He scrambled around the entrance, panting like a
dehydrated and feral animal. His mouth was also dry
due to the heat and rushing about from the extremities
of the crash. Something didn’t feel right. The hissing
sound was becoming louder and vibrations could now
be felt underneath his feet. A creaking metallic noise
emerged with the tremors. Startled, Jasmal tilted his
head upward and noticed the supported constructed framework began to shake vigorously. Suddenly,
an impact made him collapse like a rock towards
the floor. The only image he had was a bright light
that disguised the atmosphere around him. He was
semi-unconscious and could barely move his arms or
legs. The building framework was piled onto his body.
Jasmal could only partially flicker his eyelids, but the
surrounding building
looked like
nothing more
than a thickening cloud
of rubble and
smoke. Only
the sound of
crackling fires
and coughing
could be heard.
He was
too late, he
realized. The
truck had exploded. Jasmal
felt sudden
pain erupt
from the back
of his head,
but he couldn’t
move to feel
the area. He
felt something
streaming in
circular motions on the
back of his
neck. He rotated his eyes
downward and
could see drops
of blood. The
sound of footsteps came closer; thankfully Jasmal’s hearing didn’t
get affected from the blast. He panicked and he tried to
wriggle himself free from the rubble on top of him. He
couldn’t budge. The feet approached ever closer and
the shadow of a strange being appeared through the
dense ash-smoked mist. Jasmal flicked his eyes upwards. Terrified, he began to scream.
“Who's there!?" he shouted repeatedly.
A deep grunting tone emerged from the mist.
He conjured up images of hell in his mind. He didn’t
know what was going to happen or how to get out of
the situation. A haunting, hallowing voice came out of
the shadows.
“Welcome to our carnal abode,” said the being. “I
haven’t breathed the living air for many years. How it
brings me great pleasure to hear your painful cries and
begging.
We were born from nightmares. The souls of your
dead gave us a message and understanding that was far
greater than anything the simple human or soul can
dream.”
The monstrous creature headed towards Jasmal
as he lay under the rubble. He must have had incredible strength, because he was able to remove pieces
of the damaged structure from him instantly. Jasmal,
filled with unease, fright and pain, was relieved to be
set free from that damage. In pain and dripping with
blood in his shoes, he was too weak to run and cry for
help. He had no
other choice but
to surrender. He
stared hypnotically at this person... or thing. It
looked human,
but appeared to
have blackened
marble eyes
and teeth which
looked like an
image of torture.
The person began
speaking more as
it grabbed him
by his neck like a
scared puppy.
He felt a sharp,
deep, incised-like
feeling in his
wound. The thing
slithered his two
fingers into the
fleshed open cut.
A sound manifested, similar
to a drinking
straw. This creature-like person
was draining his
blood supply.
Jasmal looked
frail and lifeless
in the grasp of
this demonic being. He couldn’t remove himself from
its clutches no matter how hard he tried, but he became
weaker and more withdrawn. Jasmal wanted to jump
and run to get out of there, but he couldn’t move. The
skin of this creature-like person was withered in darkness. Inscriptions appeared on its face, heavily scarred
by wrong-doing from an ancient past. He recognized a
certain symbolic inscription embedded into the creature's right cheek. He remembered it was from the Makarian settlers who were once damned, alongside the
Kahluan tribes-people for disobeying their leaders. The
demon began to speak to Jasmal, well, what was left of
him. He was slowly decomposing and lacking from the