A tremor of pain. Mountains stacked over endorsing pain. Feelings of love, for which will never come to fruition.

Bit by bit, portions of feeling came to Effryn. Parts came and went reminding him how much everything hurt. He knew it did, yet…

It doesn’t hurt like it used to. Or rather, it just doesn't hurt anymore.

The pain felt different, or had it gone numb? He couldn’t tell. What could he tell? Last he remember, he was looking to jump off his old hideout when-

“Son of a bitch!”

A shot of adrenaline surged through Effryn as he sprang upward. He quickly glanced at his surroundings, only to find himself in an unfamiliar bedroom.

“This is a bit messy. Where am I…?”

There were definitely better cleaned rooms than this, though his wasn’t much better.

“Woah now, that’s a word I ain’t ever heard you use. And I ain’t remember you having the allgo to scrutinize my room!” an all too familiar voice erupted from below the bed. Effryn was sure it wasn’t a bunk bed, so he was surprised anyone was below him at all.

“E-eizer?”

Objects shuffled from below, until a figure arose from the bedside.

“Wazzam! Been a minute, huh Effryn?”

Eizer flashed his old cheeky smile like old times, even adding a thumbs up.

“Y-yeah, it has old friend. It has.”

“We outta catch up and- H-hey!? Don’t you cry on me! Let me go getcha a towel or somethin’, ight?”

“Sure.”

Effryn gently pressed the warm cloth over his face, removing the wet-works previously made. After finishing, he returned it and rested himself against the bed frame. There was no telling what his body took from the two drug attackers, but if he was alive, then maybe it wasn’t enough to kill him.

“So let me guess, you went to the tower to die, ain’t ya.”

“Wha…”

Without context, Eizer straight-up figured out his plan. Effryn was breath taken, not knowing how to react to the sudden topic. He only sat silently staring off in the corner.

Eizer exasperated a sigh. “Ya’know dude, if dying’s the thing on ya mind, then why not come talk to a friend before doing something permanently stupid?”

. “I-It’s not as easy. After everything I’ve been through, I just want to call it.”

“And my feelings ain’t nothing but shit?”

“N-no, I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Then what did ya mean Effryn?”

Mean? He didn’t know. He wasn’t thinking right. Only thoughts pertaining to death alluded his mind. So then what did he mean by his feelings?

He tried giving it more thought, but his mind was too numbed, nothing came up. It was like having all thought just float right out from his head. No thought was sticking.

“Heh, let’s give for now. I can tell what went down was no normal thing for ya head. Give yourself a minute to rest down.”

“O-ok.” Effryn said, cautiously nodding. Moving his head caused a rush of nausea fill him.

“Oh yeah.” Eizer added before leaving. “Just know, I have your back.”

Time passed, yet Effryn had no clue what the time was. The curtains were up, but there was some kind of material behind them, blocking the cue of light.

Reaching for a water glass, Effryn wondered how long he’d been there. It felt like he suddenly woke up by a handful of beatings from baseballs bats, yet time seemed to just pass him like nothing.

And then there was the problem of how long he’d been asleep. In his final moments before getting forced unconscious, Effryn remembered the two who were in the skyscraper talk about some kind of Xax, or something.

“Jakob and Liz. What an annoying pair.”

He gulped down some water and rested back.

“Those pair of humans nearly drugged you deceasedly.”

“Deceasedly? I don’t think that’s a word.”

“Unimportant. Although you were near death once more, rejoice, as I can detect your poison affinity significantly increased.”

Was this the idea of a joke to the ghost? It didn’t matter. Effryn yet again missed another chance at joining Effryn.

“I can’t even die right.”

“You sulk over a perk many would die for. Your knack for escaping death is quite intriguing.”

“Whatever.” Effryn groaned, facing towards the window.

Days passed on as Effryn lay in the bed given to him. Or at least he thought it did. It only felt like minutes were passing by, but there were signs to tell time was moving. Meals were given to him by Eizer three times a day, and he wore something different after every third visit.

The ghost would talk to him from time to time, but he often ignored it. Whenever Eizer brought food, he would try making conversation, but Eizer would only smile and nod, before leaving in a hurry.

“Agh, screw this!”

“Change of spirit?”

“I’m tired of sitting here doing nothing! I should be helping around, or at least apologizing to Frael!”

“I believe there are restrictors to your capabilities, are there not? You have yet to fully recover from those poisons, added in with many costly humans trailing you.”

“I understand the depth of everything going on. But I’m going, whether or not I’m scolded by a flash of light sounding like Evvryn.”

Gripping his legs, Effryn was carefully able to prostrate himself up. Maintaining a steady standing, Effryn tried walking a few steps. At first, Everything was dizzy all around, but practice makes perfect. All he needed was to relearn how to walk.

“Hey’a dumbass. What’re you up to?” a voice sounded from the doorway. It was Eizer, who was casually leaning against the frame.

“I need...to get back to Frael.”

“Like that? Good luck with that one bud, ‘cause it’s lookin like you ain’t going far.”

“Hmmp!”

Effryn put effort into showing off his nearly learned walking skills, while even adding a small jump to add some spice for the show.

“Eh… Well I clearly see how much you really wanna go. Fine, but let's talk for a minute, ‘kay?”

“After all that! Fine…”

After his triumph, Effryn was forced to resit down to prevent his legs from collapsing.

“So anything on your mind?” Effryn asked.

“Quite a lot’sa on my mind now, but I wanna know: What’s on my friends mind?”

He slumped down on the bed next to Effryn, reaching his arm around his next tightly, making it fairly difficult to breath.

“H-hey! I c-can’t think if you choke me to death!”

“Ha, fine fine.”

Even though Effryn was fixing his neck, a feeling of nostalgia came to him. It was just like old times, whenever Eizer and him would go to the skyscraper and just talk life.

Eizer was making the same jabbing jokes as he always had, and it was helping. Effryn hadn’t laughed in god knows how long, so feeling the emotion of this happiness was a change in pace.

“Anyhow…” Eizer’s tone changed more seriously, and his smiling expression changed to a forced smile. “I heard the jot-down of everything from that nice ole lady at your orphanage.”

“You mean mother.”

“Yeah, sure. I’m sorry for your loss, Effryn.”

“Oh...yeah.”

So mother must have told him Evvryn passed away.

“But wait, how did you get her contact info?”

“After the two of you disappeared, me and the toddler searched all long for you, but came up empty. I figured they must have carried you two off to some lil award thing, but then a people came our way and wondered where the two of you ran off to.” He slumped down to the bed, lying down. “We had no clue, so I told them to piss off, but they had to give the prize to someone so they gave it to us. I had little interest in keeping something like that, so I figured the the toddler wanted it. After that, we needed to find a way home. Luckily for us, that toddler has one hell’eva memory, ‘cause she found the direction in a jiffy.”

“Is toddler the best thing you came up for Frael? And thanks for that. For giving the prize to Frael, I mean.”

“Ah, it was nothing.” He sounded a little too proud to be the hero. “By the by, who was you goin off at in here earlier?”

“Hmm?”

“Ya’know, you were talking to someone in here from what I heard. You’ve been going at it with this person for a few days now that I’m thinking on it.”

Crap. With his extreme southern accent making english sound incomprehensible for Effryn, and having to explain himself for talking to seemingly nobody, this would prove tricky.

“I, uh, have always had the tendency to talk to myself, didn’t you know?”

“Yeh, makes sense.”

You believed that too fast…

“Well, you oughta be lookin out for ya’self. I can’t feel what your going through, but I’m waiting for ya here anytime!”

“Eizer…”

Knowing Eizer had his back relieved him. He was a good friend, one he was proud of having. These kinds only came about twice a lifetime, and you have to be a complete idiot to pass them up.

He was a pain at times, but Effryn grew to appreciate that about him. The remarks they passed on each other back and forth was something Effryn always looked forward to.

“And don’t forget, the first one to aid you will be me.” he confidently said with a cocky smile.

“Thanks Eizer. I’ll look forward to it.”

Although the world looked bleak, there were still a few things keeping the path lit for Effryn to keep moving.

The still water encased in glass moved against the will of vibrations erupting from the two friends. It moved like a beach of pulsating microwaves, twitching at the littlest unbalanced force.

“No way?! A crazy doctor, a ghost, and getting drugged?! Life have a couple mishaps against you or something?”

“I honestly couldn’t tell you. So much crazy things happened at once, it was hard to take in all at once.”

Eizer’s expression was perplexed, but he laughed. Then he lightly hit him against the arm. “Bro, you really should be dead.”

Effryn explained to him everything that happened when he first woke up after two weeks. The entire topic was cold and life threatening, and to Effryn, very real. But Eizer was able to joke about it in good way, which made the story even better to tell, regardless of how everything went. But Eizer was respectful for Effryn whenever he mentioned Evvryn, definitely knowing how much she meant to him.

“You should really go apologize to Frael though. You pulled a dick move.”

“Yeah… I did.” Effryn sighed in a heavy tone.

He told Eizer about the ghost, and everything that happened between them, like how it disappears the moment a person interacts with Effryn. But one key detail he left out was who the ghost was, or rather who it represented. He had a feeling Eizer would think something was off if a person was seeing remnants of a dead friend, so he decided not to tell him it used Evvryn as a body.

And with the changed ghost, he had to change bits and pieces of his story to fit the new story.

“It was your dumbass’es fault for that, you need’a apologize now!”

“I will, I will.”

He wanted to, he really did. But he wanted to be in his pure and complete mindset before doing so. The effects of the drugs were hardly there, but he still felt a bit empty minded, literally, so he wanted to wait before doing so.

“Oh, right. I nearly forgot.” Eizer leaped from the bed, and went to his closet. He dug around for a minute. His face said it was on the verge of giving up, but in the last moments of time, a smirk flared in him, as he reached for something inside. “Look here.”

Eizer pulled out the thing he dug around for. It didn’t look like anything special. Just some overly long blue helmet, kinda looking like glasses…

“Is that what I think it is…?”

“I dunno. If your thinking the nervo-connect, then yeah. If not, your a dumbass.”

“Screw you, I thought of it!”

Being a different color threw him off for a moment, but after looking at it longer, Effryn was able to tell exactly what the device was.

-It was the same VR console that Effryn and Evvryn had used in their first tournament together. It was also their last together.

“I figured I oughta get it, to test it out, I mean.”

“And?” Effryn was pretty curious on how the previously advertised life changing device was going to be on full release.

“Pure ass.”

“Pure ass?”

“Everything sucked. They had barely any games, shoved microtransactions up the dick, and frames went ass whenever anything fun happened.”

“...Wow.”

Everyone was so hyped for the reveal of this thing. Even I was. But for it too just flop after everything it built up...is kinda a ‘screw you!’ signal to everyone who purchased it.

“Here, I’ll go fetch the chord for it so you can see it yourself. While I'm out, you should really think on how to apologize for Frael.”

“Thank you. I will.” Effryn said timidly as he watched Eizer leave his room.

“Oh and,” Eizer poked his head out, looking at Effryn. “Even if you have to get on all fours, do anything to get your sorry across.”

“Heh, if I have to I'll give my arm.”

“Atta boy!” his voice echoed the walls as he walked away.

A worthy enough sorry for Frael. There probably wasn’t a good enough one for what he did, but maybe if he kept at it along as time persisted with him, she might just forgive him.

A huge sorry hug, some groveling, maybe some sweets, more groveling, and another hug was his plan to win back Frael.

Filled with determination, Effryn was dead set on repairing his relationship with Frael before the day ends.

Hmm, while I can get that, it’s disappointing that the VR thingy we played turned out to be complete junk. I wonder, how would you feel about this Evvryn?

Evvryn. Thoughts of her piled to his mind, causing a sporadic mess of feelings all over him. But he calmly brushed it all aside with the reminder of his mission.

-Finish whatever business for the ghost, and get the recipe for resurrection to bring back Evvryn.

He hadn’t forgotten his original goal, but with everything happening as of late, it made it pretty hard to focus on just one thing.

“Hey ghost, I know I failed earlier, but is there still a-”

“By the… It is complete Effryn! I fail to understand how, but the item is finished!”

Stunned by the sudden outburst of the ghost, Effryn tried following along.

“Wait, so you mean to tell me it’s finished?”

“Very much so indeed! Now hurry, you must go to-”

The voice cut out as if sound itself ceased, and a few moments later, the door nearly flew off the hinges. It was Eizer, who was panting and wore a pained expression.

“Effryn! It’s Frael. I just hopped a call from your orphanage house, and they say she’s sick!”

Sick…?

“They’re with a doctor now, but they’re saying she ain’t looking to fine. We should go, or at least you should go!”

“I… this isn’t supposed to happen. Why is she getting so sick now?”

“Screw thinkin’, let’s go!”

Time felt frozen. Stiff. Like something were placed as a lock over time. But only for him. He watched as the daily commute went on for people around the city. The old man continuing his coffee shop. A mother and her daughter walking her dog. A couple embracing each others hands as they go off in their life. It felt surreal, like watching a movie being the character who was outcast.

The ride itself was steadily slow. Holding on tight to Eizer’s back, the two raced off on his bike, hoping to reach the address given to them before long.

“I have a few doubts about this hodunk place.”

“Are you sure we made the right turn back there?”

“I dunno.”

The area they arrived in was a rundown shopping district, which was now just filled with motels and apartments. People surrounded buildings in small groups, with smoke rising from each circle.

Why here? I know it’s late, but there should still be an available hospital here, so why here?!

“Well, times wastin’.”

“Y-yeah.”

An overwhelming feeling of nervous filled Effryn. There was only one car along the apartment building they arrived at, and Effryn remembered it belonged to father.

The two found the exact apartment number, and stood readily by the door.

Anything could happen. In these situations, Effryn would usually imagine the worst case-scenario, but thinking of something happening to Frael…

“This is too much. All of it. It’s too much.”

Eizer reached for the handle, and turned the knob. Effryn held his breath, trying to pick up on any noise possible, but only the cricketing night aludded sound.

Eizer looked at him, and nodded. Maybe it was to reassure him, or tell him to get ready for anything. Anything being loss.

The door creaked open, and from there was as dimly lit hallway, with a door to the left and another on the right.

“Maybe we oughta knock.”

“Screw that. We should find her now.”

“And get caught breaking and entering? I’m with you bro, but once the cops come, I’m gone.”

They walked down to the first door, and lightly knocked. There was no response. Effryn tried hearing anything from behind, but no sound returned.

Next, they reached the only second door here, which was a little further down the hall. Eizer knocked this time. No sound was heard for a moment, but…

“Someone’s coming.”

“I hear.”

The world was cruel. Effryn knew this. Everything so far was just one gut stab after another. But very next moment held his expectations on living. If something was wrong, it could very well be enough to cut the threads of his human worth to shreds.

The knob turned from the other side, and opened…

“Excuse me…?” It was father, who was a bit withdrew. He seemed a bit suspicious when checking who knocked, but once he saw Effryn, his expression dispitated. “Oh, it’s just you guys.”

“H-hey, father.”

“S’up.”

It was relieving knowing father was here, and the two hadn’t just entered some random apartment out of nowhere.

“Um, still. You two should knock before entering a house.”

“I told him sir, but he ain’t listen.”

“Sorry.” Effryn bowed his head, and lifted. “How’s Frael doing?”

Father had no change in his expression. Only the heavy wrinkles of time weighted on.

He looked pushed the door further open, allowing them to enter. The room looked like a poor man's version of a doctor visit. There were the same tools doctor’s originally used in their offices, but the furniture was a bit old. And in the middle, was a bed holding Frael.

Effryn saw her breathing, which put him at ease, but her breath was too light as if it were reaching out for air, but was unable to grab any.

He also noticed how familiar this room’s setup looked, but Effryn couldn’t quite put his finger on it, so he brushed it out from his mind.

“Frael!” he exclaimed, unclear on what emotion was showing.

The little girl sheepishly opened her eyes that matched the pearlescent gaze of her hair, and slowly worked her eyelids to look at him.

“Effy?”

Her voice was raspy. It sounded like she put everything in speaking.

This was unlike anything Effryn had ever seen before. Usually, when she got sick she’d need to rest for a few days and it’d be gone in an instant. But this was completely different.

He took hold of her hand, holding it in a soft yet firm grip. It felt like any added pressure would automatically cause the hand to fall apart.

“I’m here Frael! You don’t worry about a thing, ‘cause everything’s gonna be alright!”

His tone was sporadic, and words slew everywhere. But at the very least, he was happy to see her.

“I-Is Gale still here?”

“Gale?”

Effryn looked around the room, as did Eizer, and both saw the figure of a small boy soundly asleep. His lime hair brushed against the brown half that lay rested on the wall.

“Woah, I swear I ain’t see the little guy there.”

“Heh, Frael even missed him-agh-” she tried cracking the smallest smile, but a rough cough followed by wheezing prevented it.

“Frael!”

He pressed his hand against her forehead, and felt a raging heat. She had a fever, one they’d never seen before.

Gale rustled in his corner.

“Heh, Frael may not feel well now, but she must come over this!”

“...Frael?”

A soft but high pitched voice came from the little corner. It was Gale, who looked confused by the new people in the room.

“Oh...hey, Gale.” her words were soft and brittle.

“Gale…” Effryn wanted to say something. A lot of something, actually. And he knew he had to look strong for Gale, and leave an adult mark behind. He even bit his lip, causing an iron like saliva to seeth down his tight-shut lip.

But his desire for protecting Frael, crushed that hope.

“What happened Gale. How did she get so sick? Why is she like this? A few days ago, she was talking and acting like normal, but now… Gale, why?”

Now it felt like more saliva was dripping down to his chin, but for some reason, some came from above his mouth.

“I don’t know why I would know, but...this is partially your fault.”

“M-mine? How is this-”

“-it’s yours because you weren’t there. It’s yours because she wanted you-Needed, you. Why did you leave? What did you-”

“Gale.” Fraels whimpered voice tried calming him, but failed.

“-do?! Why are there cops, and supposedly people after you?! Why did need to drag Frael into your ever blackening hole of problems?!?!”

I…

“...”

No response came to mind.

Effryn was sure Gale had the face of anger, possibly even resentment. The only thing preventing him from finding out what he felt was his fear of looking Gale in the eye. The floor had been a good eye sore.

“Heya, I think we oughta step outside and cool for a minute dude.” Eizer stepped in, breaking the awkward stillness in the air.

“It’s fine. I need thinking space anyways.”

Gale silently scurried past, closed the door, and left. Nothing more was said.

“So eh, I’ll be leavin’ you to you. Catch up, reminisce, do everything. Good luck man.”

Eizer left, leaving only Effryn and Frael left.

Effryn digged for words, yet only pulled nothingness as he came up empty.

“Frael is happy you came.”

“O-oh, of course.”

“Did you have any trouble getting here?”

“N-no, it went fine.”

“How are things?”

“E-everything's...going nicely.”

Frael paused for a moment, letting the air swallow the conversation. Effryn waited for the next, but each continuing second made waiting hell. For a moment, he thought time became standstill, and nothing would ever writhe again.

-But a small, timid, and shaky palm rested on his scalp. It wavered, if scarcely, and lightly tickled his hair.

“But your not, Effy.”

Her voice was hoarse and raspy, yet still held the sweet kindness it always had. It was bittersweet.

“Your not okay. Frael can see your crying. Your even bleeding on your lip.”

A bittersweet tone. A melancholy symphony.

“You wish you were by her. Supported her. Frael wants to say thank you.”

A melancholy symphony, playing a bittersweet tune. One going by the sound of sending someone off.

“Frael...did it! She finished her gift for you!”

The beginning was rough, but the middle was beautiful. But as the finale of such an instrument plays, dread fills the ears as the tune comes to an end.

“Please, do well Effy. For yourself, and for Evvy. And to you...Liea, I’m sure you did make it out. But now… I hope we can have fun like we used to…!”

The song comes to a close, but a string snaps on an instrument, bringing the song to an abrupt end. The gaze of life focused on soley the string, as it lay in two.

Fraels hand slipped from his head. He looked up, and saw the hand ever so slowly swinging back and forth.

“F-Frael? P-please...don’t leave me.”

“S-she won’t. Frael won’t… But promise her, don’t let your best part die.”

“M-my best part?”

And then, in her final strings, a smile as heart puring as rebirth came across her face.

“Y-your golden part Effy, don’t let it fade away…”

Her body went limp, and everything fell. Her pearlescent hair seemed to drift downward, and her Iris lost its vibrant look of curiosity.

“...Frael? H-hey now, c’mon. I’m sure you’ll get over this sickness, positive! We just need some medicine...the doctor! Where’d they go? Why aren’t they here? Why aren’t they here?!”

Anger dwelled in Effryn, but fighting it was another emotion-sadness. Inside, a constant war of feelings fought over the dominant feeling in his body. But in the end though anger was strong, sadness at this time slowly overwhelmed anger. A stalemate of emotions, fighting so much the two mixed into hatred and emptiness.

“...Frael.”

He grabbed her hand, feeling the cold and weak touch of skin, and moved in her to hug her. He lifted her head close to his, and kneeled, completely embracing her.

“Hmm, to expect our reunion in such a location.” said a masked voice, somewhere in the room. Effryn didn’t care where. “I see you still have that nasty habit of tears. As I’d expect from a cheater of death.”

“Are you the doctor?”

“That I am.”

“You… Your that doctor from before. That poison addict. You...did you poison her?!”

Effryn lifted his head to look at the doctor, who was someone he’d seen before. Before him was doctor Zylar, who wore the same medical garments when he last saw him, and he still covered his face with a medical mask.

The doctor stared blankly at him, and twitched.

“Of course not. Why would I do such a thing?”

“Don’t say you didn’t! She was your experiment, wasn’t she?!”

“Calm down one who receives the whispers of God, for even I have set standards. This girl was brought upon, in terrible condition, with an unnatural loss of blood far exceeding even ‘normal’ anemia standards. So as per person, I need money to operate. Thus, I accepted the job.”

“Then why is she dead?!”

The doctor moved his hand above Frael’s head, and was about to brush her hair before Effryn quickly swept away his hand. The doctor accepted the slap, and didn’t flinch.

“Even a professional could not save her. She had to have done something to her own self.”

“But-”

Effryn racked his brain for some excuse to pin on the doctor, but as he tried nothing came. He lowered his head down, staring at the ever same ground, while the doctor swiftly tilted his head next to Effryns.

“Even if I perceived the desire to poison, there would be no point. She was dead either way, so I figured to save the does for a more valid healthy poison.”

The cold gaze hovered over Effryn, staring at him with eyes built on honesty and insanity.

“You’re still a murderer.”

“Call me what you may, I honestly tried to save this poor girl.”

So is that it? She’s dead. Just taken away like that?

Falling backwards, Effryn slumped down against the wall. It was cold and hard, but his mind could only process the tattered patterns of the floor.

“Hey doctor, can I have a swig of your juice?”

Just a sip. Hopefully ghost won’t stop it like last time.

“You, listener, would wish for death after a downfall?”

“I would.”

“And would God not whisper in your ear once more?”

“Hopefully not.”

The doctor was silent for a few, then started back up again.

“Heed me listener, for my concoctions will caress your soul one day, but today is not the day. Infact, I have information you may find necessary for survival.”

“Just kill me today, and quit with the crazy talk.”

“I found information on the group who sabotaged my hospital and ruined one of my safe places on work. They go after some rodent name, like mice or something. They usually don’t interfere with common people, which is you, but for whatever reason, your on someones removal list.”

“I don’t care. They can kill me.”

“I would rather them not kill you, for that is my job in this life. But please, keep this in mind as you proceed with your business.”

Business? I have none. Not with life, or anybody else.

Without caring to notice, the doctors eye were mere inches away from his own.

“You are my kill, you hear, listener? For now, you should focus on living until such a time arrives. Keep shelter on the streets, and at locations even I could not expect.”

Effryn sheepishly moved his vision on the doctors, and saw his bright blonde iris pulsating with guilty pleasure. His breath was heavy, sucking in air from within his mask.

“Why not keep tallying on for that man, or the younger lad?”

“Or...Eizer.”

“Yeah, whoever. Just think, they’d be pretty disheartened if you were to go. Maybe even traumatised!”

The doctor was getting excited. Too excited for something like this. Effryn was hoping he could say something just to get him out of his face, but the heavy breathing turned into heaving as the face of insanity reached closer.

“Whatever keeps you breathing, listener to God, will keep me happy!”

The doctor finally edged away, granting Effryn’s wish.

“Well, I should at the very least get some form of payment for trying. I need to go ask that putrid staring man to come back.” The doctor groaned, walking towards the door, when…

“Hey, Effryn!” The door flew wide open from Eizer, who looked out of breath. “I ain’t know if this is right, but something just happened! Like, major major happened!”

Surprised by the sudden loud banging, Effryn jumped, and thought Something ‘major’ already did happen. Frael is dead.

“It’s the orphanage! That older guy got a phone call about the entire place getting set ablaze, and some other things, but he left in a hurry before he said anything else.”

“S-set ablaze?” his voice must have been hoarse, or at least he figured it to be.

“I ain’t get much details, but he left this lil Gale here with us.”

“See now, listener? They are after the people you know, hoping to claw out any trace of you. Knowing this, what is your next move?”

His question held a high curiosity.

What should I...do?

“Mother,” he muttered quietly. “I need to see mother.”

“Effryn? You sure it’ll be smart going there?”

Effryn kept his gaze down at the tattered floor. But something inside made a desire to change his view. The floor began to make him sick.

“Hmm.” Effryn nodded in reassurement.

“Okay, now how are we getting’ there?”

Effryn froze, with his words frozen. He wanted to say ‘take the bike’ but it would at least take a few hours to even get there.

The question loomed over the two, but before any of them got a chance, the doctor stepped in.

“Allow me to take you boys there. It’ll be my pleasure.”

“Right’o! Tone down the creepiness there dude, but thanks!”

A bit of anxiety dwelled in Effryn, wondering if the doctor might do something. But he did say keeping him alive for today, so he probably wouldn’t do anything to crazy.

“Alright then, but don’t you better not pull anything fast on us.”

“Haha, you dwell in fear listener.”

Eizer glanced at the two with a suspicious look wondering what he was being left out on.

I may have lost Frael...but I still have more family to look after!

***

A crackling, crimson passion danced around in the small pulsing of the rains heartbeat. The aftereffect of the dance was floating away, drifting like some kind of dream.

Or was it some dream? That’s what it felt like. It had to be some hell of a nightmare, and the work of the worthless dreaming brain to come up with something this sick. Why? Why dream of your entire dream place, burning?

Men in suits ran to and for, but he ignored them. He was sure some were yelling at him, he tuned them out.

The rain increased its output, as gusts of wind pushed a cold breeze in the atmosphere. While the air grew cold, so did the rain.

Why, thought the boy, who watched everything he loved being taken from him. Why do this to us?

He had heard Mother screaming earlier before, but the only sound was crackling fire and the other children's cries of terror.

Everywhere he looked, it was like some sick painting only using some red juice from his brothers and sisters, smeared and drenched over the walls and floors. They wouldn’t get up, either. Why is that?

The suit’s wouldn’t stop yelling either. There were two whose mouths were moving, and another with a toy gun. No matter how much he tried, the sound of white noise possesed over nearly all sound of his surroundings.

He was tired of everything going around him, and began crying for his mother. Yet, he couldn’t hear his own tears shed. So he cried more.

The boy couldn’t hear much, but he wanted to tell the yelling suits to bring him his mommy. Only mommy. And daddy too, if she had to wash his clothes.

“Mommy. I want my mommy.” he wailed. “I want my mommy! And daddy! And even Evvry-”

A flash erupted from the toy gun, killing him instantly.

***

“Do I turn here?”

“A left, then keep straight.”

“P-please hurry if you can, I’m worried about everyone.”

Effryn clenched his chest, hoping everyone there was ok. Thoughts of the worst-case piled, but Effryn cleared his mind entirely, only focusing on the trail of smoke in the sky.

“Annoying. There is a roadblock.”

“What is goin’ down?

“Damnit!”

Effryn gnawed at his thumb, trying to think of another solution.

In Front of them, was a police roadblock using their own vehicles as their means of stopping traffic. He glanced at the streets, noticing no presence of anybody coming down here. The only noticeable thing here was a familiar car parked on the sidewalk…

“Father! He parked here!”

“I’ll stop here, you two go on ahead.”

The two got out, and the doctor drove to find a parking stop.

Now the next challenge was another problem…

“Hmm, why ain’t no one here?”

“Thats... a very good question.”

...or it would have been, if there were any police on standby.

The roads were empty, with only the police cars blocking the road, and for whatever reason, excluding the cops as well.

“We oughta hurry and see what’s going on!”

Eizer shouted as he sprinted forward, and Effryn followed closely behind.

Smoke filled the air with toxic miasma, mixing in with the cold breeze the wind was pushing. They drew near the orphanage.

Mother, everyone, please-be safe.

The beating memory of his family appeared. Fond dinners, warm baths, small games. Each child there had their own special personality they only could have gained at the orphanage. Nothing could replace them.

For a while, they were running in a empty block in the city, with shops in different variety sprinkled throughout the lots. But the orphanage had a much bigger land slot, making it much easier to find based on its uniqueness of the variety.

Past the chinese store, parallel to the laundromat, and finally, beyond the corner of the candy store…

“Effffryn! You oughta see this!” Eizer yelled, still a bit ahead of Effryn.

Pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease, everyone be saf-

-...

Ever since first learning about the possibility of his home burning, a part of him felt like it wasn’t true.

No, that isn’t it either. Maybe he just refused to believe anything else could happen right now after every negative event having stacked right before this point.

-But right now, this defining moment alone was enough to overwhelm prior adrenaline. A moment of pure hopelessness.

Noticing his friend had stopped, Eizer hit the breaks and looked back.

“Effryn, why the hell are you stoppin’? We should be going to see if any survivors are there.”

Effryn found himself looking down again, staring off at the now cracked paving of the road. He raised his hands, and:

Slap!

Pounded his cheeks as hard as he could.

Sure, the home he was practically birthed in was burning beyond repairs, but the people are still there. Photos are gone, but the memories always stick.

“Thanks Eizer, let’s go save everyone!”

“Hmm!” Eizer nodded, taking the lead once more due to his athletic skill, and the two ran towards the raging blaze corrupting Effryn’s home.

“Look! It’s the old man!”

Eizer slowed while watching his step from the path of rocks. He pointed at the setting blaze, where the entire house had collapsed within itself, only leaving the fire to devour the remains.

But Eizer was referencing to the silhouettes of fall figures, surrounding another that was kneeling. Effryn looked closer, and saw about three standing.

“Think they’re firemen?”

“T-they have to... What else can they be?!”

The before fired up passion Effryn built up had slowly died, and anxiety began to flourish. Thoughts like ‘What if the children get hurt?’ or ‘Did I make it in time?’ swarmed his mind.

“Excuse me, officers!” Eizer yelled and waved, trying to get their attention.

The figures looked towards the two, staring. For a slight moment they did and said nothing, until two scurried off, while the last hardly budged.

The figure in the middle was still down.

Effryn caught up to speed with Eizer. Why is he slowing down? He thought, knowing he could be going way faster.

“Buddy… I think we ought to turn now.”

“Wha- Why?!”

Why turn back, especially now? If his family was in trouble, then he should be the first to respond, no doubts about it. The fire, the house; reaching it the fastest was better.

But Eizer’s response was shaky, and held a high suspicion then Effryn had ever heard from him:

“I’m thinkin’ we don’t belong here, and we leave this to the police.” he looked around, everywhere except the burning home. “This must have not been an accident. Look around.”

“What could be the problem n-”

-ow? Is what he would have finished off. Should have. But as he took his focus off the mansion, and looked more around at his surroundings, a bigger picture formed. Against the downpour of rain, alongside the fences and bushes each child planted on their own, were bloodied men in blue uniforms.

Blood washed away with the rain, and spread throughout the grass, creating a mix of crimson leaves.

“W-w-why are these here…?”

Effryn slowed, only barely trudging along the rock path. He was closer to the orphanage now, and saw the two figures perfectly. A woman who wore a large ruffled coat, and a hat with an edged red brim was kneeling down, talking to father, who had completely collapsed. He couldn’t exactly make out what the two were saying as the rain intensified.

“-ow can you not understand such a simple question?! I’m looking for this little shit, and you two raised him, so hurry up and quit weeping on the floor!”

He got in range of the two, and heard some of the conversation. But to Effryn, it sounded more like a one sided demand.

She continued yelling at father, kicking at his shoulders.

“We already have some of your children taken hostage, and your wife beat up! God knows what the others are doing to her, so you better hurry up and tell me where Effryn is!!”

A grimace formed on her face, as she kicked down on him, moving from shoulders to the neck.

“I-I don’t… know where he is now… Please, just leave my wife alone!” he pleaded, begging even.

“Ahhh, your true colors are showing, Mr Chester! You would forsake your own children just to save your wife?! How romantic of you!”

She kicked, and kicked, and kicked. Blood washed off, flooding the muddy water forming from the rain. Her expression was as twisted as the clouds, and she writhed from enjoyment.

At this point, she had to have forgotten about Effryn and the others. Her only sole enjoyment at this moment was hurting father.

-But she stopped, maybe at a whim of self control, and backed off.

“Do be fair to call whenever you find him. And oh yeah, there’s company behind us, so have fun explaining it to them. And please, think about your family next time you see him.” she walked off, giggling and squirming to herself from her own pleasures. “But for you, your probably only think of your wife!!”

She walked off, disappearing in the flames of tragedy.

“Father!”

“Effryn, wait!”

Effryn ran to his father's side, while Eizer called to him. His father was hurt badly, and he needed to check to see if anything fatal had been done.

He practically slid to his father, and checked his shoulders and neck. Red was streaming steadily down from each.

“We need a doctor Eizer!” Effryn called, looking back at Eizer, to which he nodded and ran back.

Sirens began filling the city from each direction, as he lay with his father at the center of it all.

“E-Effryn?” father spoke with a hoarse tone.

“Father! Just hang on, the doctors are on their way!”

He looked back off in the distance, hoping to see figures come dashing this way. Why was he taking so long? The mad doctor shouldn’t have been that far behind.

As his worries were racing, he felt a hand grip his arm. It was weak, but still held.

“E...ffryn. Hurry and listen to me. Please.”

“S-sure thing! What is it? Is there any medicine nearby? Hurry, if you know something that’ll help, tell me!”

Anything father. Just please, hurry!

“I...need you to...die.”

The sirens seemed to grow louder, yet more distant.

“...what?”

“Please...for the family.”

A joke. This had to be something on border to a joke. Sure, father never was one to crack them, but maybe this is-

“Please, Effryn.”

“F...Dad?!”

“Hurry!” father lunged at Effryn, overtaking him with a sudden rush of strength. Effryn tried to resist, but was shocked by the sudden mention of dying to fully realize what was happening. Before he knew it, father was on top, bloodied, and his hands tightly ensured around Effryn’s neck. “You need… to die!”

Arg-!

The air was getting dense, the rain was getting colder, the atmosphere was a bit off…

Father...is this how much you love mother?

...the oxygen was limited. Or rather, the oxygen the lungs were supposed to be receiving were forcefully limited.

The entire thing was hard to believe. No, he definitely didn’t want to believe it. But the undeniable truth was presenting itself to him.

-He was being strangled by one of his parents. A person who raised him. Fed him. Bathed him. Did everything in their power to to look after him. He loved him then, Effryn was sure of it.

But now, he couldn’t exactly tell what father felt. Maybe his love died for him. Maybe he loved mother more than him…

Who...am I kidding? Of course he...loved her more…

Thinking about it now, of course he would chose his own wife over some kid he just randomly got because their mother didn’t love them enough to take care of them. Why would he? Father must have had some fond memories of mother to love her this much…

Is this...love? And its effects?

Love. Effryn never knew it could be used as a driving force like this. Ever since he woke up in that hospital bed, he’d been sluggishly crawling on fours through life, hardly finding any meaning to it at all. Throughout his journey, he’d came close to giving up many times. Yet there was one key force keeping him moving:

The chance to bring someone he loved back.

But this opportunity proved difficult and costly, as Effryn lost another person who he cared for deeply. Frael. If he knew back then, this would never be happening, and he would have prevented her from doing anything to keep her alive…

Father removed one hand, pulling out something from his pocket, but Effryn couldn’t see. His other hand still limited the oxygen Effryn received, though lesser due to removing a hand. His eyes glinted with a sorrowful yet forceful hate…

Hatred…? Can I use that...as a driving force?

Effryn willed his eyes to look view down, and focus on his peripheral vision. He saw father on his old flip phone, one he had always loved because ‘it was a relic in his time,’ and slowly typed away. He put it away, and focused his gaze at Effryn’s throat.

“Forgive me, Effryn. But this is all your fault. If you weren’t here, then my wife, and everything she worked for would still be standing, and our happy home life would continue…”

Small droplets of tears mixed in with the cold rain.

“”F...athe...r, I-m...sor...ry…”

Effryn whimpered, but he understood what father wanted. If he truly loved his wife, he would do anything for her.

-Father tightly gripped Effryn’s windpipe with both hands, and pressed with what felt like every ounce of his strength. Father must have been a laborer with this kind of strength, Effryn wondered.

He said nothing, as he slightly killed away one of his children he raised ever so diligently. For love. Fathers eyes told the story…

Love. I hate love. Hate. Is he using hatred, or love, as a driving force?

“Both.” Effryn heard a distant echo pierce. “Heed both.”

Right…? Both? Right, both? Hatred, love…? Both. Love and Hatred. Two of the same, just in different names…

Fathers expression changed. He seemed...scared. Why is father scared?

...Love! Hatred! They’re the same! There is no difference! Love mask hatred, and hatred is a mask of love!

Father seemed to be losing his grip, and for whatever reason, he was struggling to strangle Effryn. How could someone screw up on the simple task of killing their artificial kin?

“It’s all the same! There is no difference! I understand, Chester! I really do!! I really do!!”

It seemed like father gave up, as he jumped to the side, rolling over.

“E-Effryn… Please, just let me-!” Father picked softly picked himself, and tried begging for Effryn to listen…

...But as a token of Effryn’s love/hatred, he pricked the yellow ribbon Evvryn loved(hated) so much in father's left eye.

“-ARRGGGGHHH!!!!” father jumped back, screaming and agonizing over Effryn’s hate mark. He writhed, squirming all around, bumping into fallen debris and charred pieces of wood that were extinguished from the rain.

“What’s wrong father? Isn’t this what you tried to tell me?”

“You… You little shit! Why don’t you die already?! Just die for your mother-for Lynn-already!”

“Hmm?” Effryn tilt his head slightly, and thought about mother. She loved him, so logically speaking, she must have also hated him. If that’s the case, then he should show how much he appreciates her next time he sees her. Though… “Mothers probably dead by those people by now, so there’s no point. Don’t worry father, you’ll have the pleasure of joining her soon!”

“So your not denying it?!”

“Father, was it not your fault for letting Frael get as sick as she did without you noticing?”

“That wasn’t my pro-”

“-After finding her sick, or let me guess, after letting Gale find her sick, weren’t you the one chosen to take her to a shady doctor?”

“S-stop asking me these pointless quest-”

“-Was it not you who allowed mother and the others to be taken away, used as bait, and try to lure me here?”

“W-what are you…?”

Father tumbled back, trying to find surface level to support him up, but with only one hand it was impossible. He kept slipping and falling on each attempt from mud. It was not use, as no matter what he would do, the pain he felt in his eye

Effryn made pace towards his father, and stood above him.

“Why Effryn, why are you doing this?!”

Why? Well, that’s an easy one!

“For you of course!”

He tried crawling further away, but was soon met with the large debris from the gutter falling in his path. Mud splashed, but luckily, he wasn’t hit by directly. He was still alive. So, he willed himself above the piece of debris, elevating himself slightly higher than before.

Lynn… I want to see you again dear… the old man thought, wishing he could hold her one last time.

“Hmm.”

The old man heard his old son mutter something, taking a few step backs. He thought maybe this could be his chance, and that Effryn had a new change of heart…

-That was, until more pieces from the gutter broke off from its original construction, and collapsed on his legs, trapping him.

“ACK-!” he exasperated, slamming his fist against the gutter piece he was on top of already due to reaction. He tried moving them, but the pain along with the shattered severance of feeling made every movement futile.

“Whew, that looked painful!”

The man scrambled to find a solution out. He racked and rummaged, trying to pull any idea that would keep him alive. He looked around, seeing nothing but mud and burnt debris that was now being soaked. Nothing.

Fire roared near them as the mansion continued to ferociously burn, cackling at every opportunity before having the chance to split from the mansion.

The old man found no answer, and Effryn paced himself with small steps towards him.

Damnit! Anything, even a spec of hope…! He thought, but found nothing. He looked down at his legs and cursed them, releasing though he still felt pain, some of the feeling had numbed.

“Agh, screw it!”

He prepared himself for any amount of added agony for what he tried doing:

“Hmm?” Effryn wondered, tilting his head in amusement. He stopped completely and watched as his father tried lifting the fallen debris off his crushed legs. Effryn watched father doing his utmost best in saving himself, even nearly freeing himself from being trapped. “Oh dear.”

Effryn took a single step back.

“Once...I get…out from here...I swear… I’ll-”

Effryn grinned, watching a scene he thought he’d never have the pleasures of viewing…

“-ACK… ARGGGG!!!”

...another burning piece of debris fell, crushing fathers arms, while also creating another impact on his legs. A large crackle of a snap rang through his ears, and Effryn finally stood before the man who was once his father.

“Y… Y-you bastard…! I swear, we should have never taken you in…”

“Aho? You shoulda never raised me.”

Effryn lifted his left leg, getting in position as if he were a pitcher, and looked at father.

“Please don’t bear a grudge on me father, for this is my love and hatred for you.” Effryn looked softly in father’s fearful eyes, and smiled one last time at his only father figure. “Thanks, dad!”

-And from there, the crack of flesh and blood erupted, as Effryn kicked the pin he had stabbed father in the eye even further inwards, making it nowhere to be seen from the outside.

Father stopped moving.

Father stopped breathing.

Father stopped living.

“I love you for taking care of me, but I hate you for choosing mother over us.” he kneeled over the body, and smiled as he remembered the wonderful meals he often cooked for the family.

Thank you...father.

Effryn stood, getting ready to move, before…

“Effryn, another pulse is rapidly approaching from behind.” the ghost echoed murmured in his head.

He looked back, and saw the torched entrance to the orphanage barely supporting itself up, and prepared waited for whoever was coming.

“Mr. Chester, the boss got your call! We want to know where Effryn is, and you can have your things back.”

It sounded like a younger guy, maybe only a few years older than Effryn.

There was no response. Well, why would there be? Father was dead, so it was impossible to respond.

“Mr. Chester? Where are you… Oh, who are you?” the young guy asked, puzzled to see someone other than father.

“Hmm… First, allow me. What’s your name?”

“M-mine?” he asked shyly, surprised at being asked something like that. “I-It’s jona-”

I don’t care.

“-So, Jona, what brings you here?”

“O-oh, yeah sure. I was supposed bring back some kid with me back to the boss. By the way, not if it’s any trouble or anything, but have you heard of someone named Effyrn?”

“Hmm…” Effryn plastered a puzzled expression, as if he were actually thinking about such a thing.

For a moment, it looked as if he found the answer, snapping his fingers like he found it…

“What’s the point of finding him?” Effryn cheerfully asked.

“T-the point…? ‘Cause the boss said so.”

“Boss, huh.”

So he follows whatever this ‘boss’ guys says. I’m more then positive these guys are responsible for burning down home. Effryn pondered, looking at Jona while he patiently waited. Well, maybe not this guy exactly, but I’m sure the group is responsible still.

“Hey Jona, what if I said I was Effryn?”

“Y-your joking, ‘cause Chester said he already got him-”

“-Look there.” he interrupted.

“Huh…?...-!”

His awkward demeanor instantly shifted. He looked more... petrified, than shy.

“W-w-w-w-w-what?! What is this?! Why is Mr. Chester…” Jona couldn’t bring himself to finish, as his gaze was purely on the gouging corpse of someone he’d just seen mere moments ago. His left eye. It was the worst part of it all. It looked worse than any black eye he’d ever seen, maybe because the insides were black, not the surrounding area. Puss pulsated instead, creating a thick coat of yellow mush oozing from the eye socket.

Jona inched back, horrified from what he witnessed. But directly behind him, whispered a certain someone in his ear…

“-I like you, maybe even love/hate you!”

“Huh-?!”

Jona turned around…only to be met with a piece of debris with a nail at the tip slamming against his face. The impact alone caused blood to spew through the air, but the board stuck to his face, which was probably due to the nails jammed deeply inside of Jona.

“Hope you find peace Jona! Though you reminded me of me, so I hope you suffer!”

Everything was done. Finally done. Effryn had a hunch no more annoying people would come from that side, though he was a bit sad about it, but he was respectively tired from it all. He just wanted a warm meal, and cozy bed.

“Effryn!” he heard in the distant. It was Eizer, who was running at him from the shopping district where they had first entered.

Hmm, maybe this’ll be good! he thought as he brushed himself off, going to join him. Though I didn’t get much information from Jona, I did get something!

“Effryn! How’s your father? I brought that doctor, so where is he?”

“Oh, yeah, he didn’t make it.”

“Oh… I…” Eizer tumbled on his words, thinking of what to say next.

“It’s ok. At least he passed telling me the importance I was to him.”

“That’s… We oughta get back now, the police is waiting.”

“Sure!”

Though Effryn knew he was supposed to be traumatized, Effryn couldn’t help but feel ecstatic. Jona was the first good thing to ever happen in a long while: a lead to why this all happened.

“You can stay over at my place, sense being you ain’t got nowhere else to go.”

“Thanks, Eizer.”

Effryn looked up, and beamed at the smoke tangling with the rain. For an opportunity like this, he could actually apply himself to keep living. If it meant for his love and hatred of his family, he would do anything it takes to get back at the people who took them away. Especially Evvryn he thought in his void space of a mind.

The incident that occured at the orphanage was dubbed an ‘intentional tragedy’ and the police was hard at word in unmasking the people involved. Through heavy investigations, it was found that not a single child remained alive, nor were the caretakers alive afterwards either.

Police also determined a group had to be involved, and that chief Knox stated himself he was now spearheading this case. In a brief interview with the chief, he stated that though there were no survivors at present at the orphanage, there were a few who weren’t present at the time of the attack: A younger male, and a male in his older teens, though the chief went on to state his whereabouts are unknown. The younger male is reportedly safe at the police department…

***

From the preceding aftermath, I took it upon myself to investigate the corpses of left behind by the listener, Effryn, and found some rather intriguing findings.

Upon investing the deceased, it was found the two dead were actually murdered, but only very recently. The two wore different clothing, one was of course, the man who brought in my last patient, and the other, was similar to a recent group uprising in the city. It could be guessed that they were killed by the group that attacked the orphanage, but then why would the one dressed in uniform be killed as well?

Ooooo! This leaves a rather spilt fork, now doesn’t it? This means, either the one in the gang outfit was deemed outfit to be in the group, and was proceedingly killed to kept quiet, or…

Doctor Zylar von Labour smiled wickedly at the test experiments he brought with him, and examined them once more.

...there had to be another killer out there. And the only one roaming about was Effryn, who first found his father alive…

The wicked smile was pure enjoyment from this revelation, and the doctor was brimming of joy from this new discovery.

Oh, my dear listener! How you have tread from the path of purity, but don’t you worry, as I will cleanse your soul with my concoctions!!

The doctor laughed. And laughed. Because he knew, in weeks time, the city was going to undergo a major chain of events, that would forever change the perspective of the city.

From one organization, to one boy, who’s heart was once that of golden purity, was now tainted with seething corruption.

In a given time, he would have a front row seat to what may be the most entertaining thing he’d ever witness, as the struggle between this newly corrupted boy, and the killers would surely erupt in a bloodbath.

***

Is this...ok, Evvryn? I think killing them was too far, but… They did it first.

“Are you really okay with this?”

A voice responded in a icy monotone to his blind plea.

…

The corrupting boy gave no response.

“I see no need for conception, yet this shall truly degrade your mentality. However, I foresee you continuing this endeavor.”

Yes, this human still has many things to overcome, and how he will do it, still remains a mystery even to a being such as me...

End