Crimson Hunger

Chapter 41

"I never killed anyone," Ian said, his voice low and steady.

Garrick stood tall in front of him at a safe distance, but Ian never looked up and continued to stare at the tile floor on which he sat, still chained to the wall like a dog.

"In 2003, I met a beautiful young lady called Olivia Dalton," Garrick said, walking to the fireplace near the wing chair opposite to Ian and carefully lighting it, "we immediately fell in love. She was a true beauty—inside out—so full of life, so delicate, so warm, so compassionate, so ambitious. We were young and full of passion. I proposed to her before we graduated from college and she said yes even though everyone told us we were too young for marriage—"

"And where do I fall in this cliché love story?" Ian interjected, now looking up at Garrick without moving his head.

"We were madly in love with each other," Garrick continued, disregarding Ian's mockery, "and we did everything together," a smirk formed a dimple on his left cheek, "you once jokingly told her she took me away from you. In fact, she took me away from the whole world—she became my world."

Ian rolled his eyes. Garrick stood facing the fireplace, staring at the flare he lit as it gradually and quickly grew from a small flame into a blazing fire that illuminated his face and the spacious room a warm orange.

"Everything I did was, if not for her, in her name," he said, his eyes not blinking yet not taking in the image in front of them, "I was obsessed. I thought of her the moment I woke up in the morning, as I took a shower, while I ate my breakfast, on my way to college and right before I fell asleep. She was with me at all times even when I couldn't see her." He choked on the last few words and then there was a long moment of silence.

The chains clinked as Ian moved to lie down on his back and stare at the half-illuminated ceiling. The reddish light appeared to be wrestling with the dark surrounding it—it won one round and almost got devoured by the blackness in the next before it fought it off again.

He heard Clara hum a very soft tune then sing a Leann Rimes song in an intoxicating, lulling voice:

"Time, sometimes the time just slips away

And you're left with yesterday

Left with the memories

I, I'll always think of you and smile

And be happy for the time I had you with me

Though we go our separate ways

I won't forget so don't forget

The memories we made."

The silhouette of Garrick's head appeared above his and said, "Are you listening?"

Ian began to sing with Clara as he remembered the lyrics. This was one of his father's favorite songs; he mostly listened to it and sang it as he cooked him breakfast when he visited during summer vacations.

"Please remember

Please remember

I was there for you

And you were there for me

Please remember

Our time together

When time was yours and mine

And we were wild and free

Please remember

Please remember me."

"Why do they let crazy folk run loose and destroy the world?" Garrick let out a sardonic laugh then walked back to the fire.