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CHASING MY TAIL

BY THE YOUNG AND FREE DRAGON

Ich warte bis es dunkel ist
dann fass ich an die nasse Haut
verrate mich nicht
oh siehst du nicht die Brücke brennt
hör auf zu schreien und wehre dich nicht
weil sie sonst auseinander bricht

(I wait until it is dark
then I touch your wet skin
don't betray me
oh don't you see the bridge is burning
stop screaming and don't resist
because otherwise it will break apart)

-Du Riechst So Gut by Rammstein

CHAPTER SIX: MY IMMORTAL

Nachts, wenn alles schläft bin ich der Hüter deiner Unschuld

Nachts, wenn alles schläft geb ich gut Acht dass dir nichts geschieht

Nachts, wenn alles schläft küss ich das Salz aus deinen Wunden

Nachts - tief nachts

(At night, when everyone is asleep I am the guardian of your innocence
At night, when everyone is asleep I'll give you good care that nothing happens
At night, when everyone is asleep when I kiss your wounds from the salt
At night - deep at night)

-HerzBlut by MegaHerz

Flaky opened her eyes slowly, unsure of where she was or how she'd gotten there. It was dark and only the light that streamed through a window over her head let her see the horror around her. Blood was splattered and dried on the walls, arranged me strange, contorting patterns and faces that leered and buried fear deep in her soul. She looked to what she was laying on, which appeared to be a small bed, which was exactly parallel with a closed door.

Strange shapes in the dark seemed to be instruments of some sort that could not be identified in the dim light. She began to look over her body, for any signs of abuse. She had a scrap or two that seemed to be from dragging, but other than that she didn't appear hurt. She got off the bed and worked her legs a little bit, but felt nothing in her stomach or lower. She felt relieved and calmer; now that she was pretty sure she had not been raped or manhandled in anyway. But footsteps outside quickened her heartbeat and she quickly lay back down on the bed, closing her eyes and barely breathing at all. She heard the door open and some kind of muttering began, in a low deep voice. She opened one eye a crack and saw Cuddles; his eyes still those of Flippy's and his body still looking stronger than it ever had. He had a small suitcase grasped in one paw that he placed at the foot of the bed. He began doing something with one of the instruments in the background.

"Open your eyes, Porcupine." He said all of a sudden. "I know you're awake."

She opened them and reluctantly sat up and tightened the covers around her body, staring at his shadow in fear.

"What are you going to do with me?" She asked.

He came out of the shadows, holding a vial of some dark, thick liquid and his evil smile was gone, the teeth had retreated into a frown that had plastered itself on his face.

"I've never understood you creatures," He said. "So worried about what's coming in the near and distant future. Not caring about what is happening now until it's gone."

"I…" Flaky was confused by this and felt she involuntarily shrug "Okay…?"

"The death of one is a tragedy," Cuddles replied, or the creature inside Cuddles. "The death of a million is just a statistic."*

Flaky couldn't help but find the line familiar, some song that she had found offensive but she couldn't place.

"So what are you?" Flaky finally asked.

"I wish I knew." The growling voice said.

She was still frightened by the creature, but she could see Cuddles and it felt like she was merely having a conversation, even if it was a conversation with a psychotic killer. Cuddles opened his mouth wide, his sharp teeth gleaming in the light; and un-corked the vial. She watched in disgust as it drained the dark liquid and threw the glass against the wall where it shattered.

"What is that?" She asked.

"Poison, would you care for some?" He replied, picking up the suitcase and setting it on the edge of the bed.

"Why are you drinking that?"

"To keep Cuddles dead." The creature replied, opening the suitcase.

"Why do-…"

"So that I can exist," The creature sighed, obviously annoyed at her question. "Will you shut your damn mouth, Porcupine?"

She didn't want to anger the monster so she complied but she knew she would burst if she didn't voice one more question.

"There's one answer I have the right to know." She said.

"Talk of rights," The animal said. "And you will find that you have less than a speck of dust."

"Why me?" She asked.

"Porcupine…" He murmured. "I'm going to be honest with you, but only if you're going to believe me."

"What else can I do?"

"I am what you might call; a reaper. Time and space is all very relative, and sometimes, things don't happen like they're suppose to."

"Well there's nothing you can do about things like that."

"Ah, but that's my job," He replied, pulling out a strange pair of scissors that were wickedly curved. "I fix the variable. And you are that variable Porcupine."

Flaky was silent for a moment, going over this in her mind, trying to make sense of it.

"Then why are you in Cuddles?"

"Cuddles was a variable."

"Was?"

"I am the reason Cuddles is here." The creature said, polishing the scissors in his paws.

"Was he in the war with Flippy?"

"Yes."

"Then you're like Cuddles' Evil side." She said.

"No. Cuddles is gone. He never lived here."

"What are you talking about? He's always been here."

"I didn't save Cuddles during the war," The creature said. "He died when he wasn't suppose to."

She thought for a moment and suddenly began shaking. It was crazy, impossible… but the rising of the dead here, so why couldn't this happen?

"So all this time we've been talking to Cuddles… it was just you?"

"Almost… part of Cuddles stuck to me. I was suppose to be an evil side of him, but he died and only people in this town can come back. Part of him hung on me."

"Okay…" She murmured. After a long silence as he polished his tools. "Then what's with the art aspect of you killing people?"

"I've said too much." He replied. "But your time to do as you are commanded to by the forces of nature, has come."

*The song is "The Fight Song" by Marilyn Manson. I've been alluding to a lot of things in this story, simply because it ties to a lot of real world things.

So, review and let me know what you think. Surprised?