Shadows Of The Soul

Shadows Of The Soul

 In a dimly lit kitchen, a disheveled little girl sat at the table, surrounded by remnants of a violently disturbed breakfast - a torn box of corn flakes, an empty bowl, and a carton of spilled milk dripping off the table. A tall, hardened monster hunter named Ethan Gunn, clad in old military gear, stood firm at the kitchen door, his gaze locked on the child with cautious vigilance.

Ethan's voice carried a mixture of exasperation and disbelief as he uttered, "When I got up today, all I wanted was my bowl of corn flakes."

The girl remained motionless, her blank stare fixated on the wall before her. As Ethan cautiously advanced, he discreetly kept a gun at his side, shrouding it from the child's view.

"But," Ethan continued, his voice a blend of frustration and incredulity, "I come in here and find you, eating my morning corn flakes, and you won't even show any remorse for this vile deed." He spoke while inching steadily forward.

Abruptly, the little girl underwent a horrifying transformation, her small frame twisting and expanding into a colossal, raging dark rouge monster. It leaped at Ethan with an explosive burst of energy, hurling the kitchen into chaos. Adrenaline surged through his veins as he attempted to fire at the creature, but his aim faltered, and the gun slipped from his grasp, clattering to the floor. The beast overwhelmed him, sending him crashing into the wall.

"Damn it," he muttered through gritted teeth.

Summoning every ounce of his expertise, Ethan managed to retrieve the fallen firearm, pivoted swiftly, and unleashed a fatal shot into the monster's heart. Its gargantuan form collapsed to the ground, grotesquely reverting back to the lifeless little girl who lay before him. Ethan brushed himself off with a sigh, settling casually into a chair as he reclaimed his interrupted breakfast.

Ethan's muttered words lingered in the air, his introspective gaze fixed upon the lifeless child. "The crawl home tonight is more than I can bear, it’s getting harder to bounce back. It’s all getting harder. No point in getting weepy."

"She was just a little girl."

Haunted by the painful darkness that resided within him, Ethan's reflection drifted to the merciless trail of innocent casualties left in his wake. His battle-hardened exterior crumbled, exposing the turmoil that simmered beneath.

"These creatures usually infest the vilest criminals in the darkest corners of the neighbourhood, often doing me a favour by eradicating them," Ethan ruminated, his voice tinged with bitterness. "Once a human is infested, they’re dead already. But every so often, they host and twist into an innocent form, like tonight, just to taunt me. It doesn't make killing them any easier. I'll always see that child's face. What kind of monster does that make me?"

Weeks stretched into a relentless pursuit of these elusive "formers," wretched shapeshifting entities that inhabited hosts, leaving drained corpses in their wake. Ethan's reputation as the town's premier monster hunter held firm, but his personal vendetta against these supernatural entities fuelled his relentless drive. The stench of his quarry clung to him, an odour that took weeks to scrub from his skin. Familiarity with that scent only heightened his determination.

As he returned to his room, he found the door ajar. A scattered array of his girlfriend's clothing strewn across the floor, the sound of water running in the background. In the bathroom, steam billowed, and there stood Lily beneath the shower's cascading water.

Lily's voice beckoned him, a hint of playfulness in her tone, "Hey handsome, get in."

Seeking solace, Ethan joined Lily, the warmth of the water easing the tension in his weary muscles. Enveloped by her presence, he was reminded of the darkness he battled, a stark contrast to the serenity of the moment.

Within the confines of the shower, Ethan held Lily close, the weight of recent events threatening to drown him. His internal struggle brewed beneath the surface, juxtaposed with the soothing flow of water around them.

Lily's voice broke the silence, her concern palpable. "You seem distant, Ethan my love. What’s lurking in that mind of yours?"

His response carried the weight of his inner turmoil. "Just... the usual despicable monsters, Lily. Sometimes it feels like there's no escaping them." He paused. “She was just a little girl.”

Her gentle touch offered a lifeline, a tether to his humanity amidst the darkness. "You can't let them consume you, Ethan. Remember who you are, the man I fell in love with. You've saved countless lives, including mine."

Forcing a smile, Ethan clung to the embrace, his heart heavy with the distant truth he hid. In that fleeting moment, he silently vowed to shield Lily from the storm that raged within him, even as he grappled with his own dark demon.

 Days merged into weeks, the relentless hunt for the sinister "formers" intensified. Ethan's determination to unearth their origins and vanquish their terror reached an all-consuming fervour. Countless hours were dedicated to deciphering ancient texts and collaborating with fellow hunters, each step driven by the need to atone for the lives lost.

One evening, amidst the dimly lit confines of his study, Ethan's research yielded a chilling revelation. "Formers" were no mere malevolent entities; they were fragments of an ancient darkness, a maleficent force intent on corrupting and devouring the world. 

More unsettling was Ethan's realization that he was inexorably bound to this darkness, a vessel for its malevolence.

Ethan's hands trembled as he absorbed the weight of this revelation, his gaze shifting from the ancient manuscripts to a framed photograph of Lily. Her joyful smile offered a stark contrast to the darkness that now threatened to consume him.

Driven by the need to confront his own demon, Ethan embarked on a treacherous journey of self-discovery. He sought out ancient rituals and meditative practices, desperate to gain control over the darkness that gnawed at him. With every step, he grappled with his own fears, his own doubts, wrestling with the truth that he was both hunter and hunted.

His racing mind finally confessed the horrible truth within him; “I am a former!”

The climactic battle with the “host former" loomed on the horizon, a culmination of Ethan's internal and external struggles. Alone, he faced the monstrous entity that had tormented their lives, channeling his newfound understanding of his own nature. His determination kindled a fire within, granting him an uncanny ability to anticipate the creature's movements and strike with precision.

In the heat of the battle, the air crackled with raw energy as Ethan waged war against the "former host." Its monstrous form writhed and thrashed, convulsing in agony. Ethan's newfound mastery over his inner darkness bestowed upon him a tactical advantage, allowing him to seize control of the battle's tempo. Like a dance of unrelenting death strokes.

With a resounding clash, the confrontation reached its apex. Ethan plunged a weapon forged from his own darkness into the heart of the "host." A deafening howl of agony echoed through the air as the creature shattered into a maelstrom of fragments, dissipating into nothingness. The aftermath left an eerie silence in its wake, a stark contrast to the chaotic struggle that had unfolded moments before.

Amidst the settling dust, Ethan stood victorious yet weary, his chest heaving with exhaustion. Lily's swift approach, her eyes brimming with admiration and affection, offered a glimmer of solace.

Lily's voice carried a mixture of pride and relief as she spoke, "You did it, my love. 

Ethan's gaze met Lily's, his eyes revealing the weight of his past and the battles he had fought, both within himself and against the forces that threatened their world. 

He drew a deep breath, his voice steady yet infused with emotion.

"I've learned that the true monsters aren't just the ones we hunt, Lily. They're the darkness that resides within us all. But I won't let that darkness control me any longer. With you by my side, I'll face whatever challenges come our way."

Lily's smile was a beacon of support, her touch a comforting reassurance that reached the depths of his troubled soul.

"Together," Lily affirmed, her voice unwavering, "we'll conquer any shadow that tries to dim our souls."

The battles they faced were no longer just external foes; they were battles against the darkness within and the shadows that threatened to engulf their very essence. Through their unwavering bond, Ethan learned to harness and control the beast within himself, taming the monstrous tendencies that had plagued him for so long.

As the days turned into months and the seasons changed, Ethan and Lily continued to stand side by side, facing challenges that tested their resolve and pushed them to their limits. Each battle, whether against supernatural creatures or the darkness within, served as a reminder of their strength and resilience.

With time, Ethan's reputation as a monster hunter only grew stronger, but his journey had transformed into more than just a quest for vengeance. It had become a quest for redemption, a way to protect the innocent and ensure that the darkness that had once consumed him would never gain the upper hand again.

As the shadows of their souls merged and intertwined, Ethan and Lily forged ahead, fortified by the power of their love and the lessons they had learned from the dark shadows of their past.

© Copyright Rob Taylor 2023