Chapter 1: Job

Bathed under the golden rays of sunset, this city bordering the great expanse of the Pacific Ocean could only be described as a prominent jewel. Of course, this was America, the land of the rich, prosperous, one of the most developed countries on this planet. So naturally, the waterfront city reflected a glimmer of the pride and splendor of its nation.

The glass-stained windows of skyscrapers became mirrors of the golden sun, capturing its jewel-like essence. Of course, the sunset itself was beautiful as night approached and the sky was painted violet, gold, and crimson across the infinite blue canvas. Likewise, the blue ocean waters could only be described as a crevasse of glittering jewels plaited across the horizon. In anyone’s eyes, this would have been a scene worthy of captured by camera, immortalized forever as if time stood still.

However, such images of beauty were not on the mind of the figure standing underneath her black umbrella. Holding it firmly with her thin and slender fingers, the girl that looked to be in her late teens took a deep sigh. It was hot, and discomforting.

”Say, miss, want something to drink, you look parched.” A nearby street vendor took notice of the young lady, holding a plastic water bottle covered in residue of water with his rough and dry hand.

The girl slowly turned around to meet the gaze of the speaker. Hoping for a possible final sale, the street vendor couldn’t help but marvel at his last customer. Emerald irises almost as bright as the blazing glory of the setting sun, light skin tone smooth without a trace of the weather of experience, and a flock of long midnight-black hair tied together with a snowy ribbon. Hidden partially amidst her long bangs, as if purely decorative, the girl wore a diadem of glistening silver. Despite the plainness of her summer dress and long skirt, the girl was definitely a customer he had never encountered before. The vendor scratched his head for a moment, flipping through various compartments of his memory searching for a celebrity to fit the image, but before he could recall the latest pictures caught by paparazzi, the girl was already standing in front of his stand.

”Yes, please. How much will it be?” The girl was indeed beautiful from up-close. Something tugged at the vendor’s heartstrings, telling him that it’s been a long day, and although she was reposed, signs of fatigue and enduring thirst still showed visibly on her fine visage.

”Hmm, you know what? It’s on me. Here you go miss.” Handing her the bottle of water, the vendor brushed off a trace of sweat from his brow with the other hand. It was time to turn in for the approaching night. After the purchase, the vendor cracked a grin and departed from the street intersection, pulling his cart with renewed strength.

Bowing politely to the vendor as she said her thanks softly, the girl steadied the umbrella with her neck while twisting the cap open with no effort. Taking a long quaff of the cold water as it dripped down past her tongue and down her throat, the girl sighed, but this time with a small smile. Of course, she knew it wouldn’t last.

Thirst, like hunger, was not something that could be taken away. It would only come back like a ghost, taunting at the living, reminding them that it too, required fulfillment. At least, the girl understood this. However, seconds after her first drink, the girl was once again thirsty. Irritated at this relapse, she walked quickly toward the nearest shade in front of a store. Taking a small sip, then another sip, and soon enough, forgetting her etiquette, the girl continued to gulp down large mouthfuls of water from the bottle. A few passerbies stared at her uncharacteristic actions, but quickly walked away, returning to their daily selective routine.

Finally, the bottle of water was empty. Sighing as she had before, the girl tossed it down a recycling bin nearby. Her thirst had returned, and it was no better than before.

”I hope the sun sets soon.” Showing concern for the first time, the girl took a brave glance at the sun as it fell behind several tall skyscrapers. Yes, night was approaching, and the wind had picked up. Looked like the approach of a cold night, the girl thought. It was always the same though, as summer gave way to autumn, and only at times like this did the girl contemplated long enough to catch a growing voice.

”… No suspects were found. However, eyewitnesses report hearing strange animal noises shortly before the body remains were discovered. Further investigation…” The TV inside the store managed to make enough noise for the girl to hear.

”Tsk, what are the police doing? It’s the second one this week.” the voice of the store owner drowned out all the other sounds as he commented on the TV news report.

”What can we do about it? Second this week and today’s only Tuesday. Adding this up with the four cases from last week… I tell ya, it’s a serial murderer. I don’t care if them dumb eyewitnesses claim they hear animal sounds, only a cruel human being would be capable of such selective killings.” Voice of who seem to be the store owner’s regular customer voiced his own opinion as their idle chatter continued. Although the girl was already bored, she continued to eavesdrop on the conversation, standing silently against the cold winds. Night was rapidly approaching, and it shall be her time soon.

”Ah, like hell you know! Just ‘cause a few families were massacred doesn’t mean shit. Pattern or not, it’s not like we can do shit about it. Just live, and hope that your wife and kids, including you, aren’t the next ones. Anyway, you buying that?” The store owner said after a deep breath. The girl understood that the conversation was over, so she moved away from the two voices and quickly toward the other side of the street. At the same time, one clear thought stood out in her mind: she was no longer thirsty.

Walking faster by the second and taking note of the increase in traffic as more and more cars zoomed by, the girl understood that danger heightened as crowds increased. Folding her umbrella up, no longer troubled by sunlight, the girl tried to keep her skirt from being blown up by the increasing gusts of wind. Couldn’t be helped, she thought. After another five minutes of brisk walking, ignoring stares from pedestrians, taking absolutely no concern that it was precisely her attire and looks that drew such clear attention to her, the girl darted with remarkable speed through a thick overflow of crowds surging upwards from the subway.

It was time, she thought. Yes, while most everyone else was done with work and on their way back home to their family and whatnot, she had only begun in what she did. Making a light smile knowing that she had reached her destination, she stopped in front of a deserted alley hidden behind Bank of America. The girl placed her umbrella down and placed it on top of the nearby dumpster lid, and slowly removed the snowy hair ribbon that tied her long hair together. Now free, the girl’s long midnight-black hair fell resting across her straight and small back, nearly waist-length.

As the sky grew darker, and the last trace of the dying sun disappeared, street lamps lit up, illuminating the sidewalk which she stood on, and cast long shadows into the darkened alley. Pedestrians passed by, some wondering why a girl like her was walking slowly into the empty alleyway, while others simply marveled at how much her attractiveness stood out, despite her plain attire.

As for her, she paid no attention. Gusts of wind blew past, making several walking pedestrians shiver and quake as they hugged to their clothing. However, the girl did not waver, and as her long straight hair - they became enchanted and danced with the winds. Taking a slow breath, she walked into the darkness with arms resting on the side, as if reaching for something.

Like stepping into another world, the dark lifeless alleyway felt like an abyss testing the limits of the human psyche – the unknown darkness and the fears it could bring. Sound of the lively streets disappeared in an instant, replaced by the dead silence within the alleyway. However, the girl was indifferent. Her emerald eyes pierced through the darkness searching for her target, and unlike how she fared when the sun was still out, she was neither sweaty, thirsty, nor felt the burning sensation of the dying sunlight. In short, she was perfectly comfortable and composed.

Wrapping the hair ribbon around her left hand, the girl walked silently around fallen obstructions, avoiding trash and skipping over junk in the absolute darkness like an elegant dancer. Before long, the atmosphere around her had taken a further change. Whether temperature or pressure, this dense air was no longer suited for the word ‘normal’.

”I. Found. You.” The girl breathed, her tone barely changing as she directed the voice toward the distance.

Strangely, where there was void of any light before, the thick blankets of pure darkness in the sky suddenly split apart, revealing the soft luminescence of the crescent moon. Following that something within the darkness stirred. Sound finally returned to the dark alley as well, and distinct series of crunching and swallowing sounds could be heard. Two pairs… no, three pairs of crimson orbs appeared from within the darkness. They quivered, some blinked, and realizing there was a small figure standing before them, the orbs moved, revealing the much larger shadows that were the owners of the orbs.

Around the size of full-grown lions, the three shadows split apart, their burning orbs looking only at the lone target. However, despite the crushing and dry air, despite the overwhelming scent of flesh, the girl stood unwavering against these terrors of the night.

”I apologize for interrupting your lovely meal, but once you succumb to greed… well, let’s just say gluttony is a sin.” The girl’s soft voice was as clear as bells as it echoed into the alley to the three shadows, which were all approaching at a steady pace. They responded with inhuman growls and roars that barely resembled any living creatures. Detecting the creatures’ tone, the girl gave a small sigh and smiled as her eyes closed.

”Lousy customers, at least remember to pay the bill.” The girl said, brushing past her long dark hair.

Perhaps the creatures saw this as an obvious opening. All three of them came out of the shadows, and under the moonlight, the only word for them was one of pure nightmare. As if expecting this, the girl opened her eyes the moment the three monstrosities converged upon her, a glint of steel reflecting silvery light against her cold emerald eyes.

A howl unlike anything on this world tore through the night. In response, pedestrians accustomed to nightlife became stupefied creatures caught in confusion and panic. Dogs within the neighborhood barked and howled to the moon, as if recognizing the existence and end of life. No one noticed two shadows darting up walls and broken ladders, jumping crazy distances across the roof of buildings until they disappeared into the night.

Back in the alley, the girl shook the last drop of blood off her weapon. It was a blade, yet more like a cleaver or machete than a long sword. Curved with grooves and sharp indention evenly placed like a set of teeth, the sword glowed a hue of blue under the soft moonlight. It was only one and a half foot long blade-length, and its thickness resembled that of a thin wedge, but somehow extremely fitting to the thin hands of its owner. With a tiny wave of her hand, the sword disappeared as if it never existed in the first place.

Looking at the disconnected body of the nightmarish creature that attacked her, the girl reflected back with disinterest. It was dead alright, the contents of its stomach laid bare for her to see. One of them, a half-digested head, from which traces of dissolving hair and fragments of skin were tell-tale signs of the unfortunate victim. Her preys were probably responsible for the massacres of random families. From the thickness of scent of smell and the grotesque sight of the feasting ground, it looked like they were almost done with their meal, hopefully the final ones.

”One executed, remaining two suffered minor to critical wounds. Tsk, I let them escaped… however, seems like they are still hungry… no, I must not let that happen.” The girl said lightly to herself, staring at the residues of blood splattered all over the place.

The corpse of the creature she had slain was deteriorating into black dusts as its existence was slowly denied from this plane of reality. Tomorrow when people find this place, all they will see would be the rotting remains and pools of blood. But that’s fine, the girl thought. Sometimes it was just more convenient for mortals to concern with only their individual lives.

Staring at the trails of blood left behind by the remaining query, the girl leaped into the night in pursuit, her midnight hair resembling flying slivers of light as she danced across the rooftops, hoping she could capture the rest of her preys.

…


David leaned back against the chair. Why was there nothing better on television? Well, he thought, at least there’s CSI. His brother, younger by thirteen years, sat on the bed next to him. David wondered if his brother actually understood the scene before them, but got tired of that thought and returned his focus back to the show.

As a college student soon to enter his senior year, David was only spending the remaining week of his summer with his parents and little brother, since his campus resided close to the southern region of the same state, California. Yawning a bit as CSI went to commercial break; David took a quick look at the bedroom he was in. Here was where his mom and little brother spent the nights away watching TV and sleeping. Now that he was home, David was also asked to share the bed with his little brother, since the only other place he could sleep on was the sofa.

Of course, David didn’t mind, and found that the relatively uneventful end to the summer was better than he had hoped for. Being a person raised under the discipline of his Chinese parents, David’s values reside only on honor, dignity, respect, obedience, and a willingness to give. In other words, he was a college student that asked for virtually nothing and quietly followed his parents’ desire for him becoming a doctor. What other way to fulfill his desire to help others than to aim for a medical degree?

Then again, due to the sufficient lacking in top-notched grades, and the fact that many influential media sources and games had kept him distracted besides studying, David always wondered if he could make it successfully. Shutting these thoughts from his mind, David returned his gaze from this fairly old room to the TV set in front of him, taking a small moment to brush the hair of his little brother.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen just a few meters past the walls from where David and his brother watched TV, David’s mom was cooking in the kitchen, and his step-father was taking a small break after his last customer had departed. Being a barber, standing all day was quite exhausting, especially for a man already in his mid-fifties.

”Would you like some fish?” David’s mom said to him, her hand still grasping the large pan, in it the tender meat of catfish could be seen, with the aroma of the cooked fish rising fast into the ceiling and cover the entire room in only a few minutes.

”Yes, just a small bowl will do.” With that said, the tall man grunted as he stood up. He’s been working all day long, so his legs were failing him, but that was always the case, because of his prolonged condition due to irregular bone growth and overtaxing of muscles and tendons.

His destination was relatively close, for the living room with the giant flat screen TV was right there. Reaching the chair, he settled down, waiting patiently for his meal as the screen flared on. Meanwhile, David’s mom continued to hum one of the ancient tunes created by artists that lost their name like the sands of time. In just a few more minutes the fish would be done, and she would call her sons out. During these moments called dinner, she would be able to chat with her introverted eldest son some more, while continuing her daily battle with her younger son, both as a parent and as a teacher.


In this old Victorian house, the quiet family prepared for another regular, unchanging night. David liked it this way, peaceful, boring, but still memorable moments of his life in which he still felt like a kid wrapped in the comfort of his family. In another perspective, it also helped him ease off the fact that a serial murderer rampaged through the darkness out there, slaughtering other families in cold blood in the most gruesome manner.

David felt sorry and sadness for these victims, because he could already imagine that they too, were finishing their days like normal people: a warm meal, family discussion, siblings playing with each other, bathing in family love. Then they were no more. Feeling a small shiver down his spine, David shrugged and continued to watch the TV. Even though the fear was in him, and probably on the mind of his mom and dad, David just couldn’t let his fear take control of him and return to campus. Perhaps that’s why his parents were so relieved to see him return, despite their constant admonishment of his laid-back attitude when there’s no school.

Just as he was getting the lull, and peace was finally returning to him, a loud crash, and either the sound of breaking glass or just something breaking reached his ear as the entire house seemed to shake. The sound seemed to originate from the kitchen, but since it was already dark outside, David could see nothing. Like a hammer shattering the last remnants of his inner sanctum, the sound motivated David to bolt to the door and shut it before his little brother could reach it.

”No, Clay, you’re staying here, got it-“ Before he could finish his sentence however, David heard the most unspeakable and terrible sounds.

The sounds of his mom’s scream, then followed by his dad’s all came within a second. He’s never heard of a real human scream before, and to hear his dad, who was fearless in his own right, scream at the top of his lungs, was more terrifying as it drove the nail of fear right through David’s heart. Inhuman growls and roars followed by his parents’ screams increased, however, it didn’t take long for his parents’ voices to be drowned by the animalistic growls and the new sound of water splashing, crunching and grinding noises outside the bedroom and the kitchen.

Panicking, David turned off the TV, the lights, and hoped to god that whatever was out there won’t notice him or his little brother who were still inside the room.

”No, Clay, don’t cry. Stop, shhh, be quiet damn you!” David gritted through his teeth. His little brother must have detected the severity of the situation, and only managed to stifle his voice, but continued to cry silent tears.

David wanted to cry too, but the gap within his mind had already reached its limit. Curiosity, fear for himself and his parents, and his desire to protect himself and his little brother were the only last remnants of his sanity. Straining his ears, he could no longer hear any screams, but the grinding and crunching sound was still there, intertwined with his worst fears to form an impossible nightmare.

”No… I must… find out…” David had given up hope of his parents still alive, but he felt like if he didn’t step out, he would never be able to go on his life, or whatever remained of it.

Bringing his little brother to the soft bed, David told him with the most serious glare to stay there and do nothing. Thankfully, his brother understood him. Opening the door very carefully, David crept out into the darkness. The first thing he saw was the giant plasma TV, the screen half doused in something dark red… like a bucket of paint had splashed across it.

His heart beat faster. Taking another step was costing David every last bit of his willpower. His heart beat increased, and as he looked at the crimson chunks of meat left on the wooden floor, soaked in a giant pool of crimson blood and bits and pieces of bones, David had already known the fate of his dead parents. No… they were beyond dead…

David’s feet began to shake, his vision became hazy, and the scent of flesh and blood intruded his senses. Sweat covered the palms of his hands, and David felt a great urge to vomit. However, he continued to still himself. Unknown where this kind of willpower came from, all he could do was walking on, his eyes away from the remains of his step-father.

Nothing prepared him for what was in the kitchen. His mom, the one person he knew that cared the most about his future and his life, the teacher and parent that changed his life, the one he would never imagine anything bad happening to, was in front of him, dangled in a black beast’s mouth. At least, her head, the only recognizable part of her, could be seen. Her hair tangled itself against the beast’s giant gaping mouth, blood oozing and trailing down her lifeless eyes and face. Her last moments could be described as only agony, fear, and lamenting.

More sounds of chewing came from behind the first beast, as what looked like the remnants of David’s mom’s dress were scattered and bathed in crimson dye, and her organs were scattered carelessly about as the second beast continued to feast. An explosion of crimson filled David’s world. Red here, red there, on the shelves, on the stoves, on the broken table, and if he looked hard enough, he could see the tipped-over pan, the heated catfish quickly absorbing the crimson, syrup-like liquid.

David’s heart stopped. His mind stopped. Everything real to him stopped. Trying to deal with this situation had cost him almost every last bit of his sanity. However, it was not over, because David finally realized his own situation as the beast that dangled his mother’s head took notice of him, one of the last surviving members of the family. The crimson orbs of the beasts branded their existence into David’s minds, and the last straw that triggered it all was when the beast flipped its angular, cat-like snout and gobbled up the last bit of his mother.

In an instant, David’s legs moved on his own will. He tore through the living room, barely avoiding his father’s blood, and slammed shut the door of the bedroom - his and his little brother’s last sanctuary. Less than a second passed as he feel a giant force slamming through the door, almost knocking David back onto the ground and almost cracking the door open. Quickly recovering himself, his heart beating furiously, David pushed as many furniture to the door as possible with his limited strength. It was the only thing he could do, as his brain had repressed everything in an effort to keep him still borderline sane.


It was no use. He could hear the battering increase, and soon the sound of wood breaking. However, the worst was yet to come, as despite the darkness, the windows of the bedroom shook, bits of it falling down. One was coming through the door, and the other through the window. As soon as David realized this, he dove into the bed, covering his little brother below him with all of his might. His protective instincts had overridden his fear.

God, David prayed, life’s fricking unfair. Soon, he could already imagine the jaws of death clamping its razor sharp teeth on his neck. Still, David prayed to God, that even if nothing could be done in this case, that the truth was laid bare and raw, that he shall die here, tonight, eaten, if his little brother could live through it and continue on, he would at least feel like he’d done something worthwhile.

That moment never came, however. A second loud crash came from outside in the backyard, and suddenly, the heads of the nightmarish beasts had disappeared from both the crumpling door and the shattered window. More loud crashes ensued, several from the kitchen, but quickly all the noise traveled to the outside. Finally, David let go of his crying little brother.

Somehow realizing that the bedroom was no longer broken into, David crawled off the bed. Immediately, sounds of impossible situations caught his attention from the outside. Sounds of the black beasts were outside, alright, but there was also another sound. Flashes of crimson unlike the demonic orbs of the beasts carved through the darkness like out of a frenzied dance. Animalistic screams turned into wails, as whatever was out there was deftly dealing with them. Then, before David’s eyes could even follow, the fence and stairs that connected the first and second floor of his home shattered as a big dark mass collided into it. Seconds later, the black mass erupted in what sounded like a water fountain. Before he could even register that while standing facing the window stunned, a giant spark of white and crimson light flashed through his vision. The next moment David was catapulted backwards as something huge and heavy hit him hard in the midriff. All he could feel next second was his back impacting hard against the furniture and splinters of the wall.

A few moments later, the girl with midnight hair and emerald eyes dove in through the window. She took a few glances at the child in the bed, covered in dust and splinters, before her eyes locked onto the intended target. Grasping hold of the last remaining prey by its scale-ridden neck, she lifted it with her free left hand in one motion. Not even taking notice of David who was beneath the black beast’s torso, who was still conscious despite the stunning pain, the girl tightened her grip on the black beast’s neck until the sound of crushed bones could be heard. In a swift crimson strike, the girl sliced apart the monster’s body just below the neck she held. Watching without emotion as the dead beast’s blood scattered everywhere, the girl lifted the two segments of the carcass and tossed them one by one out into the backyard. The organization should be here shortly, well, at least her job was done.

”E-… excuse me...” A stricken but still human voice reached the girl’s ears. Looking down, she finally took notice of David, his glasses, hair, down to his torso covered in the demon’s blood.

”I see, guess I was not that late. I apologize… for... everything, but it can’t be helped. Just be thankful that you and your sibling are still alive, and wait where you are. There should be people coming shortly to deal with the… aftermath.” The girl pulled David up from the pile of blood, book, dust, and splinters, just as effortlessly.

”I… uh… what do you… mean?” As David attempted to communicate, the girl only felt sympathy for him. He’s lost most of his family due to her failure to apprehend all three of the demonic creatures. Perhaps I should be a bit more helpful this time.

”Don’t worry about it anymore. What you should do now is to rest with your sibling. To put it bluntly, the cleanup crew should be here shortly to help you deal with your loss.” The girl felt she had said all she could, so she picked up the lamp post from the ground and flicked it on.

As light returned, David, to his surprise and the girl’s, found his hand clutching at the end of the girl’s sleeves.

”Please… tell me… who are you… and… what… is all this…? David forced his croaked and dried voice to continue. He was paralyzed, his mind lost in darkness, so this was all that he could do.

The girl, now covered in blood from her shoulders to her skirt, wondered just why a person would keep bothering her after he was saved. Usually, if this were the case, they would be more concerned about themselves than offering her anything. Well, a change wasn’t so bad, she concluded.

”Although I would normally leave it to the organization to fill you in, I suppose I’ll make an exception tonight. My name is Veronica, and as for all this… to put it simply, it is my job.” The girl explained to David, smiling for the first time without any reason.

--

Author’s comments: Yes, this is indeed my second story. I apologize to you all who had been reading my first one, as I am currently facing a rather large writer’s block on it, so I thought, why not try a new approach, this would at least ease the troubles in my mind. Besides, I’ve been busy as of late, biochem is not exactly an easy course lol. Anyway, now that I’ve made this story, it DOES NOT mean that I have abandoned my previous one. I shall be working on both, hopefully the update of the previous one will speed up as of this. After all, summer is only so short, heh. For now, enjoy my first attempt at third person, and make sure you understand the change in genre this story is in, review and criticisms greatly appreciated