Human Insanity

'' Got a heart like steel and a faith like gold. ''

The same line was always inscribed on my locket. Even though the locket was gold and steel, and my faith wasn’t always the best, I held true to the line. No matter the person who came to me for help or just to meet me, my heart was strong and my faith unwavering to my task.

Even if that task is being assigned by a midnight-skinned man with full dangerous lilac eyes. Especially if those eyes hold nothing but malcontent and his grin sharp and malicious.

I stand in front of his desk, hands behind my back. “Peppers said you needed to talk to me about something?”

He nods. “Let me see your locket.”

“My…my locket?” My fingers brush it.

“I didn’t stutter, Sass.”

“N-no.” I hold tight to it. “This is personal to me, and I’m not going to let go of it.”

“I’m not gonna hurt you. Just let me see it.”

I look down at it, then to him. I put my hands on the chain and start to lift.

Immediately, the spike stabs into my heart. I cry out in pain and fall to the ground.

“Sass?” He jumps over his desk, grabbing a hold of my arm.

When his hand touches my arm, the black veins starting to form burn him. He grunts, removing his hands.

“Dem, help!” I try to grab onto him, but something holds me back.

“How?!”

I gasp and struggle for air as the veins tighten around inside my neck. I cough harshly, some spots of blood coming out. The locket flashes and pulses red.

Once the veins captivate me, it was only a matter of seconds before Denomilia came out.

Demvare’s jaw drops slightly at the site. “That’s how…”

“How what?” I chuckle, my voice already shifted.

“I saw you that night in the forest. You went back to Sassilia and Mr. Erar kept trying to convince me to take care of your locket.”

“Caretaker was right.”

“Cartaker? Is that he-“

“MR. DEM~!” Peppers comes in, shouting in a sing-song voice. “I got those papers you- OH MY SWEET JESUS!”

“Peppers, quiet.” Dem turns gruff. “Don’t panic, don’t scream again, don’t draw attention.”

I scan Peppers’ face. My glowing yellow eyes lock on to the fear stricken across her face. I grin wide.

“M-mr. Dem…?”

“Quiet.”

She whimpers in fear, slowly backing towards the door. I take a step towards her, and she goes faster.

“What’s your name?”

I look towards Dem. “My name?”

“Yes. I know you’re Sassilia, but you aren’t the good her.”

“My name is Denomilia. Denom is ‘demon’ in my first language.”

“What language is that?”

I chuckle. “I won’t tell you that.”

He crosses his arms, lifting an eyebrow. “How do you change back to Sassilia? Do you rip the spike out?”

“THAT’S SASS?!”

I sigh, rolling my eyes. “Can you shut her up? She’s getting annoying.”

“Peppers, go. Leave the talking to me.”

She nods frantically and runs out.

“No, that’s not how. Caretaker helps me out.”

“Where is he at?”

I shrug. “Can’t tell you that either.”

He growls. “I’m not human either, Denomilia. The most you can tell me is how you basically work.”

“I know you’re not human. That’s evident.”

The door swings open and a gunshot sounds in the room. I move a wing over my front, the bullet dropping as it hits my leathery tough wing.

Soda stands there, Raf, Tibbs, and Sun behind her.

I chuckle. “Aw, we have an audience!”

Tibbs clutches his knife. Soda reloads and Raf pulls out knives.

“Guys, no.” Dem warns. “We’re getting answers.”

“I don’t care about answers.” Soda cocks her gun back, readying another round. “She’s hurt us too much. She needs to go.”

“We’re getting answers!”

I only laugh and chuckle more as the chaos unfolds.

“Boss, it doesn’t matter!” Sun puffs out a cloud of smoke.

“Mm-hm.” I nod, sashaying around. “You all are a ruthless bunch.”

Raf looks determined, her knives gleaming.

I tower above all of them but Demvare, grinning like a madman, and chuckling monstrously.

“Oh, little darling.”

I turn my head to the window. Sitting on the sill is Caretaker. A grin is on his face.

“Who are you?” Tibbs asks.

“No one of important to you all, but important to Sassilia.”

“She isn’t here right now.”

Demvare restrains himself. “Caretaker.”

“Demvare.”

He snarls. “Stop torturing her.”

“Torturing who?”

“You know who.”

Caretaker stands up. He opens up the window. “Come, come, little darling. We need to head home.”

Demvare stops me before I move, grabbing my arm forcefully. He gives me a single intent stare eye-to-eye.

I force myself out of his hold, and with a single step, the lockets blinds the room lavender.

I fall down, back to Sassilia.

The group gasps.

Caretaker sighs. “Who the hell-! That doesn’t matter.” He picks me up and stands on the sill. He snaps his fingers, and disappears, taking me along.

“Was that Sass?!”

“That couldn’t have been!”

“How- wha- huh?!”

Demvare sighs. He slumps back down in his chair, opening up Sassilia’s black diary. “When she gets back… I think this place needs a full meeting.”

“How do you know so much about her?”

“It’s complicated.” He scoffs. “She knew too much about me so I found things about her so we can even it out.”

They go silent.

“Return back to the parlor. She always gets back.”

They nod. Tibbs and Raf put their knives away, Soda hides her gun, and Sun puffs another cloud out. They file out, one by one.

Demvare stares down at the little black diary. The purple ink inside is written in another language, nothing even akin to any normal language. A few words are written on the newest page.

Dymera; Rulis; Princess Sassilia Vigor Abernthy.