1 Chapter 001

I enjoy haunted place, faces and things. They remind me I'm alive, remind me to breathe again. You're never alone in a haunted place there's always someone, something glad to have you with them.

I can hear the sound of the water drip down the sides of the walls , smell the rot and decay of the building. As I walk up the stone steps of the abandoned apartment complex I feel the coldness of the wind flutter across my face. The loneliness and neglect of the building is almost tangible as I wander down the halls looking for the lost soul trapped here. It's been almost a year since the incident that caused the building to be shut down and abandoned. I fear that I may be too late and that the lost soul has become a Hollow already. I check my phone again for the text message from Zephyr. Hey Asterie ,it reads. You may need to take care of this one. Under the text message there's a link to a news article. The headline reads: Family Sacrificed In Demonic Ritual. "Stupid Zephyr" I mutter "I know I have to deal with this one on my own but he could at least come with me." As I reach the fourth floor the smell of rot and stale air hits me. "Finally found you" I mutter. "You can come out. I know you're there." A thump and dragging sound can be heard from down the hall. "Fuck me" I mutter "It's already a Hollow." A loud crash sounds as a door is smashed to splinters five doors down from me. A tall thin figure with long arms dragging on the ground emerges from the shadows of the room. I can barely make it out in the darkness of the hallway. The hollow turns toward me and I make eye contact with its large, purple, glowing eyes. I can feel the almost suffocating despair and loneliness rolling off of it in waves. The stench of rot is strong it burns as I inhale. It groans out something inaudible. "Repeat that please" I tell it. "Where are they?"it groans " Where are you keeping them?"

"Where are who? I need you to be more specific." I say. "Where's my family?" It groans louder. "They're gone. You're family is gone." I tell it. It stands there as it processes what I said and slowly I can feel the loneliness and despair turn to anger and blind rage. "Of course this wouldn't be easy" I sigh. I'm going to have to erase this soul. I know I'm going to have to so it doesn't hurt anyone. All I feel is sadness and pity because no one deserves to be erased but it's already beyond saving. I unfurl my wings and summon my bow. My bow is long and curved very elegant looking. Just like my wings and hair, my bow is pitch black in color with the constellations shining across it.

"I'm sorry you don't deserve this" I tell him as I shoot an arrow into its heart. The Hollows body slowly starts to turn light blue, breaks into pieces and slowly fades away. I watch as this soul slowly fades from existence forever. "If only I had gotten here sooner I could have helped you" I whisper into the empty space. The stench of rot and stale air slowly fades away indicating that there was only one Hollow letting me know my job is done. I continue to the top of the apartment complex before I pull out my phone and Zephyr to let him know that the job is done. Then I prepare for the hour long flight back home. "Good thing I work in the evening since it's already four in the morning." I mutter to myself. When I finally get home I don't even bother to shower, I just strip off my boots and jacket before crashing on the couch at five in the morning.