Fallen Feathers (Lyzan & Lillian Thorne)

[Lyzan]

'In the abyss of darkness, a pinhole of light slowly appeared. Funnelling its ray from the ceiling and onto the ground. The silence within was loud and the freezing wind was merciless. Having spent hours, blinded by the non-existence of colors; one simply couldn't resist but to stare into the hole. As if a door had just been opened. An exit showing the way out into freedom or perhaps an entrance into another world, opposed to this. Yet when one attempted to reach for this light, it distanced itself. Then, from it; something glided. Gently landing itself in his hands. A white feather. Slowly, the core of it glowed orange. As if burnt but without heat. It spread throughout itself before revealing a black feather in its place. His fingers wrapped around it and he turned around. Tossing the feather into a pile, along with the rest. He was but a speck among the hills and mountains of them, staring up now to the pinhole that began to hide its rays once again.'

A sudden and an irritating buzzing sound echoed into his room. Penetratingly, intruding his hearing senses. Steel grunted as he rolled and stretched a hand above him, searching. Upon touching the object he was searching for, he slammed his palm on top of it before lazily bringing his hands back to his side. His head jolted up when he could still hear the annoying thing. A lazy pair of eyes opened to look at the digital clock he'd just slammed and realized that the sound hadn't came from it.

17:53:37.PM

It's not even seven yet, he'd protested. Again it came but this time it was accompanied by a series of knocks. Steel sat up and waited. It persisted but there was no exclaimation of power. Power of authority and that relieved him. Thus, he took his time and reached for his mobile.

13 Missed Calls
4 Unread Messages

He cursed under his breath and tossed the phone on his bed as he dragged his feet to the door. Another cursed bellowed as he almost tripped over his dumbells.

Steel stayed on the third floor of a simple, single room apartment. The interior was dark and the curtain seldom allowed the room to be lighted up as it was untouched. The furniture within were simple. A television set, couple of sofas, a rack filled with antiques, a bed, his gym equipments, a wardrobe, fridge, microwave and the kitchen counter. Not forgetting heaters in both the washroom and the hall. What more could he ask for? The place weren't too messy but was just a little untidy with his hobbies lying around, some tossed up laundry, newspaper articles here, sketchbooks there and a couple of cigarette boxes around. Though the kitchen seemed to present itself better and cleaner compared to the rest is simply because its seldom used.

He slid the locks and opened it, peering under the chain that still held the door securely. Seeing the familiar face, he shut the door and unhooked the chain before opening it full as he stood in the doorway. Groggily looking into the man's face.

"I tried calling you, Steel. But you didn't answer. So, I figured I'd dropped by," Father William said before he measured up the man before him.

"You know I won't be answering around this time, Will. What do you want?"

"For god's sake, Steel. Have the decency to put on something less discomforting when answering the door, will you?" the priest said as he brought his palm to his face and shook his head.

"What's wrong with answering the door in a boxer? Don't tell me you're into that sort of things?"

"I'm not by myself here. So, why not get yourself back in there and put on something more decent. There's someone I want you to meet."

Steel shrugged and did as he was told. Father William, the man Steel encountered back when he was a teenager. The priest got himself closer to the boy after hearing a couple of his interesting stories. The man then recognized his gifts and thought he could train the boy in the ways and by the paths of light. But instead of letting the rest of the members know about Steel's specialties, he decided to keep it a secret between them. The rest were simply being informed that the boy was part of their organization's plans and one of their agents. Steel returned to the door with a singlet and track pants soon after. He looked at the priest and leaned a shoulder on the door frame, folding his arms.

[Lillian Thorne]

Birdie stood in the hall behind the priest and glowered, but only because she thought she should be. In reality, it had almost been a blessing to get caught. She had been on the run for a month or more after she had slipped out of the holding cell. She’d never been so happy to be under age as she had been then. They had been debating whether to try her as an adult or call in social cervices when she’d left. But Aunt Gretch had refused to let her stay when she’d finally slipped into the house a week later, she’d shrieked and carried on and threatened to call the police. It seemed that Birdie may have gone too far this time. So she had ran to her room and scrounged up a few things and fled into the night.

As bad as living in that house had been, not living in it was worse. Birdie had known there were things living in the world that were unexplained, she had her shadows after all but she’d been largely under their radar, now she was not. One thing was also more apparent, as shitty as that house had been, it had been a home and homes apparently had some kind of protection against some of the things that went bump in the night. Birdie no longer had that protection. She couldn’t recall when last she’d gotten a decent sleep. Her shadows kept her as safe as they could, especially Inky, but they were small things really and she’d had to run, half asleep more than once.

It was the shadows that had told her to go with the priest. That they swore and spit at him when he came mattered less than the fact they he could keep her safe.

“Go with him!” they had hissed, “We won’t be far, we are never far.”

And so she had. But she didn’t like it and so she glowered. Now that she was in the warm hall the smell of her had begun to reach her. The cold had kept her from realizing how truly foul she was and standing there in her bundle of unwashed clothing she was fully aware of her misery. She ran her fingers through her tangled matted curls, grateful that she’d cut it mostly off just before she’d run, it made her look like a boy which had been a good thing while on the streets. It made her less likely to get raped, but only a little.

The priest had grown impatient all the way over, his calls had gone unanswered and he’d gone from irritated to concerned and he’d never once cursed or gotten angry, that alone made her worry that the shadows had been wrong and that this man wasn’t natural. It had been too late to do anything about it.

The door to the apartment opened and the priest spoke with someone chiding them for what they were apparently not wearing. The voice that rumbled back sounded sleepy and had a nice deep tone to it and it made her want to peer around the priest and see what all the fuss was about. Before she could get a look the door was closed and the Priest rocked back on his heels and looked over at her, a weary smile on his lips.

“It will be but a moment child.” He said and turned back to the door.
Birdie heard a hiss off to the side and turned towards it. In a corner, under a fire extinguisher was a small patch of darkness that to her, had two glowing amber eyes peering from within it.

“Hey Birdie-birdy!” it hissed in a high sibilant tone. “You going in there?”

She nodded and Inky hissed delightedly at her. “Good good, bad things can’t get in there, has much protections, but we can’t get in there either. We will wait here.”

Birdie was a little alarmed, she’d never been without her shadows, not since she could remember and the thought of being without them had her literally shaking, her brown eyes wide and frightened instead of angry and sullen. And so it was her terrified face that the stranger saw, brown eyes huge, skin pale beneath her grime and her whole little body shaking from exhaustion and fear.

“Steel,” said the priest, “this is Birdie, may we come in?”

Birdie looked up at the man and took him in. He was tall with a pair of green eyes that made her nervous, not in a pervy sort of way but in a I-won’t-take-any-of-your-shit kind of way. Mr. Mulroy, her long ago history teacher had that same attitude and despite their frequent clashes he had been her favorite teacher. The stranger’s head was topped with gray hair but still he didn’t have the look of a man who should have such hair, his body was lean and muscled and like a tightly coiled spring as he leaned against the doorway and looked down on her.

Upon meeting his eyes and realizing she was projecting her true fear like a beacon, something she had learned long ago not to do. Instantly she shut it off and her face filled with the usual sullen expression and if the fear lingered in her eyes she just had to hope he didn’t notice.

[Lyzan]

He stared into the innocence of her eyes. Or at least, the fullness of it had made him think so. Making her look rather naive but Steel didn't buy it, entirely. There was something about her face that'd betrayed that impression. It wasn't the small yet full lips under the delicate arch nose of hers, but it was her chin. A glimpse of stubbornness could be detected from it. Steel measured her up and disregarded the look she'd gave him. It was too familiar for him to be taken aback by it or feel inferior from it. He took in a moment at the clothes she was wearing and wondered on the number of layers she'd beneath. It seemed that she'd been trying to make herself bulky which apparently, wasn't successful.

Steel moved himself aside, giving way to them. The priest gestured for Birdie to enter before him. His gaze returned to look at the priest and as soon as the girl past him, he grabbed William by the forearm in a strong grip. Whispering to the priest's ear but without any attempt in hiding the act from his 'guest'.

"Damn it, Will! I thought we went over this countless of times? I did say that I don't agree to this, didn't I?" the silent within the room itself couldn't have muffled his raucous whisper.

"You're the best we got here, Steel. Besides, nobody could've understand her better than you can," William said in a much softer voice.

"What's that suppose to mean, priest? What makes you so certain that I'll even bother and try to understand her?" Steel asked.

"You'll find out sooner or later, son;" the priest simply replied.

"Are you going to say that this is part of His will, as well?" almost angered by the indirect answer Will had given him.

"To teach another? Yes, that is His will. Look, son. I wouldn't be bringing her here if I've no confidence and hadn't trusted you. It is for the greater good of society and ..." the priest couldn't finish.

"Save your sermons for that society, Will. I know where to go if I need one. Now bring her out of my house and she can have her lesson tomorrow. Have her .." the shaking of Will's head made him stop.

"Steel, you're not listening. There's nobody else that I can have her entrusted to other than you," the priest watched at the sudden turn of Steel's head, staring into the green of his eyes.

"For how long do you plan on having her stay here?" Steel asked with a deep frown.

"As long as it takes? Listen, I won't be in town this week. There's some place I got to be. Need you to take care of matters here. I've given your number to a few of our members. They'll send a message should there be a case for you to handle. Bring her along and teach her the best you can. Do me this favor, Steel;" the priest said before he patted Steel shoulder with his free hand and turned to look at the girl, smiling.
"Birdie, there's some place that I just remembered I'd to go to. You'll be in Steel's care, now. I'll see you some time soon," Will said before returning to smile at the grey haired.

Steel released the priest's arm as he returned to the door. Watching him leave before he shut the door and turned to look at Birdie. An expressionless face, he'd presented to her. Steel hit the switch and had the hall's light on. He then began picking up his clothes and tossed them into the laundry basket. Still a little groggy from his disturbed rest, his mind throbbed a little from the news he'd just received. As if being in the state between dreaming and waking. He found it hard to believe what today had in store for him. Why must there always be something popping up in his life when he'd just started to get used to things? If it weren't the priest who'd knocked, he wouldn't even have held the conversation. The man have done a lot for him and he just couldn't find himself to brush Will aside. The priest was like a father to him. Not as how the society saw but from the view of a son. Although Steel wouldn't admit to it.

"Go clean yourself up. The toilet is that way and you can use the folded towel by the sink," Steel said pointing in the direction of the restroom but without looking at her. His voice, unchanged.

[Lillian Thorne]

Birdie did as the gruff man said. Her cheeks and eyes burned as she did so. She wasn’t wanted, that wasn’t exactly a surprise. She hadn’t been wanted in a long time, not by anyone but her shadows and the bad things that kept coming for her since she’d escaped the jail. She wanted to run out of there as fast as she could but the lure of getting clean was too much to pass up. Showers and their heavenly counterpart, Baths were few and far between for Birdie and she wouldn’t pass one up.

Once in the small sparse bathroom she shucked off her many layers of clothing and the smell of her own unwashed body filled the small room and made her nose wrinkle in disgust. Stale sweat and grime was not a pleasant odor, especially not in an enclosed room like this. She kicked her pile of clothing over towards the door and hit the fan, hoping it would draw out some of the smell. She reached into the shower stall and turned it on. The hiss of water soon filled the room and she stared at her reflection as she waited for the water to heat.

She’d lost weight since she’d been on the run and her cheekbones were almost painful in her face. The hollows in her cheeks made her eyes seem even bigger. She looked small and waifish and it was only her small high breasts, the graceful curve and swell of her hips and the shadow of hair between her legs that made her look her age, she generally hid such things under her clothing. She’d be eighteen in a week or so, she’d honestly lost track of days. She didn’t look like an adult and she certainly didn’t feel like one.

The comforting warmth of steam began to fill the room and she moved into the shower hissing in pleasure as the almost too hot water flooded over her skin. Her eyes rolled up in her head at the sensation and for a moment she just stood there and let it wash over her and soothe her. She picked up the soap and worked it into a lather and began to scrub at her skin, thinking to herself as she did so that she might not feel like an adult, but she sure as hell was going to feel like a human. Her hair was the worst and she had to wash it twice to get the springy curls clean.

When she got out of the shower she looked at the pile of clothing on the floor and then at her skin which was still pink from the scrubbing she’d put it through. The thought of putting it back on made her shudder but what choice did she have? She fished through the clothing and pulled out a pair of pants and a t-shirt from one of the middle layers that wasn’t too awful. It had been far enough away from her body and protected from the world so that it wasn’t too awful. Both were rather huge on her, to the extent that she had to knot the waistband of her pants to keep them up. Then, realizing she had nothing left to keep her there she came out of the bathroom and padded back to the main room, possibly the only one in this apartment.

She looked about curiously and wondered anew why the priest had brought her there, the man clearly didn’t want her nor did he have room for her. The place was neat enough she supposed, nicer than Aunt Gretch’s house. She looked about at the contents, exercise equipment, a rack full of some odds and ends she couldn't make out in the dim light of the room, some couches and her host. She turned to the gray man and wrapped her slender arms about herself and regarded him shyly.

“I’m sorry you got stuck with me. I’ll leave in the morning, if you don’t mind. I just don’t want to deal with finding a place to crash for the night. Besides, I promised the priest I’d give this a chance, a night seems like a fair chance to me. Come morning I’ll fade away and you can tell him we tried.”

[Lyzan]

Yawning in the hall by the couch, Steel looked around. Searching for something that might be out of place. Finding none, he glanced to the clock by the bed's head.

18:40:42.PM

An hour more and work starts for Steel. He leaned on his couch and brought a hand to his head. Running his fingers over the scalp under the wavy hair. Contemplating on what needed to be done. Or rather, on how to do the usual routine now that he's got to look after some girl the priest had plucked out; probably from an alley somewhere. A stinky alley.

Steel had chosen the night to work because that was the best hour to be doing the job. Also, it was the time where disturbances usually occurs and the signs was much easier to identify. An exorcist some might call him. A priest, others claimed. He hated it though. Whenever one regarded him as Father, he felt uncomfortable. Steel knew himself very well and such a title didn't suit him, at all. His heart was filled with hatred and was hard as a rock. Or at least, that's how he sees them. It was only possible with the gift he'd gotten from back then.

A gentle breeze suddenly blew across his face and the presence was felt. Steel smirked. He turned his head. First, to look at the closed window beside him before he faced the figure that stood by his bedside. Her pale-blue face with heavy make up of bruises and of dry blood, stared back at him. In a white see-through nightgown, she glided towards him. Her clothes as well as her red long hair floated about her as if she was underwater. Her voluptuous body came close to him but never touching. Random pitches of various voices hissed into his mind. Followed by a series of soft whispers. In ancient tongue they echoed before her voice was made clear.

"I thought you said there'll be no other. Why did you let her in?" soft and seducing her voice was. With the gentle tilt of her head and the slow blinking of her sharp eyes, she asked.

"She's human, Jane."

"That's what worries me more, Brian. What'll happen to us, then?" her hand reached for Steel's face. Her cold index finger traced his jawline before resting under his chin.

"Nothing will change," Steel replied.

"Better not, darling. But, there's something about her that I like. She's different. Much like you," her swollen lips then came close to his.

Steel frowned upon hearing this but his composure remained, unwavered by the approach of his childhood friend. It had happened too many times before where the kiss from the dead was but a touch of cold skin, therefore he no longer squirmed or felt disgusted by it. The only reason for Jane to have entered his apartment was because he'd allowed her to. He'd invited her in. Steel remembered their first encounter back when he was playing in the sandbox at the orphanage. Aside from William, Jane too was his mentor. She was the one who'd told him to change his name but the dead prostitute couldn't bring herself to call him by the new one. It simply couldn't work that way. The sound of the door that opened made both of them turn. Steel looked at Birdie for a moment before he gave a sharp tilt of his head to Jane. She faded into a smoky wisp slowly untill he could no longer felt her presence. Then he grunted to the girl's word before he began making his way to the kitchen. Retrieving two bowls from the counter and a couple of glasses.

"And how do you think that'll reflect on me?" he asked without looking as he poured cereal into the bowl.

"Or did you simply not give a damn about it?" he threw another as he took a jug of milk from the fridge.

Pouring the drink into the glasses and into his bowl but leaving hers as it was, he took his share and left the jug by the bowl and glass for her on the counter. Making his way to the couch and sat himself on it as he began his breakfast. A very late, breakfast.

"Eat," he said. He hadn't got anything from the grocery store just yet and the cereal was what he'd left. Chewing, he turned his head to look at Birdie.

[Lillian Thorne]

She shivered a little as she entered the main room and wrapped her arms about her small frame. Her eyes darted to the corners of the room, looking about for Inky or one of the others. She knew Inky had said they couldn’t get in but she could have sworn she heard one move, the soft hissing, almost like one of those old steam heaters coming from somewhere in the room. She could see no signs of any and she usually could tell if any were around. They were drawn to her, like moths to a flame Inky had once said. He had tried to explain how it was that she glowed to them, a dark nimbus around her that almost seemed to feed them. Her touch and attention certainly made them more clever. Most of them were just little shadowy things that hissed and acted like animals. The ones who touched her or the ones she talked too had grown very clever, some even talked. Inky was the smartest, but even he grew frustrated at his inability to explain it to her and so she had let it drop. It was there whether she understood it or not, it worked even if she didn’t know what it looked like.

She shook her head and looked to this man Steel as he began to speak. She heard the scorn in his voice as he answered her question with another one and she simply shrugged. She wasn’t certain how to answer. How would it reflect on him? He clearly didn’t want her there and she had only come because the shadows had told her too, that she’d be safe. But her pride wasn’t insubstantial, she hated the way she was living currently but didn’t know how to stop. But that didn’t mean she wanted to inflict herself somewhere she wasn’t wanted. She clenched her jaw and her chin lifted unbidden in the mulish look she always sported when she was feeling stubborn and sullen.

“It doesn’t need to reflect upon you. I can slip out when I want too, who’s to say I won’t? I think we are both just humoring the Priest here, no need to keep it up when neither of is really wants it.”

She watched him pour milk on the cereal and felt her stomach tighten in hunger at the sight. She licked her lips as her large brown eyes practically levitated the bowl to her with the force of her hunger. His command to eat was met with great speed and she poured herself a bowlful and topped it off with milk. It was all she could do to use a spoon she was so hungry and she ate a few bites standing in the kitchen just to take the edge off of her hunger. With shaking hands she poured herself a glass of milk and took a few gulps. She paused and waited. The first week she’d been on her own she’d come upon an almost whole pizza sitting on a park bench while its owners played a little football. She had grabbed it and ran. At that point she hadn’t eaten if five days and she’d bolted the whole thing only to heave it all back up moments later. She had cried bitterly after that, it had been a harsh lesson and she’d been much more careful with any food after that. So even though her stomach was screaming for her to bold the cereal she waited, let the food settle into her stomach before she took in more.

Carefully she moved over to one of the couches, not the one he was occupying and sat down carefully, balancing both bowl and cup and not spilling a drop. Her large brown eyes fixed on him and she watched him chew, thinking again, that he didn’t look as old as his hair would indicate. She wondered exactly how old he was but didn’t ask. Cocking her head to the side like the bird she was nicknamed after she asked.

“So what is it you are supposed to be teaching me anyway?”

[Lyzan]

His brows edged closer to the bridge of his nose when he heard her question. Damn it, Will; he thought.

"The priest didn't tell you?" he asked as he took a sip from his glass.

Of course he hadn't. Thus why she asked. But her earlier reply was frowned upon. It held solid factors though. The fact that he was indeed, only doing this to humor the priest. True, he'd understood her or rather, she'd understood him instead. As if she'd seen his true character by first impression alone. Steel leaned back after placing the glass back on the table.

"Birdie, was it? Listen, before I get to the answer for your question. Let me get some things clear. I don't give a damn if you're to leave this place in the morning or in the middle of the night. I wouldn't be bothered or trouble myself in searching for you nor concern myself with your well being. I don't know who you are, or where you'd come from. Thus I won't be feeling guilty should anything happen to you, out there. Besides, you'd done well so far to still be breathing;" Steel then leaned forward and his eyes penetratingly stared into hers.

"But do a favor and inform the priest yourself that we've tried. Don't just walk away and leave your mess behind for me to answer. My answer will be plain simple. I would tell him that you ran away. Since you'd not contemplate on how such comment will reflect on you, then I'm sure it wouldn't be a bother. So, do keep in mind of what I just said. And if you decide to leave tomorrow morning, by all means; carry on. Just leave my things untouched and I won't be out searching for you," he held her big brown eyes for a moment before taking a spoonful of the cereal.

"Now, for your question. I cleanse people and also places where paranormal activities occurs. I exorcise. I also hunt the dangerous ones before they could harm anybody. Before they could possess them. That's what I'm supposed to be teaching you. But, I don't think it matters now." Steel said.

Since the day he'd left the orphanage at the age of eight, about one and a half decades ago; he was never around anybody's company for long. Police had found the boy in an apartment and had taken him into custody one day. They were questioning him on what happened in that small apartment but the boy hadn't answered. Psychologist examined the child and concluded that he was in shock. For a kid to be in a room with dry blood splattered on the walls and the decaying body of a woman, sprawled over the bed; how could he not be. Forensic investigation and evidence shows that the decay of the victim's cell was at an impossible slow rate. The nauseatic stench too was miraculously enclosed and kept within the room until the boy had opened it. Apparently, Jane Mc'Carthy was believed to have died three years before the body was found. In the ward where Steel was treated, some unnatural events happened and Father William was called. His secret was slowly discovered by the priest and from then, he was taken under the churches care. Both shelter and financial matters were provided as long as he did his services. A couple of a familiar incident again brought him to face the law and that's the most time he'd ever interacted with anybody. Most were adults and other than the victims he's supposed to help, none were younger. Thus, he wasn't sure whether to treat the girl as a victim or as otherwise.

Finishing his bowl of cereal, Steel went over to the kitchen sink and washed them. Pouring himself another glass of milk soon after, then he made his way to the restroom. He almost jumped back at the pile stacked on one corner upon entering.

"I'll be damn. How in hell could she even bear this?" he whispered to himself.

Steel stepped outside and went to grab his laundry basket before he re-entered the room and slammed the door behind him. A little frustrated.

"Spoiled little brat!" he cursed as he filled the tub with water.
"Irresponsible twerp!" he muttered as he dumped the pile into the tub.

Stretching his arms as far as possible away from his body as he did. Then, he poured the fabric conditioner into the tub and left it. Taking a brief shower outside of the tub. With a towel over his head, barebody and in his pants; Steel walked over to the wardrobe. Using the door to cover the girl's line of sight, he changed into his usual dressups.

[Lillian Thorne]

Birdie stared at Steel as he spoke his revelation. She was speechless as he went about finishing his cereal and then another glass of milk. Her tongue was tied as she tried to process what he had said. He hunted and exorcized the bad things, the bad things that had been chasing her. By the time her shock had worn off enough to allow her the gift of speech he had left the room and gone into the bathroom. She snapped her jaw shut in an audible snap and leaned back into the sofa, her bowl, now empty forgotten on her thigh. She closed her eyes and shivered thinking of the last time one of the bad things had come after her.

She’d been darting through alley and side streets trying to get to her current hidey hole before it got too dark and the human predators were joined by those of a less than human nature. She ducked her head low, thought invisible thoughts and tore into and alley, skirting some overflowing trash barrels as she moved deeper into the shadows. She had just stepped past the corner of a dumpster when she skidded to a stop.

Her brown eyes widened and she stepped back when she saw what waited there. There was a homeless man leaning against the wall, his head lolling to the side as if passed out, but he wasn’t just passed out, he was dead. Curled up alongside him, the size of a small child was a thing. At her footsteps it looked up from the hole it was gnawing into the man’s abdomen, revealing the face of an elderly woman. Except that Birdie hadn’t met any old women with such cold reptilian eyes, complete with a slit of a pupil. The mask of blood and chunks of entrails that covered it’s face wasn’t a common accessory for an elderly lady either and generally speaking in her experience their nude and wrinkled bodies didn’t end in coiled a snake’s tail either. The thing grinned at her, revealing widely spaced needle thin teeth and a thin forked tongue darted in and out between the teeth.

It spoke then, a sibilant hiss that hurt her head considerably.

“It is delicious looking is it not? I wouldn’t need to feed for so long were I to feast on you, to drain you. Just a little bit sweetling, you won’t feel a thing.”

The thing had lunged then and Birdie had wanted to move, had been trying to move but her feet had remained frozen. It got her and the force of the impact flew her back into a barrel full of moldering almost liquid vegetables. The squelch as she landed would have made her vomit has she had anything in her stomach to vomit up. But the thing had her and stared into her wide open eyes and grinned. Birdie felt something then, a pull that wasn’t on her body but hurt nevertheless and she began to scream. But the thing clamped a bloody, filthy hand over her mouth to muffle her cry. She gagged at the taste and smell and tried to hard to struggle but the pulling increased and she felt herself growing weaker, thinner somehow and movement became difficult.

The thing above her thrashed and sighed, its eyes rolled back into its head. Its cries were obscene, the whole scene something like a horrific orgasm gone horribly wrong.

“So sweet, so sweet,” the thing panted as another wave hit it and it began to shudder and writhe on top of her. Birdie wanted to cry, wanted to weep but all she could do was lie there in the rottenness and be drained. But then something had shifted, something had changed and suddenly she was surrounded by dozens of glowing amber eyes. Her shadows and some friends she thought with a sob of relief.

“Help me!” she cried with the last of her strength, and they had.

They poured over the snake-hag thing and she had shrieked in fury and fought back. Birdie had done nothing but lie in filth and pray that the shadows would win. After a good long time they did. But the thing lived and skulked off into the shadows, muttering darkly to itself. The battle hadn’t been without cost either. Birdie had been all but depleted and had needed assistance just to stand and each touch on the shadow things trying to help her drained her a little bit more, a little bit she didn’t really have to spare. But worst of all, the thing had killed four of her shadowy rescuers.

The bathroom door closing snapped birdie out of her reverie and she tried desperately to find the words to say what she wanted to know. This man might know how to help her, how to teach her how to defend herself. She shuddered to think of the rest of her life spent dodging such creatures and worse, she needed some hope because she was all but out.

“You hunt things?” she asked into the silence. Her voice shook with intensity almost as much as her hands as she wrapped them around her, pulling her thin ragged shirt tight to her. Her eyes were huge and her pupils dilated with genuine fear as she stared at him, intensity and sincerity in her every line.

“Do you know how to protect yourself against them, how to keep safe?”

[Lyzan]

Steel approached the girl as he pulled his new leather coat over his shoulder. Tugging on the collar so that it was comfortably worn. Once again he frowned. Her questions, her voice and her eyes; all weaved a tale of something frightful. Something that one would hope to get rid off but just couldn't. Something that haunts. Most wouldn't have reacted the way she just had. Most would laugh, denying the existence of evil. Birdie instead, had questioned him rather differently than those who'd believe. She sounded as if she was a victim. He stepped closer to her. Curious to know if there's any of them residing within her. His hand then swiftly reached out and grabbed her by the hollow of her cheeks. Squeezing a little as he held the girl's face firmly in his grip. Bringing his eyes to meet hers. His tone of voice was harsh and authoritative as he commanded,

"Keep still and look into my eyes!"

'Sounds of the streets were slowly being engulfed by silence. A mixture of both peaceful and an unsettling feeling swelled. Then, the room became spacious. As if pulled away from the far corner of one's eyes. Darkness started to swallow the furnitures. Leaving only the two beings in a small circle of light. The features of the girl slowly blurred. All except her eyes. They became bigger for him to see as the rest of her smudged. Closer to him they'd came. Later, he was looking into a circular window. Staring onto undefined structures. The image he saw was the mirage of a street; dark, windy and blurry they were.

Footsteps of a run was heard, coming from behind. Steel spun around. A petite frame of a boy dashed, passing him and through an alley. He followed. The child glanced back and the unmistakable glossy brown of hair and the wide brown eyes exposed the child's identity. It's her. He stopped and turned around just so that he could see what she was running away from. Heaps of energy he'd felt. The echoing whispers, the ancient languages and all tones of voices could be heard. Gusts of wind beat down onto Steel and he could hardly keep his eyelids opened. Red eyed ghouls lurked the roofs, shiny fangs glistened from a corner and many more crawled the alley's floor. So many of them, but why? He turned back and ran towards where he'd last seen Birdie. It took him a while before he smelled something nice. Something fresh. Something rather appetizing. Then, near a dumpster, was a lump of bright light. Above it, a slithering hag; feasting on the light. Steel smirked, licking his lips for a moment as he witnessed the feasting until he saw the outline of a girl within that light. Both envy and the smile vanished. He stepped closer and saw a frightened, helpless pair of eyes staring back at him. Steel reached his hand out towards her but a sudden flash of light momentarily blinded him.'

He blinked. Disengaging himself then, from the spell as well as her eyes. He released Birdie and took a step back. What seemed to be a long time was merely two seconds in reality. Steel brushed his coat with his hands and a harmless smoke of black dust emitted from the leather before they vanished. He slumped himself onto the sofa and retrieved a packet of cigarette from his pocket. Knocking a stick out and started lighting it. Then, he turned to regard her. Blowing a cloud of smoke to the ceiling as he began;

"Eyes are the windows to one's soul. Naught could be hidden and lies can never be told." A heavy sigh escaped his lips before he gave her a much gentler look. Leaning himself forward and resting his elbows on his knees, he continued;

"There's many ways to protect yourself against them. But what may work for most may not be, for some. Tell me more of your trouble and I'll see if I could find something that works for you."

'The smile that had looked down onto the creature before him was of sinister. His presence alone had darkened the room. His leather coat began to wave as if blown by strong gust of wind. His hair lengthened and joined the frailing of his clothes. The grip on her cheeks loosened as nails elongated and the heat of his palm drained. Pale was his skin now and the emerald hue of his eyes began to change. Coated by a thick layer of a greyish dust, it gleamed. Both of them were now swallowed in pitch darkness yet, something glistened behind him. Something moved. Upon closer observation, a pair of shiny black wings could be seen from the man's back. It spread wide and slowly brought forward as if to wrap them both. Trail smoke of light wisped into his nose. It seemed to come from her and he'd shutted his eyes then. Sniffing at the delicacy before a sudden thunderous sound exploded from between them. In a puff of black smoke, things were back to normal. Between sleep and awake, the aftertaste of such sight lingered. Some had wondered if those were just a glimpse of their own imagination. So far, they'd concluded that such a sight were mere remnants of the evil spirits that was being ridden off. Thus, none have questioned. As if the sight in itself allowed one to wonder.'

[Lillian Thorne]

She had almost stepped back when he reached forward and took her face in his firm grip. She had a flash of worry that his inner perv was about to come out when the vision took her. She felt the world pulling away as if she’d been sucked down a tunnel which swallowed all light and sound and for a moment all that was left were his green eyes. She stared at them terrified and then her vision had shifted and she had seen all of him and it was terrifying.

Afterward she stood before him trembling, her whole slender form shaking like a leaf on a branch caressed by the winds that spun from a hurricane. She watched him take out his cigarette, her huge brown eyes fixed on the slender stick so that she didn’t have to meet his eyes, god she wanted a cigarette so badly just then. She didn’t want him to see how terrified she was, she feared what she’d seen in that vision. She wondered if the priest had known what he was, what he hid underneath that visage.

But his tone was calm, nonchalant as he shot her a more gentle look. He wanted to know more specifically her troubles so he could help her. She wanted to tell him, wanted him to help her but she was afraid. But her shadows had told her to go with the priest, they must have known about this one and her shadows had never steered her wrong. She swallowed back her fear and with great visible effort calmed herself. She would talk with him, get some answers and then see.

“I, I have always been able to see things, things in the shadows, stuff out of the corners of my eyes. Sometimes those things talk back.”

She cleared her throat uncomfortably and moved over to the sofa in the room farthest from him and pulled her bare feet up, wrapping her arms around her legs making herself as tight a ball as possible. She rested that stubborn chin of hers on her knees and fixed her huge brown eyes on him.

“When I was little some of the would sometimes try to touch me and the ones that did started talking more and more, and they would get stronger too. Sometimes they touched me without asking. I leaned to avoid shadows. But some are my friends and I listen to them. But lately, since some trouble I got into things have gotten worse. Things are seeking me out. Big things, worse than ever and some of them have gotten to me.”

Her eyes grow dull then as she struggles to keep memories of the three recent assaults out of her mind. A tear forms and trickles slowly down her ivory cheek, ivory now that weeks of grime have been washed away, but the grime she feels inside, from the monsters’ touch won’t be so easily shed.

Her eyes snap into focus again and her voice rings a little hollow as she speaks again.

“I am told I have an Aura, a Nimbus that attracts such things, that they can feed off of me, are strengthened by me. I don’t know how to stop that or if I even can, but I just want to be safe.”

She looked down at her slender hands where they wrapped around her knees, noting the ragged nails and realizing how much she hated her life just then, how tired she was of being scared. Something needed to change, maybe this whole thing was a start. She lifted her stubborn chin and straightened her spine.

“What did you see when you looked at me like that? Tell me and I will tell you what I saw when I looked at you.”