World Eater

71

IT WAS RAINING. Water pooled around Alzar’s feet as he hugged his knees, the stone floor of the cave chilling him to the core.

Fancy had ushered him back to their makeshift shelter, asking him to try to get some rest. But the second Alzar sat down, he knew he wasn't going to get any sleep. His mind was still racing, too many questions that needed answers.

“Miss Fancy,” Alzar whispered, his voice hoarse.

Fancy sat in front of him, hands folded on the rolls of her dress. Her eyes were serene, almost pleased as she peered down at Alzar. “Yes?”

“You...you did that thing...from your back,” he said slowly, choosing his words carefully as he avoided Fancy’s eye, “What are you?”

Fancy smiled, letting her head tilt to the side. “Alzar, you and I are one and the same.”

“You mean...you're a World Eater?”

She reached out, touching his hand. “We're not like anyone else in this world, Alzar.” Fancy bit her lip, shaking her head, “I was so worried I wouldn't be able to get to you in time. I was lucky to be able to fight off those humans. It was a close call, my dear.”

Alzar rubbed his chest, feeling the bruise between his ribs. “I thought they were going to help me.”

“But they won't, Alzar. They never were going to. Humans will only hurt you.”

“You're talking like…I'm not even a person…”

“You're not a person, Alzar. You never were a person. You're nothing like them. You are a World Eater, just like me.” Fancy waved her hand, throwing it out to the forest around them, “All those people out there never cared for you. They wanted you dead.”

Alzar clenched his eyes shut. He could see twisted, sneering faces hovering above him, laughing and spitting at him. Her words...they couldn't be lies. At school, they all hated him. Fancy had tried to tell him this from the beginning.

One face stood above the rest.

Sariel. Sariel had always been there for him. He remember laying on the couch, curled on Sariel’s chest as they watched a movie. Every dinner he cooked, every tender smile, every reassuring word. He loved him.

“I don’t want to be here anymore,” Alzar croaked, clutching handfuls of his hair, “I want Sariel. I want Sariel to take care of me.”

For a split second, anger flashed across Fancy’s face. She recovered, knitting her eyebrows. “Sariel? Do you want to know what Sariel really is?”