Page 18 of Deviant Illusions

“Eighty-three.”

I stand as Delilah walks through the wall.

“Eighty-four.”

She doesn’t say anything to me, but I hold my hand out, gesturing for her to take my seat on the bed.

“Do you want something to drink?”

Yeah, she’ll want something to drink. Eat too.

Going to the corner of the room, I look for her favorite drink, so she’ll stay with me for longer. If she’s here, then it’s not dark and I’m not alone. If she sits here for longer, then she might talk back to me one day.

But there are no drinks.

My fingertips hit concrete and pain shoots through my hand. I look down at it. But the hand isn’t mine. It’s dirty and the fingers are too thin. I’ve never had hands like that.

“Kane?”

My vision doubles as my head snaps up and I turn to look for the sound.

Delilah has left again.

There’s no one who could say it.

No one who would say my name.

But it’s here.

I can hear it.

Walking backwards until the corners of the walls brush my back, I search the rest of the room.

“Kane?”

The voice is there.

Delilah isn’t here and the voice is there.

“Kane?”

Is it Asher?

“Kane, I’m over here,” it says again to my left.

I slowly look down and my entire body sags against the wall. Slipping down until I’m sitting with my knees drawn up, I hold my hand out for Asher to climb up.

“You came back,” I whisper. His long tail rests against my wrist. He’s heavier than the last time and he doesn’t squeak as much, but I’m not alone. The coarse whiskers tickle my palm as I stroke his fur and he digs his claws into my hand.

“You let her fucking kill us,” he hisses. I shake my head, but he stops me from saying anything. “You were always supposed to be the reflection. And you let her kill me. She planned it. Now, look at you. Fucking weak and pathetic. I told you that you’d be nothing without me, didn’t I?”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“Exactly, too stupid to do anything,” he squeaks, his pink nose twitching. “Little Kane, who isn’t even allowed a name.”

“I didn’t.” I shake my head again.

The whiskers move faster, and his claws dig deeper into my palm. I flinch as he bites me, causing him to fall off my hand and run under the bed. But he’s not wrong. I let her do this.

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