Patricide

In every situation, you have a choice. Just… sometimes they’re all shit. Like, kill or be killed. Maybe there are other options you could choose in those situations, but what are the chances you’ll notice them in the moment?

. . . . .

Robin burst back into the room she’d first fallen into. Her head whirled, looking for an escape. Her eyes landed on the door to her right. It was the door with the light behind it. She pounced on it, turning the handle desperately. It didn’t budge. She heard the footsteps of the imposter, a rapid tapping that became louder and louder. He’d be here, soon.

She grimaced and moved to the third door, trying the handle. It opened. “Yes!” she shouted as she ran in. She could feel the faint breeze against her skin. “It must come from somewhere, right? Maybe it leads outside?” She moved along as fast as she could in the dark, keeping a hand on the wall to guide her.

“Stop running, Robin!” his voice echoed down the hall. “Before I make you regret it!”

Robin’s stomach clenched and she broke into a run, risking a fall for a chance to get farther ahead. It became darker in front of her and she realized she was facing a wall. Dead end? “Nonono!” She felt around, looking for a door of some kind, a secret passage, a trap door, even a doggy door would do. As her fingers ran across the wall, they hit something metallic, like dull blades, angled downward. A stream of air flowed out.

Her blood ran cold. “Is this the breeze I felt?” Just a vent? Just a fucking vent?! Running footsteps became loud, growing close once more. Robin covered her mouth and sank against the wall. “It’s a dead end. I don’t know what to do. Am… am I going to die?” She shook her head furiously. “No. I don’t want to! Why… why does this have to happen to me? What did I do to deserve this?” She sniffed and rubbed at her eyes.

“Robin?! Where aaaarree yoooouu?” his voice trilled in the darkness.

Robin shivered and stood. She sniffed again. “I have to do something. What… what would Graham do… He made it through one of these things. He even had to fight some kind of copy of himself.” She frowned. “Our situations are eerily similar…”

But, Graham had solved his problem by shattering a mirror. Where was her mirror!? She hadn’t seen anything in this place. Maybe there was something else she’d missed? Something back in the room? But… how would she get there? The only way out of this hallway was the door she entered from. And the Imposter certainly stood in her way. Could she get past him?

She’d have to.

She could hear his breath now. He must be just around the corner. Her breath sped up, becoming shallow. “Just run past him, as soon as he rounds the corner. Maybe his eyes haven’t adjusted to the dark, yet? I can hope…”

She saw a dark hand grasp the corner and took off, rounding the corner. She ran right into him, knocking him over. Her heart thudded like a jackhammer as she scrambled to get off him.

He grabbed onto her leg, holding tight. “Calm down, sweetie.” His eyes glowed red. “I just want to talk.”

Robin whimpered and slapped at his face, jerking her leg away. He let go and she ran once more, feeling as if she were about to have a heart attack.

The Golden Panther stalked forth and Graham struggled to draw in enough energy to circulate. It might have gone faster if he could really concentrate on it, but he daren’t close his eyes, lest the beast take it as an opening. The panther lowered itself and Graham knew he wouldn’t have enough time. He lunged for the door and tried to pull it closed, but it was stuck!

“Are you fucking kidding me!?” The panther jumped and he curled into a ball on the ground, rolling underneath the beast. He stood back up behind it and hid himself in a crevice before it could turn around. “I just need a few more seconds!”

The panther roared and sniffed at the air, quickly turning its head to his hiding spot. He held his breath and shut his eyes, beckoning the energy to him. It seeped into him, slower than if he’d used the scripture. He grit his teeth. “I didn’t think about the time it would take to circulate. Stupid! I was so happy about succeeding that I hardly thought it through!”

The panther growled, slow clicks that sent shivers down Graham’s spine. It moved closer, its claws scraping the stony ground. It came around the edge of the crevice. Their eyes met. It leapt. Graham felt Qi course through him. Finally!

He stepped forward and threw out a fist, connecting with the panther’s nose. The big cat flinched, but its momentum couldn’t be stopped and it crashed into Graham, knocking him to the ground. Graham’s eyes widened. “I’ve only got a few seconds to finish this!” The panther seemed dazed from the punch, giving Graham the time to push it over and wrap an arm around its neck.

It stood and started twisting and bucking, but Graham kept a strong grip, staying on its back. He reached back and took out one of his two spikes, stabbing it into the beast’s ribs. It howled with a desperate note to its voice, redoubling its efforts to shake him off.

It jumped into a wall, slamming Graham into it, back first. He grunted and his grip loosened. Sharp pain coursed through his arm as the bastard bit into it. Graham snarled and smacked a hand on the spike lodged in its side. It howled again, releasing his arm, and he used the chance to slam his second spike into its neck.

He jumped off its back and cradled his arm, though it didn’t bleed as much as expected. The panther stumbled around, smacking into walls, then fell to its feet. It scrambled to stand again but lacked the strength. Graham watched as it writhed and whined in its death throes.

Finally, it stopped, falling still, and Graham sank to the floor, a hand pressed firmly to his wound. The energy left him and the pain in his arm increased ten-fold, accompanied by an ache that settled into his joints and bones. His chest cracked every time he breathed and sweat soaked his shirt.

But the cat was dead, and he wasn’t. The fight may have left him in bitter pain but the victory was sweet. He smiled and closed his eyes to rest a while.

Robin burst back into the lobby, slamming the door shut behind her. She quickly tried the door to the imposter’s room but found it locked. "Of course it is!” She was beginning to grow exasperated with this place. Just a bit, hidden under the fear and terror.

She heard his voice and panicked, looking for someplace to hide. Her gaze landed on the couch and she quickly squeezed herself underneath. It was lucky she was small. She held her breath and kept her eyes on the three doors. She frowned. “Even if he doesn’t manage to find me, how am I supposed to get out of here?” The longer she stayed, the more likely she’d be found.

Surely, there had to be an exit? If this was some kind of challenge, there had to be a clear condition. Graham had needed to destroy the mirror. Orion just had to flip a heads on the coin. But, what did she have to do? Were there any clues in the room? Was she supposed to listen to the imposter and go back? Would he even take her back, at this point? He seemed so angry, he might just kill her. She was far too afraid to risk it.

The door slammed open and Robin covered her mouth to stop a whimper. He sauntered out, his head swiveling. His eyes were glowing red, like earlier, and his face had twisted into a cruel visage. How could she ever have mistaken him for her father? The man that loved her and treated her like the center of his world. She bit her lip as shame washed over her.

BANG! Robin flinched.

He’d slapped his hand down on the counter. “Robin! I know you’re here.”

She grit her teeth. “Of course I am! If there were somewhere else for me to go, I’d be there!”

He moved about the room, taking slow and deliberate steps. Every time he drew close to her hiding spot, her heart rate would skyrocket, beating so hard her chest hurt. She feared it might be loud enough for him to hear, but he gave no indication he heard it.

“There’s got to be something I can do!” Seriously, how did she escape this place without killing him? Killing him… “Wait, is that what I’m supposed to do?!” she thought. The idea turned her stomach. She’d never killed anything, except bugs. And, even then, she saved it for the last resort. But, what if that was the only way? If she didn’t, would she be stuck here until she died of thirst?

No. Probably not. It was more likely he’d find her and kill her. But… to actually kill a person?! She’d never considered being in that kind of position. It was a choice she never thought she’d have to make. A choice she didn’t want to make. What would her father think, if he learned she’d done something so awful?

She bit her lip harder. “He’d be glad I was safe. And he’d try his best to help me through the trauma.” That was the type of person he was. He wouldn’t give up on her, for any reason. He hadn’t given up on her brother after the drug incident. He’d go every week to visit him in jail. Though, Colt never appreciated it.

She closed her eyes and shook the thoughts of her brother away. “I… I think I have to kill him. I think that’s the only choice.” She’d have to do it. And she knew she could... at least, physically. It was like Graham said. She was a Seeker, now. She had access to power she’d never known before, and she could use it to end the imposter’s life.

She’d have to.

Graham stood laboriously, his body not responding well to his commands. He’d circulated once more to close up the wound on his arm. Maybe it’d leave a scar? The smaller cuts he’d received from the fish had vanished completely at this point, with no trace they were ever there, but he wasn’t sure the larger wounds would do the same. He kinda hoped they didn’t. Scars were cool, after all.

He clenched his arm, grimacing at the throbbing ache. “This one’ll definitely look cool,” he thought. He chuckled, imagining himself casually mentioning that he’d been bitten by a fucking panther, which he then killed. A week ago, it would’ve been an unbelievable story. But now? It was different. That kind of shit happened to Seekers. And now it happened to Graham.

He pinched his cheek until the grin went away and kneeled to pull out his spikes from the panther. They’d really proven useful this time. He grabbed the one in its neck first, dislodging it with a jerk of his arm. He wiped the blood off on its fur and holstered it. He tried to remove the second, but it seemed to be stuck. It was likely the muscles had constricted around it.

Graham clicked his tongue and set his feet against the dead beast, pulling with both hands. There was a crack and he fell back, hitting his head on the ground. “Ow! Fuck.” He sat up, wincing. The spike was broken in half, the sharp end still stuck in the panther’s ribs, leaving him with a stub. He sighed and dropped it. Without the point, it was useless.

He searched the room for the way out and found the crevice he’d seen when he first entered the room. He squeezed through and shimmied to the other side. It opened up to a room with a very tall ceiling. It was like he was at the bottom of a mineshaft. There was an arrow on the opposite wall that pointed up. He craned his neck and saw that there was an opening at the top of the wall. He’d have to climb.

She was trapped in a room with a terrifying man posing as her father—who might want to kill her—and stuck hiding under a couch. Robin had had better days. In fact, pretty much all of them qualified. The only way she could think of to get out of here… was to kill him. She could do it if she managed to circulate. However, she didn’t have the scripture.

“After I stumbled into the door, I was in such a panic that I didn’t think of it. Graham said it’s possible to circulate without it, but I don’t know how.” That was her problem, at the moment. Well, besides the man that really wanted her to stay here, for some reason. She doubted it was a benign reason. Sure, he might be lonely and want company, but impersonating her father was no way to ingratiate himself to her!

She shut her eyes and thought back to using the scripture. She hadn’t bothered to read the instructions, instead simply doing as Graham had told her to. It had worked out, mostly. The vine had been subdued, though not killed like she’d wanted. She brushed her side, feeling the vegetative mass that had attached itself to her. It was still there, of course. She’d held out some hope that it might simply… not be. Problems never just went away, but it’d be really nice if this one did.

She shook her head and focused. “I need to figure out how to draw in Qi. That’s what the scripture did, right? And it’s possible to do it without the scripture, so I’ll just have to figure it out, now.” The impersonator was searching behind the counter at the moment, meaning she couldn’t see his feet. She could still hear his breath and his footsteps, though. As long as he didn’t look under the couch, she had time to figure things out.

Circulation was like… it was like a stream in her veins. It flowed in patterns through her body. She felt it most in her chest, like it was denser there. Or, maybe it flowed faster? It was hard to tell. She hadn’t really focused on the sensation. She was too worried about the vine. That maybe one more circulation would kill it.

She furrowed her brow. “No, I’m thinking of the sensation after I’d already drawn in the energy… I need to remember what it felt like to draw it from the surroundings.” What had it felt like? She racked her brain, searching for the memory. The imposter yelled something again, but her concentration was too great to pay it any attention.

“Pressure… like being in deep water. And… currents. They flowed through the air, but not quite like water.” She frowned. “Not fluid. It was more… erratic…”

As she concentrated, it was like her memories were coming to life. She could feel the pressure and the erratic currents. They pressed on her and swirled in patterns she couldn’t discern. Was this her imagination? Or, was she really sensing it? The vine began to shiver, crawling up her arm under the sleeve of Graham’s jacket. Her eyes snapped open and she glared at the arm. “Stop!”

It did, falling still but not retreating. Robin calmed, trying to shove the repulsive sensation of the vine crawling under her skin to the back of her mind. It wouldn’t do to freak out right now. Still, at least it had listened to her. It seemed like it really had become obedient. She couldn’t understand why, though.

She sunk back into her concentration, trying to remember how to let those currents of energy in. Minutes passed, but it felt like seconds to her. And, suddenly, she wasn’t under the couch anymore. Rather, it was no longer over her. The imposter had kicked it over, revealing her.

“Found you!” He pulled her up and she screamed, her concentration breaking. He laughed, his breath washing over her face, and she struggled to extricate herself from his grasp.

“I need more time!” she thought. If she could get away, just for a minute, that should be enough. Once she’d successfully circulated, he’d be no match for her… unless he was a Seeker, too. That didn’t bear considering. Not right now.

He threw her back and she stumbled over the toppled couch, landing on the other side. She tried to get up and run for it, but he was quickly upon her again. He pinned her with a knee on her stomach and grabbed her hair, pulling out a knife with his other hand.

Her blood ran cold and she smacked the blade away before he could use it. “He really wants to kill me!” Her father’s face twisted in rage, making her stomach turn.

“Ungrateful little bitch! You shoulda listened! We could’ve stayed here, together!” He punched her in the face. She shouted and brought up her arms to defend herself. He pulled her arms away and punched again.

“Stop!” Robin cried. “Please, stop!” Her eyes were filled with tears, and she had a split in her lip. The imposter pulled his arm back again and she tried to push him away, her hands on his face. And then, she felt the vine move. Her eyes widened as it wrapped around his neck and pulled itself taut.

The imposter clawed at the vine, tearing his own skin to get his fingers beneath the vine. His face began to turn purple and he made awful choking sounds. Robin watched, mouth agape as it happened. His eyes rolled back in his head and she turned away. “Stop it!” she commanded. “You’re killing him!” She couldn’t go through with this, just… killing a person. Especially not when he had her dad’s face.

...but the vine didn’t retreat. Despite her pleas, it stayed tight around his neck, constricting his windpipe and making it impossible to breathe. Finally, he shuddered and fell limp, sprawling over her.

She squealed and crawled out from underneath the man, moving behind the counter and huddling into a ball on the floor. Over here she wouldn’t have to see him. She could pretend that she hadn’t just killed a man.

Tears streamed from her eyes and she shook her head. “No. No, I can’t forget. I’m a murderer, now. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry. Forgive me.” She buried her face in her arms and wailed until her throat hurt too much to continue.

Once she quieted down, she turned an accusing glare to the vine on her arm. “Why didn’t you listen when I said stop? Why?”