentioned on occasion.
“Kid.”
Treycore called from behind him.
The creature turned Kid’s body around.
Treycore stood in the cave. He looked sad, disappointed.
Treycore!
Kid desperately wanted to do anything to remove that look. He would have gotten on his knees and worked for as long as he needed to, performed Treycore’s most sadistic request just to see him smile again… just to see the light in his eyes return.
“Will,” the creature corrected.
“Yes. That’s right, Will.”
No, it’s not Will!
“I was hoping you might have dinner with me tonight. Thought I could just… I don’t know… maybe talk to you about some things. Maybe we just need to talk.”
“About?”
Treycore shrugged. “Would you just meet me for dinner in my chamber?”
Yes… yes…
He’s having dinner with me, faggot, the creature said.
“That’s fine,” it said.
Treycore pressed his lips together. Kid could tell by his expression he wasn’t sure what good it was going to do, but if only he’d known the truth… that he was right there, and he could be reached… then everything would be alright.
Treycore, help me!
Kid had to get the truth across to him, but he couldn’t. He was trapped with this horrible creature that rendered him silent.
Damn Vera. Damn her for this!
