The ringing of the bells from his phone, the cool room with just a hint of light filtering through the shut curtains. On the wall, a simple mirror, nothing more. It reflected only shadows and light. Cracking open his mouth with a yawn, he frowned when the form of one Cassandra Norris was not by his side. Reaching over, he groaned as the cold air hit his once warm arm, hair standing on end. The click and his phone was off. Rolling his legs out from under the covers he didn’t see it yet. Didn’t notice the way it lurked just in the dark corner of his room. But as he turned to grab his coat he froze. It wasn’t right there. It was, it was just his imagination. Right? It..it couldn’t happen. Dis wasn’t saying anything so it was…. Nothing. Just his Imagination. Shaking his head, he still took a step back as it took a step forward. “This is how it always is.” The voice raked across his mind, and he couldn’t hear Dis. Panic was setting it. Dis was gone, like he’d been put on mute. “This is your fate.” A step forward, a step back- Marcus couldn’t summon Dis. He wouldn’t respond, wouldn’t change. So he ran.

A dash down the hall, and a few Hunters were lounging in the commons room. Candace, talking to Robert. The pair of them gave him a nod in greeting, but they didn’t see what was behind them. The shadows creeping closer. “Guys, move!” They cast him confused glances and brushed him off, going back to their discussion. “Robert, Candace mo-“ As they looked at him again, a thin line of red cut across their faces. One corner of their eyes to the next, screams ripped out as blood rushed up and out into the open air. The screams because inhuman as the shadow reached around, grabbing their jaws, and ripped them off. It didn’t move, it just watched him as the pair of Trainees writhed on the floor, bleeding out, screaming through blood as they died. Marcus couldn’t do anything. He couldn’t reach them and… It took a step closer.

He ran. That was all he could do. Get help. Find others and run. As he broke into the life labs, he hit Wilson first, the trainee smiling, asking him what the rush was. Before Marcus could explain, it was back, still expressionless. Still ready. Pushing Wilson back it didn’t stop it. Within a second it was around him, and Wilson was making a strangling noise as a hand tighten around his throat. Two fingers dug into an eye, ripping it out, throwing it on the floor in a slow deliberate motion. The second eye followed, Wilson unable to scream. One hand on the neck, it moved to the death trainee’s skull, cracking it open like a peanut. Grey matter oozing out onto the floor as Wilson’s body twitched, discarded. It stepped forward, and Marcus kept running.

Next it was the mother hen, worry already on her face as she saw him. What was wrong was easy to say. As he explained she asked him to slow down, if he wanted a juice box. He yelled, it was serious. It was killing them. They needed to protect the others, to fight it. But she shook her head, saying nothing could get in. They were safe. They were not safe. It came in the room and slowly, as like before, Marcus found himself frozen, it came up and inside, he screamed, begging it not to. No more. No more. But want more. “Always more. Always nothing.” Skin flayed off of Clarice’s face as suddenly, a fist was shoved through her chest, still beating heart pumping blood. Running, it was all Marcus could do.

Running and running and running, till he was alone. The empty training field had only shadows. Dead, immobile shadows.

Then voices. The sounds of several trainees running over, a wave sent his way. It following behind them. “no.” He whispered, legs carrying him forward he had to warn them, had to say, do something. He reached them before it did, and grabbing Otto he shook the boy’s shoulder. “Listen to me, you have to get out of here, it’s been killing everyone and-“ Otto telling him to let go and stop acting crazy. Syd looked around, at it and said. “What are you talking about?” It was the last thing she said. Blood bubbled up from her mouth as that thing was sticking out of her chest. A simple death…until it twisted, ripping out her side, exposing organs and bone. Otto didn’t get a chance to scream as stabbed him in the jaw, cutting down bone to his stomach, intestines, blood, everything pouring out like his front had been ‘un zipped’. It watched him and for a second, Marcus wondered if he saw a smile. As a yell from the distance caught his attention, Marcus ran. Running was all he could do.

Dis was gone.

The school, run down, was still ‘safe.’ Still untouched. Locking the door being him with a chair he knew it wouldn’t hold. He knew he knew he knew. Running, the sound of voices down the hall and in the music room, Sasha and Jerry. They were singing and it was behind them, a crack on it’s face, a smile. Marcus reached out, but nothing. Nothing he could do. Their fate was the same. Cut off at the knees, a slash across their neck, not severed but severed. They wouldn’t know. They sang. They sang the whole way down as their arms were cut off. Why didn’t they notice? Why didn’t they feel? Horrified Marcus fled.
Their singing following after him.

A passing face, on the way to the dorms. Ami, shy as usual, a smile asking if he had time for training. She didn’t get her answer. She got it, hands on her shoulders, smiling, pulling. Arms cast to her sides, Ami’s acream ripped out as it cut her at the waist, letting her body fall, unable to do anything. Unable to help, only able to run. Useless, useless, Marcus was helpless.

Harrison was storming towards him, saying something about how he’d been looking for Marcus. About practice. But it was lost as Marcus tried to tell him. Run, hide, didn’t he see it? “See what?” he asked, “there is nothing here Marcus, come on, we have to get ready for-“ His voice was cut off, a hand choking him, pulling- pulling until it rips, spine following, blood flowing. Harrison’s eyes still moved, looking at him. He was unable to help. He was unable to stop it. “Always nothing.” It whispered, getting closer. A bursh of a cold shadowy hand against his face and Marcus snapped back, running into the dorm. Anywhere. Anywhere to get away. To hide.
Gale was in the commons, Looking up and waving him over. “What do you think about these reports? I’m heading out soon for the Midwest. Apparently they-“ “Gale you have to get away.” The shadow in the corner. Smiling softly, gently. “What?” Grabbing him he pulled him up, pushed him towards the door as he protested. “Marcus what the ********?” “Gale, there isn’t time you need to get out-“ “Marcus what are you-“ The sound of something entering flesh. Warm wetness against Marcus. Looking down, Gale was impailed. Looking up, the shadow was still smiling. Marcus had pushed Gale into his death. There was no bloody killing, just silence as Gale collapsed, confusion in his eyes wordless questions asked. “No, Gale no.” Marcus pleaded, but it was useless. He was dead. Maybe he wasn’t completely as it smiled, cutting him down the middle. Body splitting open in Marcus’s arms. It didn’t touch him, it watched. It watched as he screamed.
No matter how far he ran, it was useless. Everything was useless. Down the hall he felt his body collide with another, and it was a familiar face. Dakota, grinning like a fool. It walked behind him, silent, expression blank. Dakota’s grin widened as he motioned to his wrist. Invisible watch Dakota? Really? “You’re supposed to meet us ten minutes ago. Did you sleep through your alarm again?” Laughing he motioned for Marcus to follow him, but as soon as Dakota touched his shoulder, Marcus saw it. “Dakota run.” The boy looked at him like he was nuts. Maybe he was. “What are you going on about? Come on, we have practice. Harrison is waiting in the Band room with Jerry and Sasha. We don’t have a whole lot of time.” No, no they weren’t. They were dead, and- “No.” Marcus grabbed Dakota, trying to pull him away. To run. No more. No more no mo- The hand he held sudden became lighter as a scream ripped out, Marcus turning in time to see Dakota’s head roll off his shoulders along with the rest of his limbs. Dropping the moon trainee’s arm, Marcus ran into the first room he saw. His own.

He wasn’t alone. She was sitting on his bed, smiling before worry crossed her face. “Marcus, you okay?” She reached out and he trembled. Not her. It could have them but not her. “I’m sorry.” He whispered, finally breaking down into tears. Confused, Cass held him, guiding him to sit on his bed. Their bed. “Marcus what’s wrong?” Lip trembling, he looked at her. “I let them die.” He chocked out, and for a second, it was like she knew but then- “Who?” Anger. How could she not know. Didn’t she hear the screams? See the blood. Name after nam tumbled out of his mouth and with each name, she shook her head. “Marcus they’re fine. Lie down okay babe? I- I’ll get the doctor. A doctor.” She corrected. Fear ripped into him. It was right outside. “Run Cass, run, promise me. Hide. Please.” Grabbing her hand she tugged lightly away from him. “Marcus I’ll be fine. I’ll-“ He sreamed something inhuman, grabbing at something, moving to hold her.
He didn’t know when it happened. Hot warmth pouring onto his hand. He let her go in shock, and she stumbled back. Fear, wonder, and betrayal in her eyes. Wordless she collapsed. He dropped the sword with a clang. He’d summoned Dis but why now? Why? He never- “No.” She gaped up at him and he crawled to he, pulling her into his lap, hand going to the wound, futility trying to stop it. To stop the red spreading and seeping. “No no, Cass stay with me.” She tried to say something but her eyes were closing. “No, Cass, no. Please not you. No no no NO NO CASS PLEASE. PLEASE STAY. PLEASE.” Her eyes didn’t even close as he realized she was gone. Dead in his arms.
He saw the glint of Dis on his shoulder and it was behind him. Looking back he wanted to cry, to run but it was useless now. It always had been. “Always. Nothing, never more.” Looking up at the softly smiling shadow, Marcus didn’t flinch as it brought Dis up. “Always alone?” He asked. The shadow smiled, blue eyes glittering with the look he’d worn for so long. Acceptance.
“Always.”

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Waking, he wasn’t alone, the soft body of Cass spooning against him. As he looked up, he thought he saw it. Just for a second he thought he did. That second was all it took for Marcus to hold Cass tighter, and pray that they’d get that forever.