2.58k reads. Heck yeah! That's the best any of my stories has done.

I'm sorry this chapter has taken so long to get out, I've just felt shitty. I don't know why, but I'm doing better now. For the most part.

This chapter focuses on Nathan. Next chapter has Will in it. Just didn't have any inspiration for Will or Nico this time.

Gore warning for most of the chapter.

Nathan POV

I wake up to singing. The words seem to wash over me, the pain seeming to fade away. I take a slow breath, and glance down at my stomach. What I see makes me want to vomit. My stomach is a mangled mess of blood and scars. The spot where the lady fucking stabbed me is still bleeding, and the skin around it seems to be a nasty shade of purple.

The blood still coming out of the hole seems so much darker than before. It definitely doesn't look human now. Whatever that crazy lady was trying to do must have worked. Either that or I'm dreaming. Which I'm really hoping is the case. Hallucinating is ok too. I just hope this isn't real.

I take a deep breath, and look at the other cuts, the symbol thing the lady did and almost vomit again. The skin is inflamed and slightly swollen, and just looking at it makes it throb with pain.

I lay back down and just listen to the music. I can't quite understand what the words are, but I feel like I recognize the tune. It calms me down, makes me sleepy. But I can't fall asleep now. I have to find the kid, Will and get the fuck out of here. If I'm still not tied down that is.

I slowly try to sit up, ignoring the pain slowly building up. I'm no longer restrained, so I slide of the bed. Since when was I on a bed? I could have sworn I was tied to a chair. Was I moved? Where was I? I stay seated on the bed, looking around the room with confusion. It looks like my room. But not my room now. It looks like it did when I was little, when Mom was still alive. Moonlight shines through the window. Is it night? What day is it? What the hell is going on?

I stand up slowly, trying to ignore the searing jolt of pain that shoots through my stomach.

‘Do you not remember what happened? Do you not remember that night? Go through the door and observe. Remember that night. Remember what they wanted you to forget.'

It sounds like the crazy lady's voice. I feel like I shouldn't do this. It has to be a bad idea...but I can't really remember. That night was a blur. Dad said it was because it was terrifing for me...but what if it wasn't? What if what she said was true?

So against my better judgement I open the door.

I really don't know what I was expecting. I mean, I was in my living room, which isn't right by my room, but still, I was expecting something more. I look around the living room and that's when I notice the people sitting on the couch watching TV.

"Mama?" I can't stop myself from calling out, "I...." I don't know what to say. I haven't seen her in so long.

"What's wrong sweet thing? Can't sleep?" She got gets up from the couch and moves towards me. "Do you need to sit with your mama for a bit? We can put on something else if you'd rather. I know you think big person shows can be boring. Would you rather watch a movie?" She runs her hand through my hair, smiling softly. "Your dad can get you some cocoa if you want it."

I nod, not trusting myself to speak. Hell, I'm not sure what's even going on right now. So I let my mom lead me to the couch, and pulling me into her arms. She doesn't seem to notice I'm not six. Or that I'm possibly bleeding to death. Honestly, I don't care right now. I just want her to hold me.

She gently kisses the top of my head. Some game show plays in the background, but I'm not paying attention to that. "Did you have a bad dream sweet thing? Or was it something else?"

I look up to her, unsure on how to respond. I feel like telling her is a bad idea. She wouldn't believe me. But before I can think of something, the door bursts open and two young men, armed with swords appear in the doorway.

Mom lets out a gasp and moves in front of me. "I haven't done anything to warrant this. I have a family. A son. Please just leave."

One of the guys laugh. "Really? You think we're gonna buy that? There's been attacks. Drownings, in fact. Six people, all male. What else could it be? You can't suppress your true self sea-witch. You are responsible for this. And we will be the ones who make sure you don't attack again."

Mom turns and kisses me on the forehead, "I promise I didn't hurt those people, I don't hurt Innocents. But those two, those are bad men. Mama's just trying to protect her family. Ok sweet thing?" I don't even have a chance to nod before she's turned around facing the guys. "If you don't leave now, you will never leave. That is a promise." She reaches into her pocket and brings out a small switchblade. "And only death will keep me from fulfilling a promise."

The first guy lunges at her but she's able to move out of the way. She trips him before swinging at the other one. Her fist makes contact with his face with a loud crunch. "One more chance to leave. Take it and you can walk away alive."

The second guy spits blood out of his mouth, "I'd rather die here letting your child see how much of a monster is, than letting you live with 'clean hands.'"

She pauses and looks back at me. She's distracted long enough for the first guy to get up and run his sword through her, and she explodes into golden dust.

I get a rush of emotions as the two guys come close to me, the high one being fear. So I do what I remember doing. I scream.

But it doesn't happen like I remember. The scream is animalistic, and it shatters the glass. And apparently their eardrums. The guys drop their swords and clasp their hands over their now bleeding ears. My scream is stopped by the sobs building in my throat, and the darkness coming over my vision.

When I wake up, I'm back in the chair. There is no music, and the pain is unbearable. My blood is all over the chair and the floor. Everything is spinning and there's spots dancing in front of my eyes. I think I'm going to die.

The door opens and crazy lady comes in with a couple of those shadow things. This is great. Maybe she'll just come and kill me off now and this will all be over.

‘Good morning Narkis. I hope that that you understand that this is all just a formality. You will be the one who will make this easier or harder. And I really hope you make this easy on all of us.’

She looks at the shadow things and the move to untie me. I try to fight against them, but I've lost too much blood. I really think I'm going to die. I really don't want to die.

The drag me to my feet and I almost black out. The effort it's taking to stand is too much.

My vision fades in and out until it's all too much and I finally black out.