A Little Insane: Building A Monster

Chapter Ten - Flesh

“Like you?”

“No, I'm not trying to turn you into me,” Hart answered as if he knew what Riley was thinking, because it was obvious by the unsettling look on his face that he was uncomfortable with the idea.

Riley gave Hart an awkward smile, lasting only a second. “You do whatever you want, Hart. I don't mind. And I don't care.”

“I've got to go now,” he told him. “I'll be back by midnight. If anything shows up, you can protect yourself.”

“Wait!” Riley jumped up when Hart quickly left the dinning room and went straight to the front door. Hart stopped and turned, watching Riley. “I have one last question.”

“What is it?”

“Do you kill for their souls? I mean . . . is that the reason you do it? Because you want to be immortal?” Hart heard him swallow as he finished his sentence. He was nervous, and Hart couldn't even figure out why.

He glared at Riley, looking up and down at him. “Have you ever seen a dagger in my possession when I kill people?”

He shook his head. “No, but you mentioned there was another dagger.”

“It only works on humans.”

“What?” Riley blurted out after what seemed like forever.

“I'm leaving now, I'll see you soon,” Hart told him, opened the door and shot outside. Once inside his car, he struggled not to break the driving wheel. He was beginning to feel like Riley was becoming him and he was becoming Riley. He would have never said such a thing and almost reveal things that Riley should never know.

*-*-*-*-*

The midnight sky was ominous as Hart arrived home, stepping out of his car with a large bag in his hand. His eyes wandered hesitatingly, searching the dark trees and keeping an eye on the shadows. He looked up at his house and noticed every room had its lights turned off. He thought Riley might have been sleeping, but then he caught footsteps on the ground, just barely visible from where he stood. He dropped the bag and ran towards the house, fidgeting with his keys until he finally managed to open the door and shoot straight inside.

“Riley?” Hart called out loudly. When no answer came, he ran up the stairs to search Riley's bedroom and his own. Both were empty and so was every other room upstairs.

He stopped moving, closed his eyes and listened for sudden movements or foreign sounds. Few moments passed before he heard a tapping sound coming from the basement. His eyes opened wide and alarmed. He rushed to the basement door and practically jumped down the stairs. The dark room was opened and there was an eerie sound coming out of it.

“Riley?!” he screamed, storming inside and flicking the light switch. They didn't work for some reason, so he gave up trying. The little light coming from the basement illuminated a bit in front of him, enough to see a shape in the distant. “Riley . . .”

Standing not far from where he stood, was Riley. He didn't answer or react when Hart called out his name, he just stood still like a statue. Hart slowly approached him, reaching out carefully and grabbing his shoulder.

It wasn't Riley. It looked like him, but when he turned around his mouth was bleeding and his eyes were gone. He was smiling creepily as his hands twitched at his sides. Hart now began to panic as he wondered if Riley was even alive.

“Who are you?” Hart's threatening tone caused the creature's smile to disappear.

“I . . . am . . . Riley,” the creature responded.