That Was Then, this is Now

I woke up feeling sluggish, knuckling the sleep from my eyes. It'd been a while since I've dreamt of that time, still hurts irrationally every time. I need to let go of the past one of these damn days. I shouldn't even... hah.

Getting up from bed, I stood in front of my mirror taking a good look at myself. I was tall for my age of 12, taller than most should be. I'd been mistaken for being 14 years old a few times so that was something, I guess. 

Putting that thought away I looked at the dark 'tattoo' marks that covered my body in thick lines that then faded into thinner ones. They wrapped around me like a second skin. My Arcane Mark. I first saw what they looked like when I could crawl around and found myself at a mirror.

It was definitely unsettling at first, I mean who wouldn't be a little freaked out that their body was completely marked by magic in the form of tattoos. Better or worse yet, tattoos that took on different shapes seemingly whenever I performed any type of magic. Still haven't really figured out if they give me any type of boost or advantage. 

"Cain! Foods ready!" The yell came from outside my door. I am hungry, grabbing a long-sleeved shirt, and pants I put on, I headed out of my room and to the cafeteria. Ah, the smell of cheap burnt ass food, how I hate you.

"Thanks for saving me a spot Liv," I said, grateful that I didn't have to wait at the back of the line with the rest of the kids. Liv was cool like that. "What's on the menu today?" I asked. 

"Same stuff as always Cain." She replied, bummer. And I thought praying to the big G would fix the shit food the church had. That's five minutes of my life I ain't ever gonna get back. Ah well. Getting my meal from the lunch lady I went outside into the courtyard and found a nice quiet place to sit and eat.

Pulling out my phone, I pulled up a video on YouTube and ate. Of course, as fate would have it, I'd been interrupted. Looking up from my phone I saw Liv standing there with an eyebrow raised. What do you want woman? 

"I thought you were going to wait for me," she said. Right, I think I remember saying something like that, well time to bite that proverbial bullet I suppose.

"Shit, my bad. I just wanted to get a quiet place to myself for a few minutes before everyone else cane out." I responded, wanting to end this conversation. Was it a bit mean and childish of me, yes, but I was a child so could I really be held accountable?

She sighed in annoyance, "It's fine I guess, but don't think I've forgotten what you promised me, okay." She reminded me, for the... however many times now, I lost track about a week ago. The 'promise' in question was her finding out I could perform magic and me being stupid enough that I didn't think to lock the door to my room. 

So, she did what all kids who are 12 would do when they saw honest to God magic. She squealed my eardrums to near death, making herself an enemy out of everyone on my floor in the church. They did not enjoy that, at all. 

"I remember, it's not like you've reminded me every hour for the past week." It was starting to get tiring.

I finished up my lunch and we went to a secluded spot in the church, if any of the priests or nuns saw what I was going to do they'd probably call an exorcist or worse, Constantine. Keep me the fuck away from that shit storm. 

"Alright, so what do you want to see first Liv?" If she asks for some of the more dangerous stuff, I'll have to bullshit my way through that particular fork in the road. "Fireworks?" I asked. 

Her eyes sparkled, "Can you do that?!" she squeaked, "Show me, show me!" God, this is draining. But fine. The power in my spine hummed to life, my Mark did so too. Imagining a myriad of colors exploding and popping, they burst into existence with a crack.

Ah, never gets old when I do that. I made constructs, little ponies for her. She chased them around for ages, the smile on her face was damn near blinding and I found one gracing my face before I knew it. 

My magic fizzled out slowly as she stopped chasing the firework constructs around the room, starry eyed and out of breath she fell on the ground. "Liv! You good?" I asked worriedly, she was pale, more than what was normal. 

I put a hand to her forehead, shit, she was burning up. Grabbing her up off the ground I rushed her to the medical ward, I yelled for helped. Sister Augustine was there to help, so I put Liv on one of the many beds that filled the ward.

"Cain, what happened?" she asked firmly but kindly. I-I-I... I took a deep calming breath; it was a lot harder than I thought, the tremors in hands kept shaking. Shit, stop FUCKING SHAKING! 

"Phew... s-she collapsed, she was running around and she just... collapsed. I-I didn't know what to do so I brought her here. Sister, is she going to be, okay?" I asked, a little calmer now compared to my previous outburst. 

She frowned slightly, contemplating her words before giving them to a 12-year-old. Her words were numb to my ears, like the feeling of being underwater and hearing something. She was muffled but I still understood her and nodded my head. 

I moved out of the ward; well, pushed out seems more appropriate. I trudged back to my room, downtrodden at the news I had just been told. Liv-- Olivia, had cancer. Cancer at 12-years-old. My hand struck a wall in my room. Fuck. 

Shaking from rage, despair, sadness or whatever emotion is associated with learning that someone you know has cancer. I was so numb to the pain throbbing in my hand that I hardly noticed that I was bleeding. It healed fast.

My fist clutched so tight that I could see my palm turn white where my fingers jabbed into. Why... why do I even care? It's not like she and I were truly close, she barged into my room on what I'm assuming was a dare from her friends and just happened to see me performing magic.

God damn it. I'd like to say I didn't cry but that would be a lie. No matter what people say, it does make me sad that someone I know has cancer, I mean I know we're (kind of) friends and all, but it just brings back memories of... No, out of sight, out of mind. 

I'd also like to say that my emotions didn't have an influence over my control of my magic but that'd also be a lie, but that was fine. It was good that it hurt, it'd make me stronger in the long run. But damn did I wish it didn't need to. 

I looked around my room, flames of blue and green licked the furniture all around the room, but they didn't burn to cinders. They were just... they were. I didn't know how else to describe it other than that. 

I was thankful that my magic occupied a part of my mind, drowning out what I was feeling about Liv. I put my focus into it, now my magic was different than I assume how others use it. I never had to really chant or do stuff like that. No, it was more instinctual than that, but with that came what I assumed was risk. 

I reckoned it was something like Expression in TVD, the ability to use magic in a raw and more powerful way. Now the 'assumed' risk was if my magic was something like Expression then I'd have to be careful in how I use it. Because I really don't want to die, that'd suck. 

Hours passed as I thought about anything to occupy my mind from the worry I felt for Liv, it only worked for so long. Sneaking back to the medical ward quietly, I avoided most of the staff, well aware of the curfew we had. No staying up past 9. Stupid rule, I use to stay up so much later than that.

I was in within minutes, "Liv, you there?" I whispered.

"C-Cain...?" She wheezed out. It sounded like talking was a great effort for her. 

"You okay?" Oh, fuckin' good going, asking someone with cancer if they're good. You fucking idiot Cain. "Sorry, stupid question." I corrected myself. 

"They... they told me I have cancer. I... it's scary Cain. I don't wanna die." Each word cut me like a blade. I didn't understand why I felt this way, but I didn't like it. Not one bit. She wasn't... thinking for a bit in the silence her words left us in, I made a choice. 

"Hey Liv, you wanna see something cool?" I asked, she nodded hesitantly. Okay, let's do this. Reaching for the feeling I haven't used in a few years due to a few... accidents, I teleported though shifted is more of an apt description I suppose. 

I shifted us through the green ethereal mist that gave us passage through realms, dimensions, universes and multiverses. It wasn't seamless, but it wasn't bad either. We cracked into existence in another world entirely, the night sky was lit up by the stars, not at all recognizable to Earth and the pollution that covered the sky.

We were in a grassy landscape, the land stretched further than my eyes could see. This'll do. "Cain... w-what are you..." She trailed off when my manifestation of magic bloomed into existence. It started as small ember of flame. Green with licks of violet purple, with each flicker they grew stronger, brighter, burned hotter. 

In my mind I imagined them to be something that she liked. Something that would leave a lasting memory for her to have and cherish. Something to last...

Molding my flames into something more malleable, I envisioned what it would look like in my mind and then I brought it into existence. Her gasp nearly broke my focus, but I still pulled through. I... enchanted the bracelet that came into being?

How the fuck? I haven't even started learning to enchant yet. Put it out of your mind, figure it out later. Hopefully you get better Liv.

"Here... for you." I gave her the bracelet; it wasn't a shiny gaudy thing. It was just a normal bracelet, just green in color. Got to figure out how to change that to a different color. For connivence sake of course. 

The tears were gripping my heart, "Please don't cry... your gonna break my heart." Not really but it sounded nice to hear from someone. Even more so with someone who has cancer. Still... how would they know if she had cancer just like that? 

Did they know before I brought her to the ward, or did they truly just find out? We spent the rest of the time just gazing at the stars. I don't think it was the latter, the look on Sister Augustine's face was... wrong. 

Like she knew exactly what it really was. That's part of the reason I brought her to this dimension, to see how they would take her disappearance. I had a feeling that wouldn't take it too kindly. "Hey Liv, please don't tell anyone about this, okay?" I turned to her and asked her. 

She agreed, why wouldn't she? She was taken to a place you'd only dream about and given something made from magic. There was conflict in about what I was doing, of course there was, but it wouldn't stop me from confirming my suspicions and doubts about the church.

We went back after some time in the... what do I call it: The Grassy Dimension. No, no, the Grassy Knoll. Heh, much better. I hearby name thee: Grassy Knoll. May you be fortuitous in getting Presidents shot in the head.

it was later in the night after I'd dropped her back off at her room that I heard noise coming outside of my door. What could that be, I wonder? I thought sarcastically.

Pulling up my blanket a bit, I splayed out on my bed like I always did, face down, one leg reaching the end of my bed and the other was pulled up near my stomach in a knee position. 

Side note: This was comfortable as fuck. I don't give a damn what anyone says. 

The door to my room creaked open, my heartbeat slowly sped up. This shit's a bit nerve wracking. Stay still, don't move unnaturally and they won't know shit, Cain.

...Shit, I need to itch my nose.

I suddenly became hyperaware when that thought hit me. You know when you want to go to sleep, and you just stay still and your hearing either gets clearer or becomes muffled and you know if you move, you'll just stay awake a lot longer than you'd like?

That's what I was feeling right now. 

Except it was danger and fear, however irrational it was. The door opened, and they slinked into my room quietly. I could feel them looking at me in silence. Weird bastards. 

"You ready, Sister?" One of them asked, a man by the sound of his voice. Wait...

"Yes sir." I remember that voice, the man who saved me... why are you here? And the fuck's up with the 'You ready, Sister' shit? 

What are they doi... oh, I think I see. I probably shouldn't have used as much magic as I did today, because if these idiotic imbeciles think they can just take me and do whatever they want, this church'll burn for their arrogance.

"Hmm, what..." I fake woke up and rasped like I just woke up. Yeah, that shit didn't work as well as I thought it would and I got nabbed. Goddamnit. 

***

They carried the demon down to the spacious cellar that occupied the church. Not many knew about it, either not believing the stories about ghosts told by the staff or the older kids or not exploring the grounds enough. 

The two of them locked eyes with each other, the child on the woman's shoulder rendered unconscious from a neutralizing chemical stuffed into a cloth and put against his face. 

It put up a fight when they tried to capture it, but it failed quite hilariously but they weren't allowed to take pleasure in that. No, they were righteous in their choices and actions. Acting in God's will, preparing to exorcise this monster from the poor boy it inhabited. 

Putting the demon down on a marble table, they began their preparations. Every single one of the churches staff. 

They stripped him of his clothes, leaving him in his underwear and their eyes laid sight upon his Marks. There were more than a few gasps in the back of the cellar, shocked at what the demon did to the boy's body. Enraged, they made short work of what they had left to do, and the demon was waking up by then. 

"What the fuck?" It spoke, sounding normal. Nothing like the demon they knew was possessing the poor child. 

"Forgive us child, but this will be over soon. You need to be strong now." One of the many said, though it didn't do any good soothing him, only serving to further confuse him. Poor boy, he didn't even know he was possessed. 

They all shared a nod of agreement and moved forward to the marble table. Fright overcame the boy's face, but this could've been a trick of the demon, they couldn't take any chances.

Father, give them strength. 

"Oh FUCK no, nope! Not doing this shit. Not today. Not now. Not ever!" It broke out of its restraints not a moment later, reaching for the closest Reverend, punching him in the face hard enough to break his nose.

It was up from the table in an instant, brawling with the others that tried to get it back on the table. They failed. One of the pastors trying to put him back on that table suddenly caught fire, the look on its face was one of bewilderment, confusion and dare they think... guilt.

No that wasn't right, it was a demon. It had no to guilt to feel. 

The screams were something else entirely, haunting in their own horrific and terrifying way. It was only the first of the night to come. 

***

Shitshitshitshit! I just burned a guy. Holy fuck. Oh no. Nah, nah this isn't happening, I'm just sleeping. And having a very lucid fucking dream. 

Okay, if this is a dream then I've got control right? So, this'll stop if I want it to. So stop damn it!

Fuck me. Just what I needed, an exorcism. Okay, I've made up my mind, I didn't like burning that guy but the game's the game. Let's just... kill 'em all, I guess. I'm so going to Hell for this. Let's get to work then.

One by one, I took them down. Narrowly dodging their punches, I hit back harder than I ever had before. I spilt a man's skull wide open... Jesus that is so fucking bloody! "Fuck, it's in my eyes! It's in my fucking eyes!" I screamed.

"Stupid cu--" Some bastard decked me in the face and broke my nose. Ooh, this cunt is gonna get it. "Come here you little BASTARD!" I leapt for him and tackled him to the ground and began my ground and pound. 

My nose was already healing and being put back into place, Demon Blood for the win for one strong and smexy boi. How do I have time for jokes in a situation like this? Eh, thoughts for when I'm not fighting for my life. 

More and more thudding steps came down the entrance to the cellar and... you're fucking joking, right? How many kid touching retards does this church bloody have? Okay, no more mister nice guy. Jesus, I can feel the secondhand embarrassment.

Time to burn assholes.