Epilogue
Daisy
My hands clamp around the metal bars keeping me in this cage. I bare my teeth at the monster standing in front of me, their yellow eyes gleaming with satisfaction. Disease drips onto the concrete like a leaky faucet, teasing me, taunting me.
“As soon as I break out, I’m going to turn your guts into confetti.” My fingers tighten, muscles pulsing with strength gifted from our God, and I shake. The room rattles, metal grinding against brick. “I’m going to dance in your remains and then I’ll take a bow in what’s left.”
In the cell next to me, Jason thumps his fists against the bars. Something dangerous hums beneath my skin, heart beating into a crescendo, matching the thunderous rhythm of each bang. “We’re going to kill all of you,” he sings.
The door slams. My eyes dart over to watching a human enter…
no, if I look closer, their flesh transforms, turning into shades of green, pustules spouting along their hands and face.
I throw my head back toward the stuttering light and laugh.
“Our God has shown us what you truly are. You can’t hide.
We’ve been granted the power of true sight. ”
The voice has been silent, and I worry that I’ve done something wrong for it to disappear. Determination steels my gaze. I must kill more of these vile creatures and then our God will return. My heart swoops and I grin widely. It’s another test.
The blight comes closer and I flick out my tongue. I can almost taste their sweetness bubbling in my mouth.
“Hey, handsome,” I bat my eyelashes at the ugly monster while it creeps towards the bars. Just a little bit more. “You’re not going to keep me locked up, are you? I’m too pretty for this.” I pout. “If you let me out, I’ll kiss you.”
My hands fling out and I sink my nails into its rotten green flesh.
A growl rips itself from my throat as I slam its body against the bars.
It struggles against me and I lean down, my lips wrapping around its finger.
Before it can escape me, I bite down hard, crunching through bone.
The blight’s screams are music, and it yanks itself away from me, flesh tearing apart as I take my prize.
Green blood drips onto the floor and I pull the finger out of my mouth, waving it in front of me. “It was gone in a fingertip.”
“That was terrible, Daisy,” Jason groans out loud.
With a giggle, I slide onto the ground, gnawing on the finger like a rib. “Yummy yummy, monsters in my tummy.”
You were never meant to end this alone.
I gasp, dropping my snack on the floor.
“Jason!”
“I hear our God, Daisy.”
You were only the beginning.
My hands clasp together, emotion building within my chest. Our God has not left us. It loves us. “It speaks to us, the voice,” I choke out.
Two will come from you. And when they awaken, rising from the seed within, they will not save this world. They will correct it.