Soul Searcher by D.M. Richardson (novel24 .TXT) 📕

“So that’s it? You want to shred my soul because I hurt your pride?” I asked incredulously.

“You humiliated him! And no one ever messes with my family.” Megan snapped. I looked at her and realized I was feeling more than just anger and dislike. I was feeling hate. I hated Megan. Sure I had embarrassed Chase I could understand wanting revenge for that although not to the extent with which they were trying. And I totally blew off Sam, but I had never done anything to Megan. I tried really hard for a long time to be nice to her, but even I had my limits on what I would put up with.

“And the beauty of this is no one will ever miss you, because no one has ever wanted you. It’s the perfect ending. It’s a shame all of these fine male specimens will have to share your fate though. I hope your last coherent thought is how much their demise is your fault.” Megan said with a fake hopeful sigh. She was really pissing me off. I felt my blood heat and the adrenaline rush to my limbs readying to tear her to shreds.

I felt the guys move up to flank me. We waited in silence for our stand off to shift. Finally Chase shot me a smirk and started toward me brandishing a pocket knife in the process. I felt my group split Frank and Jacob heading toward Sam and Will and Zeke towards Megan.

I stood there rooted to the floor as I watched Chase close the distance. He shoved the chair to the side and it clattered to the floor. When he was within arms reach he pulled his fist back aiming for my face. He almost connected when I blocked his arm and leaned back effectively kicking him in the stomach. He fell to the floor and stared up at me in shock. I never shared anything with Chase when we were dating. Including how I had stayed with a police officer when I was ten and he made me take self defense classes. Something I enjoyed and continued after I left his home.

Chase scrambled to his feet and came at me again this time with his knife. I grabbed his wrist mid swing and brought his arm down to my knee three times in quick session until I heard it clatter to the floor. I brought my arm back and shoved my elbow into his face.

He stumbled back and brought both hands to his face. Apparently I broke his nose. I smiled and he growled as he rushed me. I stepped to the side just before he reached me and watched as his momentum took him to the floor again.

He jumped up and came at me slower before he could reach me I spun and kicked him in the jaw. This time when he hit the floor he didn’t get up. He was knocked out cold. I looked around to see Sam was unconscious and Frank and Jacob had joined Zeke and Will in holding Megan still. She was screaming and thrashing as hard as she could, but could budge her captors.

I walked over to them slowly still running on my anger. Frank and Jake backed up to give me room and Megan met my eyes.

“You bitch! What are you going to do call the police? My father will have us out in an hour then we’ll be free to come for you again. And this time we won’t take the girl we’ll kill her!” she gave a maniacal laugh and stepped up close to her. Her smile faltered when I didn’t react.

“You won’t” I said and grabbed both sides of her face. Her body jolted when I tore my way through her defenses mercilessly. I took her with me as I went through all of her victims. I went through all of their memories and forced her to live through the havoc of what she had done to them. She experienced all of their souls as they shredded first hand. As if it were happening to her over and over again.

In the distance I heard a shrill scream, but I was too busy to acknowledge it. I forced her to live through every unspeakable evil thing she had ever done from her victim’s point of view.

The only downside was that I also took the trip. I felt everything she felt and lived through each of her victim’s demise. It felt like weeks had passed before I finally let go of her and stepped back.

I should say I tried to step back. I was beyond exhausted and as I lifted my leg to step back I just tipped. I came against a hard chest and arms wrapped around me. I rested my head against Zeke’s shoulder and took a deep breath.

I looked down at what was now a shell of Megan. She sat there with her mouth open in a mask of horror. She was breathing so I knew she was still alive, but she didn’t respond to anything. The worst part was her eyes. They used to be a crystal clear blue now they were straight black. No irises just black like her eyes were a void that could never take anything in or reflect anything back.

“What did you do to her?” Will asked waving his hand in front of her face.

“I made her relive everything she had ever done to anyone, but I made her feel it from their point of view. I didn’t expect this though.” I added hesitantly.

“She’s nothing anymore. You completely destroyed her soul. She had to feel what it was like to have her soul shredded over and over again, and she couldn’t handle it.”

“So I made her shred her own soul?” I asked with a morbid curiosity.

“No she self destructed. If her soul was shredded there would still be pieces of her in there. Instead she obliterated her own soul. There’s nothing there anymore. Her body is still alive but everything that made her, her is gone. She’ll never hurt anyone ever again.”

“Remind me never to piss you off.” Jake said with a low whistle. I chuckled and then passed out.

I came back to consciousness with a warm body curled up next to mine. I turned my head slightly and cracked my eyes open. Kristi was tucked in tightly to my side. Slowly the memory of the night before came back to me. I pulled her tighter to me and rested my forehead in her hair.

Someone cleared their throat and I glanced at the other side of the room. Koner was sitting in my desk chair watching me. There was a stern curiosity in his eyes. Then the full impact of what had happened hit me and my heart dropped into my stomach. I looked back down at Kristi and felt my chest tighten in grief.

I didn’t regret saving her. I didn’t even regret what I did to Megan. I saw that as a twisted form of karma. But I knew I would have to say goodbye to Kristi and that would tare my heart out.

I slid out from under her and off the bed. I made my way to the door quietly and I knew Koner followed. I went down the stairs and into the dining room where Sara sat waiting for us with cups of coffee at our respective seats.

I sat down and gripped my cup tightly enjoying the warmth that seeped into my hands. Both of them sat staring at me until I couldn’t take the silence anymore. I took a deep breathe and looked them in the eye resolved to get this over with and let the cards fall where they may.

“I guess I have a lot to explain.” I said and they both nodded. Neither one of them said anything and I appreciated the time to collect my thoughts. “On my sixth birthday I went downstairs for breakfast.”

They listened patiently through my entire story never interrupting or asking any questions. When I was done they sat in silence staring at me in a mixture of awe, pity, and something I couldn’t quite identify. After the silence became to much for me I stood.

“I know it’s a lot to take, and I understand what this means. All I ask is to be able to see Kristi every once in a while.” I turned away but not before I saw the confused look they shared.

I made my way up the stairs slowly and entered my soon to be old room. I moved quietly so I wouldn’t wake up Kristi. I dug in the back of the closet and pulled out my old duffel bags. I started putting all of my old clothes in them just as someone stepped into the room. I turned to see what they wanted but froze when I saw it was Zeke.

He stood there and looked from me to my bags. I watched as the anger filled his eyes and he marched over and grabbed me by my upper arms. He squeezed so hard it hurt, but he wasn’t done. He dragged me out of the room and down the stairs.

“Owe! Zeke what the hell are you doing?” I snapped, but he didn’t stop until we were in the living room. I pulled out of his hold and glared at him. “What is your problem?” He glared at me.

“What is my problem? What do you think you were doing?” I shrugged and looked down uncomfortably.

“I’ll tell you what it looked like. It looked like you were packing. Like you were fixing to leave.”

“Leave it alone Zeke. It’s not like I want to.” I said quietly afraid that if I raised my voice any higher I would lose it.

“Then don’t. Stay. You don’t have to go anywhere.” he said softly as he stepped closer to me. He wrapped his arms around my waist and drew me against him. He leaned down and I saw the kiss coming. Of the few kisses we had shared this one was the most intense. It was everything we felt and more. I was the one that broke the kiss stepping away from him even though I felt my heart breaking as I did.

“I’m sorry but I have no control over it.” I whispered. He met my eyes and lowered his head.

“Yes you do.” I whirled and saw Koner and Sara standing in the doorway. “If you leave it will be your choice.” I looked him in the eyes and I saw no fear. I saw nothing but affection and appreciation. I looked to Sara confused, but I saw the same thing in her eyes.

“He’s right nothing you told us this morning changed how we feel or what we think of you. You’re like the sister I never had. We love you we don’t want you to leave.” she said in answer to my questioning gaze.

“Unless that’s what you want. We won’t try