Horrifying, maddening darkness envelops Hayel as he sits at the table throught the entire night. He doesn't get a wink of sleep, he doesn't dare put his guard down.
And as the sun finally comes out, Hayel let's out a sigh of relief. Nothing happened while he was waiting for the sun to come out, which in one way is a good thing, but it drives Hayel crazy. He stays up, not sleeping because he is afraid something will come back, but staying awake all night is something he can do for a few days maybe, not for the rest of his life.
Dark circles have formed under his eyes and he looks exhausted.
As the room gets brighter and brighter, he decides to go buy new matches. He needs to be able to light up the candles, he has started to fear nights.
He slowly gets up and walks towards his bedroom. A sigh escapes from his lips once again and he absent-mindedly opens the door and walks in. Taking out some grey, cheap clothes, his ability notices something on the window still. It seems like a very small box. He gets an idea of what it is, so he slowly looks towards it. He bites his lip as small irritation grows in his heart.
Not being able to see what's on the window, he leans a bit closer and slightly squints.
Matches.
"…"
Maddness, fury and confusion fill him. Were the matches here the entire time? Did he put them here and forgot? Did that thing put them here? If he put them here, does that mean that those creatures have influence on his mind? But he doesn't remember going to his bedroom after changing his clothes. He remembers that the matches were still on the table before he started testing his ability. But then again, his ability makes him so that he can feel things around him, so how did that thing even take his matches without him noticing?
A loud bang can be heard throughtout the entire house, the cabinet his family had for as long as he can remember couldn't withstand the strenght of his leg.
He pants and clenches his fists, his knuckles turning white. He swats the matches off the window still onto the floor.
He groans and runs his hand through his short dark brown hair. He abruptly turns his head towards the cabinet.
As he sees that he has broken the cabinet, regret fills him. His parents used to use it, his mother even cherished it. It was a beautful cabinet made of dark wood with swirling carvings on it, now it's not as beautful anymore.
He groans and sits down on his bed. Holding his face with his hands, he stays in that position for a few minutes.
'Seriously?! Hayel you fucking idiot! Now you are breaking things huh?! They are just matches and you are breaking things because of them?! Are these things seriously effecting you so much?! I am a fucking idiot... a coward!'
He suddenly gets up, calming himself down, he changes his clothes and decides to take a walk in the village. He needs to get some fresh air.
He grabs his old brown leather wallet his father used to use. Still feeling irritated, he storms out of the house and starts walking down street towards the little market his village has.
He will buy some alcohol. It's not good for him, he knows. After all he is still a child, but he doesn't think of himself as one. He has lived alone for years now. No one takes care of him, not in a parent-like way.
Layla cought him drinking once though, it was his first time drinking. He did promise her not to do it until he is older, but it's not like she will know. He won't drink much.
Most people go about their way, some give him a few weird glances. He guesses that those are the parents of people his age, some which he recognizes, some he doesn't. Hayel wasn't very nice to other kids after his parents died, he got in a few fights with them as well.
He walks down the market and stops infornt of a stall that sells alcohol. There are not that many options, but there is still a small variety of them, some jars are huge, some are small. He could of have taken his own jar and asked the owner to fill it for him inside the small area of the house that also serves as a storage.
Of course he forgot that was an option. He needs to stop being so rash.
Spending more money on alcohol that's already inside a jar is not a good thing for him, spending money on alcohol in general is a bad idea. He doesn't earn much after all.
The store owner greets him, he is a bit on the bigger side, with a slightly unkept beard. He is also tall, in general of a much bigger stature than Hayel.
He knows the owner, his name is Joseph. He is known for being a huge blabbermouth. No secret is safe with him, and he knows everyones bussines. But he is very friendly, so most people in the village still like him.
Joseph continues talking "So lad, you want some alcohol again? You shouldn't drink much y'know, you are still very young."
After a bit of awkward silence, Hayel opens his mouth "I don't drink much. Just give me anything that I can get for 10 coins."
Hayel will go broke this month it seems. Cheap alcohol is still very expensive for him. He doesn't get it, where do those drunkards even get money for this?
Joseph stares at him a bit "Alright kid. You didn't bring a jar, no?"
"No."
Joseph looks towards a smaller jar and gives it to Hayel. Hayel hands him the money and Joseph puts it in a pouch he uses.
Joseph talks to him again "How has Layla been?"
Hayel looks at him and raises his eyebrow "Good, why?"
"Well… Yesterday night something happened, I don't want spread fear but uh… You know the daugther of that guy Bob? What was her name again… Right! Hannah!" Joseph clicks his tounge and looks to the side.
It's irritating Hayel that it takes him so long to just say what he needs to say. He might have heard of Hannah, but he doesn't know her. A weird feeling creeps at him though.
Joseph finally continues, this time quitely "Well, you see… I heard someone, or something… beheaded her in the middle of the night. I also heard they haven't found her head… I'm not sure what's going on but, I hope it's nothing that will bring disaster here. That's why I asked abaut Layla, I mean… What if it's some crazy person going around killing young girls? Or a creature maybe…"
And as his rambling fades out to Hayel, dread starts filling his heart.
'The head… the fucking head!'
The memory of that thing talking enters his mind, his heart races with the idea of what may have done such a thing.
"Hayel?"
Hayel comes back from his thoughts and looks at joseph with a weird expression. He finally says to him "That's horrible… Yeah, I also hope nothing worse will happen… I gotta go now, thank you for the alcohol though."
Joseph smiles at him "It's nothing lad, just be careful, yes?"
"Okay." Hayel smiles back at him and leaves, not towards his house, but towards the stall Layla works at. He doesn't want Layla to see him with alcohol, but searching for a stall with his vision from far away is impossible.
But he does find it, he recognizes Layla, even half blind. She is there, seemingly talking to someone. Hayel knew that probably nothing happened to her, but he was still a little worried. After all it would take some time for people to notice if she is gone, she lives alone too.
He turns towards a small alley in between houses and puts down the jar, hoping no one will see it and take it.
He starts walking towards Layla, and it seems like she saw him. He is not too sure. But he does smile just in case.
"Hayel!" She yells and waves.
"Hey."
"What is it, you look like shit man!" She insults him, of course.
"I wasn't able to sleep." Hayel says to her.
"Really? Oh well too bad. Anyway, have you heard what happened?"
Hayel doesn't say he did, people don't normally talk to him, except when he buys something. But he won't tell her he bought alcohol. Now that he has saw Joseph, he realizes that she will probably find out that he bought it. Why didn't he remember that that's the only guy selling alcohol? He can't say he bought something else either, he has nothing with him and it would be weird if he said he carried it home and came back.
"No, what is it?"
Layla sighs "Well, not good news. I don't know if you know who Hannah is, but she is dead. Someone or something killed her. I didn't know her that well either, but… it still makes me sad honestly. After all I knew who she was."
"That's… terrible."
"Yes, it truly is…" Layla sighs again, another person comes to buy something, so she doesn't keep on talking about that "Hello what would you like…"
Hayel waits a bit for the person to leave, and as the woman does, Layla turns back to him "Will you stay here? I'm a bit bored."
Hayel thinks about it but decides he won't. He is tired, so he might as well sleep during the day.
"No. I'm tired. You should be careful though, just in case."
"Aww how long has it been since you said words like that? Are you worried about me? How cutee."
"Shut up."
"Hahahahahaha okay okay. I will shut up. Go then, stop bothering me. Nothing will happen to me don't worry."
With that, Hayel just turns and leaves. He can still hear her chuckling though.
He makes sure she isn't looking at him anymore and turns towards the alley where he left his jar. It's still there luckily, so he takes it and walks back home, hoping Layla won't hear about him buying alcohol, at least today.