Cole's eyes darted toward the indisposed Mortimer. Help wasn't coming from anywhere at that point.
The creature pressed both hands against Cole's cheeks, rubbing and playing with them like he were a child. Its long strands of black hair concealed its malicious expression.
"Why..." Its cold voice sounded like a howling whisper. "Did you kill my brother?"
'Huh?'
"Why..." It spoke again. "Are you so scared?"
Cole's body shuddered like he were set to vibrate.
"Why..." Its voice softened deeper. "Can't I save you?"
Cole was honestly confused after all he heard.
In an instant, the creature grabbed his neck and pulled him up. Cole was being strangled, his hands clinging to his cargo jeans as he struggled to inhale air.
'I can't let the last thing I see in this life be this ugly thing's face.'
"He... l... p... m... e," Cole mustered every last bit of breath he had.
But nothing happened, only the sound of his crushing windpipe and desperate struggles were consistent.
'She ditched me? It makes sense after what I said.'
'And despite that, I don't feel the least empathetic. I wonder why?'
Cole's body grew stiffer and stiffer within the span of seconds.
Rather than beg for his life, Cole stretched a mad, appeased grin and spoke, "I'll take the risk!"
Cole pulled out a Swiss knife from one of his cargo pockets using his last bit of strength. He managed to cut both the creature's hands clean off.
The creature shot back and screeched.
THUMP!
Cole barely landed on his feet, the stamina he had remaining was a jesting testament. The knife he used was the same knife he collected from one of the Red Caps during their "casual" exchange.
In truth, the officer was a formal veteran who turned a new leaf but owed Cole many favors. All Cole did was greet him, and the soldier gifted him the weapon.
As plain as it sounded, he would never have thought the officer gave him something that could damage a spirit!! And to do it by slipping it into his pocket was more questionable.
Cole didn't realize he was armed until the man whispered, "For protection," as he turned back to his station.
'Was he sent by someone?' Cole wondered.
"Either way, now that I can hurt you guys, it's time for a little payback," Cole coughed as he spoke.
The creature seeped into the walls, like a haunting shadow it stalked him, waiting for the moment he dropped his guard.
And then...
It shot up from the ground beneath Cole's feet. Subconsciously, Cole jumped at an amazing height, drifted across the ceiling, and gained a reasonable distance.
The creature turned back.
'It's about to enter the wall again!'
Cole sprang forward, like magic he closed the gap within a second and swung the knife with a stern grip.
SLICE!
Hyosung damaged half its spine.
The creature screeched and retaliated, widening its mouth until the jaws tripled in size, becoming larger than Cole's entire body.
'What the hell!'
Cole tripped purposely and dodged by a hair's breadth; it was close, but he only lost a few strands of hair in the process.
The creature retracted and sunk into the walls once more.
"Dang, I let it slip away again," Cole scowled.
His eyes brushed through the room.
"Bingo."
Cole dashed into the bedroom, where the space was smaller than the living room. As expected, the creature followed.
Once it entered, the creature met Cole sitting on the torn bed with crossed legs and focused eyes.
'I see it.'
The creature attacked!
It came from behind, widening its jaw to snag him by surprise. Cole jumped off the bed, rolled on the floor, and ducked, using his hand to support his body like he were doing push-ups.
Using that same hand, Cole launched himself closer to the wall while avoiding the creature's bones.
It noticed and retreated to the wall. Before it could enter fully, Cole bounced on the bed and swung the knife with an amazing force in an anti-clockwise direction.
The bed, floor, and wall split in half accordingly as a result of the slash!
The creature's spine was caught in the crossfire, and it detached from its body. Rather than sinking back, the creature's body crumbled and turned into flakes of light.
'Just as I thought. If I bring it into a restricted space, it becomes difficult to escape through walls without being in my field of range. All I had to do was make that one strike a fatal one,' Cole pondered.
With a smirk, he watched the head dissipate like its body. As its body cracked, the creature's face reverted to features of a beautiful young woman with clean dark hair, loving grey eyes, and a kind smile.
Cole gaped at the sight.
He stretched his hand, but it was too late.
"Heheheh"
Childish giggling was all that remained.
"Tch!"
Cole took heavy steps out of the bedroom.
'This is my job! I've done this many times, so why...' Cole squeezed his face bitterly.
'Does this hurt so much?'
Cole stopped by Mortimer's body and pulled out his cellphone. Dialing the numbers, he made a quick call.
"Hello, police... my friend just got mugged," he faked his voice. "He's outside on an alley way by Slack Tenament."
"Yeah, that Slack Tenament."
Cole ended the call, dragged Mortimer outside, and left his body near the alley way, far from his hideout, as stealthily as he could.
"I'll leave you here for now. Good luck."
He hurried away from the scene before he was spotted. After running 5 blocks away, Cole slowed down and reflected on everything that occurred that day.
Conveniently, the sun was being dimmed, and everywhere was making way for nightfall. Neither did he treat his wound nor did he gain an upper hand in his predicament.
Only one silver lining stood out from the countless adversities.
"This knife is my ticket to freedom."