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22.58% We, Cryptids / Chapter 7: Bloodlust

Capítulo 7: Bloodlust

"Damn it legs, go faster!"

It was a phrase Holden uttered again and again, racing through the darkness in pursuit of the cryptid. He could hear it just moments before, shifting through the vents in the ceiling, passing through the maze of halls. There was no conceivable way to track it accurately, and time was running out fast. 

"I can't sense its intent, how is that fair?! It shouldn't be able to suppress itself like this, I was told that in no uncertain terms... What am I supposed to do, fling myself in some random direction and hope it works? I may as well be looking for a needle in a haystack."

Like he thought, his search was fruitless. The endless possibilities of hiding spots meshed with the short timespan allotted, rendering all hope null and void. 

"It's like this whole thing is rigged against me. Of course it would be, the house always wins... It's dragged me into its turf. And right now I'm operating by its rules."

His footsteps slapped against the marble floor. He veered his head upward, gazing towards the ceiling. Holden considered that perhaps the footprints it left behind would lead him in its direction. This idea fell flat, though, as the very footsteps in question did exist, albeit in the most unhelpful way imaginable. The markings and their trajectory spread out omnidirectionally, implying no discernable destination. 

"T-t-time is up, PLAYMATE," shrieked the creature, its high-pitched squeal vibrating the pathway. 

"Shit!" It was all Holden could get off before the entity clamored his way, its undeniable speed allowing it to appear before him within a matter of seconds. 

"Too late, TOO LATE! You l-lose again, you didn't f-f-find me! Now I take, take what's MINE, p-p-p-p-PLAYMATE!"

With madness in its eyes, the giddy creature laughed hysterically, the sound distorted by scratchy cracks in its voice. Again, the searing sensation afflicted Holden's remaining arm, making him cry out in pain. He crashed against the wall, head thrown back as unrelenting suffering defined itself within him. His eyes watered, tears trickling down his face and stinging his cheeks. Not daring to look down, he knew what had become of his arm. It shared the same fate as its brother, the skin ripped from its place to be substituted for a smooth, glossy surface instead. 

"Keep up, keep up! I'll t-take everything-from you! All your flesh, your blood and b-b-bone, your life! Everything, everything, everything! Try and find me, f-f-find me if you can!"

The thing cackled wildly and flew past Holden, heading in the opposite direction. Holden looked upon his two arms, now entirely corrupted and useless. His long black hair messily draped over his shoulders, many strands clinging to his face due to the sweat he emitted. Eyes glued to the ceiling, shallow pants crawled through his slightly parted lips. On one hand, he felt grateful for the shock that somewhat dulled the pain. On the other hand, he understood it to symbolize the dire nature of everything. 

"Should I call for her... Will she even hear me? No, probably not. She... Did she send me to die? Was that it? Was that why she told me to come in such a vulnerable, pitiful state? Why did I listen to her... I'm such a damn fool. Should've trusted myself instead, should've never even come. How the hell is this worth it? How does getting killed like a dog bring me any closer to... to... damn it. What the fuck is the point? Moving is torture, part of me wants this to end. I'm not scared, damn it! I'm... sick of this.

He closed his eyes, his body unable to stop shaking. With every second that passed, the gravity of his fate began to set in more. Was this it? What is one even meant to do in the face of their own mortality? Accept it, or reject it? Could a satisfying conclusion truly be reached in mere moments? 

"Sixty seconds... that's how long each round lasted. One minute to find some shitty doll hiding somewhere in a hospital building. How is that even possible? There's not a chance... hell, I bet even that thing couldn't find someone hiding in here if it were only given a minute. Just my luck to be made the seeker..."

Fifteen seconds had passed. Forty-five remained before Holden Cauthwell's assured destruction.

"It's already ruined my arms. If it does the same to my head, I die. If it does it to my legs, my mobility goes away. Either way, I'm dead. And the fact that it can suppress its own intentions... that's ridiculous. I guess it makes sense. If it couldn't do so, I would be able to track it. Unless of course... unless it isn't the one removing my ability to sense it. As far as I was told, nobody can do that. Maybe... maybe it's not doing that. Maybe the rules of the game are. Melony did say that these rituals could contain unfavorable loopholes. Maybe that's it. The rules it enforces are responsible for my inability to track it, not the cryptid itself..."

Thirty seconds had passed. Thirty remain before Holden Cauthwell's assured destruction.

"It'll be back soon, it'll come to me and finish me off. Is that right? Yeah, it is. Well, shit. If that's the case, then I may as well...

Forty-five seconds had passed. Fifteen remain before Holden Cauthwell's assured destruction.

"Suppose this is it. No use trying to play by its rules anymore. There really is no point to it..."

Sixty seconds had passed. None remained before Holden Cauthwell's assured destruction. 

"T-TIME IS UP! TIME'S UP, TIME'S UP, P-PLAYMATE. I'M COMING FOR YOU!"

The creature burst forth, rapidly emerging from the darkness. Its many appendages dragged along the ceiling, pushing it ahead. A delighted, crooked smile pushed the boundaries of its face, clearly displaying its attitude on the situation. In its mind, victory was achieved. The predator had triumphed over the prey, the delectable taste of success coating its tongue like honey. 

"I win, I win! You are... you are g-going to be my p-p-plaything forever! For e-e-eternity! My toy! MINE TO TRIFLE WITH!"

Then, it stopped. Its grin vanished as it realized that, inexplicably, Holden was nowhere to be found.

"H-Hey! Come out! Y-You lost, plaything! Y-You lost your flesh... your meat... It's mine! Come out!"

...

Silence.

"I SAID... I S-SAID COME. WHERE ARE YOU, PLAYTHING? I D-DEMAND... YOU COME OUT! PLAYTHING... COME HERE."

...

Nothing.

Releasing an unholy scream, the being started to rampage through the area, tearing apart every wall and desk in view. It struck and smashed the chairs, scrambled the IV units, all in a showcase of raw fury. 

"Y-YOU'RE CHEATING, PLAYTHING. WHERE ARE YOU!? I S-S-SAID, REVEAL YOURSELF. REVEAL THAT T-T-TENDER SKIN... LET ME TAKE IT. TAKE IT, TAKE IT, TAKE IT. I WANT TO TAKE IT. I WANT IT. GIVE IT, NOW!"

As much as the entity's awful din continued, the vacuum of silence would once again cave in on the area. The cryptid's eyes grew into saucers, realizing with horror what was happening. It started to claw and bang its body against the floor in agony while the vinyl on its face chipped away, blood releasing from within its head. 

"IT HURTS, IT HURTS, PLAYTHING! YOU'RE SO CRUEL. S-S-SO WITHOUT MERCY. W-WHY?! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS? I JUST... J-JUST WANT TO PLAY WITH YOU! THAT'S ALL..."

More and more, its glossy surface peeled away. Warm muscle tissue started to surface in replacement of the former material. Its volatile, shrill cries never ceased, continuing even while it twitched in a messy pile, sprawled across the floor like a dead body. That's when it sensed it. The intent, the reason, the implicit but clear emotion that rushed forth. Out from the shadows stepped Holden, his doll-like arms dangling while he trudged forward.

"You never gave me a fair shot, did you? This was never a real game... just a means for you to kill me. Very clever... I can appreciate something as gross as you being able to think. You're a smart animal, you know that?

The cryptid began to crawl away, slithering a few feet back at a time as it clutched its newly formed face.

"Hurts, doesn't it? That burning sensation, that feeling like you're going to die. It makes you feel alive, that torture is proof that you're real, that you're breathing. That's the cruelty of it. To make you reach that peak, only for the coin to flip and remind you that your end is near. You're a nasty bastard, you know that?"

"P-please... I just wanted... w-wanted to play."

"I want to thank you, actually. For giving me that despair. Allowing me to experience that fever. That burning pain... Its heat melted away my confusion and gave me clarity. Clarity as a product of my realization that I wanted to live. It was something I'd always known, but it was never quite tested. Not until tonight. And you... you gifted me that."

"W...What did I do... W-What did I do wrong, plaything... to deserve... it hurts, it hurts, it hurts..."

"You're pretty damn good at hide and seek. You chose the perfect environment, one where there are so many places to go, that a seeker wouldn't have a chance. Not to mention how neither the hider nor the seeker could sense each other. But you knew that as well, didn't you? That if you made me the hider, you'd never stand a chance. Most would leave it at that, accept that the odds are that way. Accept that and move on. Not you... you got creative, didn't you?" 

"P-Plaything... l-leave me a-alone... you c-c-cheated...," spoke the creature, tears formulating around its eyes.

"The best players in a game are the ones who shift the odds in their favor prior to the game commencing. Is it cheating? Maybe. But I won't deny its efficacy. In a game where the seeker faces almost impossible odds, what role should you play if you want the best chance at winning? The hider, right? Nah... not the hider. You'd still choose to be the seeker."

The lights in the room began to flicker, all the while Holden's malice became more and more overbearing, embedding itself into the building itself like a plague.

"The only thing more advantageous than being a hider... Is being a seeker who convinces the hider that he doesn't need to conceal himself."

Holden slowly put one foot in front of the other, steadily approaching the creature. The lights, now strobing, would be intense enough to blind anyone so foolish as to peer inside the room. The entity screeched, covering its now bleeding eyes with its hands.

"I was never the seeker, was I? Sure, you told me I was. Told me to find you. You even ran off and hid somewhere for a while, playing the part. But even with all that, you were always the one seeking. And seeing how you are now, on the ground and bleeding, shivering in fear..."

Holden now stood over the being, looking down upon it with a blank stare. His arms, both enveloped in plastic, began to chip and peel once more. As the vinyl substance fell, it made way for something new. He was again granted his original form, his limbs regrowing their flesh.

"You really should have been the hider instead."

With supreme efficiency, Holden reached forth with both arms, smashing his fists into the cryptid's nose. Left, right, left, right, the force he applied proved insurmountable. Red gushed from every orifice in its face, coating Holden's knuckles. It screamed and screamed, trying to wriggle free. This action only resulted in Holden stomping his foot down onto its chest, holding it firmly in place. He palmed the thing's head, lifting it up with newfound strength and slamming it straight into the wall. With a vile cry of despair, it attempted to bolt away and cling to the wall, carrying itself towards a vent cover. It grasped the grate, trying to stuff itself within the vent and escape. No amount of planning or desperation, however, could prepare it as it felt Holden's arms grasp its various legs and rip it down from the ceiling. Piece by piece, Holden, grabbed every arm and leg attached to the creature and brutally tore it off.

No longer did Holden speak. His expression had morphed into something more terrifying than the sadistic facial displays the cryptid had produced. Complete neutrality. A dispassionate look that contradicted the murderous intent that exuded from him. The cryptid could no longer comment on its situation. It could only cry as Holden's fingers jammed into its eyes, sinking deeply into its skull. With a firm yank, he tore its head from its shoulders. Then, throwing the head to the ground, he began to relentlessly stomp into its skull until all that remained of the being was a mushy pile of red and pink. 

Inspecting the blood on his fingers, Holden wiped his hands on his shirt. From behind him, the sound of clapping erupted. He turned, seeing Melony behind him, seemingly appearing from nowhere.

"Bravo, kiddo! That was insane! I mean, I was gonna jump in if things got real bad, but you handled it well. Made a bit of a mess but hey, that's to be expected. Oh! Uh, you're looking at me kinda funny. Don't worry, your doggy is fast asleep in the car. Left the air conditioning on for her and all that so she's fine. Let's get you back and cleaned up, and maybe even get you a nice warm meal. You deserve it."

Holden didn't respond, nor did his violent intent decrease. He stared at her, looking directly into her eyes. Curling his hand into a fist, he started to approach. Holden, or at least what looked like him, had seemingly entered a mode that made him different. As Melony raised her eyebrows and smiled slightly, she seemed to recognize this as well.

"Ah... so that's how it is, huh kid? Not sure what's going on with ya, but if you're asking me to slap some sense into you, I'll do it."

She cracked her knuckles and walked forward. Whatever power Holden had achieved, it was obvious to her that it was affecting his mental state. It was best she confront him now and subdue whatever this was, lest others be potentially put in harm's way. 

"Alright, have it your way. I'll go easy on you, but don't start cryin' like a punk when I show you what's up!"


PENSAMENTOS DOS CRIADORES
FrozenEntropy FrozenEntropy

When submerged in endless bloodlust, it is difficult to resurface and breathe again.

Capítulo 8: The Peak

"Kiddo, I gotta warn ya, I find it hard to hold back sometimes. I know you're not yourself right now, hell, I dunno if you can even hear me. But this is a good opportunity. Whatever is going on with you, it seems you're operating on violence alone. You won't restrain yourself, we'll get a full display of who you are. Isn't that exciting?!" Melony removed her glasses and tucked them neatly into her pocket. Holden had no vocal response to give. Instead, his feet pounded against the ground as he rushed forward, grabbing Melony firmly by the arm. 

With a forceful swing, he threw her across the hall, walls collapsing into rubble as she crashed through each barrier. Nonetheless, both of her arms were positioned behind her, her hands serving as a comfortable cushion for the back of her head. She allowed her body to relax, her form like that of a liquid, giving no resistance whatsoever. As the twelfth wall gave way, she slid across the floor. Staring upwards at the ceiling, it was apparent that all that effort amounted to was the dirtying of her clothes.

"Damn, not the fit, now I gotta wash these tonight... Your physical strength has certainly increased. Wonder what that's abou-"

She was cut off as Holden appeared before her within a fraction of a second, wrapping his fingers around her ankle and lifting her up. As she was rendered airborne, Holden swung downward, attempting to imprint her face into the marble floor below. Instead, he grunted in pain when he found himself in that position, and it was his ankle that was inexplicably being held. 

"And you're fast... the level you're operating at right now is like that of a level two cryptid. This is weird, y'know? For a kid who just learned he was unusual last week, this much development isn't typical. Are you juicing or something? I could make you pee in a cup, don't test me!"

Melony grinned wide and flung Holden upwards, sending him up through the ceiling and into the second story of the building. As Melony ascended through the gaping hole she'd created, she approached him and placed her hand on her chin. 

"Don't tell me your power is that you're a meathead... don't get me wrong, I can appreciate a hard punch. But I'm sure you can do better. C'mon, show me somethin!"

Holden silently rose, the neutral expression engraved upon his face still remaining. As the two stood in a care unit, his hand moved like a blur and smashed through a nearby drawer. From it, he withdrew a scalpel, one that had long since rusted. Without hesitation, he threw the blade straight at Melony's head, the projectile slicing through the air in its horizontal position. With a sigh, she opened her mouth and caught the scalpel between her teeth. As it entered her lips, she began to chew, crunching the metal itself. She let her mouth hang open, allowing the crumpled ball to fall to the floor with a soft clink. Sticking her tongue out in a mocking fashion, she laughed, daring Holden to come at her once more. So, he did.

The lights above flickered, if only briefly. Their soft buzzing provided a gentle ambiance to the surroundings, one that could drive someone mad if they were cursed with enough exposure to it. Holden dashed towards her, throwing a punch her way. She blocked with her hand, catching his fist in her palm.

"Is that all?" Her tone was inquisitive, a genuine curiosity emerging from her. Surely there was more to it, and she would get her answer as her ears embraced the sound of blood dripping to the ground. She backed away slightly, looking down at her hand. A puncture wound had appeared, etched into her flesh. Once more, Holden ran towards her and unleashed a flurry of punches. Melony tilted her head in contemplation, raising both arms and guarding against the hooks and jabs he attempted. At the end of the combination, he lifted his right leg and kicked her calf. As the dust settled, dozens of puncture wounds manifested on her arms and calf, blood seeping from the injuries in copious amounts. Many of it landed on Holden, droplets smudging his skin and apparel.

It only took a moment for Melony to repair the damage she sustained. Her eyes glimmered with satisfaction as she got a taste of just what he was capable of.

"Damn, now that was unexpected. You really took me for a ride there. I wanna pay you back, with interest. Quite frankly, after that performance you gave me, my competitive side is starting to ramp up. Can't just let a newbie like you outdo me so easily, right? I could never save face if that happened… mind if I show off a little?"

Saliva mixed with trace amounts of blood exited Holden's mouth as Melony's foot embedded itself within his gut. He was tossed back a great distance, all from an attack he hadn't even witnessed. Through the collateral and soot left behind, Melony revealed herself. As Holden coughed and clutched his stomach, he stood up and faced her. She was pointing at him while wearing a sweet, earnest smile. As they resided in a waiting room, the windows aligning the walls showcased the stormy weather outside. Now, the night had set in, asserting a pitch-blackness that dominated the landscape. As rain abused the glass from the exterior, only the flickering fluorescents and thunderous lightning offered brief vision for both combatants.

"So what do ya think of my ability, kiddo? You've picked up on it by now, the ability to warp and manipulate the structure of my body. It's cool, yeah? Don't answer, I know it's cool. We're probably on the same page about that."

Lightning cracked once more, coating the room in a blue light. The two stared at each other. Holden's cold, careless expression contrasted with Melony's bright, beady eyes.

"Boring, uncreative people might use the power to just make their arms bigger and stronger. Slightly less lame individuals may go the next step and enhance their senses, or optimize the efficiency of their brain. All well and good, I happen to dabble in both myself, but still pretty damn basic. Then there's the alchemy side of things. Altering the molecules of the body itself. Turning flesh to gold. Now that, that's what the hell I'm talking about. But even still... BORRRINNNNGGG!!!"

The branches of trees scraped against the siding of the building, reaching out like the finger bone of a skeleton. With each pitter-patter of the storming rain, Holden took step after step towards Melony. 

"What's the point, right kiddo? What's the point in manipulating the body... without understanding what the body is, fundamentally? Enhancements, alterations, restructuring, you don't need to get what the essence of the body is to do that. Only when you expand your mind, only when you think outside of the box, can you truly understand. Understand that the body is a web of systems, and each strand of that web is intricately tied to another. Ordering it, guiding it, maintaining it. The body is a machine. A computer. A program. A series of codes and mechanisms... Do you understand?"

She chuckled and slapped her palm against her forehead, looking down at her feet. 

"Sorry, I tend to ramble sometimes... you get it though, right? That my ability isn't that of a simple shapeshifter. It's that of a programmer, with my body as my machine. And what's the bedrock of a program? It's code, the input and output. A sequence of if, then statements. If some condition is met, the code activates another process. This understanding, this realization, this is what it means to be a true cryptid hunter. It's what separates the strong from the strongest. What differentiates those who arrive at a plateau, from those who step off of it, only to reach new heights. To surpass your limits and awaken once more… This is what it means to sit upon the peak."

Holden began to grunt as he strained his body, still attempting to move forward. He found that no matter how hard he tried, he could no longer advance. The counter-force was so strong that he stumbled back. Once more he steadied himself and tried to push ahead, only to be immobilized the moment he began to achieve progress.

"Get this... remember when you stabbed me with your punch? Even saying that sounds bizarre as it rolls off my tongue. Bleh, whatever! The thing is, your strikes gained an element of sharpness to them, one that was sufficient to pierce me at the time. So, as you were attempting that little attack of yours, I set a condition in motion. If my blood were released from my body, it would activate a negative magnetic charge. Now, as we speak, I've invoked a negative charge within the blood inside my body. We're repelling each other. You can struggle all you like, but you'll achieve nothing, ya dork! You won't touch a hair on my head."

She giggled and observed as Holden continuously tried and failed to close the distance between them. With every grunt, with every bead of sweat that he produced, with each meaningless attempt he made to surpass the insurmountable, her grin only grew wider. Though, this display could only entertain her for a time. Like watching a hamster run indefinitely on a wheel, the boredom began to settle within her. So, she walked forward. She came closer and closer, all the while Holden was pushed back. Even with all the strength he could muster in protest, it did nothing to prevent him from being pressed against the wall, stuck between it and the magnetic pressure applying to his front. Either the wall would give way, or he would. 

"Switch."

Those were the words Holden heard before he was thrown forward. His body moved on its own, gliding through the air in Melony's direction.

"The conditions are reversible, obviously. Your charge remains negative, I can't exactly control the properties of parts of my body that have been removed. At least, not beyond how I programmed them to be prior to their separation. But by flipping my magnetic polarity to a positive one, well... y'know what they say, kiddo. Opposites attract!"

As Holden entered her proximity, Melony snickered with delight, seemingly unable to completely subdue her thrill of battle. She lifted her leg and applied a kick directly to Holden's face, resulting in a shockwave of such potency that the room shuddered and the surrounding windows shattered. Holden tumbled backward, crashing through rooms and furniture. For what felt like minutes, his body simulated a rag doll, all until the attack culminated in him colliding with the final wall and exiting the building. He dragged along the ground and arrived at an isolated clearing, hitting his head and slumping down to the ground. Appearing over him, Melony crouched and looked into his eyes.

"Damn, I might've hit you a little too hard. Ya good? Hello? You need a pack of ice? Hellloooooo? You're seeing stars ain't ya? It's okay, I remember the first time I saw stars. Well, they were actually tweety birds. Didn't hear em tweet though, there was just this annoying buzz in my ear... kinda disappointing."

Holden was motionless yet conscious, glaring up at her in silence. She noticed his fingers twitching slightly as the rain pelted against them both. As they remained in the open field, Melony studied him with interest, unsure of what his next course of action would be.

"So... what's next? Our dance isn't finished this quickly, right? This has been damn good for my muscles, gotta flex em' every now and the-"

She paused as a brilliant light consumed them both. Melony glanced up, mouth hanging ajar as she witnessed a bolt of lightning erupting from the sky and hurrying toward them both like a hungry lioness chasing a gazelle. Her eyes widened as the heat of the electricity hung directly over her head, its energy on the cusp of enveloping her body. As the electricity landed, it struck the ground with unrelenting fury, scorching the Earth and charring it.

"You... damn. That was you, wasn't it? You sneaky bastard, that could've really fucked up my sweater! Count yourself lucky that I'm so forgiving."

Melony gave a soft "hmph" and set Holden down on the ground. He blinked, disoriented by their change in position. There they both stood, roughly a football field away from the lightning strike. 

"M...Melony? What...?" Holden groaned, his voice strained from his exhaustion. With a bright smile, Melony patted his head much to his dismay, although he lacked the energy to swat away her hand.

"Oh, you're back kiddo? Wassup?! You made some... interesting progress tonight. I'll be sure to tell you all about it. Let's get back to the vehicle and go somewhere warm, though. Don't like all this mud and rain stuff, it's so dirty!"

"Whatever... just shut up so I can get some sleep... please."

Melony gave a gentle nod and carried Holden back to her car, laying him across the backseat. Pepper arose from her slumber and, with a wag of her tail, came and licked Holden's face in excitement. He released a deep breath and cradled her close to him, and within no time at all, he was fast asleep. As Melony drove, she glanced back at Holden through the rear view mirror, nodding her head to the tunes playing on the radio. 

In Holden, she saw something special. An abundance of untapped potential contained within the vessel of a seventeen year old boy. She knew that once he discovered it, he would be something he couldn't even dream of. That upon the unraveling of the essence of himself, he would ascend to a level of clarity and strength that only a handful throughout history could realize. To start at the ground, to climb the mountain, and to even dip through valleys as he endured the process ahead. All the same, his destination, in her mind, would be like that of what she had come to reach. His ability was like that of a flower. Should he tend to it, nurture it, understand it, and even love it, then he too would become it.

The peak.


PENSAMENTOS DOS CRIADORES
FrozenEntropy FrozenEntropy

As the fight subsides, perhaps some light has been shed upon Holden's true nature.

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