Just a day later I saw spires of the bell towers. All my meandering delayed the inevitable only by that much.
It was the first time I observed it from afar and the fortified town wasn't anything outstanding in appearance. The colourful roofs screamed how beloved the properties had been back in the day. When I squinted I could almost imagine how it all must have looked all those years ago with fresh paint, neat hedges and blooming gardens. A scene from a life I never had a chance of living even then.
Now though, most everything was dimmed or even on the cusp of collapse. A lot of the previously quaint houses were dismantled and bricks donated to the unsightly yet essential perimeter wall. Barren, gravelly lots where houses used to stand both on the inside and outside the protected territory. Gaping eyeholes of some abandoned cottages, as glass must have been even harder to come by out here than in the city.
I saw some movement beyond the wall from my high perch. Sentries noticed the demon approach. He was sticking out like a sore thumb on these plains, after all. Good for them not to be napping on this fine day.
I saw people lurk at the entrance, waiting for the approach, but demon wasn't following the road exactly and just leaped over the wall like complete savage. I'm guessing that was expected, or they'd have moved to open the gates. He stopped at the small central square and I was gracefully deposited onto the cobblestones. Several denizens already stood waiting, couple more trailing in. Few eyes peered out of the former prayer house's dark gateway. Quite the crowd of curious gawkers.
"Greetings, fellow dark cultists! I have returned. Oh and him," I looped thumb vaguely behind me. My voice was sonorous and clear, posture proud and mighty. Whatever I wanted to pull off, I did it. There was no doubt.
"The fuck is he wearing," some grump muttered loud enough for everyone to hear.
I wasn't to be cowed. "Glad you've addressed the issue immediately. Your god commands this be our new uniform," I bellowed the decree without as much as twitching my lips. More than few sets of eyes popped out. The god in question did not confirm or deny. Excellent.
All the horrified glancing around told me I was sufficiently believable. Being carried in like a foreign prince must have done the heavy lifting, but still. Nobody argued. Great success.
"That said, the uniform is hardly weather appropriate. You," I pointed at the asshole with deepest scowl, "bring me a coat." As warm as the breeze was, it still managed to shrivel me up so much I was almost appropriate again.
Guy cast a glance towards the unseeing demon, then back at me and I waved him off impatiently. I'll probably get shanked later if the reddening expression was any indicator, but five minutes of authority? Totally worth it.
Everyone else just stood and waited, both wary and in awe. Just like the last time. Crossed my arms and stared back at them, too. They've never seen a monster? You'd think out here in the boonies it would be the opposite. Or was it truly some sort of religious experience for the lot? Almoner swore it wasn't, but I still couldn't help but wonder. Some could have still carried sentiments of looking for meaning in weird places. Some could have freshly gained it. The creature was probably older than our entire existence. Were they, the monsters, all like that?
"That thing you ate, was it as old as you?" I asked staring up at the curling horns.
Monster didn't reply and I thought that maybe there was just one village fool he spoke to at a time. Was this why everybody flocked to witness it, rather than engaging themselves? Low grumble dismissed my musings, "Too young to know better."
"So you eat babies," I skipped several questions that popped up in favour of poking fun.
"Yes."
The low bark made several people flinch and I sighed. This guy was a terrible stand-up comedian.
"So how young is too young? How do your usual lunches compare to you and each other? Or humans."
"Humans are my usual lunch," demon growled out and now I was sure he had an agenda to ruin my fun. Or perhaps he didn't enjoy an audience? Or did, but had other ideas of entertainment? He was posing as god to these people, incidentally or not. Had an image to uphold or whatever. Looks like my new goal in life will be to ruin that!
Before I could get to business, mean-faced man returned with a raggedy coat, which he also vindictively dragged through the mud. Which was fine by me, since I was the least fussy orphan in our corner of town. Which apparently wasn't cute anymore in a grown-ass man, in Cherry's opinion. Vanquishing chill that threatened to settle over my heart with a massive smile, I grabbed at the garb and tucked myself in. Finally, some warmth! No more huddling with an ancient terror for basic survival.
Priest trailed just behind the big surly. Demon spoke before he could be greeted, "There is a group of thirty eight humans just outside of your domain. Two – very close, very quiet."
Dead-eyed battle monk nodded slowly, "They got here yesterday. I'm waiting on their move."
That was bad news, no matter which way sliced. Nobody just showed up to lurk at your doorstep with good intentions. They had to be well-armed to just camp among the trees too.
All of that sounded terrific, so I gave the crowd thumbs up and made myself scarce. Priest's intense stare probably attempted to keep me nailed to the ground, but I was a free spirit. Or at least I was going to pretend so for as long as I can get away with it.
As the scary-looking mob began discussing unpleasantries on their doorstep, I was thrilled to avoid it completely. Especially since I was familiar with the layout this time around and didn't need any help getting around. First order of business! Warm bath.
Scenery was plainly idyllic. The old opulent building stood majestic to one side, the river sloshed down the hill on its merry way. It was still relatively early in the day, so nobody else was washing up. Some carpenter with two right arms put up the shower stalls, benches and even saunas skilfully. Everything was beautiful and not least bit crooked. Great communal recreation area, even if I didn't see joining the local crowd.
Most of the city had just cold running water, which was frankly miracle enough. The house we unlawfully occupied had even that turned off. We found workarounds, but it was still tedious and not least bit pleasant undergoing. Especially on occasions when officials bothered to check if anybody was stealing their shit. Long story short, I was ecstatic to take a dip in a heated river water. I was okay at kindling a fire, so it didn't even take long. Several cranks of a lever and I jumped right in onto the wooden rack inside the metal bathtub without bothering to undo the straps. They were hardly in the way, anyway.
After finally warming up my cold bones, felt an intense hunger. My body was starting to relax. The bunch of tiny wild pears I'd picked up for breakfast were hardly satisfying. Much less so than the instance of annoying demon to go back and get them.
I could take a casual stroll through their vegetable patch, but I saw myself being watched by several scowls already. It would be an easily provoked fun, but for once I just didn't feel like it. I was too damn tired. And fortunately for everyone who would be involved, going on empty was the standard for me. I took a couple of turns in the small town and ducked away from view into someone's beloved rose bushes to nap in the waning sun.
When I woke up the stars were twinkling. My back was frozen over again because of the cool earth. Bad choices on my part again, but nothing new there either. As I sat up, found blanket draped on top of myself.
"Grandma loved these roses," familiar young cadence spoke. I seemed to have startled Almoner out of some reverie. He smiled but unlike when I did it, it was all grief. He'd need more practise with this. I grabbed around until I found his frozen fingers and gripped them.
My foggy mind grappled for ideas. "Yea? They... did look splendid. Didn't think I'd be seen through the thicket."
Blond head jerked to the side to point at a window. Frankly, I hoped this was one of the abandoned houses. It should have been, technically, as Almoner stayed in church... while I was around anyway. I must have caught him in a bout of melancholy. Might as well, misery did love company.
"Are you okay?" he asked suddenly, after taking firm hold of my hand. "The devil... has found you again."
I chewed on my lip, moved by insistent sincerity in the young voice. This sweet summer child of mine. "I'm sorry for not saying anything before leaving. There... wasn't time." There probably was, but I didn't want to take risks. I was selfish like that.
His other hand flailed to dismiss it, "I understand completely. That's fine. I hoped... you'd get back home to your family safe." I don't think I flinched or showed anything on my face. I had too much practise to be read easily. But his eyes scrutinised my face in the dark anyway and at that moment I felt seen through completely. He said eventually, "You didn't answer."
Ah, evading was the mistake. I could be flippant, but felt like I owed this boy more than that. He did take care of my lame ass that entire week for me to just disappear like smoke. "I... am not okay. Not remotely," I admitted impassively, fearful that the admission alone would break the dam. In the companionable stillness some pressure released and I felt that maybe I could do even a little better. "They are dead," I whispered out the cold hard facts and didn't even break to bits. I thought it would hurt more, but turns out I accepted the reality for what it was days ago. I was as low as I could have gone already.
Almoner exhaled so deep he was about to implode. "Because of... the..." he finally stammered out and I shook head, understanding the glaring concerns.
"I don't even fully understand how he'd ended up where I was. Completely unrelated." Just look at me being cool and nonchalant about massively uncomfortable, life-defining events.
"That's... good?"
I shrugged, having no idea. I didn't appreciate being ripped out of the maw of blissfulness, but good for the kid, I suppose. The idol remains untarnished for little while longer.
"Never mind all that! Say, where do you people keep the fuel? I'm going on another trip," I inquired cheerfully, glossing over all the unpleasantries. I knew where they kept the cars, which littered the abandoned roads by the dozen, but important resources weren't sitting out in the open.
My palm got gripped so tight it was almost painful. "You mustn't do that," youth informed me, his shadowed face was fixed upon mine, although he couldn't have seen much either. Before I could protest and insist, Almoner went on, "They wouldn't want to become reason for it. Don't burden them so."
My mouth opened several times as I imitated a suffocating fish. No, there was nothing I could say. He'd completely seen through me. This darkness worked against me.
"The dead don't care," I shot back with venom. Shook my head, wanting to say he doesn't, wouldn't understand. But there was nothing special about it. Mine was generic old story. We're all just playing same old twisted game where nobody wins.
He was correct, I realised. Ruby would slog me unconscious if he knew I was actively trying to waste all his effort of keeping me alive all those years. Really, the man should have invested it differently. Perhaps if that busybody hadn't began picking stays up starting with me, he wouldn't have gone down that sad route at all. There really was no point of me having been alive at all. I found myself pressing the fingers into the wet eyes as if to gouge them out.
"I'm not dead," Almoner's hands gripped my wrists to pull them away just as I started drawing blood and forced me to look at pale outline of the blond head. Damn kid was surprisingly good at this. Not quite the naïve brat he'd seemed to be in daylight. Village healer for a reason, it would seem.
So I'd kissed him. It was likely an overused routine which he'd relayed to every sad sod around - of which there were many nowadays - but I was cheap anyway. He implied and I needed to forget the things he'd dredged up. It all checked out as a go in my head.
The blonde's tongue was sluggish and timid. He hadn't done this a lot, which I'd found surprising – he wasn't that much younger than me. It was saying more about me than him and I listened to every word. What has all that been for? All those people...
His fingers tentatively brushed my hairless chest and my companion snorted lightly, "What is it you're wearing this time?"
"Don't worry, you're gonna love it," I assured him with a smirk, shrugging out of the coat.
"Was this what they were whispering about?" Almoner chuckled to himself, his palm brushing over the leather straps one by one.
When I moved to get closer, the blonde started to put his arms around me but suddenly pulled away, landing the hands on my shoulders this time.
"What?" I asked sensing irritability returning. He couldn't have been that inexperienced. Or was small town boy remembering he's not into men?
"You know I like you," he begun and looked for words above my head.
"But?" I urged instead of agreeing. This was going somewhere I didn't need right now and I was done with all the suspenseful pauses that suddenly befell my life.
"You seem to belong to the devil," blonde whispered choppily.
"So do you?"
Youth shook his blond mane. "Not like that. He doesn't even talk to anyone besides Priest. And even with him, devil just walks away without a care no matter how badly he's mangled."
"Well, that's because... well, for one Priest is immortal and..." they're connected in some way anyway. There was more I could say on the subject, but didn't feel like going into it right now. The kid was just looking for an excuse anyway. "Why would an alien creature even have such concept? He watched me get railed all night long and didn't care. If you don't want to, just grow up and say so," I said with a knowing smirk and patted Almoner on the cheek. I felt his face contort from frown into a surprise and confusion. Introducing more oddities into already stupefied mind might have been a mistake.
"Those people... are they alive?" kid asked stiffly and I didn't react. It was unrelated bit of murder on my part anyway.
I groaned tiredly and chose to address the other thing instead. Monster carried more authority anyway. Strange he had stuck around, but the armed threat to his little slice of paradise must have been a reason enough. "Monster!" I called out into the dead of night and cringed for it was loud, then repeated, "Ey, monster!"
There was no reply. I had no doubt ancient monster could hear lone bellow in the night. And probably not just that, but the entire half-whispered conversation. Those ears were seriously out of proportion with rest of the body. Almoner gripped me by the straps and shook as I was about to shout more, with his horrified eyes obvious even in the dark. I chuckled. As fun as the spectacle could have been, I didn't really want everyone up in my business either.
"Fine, I'll go ask like a cultured person," I sighed for show and stood. "Where's he at?"
"By the church," shaky healer replied, his hands not relaxing nor releasing the straps. Not until I kissed him again. Then I'd left him standing in the shadow, stepping onto the path outlined by solar powered torches here and there. It was meagre but they did the job. If the village people needed actual light they'd set fire to blackened intestines of some monsters. They burned well and brightly. Seeing as all the ritzy doohikeys took a turn towards decline, the alternative advancements would probably end up taking over in the long term.
And I even knew where they kept that barrel. File the idea for later.
Frolicking down the street I regretted leaving my coat behind. The nights were getting chilly. But that's not what was on my mind at the time. Seeing demon's dark silhouette emerge from behind the corner I squealed and launched myself at him in a sprint, "Baby! Where've you been? I've missed you so!" He stood exactly where I'd left him. Probably same exact spot.
From mere steps away I lunged, shouting, "Catch me!"
Instead of flopping down on the stone pavement, or toppling over us both and landing in a heap of elbows, I was caught and hung suspended.
"You actually did," I exhaled surprise. I'd usually trip everybody down and Ruby would then add onto the new bruises.
"Of course," monster ticked quietly as though it was only obvious. Show off.
"Sooo, did you eavesdrop?" I inquired knowing the answer full well.
"I heard, yes."
"So why didn't you broadcast your permission for everyone to know? You're scaring the common folk into being unreasonable, yano."
"You assume much," demon chastised and I raised my eyebrow.
"Is that a no?"
"No."
Demon didn't elaborate and my irritation made a comeback. I swung my dangling legs up and down, to calm myself. The few dim blips aside, the surroundings drowned in the dark. The scarce torches weren't all that visible from distance. Stars above were only intensifying the feeling of being somewhere deep in the ocean. It was terrifyingly beautiful.
"What's your name anyway? I'd hate to have some other monster pop up next time I need to holler."
"Your kind has given me many names," horned monster rumbled.
I haven't seen all that many movies, but still recognised the line. I scoffed deeply irritated, "I didn't ask that. What you call yourself?"
"I do not," he said and I felt my nails rake something. There wasn't pain so it must not have been my skin, but monster haven't reacted either. Must be nice to be able to turn off every bothersome function of your body.
Released abused flesh and made a fist instead. Fine, the monster was right. I didn't call myself either, was not that crazy – yet. Before I could specify further, monster elaborated, "Speech is distinctly human mode of communication. It's inefficient."
I huffed at the stuck-up monster - of course his way was much better. Didn't protest with my inept words however, because deep down I knew he was probably correct. These things had eons to work it all out.
Tendril separated itself from a hem of his hood and twined around my neck. I tensed up. Unsettling, but the creature could rip me apart without this. Base of my skull tickled and between blinks I started knowing more. The buildings suddenly were clear as day, and I saw far further. Forest, the people in it. The swaying branches around them. The critters on the other side. The entirety of information made the tiny personality within my meat suit balk.
A powerless gargle in lieu of words focused the attention back onto us and the onslaught of information stopped immediately. I shook, revolted and exhausted. If I had any strength left, I'd leap away and retch. The negative physical sensations disappeared few heartbeats later but I still hung, breathing heavy and nobody said a thing.
That wasn't even one set of information. When I made noise the image diverged and I realised I was thrown into another detailed landscape. The later one was present. The previous must have been from when we came in. Had he tried to relay something? Things had been somewhat different, but I just didn't have any spare capacity to compare.
If monsters could assault their conversational partners with the grand totality of anything and everything, no wonder they didn't waste their breath. Speech was quite inadequate after all. Too bad that was all our puny human brains were capable of.
After what must have been way too long I snapped back and looked into the fishbowl of darkness once again. What were we talking about again? Right. Names.
"So when somebody calls you, they send you an image of you?"
"No..." This time I felt the monster try and put complicated things into a small one-sentence package for my little brain to comprehend and didn't fault him. I did decide to fault him when it seemed horned devil abandoned that explanation whatsoever and moved on from it. Eventually the chest rumbled, "Such intrusion is not usually welcome. Too easy to kill. By accident or on purpose."
I sniffled what could probably be blood and hissed, "What, too intrusive? If only there were other ways to casually shout from a distance." Stupid monsters.
There was another ponderous pause and he said, "My name is under your fingernails."
"What?" I stared at the unclenched fist, obviously not seeing a damned thing.
"The smell is specific to each individual living thing."
"You people are so damn complicated," I huffed out, rubbing my temple. Gave my nails a whiff. It smelled of the ground I've been gripping in my nap.
"It's the first time you called us people," monster stated.
"Aw, what, lil baby monster had his feelings hurt?" I mocked him for no reason besides my own defensiveness. I didn't really spend all that much time pondering the subject before leaving the city, none at all to be exact, but then at least one of them appeared and spoke. It was simple to come to right conclusions.
"No. Humans are less than bugs to us." And yet he brought it up and that told me something.
"Oh, don't be so butthurt. Plenty of humans are monsters too," I explained hastily and went back to dissecting more interesting things.
"So this smell... Fresh meat?" There was barely anything on my hands, but I vividly recalled what his maw smelled like. I grasped for polite way to say it was generic as fuck. "I'm probably not picking it up right... All innards smell more or less like that. Right? Perfume or hints of oil would be more specific to tell people apart, no? Or whatever it is you'd be around the most."
"Items and environment add clarifying markers, but they aren't the essence. Human senses are hardly sufficient to tell most of those apart."
I inhaled deep but there was nothing still. Not even on his living coat. Which was odd, and how did I not notice it earlier? Well, I guess it would be somewhat weird to be carrying tantalising fragrance of butcher shop everywhere you went. I didn't walk around with my ID taped to the forehead either.
That took a lot of effort and I still didn't have a name. Now I of course understood his side of issue, but it hardly helped. "So how do I call you? If you make me pick something, I promise you – it shan't be flattering, Hammie."
Monster ticked away quietly and then said, "I primarily smell of nerve tissue."
"Hmm... Fitting, as you do get on my nerves a lot. Brainiac? Highbrow?" I pondered. That went with the body parts theme the monsters had going, but these were far too flattering. "Noodle!"
"You sound malnourished," monster bit back and I had to admit he was probably right.
"Fine, you do deserve a normal, human name. Shall we call you Parkinson? In honour of all that restless twitching you do," I said and nodded energetically. This could really grow on me.
"Why didn't you eat?" creature asked after a short tingling sensation I was learning to associate with him doing something to me.
"Stop that," I demanded, yanking myself forward to interrupt whatever that's been happening on my back. It ceased and didn't restart even when I settled back. Why was I still lounging in his arms anyway? It was warmer, I suppose.
"Eat, or I will do it for you," monster stated. He knew I didn't like that. We've covered that extensively during the trip.
Commands didn't sit right with me at all and I frowned in disgust. Almost forgot the creature was as bad as all the rest of the power-tripping assholes. There goes all the rapport we've almost established. No matter, he will be able to be as bossy as he wants to the pile of my ash soon.
"Of all the things, that's what I need you doing least," I muttered angrily and scrambled off the alien overlord.
Monster let me go easily for once, but his hand lingered and brushed upwards as he asked, "What do you need me to do?" It felt undeservedly pleasant and a shiver emanated from his touch and down my spine. It confused me. Was I that starved of tender touches? Yes, but no. As natural as it felt, this couldn't be coincidence, with a monster that smelled primarily of nerves. I stared up at the blind horns. That was... suggestion. Right?
One way to find out for sure. "Again," I demanded. One way or the other I came here looking for some bliss. Did it matter I'd find it in hands of literal monster? Not in the slightest.