‘For once I’d like to have a friend who is taken with what type of person I am and not who I can pretend to be..’ trailing off she looks up at Tala and continues... ‘And who isn’t an animal..’
Ess did not know whether she should feel sorry for herself or the poor souls who may cross her path. Who was she trying to fool? The last time she was addressed as herself, had been quite some time ago. When she wasn’t parading around as someone else, she was at home in bed healing from excessive blood loss. She spent more time pretending to create the perfect illusion of someone more desirable and skilled than herself, to the point she couldn’t remember what made her smile. Ess knew how to stay alive, which led her into some dark places. Yet, they were no darker than her childhood. In fact, her recent disappointments were a blessing compared to those horrid years.
Up ahead, Tala began barking, crossing her tone into a soft growl. Ess didn’t seem perturbed by the wolf’s subtle warning, but thought, ‘Is it pathetic that the only one I can be comfortable around and not on the defense, is an animal?’
“Not that way girl, this way.” Ess pointed towards the left as the wolf continued off into the shadows at full speed. Something quite agile slipped down an ally, engrossing Tala with such a vendetta, Ess grew nervous.
Moonlight peeked out behind dense cloud, beaming down singular rays almost perfectly along the bleeding trail. Ess’ footsteps grew lighter, barely touching the ground as she picked up her gown and bolted after Tala. The blood appeared to widen and thicken as she leapt over fleshy debris, the gore more frequent with each step.
Essence came to a halt at the edge where moonlight met darkness. A fine line to where torn limbs wrapped in blood soaked clothing were strewn about. Without realizing she was already holding her dagger, Ess patted frantically with her free hand along her chest as she stared at the heaps of carnage scattered down the ally. She searched the shadows for Tala, a mournful howl ringing in her ears. As it faded, glowing eyes walked towards Ess, accompanied by a fearful whine.
“Here girl...” Ess choked. Essence turned in circles, gripping her knife as she looked up and down the near by streets for a guard. Seeing no one, she let out a desperate scream followed by Tala’s frantic barks.
Ess couldn’t make sense out of the segments. How many had been murdered? The earth took on the shape of a battlefield with so many fragments of flesh and bone, in only a small area. The tortured were dragged into this dark alley, and with the amount of wet blood, were alive when they were torn to pieces.
Gripping her blade until her knuckles turned white, Ess knelt beside what looked like a torso. It was bare of cloth, pale from loss of blood with large claw like tears across the flesh. A sickening stench emanated from the stump that made even Tala whine louder and lean into Ess’s side.
“What the...” Ess gagged, the taste of bile tickling her throat. She reached down by her feet where she squatted, scooping up a pile of snow encasing wee fingers half attached to a severed hand. It was so tiny...almost small enough to be....
“SOMEONE!" Another scream rang out, only this time it was cold with fury, biting her lip she fought back hot tears.