Opening her eyes, the sound of the alarm filled her with irritation. Her shut eyes pierced by the glow of the morning sun, she realized that her nightly dream had come to a close.
Sitting up in her bed, she gently rubbed her eyelids, before scooting her legs over and doing the titular "waiting to get the energy to get up" moment before the school day started.
Exhaling through her nose, the girl remained utterly still. After some time, she heard her mother call out.
"Nina! Make sure Layce is in bed please~!"
The girl heaved a sigh and got up, stretching her back and arms. The smell of lavender perfume filling her nostrils, Nina left her room, marching towards her sister. Giving three light "knockknockknocks," she waited with her hand on her hip.
Ah, wait, didn't she work the nightshift last night? Dang, I'm kinda dumb.
In her early-morning stupor, that information had slipped past Nina's mind. A bit disappointed in herself, she tried to open the door—locked, it seemed.
Alrighty then, judging by the fact she can't lock her door from the outside—yeah, she's in there alright.
Walking over to the living room, she caught the scent of bacon and chocolate pancakes. Her tummy rumbled.
"Yeah, she's there, probably sleeping or something," Nina confirmed to her mother, taking a seat at the dining table. The walls painted yellow with the sunshine, her resting elbow felt warm touching the wooden table.
"Mornin,'" a man said. Looking at her dad, she saw his large build exit the bedroom, dressed for work.
"Morning dad," Nina replied, watching him walk to her mother.
"Juuuust a second," her mom said, "the bacon's almost finished."
Her father opened up the fridge and grabbed a cold bottle of water, then began to fix himself a cup of coffee. Nina rested her cheek on the table, taking out her phone and checking her messages.
She found Riley's, being reminded of last night.
Is everything alright with him? He's been more distant than usual… His "maybe's" are always just "no's" in disguise! At least be honest, dude.
Sighing, Nina figured she had better stuff to do than wait around for her pancakes. She went to the bathroom, using it and showering. Hopping inside, she turned on the water—cold.
"Ah, shit!" She yelped, her breath stolen by the freezing water.
Breathing quickly, her "hoo, hoo, hoo's" enabled her to push past the biting cold of the late Fall freezing waters. Relieved at the newfound warmth, she let out a soft "ahhh," slicking her hair back.
—
Ending her shower, she stepped out and dried herself off. Then she got dressed in her snug-fit pink t-shirt and black, knee-length skirt.
Finishing up her makeup, she tied back her hair and made it intentionally messy-looking. She went back to her room, humming to herself as she grabbed a silver necklace from her dresser.
It was a friendship necklace, with hers being a white cat. Naturally, the other owner of the necklace was Riley.
Though, why did he try to give it back to me a few days ago? Seriously, he's worrying me… ah, whatever. I'll just talk to him about it at school.
Going back to the kitchen, she grabbed her homemade chocolate pancakes and sat down at the table. Taking bite after bite, she thoroughly enjoyed that sweet, chocolatey goodness.
—
Walking down the hallways of a large highschool with her friends, Nina checked her phone.
"Riley, you here yet?" She texted, putting her phone away as she awaited a response.
The hallways were plenty full, yet still had enough room for her and her friends to move through. Her friend Jenny prattled on about drama between two students.
"And they tried to fight—right over there!" Jenny exclaimed, pointing at the cafeteria seats. "Jason got dragged across the floor and shit, it was c-razy!"
A soft frown on her face, Nina looked away. "That's no good. Seriously, why do boys always fight? It's hardly necessary."
"They just fight because they like it," another friend of Nina's, Nicole, answered. Whether she was right or not didn't matter much, as Nina still disapproved of violence.
"I get it if it's self-defense, but meeting up just to fight… it's silly," Nina continued. The obvious answer was simply that fighting settled beef. Sure, it created plenty of new troubles, but when words cannot settle things, violence tends to do the job.
Continuing to walk, her phone went "buzz-buzz," and she checked it, finding Riley had responded.
"Yes."
"—Tch," she immediately let out, to which her friends looked at her.
"I bet it's Riley again, right? Ten dollars if I'm right!" Jenny shouted, and Nina groaned.
"Yep, it's Riley. Seriously, he texts like a middle-aged man, it's so weeird!" She emphasized, texting him back.
"When are you two gonna date? There's no way you're this agitated over a man without being at least slightly interested in him," Nicole pried, to which Nina shook her head.
"He's a childhood friend. Since elementary—maybe even earlier. It'd be weird to suddenly get into a relationship. Besides, I'm plenty happy with how things are now."
Looking back down at her phone, she felt a slight, newfound warmth in her ears and cheeks. Though, she couldn't believe it was from romantic interest being discovered, but rather that it was from romantic interest being thrust upon her, which she quite disliked.
Anyways, I just need to reply.
"Well, where r u?"
Putting her phone away, she continued walking down the hallway. With classes starting in thirty minutes, she and her friends went on their daily walk around the school, mostly where they'd talk about whatever they pleased.
"Childhood friend? Nina, in all the movies, the childhood friend is the love interest that wins in the end," Jenny mentioned, and Nina shook her head.
"No way. Haven't you seen Twilight? Jacob lost."
"Who's even seen Twilight? It's old; go watch it with my mom or something, she loves them."
Clicking her tongue, Nina's heart slightly ached. Though she wasn't a fan of them, it was a staple of her childhood—watching whatever movies she could with Riley for free on the internet.
Actually, no, my mom's computer got a virus from that shit—screw Twilight!
"Ugh, whatever," Nina groaned. "Anyways, what I was trying to say is that just because someone's a childhood friend of the opposite gender doesn't mean they're automatically gonna be lovers. We can be friends, y'know. He does his thing, I do mine."
Once more receiving a "buzz-buzz," Nina checked her phone, seeing Riley respond with "I don't want to tell you. Just hang out with your friends or something."
"Son of a—!" She shouted, cutting herself off.
"Pffft."
Her friends laughed at her frustration, finding it hilarious. Nina shook her head, rubbing her forehead with her finger and her thumb.
"Guys, I'll see y'all later. Seriously, when I catch you Riley…!"
Waving them off, Nina broke off from the group as they continued chatting and laughing. Storming down the hallway with rugged footsteps, she headed towards the area she most expected his presence.
Yet, along the way, a girl with dyed hair carrying a box—likely in the drama club—was struggling to open a door, both her hands being full. Without a second thought, Nina opened the door for her, and shortly after complimented her hair (she thought it looked nice).
Finishing that little side-quest, she continued heading towards the area she almost one-hundred-percent knew he would be inside.
—His own first period class.
And, sure enough, despite the hallways and cafeteria being packed, she found Riley inside the empty classroom. It was a habit of the boy's, as he was a loner to a fault—and also a coward, one who was afraid of hiding in the bathrooms because it was awkward and inconvenient for others.
"There you are!" She announced, walking over to him. Riley looked up at her with frightened, wide eyes, shifting backwards as he was going to get up from his desk. "Seriously, what're you doing? Wait, hold on, hold on—huh…"
Forcing him to be quiet, she held her hand on her chin.
What did I want to ask him about again? Seriously, his behavior's got me forgetting things left and right. Yep, without a doubt, it has to be his fault!
Looking down, she saw her friendship necklace.
"Aha!" She exclaimed, recalling her forgotten question. "Riley, what's up with you, man? Why were you trying to give it back? It's yours, after all."
The boy averted his gaze, swallowing his spit as he placed one hand on his desk with a quiet thud. Having known the boy for a long time, she knew that the look on his face meant he wanted to flee the situation.
"U-uh," he stammered, once more gulping.
Huh, is his mouth extra water-y or something…? Is he hungry?
Glancing at his skinny arms, her eyes widened. "Wait, hold on, before you say anything—have you eaten breakfast?"
Riley shook his head.
"Goodness, alright, c'mon then. The cafeteria should still have free breakfast if we hurry—"
"—Nina, listen, I gotta—hk."
Having turned around to head towards the cafeteria, she looked back at Riley, who stared at the ground. Once more, he swallowed his spit.
His hand placed over his mouth, her childhood friend's eyes narrowed, looking as if in pain.
"...Oh. Y-you alright, man?" She cautiously asked. After waiting a few seconds, she pulled herself a seat and sat down, facing his desk.
"...Nina, I need to leave," he said weakly, getting out from his desk. Then, with speed she didn't expect him to possess, he rushed out of the classroom.
"Hey, wait!" She shouted, getting up and giving chase. Yet, by the time she reached the class door where he broke off from her line of sight, he was already gone.
What the hay?! Seriously, is he alright? No, he can't be alright… What happened to him?
Not believing he managed to run all the way down the hall in the blink of an eye, she walked over to the men's bathroom just next to the class, standing outside it. Crossing her arms and tapping her foot, she debated going inside.
Do I go in? No, it's the BOY'S bathroom for a reason, stupid! Yet, even still… What if he's really, really super upset?
Her heart aching deeply at the thought, the girl frowned.
"Riley, you in there?!" She foolishly shouted. As expected, she did not receive an answer.
Crud… then, what do I… do I get a teacher?
Even if I did, what am I gonna say? "My friend's asking strange, go drag him out from the stall and punch him 'til he explains himself?"
Nk. Nina, you idiot…
Cursing herself, Nina slowly turned away from the bathroom. Not knowing how to help, she decided to leave him be, for now.
…
His hand placed against the stall, Riley clenched his chest, one hand over his heart.
I wanted to… I wanted to kill her. At the sight of her, I couldn't help but envision stabbing her through the head, ripping her apart, and… and…
His thoughts too bloody to ever desire repeating, Riley grit his teeth.
He had expected it. Cursed to crave murder, salivating at the thought of pointless slaughter, he knew he should not be within a school, where he was surrounded by human beings. And yet, his loneliness had made him desire to see Nina, his only friend.
Hoping, begging that she would not be counted within his bloodlust, he had been proven wrong.
"Ghira," Riley whimpered, "please…"
"Please, I do not want to kill her," he wished to say, yet was unable to say anything more.
The Forgotten King did not answer, leaving him within the cold, empty bathroom.
He did not wish to hurt anyone else. He did not wish to be hurt himself.
And yet, amongst almost everyone in this world, he counted Nina as one person who he absolutely could not hurt. The only person who was not obligated to hold him in any sort of positive regard, she had still stuck with him, even when he was his miserable self.
In his gratitude, he had earnestly pleaded that he would not crave her pain.
…
As the day progressed, the urge continued to grow in size and in strength.
Sitting in a room filled with others, he could not bear it. Managing to last until lunch, he was at his limit.
Walking down the hallway, he brushed shoulders with a woman. His fist balled, he looked at her, momentarily seized by his own intention.
[Bleeding].
It's fine if I kill just one person, right? Just to make the urge go away? It has to be, it has…
His eyes wincing, Riley removed the knife in his hand from existence.
"Um, s-sorry I guess?" The woman weakly apologized, seeing Riley continue to stare at her. He looked down, balling up his fists.
"I… I'm sorry," he muttered, shaking his head.
Just one person. I just need to kill one person. Who should I kill?
Hot. It was hot, a burning sensation of darkness in his body. [Bleeding] unheld in his hands, not due to a lack of intent, but because he knew he could retrieve it at any time, Riley moved through the hallway.
All he needed was one person. Anyone, it could have been any of the countless strangers he passed by every day. Just one person, man or woman, and he could satiate his urge for the day.
Just. One. Person.
His mouth watered, his body salivating in anticipation of the kill.
Passing by the men's restroom, he gently opened the door. Forming the knife in his hand, Riley's labored breaths pressed his chest up and down.
One. Person.
Reaching the urinals, he saw a man standing with his back turned. His fingers laced over the knife's handle, Riley could make it painless.
A painless death without knowing what would happen.
That's good, isn't it? Better than dying in pain. That's why, I have to…
"...Hk."
Yet, he did not want to.
So simple. Lunging forward, he could easily kill the man before him. And yet, he did not want to.
Unmistakably, murder was wrong.
Swallowing the saliva which had built up in his mouth, his body's anticipation, Riley turned his back to the clueless teenager.
In spite of despising the murder of innocent people, he had gotten so close.
—I need to leave.
To protect others, he could not be around them.
And so, he ran. He ran, he ran, he left the school entirely and got in his car, driving out of the school parking lot and rushing back home.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Any further, and he would have killed yet another innocent man. Such a thing was abhorrent in his eyes, and it was something which must never be done.
How easy it was for Riley to justify his murders!
"It was necessary," "it will make the urge go away," "it would spare them from future suffering," "they could go on to hurt others," this and many suchlike excuses could be made for murder.
Riley Woods, in spite of fighting against his darker self, could not be considered a good person. The moment he was tempted, he would so easily excuse his actions.
The only way to fight against his temptations being to flee, Riley had to separate himself from others.
…
In bed, Riley hugged his pillow. Knowing nowhere else to escape to except his home, Riley had laid in bed all day. The day was gone, and night had come.
His phone having been blown up by Nina's texts and calls, he had remained silent, only speaking when telling Joey to leave him alone.
If I leave my room, the urge might get worse. If it gets worse, then… then I might even end up hurting him.
Tracing the tip of [Bleeding] along his carotid artery, Riley earnestly wished for the strength and courage to end his life.
I've thought about it for so long. And yet, the one time I had the strength to do it… I couldn't.
Suicide had become a habit. A thought process, a defense mechanism—the ultimate safeguard.
Whenever a problem arose, even at an early age, Riley instinctively believed suicide was an answer. If there was ever a problem too great to solve within this lifetime, Riley trusted in the dark exit.
Replaying the thought of death time and time again throughout the years, an uncomfortable reality had formed in his mind: "Suicide is the only answer."
Evolving beyond the habitual reliance on such a tragic answer, it had become the only one.
If I die, everything will be better. I can't go to school anymore without wanting to hurt even the people I love. I can't stay in this house, I can't eat dinner with mom and dad without wanting to kill them.
It's either I leave human society for good, or I die.
The loneliness of the first option was simply too much for the weakhearted Riley Woods to bear.
Once more, then. Once more, I need… I need to find a way to kill this strengthened body of mine. [Bleeding] won't work. I need something stronger.
Looking out into the moonlight, Riley found himself drawn to its beauty.
The moon. If he could go out into the night, then surely, then surely—
Knocking. Hearing knocking on his window, Riley looked down, finding it slowly moving. With eerie, unnatural silence, the window slid open. A man crawled through with graceful movements akin to a spider, stepping down into Riley's very own room, uninvited.
Wearing a black hoodie and a blue Oni mask, the man touched his own face with bloody hands, lifting the mask up slightly to reveal pale skin and a fanged smile.
"Greetings. As a newfound servant of the glorious Forgotten King, I'd say you deserve to celebrate your newfound freedom—let's go for a walk, shall we?"