lost cause

┊ᴍᴇʀᴄʏ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴀɴᴅs ᴏғ ᴇᴠɪʟ.

❝ MERCY AT
THE HANDS OF EVIL. ❞

DREAD SWIRLED within the demon's chest; a feeling that didn't really bother him all too much, but one he definitely couldn't shake off so easily. he knew there was nothing else he could do for he didn't want to risk a life incredibly valuable to him, so instead, he chose to kill one that would simply join all the nameless faces forever haunting his mind.

it felt both selfless yet extremely selfish at the same time, and the conflict over his own actions only powered the feeling of dread whirling in his chest even more. it was whispering to him, eerie voices scratching against the walls of his skull, reminding him that every decision he made would only lead to his inevitable downfall.

sighing loudly, the demon chose to ignore the ever-growing uneasiness developing in his stomach and trudged onwards into the welcoming arms of the night with another cigarette in his mouth. although it remained unlit, since his lighter had skidded off somewhere across the bridge, minho kept it tucked snugly in between his lips for it gave him a strange sense of comfort.

such a small object bearing irrevocable power was sitting in his mouth, and in a way, it was a part of him. although it only killed it's prey slowly with every puff of smoke it infused in their lungs, it didn't affect minho, for every whiff of smoke he inhaled did nothing more than alleviate the pains of everyday life. it reminded him that he was the superior; that he was immortal.

unbeknownst to minho, immortality would forever be nothing but a curse.

in the distance, the powerful glow of lights lit up the surrounding area as the sign of a convenience store stood boldly in the midst of darkness. the harsh lighting of the LED's caused the demon to squint his eyes as his burning pupils ached in protest, unable to handle the jarring light of the store. despite this, minho chose to approach it; that very sign alone coaxing him to seize the opportunity that was blatantly waiting for him.

the cheerful chime of a bell echoed throughout the empty store as the demon pushed open the door, signalling the presence of a new ally to the light - or an intruder from the darkness.

the store was empty, minho observed; eyes briefly scanning the shelves filled with rows upon rows of insignificance. he also noted the noticeable blink of red in the corner, signalling the presence of a cctv camera, deeming it to be quite a nuisance but certainly not an obstacle he couldn't overcome.

thus, the demon decided to approach the cashier with a faux expression of childlike glee brightening his entire face; the dead stars residing in his pupils blooming with a newfound surge of light, birthing galaxies of wondrous mysteries that only burnt whoever dared inspect it too closely.

the man behind the counter shot him a curious glance before scoffing and rolling his eyes. recklessness and arrogance seemed to emanate from his aura like an agitated tornado; the seething yet concealed rage he exuded crawling into the demon's skin like spiders before tearing his flesh apart only to spit it out raw.

"hello, sir!" minho's voice was buoyant and perhaps too loud; too foreign in such a quiet and undisturbed atmosphere, yet that was very much his intention. he wanted his words to cut through his flesh and embed itself into his skull - the last thing he'll ever hear before his pointless demise. the demon wasn't heartless, thus he decided to sprinkle in a bit of happiness - although somewhat artificial - into the last few seconds of his presumably dull life.

the man raised a brow; half-lidded eyes drooping with drowsiness as his struggling body screamed at him to put it to rest. and perhaps it's wishes would finally be granted - just not in the way it was expecting.

"do you have a staff room?"

the cashier was evidently surprised by this, prevalent in the way his eyes widened and his stance stiffened. the demon's eyes darted downwards and focused on the slight swallow of the other male's throat; the tiniest swell of skin travelling along the pale expanse of his neck. then slowly, and somewhat hesitantly, he nodded.

a nod - that's all minho needed to see.

squinting slightly in what could be deemed as amusement, forming crescents that shone from the stars residing in the moons of his eyes, the demon couldn't help but grin wider.

but it was strained.

because it hurt.

it pained him, really; pained him to see the last few moments of his victims' lives filled with nothing more than confusion and terror. which was why he decided to end himself, for he was sick and tired of the overly repetitive cycle of killing; expelling the small traces of humanity implanted in his midnight black veins in the process. yet there he was again, trapped in the twisted cycle once more out of his own greed and in a desperate attempt to save an unworthy being such as himself.

and more than that, he wanted to save him.

so minho did it, but every life he had ended was always accompanied by a smile. no matter how fake or strained it was, it was always a smile nonetheless; acting as a silent apology for all the wasted opportunities that he'd stolen right from the pleading grasps of their souls.

minho tilted his head, the corners of his lips twitching upwards to form a sad smile that held a thousand meanings that words could never communicate.

"goodbye, my friend," he mused, obscuring the dull ache that had infested his heart with every second that passed by as the confused expression etched onto the cashier's face morphed into one of pure horror and dread. "say hello to satan for me."

and with the utter of his last word, the man dropped dead on the floor as the tiniest of smiles planted itself onto his lips, reflecting the very last one he'd ever been given.