TERRIBLE THINGS

five

Scattered snowflakes drifted alongside minnows as Bonnie and Huraira's fingers intertwined.

"I'm so hungry," Huraira whined. "I think I'm dying."

"Your body is probably just adjusting," Bonnie said. "You've been eating those protein bars for years. But after a few weeks you'll start to feel way better!"

"I cut them out three weeks ago," Huraira grumbled. "I don't get this whole not eating processed food. All it's done is make me tired and hungry." Her thumb rubbed the back of Bonnie's hand. "Or maybe I'm just sick."

Bonnie frowned. She'd noticed that Huraira's usually large appetite had doubled, but she looked thinner than ever. Bag bags peaked out from beneath her makeup and her attention span was shot.

"Maybe you should go see a doctor," Bonnie said.

"Maybe." Huraira shook her head. "What I really need, though, is... is a..." She trailed off as though she had lost her train of thought before she slowed to a stop. Their hands came apart. "What... what is that smell?"

"Huh?" Bonnie asked, taking a small whiff of the frozen air. "I can't smell anything."

Huraira was looking down an alley. Bonnie squinted but she didn't see any vendors down that way. However, as if snared in by some unseen lure, Huraira walked into the alley, leaving Bonnie on the busy sidewalk.

"Huraira!" Bonnie cried, following Huraira into a place where it seemed not even fish dared to venture. "Huraira, wait up!" She pulled her scarf tighter around her throat. Huraira was walking fast, too fast. Bonnie had to jog to keep up with her. "Huraira!" Bonnie grabbed onto Huraira's arm. "Huraira! What's going on?"

Huraira did not answer her. She didn't pull herself from Bonnie's grasp either, thankfully, but she wouldn't budge. Bonnie clung to her instead. She was scared. This wasn't normal. Bonnie did know what she was supposed to do. Go back? Call someone?

Who would she call? Who could help? No... it would be better to wait this out. They were fine. Huraira just had a fever and was probably going to snap out of this any moment now.

"Huraira." Bonnie tugged at her arm. "Come on. I thought we were going to that cafe you like." Huraira faltered and Bonnie found her grip loosen around Huraira's arm. Had she finally heard her? Had she snapped out of it? Bonnie stared up in anticipation but Huraira wasn't looking at her. She wasn't looking at anything other than the dark path before them.

She took off, running at full speed.

"Huraira!" Bonnie screamed, running after her.

The darkness was dizzying. Bonnie chased Huraira, startling a flock of loaches. Her lungs burned but she couldn't slow. She couldn't lose Huraira to the darkness because she knew, somehow, that if she did, her Huraira would never return. Thankfully - by the graces of Ryenar and Hykelia - Huraira stopped. Hope fluttered in Bonnie's chest. She could catch up. She could still help Huraira. She could-

And that was when she saw what had made Huraira's stop.

It was a scene from nightmares. There was a man, his neck ensnared in rope, dangling ten feet in the air, his blue tongue falling from his lips like a maggot. Red garra nibbled at his rotting corpse and his wrists were slit, blood pooling beneath him. But the stench...

Smell. That was what Huraira had said before she ran off. Bonnie let out a shaky breath as she turned to glimpse at Huraira who was staring at the man. She seemed taller. Her lips were parted, just wide enough so that Bonnie could glimpse the fangs, designed to tear through human flesh, inside. Saliva, white and thick, dribbled down her chin, making her look more like a rabid dog than a human being.

Pure terror ricocheted down Bonnie's spine.

She wouldn't lie and say she wasn't afraid. In an instant the woman who had won her heart was twisted into a monster. Bonnie couldn't breathe, let alone move. The wild pounding of her heart flooded her ears. Her entire body trembled. But then Bonnie did, perhaps, the stupidest thing possible.

She turned and wrapped her arms around Huraira. She had made her a promise. One she did not intend to break.

Bonnie would never let things out of their control get in the way of loving Huraira.

There was an immediate pain as Huraira flung Bonnie off her, sending her crashing into a brick wall. It was a strength that wasn't human. Bonnie cried out in pain, trying to push herself up. But then... Huraira was on top of her. Bonnie felt the breath leave her lungs as she looked up, hoping to see something in Huraira's eyes, but... all she saw was black sclera and predatory hunger.

Tears slid down Bonnie's cheeks, but she found herself smiling anyway. "I love you, Huraira," she said. "I love you, so, so much."

Only those words no longer had any meaning as searing pain sliced through Bonnie's side, causing her to shriek with all the power of Hykelia. It was worse than anything Bonnie had felt before as a dozen knives tore through her skin. She could smell the metallic stench of blood, her blood, as the searing pain set fire to an already bruised mind.

But despite the pain, Bonnie didn't raise a finger to defend herself, not that she could at this point. Her vision was fading as the venom in Huraira's fangs kicked in, silent tears staining her dirty cheeks. She had already accepted this fate when she shook Huraira's hand, sealing their partnership with the promise to always protect one another.

The darkness had never felt more like home.

[author's note]

:)