Instead of fleeing, I slowly crept toward the brush and peered through to the other side. What I saw was a sight unlike any other. This was no animal, this creature couldn't be described as an animal. This was… a monster. It had black fangs, a pure white coat of matted fur, and stood at least eight feet tall. Its mouth agape, it dripped blood from its jowls. I looked in the direction the beast was and saw the source of the sobs; a young boy was sitting with his head in his knees, quaking in fear. I had no reason to help, no reason to intervene, but some part of me decided to ignore the risk and leap through the brush.

'What could you possibly have to lose?'

I looked up to the monster staring at me, crimson salivating down it's chin. I stared into its red eyes and puffed out my chest, as if trying to challenge it. Honestly, I was prepared to let the beast devour me, so long as the boy might escape. Though, to my surprise, the creature cowered, turned, and ran away. I did a literal double take at the sight, dumbfounded that my risky ploy had scared it off. Despite escaping immediate danger, I still found my hands trembling wildly. I took a few deep breaths, and turned to where the boy I had tried to save was sitting. Though apparently in the time it took me to gather myself he had got up and ran away. I began to curse aloud in frustration at my decision to try and save someone who'd so swiftly leave me behind, but stopped myself. He was safe, and it was because of me.

I can't remember being happy, all of my memories are rather of being alone in my room, warped, or too traumatic to think about. I think, after saving someone like that, I should be happy, right? He's only alive because of me.

'You really think you deserve to be happy? After what you've done?'

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I walked over to where the boy had sat and froze. Small blotches of red peppered the grass. I slowly crept down and brushed my hand over the crimson, rubbing it in between my index finger and my thumb. It was blood.

'You didn't save shit. Another beast probably took him while you weren't looking. Poor little Ryne, cursed to be forever useless.'

I took a deep breath.

"I don't care anymore." I whispered to myself.

I quickly covered my ears as a horrifying screech rang out from over my head. As I looked to the treetops, I saw hundreds of strange looking bugs swarming overhead. They were unlike anything I'd ever seen, my skin was crawling just from the sight of them. They weren't all that big, each one was only a few inches long. They had wings like hummingbirds, flapping faster than I could see. Humanlike faces, each one unique, with eyes rolled up into their skulls. Sharp talons stuck out from beneath their chins, making their already twisted appearance even more vile. They seemed to be fighting each other as they continued to screech, some biting, some clawing. I pulled my knees to my chest and rocked back and forth, fear overtaking me.

'They're gonna eat you alive.'

'See those claws? They'll gut you.'

'Look at them up there! They're all waiting to rip you apart, how fantastic.'

A lone face began to descend down towards me, its tongue hanging out, salivating. The screeches, the bugs, the countless uncertainties, it all proved too much for my fragile mind to process. I fell onto my side, my hands still covering my ears, and I screamed.

'God, have you always been such a crybaby?!'

'What happens if they eat you? Realistically, what happens? You die? Big fucking deal.'

"I- it's- I'm- they're- the bugs will- gonna eat me- and I-"

'Why are you so fucked up? Is it really that big of a deal?'

I was pulled from my incoherent drabbles as a hundred red blurs zipped past me and ascended towards the bugs. One after one the bugs fell to the ground with a splat, red roses pierced through the center of their flesh. I continued to shake as I moved a hand from my ears to wipe the guts from my face. I laid down on the bloodied grass, my head resting on a stray root. In the distance, heavy footsteps echoed in through the silence of the forest.

'They're coming for you.'

The footsteps grew closer.

'Did you see how fast that rose was going? It'd tear you to pieces.'

A woman dressed in black robes slowly walked in front of my line of sight, followed by a knock to the back of my head, as I blacked out.