Tick...
Tock...
Tick...
Tock...
I've noticed that now I have some sort of "countdown" system.
The ticking inside my head is incessant. Only in silence is it quite noticeable.
I look at the silver knife Oswald gifted to me, it's nice and pointy... Come to think of it, we didn't have any pointed knives in our household.
"Use it if you have to."
I remember that hunting trip we went on with my sister. She managed to catch a rabbit and she asked me if I could cut it. The way it looked at us made me feel absolutely horrible about that idea and she was disappointed.
"God, you're pathetic. This is just an animal. Look and awe."
I wonder if she was given that knife - would she be ecstatic about it? It feels like everything Sylvie ever wanted.
Please... I just want this nightmare to end. It's now or never.
I look at the clock - 8:47 PM
Still too early...
"Ugh... Finally those pansies are gone... Tired of putting up that stupid face..."
...
"Aurum! If you hear this, know this! That green-eyed freak can no longer save you, so you better fucking behave!"
...
"Still silent... Fuck it. God I wish you died at that cage here and there. So fucking annoying."
... And I wish you died from alcohol poisoning already.
...
Sylvie...
~
"Dad... How could he do this to me?! I'm his daughter!! HIS DAUGHTER DAMN IT!! It feels even worse from that... Goddamn... Creep!"
~
Mother...
~
"No... Please... I'll be good... Just don't do this... I feel so sore here... Please... Just one night... Just one night... I don't want to do this anymore..."
~
Mallow...
~
"God can somebody shut this thing up?! How could you give birth to this useless piece of crap?!"
"NO!!!"
~
... Ronnie.
~
"Mom... Why are you throwing up again?... Is something wrong..."
"No... Not again... Anything but this!..."
~
All of us were stuck in perpetual hell. And all of it is because of one cruel, twisted individual.
"Ha... Ha... Know your place in the world, bitch. You know that without me - you're nothing. I at least provide shelter for you."
Who sold his soul to the demon.
"How many people are you willing to sacrifice to me, lord Matthew~?"
Tonight... I will avenge you, all of you!
I'm the only one standing here, the only one who hasn't been touched by them yet.
I will destroy it... I will destroy the pact that binds is all here.
9:39 PM
I will head towards the better future. I will be finally free. Free at last.
No hesitation, no fear.
Eye on the prize.
Retrieve the pact and destroy it. Burn it in the chimney.
I can do it.
I can do it.
I can do it.
...
10:12 PM
Sneaking my way into my dad's room, I notice that he is missing. Perhaps he is at the pub, like always. It's Sunday after all.
Now where is it... Sylvie said it was under the bed... God it's so dark.
Crouching under the bed, I begin to search for the pact. Where is it, where is it, where is it...
Ah! I found something! Feeling some more, I find some sort of casket, but it's unfortunately locked. Now I need to search for a key... Great.
Getting up from underneath the bed, I feel around the pillow where someone usually would hide things and I find something. A key. Testing it against the casket's lock yields no results. Damn it.
Feeling around in the dark, I feel a cupboard and one of them is locked. Maybe this time it'll fit...
Bingo.
Feeling inside, I find a small box and inside of it is seemingly ornate key. Now this better work...
Yes!
Now to open it and destroy--...
AGH!!!! MY HEAD!!!!!!!
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!"
"AAAAAARGH!!!"
God! It hurts... I hear my dad smash another bottle and I look towards him.
"You little shit... You're going to pay for this!!!"
"Dad!!!"
I duck under his strike and flee towards the main hall where the chimney is. Fuck, it's extinguished! Now I need to-- AAAAAAH!!!
"Come here, you stupid punk!"
"Dad no!!!"
He grabs me by my hair and drags me towards the table. He slams my head against it and points the broken half towards my throat.
"What the hell were you doing in my room? Don't you know that you're prohibited from coming in here? Especially without permission?"
"... F... Fuck off!!!" I kick underneath him and he immediately clutches his crotch. I use this time to light the chimney. Come on... Light up please...!
"... Son of bitch...!!!"
AHH!!! Can't... Breathe...
"Do you think I don't have a heart? Do you think I don't have what it takes to kill my own progeny? I KILLED MY OWN PARENTS AND RELATIVES, DAMN IT!!! A PIPSQUEAK LIKE YOU IS NOTHING!!! I only let you live because that bastard convinced me to. He said that you could still be useful. WELL NOW YOU'VE OUTLIVED YOUR USEFULNESS!!! DIE LIKE THE REST OF THESE CUNTS!!!"
N...o...
*STAB!!!*
"ARRRGH!!! WHAT THE HELL?!?!"
Fuck... He's applying even more pressure... Fuck... Let me go... Let me go... Please!...
*STAB-STAB-STAB-STAB-STAB!!!*
"AGH!! SHIT!!!" Dad finally loosens his grip on my neck and I slink under him
"D-Don't come any closer!! Dad, just let me destroy the pact!! We don't have to do this!!"
"AND ERASE EVERYTHING I WORKED FOR?! Fortune... Power... Money... You might not see it, but I was the happiest I have ever been... For once in my life I felt I was in control. Like I was the master of my own life!"
"By putting down everyone else?! You... You killed everyone! You tortured everyone! How come that be the form of control?!"
"Oh you don't understand... You don't understand at all..."
"YOU DON'T FUCKING UNDERSTAND, YOU MONSTER!!!" I lunge towards him and stab him in the gut.
"AH! SHIT! You're ruining EVERYTHING!!!"
He begins to wrestle the knife away from me as I pull away. His strong hands press hard against my wrists.
"You know I could start a new family, right? That local nurse woman from earlier... The one who stood up for you... I can easily turn her into my bride... I feel like she could use some help managing the hospital... I feel like you could use a new, loving and caring mother who is ready to please your every whim..."
"DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE!!!!!" I roar and manage to wrangle myself out of his grip. I then stab him in the artery, causing him to bleed.
"SHIT!!!---"
At this point, I don't hesitate. I immediately go for a kill. First I stabbed him in the head, causing him to slip and fall... And then...
"ARGH!!! No... STOP!!! STOP!!! STOP!!! STOP!!! STOP!!! STOP!!! STOP!!! STOP!!! Stop!! Stop!! Stop!! Stop!! Stop!! Stop!! Stop!! Stop!! Stop...! Stop...! Stop...! Stop...! Stop...! Stop...! Stop...! Stop...! Stop... Stop... Stop..."
At this point... I don't think I was even in control of myself. My hands were repeatedly stabbing my dad in the heart. My coat turned red from blood and my body was trembling. Each stab seemingly revved up from the last. And when it was all over, a horrifying scene unfolded before my eyes.
Before me lies my dad, his eyes are now devoid of any life and the tears coming from them are now dried up, his mouth is full of saliva and blood and looking down... It's a nightmare. Countless stab wounds are all over his body, dyeing his shirt red and the stench is horrible - like it's rotten. God...
I hated him... I hate him even more now, but... Dear god...
I broke. I couldn't take it anymore. That wasn't supposed to happen.
I thought that at the very least...
God...
Dad...
...
"Destroy the pact."
Right... The pact...
I turn away from my dad and reach the casket. I dropped the key somewhere nearby...
*Click!*
Now... It'll be finally over... The endless nightmare that lasted 13 years... No... 16 years... Will be over.
I take out the paper from the casket and throw it into the fireplace.
It's over...
It's finally over...
...
...
...
"Do you really think that this junk will magically get rid of me?"
Huh?
"Look at the mess that you did. How horrendous. But I guess it's also very daemonic of you."
"Wha?..."
No...
Why is he here?...
I destroyed it!... I destroyed the pact!...
"Fuhu~, humans are truly gullible little creatures. They think by destroying some junk paper they automatically null such an intimate connection between us."
"You..."
"Honestly, I was betting on you. That pal Matthew was truly something special, but at the end of the day is a very boring human. You on the other hand... It's you who I wanted all along. And look at you! So beautiful, so timid, so scared! Oh I'm feeling rather excited just from looking at you, all trembling and bloody. And probably exhausted as well. I'm not a fan of strugglers personally."
"... But I killed him! If that paper meant nothing - that means I'm the master of our pact! And so I order you to leave me alone once and for all!"
"My-my~! Just who do you think you are, my dear little Aurum? Do you think your puny little words will take an effect on me?"
That bastard, the one I tried to get rid of, comes closer to me and grabs my face
"Guess what? I don't care. I wanna do whatever I want with you. And I don't care about these "rules". I'm a DAEMON of LUCK - I'll always get away with it. Always."
With a swift motion, he grabs my right eye, the one I kept hidden throughout my life.
"And you're my progeny - my beautiful son. That means I *can* do whatever I want with you, whether you like it or not. The possession will be easy."
And then... In the blink of an eye, I feel him enter my right socket. The sensation is painful beyond words and my body gives in.
He is now inside of me.
"No..."
"Oh yes!... Finally... Finally I can escape this stupid household! I'm finally unbound by this stupid pact! I'm finally able to roam free! Hehehe! Hehehe... And no one will be able to do anything about it~"
"No...! NO!!!!!!!!!!!"
--
"Oh! Fortune, welcome back!"
Hehehe... Hehehe...
"? What's wrong? Why are your clothes bloodied and ruffled?... And why is your hair?---"
Got you.
"AAHHHHH!!! LET ME GO!!! W-WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT YOU DID TO FORTUNE?!"
"Oho~? Think that your cute baby Fortune isn't acting on hormones? You know he could use some supplementary lessons from you~."
"Get off of me!... God! Fortune! Are you here?! Please say that you're here!"
"... Miss... Carolyn...--Oh it seems he's struggling! He must have a soft spot for you given how defensive he was when he murdered his own father!"
"What?!"
"Oi, miss what's the commotion--? Hey! Kid! What the hell are you doing here?!"
"Please!... Help me!..."
"Help you?! You're trying to assault a nurse here, bucko!"
*Smack!*
"Miss, are you alright?"
"Oh wow~. Do you know it's cruel to punch children like that~?"
"Don't test me, mate!"
"Oof! Don't restrain me, mister~"
"Nurse! Call the guards!"
"..."
Through the haze, I can see Carolyn looking at me with a troubled expression before she ultimately makes a call.
"Hello? Please, there's a child who tried to assault me and is now struggling against my patient. Come over immediately."
"What a cruel mistress! Betraying your own employee like that! And he loved you! Just imagine how he feels right now! Boo-hoo~"
Shut up...
The local guards arrive at the spot and restrain me. They immediately notice my bloodied clothing and they soon discover my father's corpse inside my house. Without a second thought I was arrested and thrown into a jail cell like human garbage.
They thought of me as a crazed boy who out of the blue decided to kill his own father. To the outsiders he was merely a brash man who was a heavy drinker; in fact in pubs he has quite a positive reputation amongst patrons.
They demonized me. Some even called for execution, but because I was "merely a child", I was instead left to rot for 20 years.
That bastard tried to play the victim, taunting everyone about how unfair and cruel they were. He tried to get me to hate humanity.
"That slut betrayed you! That dumbass misled you! That bitch will forget you! Those fucks forsake you! Come on, just kill them all! Kill them all like you did with your entire family!
It's your fault that your sister ultimately decided to leave everything behind! She thought of you as nothing but a burden!
It's your fault that your mother killed herself, leaving you with your father! She thought of you as nothing but a detestable little thing!
It's your fault that you couldn't save your baby sister! If only you had acted fast enough to save her from your mother!
And of course you are directly responsible for your father's death! And he thought of you as his special little boy!"
It's your fault! It's your fault that you're here! And what do you do when everything's your fault? Lash out on everyone of course! Come on, show me a bloodshed that the world has never seen before! Let the world know your utter sorrows! Show the world your despair!"
It was incessant. He was like a voice in the head that never goes away. And the worst part of it all, I considered it.
I considered killing this entire village for failing me.
At least when they're all dead, nothing will hurt me anymore. I have powers. I have a clear advantage over them.
But just as I attempted my break out and subsequent bloodshed...
"Friend Fortune?"
I saw Cathy. Sneaking out at night. With a basket in her tiny hands. Still wearing Sylvie's headband I gave to her.
"I thought... I could come in... And give you some fruit buns we made with auntie Lyn..."
"I..."
I couldn't. After everything, I'm still not a monster. The guards were alerted of my breakout and we were forcefully separated - I could hear Cathy crying and trying to reach out to me.
"Friend!... No!... Brother Fortune!!!"
And so... I decided to just give up.
I have nothing to live for anymore. My life is ruined. And I can't in good conscience even think of Sol in those trying times. How could her friend become a cold-blooded murderer?
Perhaps it's for the better she forgets about me.
But at the very least, I can cherish the memories that we had together. It was fun.
--
"Sir Haures: we've got a report that GIANNETTI - DAEMON of LUCK had broken a taboo."
"Yes... I can feel it through my Ley Lines..."
"Sir, what should we do now? Do we track him down immediately or...?"
"He is currently in jail. And that makes it difficult to target him. We - RED ORDER aim for a more discreet approach for eliminating targets. It is an affair of an Underside, so we can't involve humans into this, especially this many."
"Hmm... What are you suggesting then, great duke?"
"... The moment the target is far away from any residential areas, start the pursuit. Something tells me he won't be here for long."
"I'll trust your judgement, sir. Should I prepare dinner for you?"
"... No. I will have... Some other matters that I want to attend personally. Now if you excuse me, I would like you to exit my resting place."
"Of course, my majesty."
The great duke of pandemonium flew graciously in his "resting place" - his once grave where he was first incubated in. The first piece is already set in motion.
Will he be able to break free of the curse or forever bound to his misery?
Only one person will know