Page 63 of Fed By Fear
Damned and thriving.
Lucky as hell.
Githany
Madness drags me by the hands, his smoky form crossing the distance much faster than my legs can go.
“Where are you taking me?” My giggle is breathy.
“You must promise us first. You will not devour anyone.”
“You’re taking me somewhere with fresh souls but you don’t want me to eat any of them?”
Madness nods. “Correct.”
There’s no real reason for that. My monsters allow me to gorge myself on any and all the souls I want. The only thing I avoid are children. Our entire group is the equivalent of vegetarians in the eyes of most demons. We eat people, but not children.
Honestly, I crave anything with a soul. Resisting children is a lifestyle choice I adopted to allow us all to live more comfortably.
“There are children inside.” I nod, knowingly.
“No children.”
“Well then why wouldn’t I be allowed to eat them?” Madness’s eyes flick to my hands on my hips.
“Sassy, stubborn, ungrateful ghost girl. You will like the surprise. We promise. Now stop pouting or we will spank you and take you straight home.”
“A spanking is hardly a deterrent.”
Madness’s four eyes roll. Arms sweep around me, tucking me into his soft, billowy chest. “Love, please just let us surprise you.”
My suspicious nature desires more answers, but I know Madness’s pouting when I see it.
“Alright I won’t eat them.”
Madness cackles, clapping. “Good, very good.”
We journey through a forest that has Hunt’s name all over it. Up the woody mountainside we go, stopping at the peak. The trees have all been cut down on this swath of earth. A graffiti-covered structure sits in near ruins at the top. The spray-painted words are obscured by the vines and foliage overtaking the brick and stone. This place has not been cared for in many years.
A rust-eaten sign lies on the gravel ground before us.The first word has been wiped away by time and the elements. The second word is barely visible.
“Sanitorium. You brought me to one of your old haunts?” It makes sense. Madness is the most sentimental of our group.
“We were visiting when we spotted something familiar inside.” Taking my hand in his, he moves us to one of the outer windows.
“Give us a sign of your presence here tonight.” Someone speaks within.
“Were you a patient here?” Another voice.
Glancing up at Madness, I find him grinning. “Who’s in there?”
“Go and see.” He leads me through a splintered entrance and down a dark hallway.
The glow of candlelight spills out through a doorway near the end.
“Is there something you want to tell us?”
My approach is slow and quiet as I peer into the room. Four people reside in the center of a ring of candles. One holds a camera, the other turns in slows circles, an EMF detector in their outstretched hand. The third bites her nails, staring at the circle. The fourth man sits quietly in a rusted chair.
