Chapter Text
|-Witching Hour, April 3rd, 2024. 105 Pinecrest Parkway, Wilmington, North Carolina-|
Fuuuuuuuuck...
Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.
Whaddyagonnado?Whaddyagonnado?Whaddyagonnado?
Murim's out the window, tryna get in. What the fuck we doin' here? This jawn we just did better work. It fuckin' betta. Or else it's gonna be Senara's head. I swear on me mother.
"Now what the fuck we gonna do?" I'm askin' all rattled, my heart's thumpin' outta my chest from bein' scared an' worn out after I sliced my hand open.
"Jist tek a breath an' simmern down, do 'ee, Cam. If us stands right here in this 'ere pentagram, us shuld be safe an' sound." She starts, givin' me an answer dat just riles me up sumthin' fierce.
"We don't KNOW we're gonna be safe. Ya said it yerself: We're 'bout to see if this fuckin' ritual even works." I'm yellin', seein' how Murim's hittin' the windows harder and harder. One more smack, and one's gonna break. I can already see it. That damn gold bird flyin' around, tearin' stuff up and clawin' my eyes out. I'm keepin' my ears peeled, tryna find out where that jagoff crow is. But I can't hear 'im. It's makin' me all bent outta shape. I hate it.
"It's too quiet." I whisper, my eyes dartin' all over the place.
"I knows, see. I don't 'old wi' it, mind." Senara goes, her voice shakin' a lil'. I guess she ain't wild 'bout this occult jawn. Can't say I blame her. I'm listenin' while she's talkin', tryna figure out where this bird is at. He ain't outside... Musta duffed outta here. Unless... I start hearin' somethin' that just turns my blood ice cold. It's behind us... In the fireplace...
"Oh shit..."
"What's on 'ee mind, me 'ansum?"
"He's inna fuckin' firebox..."
I turn around real slow-like, seein' the noise from the fire grow louder and louder. Murim's climbin' down it... And he's takin' his sweet-ass time, too... The little jagoff... Da noise keeps gettin' louder 'til a whole lotta soot flies outta da firebox, followed by da sound of wings. We both turn towards it, watchin' da cloud slowly disappear as somethin' starts walkin' towards us. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck... The soot finally clears up, and we see Murim, all 5'5" of him in front of the firebox. I can feel my heart beatin' outta my chest as he looks around the livin' room. He's clearly fakin' it. He knows I'm here, the jagoff. He can see me. He's just fuckin' wit' me. Murim finally turns, starin' right at me, wit' his eyes covered by dat shaggy hair o' his. Den he starts comin' towards me an' Senara, wing stretched out tryna grab us, but as he hovers over the pentagram...
sizzle
sizzle
ignition
"HMPH! My, my. How lucky and resourceful of you to have someone as treacherous as Senara with you." He goes, his wing snappin' back to his side after a lil' hiss like it hurt. Guess whatever me and Senara did, it worked. We're protected. But fuh how long? Guess we're gonna find out dat, too.
"Proper glad to clap eyes on 'ee again, Murim. Been a fair ol' while, innit?" Senara chirps back, wit' like, drippin' all over the place as she's talkin'.
"Oh, I'm not here for you. I'm here for him." Murim's tellin' her, wit' his face glued to me. My heart's goin' a mile a minute. Gotta chill out. But how? Murim's right fuckin' there. What the fuck am I supposed to do, here? I gotta think of somethin', pronto, while Murim's givin' me the stink eye. Fuck... "He will make a fine proxy for my Master. As for you..." He starts lookin' around again 'fore he settles on Senara. "You will be left for Aziel."
I feel somethin' heavy walkin' inta the room. Aziel ain't comin' 'ere, is she? Nah. That can't be how dat works.
"Like dat's ever gonna fuckin' happen, ya jagoff." I go and just blurt it right out, catchin' Murim off guard. Guess he ain't like that. Or maybe he did, and just wanna keep givin' me a hard time.
"Oh. It will happen. His will is inevitable." Murim goes, the venom makin' his voice fill up the whole room. Now we're dreadin' even harder, and I wish we could do somethin'. While I'm tryin' ta figure somethin' out, Murim decides ta try his luck again. He reaches a wing out toward me and Senara, but it starts burnin' up again. Just like when he got in here.
"Hmm... How odd. My magic should be able to dispell this sigil. This... barrier. But it cannot. I'm impressed, Senara. It seems you still have your wits about you." He goes, lettin' that jagoff compliment sink in while he starts circlin' us. It's real slow. Like a creep. And it feels wicked hateful. He hates we're safe here inna circle. Hates Senara's got the brains. Hates he can't touch me without gettin' torched. Murim keeps circlin' 'round us, his face never turnin' away. But as he's doin' that, the sun's rays start peeking through the windows. Then it hits Murim. And he hates that jawn. Oh, he hates it. He hisses and moans. Clearly, he's at his strongest durin' the Witching Hour. I quickly grab my cell outta my pocket and see the time: Six thirty in the mornin'. Eat shit and die, ya jagoff murderbird.
"You are lucky this time, Cameron. But you won't be the next time. One way or another, you will be bent to His will." Murim goes, right before he morphs into that jagoff golden crow. Then he makes a beeline for the fireplace, shootin' up it like a bat outta hell. After that...nothin'. Nothin' but my heart feelin' like it's gonna jump outta my chest wit' how fast it's beatin'. I finally get a calm breath, steadyin' myself. At which point...
In through the nose.
Deep and low.
Expand the diaphragm.
Out through the mouth.
In through the nose.
Deep and low.
Expand the diaphragm.
Out through the mouth.
One more time.
In through the nose.
Deep and low.
Expand the diaphragm.
Out through the mouth.
In through the nose.
Deep and low.
Expand the diaphragm.
Out through the mouth.
I start feeling better. Calmer. More level-headed. I take a risky move. I shift towards the edge of the pentagram, testing my luck to see if Murim is really gone or if he's just on the roof, waiting for me to make a mistake. I take one step out of the circle, and wait a few seconds. A few agonizing seconds. But nothing happens. Guess he's actually fucked off. For now at least. I then turn to face Senara, taking note of how pale fer face is.
"Hey. You okay?" I ask her, noticing that thousand yard stare she's giving at the fireplace. She then stirs, shaking her head as if she just came back to reality after zoning out.
"Aye, I reckon I'm doin' alright, me 'andsome. How be 'ee yerself, then?" She responds, voice trembling, but manageable.
"Feel like I'm about to shit bricks. Looks like whatever we did worked. Kept him at bay." I tell her, consciously refraining from saying Murim's name out loud. I'm not repeating what just happened. Not in this lifetime or any other. That's enough excitement for my day. I quickly start pacing around the room, looking out the windows to see if I can spot Murim watching from a tree. But I don't see him anywhere. Not in the tress. Not on any trashcan. Not on any rooftop. He's gone. For now. I know he's gonna try again. I'd be stupid to think otherwise. So I turn to Senara again.
"This brooch thing? Why did it... hide me from him? Well, until, you know..." I ask, wanting to know more about why these things are happening.
"A piece o' Elise, see, got snatched by some ol' witch or hag after she'd popped 'er clogs. Seems that bit were 'er gran's brooch, 'tis. Leastways, that's what I've managed t' ferret out so far, mind." She tells me, eyes never really leaving the fireplace. Why is she stuck up on that. "Some maid called Walpurga, see. Made a saint by Kieferberg, like, where Elise grew up 'n' lived 'til she wed Roman, mind. But 'pears the Walpurga they worshipped in Kieferberg weren't quite the same as the Saint Walpurga most folks reckon they know, see?" Walpurga... The fuck? No, no, no, no, no. Aint happenin' on my watch.
"Yous even thinkin' bout sayin' that the saint for sailors, the one my great-grandpop prayed to when he was out in the Pacific fightin' the Japanese, was some kinda witch, we gonna have a problem, ya hear?" I say, venom now tinging my voice. But Senara doesn't waver. Not by an inch.
"Nah, nah, nah. This Walpurga weren't nothin' like the one yer gran used ta pray to, see. Theologians reckoned them Kieferberg lot were proper heretics, they did. Their Walpurga had different roots altogether. But whether she were a witch, mind... well, that's up for debate." She responds, finally turning to face me so that this becomes a proper fucking conversation. "Anyways, from what I could dig up, 'tis lookin' like Elise was tied to Walpurga somehow, see, which led to she claimin' the maid's brooch after she passed, like."
"But why does it protect me? Why does Mu- ERM- he hate it?" I ask, restating my original question. Doesn't take long for Senara to give me an answer.
"Looks like Walpurga weren't rightly gettin' on with Him and His lot. As for why, couldn't rightly find much 'bout it. Gotta keep lookin', I reckon. But I don't think those answers are here in Wilmington. Ee should 'ead off, then. Back to yer mate's flat, see? Get some rest an' mend yourself, do ee? I'll give ee a shout if I come across owt." She then says, motioning for me to head off. I should. I'm scared. I'm pissed. But most of all: I'm tired. I need to sleep. So I start walking towards the door.
|-Later that morning. The Cordelia, 472 Azalea Landing Drive Room 3G-|
"Dag'ummit... Where at is it? I know I ain't gone and lost it. That there was my favorite knife. It's gotta be 'round here somewheres..." I'm lookin' all over my room, tryin' to find my favorite knife. I coulda swore I left it right there on the bedside table. But now it's plum gone. Just vanished. Where'd it get off to? Reckon I left it in the truck? Or did Cam grab it by accident, thinkin' it was his'n? I'll have to ask him 'bout it sometime. Anyways, he weren't even here when I woke up this mornin'. I keep kickin' around dirty clothes needin' washin' and puttin' away. Then I sift through some work papers. Even rooted through Cam's stuff, bless my heart. Where's that boy got to? He... Murim ain't snatched him up, has he? Nah, can't be. Cam's got more sense than that. He might be from north of that Mason-Dixon Line, but he ain't no pushover. Workin' construction and all. I stroll on out to the den and spot Reilly on the couch yonder. Reckon she might know where he lit out to. So, I mosey on over, fixin' to pick her brain a bit.
"Hey Reilly, got a question for ya," I say, comin' up on her.
"Yeah. What's up?" She asks me, kinda thinkin' it over. Reckon I gotta just spit it out.
"You seen Cam this mornin'? He weren't here when I woke up," I ask, watchin' all kinda faces flash 'cross her dark face. Looks like she ain't got a clue neither. Dagummit. Reckon this here's a dry hole.
"Uh... No.? Not really. I do know that he went out in a hurry last night. Is it related to whatever supernatural thing you were talking about?" Reilly's answerin' back, still ain't quite buyin' what she heard me, Maddy, and Cam yackin' 'bout last night. Can't rightly fault her, though. If I was standin' in her boots, I wouldn't swaller it neither.
"Could be, could not be. Ain't like it matters much to you anyhow. You just think it's somethin' to gawk at, don't really hold with the haints and all." I say, not wantin' to get her all riled up. We ain't known Cam but a hot minute, but shoot, he's growed on us. Mostly on account of how thick he is with Maddy. Any friend of hers is a friend of mine. Guess Reilly's the same way.
"Well, when it starts to interfere with my life, I'm gonna start believing it. And it's starting to interfere with my life. You clearly know more than you're letting on." Reilly's a-tellin' me, her eyes just a-bore right through me. I reckon I ain't fixin' to give her the same ol' song and dance I gave Cam and Maddy. Talkin' 'bout what Murim done did to my Paw-Paw just... well, it purely rubs me the wrong way, it does.
"It's a right far piece to tell. I don't know if you got the heart for it," I say, my face makin' all sorts of shapes while I'm a-talkin'.
Just as Reilly's fixin' to pipe up agin, the doorknob starts a-jigglin'. Then, dag gummit, it swings open... and Cam walks right in. He looks... He looks like he rode hard and got put away wet: eye bags big enough to carry groceries in. Got a look on his face like he's seen a ghost. Breathin' heavy as a hog. Bandage 'round his hand. What in tarnation happened to him last night? What in the world was he up to? I went on over there directly, needed to make sure he was alright. Got up to him, and he holds his hand out, and there's that knife that was gone missin', right there in his palm.
"I... uh, sorry 'bout... pickin' this up on short notice. I'll... I'll be sure to axe next time, aight?" Cam's talkin', kinda mumbled like 'cause he's plum wore out. Lord, he looks like he's 'bout to fall over any minute now. I'm surprised he made it back here like that without wreckin' his ride. He's one tough ol' bird, that's for sure.
"Lawd, where'd you run off to? What in tarnation were you doin'? Why's your hand all bandaged up?" I started grillin' him, tryin' to get to the bottom of what happened last night. There's more to this than he's lettin' on, but somethin' tells me I gotta hold my horses 'til he's feelin' a bit better to explain it right.
"Damn. Cam hit the lights as soon as he sat down. Whatever he was doing last night must've been exhausting." Reilly says, and we still lookin' at Cam. He's done gone. Cold as a well digger's backside. Look kinda peaceful, he do. 'Til I 'member all the stuff he been dealin' with since he got here, that is. Poor fella. Don't know how I'd keep from goin' plumb loco if that ol' crow was tailin' me. From what I reckon hearin' all Paw-Paw's stories, he was one right good skirt-chaser. "Sleepin' like a newborn. What in tarnation you think he was doin' all night? And I mean clear on through the night. Ain't no way you just plop right off to sleep the instant you hit the couch." I'm startin' to wonder, eyes glued to the band-aids on Cam's hand. You reckon he cut hisself on somethin' by pure accident? Or was it... on purpose? My mind's wanderin' back to how he handed me back my prize knife. Nah... No, no, no. That just ain't hittin' right. But then again... considerin' what he's goin' through... That there occult stuff might just be what he's gotta dabble in. If nothin' else, just to make it through.
"Don't know. Must've been intense. And dangerous. Just look at that bandage. Looks like it needs to be changed." Reilly says, kinda noddin' that she wants to switch it out for somethin' clean. Part of me's sayin' to wait 'til Cam's awake and got his wits about him. But shoot, them bandages do look like they need a-changin'.
"Let's try not to be too hard on him, ya hear?" I say, headin' towards my bathroom to grab that little ol' first-aid kit I got. Never thought I'd be usin' it for this, bless my heart. I went ahead and snagged that little red box yonder and moseyed on back to the settin' room. Popped it open and grabbed some bandages whilst Reilly went to fetch some water. Then, we easy-like peeled off them old, dingy rags that was wrapped 'round Cam's hand, and wouldn't you know it, there was his boo-boo.
"Woah, that... That definitely looks deliberate." She says, takin' it all in.
"Yeah... reckon it does..." I said then, figurin' my little hunch was right. That's when I seen Reilly turn towards me outta the corner of my eye, lookin' a little queasy and kinda put off.
"You don't... You don't think that he's..." I reckon I know what she's gettin' at. Better nip that notion in the bud 'fore she gets too far down that road.
"Naw, not a bit. He musta done it for some other reason," I tell her, tryin' not to get her all riled up. Seems to work, 'cause her face kinda softens. But she's still a little bothered. I can see it. And shoot, can't say I blame her none. "Reckon it had somethin' to do with that there bird been tailin' him. Might be Cam had to do somethin' right drastic to keep him outta harm's way. Just a notion, though," I said, just puttin' it out there.
"How long until he wakes up? Before Maddy comes home from classes?" Then Reilly asks, all worried-like. I shore do hope he comes to his senses 'fore she gets back home. Can't rightly imagine what she'd be doin' if she seen him like this. I start wrappin' up his hand with that bandage, Reilly makin' dang shore it's all good and clean 'fore I do.
"Ain't got no clue. Could wake up in a quarter hour. Could be five hours. But it oughta be 'fore Maddy gets on back. Her classes usually keep her over yonder at the university 'til 'bout seven, at the very least."' I go on, windin' that bandage 'round Cam's hand, makin' shore it's snug so it stays put.
Got the bandage slapped on, and Cam's still sawing logs, just kinda twitchin' now and then. Must be dreamin' somethin' fierce. Reckon I don't wanna know what's goin' on in that head of his. But that ain't the half of it. I already got some notions brewin'. I'm parked right here at the supper table, keepin' an eye on Cam passed out on the sofa, then lookin' over at Reilly settin' across from me, and then that ol' picture she snapped over yonder in Austria that one time. Always did give me the willies, that thing. Just felt... funny, somehow.
"You reckon Heilige Castle's tied up in any of this mess?" I ask, 'fore I even give it a second thought. Reilly just gives me this look, bless her heart. A real peculiar lookin' at me.
"Uh... No.? Can't see how a supposedly haunted castle in Central Europe is at all related to what Cam's dealing with." She goes, soundin' kinda flustered, like she done forgot what she was worried 'bout before.
"Just a thought, now. This here gold crow... I was doin' some readin' when I first come on down here from Burgaw. Turns out he's from 'round Central Europe somewheres. Leastways, that's where most the tales 'bout him come from." I start in, tryin' to lay out my thinkin'. "Reckon he might be part the reason folks think they got a haunted castle. Maybe them Heiliges cut some kinda deal with this bird and it done turnt 'round and bit 'em."
"I mean, that does make some sense. If you in believe that kind of thing, at least. But... I don't know, Bo. Still seems kinda far-fetched. Heilige Castle doesn't really scream 'demon den' to me. More like 'urban legends'." Reilly answers back, her voice kinda quiverin' ever' now an' then. She then goes to say somethin' else, but the words just won't come out. Don't rightly matter, though. We hear a noise comin' from the sofa, an' we both jerk our heads 'round. Looks like Cam's done woke up. Best to get some answers outta him.
|-That afternoon. Hiro Japanese Steakhouse, 222 Old Eastwood Road-|
"So what happened? You leave in the middle in the night and come back almost twelve hours later looking exhausted and with a bandage on your hand." Reilly asks me, taking a bite out of her udon after the question is put into the air.
"Do you want the long answer? Because you're not gonna believe me." I tell her, knowing that I won't get helped or be taken seriously. Til Bo decides to open his yap.
"Shoot, I reckon we'll both take your word for it just fine.' He says, which gives me the go ahead to spill the details.
"Can't say his name out loud. It empowers him. Draws him to you. And that's exactly what my dumbass did last night." I say as I pull the brooch out of my pocket. I take one look at the purple stones in the wings, and hear that little voice again.
You need to go... The woods... Salvation is there...
"This brooch can supposedly hide me from that damn murderbird. Worked well for a week and a half. But then I got cocky. Or stupid, depending on your point of view." I keep going, paying no attention to that little voice or how much just holding the damn thing seems to be draining my psyche. "Met someone about two weeks ago. Seems to have been through some similar shit. Immediately contacted her to see if she could help. She told me to meet her and bring a knife."
"So that's the reason you snatched it up..." Bo says without thinking, cutting me off before I can keep going. But he doesn't speak any further. Reilly is completely silent.
"Did some weird ass ritual. Needed my blood in order for it to work. She told me to cut my hand, one small incision at the base of the thumb." I continue, not getting interrupted any further. "He then burst into the house we were in. Tried to grab me. Started burning his wings when he hovered over the pentagram." That gets their attention.
"I'm sorry, pentagram? Is this woman you met a satanist?"
"Well, bless my soul..."
I look at both of them, then the brooch, then to my bandaged hand. I then look outside. Crows. A lot of them. But I don't feel their eyes one me. Guess the brooch is hiding me again. Better keep it this way. Don't want to repeat what happened this morning. And then I hear that little voice again.
Do not worry about them... Focus on finding the answers that you seek...
That... sounds like it's in my head. I don't think Bo or Reilly can hear the voice. Guess I can entertain my insanity: What's in the woods? Do you mean the Nature Park? I go back there, Murim might drag me back into the Grove.
So long as you have this brooch with you, Murim will not be able to find you. Provided you do not say his name.
Yeah, I figured. But what's out there?
I cannot tell you. You need to find it yourself.
Well that's less than helpful...
I return my attention back to Reilly and Bo, who are now looking at the brooch. Seems like it's draining their sanity too. Not a good sign.
"Who's brooch was it? Because it looks old. And why do you have it? Things aren't adding up here, Cam." Reilly asks, eyes going between me and the brooch.
"Senara told me it belonged to one Elise die Heilige. But official reports state that her brooch wa-" She cuts me off before I can finish the statement.
"A simple piece of jade in a brass casing. That looks like pieces of amethyst in silver. Can't be hers." Reilly says, her face taking on a visage of disbelief.
"It's what I was told. Apparently she got caught up with a witch when she was younger. That witch took this brooch as her own after Elise died. Changed it..." I start saying, knowing that if I mention the voice that they'll try to get me committed. I take one last look outside. The crows are gone. The feeling of eyes may not have been there, but I still feel that dread. That dread that started all the way back in Virginia, when I first sighted Murim. "Turned it into this." I say as I put the brooch back into my pocket. Whatever thing is in there, it's latched onto me. I'll need to ask Senara about this at a later date. But whatever that voice is saying, it seems adamant on me getting back out into the Nature Park. But that... That just seems like suicide. I can't go through with that. Not without a plan. I know that if I've got my brains on me I'm effectively invisible to Murim. He can sense me, but he'll need to actively look for me. I can use that to my advantage. I'll think of something.
Sun's gone down, and I'm back in the Nature Park. Flashlights are on me, but I've also got my hammer. Murim might not be able to see me, but I can see him. And I know he can't see me because the feeling of eyes is not present. Just like it wasn't when I got back to Maddy's apartment after I left Senara's pad. Still need to ask her about that voice, though...
Best to not wander. Increases the chances of Murim finding you.
I doubt it. So long as I don't say his name out loud, he won't be able to see me.
That may be true, but the power vested in this brooch isn't permanent. It ebbs and flows.
Well fuck.
You need not worry. I will warn you ahead of time.
That's enough of that. Just checking into that conversation was taxing. Still not sure if it even happened. If that voice is real. Doesn't matter. Not right now, at least. Focus on tripping up Murim. Get the jump on that murderbird, And it doesn't take long for the signs to appear: I hear crows all around me. Just as I thought. Murim can sense me, but neither he nor this murder can see me. Best to start fucking around while I can. No telling when the brooch's magic will start to wear off.
caw
caw
caw
They're so god damn loud. Do they ever shut up? Must be talking to Murim. Going on about how they can't find me. I bet Murim is pissed. I know I would be. I keep walking though, I don't want to be in one spot for too long. But the cawing doesn't stop. Before, it would be terrifying. Now? It's just fuckin' annoying.
caw
caw
caw
They're still going. Still trying to find me for Murim. And still failing. I'm still in the clear. But something feels different. The air's changed. I can't quite explain it. It's not pleasant. Not at all. Maybe the brooch is wearing off temporarily? No. If that was the case, the little voice would've told me. Said it would warn me ahead of time. So why... Why does the night feel oppressive now? Is Murim out loo-
He is hunting. Be careful.
Who? Murim? Is that why things got depressing?
Yes. Look up in the trees. Shine your light there.
I decide to follow the voice's advice and point the high-powered flashlight into the canopy above me. I don't see anything at first. But after a few seconds... I catch a glimpse of something. Whatever it was, it reflected the light back at me. I wave that cone over the spot I think I saw it, and sure enough, I see glints of gold. Murim... I immediately cut the light, letting my eyes slowly adjust to the darkness.
What do I do here? I'm not gonna just climb a tree and grab him.
Oh no. Don't do that. You wouldn't last a minute in an altercation.
Well thanks for the encouragement...
Wait. See what he does. I don't think he saw you. The light, maybe. But not you. He probably thinks it was someone else out in the night.
Kind of a dumb assumption on his part. Haven't seen anyone else out here.
Touchée. But you can never be too safe. Not when dealing with Him and His servants.
Him... Murim repeatedly says he wants to make me His proxy. Why? What does that even mean?
I don't know. It could mean any number of things for any number of reasons. His marquises aren't exactly known for clarity .
Less than helpful... Again...
Not intended.
I know...
I clock out of that, the sound of branches snapping and wings flapping catching my attention. Murim's on the move. I listen close, trying to figure out where he's going. The wings stopped almost immediately. Could be on another branch. Could be on the ground. No telling unless I go and look. So I do. I search for Murim, inverting our predator-prey dynamic as I reach for my hammer. As I search, I hear thumping on the ground. Almost like footsteps.
Hide. Guards.
It could also be Murim and not a cop.
That is true... But getting arrested doesn't seem like a good idea. Especially out here.
I think we'll be fine.
I follow the sound of the footsteps, taking care to not make too much noise as I do so. As I keep moving, the footsteps slowly stop, and I hear someone talking to themselves.
"I just don't understand..."
crunch
crunch
crunch
"How can he become so elusive so quickly? It must be that brooch. It has the hag's stench on it, after all."
That's Murim alright...
Be careful. One wrong move and he may see you.
So long as I have this brooch on me, he won't. Speaking of...
What?
Who's this hag he's talking about?
I don't get an answer, not right away. But that's not important. Because I get a good look at Murim. He's in his more human-like form, wandering in circles as he tries to find me. I just need him to turn his back to me. And when he does...
crunch
crunch
crunch
crunch
crunch
crunch
I sprint towards the murderbird, hammer at the ready. I'm making a lot of noise, and it seems to get Murim's attention, but it' a bit too late, since I've got the hammer above my head...
swing
I bring it down, hard, only for it to not hit anything. Instead, I tumble onto the ground. Shit. Must've been one of those illusions I read about. I quickly get to my feet and dash away, wanting to find some cover before I do anything else. But As I move, I trip over something. I quickly get my flashlight on and shine it on whatever I raked, and see a skeletal arm. God dammit...