The cold wind whipped through the city streets, tearing at the flimsy posters plastered on every lamppost and wall. Racing down the sidewalk, a figure stumbled to a halt as one particular flyer caught its eye. A moment of recognition flickered in those brown eyes before the creature shifted back into human form. John Matthews, once more in his own skin, stared at the missing person''s poster bearing his name and face.
"Missing since Halloween night," he read aloud, his voice barely audible over the howling wind. "John Matthews, age 22, last seen leaving the Pub on King." He traced a finger across the photo, the face so familiar yet distant after months spent locked away by Gluttony.
"Hey, buddy, you okay?" A passerby called out, shooting John a concerned glance as he took in the man''s dirty and torn clothes.
"Uh, yeah, I''m fine," John replied, forcing a smile. He waved the concerned stranger off and returned to his memory of that night.
He remembered stumbling out of the pub, the alcohol coursing through his veins and clouding his judgment. His vision had been blurry, but he could still recall the weird sensation coming from the alleyway, beckoning him to venture closer.
"Hello?" John had called out, his voice slurred. "Is someone there?"
His heart raced with a mixture of curiosity and fear as he stepped into the darkness, searching for the figure he thought he had seen behind the dumpster. Suddenly, a cold, clammy hand gripped his leg, yanking him downward with incredible force. Panic surged through him as he struggled to break free.
"Who the hell are you?" he had demanded, breathless and terrified.
The creature said nothing, but tightened its grip.
"Wh-What do you want with me?" John had stammered, his mind racing for a way to escape.
An intense burning sensation filled John''s body, radiating from the creature''s grip.
Back in the present, John rubbed the back of his head, feeling the lingering effects of that awful night. As he stood there, staring at his own face on the poster, he resolved to return to his normal life.
"I know you are gone now, I can feel it," John murmured to himself, the suppressing aura Gluttony had given off had faded weeks ago. He crumpled the flyer in his hand, he was going to get his life right this time with this second chance he was given.
-----
As they continued their search for Ahmed; Zack, Deb, and Rob ventured through the darkened streets towards the charred remains of the house where they had sealed Gluttony only weeks prior. The wind whispered through the skeletal branches overhead, filling the air with their haunting song.
"Ahmed''s aura stops here, he must be close," Zack murmured, his blue eyes scanning the area with concern.
"Would he really go inside?" Deb asked skeptically, her glasses glinting in the pale light. "Could Gluttony get one of his vessels to release him?"
"It''s possible, we aren''t exactly the most knowledgeable people when it comes to the supernatural," Rob replied, shaking his head. "But judging by the creep factor this place is giving me, Gluttony is still trapped in there." His eyes caught a brief reflection of the sin in the window. "Let''s check out the back before we go in there."
As they stepped around the burned-out husk of the house, Rob''s keen eye caught sight of a tripwire lying inconspicuously near the edge of the woods, and he carefully stepped around it. Zack was too distracted by Ahmed''s curious aura to take note of the wire, causing him to unwittingly trip the wire. A snare sprang up, leaving Zack hanging upside down from a tree branch, his blond hair dangling towards the ground.
"Rob!" Zack protested, swinging back and forth. "Get me down from here, man!"
"Ok, Ok, relax I can figure this out," Rob walked around Zack inspecting the line.
Deb tensed as she heard the sound of approaching footsteps. She grabbed Rob''s arm, pulling him into the shadows. Zack, still suspended in the air, held his breath, listening intently.
"What the hell Deb, we need to get him down from there." Rob protested from their hiding spot in the bushes.
"Zack is a vessel with powers, we are just humans. He can take care of himself," she informed him. "Now be quiet so you don''t give our position away."
Jessica, accompanied by two other exorcists, emerged from the darkness, her brown eyes locked onto Zack. "Well, if it isn''t our favorite troublemaker," she sneered. "What brings you out here, Zack? Looking for your friend Ahmed?"
"Not at all, I was just out for a midnight walk and thought I would pay Gluttony a little visit" Zack retorted, struggling to keep his voice steady as he hung awkwardly.
"You think you''re funny," Jessica said, leaning in close, her voice low and menacing, "If Ahmed hurts anyone tonight or any other night, you won''t be able to protect him from us."
Zack''s heart raced in his chest, he had prayed that Gluttony''s curse wouldn''t take effect. He couldn''t let Jessica know how much her words affected him.
"Well he hasn''t broken any of your rules yet," Zack replied coolly. "So why exactly are you out here?"
Jessica glared at him "Just stay out of our way," with one swift motion she cut the wire, sending Zack tumbling to the ground. The exorcists stalked off into the woods to continue their search.
Rob and Deb emerged from their hiding place. Deb helped Zack back to his feet.
"That was too close, I don''t think I should keep looking with you guys," Deb explained "If Jessica had seen me with you, she would have cut you and not the rope." Deb looked genuinely scared for Zack.
"You''re right we should go back," Zack said putting his arm around her. "The aura trail stops here anyway, we will have to try something else to find Ahmed." Rob nodded, feeling defeated and the trio slowly made their way back to campus.
-----
The following morning, John found himself seated in the Dean of Students'' office at the University of Waterloo. Officer Lindsey and Dean Ray questioned him intently about the previous night''s events, where he had reappeared after being missing for over two months.
"John, can you tell us anything about what happened to you?" Officer Lindsey asked, her eyes filled with concern.
"Sorry, but I don''t remember anything," John lied, avoiding their gazes. In truth, memories of Gluttony haunted his thoughts, but he knew mentioning monsters would most likely lead to him being placed in a mental hospital.
"Alright," Dean Ray sighed, clearly disappointed. "If you do recall anything, please let us know."
"Actually," John hesitated, deciding to divulge one crucial detail, "I do remember one thing. There were others locked up with me. I don''t know who they are or where they are now, but they''re out there somewhere." He had no idea what shape the others were in, hopefully they would be found alive and well if the police were out there looking for them.
Lindsey''s expression hardened with determination as she took down John''s statement. She was a compassionate soul, always putting the needs of others first, and the thought of more missing people drove her to action.
"Thank you, John," she said quietly. "I promise you, we''ll do everything in our power to find them."
-----
Across campus, Zack and Rob walked side by side as they attempted to figure out where Ahmed might be. The air was thick with tension, as no one had been able to track Ahmed down from the night before.
"Maybe he''s hiding somewhere on campus," Zack suggested, his eyes scanning their surroundings for any clue that could lead them to their friend.
"Or maybe he went back to Kyle''s house," Rob replied, his brow furrowed in thought. "He could be under some weird spell, maybe the curse was different from the one he said it was, I mean can we really trust a sin?"
As they debated, Boon appeared from around a corner, his green eyes landing on a clearly deshelled woman. He approached her as she was rummaging through the trash.
"Hey, lady!" Boon called out, causing the woman to jump. "You''re making a mess of things here! Why don''t you go somewhere else to find your lunch!"
"Leave her alone, Boon," Zack said sharply. Boon sneered but backed off, leaving the woman to continue her search undisturbed.
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"Better get in there Zack before she takes all the good stuff." Boon taunted before wandering off. Zack shook his head, frustrated, he hadn''t missed Boon for a second over the break.
"I was thinking tonight we split up and search the campus," Rob suggested. "We''ll cover more ground that way."
"Good idea, meet you at the dorms tonight." Zack agreed, and the two friends parted ways as they headed to their classes.
-----
Meanwhile, Boon was grappling with a problem of his own. As he walked through the halls, he felt a sudden wetness on his upper lip and realized that a crimson viscous fluid was leaking from his nose. Panicking, he rushed to the nearest bathroom and attempted to stem the flow with toilet paper, but it only seemed to make matters worse.
"Damn it," he muttered under his breath, his anxiety rising.
Just then someone else entered the bathroom, Ethel appeared outside the stall door. Without warning she knocked and then broke the door from its hinges without waiting for a response.
"Boon, where''s Ahmed?" she demanded, her brown eyes filled with suspicion.
"Why the hell would know where he is," Boon replied quickly, attempting to hide the blood pooling in his hands. "I just got back to campus today, all I know is that Grand River has a massive lawsuit coming their way for this. Now get out, I am kind of in the middle of something here."
Ethel eyed him skeptically, clearly unconvinced. Boon started coughing, swallowing hard to prevent her from seeing the blood.
"Take better care of yourself, Boon," Ethel warned as she turned to leave. "Remember, I''ll be watching you carefully."
"Looking forward to it," Boon managed to choke out between coughs, relief washing over him as the bathroom door closed behind her.
-----
At Abby''s funeral, a chill wind whispered through the cemetery, washing over the mourners gathered around her grave. Deb stood among them, her dark hair whipping across her face as she clutched a bouquet tightly in her hands. She found it hard to shed tears for the woman who almost killed her boyfriend and who burned two families alive.
Suddenly, a commotion near the edge of the gathering caught her attention. A man with short, strawberry-blonde hair and piercing blue eyes strode towards a news photographer, his steps deliberate and aggressive. Deb watched as the man, whom she didn''t recognize, snatched the camera from the startled photographer''s hands and shoved him away.
"I have seen your pathetic excuse for new coverage and you have about fifteen seconds to get out of here before I make you." The intensity of his gaze caused the cameraman to scramble to his feet and race back toward his van. The man turned his attention to the rest of the news crews. "This is a private event, leave or be forcefully removed" As the news crews complied, Deb watched the scene unfold in awe.
"Who is that?" Deb asked, she had never seen a man with such an intimidating presence.
"That''s Pablo," Jessica replied, smirking as Pablo tossed the camera onto the gravel road. "Abby''s ex-husband."
"Ex-husband?" Deb echoed, momentarily taken aback. She hadn''t known that Abby had been married.
"Yep," Jessica said, her eyes remaining locked on the man. "The three of us did our training together."
As Deb processed this information, she spotted Zack and Rob hiding behind a nearby gravestone, their faces pale and anxious. She wasn''t the only one to spot them, Lindsey also noticed the boys doing their best to hide.
"Hey!" Lindsey shouted, rushing over to pair. "What are you doing?"
"Oh. well, you know.." Rob started.
"You have no business being at a serial killer''s funeral," Lindsey snapped, shoving Zack and Rob into the backseat of the car. As they attempted to protest, Lindsey slammed the door shut, drowning out their voices.
Deb watched helplessly as the car pulled away, leaving her alone with Pablo and the exorcists. As she turned to walk back to the group of mourners, she overheard a snippet of conversation from others, blaming Gluttony for her death but clearly, they had no idea what the true story was, the darkness that lived inside Abby.
-----
Meanwhile, Lindsey drove with Rob and Zack, trying to discuss their risky and weird behavior, the patrol car''s tires humming on the road. Rob sat in the back seat, feeling a mix of anger and frustration, while Zack did his best to remain silent amidst the growing tension.
"Look, Lindsey," Rob began, desperate to convince her of his version of the truth. "It is just that we knew her, and she was close to Deb and we wanted to pay our respects."
"Save it," she replied curtly, her eyes fixed on the road. "It goes beyond this, you seem to be turning up every time there is trouble. I don''t know what you are up to but it needs to stop before you get hurt."
Just then, a figure emerged from the woods up ahead, stumbling onto the road. Lindsey slammed on the brakes, and the car screeched to a halt mere inches from the disoriented person.
"Ahmed!" Rob cried out, recognizing him immediately.
In a torn hospital gown and shivering, Ahmed looked at them with wide, pleading eyes. "Please...I need a coat."
Without hesitation, Lindsey leapt from the car and removed her jacket. She rushed over to him, draping it around his shoulders. "Are you okay?" she asked, concern etched on her face. "Where have you been?"
"Thank you," Ahmed whispered, his voice hoarse. "I...I don''t know what happened."
"Let''s get you out of the cold," Lindsey said, helping him into the backseat beside Rob. "I am going to take you right back to the hospital and we will get this whole thing sorted out."
As they resumed their drive to campus, Rob held Ahmed close, relieved to have found him alive. His mind filled with questions about what Ahmed had done or where he had been over the past 48 hours, but for now, just knowing he was safe, was good enough.
-----
With Rob staying at the hospital, Zack returned to their dorm for the night. As he went to settle in for the night, he sensed something, the familiar aura of a vessel close by. He shot out of bed and headed to the door, the only thing he knew was the aura wasn''t Ethel. The aura was weak but he could still follow it into the wood in the park. His heart raced with each step, adrenaline pumping through his veins as he prepared to meet a new vessel for the first time.
A sudden snap of a twig made him freeze. He scanned the shadows, trying to discern any movement or sound that might give away his location. As he crept forward, he noticed a figure caught in a snare, her arms bound and her body dangling from a tree limb.
"Hey!" Zack called out, starting toward the trapped woman. But before he could take another step, a hand clamped down on his shoulder, yanking him back.
"Shut up," Ethel hissed, her grip firm and unyielding. "We''re too late."
"Too late? She needs help!" Zack struggled against Ethel''s hold, desperate to reach the struggling woman.
"Quiet." Ethel''s eyes narrowed, her voice cold and commanding. "The exorcists are already here."
As if summoned by her words, several exorcists emerged from the shadows. One approached the captive vessel, brandishing a blessed crucifix. A flash of recognition struck Zack as he realized the woman was the same homeless person he had seen earlier at the University.
"Please... I''m not a monster," the woman pleaded, her voice trembling with fear. "I haven''t killed anyone. I was held captive for months."
One of the exorcists, a young man with piercing blue eyes and short strawberry-blonde hair, eyed her skeptically. His gaze was calculating and sharp, betraying no sympathy for the woman''s plight.
"Interesting story," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "But it doesn''t change the fact that you''re a vessel. Possibly kicked out of a covenant... or maybe you chose to be alone. Either way, not wise."
"Please, don''t..." the woman''s eyes widened with terror as Pablo unsheathed a cursed sword from its scabbard.
"Sorry, love," Pablo said with a cold smile before swiftly slicing the vessel in half. "No vessel is a good vessel."
"Enough, Pablo," Jessica said, stepping into view. Her brown eyes locked onto Pablo''s, her face etched with disapproval. "We have a code, remember?"
"Abby''s murder changed everything," Pablo replied coldly, cleaning his cursed sword with a rag. "The code is out the window until we find all of Gluttony''s vessels and make them pay."
Zack could only watch in horror, his stomach churning at the gruesome sight. It was the same guy from the funeral earlier, his entire being gave off a cold and dethatched energy.
"Abby''s death has brought her crazy exe to Waterloo" Ethel whispered in his ear, her grip on his shoulder finally loosening. "You need to be careful, he is hunting Gluttony''s vessels and that means you too. This is why most vessels are drawn to form covenants, there is strength in numbers."
As the exorcists vanished back into the shadows, leaving behind only the grisly remnants of their handiwork, Zack realized just how high the stakes had become.
"Go home," Ethel told him. "Go be a normal student and stay out of this, and if you can do that then you will survive." Zack could tell she was worried about him.
"I will," he said as he walked back to the dorms, but he knew that was a lie.
-----
Meanwhile, Boon was hunched over the bathroom sink in his bedroom, coughing up blood. The thick, viscous substance flowed from his nose and mouth, staining the sink and filling him with fear.
"Is this how I die?" he wondered, his green eyes filled with terror as he stared at himself in the mirror. "Why does Zack get the powers and I get this? How is this fair?"
His body convulsed with another fit of coughs. Boon turned on the faucet, desperately trying to wash away the evidence of his condition.
"I am the one who should have gotten that power" Boon whispered, choking back a sob. "Zack doesn''t even know what to do with it." In his rage he brought his fist down hard, causing the sink to crack ever so slightly, but he was too caught up in self-pity to notice.
-----
John''s footsteps echoed on the rain-slicked streets, the dark sky above offering no comfort as he walked home. He couldn''t shake the feeling that someone – or something – was watching him.
"Get a grip," he muttered under his breath, his brown eyes flicking from shadow to shadow as he walked. "You''re just being paranoid."
But as he rounded a corner, a gust of wind sent chills down his spine and stirred the hairs on the back of his neck. Instinctively, he turned around, only to find a woman standing there, her long black hair caught in the breeze and her thin frame shrouded in an oversized coat.
"Who are you?" John gasped, his shock quickly turning to annoyance. "What do you want?"
"The name is Ethel. And your greeting could use some work," she smirked, her brown eyes gleaming with secrets. "Or is this how you address everyone who wants to help you?"
"You seem more like a stalker than someone who wants to help," John shot back, folding his arms defensively as he glared at her. "Why are you following me?"
"Fine, no need for pleasantries, I guess." Ethel sighed, rolling her eyes. "We need to talk. I know what you are, I know you are a...."
"a monster?" John spat, his anger flaring like a match. "Yeah, sorry if I''m not in the mood for chit-chat."
"But you feel it don''t you?" Ethel asked, her voice showing concern. "You feel that darkness growing in you, that voice telling you to hurt others, to do terrible things to them."
"Dammit!" John snapped, clenching his fists. "I didn''t ask for any of this! I''m trying to figure out how to live with it, I just want to finish school and move on with my life."
"I understand," Ethel said softly. "You don''t have to go through this alone, John. You can trust me." She allowed her eyes to shift to their brilliant green color.
"You''re like me?" John asked, his voice thick with doubt. "You weren''t in that basement with us, how many more of us are there?"
"More than you know," Ethel replied, her voice firm. "I was born a vessel, I have lived with my powers my whole life and have found the secrets to controlling them. I can teach you so you get that normal life you want."
"You would teach me how to control my powers?" John asked, his anger slowly fading as he looked into Ethel''s eyes. "Why? what do you get out of this?"
"We both get protection out of this, there are people out there who hunt people like us," she explained, offering him her hand. "If we stick together then we survive." John thought about it for a moment before shaking her hand.
As they walked side by side, John couldn''t help but wonder if he was making the right choice. Could he really trust this stranger he had just met, why did he feel almost compelled to follow her? One thing was certain: he was no longer alone in his struggle. And maybe, just maybe, he would get to live a normal life after all.