28. Level Five- Buried Bloody Deep
CHAPTER 28
Level Five- Buried Bloody Deep
Zeke
“ I don’t think you’re taking it seriously enough,” Levi emphasizes as we step out of our safe house.
I really don’t know what was safe about the structure, anyone could have walked in, or if there were winged demons, they could have shitted on us in a flyby, and then we could have died by demon shit. But I digress; I’m not the safety expert in our group. As long as it was considered off-limits for a few hours, I guess that’s good enough for me.
For the last hour, Levi has tried to convince Rez that it wasn’t a particular Fate that was hanging around the ruins, knocking us into the ultimate freeze mode, but that it was her . I’m glad he decided to take that hit because I’m not about to jeopardize my relationship right now by making her mad.
“For the last time, Levi. It couldn’t have been me!” She growls and swiftly turns to glare at him, only to rear back in shock. “Oh fuck,” she groans under her breath.
I glance over my shoulder and also groan as I notice what she sees.
“Way to make a guy feel comfortable,” Chester comments, pushing up his glasses as his cheeks turn red.
“Sorry Chester. It’s nothing personal. We just weren’t expecting the trial to start this soon. We don’t even know what we’re supposed to do yet,” I admit as I squeeze his shoulder and look up at the reason for our groans.
A fluttering above draws everyone’s attention to a piece of paper falling from the sky, and Levi reaches to snatch it out of the air.
“You’ll find no reprieve here, only your worst nightmares. Some might be lucky; some may perish. Only those marked to grow will suffer my hand. May you make it to your next safe house in six hours, or your soul will be mine.”
“Oh, doesn’t Purson sound lovely! ” Rez sarcastically exclaims as she fakes a swoon. “I am so beyond these Princes of Hell. Don’t they have better things to do than run an ancient crucible for their twisted pleasure? I mean, they have demons to rule or torture on their normal levels or uprisings, plus planned summonings and human sacrifices or whatever else they do. Just leave us alone and allow us through. We wouldn’t be here if we weren’t coming here to help you, YOU…DEMONS!” she shouts into the void, but we all jump when a voice calls back.
“Are you done throwing your fit, or can we begin?” a creaky, fragile voice rings out behind a dead withered tree.
I stifle a laugh as Rez looks back at us with wide eyes and motions for us to do something.
“Well, you’re the one that said something. What do you want?” Levi whispers hurriedly to her.
She blanches before turning and shouts, “Who are you?”
An older woman in her late eighties approaches us as a grayed-out spirit. She has no distinguishing characteristics, but she smiles warmly.
“My name is not important, but what I have to show you is.” She turns slightly and beckons us to follow. “This is the way to your safe house. See up there.” She points to the sky, and in the faded white light is our countdown clock. “That is how much time you have here. I had a friend who once traveled this trail. She was much older than you. She’s on level two. Never made it past the first building,” she giggles. “At least she’s enjoying herself.”
“How did you end up here?” Levi asks. I on the other hand, wonder if this old woman can be trusted.
“Oh, I died young, but when I was alive, I wasn’t completely pure,” she hints with a teasing smile before
“What do you mean, not pure?” Chester pushes.
“Have you ever heard that if you pass on rumors or lies, you can darken your soul?”
“YES!” Rez shouts. “Sorry, I mean, yes. I just learned that, actually,” she conveys shyly, lowering her voice.
“Well, when I died, I came directly here and aged. Normally when you die, you stay the same age. Not me. I’ve lost count of how many times my body has rotted and fallen apart, only to be brought back to do it again.”
“Oh, that’s horrible,” Chester comments, looking a little green.
“You think that’s bad? Look at this,” she says, stopping in front of a wooded place I immediately recognize, and a cold sweat hits me.
“What is this place?” Rez asks, looking at the woods before us, and while the others talk, my surroundings disappear as I’m transported back in time.
The woods morph into a small clearing where there’s an old tire swing to the left, a trail to the right leads to a shack of broken limbs that make up a secret fort, and wildflowers to the south that, when laying down and looking across them when the sun hits it just right, makes a rainbow.
“Zeke?” Levi’s voice filters through suddenly, and I look over slowly, afraid to know if he can see what I can.
“Do you see what I do?” I ask, but it’s not Levi who answers.
“Yes, Ezekiel. This trial is yours. They are able to see all your secrets, everything you’ve hidden and even buried from your so-called best friend, even yourself. Can you survive your guilt? Or will you succumb to your despair?”
I look up hesitantly as I notice the spirit’s voice changing, and my stomach knots at what I might find. Instead of the grayed spirit, in her stead, there’s a young red-headed girl in pigtails with tear-filled blue eyes standing before me.
“Why, Z? I trusted you.” Her voice cracks with accusation. She wipes at her tear-stained cheeks before blood starts to trickle from her eyes. Her legs give out as she falls forward into my arms before everything goes black.
Blinking my eyes rapidly, I see her once again, but now she’s in front of me in the tire swing, laughing as she kicks her legs out and leans back. Rez, Reaper, Levi, and Chester are next to me but only as spectators, banging on invisible walls as they try to get to me. The others are gone and must be in their own versions of Hell while I’m in mine. I can hear my family clearly as they worry and send me encouragement, but it’s no use. They have no idea what’s about to happen, and if they did, I doubt they could be looking at me like that. I’m a monster. Even my crimes as a Necromancer raising a Deathweaver would be better than what they’re about to witness.
“Zeke, you’re right. This is fun!” Trin giggles, pulling my attention away from my family. She twists her body, and the swing spins out, causing her to scream as it goes faster than she expects. “Ahh! Stop it, Z, please!”
Horrified of the coming events, I try to keep my arms to my side with all my strength, but it’s hopeless. My body moves uncontrollably towards her on autopilot, my past already dictating what will happen. She smiles up at me, hopping out of the swing, and loses her balance immediately as vertigo hits her.
“Oh man, my head is wobbly,” she admits as she blinks those baby blues at me and blushes.
“Come here and sit,” I tell her while guiding her to the nearby log out of the sun. I have some control of my body because tears start to form and slowly tumble down my cheeks as I help her sit down.
“Thanks,” she whispers before looking up and shrieking. “Z! Your eyes!” she squeals. I lean away from her, and I take the opportunity to will my body to keep going, to run, to escape as far as I can so I can run away from this nightmare, but my arms and legs are frozen solid.
“What? What’s wrong with them?” fear evident in my younger voice.
“They’re red.” She moves closer, not further away as one would expect when seeing a hungry vampire, but I was her first…and…no. No. I can’t do this!
“It’s because I’m starting to get hungry,” I admit shamefully. “It’s time for me to get back home.” I give her a small smile and begin to get up, but before I get completely up, she grabs my wrist.
“Don’t you drink blood?” Seeing the grimace on my face, she quickly continues. “Well, I have blood. You can have some of mine,” she offers.
“I-I’ve never drank from anyone before,” I say nervously.
Dad told me drinking from the source was a privilege that I would learn how to do later in life. He never said I couldn’t but left it unsaid that I’m not old enough to do it yet. But the thought of trying does appeal to me; I’ve always wondered what it tastes like. It has to be better than the blood that comes in the bag and sits in our fridge until we need it.
Trin is one of my best friends, and she’s the first to offer to feed me. Would it hurt her feelings if I declined?
Not wanting to hurt her feelings and knowing I can mimic my dad when I’ve seen him feed a few times, I decide it’s not a horrible idea.
“Daddy always says we have to learn to become better. Besides, you’re my friend, and I trust you.” She looks down at herself before back at me with her long eyelashes. “Where’s the best place?”
“My dad has gone for the throat.” My younger self shrugs as my experienced stomach churns, thinking of my mistake.
“Okay.”
My fangs descend on their own as I lean in, and she tilts her head. Her flowery-scented shampoo reaches my nose as I push her pigtail back over her shoulder. Her heartbeat is a roaring river to my ears as I lean in and place my lips over the raging pulse in her neck.
Okay, Zeke, this can’t be too bad. You’ve seen your dad do this before. And you’re a vampire. Follow your instincts.
My fangs sink into her skin, and she muffles her cry. I pull back sharply. “I’m sorry,” I tell her, but she encourages me anyway.
“It’s okay. I’m strong. Go again. You have to learn.”
When I bite down this time, I hit her artery, and the sweetest taste hits my tongue. I’ve had blood before, but nothing like this. I can easily taste the copper in the blood bags that Father keeps in the fridge for me. I have to trick myself into thinking it’s medicine to get them down, but this…it’s as if I’m drinking the best-tasting fruit smoothie or my favorite candy. The sharp, sweet taste of life flows over my taste buds, and I let myself go, drinking as fast and deep as possible, getting my fill.
Tears stream down my cheeks and drip off my chin as I feel Trin push against me, her strength slowly weakening as I continue to feed. But my younger self isn’t aware of her desperate pushing against us or the signs of the slowing pumping of her blood. No. Instead, we’re lost in the taste, the sweetness, the way it energizes us like nothing else we can compare it to. No bagged blood, smoothies, or any other nutrients that we take in its place will ever be enough again. Nothing compares to drinking straight from the heart of a living being.
It’s only when my past self takes another pull and nothing comes to my lips that I pull away from Trin’s rapidly cooling neck that I even know what I’ve done.
“Noo!” I scream and almost drop Trin to the ground. “No. I’m sorry. Please Trin. No!” I cry, trying to shake her awake. I push against her open wound and try to staunch the seeping blood that’s dripping down her porcelain skin when I hear a limb snap to my left. My body tenses and I look over, hoping to find someone to help me, but instead, I find my other monster, my own confidant, Lisa.
My Shadow Horse could have snuck up on me without making a noise, but she wants me to know she’s here. “Can you help? Lisa, I don’t know what to do,” I cry before turning back to Trin. “Wake up! I’m sorry, Trin. I’m so sorry.” I bury my head against her chest and rock as I cry.
I’m a monster. I’m the deadliest monster of them all. My friends—my family—will never accept me.
Lisa nuzzles against me, pushing my head away from Trin. I furrow my brows as she carefully pushes me away from her until her shadows envelope Trin’s body. She disappears with her into the forest, leaving me alone and cold on my knees.
“Zeke!” Rez yells and slams into my body, landing on top of me with an oomph.
She wipes at my face and kisses my cheeks, my eyes, and my lips before roughly pulling me to her chest. I manage to sit up as Rez wraps her body around me, and she squeezes me so hard I find it difficult to breathe.
“Give him a chance to breathe, Rez,” Chester chastises her. She pulls back reluctantly and peers into my eyes, holding my cheek.
“Are you okay?” she asks as I wrap an arm around her and stand. As I catch sight of Levi, anger and disgust with myself settles deep within me as I find myself wanting to escape. Hide away from what he’s just seen. My deepest secret has been revealed, and I can’t shove it back in the box.
“Zeke, look at me. Talk to me,” Rez says, pulling my attention back to her.
“There’s no reason to be ashamed, Zeke,” Levi speaks up as he approaches.
“Bullshit,” I spit out and push Rez off of me, but she quickly grabs my arm like a leech, stopping me from leaving.
“Zeke, wa?—”
“I killed her, Rez!” I cry, my voice cracking as I turn and face my friends. My eyes burn from the tears easily falling from them, and my throat is tight from clenching my jaw. “One of my closest friends growing up that trusted me with all of her heart, and I fucking killed her. I sucked her dry like a fucking smoothie, and the worst part was I enjoyed it. The entire time that I drank.” I swallow over the tight lump in my throat. “All I thought of was how amazing drinking from the source was,” I admit.
The confession leaves my body shaking slightly, and through my tears, I no longer see my friends but the image of me draining my friend at my feet.
“I didn’t even ask Lisa where she buried her afterward. I just let her take her away like my dirty little secret,” I choke out. “I didn’t look up her family or anything. I acted like she never existed.”
I peer up and find Chester and Levi staring at Rez inquisitively.
“Wh—”
“She didn’t die,” Rez whispers before turning to me, squeezing my arm painfully. “She didn’t die, Zeke,” she repeats. My heart shudders as her words finally register.
“What? No, that’s impossible.” I shake my head, but Rez turns away from me and motions for Levi to come over.
“Levi, can you help?” she asks excitedly. Turning to look at me again, “Zeke, I know it’s painful, but I need you to trust me here, okay?”
I’m motionless as I grasp her words. My emotions are still running rampant through me, but here she is asking me to trust her? Hell, I can’t even trust myself…but maybe that’s the point. When have my friends and family let me down, especially maliciously? Not trusting my words, I nod my consent and she gives me a small smile.
“Okay. Listen. I know this is going to suck, but Zeke, since this is your trial, I’m guessing you can control this damn thing. So, can you bring us to the point where Lisa comes in and takes your friend?”
Anguish. That’s the only thing that can describe what I’m feeling as Rez stares at me with her gray, pleading eyes. She wants me to go back to that moment?
“Trust me,” she tells me, and Levi reaches out and grabs my shoulder. Instantly, my nerves settle as I take a slow and steady breath before picturing Lisa and Trin.
“Look,” Rez calls out, narrowing her eyes and pointing. “You might have to stand behind me, but you can see through Lisa’s smoke.”
We shuffle behind Rez, and just as she said, the smoke separates for us to see Lisa pull Trin’s face against hers. Lisa’s eyes glow a deep purple along Trin’s porcelain skin. It’s different from her normally bright red eye, but I can easily see that Trin’s eyes are open and focused on my Shadow Horse.
“What the hell?” I exclaim. “It has to be a trick.”
“No, listen,” Chester quiets us. “I know you can hear it if you focus, Zeke. It’s faint, but it’s her heartbeat.”
I focus in, absently slowing down the scene, and the slow rhythmic thudding of Trin’s heart cripples me to my knees. So many questions surface as to what happened then. Why didn’t I see her again? Did she die after this? Have I really been holding this against me for all this time?
“I don’t understand,” I manage to get out.
“Can you rewind this? I might be able to shed some light,” Levi answers, and I give him a questioning stare. Sighing, he continues. “I’ve never mentioned it before, but your Shadow Horse, Lisa? I know there’s not much on her in the literature Ryker and I have read, but I can feel the power that radiates off of her. It wouldn’t surprise me if she’s doing something to her while her eyes are glowing that shade. Aren’t they normally red? I can cast a simple revealing spell that might give us answers.”
His explanation is enough for me as I lick my lips in worry, but I nod in understanding. I haven’t told anyone about the journal that talks about Lisa, but now isn’t the time. It’s still safely tucked away in a spelled case in my closet back home. I take us to the point Levi wants and watch as he weaves his spell. Lisa’s black cloak of shadows disappears and is replaced by white and gray sparkles. A discombobulated voice spills out in choppy tones, weaving some of the spell in a language I don’t know.
“I know this spell,” Levi says regrettably. “Lisa is erasing her memories.”
It takes me a moment to understand what the implications are, but once I do, I cry for a different reason.
Lisa, my friend. My protector. My Shadow Horse. She was protecting me, once again, by wiping my friend’s memory of me. She was giving her sweet memories and promising to wipe her family’s memory of me and their time in Nova.
The grayed specter was right. Can I survive knowing I made someone up and move their entire life because of me, or will I succumb to despair?