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“Oh man…” Breathing heavily Aiden reached over to his Adidas bag and pulled out a light blue towel to dry his hair with. Lap swim had ended five minutes ago and the doors would be closing in ten; not really enough time to take a shower and get ready, at least not if he planned to do so without slipping on soapy tiles and cracking his head open.

It only took that happening one time to learn not to rush it unless the floors had rubber tiles for added traction.

With finals starting in less than a week and a group presentation looming over his head, the stress to do well had weighed heavily on his shoulders. If it wasn’t that one of his classes weighed heavily on how others performed he would have been fine, but no. Two of the members worked full time and couldn’t get time off to actually put the project together while one of the guys, Greg, lost his entire portion of the assignment when his computer crashed Wednesday, the day before their meeting. Now they were all scrambling to help him finish so they didn’t get docked points.

Thinking on the excuse, Aiden let out a “hmph” sound of disgust as he tied his shoes and combed his fingers through his seemingly black hair.

If anyone were to have asked him, the story felt fishy. Not that he made a sport out of calling BS on classmates, but it seemed all too convenient that he out of the blue had computer issues after missing the last meeting last Thursday where they were suppose to have everything done and put together. “Whatever…” Chances are he forgot to do it and this is his way of delegating it to other people.

After waving good by to Ian, Aiden stepped outside into the cold brisk air. Sure it was spring time but that didn’t mean that nights weren't as cold as they had been back at the beginning of April.

Walking down the mostly empty streets with the smell of chlorine clinging to Aiden, almost like a second skin, the world around him seemed to not exist. Too absorbed in his own thoughts and how manipulative some people could be, he hadn’t really been paying much attention to where he was going aside from in the general direction of the DCU campus.

Just as it was a not-particularly-extraordinary day for Aiden, so was it for the Youma. If it could perceive extraordinary or ordinary, it would be nothing special. Just scouting and hunting for its master, boring things like that. Fortunately, the beast could not be bored.

It shook itself, its dirty brown fur shifting on its long, long, long body. It’s large pointed ears flapped as the wave of shaking travelled from tail to head, and it yawned, showing its iron-grey teeth. It would be time, soon, for it to return to the Rift. That much it knew and it felt something akin to anticipation of its soothing darkness and swirling chaos. It ‘anticipated’ it almost as much as it ‘anticipated’ the feel of energy in it’s long gullet, the way it flowed in its multi-limbed - about twelve clawed feet in total - body…

That was when it caught the scent, tantalizing and so full of energy that the beast could not resist its call. Sinuously, silently, it began to writhe towards it, moving in a way that resembled a disturbing cross between a snake, a millipede, a weasel, and a spider. Finally, on the edge of the shadows that cloaked it in the empty streets, it saw its prey.

There was no real will behind the bunching of it’s many sets of leg muscles, or in the way it’s body quivered with anticipation. There was only a drive - to kill, to eat, to take. It crept closer, it’s black eyes set upon the boy, a light revealing it in the shadows as a twisted silhouette…

Despite being in autopilot mode, the writhing shadows beside him did not go unnoticed. Illuminated in a ghostly red, courtesy of the recently changed traffic lights, Aiden's mouth opened into a near perfect ‘o’ shape as did his eyes WTF.

Fear often came in many forms. Ranging from a whole body tense or slight jumping from being startled to blacking out entirely. Thankfully his reaction was not so severe as to make him lose consciousness; however, the sheer terror coursing through him was enough to render him paralyzed for the next several moment.

Never mind the fact he was exhausted from swimming for the last hour, there was no way he was hallucinating; something he knew to be true thanks to the events that took place back in January. Flashbacks of the masquerade flooded to the forefront of his mind and he knew then that this had to be one of those creatures from the Hotel that had escaped when guests started fleeing, it had to be.

Intelligent hungry eyes bore holes through Aiden causing an aggressive shiver to run up his spine and force that fight or flight natural response to an ‘oh s**t’ situation to kick in.

Not caring whether or not the light permitted him to cross the street the inky haired young man dropped his bag and tore off across the crosswalk hoping to god a car drove by and hit the monster before it had a chance to take a bite out of him.

Its prey ran, and the youma streaked after it, the thrill of the chase helping it go from it’s stealthy, slow crawl into a full out blur of a run. It’s mouth was open, letting loose a hunting moan that was at the exact register to thoroughly unnerve any human to the bone. The boy had gotten a head start, but the beast was fast - faster than anything ought to be - and it clambered on the walls as if it was some kind of fell centipede, its claws clacking with the movement. It managed to catch up, taking a swipe at Aiden with one of its stumpy but sharp front claws…

A pained cry escaped him from the slashing sensation that tore his shirt and raked across his lower back. Stumbling forward he attempted to catch himself on a blue USPS mail box only to have his palm slip off the slick surface sending him into one of the news stands.

“Son of a…” No time to finish his vulgar train of thought Aiden rolled to the side before whatever was after him had an opportunity to crash down on top of him. Sharp rocks bit into the palms of his hands as he rose to his feet once more and took off towards a more well lit part of town; where he hoped someone would be able to stop this … this thing.

Where the ******** hell are the police… Come to think of it… where was anybody? It was eerie the way the streets seemed like it was locked in a single moment in time. No wind to cause the grass to stirr, nor was there a single person out and about either walking a dog or sitting at a bus stop. It felt very Twilight Zone…

Believing he had lost the creature, Aiden ducked in an alleyway. Panting heavily from exerting way too much energy in such a short amount of time he leaned his head back on the brick wall just beneath, what seemed to be, a bedroom window. Just barely cracked, he could hear the muffled sounds of a TV playing one of those stupid CW shows his sister liked to watch.

The youma slowed. It had seen where its prey had run, and it was going to stalk him just a little more. Frightening its prey made it feel alive, made it remember old emotions that had long been buried beneath the primal need to serve and feed and survive. The feelings were good feelings, things it liked to feel.

Thrill, as it slowed in the semi-silence, so near to its prey… as it’s claws clacked audibly against the stone of the wall, echoing through the alleyway.

Amusement: It gripped the wall carefully, creeping sideways along the wall where the lights cast their own shadowy roof on the sides of the buildings. The tapping of its claws could come from anywhere, so echoed and vague were they. Its prey so often did not look up.

Anticipation. It stopped clicking, creeping silently down the wall just behind and above the boy, relishing every moment that its prey breathed its heavy breaths, every shiver and shudder of fear as they looked precisely where it wasn’t. It was close now, close enough to smell the energy - ready and delectable like a ripe fruit dangling on the tree. It drooled, unintentionally dripping wet, slimy saliva onto the back of his neck. Unaware that it had just revealed itself, it gave in to its base needs and, its mouth open to reveal triple rows of impossibly sharp teeth, it attempted to bite down on Aiden's head, to access the sweet energy it could feel pulsing within…

If Aiden thought that being woken up by his uncles Mastiff as a kid when he had fallen asleep on their couch was bad, this just just reached a whole new level of gross.

One moment he had felt like he was safe, that the creature had lost interest in pursuing him only to have his life turn into a living horror movie. It didn’t take a genius to know what usually follows after a large glob of disgusting s**t falls from above, especially after watching The Blob with a few of the other guys living in the same Hall as he did.

Pushing off of the wall Aiden braced himself against the adjacent building. Propped up against a trashcan, a bright cyan and sky blue colored icicle illuminated the black hefty bags beside it. A weapon would be good but now was not the time to corner himself in a place there would be no retreat and so, without even pausing, he pivoted on one foot then tore off back out onto the open street.

As he ran, blood soaked the back of his shirt and top hem of his running pants from where the youmas claws had slashed him just minutes ago. Ears still ringing from the snapping sound beside his head Aiden felt slightly disoriented as buildings passed by him in a blurr. Sure he enjoyed the thrill that activities such as parkour or rock climbing could give, but nearly having his head quite literally chewed off was not the sort of excitement he sought.

The chase. Again. The Youma was not bored - it could not be bored. Perhaps, just perhaps, it could tire, but likely not before it’s prey did. It scuttled forward with a burst of speed, it’s joints making some sort of horrible, barely describable shrieking sound as they bent in impossible ways. It kept on his tail with ease, finally deciding to lunge forward and ram him with it’s head.

It’s skull was shockingly hard, like a stone, but it did seem very slightly stunned as it gathered its long body to it and watched Aiden fall.

Or, perhaps, it was simply gloating. It was hard to tell what the Youma was thinking - or if it was thinking any thoughts at all - behind it’s hungry eyes.

The blow to his backside had been unexpected having caught him between an inhale forcing the small amount of air in his lungs out as Aiden brought his arms up to brace for impact.

As someone who has spent years partaking in parkour he the dark haired young man was all too familiar with the pain associated with kissing pavement. Debris and concrete bit into the skin on the palm of Aiden's’ hands as he sought to get his feet under him only to find the fall a little further than expected. His attempt to roll forward was less than graceful and nothing more than a failure as his shoulder slammed against the ground hard enough to make his arm go numb.

“Hnng” A groan of pain escaped him unbidden as he rolled over onto his back struggling to draw in a gasping breath of air. He had to get up, that much he knew but the pain was a bit much to overcome so quickly.

Slate blue grey rimmed eyes slid open just enough to notice the same icicle that had been propped up precariously against the garbage back in the alley way. One end tapered to a point and as ridiculous as it seemed to be seeing something frozen laying out in the middle of the street in the onset of summer, it was the only thing within reach he could use to defend himself.

With his uninjured arm, Aiden reached out towards the weapon and the moment his fingers curled around it a cool yet soothing winters kiss enveloped his aching body before a near blinding light surrounded him.

When he opened his eyes next, the world around him was far darker than it had been till he was able to blink away the cyan and purple spots that clouded his vision. “Unn what the hell…”

The youma approached. It’s prey was helpless. Trapped. At its mercy. It could savor the kill, and it would make its energy meal all the sweeter. The moment that Aiden touched the icicle, it perceived the icicle and recoiled with a rattling hiss. It’s glowing eyes flashed with rage as it sensed that there was now a threat where there had been none before. But, hunger - not self preservation - was the monster’s driving force, and it hissed once more before charging. It moved forward, rearing up to free its front parts - it’s sharp, chitinous talons - to grab and hold it’s prey, it’s ears perked for the sound of screams, and its steely teeth ready to rend into Aiden’s flesh...

Just as the surrounding area became clear once more, devoid of multiple afterimages that made seeing near impossible, a lupine face with an uncomfortably wide grin full of wicked intent charged at him with frightening speed.

“Oh s**t…” Aiden's eyes became as wide as saucers before the need to get out of the way prompted him into motion and, despite his body's protest, the newly awakened page rolled to the side over his injured arm. A hiss of pain could be heard through clenched teeth as he got his feet under him and finally rose to face his opponent head on.

The beast stabbed its claws into the pavement, denting the concrete in its ferocity, it’s jaws slavering as it screeched in annoyance. It coiled around itself and launched at the young man again, reaching out for the kill.

Without much thought Slidr let the Icicle slip through his gloved fingers so he held onto the thickest end before charging towards the monster instead of trying to dodge it again. His grip on the piece of frozen water tightened and, just as the creature opened its gaping maw.

Mustering up all the strength he had the blue and black clad page thrusted the pointed end forward finding some sort of grim satisfaction mixed with horror realizing just how close he came to getting his hand chewed off.

Wide unblinking eyes, with slitted pupils, stared at him with nothing less than pure shock just mere seconds before its body began turn into grains of sand and dust before him.

“It-it worked.” Words spoken in disbelief and it was then he noticed the clothes he wore were different than what he had been wearing when he left the pool. “What the…” Slidr staggered backwards several steps as a wave of dizziness overcame him.

Brought to the point of physical exhaustion from over exerting himself after an hour and a half lap swim and substantial blood loss from the gash across his lower back, the dark bluenet combed a shaky hand through his hair to calm his nerves. “I-I need to get out of here.” Yes, away from here, someplace safe… but where? A lingering question that replayed in his mind in a monotone voice as he wandered the streets aimlessly in a foggy daze.