Hell to Pay: Chapter 9
The ground at the gate was slightly muddy and packed thoroughly, footprints filling every inch. There were no lights, no guards patrolling, only the sound of crickets slowly humming in the background. The faint light from the moon cast a pale glow over the camp. Teivel’s eyes watered as they took in the dark scenery before him.
Biting his bottom lip hard, he felt his hands form into fists. He swung his foot heavily, planting it on the pole holding up a tent by his side. It collapsed with little resistance. Teivel took in a sharp, deep breath. Leaning down forwards and grasping his knees, still sore from before, he let loose a loud cry that disappeared into the night without a hint of an echo. As he reeled back, he felt his eyes pool with tears. He collapsed onto the now flat tarp that once was a tent. His fists grasped at the thin cotton, pulling it in towards him.
Teivel sat in the twisted up sheet, rocking back and forth. It was warm and comforting, in contrast to the night that enveloped the earth around him. He took another deep breath, wavering. He could not let rage overtake him this time. There was no target for him to concentrate on, either. He was simply alone with his thoughts.
Those men, in proper looking uniforms, they didn’t like him or his parents, the people of his neighborhood. They took them away from their homes. They set fire to the synagogue. It seemed as if they didn’t implicitly mean them harm, but they were trained to do so, it was all they knew how to do. Either way, Teivel knew they were not to be trusted. This wasn’t a place he could stay. There was no telling where his parents and neighbors had been taken. Was it because of him, because he attacked the guards?
Teivel felt sick to his stomach. He remembered the sickening feeling of sinking a knife blade into another human’s flesh, the sickening thud of hitting bone with the point. He ran his fingers across the scar on his arm where he had carved the star. The darkness could take lives as well, but the feeling was so detached. Even though it was his doing, through concentration of his emotions, it wasn’t his own hands around the necks of those he killed. It felt… good. The bodies left behind were like puppets who’s strings had been cut. It was easy, too.
No, no. Teivel stopped himself. They have tanks, probably more guards. Soldiers, even. The thought of them taking away his people, battering and mistreating them made his blood boil. However, he couldn’t compete against that. Whatever allowed the darkness to function was still unclear to him. It seemed rogue. If he wanted greater power, he would need greater focus and understanding.
Teivel had never left this town before. He remembered the maps he studied in school, to the East was the border, then past that the ocean. Perhaps those men would stay on their side of the border. The rising sun could show him the way to go. Anywhere would be better than here.
The warmth of the sheet embraced him. He stared off in the distance for what seemed like ages. The edges of the sky started to turn purple, slowly fading into red then orange. Teivel stood, stretching his arms and legs. He looked around once more; nobody could be seen from any direction. The sun started to show itself over the horizon. In the same direction was the forest he had always seen on the edge of town. Making sure all of his few belongings were still attached to him, he starting walking that way.
Fifty Shades of Grease Publishing 