The Demons That Haunt Us

Chapter 2

Hey, 'tis ThePsychO. I'm really loving this story, so hopefully I'll actually update it in a timely manner. Until this story gets under way, all of my others will be on hold. Thank for reading guys, enjoy!!

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Life had been lonely after Riot had been 'exorcised'. After finally returning to school, the other children- in hearing the rumors surrounding Kalin's youth- turned against him, taunting and teasing, bullying and beating until Shiyo had been forced to step in. Kalin was shy with people (still was) and knew that to fight a bully, you had to know them; to know their weakness, and exploit it. But, being the antisocial child he was, he didn't know anything about anyone, except his second mind and his brother. Therefore, he was at a disadvantage. Soon, he was homeschooled by Shiyo in his free time, and all the parents knew to keep their children away from the one-roomed shack behind the butcher's shop.

You were gone. You were gone for five years!

I know. I am sorry.

Lonely, yes. Painful... Maybe. But it was peaceful, and truly, all Kalin needed. That is, until the Drafters came and took all that away.

Kalin's hand tightened around his rucksack. Of course he didn't blame them, he knew it wasn't their fault because they knew what the families were going through anyway. Poverty, starvation, disease.

What bothered Kalin is that the Drafters never visited the Karlyne Distrct, home of the rich. No, they knew that those stuck-up freaks were too cowardly to go to war. They'd rather throw away half of that days profits to avoid putting on one of those blue uniforms, whereas the rest of the twenty and older men were sent away and trained to fight demons.

And now he was traveling to one of those stuck-up freaks houses so that he could stay with him?!

Sometimes the irony of these situations made his head hurt.

You know, I could just kill him and we could take the house-

Riot...

No, I actually believe we could pull this off-

You will not be killing anyone. Last time you tried, hell broke loose, you were 'exorcised' and I almost got thrown in jail!

Fine, fine, jeez. I was joking.

No you weren't.

Kalin rolled his eyes in exasperation. Nearing the stables in his district, Kalin hiked his rucksack over his shoulder and pulled his hood lower over his eyes. His anonymity was his priority until he managed to enter the 'Rich 'Rict' as most people called it. The last thing Kalin wanted was to be spotted heading out towards it. One more thing for people to hate him for.

It wasn't just his second mind that made him different. Almost everyone else in the Molzen District where he lived had darker hair; brown or black, certainly not the light blonde on his head, and eyes that all had similar shades of mud. He was the odd one out; Kalin found no familiar or sympathizing faces among their crowds, and knew that because of his sudden departure to Karlyne, it was unlikely he ever would.

"You buyin', kid?" It took a moment for Kalin to realize that the man was talking to him.

"A horse? Yes."

"Well come on in, I'll show you around." The muscled Stable Master brought Kalin into a spacious barn. where horses stood in their various stalls, eating or just looking rather lonely. Kalin headed to a particular stall where a chestnut mare stood munching on her feed. When she saw him approach she snorted and lowered her head to nuzzle him affectionately.