As the darkness sank into her veins she felt the evil take her over…

You’re mine…

Three year later…

The thoughts continuously tormented her.

Make them pay…

They deserve it…

It’s just one death…

“Get out of my head!” She screamed, gripping her hair in her hands at an attempt to release the angry voices.

Stumbling through the woods, Careia gripped a tree for support as the voices screamed inside her head. Her breathing turned ragged as she stumbled on dirt covered feet. Darkness clouded the woods as her legs collapsed.

Gripping the dead tree, her legs pounding with pain, Careia cried at the memory of who she used to be.

So carefree and happy before she turned into this.

A snap of a branch broke through her thoughts as she looked up from her tears.

A shadow raced away and she immediately stood up, fear now pumping through her.

No one could see her like this… they wouldn’t let her in the town again.

“W-who’s there?”

Wiping the tears off her face, she cautiously walked forward towards where the shadow ran off to. The woods were dead silent as she tried to ignore the pain in her legs and the voices whispering to her.

Worthless…

Weak…

and worst of all

Monster…

“Stop, please stop.” She whimpered as she closed her eyes against the voices and the pain they caused.

“Go away. I’m not broken… I’m not broken.”

Yesss you are…

More tears fell, each one feeling like a victory of the voices. Suddenly, she felt like something was watching her. Snapping her head up, she looked around and spotted the shadow lurking behind a tree a couple feet away.

A towns person?

The figure stepped into the moon light and Careia scrambled back as his gaze slid over her. He was dressed in all black, like he was about to comit a crime, although only his blond hair was uncovered.

Like a luring shinny beacon, he seemed to draw her in as her heart drummed in her chest.

“Who are you?” Her voice came out weak and tired from her crying. Why hasn’t he left yet? Dosn’t he see what I am?

His white eyes glowed like the moon as he frowned in confusion at her. He didn’t answer as he took a step towards her and she immediately scrambled a couple steps backward.

Who is he…

He looks tasty…

The voices whispered in her ear as the stranger stopped when she started backing up.

Tense silence filled the space between them until he spoke.

“Scared. You’re scared… of me or yourself?” His smooth voice got swallowed up by the silence as he casualy put his hands in his pockets.

Hmm… real smart that one…

But also handsome…

She felt the stab of a stick onto her soft foot, and she grimaced as she tried to ignore the voices. His white eyes flashed over her tattered dress and dirty feet. Something like sympathy shone in his eyes and that made the voices snarl. A growl excaped her lips before she could stop it.

“My name is Careia and you have to leave. Now.”

The handsome stranger only cocked his head and stepped even closer.

Come on…

Do it. Do it. Do it…

Kill him…

The voices fought against her will, as she dug her nails into her palms.

“G-go away now! Please!” Tears rolled down her cheeks as he was a foot away from her.

Do it now!…

Looking up at him, his eyes were melancholy and sad as her nails extended. Her arm went up, ready to kill him, when in a second his hand shot out and touched her cheek.

She froze.

The voices luring whisperes suddenly stopped and her eyes locked on his. Finally, after so many years… silence.

“How?” She whispered, shock and awe filled her voice as she covered his hand on her cheek with her own.

He smiled, his eyes now bright and warm and as beautiful as the moon.

“Because, I know what it’s like to be you. To be haunted by those voices.” His hand fell away from her cheek, “And to be finally free.”

He grinned as she released a shaky laugh.

Free! Free from those wreatched voices! Finally having control of my own body!

Her first smile in years grew across her face as she closed her eyes and drank in the silence of her own mind and the quiet woods around her.

“Thank you.” She opened her eyes but he wasn’t in front of her. Looked around, she tried to find him but only the black woods looked back at her.

There wasn’t even any footprints, it was like he was never there at all. She started walking back towards town, a smile on her face and her feet lighter than ever. She left the forest thinking about that young man, what he did for her, and didn’t look back in time to see a shadow watching her walk away… and a smile cross its lips as its bright white eyes watched her.