Remnya

Everything was darkness. Remnya could only hear murmurs echoing in the distance. She felt like floating in a void for what seemed hours or days. Time made no sense anymore.

A flash awakened her senses again, and she recognized her body lying on a bed. The soft smell of citrus filling her nose assured her she was in her room. She lifted her heavy eyelids and squinted at the blurred figures surrounding her. It took her a while to make sense of them. No doubt, it was her room, but it looked different. Half of it was in the shadows, except for one white light blinding her.

Nothing hurt, but her head spun like a wheel. When Remnya tried to sit up, her body felt heavy like concrete, and she fell back on the bed. She massaged her head and slowly remembered the recent events. How she wished she didn’t. Remnya stared at herself, realizing she wasn’t wearing her blood-stained dress anymore. Instead, she was wearing the white dress Ronner had given her. Why?

“I’m glad you woke up.”

Remnya sat up suddenly, the whole room turning around her. She scanned the shadows, squinting over a corner until she discovered the source of that creepy voice.

Persen Doman. He was sitting on a couch next to her desk.

Her eyes widened like full moons. “What are you doing in my room?” she stammered.

He replied with a giggle.

Remnya sprang out of her bed, stumbling as her feet touched the cold floor. Her heart raced as she staggered to the door.

It was locked.

“Are you afraid of me?” Persen asked.

Her sweaty hands slipped on the doorknob. Remnya turned to him with a glare. “Get out of here!”

Persen stood up. His belly bounced as he strutted in her direction. She realized he wasn’t wearing his usual suit but a casual shirt and short pants.

“I just want us to get along, my beautiful Nephilim.” His grin grew wider with each step.

“Where’s Magenta? And Mr. Ronner?” Remnya leaned against the door, locking her eyes on his unpredictable moves.

“Magenta is fine, don’t worry. I made sure to pay for her treatment. As for Ronner, he is taking care of her.” Persen sat on her bed and stroked the sheets. “It’s just you and me here.”

The room seemed to shrink around her.

Not losing sight of him, Remnya darted to her windows. However, they were locked too, and the keys were nowhere to be found. “What is the meaning of this? What do you want?” Remnya scowled at him, reaching out for her drawers. She swept the interior, looking for the knife Marcus had given her.

“I just want us to get along.” Persen caressed his chin and regarded her with a smirk. “You look even cuter when you’re scared.”

“Shut up!” she yelled. “Get outta my room now, stupid old man!” Her heart kicked when she realized her drawers had been emptied. Remnya didn’t understand the situation but knew she had to get out of there.

“So mean.” Persen pouted and then smiled again. “Alright. I will tell you what’s going on.”

Cold sweat rolled down Remnya’s back.

“You belong to me now, my precious Nephilim.” He stood up, blocking her way to the door. “And as such, you will do as I say.”

“Screw you!” Remnya shouted as she seized a table lamp from her desk and threw it at him. Persen covered his face as the lamp shattered on his arms, shooting sharp crystals into his skin.

“Enough!” Persen roared, charging at her.

But Remnya smashed her notebook against his face. The hit stunned him, giving her enough time to reach the door. She used all her strength to twist the doorknob, cracking it in half. The door opened, and she bolted out of the room.

“Dammit!” Persen screamed. “The little flower still has that much strength? Didn’t the drugs have any effect on her?”

A heavy hand seized her arm. She glanced over her shoulder and recognized Skado's hollow eyes.

Her blood froze.

Remnya shook and pulled his arm away from him, but his grip was unbreakable. Skado yanked her toward him and twisted her arms behind her back. She kicked him several times with her heels, but the man was unfazed by it. Remnya headbutted him with the back of her head, but the pain stopped her. His head was like a rock. Skado pushed her into the room, forcing her to walk.

“Let go of me now!” Remnya roared, her voice echoing throughout the empty halls. Skado covered her mouth and pushed her toward Persen, who waited on her bed with a smirk. She bit Skado’s finger, forcing his hand away.

“You can’t even handle a little girl,” Ronner sneered, standing in the doorway.

“Mr. Ronner!” Remnya shouted as a smile drew across her face. Her knight had arrived.

Ronner walked into the room and observed the scene with an expressionless face. He scanned Persen’s bleeding hands and face and stifled a chuckle.

“Mr. Ronner! Tell them to stop!” Remnya stared at him, twisting her body and kicking Skado, who didn’t ease his grip on her.

Ronner scratched his head and stood in front of her, gazing into her crimson eyes in silence. For the first time, Remnya didn’t feel safe with him.

“I’m sorry. I can’t help you, Rem,” Ronner said with a stone face.

His words felt like knives through her chest. Remnya shook her head in disbelief. Of course, he had to be kidding. “Mr. Ronner?” She scanned his face, desperately searching for his tender smile. “Please! I did nothing wrong!” Her vision blurred as tears welled up in her eyes.

Ronner caressed her face with the back of his hand and then sighed. That was the last time he looked at her. He averted his gaze and smiled at the monster crawling on her bed. “Be gentle with her.” He told Persen in a monotonous tone and turned his back to her. Persen nodded with a big grin and sweat on his forehead.

Remnya’s heart shattered like crystal, and every piece turned into needles that pierced her insides. The man she admired so much, the man she trusted, had abandoned her.

“Mr. Ronner . . . please, don’t leave me alone,” she muttered with her last spark of hope, but his blue eyes never turned to her again, and he faded as the door closed, sentencing her to hell.

As Skado dropped her on the bed, her will to fight disappeared and silence filled her head.

*°*°*

Persen grabbed Remnya's left arm, and as soon as she felt his touch, her body reacted on its own. She buried her nails in his hand and yanked her arm away. "Leave me alone!" she yelled.

He tried to grab her legs, but Remnya almost broke his fingers with a powerful kick. She wished she had her shoes on. Persen let out a grunt of pain but didn't release her arm.

"You're an aggressive one, aren't you?"

"Stupid, ugly old man! Let me go now! Marcus will kill you if you hurt me!" she screamed, glaring at him.

"Marcus?" Persen guffawed, and Remnya silenced him with a powerful punch to the mouth.

He flinched away as blood erupted from his nose. Her hands were heavier than he had imagined. "Skado!" he called when Remnya was about to get away from his grasp. Skado seized her free arm, and Persen took advantage of it to wrap his fat arms around her torso from behind, restraining her arms. Remnya twisted her body with all her strength. Unlike Skado, Persen had difficulties holding her.

"Marcus will kill you!" she roared when Persen sniffed her hair and neck. Remnya felt disgusted. His expensive perfume was the grossest odor she had ever smelled. "Let me go!" She headbutted him.

Persen winced, stunned by the blow. He realized the young Nephilim wouldn't be easy to handle, but he wanted to subdue her himself. She was his trophy, his prey. He reached out for her thighs and tried to lift her dress, but Remnya landed a hit with her head on his nose, cracking his bridge. The stinging pain forced him to release her.

Free and furious, Remnya whirled and struck him in the stomach and then missed another blow to his mouth. Persen ran out of air. She jumped off the bed to run away, but Skado caught her again.

"Damn Nephilims! You are like wild animals." Persen laughed, rubbing his bleeding, deformed nose. No matter how much she damaged him, Persen recovered every time. He didn't seem human anymore. "Skado, tie her hands up," he ordered, realizing he couldn't handle the Nephilim on his own.

Remnya elbowed Skado in the face, but it was like hitting a rock. He didn't move an inch and jerked her arms behind her back, drew a leather belt from a nightstand, and tied up her wrists. Finally, he pushed her back on the bed. As she bounced on the mattress, Persen jumped over her and dropped on her legs, suppressing further attacks.

Unable to punch or kick, Remnya wriggled her upper body in a futile attempt to break free. No matter how much she tried, Persen felt like a mountain crushing her legs. Remnya couldn't understand why he was doing it. Why was that man trying to hurt her? Why was he trying to touch her body?

Persen leaned on her to whisper stupid, disgusting things in her ear, things she didn't comprehend. His nauseating breath reminded her of booze and rotten meat. He got too close to her mouth, and instinctively she bit him.

The big man let out a cry of pain and took a hand to his cheek to check the damage. A stream of blood tinted his white shirt and underwear.

"Fucking kid!" Persen bellowed and slapped Remnya across the face. His hands were much heavier than Orena's, yet she felt nothing. "Okay, that's it. Not gonna be gentle anymore!" His eyes turned red with anger, and then he charged at her, reaching for her clothes.

With vicious yanks, he tore her dress apart, hurting her skin with his sharp nails. She didn't understand why, but profound guilt accumulated in her chest, closing her throat. Was it her fault? Had she forced that man to do that to her?

"Stop it!" Remnya shrieked. Her eyes were burning. For the first time in her life, she couldn't defend herself. For the first time in her life, she was too weak. Where had all her strength gone? Ashamed of her pathetic self, she couldn't hold it back anymore.

Two tears trailed down her cheeks. They felt like boiling water in her eyes and skin. She hated herself for having broken her promise.

"Please, stop it!" Remnya whimpered. Her pride shattered with every tear, slowly falling apart.

"Don't cry, my Nephilim." Persen smiled, wiping her tears with his finger and then caressing her face. "Just relax."

He never stopped.

Not until her dress was completely ruined.

She looked away but still caught a glimpse of his eyes. Those weren't the eyes of a person; those were the eyes of a beast driven by twisted instincts. Every beat of her heart pumped shame and terror throughout her cold body. Her weakness, now exposed to the delight of a monster. Her pride, now crushed.

"Please . . . " Remnya sobbed, hoping that there was still humanity in him. "I'm sorry if I did something wrong." She sniffled. "Please stop, I'll be good . . . I promise . . ."

Persen ignored her. He was too focused on her body. Remnya gathered her last bit of strength to twist her torso, hoping, wishing her arms would break free.

It was futile.

Remnya closed her eyes.

The world darkened.

Hope vanished.

She was forced to lie on her stomach, burying her face in the pillow. Remnya never understood the situation. Her pure heart was too naive to comprehend why Persen was removing her clothes. She wanted to disappear; she wanted to be swallowed by the earth. She wanted to die.

Trembling and waiting for whatever Persen wanted to do with her, Remnya thought of Marcus. He had promised no one would hurt her. He lied to me . . . Why did everyone abandon me? What did I do wrong? I did nothing wrong! I did nothing wrong . . .

The image of her friends flashed before her eyes.

I'm sorry, Zeo . . . I was stupid . . .

I should've listened to you . . .

Silence.

. . .

Mom . . . Where are you?

. . .

A spark flashed into her darkness.

An unbearable heat burned in her heart, flowing through her veins like magma, traveling throughout her body like a furious dragon, trying to destroy its chains.

Remnya couldn't hold it back anymore, her tears turned into fire, and so much pain erupted through her skin like a monstrous volcano.

Persen screamed.

He cried in horror.

Crimson flames erupted from Remnya's body, engulfing her bed, clothes, and Persen's body.

Persen shrieked and crawled away from her. He staggered and tripped on his own feet, dropping to the floor with both arms covered in crimson flames that melted his skin. He tried putting out the fire with clothes and sheets, but it was futile. It was glued to him like hot tar and dug deep into his skin, devouring his muscles.

"Skado! Help me!" Persen howled as the flames caressed his face.

Skado stood still with a blank stare fixed on him. He remained expressionless and did nothing other than watch him burn.

Persen darted to the bathroom and turned the shower on, but the water only fueled the flames. His skin hissed and fell apart as he dragged his body out of the bathroom.

With his face half-melted and unable to breathe, he finally dropped to the ground.

He burned, writhed in agony on the floor, tried to get up, and fell again. He burned in crimson. His body melted like a candle, and when he tried to scream in horror for the last time, he couldn't. The flames filled his entrails and cooked him inside out.

Remnya burned too. A mesmerizing crimson blaze guarded her body. She lay on the ashes of her bed with her eyes closed and a peaceful expression.

The whole room burned while smoke filled every corner. However, Skado stood still, watching in awe the deathly fireworks.

Ronner walked into the room. A crimson glow flickered on his smile as he strutted among the flames.

"Beautiful," Ronner whispered as he paced over to Remnya. She slept as roses of fire hugged her body. Her face was a river of lava and tranquility. That was her true self. She was more beautiful than ever.

Ronner glanced at Persen's burning body lying on the ground and chuckled. "Pathetic." He turned to Skado and patted his back. "Good job, my friend." The crackling sound of flames melting that corpse echoed in the crumbling room. "We didn't have to intervene as you feared. Our little girl defended herself, just the way I told you she would."

Skado said nothing. His eyes fixed on his dying father.

"This is what happens when you try to play with fire." Ronner smirked. "You get burned."

*°*°*