Blacken by Alandra Rankin (i love reading books txt) 📕

“Tell me about your feeling, when did it start? When did it end?”

Hiking her head back up, a different topic to discuss was a welcome one, “I was sleeping when it started, I’m not sure how long it was going for or when it really stopped. I feel like I keep missing the answer, like it’s here somewhere but I always stop short of it.”

Rhulle held sympathy on his features while she explained the sensation, how the world stopped while she was amidst the throes of pain caused by this unknown force. It got to the point where she was worried about going mad from the distress.

He changed the subject, steering the conversation to talk about her favourite book; asking her to explain the characters, what her favourite part was, how she came to discover the novel in the first place. It was a much lighter conversation, Avie pleased to participate in this discussion more than the previous heavier ones. If he was trying to distract her, Rhulle did a great job.

“I want to help figure what is affecting you. This affliction causes you so much pain. My friend should not be in pain like that.”

Jade eyes lifted, searching out his. She paused, gauging his facial features, feeling warm by his words. “You really mean that? We can be friends?” she asked, voice hardly over a whisper.

“Yes, Avie. I have been thinking it all over, and I found consistently that I would consider you a friend. So long as this… will not affect too negatively, I hope.” A gentle hand placed itself over hers, solidifying the endearment.

Avie felt light at the words, it was exciting to hear a reciprocation of comradery from Rhulle. She could see the shift in him as soon as it happened—the initial harsh rejection due to pride, sliding into the realization of loneliness. It was incredible to earn his friendship; it was all she could think about. Wanting to get to know him and learn more, she wasn’t concerned with finding answers to only help her, it was always deeper than that. The woman was drawn to him, sharing a passion of reading and similar viewpoints in stories and characters. Rhulle was the impossible orphic being that only she knew of.

The redhead’s face broke out in a giant grin, overjoyed at his words.

“I would love to be friends,” she said, nodding passionately back, “you would really help figure this out too? I can’t thank you enough! Could I—can I hug you?”

He raised a curious eyebrow at her, possibly expressing the how or why written on his face, instead Avie took the initiative to stand and step over the short distance to be in front of him. She smiled briefly down at him, collecting his hands in hers to get him to rise as well—embracing him in a split second. Feeling the umber feathers against her face as they caressed her skin, they were cool and slightly damp, but they were so soft, as soft as she imagined as she sighed and closed her eyes.

This human… she kept surprising him. It was as if she did not think half of the time. Avie had just bore witness to one of his feedings, and yet here she was smiling and holding him only moments later. She didn’t regard him as something out of this world, instead as a friend and wanted his kinship—ecstatic when he returned the gesture.

Yes, he would help find out what strange condition had its grasp on Avie, his new friend, his only friend. Rhulle felt her nuzzle slightly in the plumage as he was encompassed in her sign of affection. How long had it been since he was held?

How bloody long had it been since he had any warmth like this human offered?

Rhulle wrapped his long arms around her torso, completing the hug, a small smile tugging on his lips.

CHAPTER 10

Blacken’s police department sent out an official statement October 8th about the death of Garret Kipper.

Due to overwhelming evidence left on the body and lack of any outside motive, the coroner and deputies ruled his death a suicide—much to his widow’s dismay. Mrs. Kipper fought against the statement, begging everyone involved to go over everything once again. She would have seen the signs if suicide was the case, insisting it was not. Imploring them to check again but was met with recommendations for counselling for her tragedy of sudden loss, many people meeting her queries with claims that it’s never the ones they expect.

Avie wondered what could have happened that night that made him take his own life, talking over the scenario with Owen. She went over everything with him, tucked into the corner of his sofa. Everything that happened that night when she saw him, running over every detail once again, trying to express the lingering guilt she harboured.

“I’m sorry I didn’t believe you, Aves. But don’t beat yourself up over this. It was a suicide, we may never know why or what happened, but it wasn’t like you killed the guy.”

“Please, Owen… His name was Garret. If he was out there to do that… I wish I could have done more, called the police or something as soon as I got here, would that have even been enough time?”

Conflicting emotions ran through her as soon as the topic was brought up, any of the missing people, any of the deceased; that’s when the reality struck her. The weight of a human life occupied her mind, having wanted to do so much more to stop what was occurring out in the woods.

Yet, that shouldn’t mean that the creature, whose only crime was eating to survive, should be killed. Avie knew there had to be an alternative—something to keep people alive and have Rhulle sustaining.

“You were in shock Avie, as most people would be. It’s terrible what happened to Garret, but he had his own reasoning to do what he did.