Embers

The door slowly creaked open as the rusted hinges allowed the door to swing open revealing a small yet cozy living room, complete with a crimson leather couch, a small blue Television sitting on an old and eroded table, and a sickly looking woman laying on the couch, coughing a storm. Her forehead was beaded with sweat, which made me question why she had a dark blue blanket across her. She was an older woman, maybe late twenties or early to mid forties.

"Mckenna? Is that yo-" an old, wrinkly man with a scruffy black hair and a beard to match. He reminded me of an elf, or some impish being. "McKenna, who are these men with you?" He said in a deep, raspy voice.

"This is Allen and Damien. They're looking for a cure..." She motioned to the sickly woman on the couch. "Just like us.

"So you brought them here?" The man asked, dropping the town that was in his hands onto the table beside him.

"It's alright," I said, holding my hands up. "We aren't here to hurt anyone."

"Says you." I hear Damien say from behind me. I turn around and see him sinking his blade into McKenna's side. She didn't make a sound- Damien's hand covered her mouth. She dropped to the ground, with the older man gasping.

"No! McKenna!" He reached over to the table beside him, picking up the towel that he had put down. "You want a fight, I'll give you a fight.

"Damien!" I yelled. "What are you doing?!"

"There is one plant," Damien said, wiping blood from the edge of his mouth. "One plant that can save camp Jupiter. But why would I want to deliver a cure to the plague that is wiping out the camp that enslaved my father?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Your dad really sucks, dude." Damien replied, holding his dagger up. "I do believe that we're cousins, Allen. Ever heard of your Uncle Percy?"

"Do not speak of him." The old man replied. "He's a good man. That war corrupted him. And me. And Isaac. It was only a few days before the area that he was at my wedding." He whipped his towel at Damien, hitting him in the eye. He stepped back in dismay.

"That hurt!" He said as he chucked his dagger at the old man. My heart skipped a beat, but I was glad to see the hilt of the blade hit him in the head rather than the actual knife part. I ran up and tackled Damien, pushing him to the ground. He instantly kicked my legs out from under me and I fell on top of him.

We rolled around a bit before ending with him on top of me, checking me. I wrapped my hands around is skull and pushed my thumbs into his eye sockets. He screamed in pain as I suffocated. I pushed in with more forced and a small popping sound filled the near silent room, followed my warm blood trailing down my fingers. His cry of pain and shouting of "my eyes!" Confirmed my suspicion as he rolled over, allowing me to breathe.

his one eye was still In tact while the other was replaced with crimson blood. "Asshole!" He grabbed a nearby lamp and broke the top off, revealing a hot bulb with broken glass. He charged at me just in time for me to reach over and grab the knife he had thrown at the old man. I quickly got up and plunged my knife into his neck, forcing his attack upwards towards the ceiling. Damien fell to the ground motionless, but the lamp didn't fall with him. I looked up and noticed the lamp sticking between an old eroded support beam, just above me...

And the support beam came crashing down on my head just as another person came came through the door.

Notes