The night was thick with an unsettling silence as the boy approached the hospital. The building loomed ahead, its facade battered by time, the paint peeling and windows cracked. Flickering lights cast long, eerie shadows on the cracked pavement.
As he stepped through the entrance, a chill ran down his spine. The air was thick with dust, and each step echoed through the empty halls. The boy's heart raced as he rounded a corner and saw the shadow figure standing there, the girl held firmly in its grasp.
"Let her go," the boy demanded, his voice echoing in the silence.
The shadow figure turned, its presence chilling, and the boy could see the glint of something sinister in its eyes. The hospital's old lights flickered and dimmed, casting the scene in intermittent darkness.
Without warning, the shadow figure turned and fled deeper into the building, the girl still in tow. The boy chased after them, his breath ragged, until he reached a door at the end of the corridor. There, the shadow figure paused and turned, whispering, "Meet me at the building."
And with that, it vanished into the darkness, leaving the boy standing alone, determined yet anxious about what lay ahead.
The boy's heart pounded as he raced up the creaky stairs, each step fueled by a mix of anger and desperation. When he finally burst onto the roof, the night air was sharp, and the shadow figure stood there, the girl still in its grip.
"Let her go!" the boy shouted, his voice vibrating with fury. The shadow figure turned, and in an instant, it lunged forward, brandishing a knife. The boy ducked just in time, feeling the whoosh of the blade past his ear. He quickly drew his own knife and hurled it at the shadow figure. The blade struck true, and a dark, swirling gas erupted from the wound.
The shadow figure staggered back, coughing as it dropped the katana. But before the boy could close the distance, the shadow figure attacked again, throwing another blade with lethal precision. The boy dodged, narrowly escaping the attack, and quickly grabbed the girl.
"How are we going to escape?" the girl asked, panic in her voice.
The boy paused, his mind racing. "I... I didn't think that far," he admitted, but determination shone in his eyes.
As the shadow figure lunged once more, the boy pulled the girl close and prepared for the next move.
As the shadow figure lunged again, the boy quickly handed the girl a knife. "Hold this" he said urgency in his voice "if things go wrong, I want you to throw it. I'll give you the signal".
The girl nodded, eyes wide with determination "what signal?" she asked, Lily's voice trembling.
"You'll know," the boy replied, a faint smile breaking through his tension.
And then, as the shadow figure drew closer, Lily in a moment of clarity, called out, "Billy".
The boy paused, startled by the use of his real name. "it's the first time you've called me that" he said, a mixture of surprise and warmth in his voice.
With that Lily held the knife steady, and Billy braced himself for the next move, their bond strengthening as they faced the shadow together
Billy barely had time to breathe before a boot slammed into his chest, knocking the air clean out of him. He skidded backward across the rooftop, pain blooming through his ribs.
"Oh, bollocks," he groaned.
A blade whistled toward his face.
Billy dropped low on instinct, the knife slicing through the space where his head had been a heartbeat earlier. he rolled, came up on one knee, and watched the blade burry burry itself into the concrete with a sharp clang.
He spat blood and forced himself uptight.
"Right," he muttered, eyes burning ."so that's how you want to play it."
The shadow surged again, movements sharp and furious. Another knife flew-then another. Billy leapt sideways, boots scraping the edge of the rooftop, the blades flashing past him like angry stars. One nicked his jacket. Too close.
He reached behind his back and snapped out his pocket knife.
Billy hurled the blade with everything he had.
It struck
The knife sank into the shadow's form, and suddenly the air changed. A dark gas hissed out from the wound, thick and unnatural, spilling into the like smoke from a broken furnace.
The shadow staggered, choking, clawing at the blade lodged in its body. A rasping sound tore from it as it ripped the knife free and flung it away. The katana clattered to the ground.
For the first time, the shadow hesitated.
Billy didn't waste it.
He lunged forward, grabbing Lilly by the arm, and pulled her close positioning himself between her and the shadow. He could feel her shaking, her fingers clutching his sleeve like it was only solid thing left in the world.
"What are we going to do?" Lilly whispered panic cracking through her voice. "how are we getting out of here?"
Billy swallowed, his eye never leaving the shadow as it straightened again-slower now, darker, angrier.
"I didn't exactly think that bit through" he muttered.
The shadow let out a low, furious hiss and charged once more.
Billy tightened his grip on Lilly's hand, heat hammering, instincts screaming-knowing the next few second would decide weather they live or died.
As the shadow figure advanced, Billy tightened his grip on Lilly's hand. He locked eyes with her and gave a subtle nod. Lilly, understanding the cue, hurled the knife with all her strength. The blade sailed through the air, Striking the shadow figure and releasing a thick, chocking gas.
As the shadow figure staggered, Billy seized the moment. With a fierce battle cry, he launched himself at the shadow, his voice was relentless, and he drove the pocket knife deep into the shadow's neck. The shadow figure tried to retaliate, but Billy was already gone appearing from another angle, moving with an almost supernatural speed.
With a swift, decisive strike, Billy slashed the shadow figure's throat from behind. The creature choked, gasping, the dark gas pouring out in thick tendrils. Billy stepped back watching with a hard, satisfied gaze as ground, defeated.
Lilly watched, Her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and relief. As the shadow figure's struggle ended, Billy turned to Lilly and rushed over to her, pulling her into a tight embrace. The relief was palpable and in that moment both of them held on tightly, their shared ordeal finally over.
Tear welled up in Lilly's eyes, and Billy, feeling the weight of everything they'd just been through, let himself feel that emotion too. They held each other close, tears mingling, both of them knowing that they'd made it through together.
As they stood there, Billy gently helped Lilly to her feet, and She smiled up at him. "We made it," she said, a hint of disbelief in her voice. "I didn't think we'd get through this."
Billy nodded a small smile tugging at his lips. "I had faith too," he admitted. "We worked together, and I knew you trusted me."
Lilly's expression softened, but then she said, "But honestly, at the end, I though we were done for."
Billy chuckled softly. "Well, sometimes that's part of the plan. in the streets, you learn to make your opponents think you have to make nothing, and then when they least expect it, you show them what you really have."
Lilly laughed, lightly smacking Billy's arm. "You're such a trickster, Billy. Always taking risks.'
Billy shrugged. "It's the hustle, you know? Gotta keep them guessing."
As they walked, Lilly kept her hand on Billy's shoulder, and just then, a figure emerged from the shadows. Two claps echoed in the night.
"Well, I didn't think you'd pull it off" the figure said, stepping forward.
It was shadow, now revealed, pulling back her hood to show the raven tattoo near her eye and her piercing, mismatching eyes. "Billy, my boy" she said with a smirk, "I though the 'M' would kick in. how much have you been taking? Is this the third time?"
Bill frowned. "shadow, I though..."
But before he could finish, shadow disappeared.
In that instant, Lilly gasped and stumbled. Billy turned just in time to see shadow blade pierce Lilly's chest.
"No, no, no," Billy cried out, rushing to her side. He tried to stop the bleeding, his hands shaking. "please, please hold on," he bagged.
Lilly coughed up blood, her voice weak. "It's okay... I'll be fine..."
Billy shock his head, Tears streaming down his face. "No you're not going to leave me..."
Shadow reappeared, licking the blood from the sword with a sinister grin. "I like human blood," she said coldly.
And as the night faded, Billy held Lilly close, his world crumbling around him, knowing there was no escape from this pain.
Billy lifted Lily gently, his heart breaking as he held her close. "We made it, " Lily whispered, her voice faint. "I didn't we'd get through this.'
Billy nodded, a tear slipping down his cheek. "I had faith in us, in you," he said. "You were my one true friend."
Lily smiled weakly. "I never had anyone until I met you. I'm grateful."
"Don't say that," Billy pleaded, his voice shaking. "Please, remember our promise. You said you'd help me fix my wings, the ones in the cave... don't leave me no."
Lilly's voice was barely audible. "You can fix them yourself, Billy. You're strong. you can do it."
Tears streamed down Billy's face as he held her, his voice breaking. "No, don't say that. Please don't leave me..."
As Lilly strength faded, Shadow watched, a cruel smile on her face. "Oh so boring," she taunted. "Let's get on with the fight."
Billy glared at her, anger mixing with grief. "You have no remorse."
Shadow shrugged. "I've killed many. You're just another one on my list. And you, Billy, are the one i want."
She laughed, her eyes glinting. "I wonder why your powers haven't kicked in yet. Are you weak, or is it that you're born in a world that doesn't want you to be strong?"
Billy held Lilly close, his heart breaking as he watched her slip away. "please, don't go," he whispered, his voice choked with tears.
And as Shadow's laughter faded into the night, Billy cradled Lilly's lifeless form, the weight of everything sinking in as he whispered, "I'll never forget you... Lilly.."