“I’m sure they recruit somehow. Maybe by force,” Keary says, shrugging. “They breed and train their offspring in the same mindset that they have.”
“How long before they’re all killed?”
“It’s a very big world, Rainer,” Notto says. I look over my shoulder and find his arm around Drystan’s shoulders. They’re walking kind of awkwardly because Drystan is turned into Notto’s side. “It’ll take some time to eliminate all the shit out there.”
“In reality, the sick, dark, evil things will never be fully gone,” Drystan says. “Everything has a balance, even the good and the bad. For every good out there, there’s an equal and opposite bad. No matter what we’re talking about. That’s what physics teaches us.”
I’m amused that he’s talking about physics when I’ve literally seen shit while at his side that physics says isn’t real.
“Let’s go find a house to occupy for the night,” Keary says. “It’s getting late, and my human is tired.”
This, of course, leads to more muttering and arguments. With a heavy sigh, I move ahead of the monsters and walk alone with Kaida, trying to tune out their constant bickering. Though my very existence tends to trigger their arguments, I’m not even a part of it. It’s exhausting.
I hope that the house we find is stable so I can lock myself in a room away from their noise for the night. I could use some peace.
KEARY
Monsters are lucky. Our monstrous souls choose our mates, and they always choose right. But that fucking preternatural instinct will never shut up when you tell it no. What the fuck, dude?! I don’t want my every fucking fantasy, bitch. Go away!
Iwatch Rainer disappear down a hall with his lut following him. His pet pauses, looks over her shoulders, and meets my eyes for a beat before turning and following. I listen, trying to follow their progress through the house but don’t hear their footsteps once they’re out of sight.
“Even Kaida thinks you’re being a stubborn bitch,” Drystan says as he opens a cabinet.
Irritation prickles up my spines. “She doesn’t,” I insist.
Drystan and Notto both look at me with the same expression.
“Why can’t you just leave?” I hiss, turning to head back outside and away from them. The tightness in my chest is just as frustrating as having them here.
Go away, I demand of my god who incessantly reaches for them.The answer is no. I don’t want that life. I don’t give a fuck what you want.
I don’t receive an answer, of course. I’m not that kind of species. I am my god and my god is me. We’re a single being. I’ve always thought about it like a different set of instincts. A different skillset. My physical body doesn’t change much in shape, but it has other characteristics that embody the sun.
There’s still plenty of daylight, so I wander around lazily, searching for food for my human companion. Monsters need sustenance too but not nearly as frequently as a human.
I suppose that’s not always true. Demons eat all the damn time, as do shifters. Hmm. Maybe it’s the divine class that doesn’t need to eat as often or as much.
We’re not in a particularly dense area as far as other structures or forests. I can see the houses, equally as large and at one time impressive, spread a dozen yards down the road. One of them looks like it was plowed through by a wrecking ball, while the majority look untouched except by time and neglect.
There are patches of trees here and there. A single mailbox remains standing, though the box itself is tipped over, barely hanging on. There’s another mailbox sitting in the middle of the road, distorted as if it were stepped on or run over.
I sigh. I miss the world that used to be here. People moving about. Fuel to make the vehicles run. The hum of civilization, even in somewhat remote places like this. In the distance, at the end of the road, I can see what remains of a city.
From here, it’s nothing but shadows. There’s no light. No movement. No sounds. Just tall gray structures of various heights. They stretch from left to right, telling a story of what was once here.
I could find food there. Glancing up at the sun, I determine how long I have before it gets dark out. A chilly breeze meandersacross the road, and I shiver. I’m not a fan of moving north. I prefer the warmer weather.
Sticking my hands in my pockets, I begin walking toward the city. A beam of sunlight streaks across the road, and I walk into it. When I step out again, I’m in the middle of the city.
Once, there would be noise everywhere. The very city itself would sound like it lived. It’s eerily silent now. I look up at the wall of a tower painted with evening sun. Most of the glass has been blown out, either by storm, beast, or other activity, but every so often, there’s a pane that’s still in one piece. It is the reflection of broken lives, glittering through the bright sunlight.
A sound to my right makes me turn. I don’t catch them, but I see their feet scurry behind a building. I walk toward the point where they disappeared. They’re gone by the time I get there, so I follow the alley between buildings.
I pass a door every couple dozen feet, each hanging off its hinges. All except one. “Which one is not like the other?” I hum as I push it open.
The sound of scurrying meets my ears. I’m not exactly in a place where I can manipulate the sun much, but I manage to bounce a beam of light into the space. Half a dozen humans are cowering in various corners, one with a wooden bat in his hands.
They don’t have what I want. Without a word, I turn and leave the building. “If you want to stay hidden, stop closing the door,” I call out. “As the only one closed, it’s an obvious sign that there’s something behind it.”
