“Get up. Get. Up” Kevin wiped away the blood from his mouth as his opponent hopped side to side taunting him. He pushed himself up from the cracked aged foam mat. The Stranger had told him that part of being strong was being able to take a hit. He had arranged for the town's hard hitter in the boxing team to put Kevin through his paces.

Blow after blow hit his body as Kevin desperately tried to stay standing. Blood poured from large gashes that adorned his head and chest. His vision blurred as the fists kept flying. He longed to strike back against the wide framed man. Liv grunted and growled as her fists passed through the man completely ineffective.

“Dr Brenner, are you sure this is ok? The kid looks like he's boutta check out.'' The large sweat covered man barely panted out his words as he had begun to grow tired from his endless assault. “Trust me sir he can take it. Boys got a lotta problems to work out. This is an approved method of mine.” The Stranger sat atop a pommel horse swinging his legs back and forth.

“You’re the doc” the man swung a heavy fist upwards. Connecting with Kevin's jaw it sent his head reeling back. His legs buckled under the extreme exhaustion of his ordeal. His knees clattered to the ground as his frame jolted upon hitting the hard old foam mat. With a nod from the stranger Liv placed her hands over her eyes as the boxer swung downwards for his final blow.

A loud thud echoed through the hall as his strike connected with Kevin's palm. The Stranger jumped from his perch and quickly removed his shades in surprise. A wide grin creeped across his face as Kevin's eyes opened and looked at the man standing above him. His pupils burned bright like hot coals as he gritted his teeth and began to push back against the fist.

What began as a growl turned into a deep distorted scream of unbridled rage as he stood pushing back against the boxer who was running out of strength to put into his resistance. Kevin reached his feet as he began to bend backwards the man's fist. The man began to cry out as muscle began to tear and bone began to crumble.

With his free hand Kevin grabbed the mans neck. His skin began to sizzle and blister as he was pushed down to the ground. Liv watched in amazement and began to laugh as Kevin pushed the man further and further to the ground. He began to scream as his back touched the ground and his wrist turned to powder.

“Do it young kevin. He's on the list.” with this command the equipment in the room began to shake as Kevin began to crush the man against the hard floor. His cries echoed through the halls of the empty school reaching the ears of none. Liv began to snarl and shake as she longed to be in Kevin's place. She was hungry for the man's suffering and pain. She began to bear her pointed sharp teeth and Kevin burned his handprint into the man's flesh.

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“I'm getting bored boy. Finish your dinner.” the Stranger sighed as he began to tap his foot. In the blink of an eye Kevin had picked the man up and slammed him full force into the brickwork of the wall. It crumbled and fell away from the force. The man began to cry and beg as he bled profusely. His prayers went unheeded as Kevin began to haymaker him over and over.

With each blow connecting a loud crack sounded throughout the hall as the man became less and less recognisable. Flashes of Todd Roberts’ beaten face filled Kevin's vision as he took a step back. With a grunt of effort his own wounds slowly began to close themselves. Every split, cut and bruise slowly fading into plain pale skin.

“Do it.” Liv growled enthusiastically as Kevin raised an open palm above the collapsed man. His broken body began to shift and jolt as Kevin clenched his fingers in a claw-like grip. The broken body of his opponent began to slowly rise from the ground. The Stranger lit up a cigarette and stood with his hands on his hips basking in the sight as the man began to rise up into the air.

Through a beaten swollen face and shattered teeth the man spoke. “Please. I didn't…. I didn't mean to….. He said I would be best if I did” from his position in the air he looked to The Stranger “Please……. You said I would be…….” with a quick swift pop and a twitch of one of Kevin’s fingers the man's neck snapped.

He thrust his fingers apart and the man's limbs departed their sockets. Kevin stood and bathed in the shower of warm crimson as he breathed heavily and let out one final distorted scream. In a wet slam the man's torso and limbs hit the ground. Liv ran to Kevin as he fell to his knees. Her cold hands held his face as the fire in his eyes began to fade. Her comforting gaze held his vision as he began to slow his breathing.

A dull slow clapping came from behind him as Kevin began to look over his blood soaked hands. “Now that my boy was anything but boring. I can see you listened. This is just the beginning young Kevin” The Strangers' shoes slapped in the shallow pool that had formed. His thin long fingered hand perched upon Kevin's shoulder.

Kevin’s head snapped up. In a second he had pulled The Stranger over him and placed him on his back sending deep red flying into the air. The stranger chuckled as Kevin hung over him with gritted teeth and fire in his eyes. “I knew I picked the right one. Now calm yourself down, hit up the shower and grab a mop.”

The Stranger with no effort pushed Kevin off and stood himself up. With a swift downwards hand movement the dark red sunk into his clothes flew to the ground. He adjusted his suspenders and rolled up his sleeves. “On second thoughts. Just go shower boy. I think me and this man need some time.” he quickly licked his lips as he shooed Kevin away.

Entering the locker room Kevin caught sight of himself in the mirror. Shirtless and bathed in ruby his matted hair dripped to his shoulders. In a sudden moment of reality he vomited into the sink. Bringing his head back up he looked to the mirror once more to see Liv stood directly behind him.

Something about her had changed. Her regular jovial tone was drowned out by the piercing stare she gave him. Along the side of her face her ears had shaped into the edges of a knife joining at the peak. Sprouting from the very top of her forehead two black growths had broken through her skin and began to rise up into her hair.

She pushed Kevin back, her hands feeling rock solid as they hit his chest. The mirror shattered as he crashed into it. She brought herself close to him as she breathed heavily, her eyes crazed still boring holes into Kevin's skull. She dug deep obsidian black claws into Kevin’s chest as she licked the thick crimson from his neck.

The pain burned like hot iron as it radiated through his pectorals. In a swift movement she bit down onto his shoulder, her razor sharp teeth cutting through his flesh. He grabbed her hair and pulled her from him. She fell through him as she tried to claw her way back. Kevin's fresh wounds began to close as she sat on the floor dejected.

Her light sobs echoed in Kevin’s mind as he turned on the rusted old shower.