Next morning.
I was at the agreed location.
The cafe mentioned wasn't out family cafe.
It was the place where me and Toby often used to discuss important things when our family just settled and just before I left my job .
I looked around and realised I was alone. We didn't discuss any specific time because there was no need to. He knew what time I preferred, and he was late.
That fucking bastard.
Instead of waiting outside , I decided to go in.
The supposed cafe , this old manor , now a hollow of its previous self.
It stood silent and desolate, its grandeur long faded into decay. Sunlight streamed through grimy, cobweb-laced windows, casting weak, flickering beams across the room.
The wooden floorboards, once polished to a gleam, were now scuffed and splintered. The silence of the manor periodically interrupted by the soft, ominous whispers of the floorboards beneath the weight of every footfall.
Each step upon them made a series of groans and creaks, somehow in sync with my own heartbeat.
I have been here before in the shadow of the old manor but tonight it all felt different. Too quiet.
There was a garden just outside the manor. It felt serene as compared to here so I decided to go and rest there.
---
I was sitting under shade of a tree when there was sound of slow and steady footsteps nearing. And soon a presence came just behind it .
Toby approached with his usual easy demeanour. His signature smile plastered on his face.
"You look like you've seen a ghost " he remarked, but his eyes carried the weight of the heavy atmosphere.
" I saw something worse just days before. Ghosts don't compare " I
" Anyways " I continued. " How you doing? "
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He sat down beside me. His back touching the trunk of the tree. He looked above , towards the clouds and spoke
" You know, the usual. Cases have started to increase so I have been quite busy lately. Other that that , I am more than fine "
his voice affirmed. It indeed felt heavy.
I glanced at him.
His eyes were tired , and those dark circles of exhaustion, betray the long nights and relentless pressure he's faced.
He was wearing a casual suit, a staple in his wardrobe, though looks slightly disheveled today, as if it's been his armor against the chaos of his demanding life.
His red hair, usually well maintained, now barely contained by the cap he wears .
It was clear that exhaustion has kept a part of his with itself.
" hunnnnhh "
Taking a deep breath, I readied myself to remember tragedy of that day again.
My hands clenched into fists. I sat up, facing him directly.
"Lily is dead," I said firmly.
The statment caught him off guard. His expression was a jumbled mess of emotions . I couldn't quite discern but shock being the most evident.
"Wha—"
Before he could finish, I cut him off with a gesture.
"She was killed in broad daylight, right in front of me. I was there, and yet I was powerless." My voice quivered with regret and rage.
People talk about the five stages of grief:
denial,
anger,
bargaining,
depression,
acceptance.
In reality, grief doesn't unfold in a neat, orderly progression.
It ebbs and flows unpredictably.
Denial wasn't much of a factor for me. After that, I cycled through depression and acceptance, only to find myself back in the grip of anger.
He tried to open his mouth several times , only to close it again. In the end only one word followed ,
" How? " His voice low and soft.
" She tried to took her life . And then I killed her "
A stunned silence fell between us, his breath catching in their throat, eyes widen as if grasping for words that refused to come.
My mind ventured in memories of that day and what actually conspired.
Before I spoke further , I had to manage my thoughts properly.
---
" Your past has come to haunt you . Sirius "
To say I was baffled would be an understatement. My mind struggling to keep up.
Past?
Does he mean my previous profession?
Is it about revenge?
I observed him thoroughly.
His body language was dissenting the revenge thought.
What is it then?
I had no time to think further.
Even though that creature wasn't moving , darkness was. And at an alarming rate now.
I looked down and my eyes widened in horror. The hands were upto my calves now.
"Ukh!!"
Before I knew it, over a dozen hands were gripping lower part of my legs , pulling me back.
"Ahhh...!"
I could only groan as they tried to pull me down .
I gritted my teeth and embraced the pain. It was time for action. I threw reluctance and shock at the back of my mind now.
" huunnhh... "
Taking deep breath, I felt my chest expand as I drew in the cold, stale air.
My muscles tensed involuntarily, a rigid tightness seizing my limbs as if they were being being constricted by weave weights.
I could feel the adrenaline run through my veins, heightening every sensation, sharpening my senses to a razor's edge.
My mind was a storm of clarity and purpose, cutting through the fog of anxiety with a fierce, unwavering conviction.
I called out to my inner void . I could feel the power surging through. I welcomed the sensation with open arms. It's been a long time since I last felt this.
My one hand was carrying the unconscious Sylv , so I had only one hand left.
A flicker of pitch black heat ignited in my palm, its flames swirling into a glowing flow that pulsed with a fierce, molten rage.
The fire danced and crackled at the tip of my hand .
* sizzle * * sizzle *
At the same moment, I tensed my calves and leaped upward. The fire roared in response, unfurling like a curtain and enveloping my legs all the way to the tips of my toes.
The blackened flames blazed with extraordinary intensity and hunger.
*roar *
*crackle * * crackle*
The air was filled with the crackling and sizzling sounds, the harsh symphony of flesh searing and burning.
I was no longer just bracing for a fight; I was channeling every ounce of my being to protect us , to protect Sylv.