CHAPTER 2 - TORMENT

Part 2: Susurrus

"A whispering or rustling sound; the indistinct sound of people whispering"

Children swam through the school hallways, their chattering echoing powerfully. Using the school's center cubicle as a medium to exchange conversation. The entirety of the estate-like school was also known to be as exceptionally vast as an endless tunnel.

Various children of various families attended the school, varying from the ages of 12-14. Basil being on the younger end of the spectrum. Conversing with one another as the bells ringed powerfully through the school halls. Although, one child stood eerie amongst the other, a male child who sat steadily as the others excited for recess.

Seated by a nearby window, the dazzling sun glistering over the horizon, the child patterning in a rhythmic sequence on the school window's frame. Their sheeny lengthy pitch-black hair reflecting the sun's brilliant glare, the child dressed with sovereign-like clothing. Emitting a marvelous aura from simply remaining seated.

"Basil!" bellowed the teacher.

He did not respond. Loosely daydreaming about his life as of now. A boy who was allowed one weekly moment of sunlight, the one & only time Basil was allowed outside. Yet when Basil returns to his home, in hopes to reunite with his parents, he is met with a horrid scene. Basil strolls up towards his Mother's lifeless body, submerged in a river of blood. Only to touch & feel her lifeless, cold body for a pulse. Her body was severely cut open causing his Father to speculate an assassination. Letting out a cry for help, multiple nearby neighbors swarm the luxurious manor. After completing the funeral, Basil is mistakenly branded a murderer by numerous so-called, "witnesses". The children also detested him as a result.

Despite Basil's pleading for the adults to calm down & allow him to explain, they refused to listen. Some were shocked by the truthfulness of his pleas, but the majority of others shunned him for spouting such lies. Leaving him with an empty hole deep within as the damage had already been done.

Snapping back to the present, the teacher's beckons grabbing attention. He glared at the long-legged petite female instructor. She gripped the child's wrist with fierce strength, the child opposing the instructor's orders. Hauling the boy over as the children continued their mindless chatter.

The teacher darted towards the outdoor entrance, the sun nearly blinding the poor child. As Basil would raise his palm to combat the glistening sun rays. The instructor would remove the boy's arm from his face with a stern warning, forcing him to go play with the others his age.

An indistinctly shadowy figure then grew under Basil faster than he could perceive. Lurking where he did not see. Vanishing into the terrain below as Basil felt a random disturbance under his feet. Scratching his scalp furiously in a fit of anger.

Basil could somewhat still hear the faint reverb of a resonating thunderous chuckle though.

A particularly familiar chuckle. A chuckle he could have sworn he'd heard before.

The instructor left, presumably to resume her duties, as the other children would continue to simply stand there. Staring.

Shorter than most, Basil was an unchallenging target for bullies, a daily target for multiple kids in poverty. Bearing malice towards society for their unforeseen circumstances.

The taller children begin to circle the prince. The others meaninglessly observed what was to come. This was just another day of Basil's despair.

Laughter, & an uneasiness became one with the atmosphere, as suddenly a child would forcefully shove Basil. Forcibly coming into contact with the ground below, staring upwards at the children whose laughter only gained intensity.

Biting firmly on his lower lip as he attempted to fight back against his opposers. As a fight ensued. Battling his attackers, the laughter grew louder. Louder. LOUDER. LOUDER!

Why! Why! Why!

Why! Why! Why!

Why! Why!

Why! Why! Why!

An abnormal darkness slowly but surely forming under Basil. This time it seemed fierce & ecstatic. This substance of emptiness would surround the children, creeping as it came to fruition. Encompassing the general vicinity around Basil in a manner similar to a shadowy puddle. The pitch-black sentient, amorphous entity constantly morphing as it grinned sharply with only Basil witnessing the forthcoming tragedy, all before it even occurred.

Swallowing the multitude of children that were currently in a group of around 11. Engulfing the total diameter of the group, which was also around 10 feet. Engulfing them all in one huge chomp 20 seconds before light could even reach them.

Just one. . huge. Chomp.

Until there was another; & another, & another. Devouring all in its wake.

Blood would splatter everywhere, the futile strident final screams of the now mutilated children reaching the ears of the instructor. Anyone from even an exceedingly expansive distance away could see the revolting bloodbath in action.

The mucoid biomass of the now deceased children flying throughout the atmosphere. Landing on any nearby surface with a mighty SPLAT!

Chunky limbs belonging to a mother's son, the clammy tongues of pre-teen 13 year olds, their fingers, & repulsive glutinous eyeballs scattered across the playground.

"What was this hell?"

It was repulsive, revolting, & stomach churning. Scurrying to the children, the woman appeared right before a grim sight. It was all too late. A thing of nightmares if you will. Basil, immersed in a sea of blood, terrified, released a single shriek into the evening sky. As so did the female instructor in unison.

Cognitive dissonance of the mind & body can leave a person's sanity as nothing but an empty husk of their former self. Falling to his knees, tears slowly falling down his cheeks. Gripping his long black hair as strong as humanly possible. He was scared. Really scared.

What was next in store for a boy such as himself? Surely his parents would hide the truth, - right?

Stretching out a tedious yelp once more to the skies. A plea of forgiveness to the Gods; but the Gods did not answer. . . .

Shock!

Basil awoke. Asleep atop a glamorously cozy mattress, with an extraordinarily disorienting tension headache. Feeling almost as if his skull were on the verge of imploding from the interior.

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 place was familiar. .

Nostalgic even. As for Basil, no matter how hard he tried, could not put a pinpoint on where exactly he awoke. It was surely lavish, or better yet, his own home. An enormous palace. Exactly how the Nobles to the kingdom of Messenia were destined to live.

However, the primary difference between his ordinary prince's room & here, is the appearance. The appearance was that of a small cell created for a certain individual. A royal dungeon if I may. 𝐈𝐬𝐧'𝐭 something you'd expect for a prince of a well endowed family. Almost as if meant for a test subject imperative to a ruler's experiment.

The cell was luxurious, but held a dingy atmosphere as well. The wind inside the cell shallow & humid. Only passing by to fill the ever so quiet room with noise for a recurrent brief second. Flooded with various bedroom characteristics intended for a Noble, & some not.

Paintings of past family heads adorned the bedroom walls. Many he did not nearly recognize. Some he'd even met. Most surprisingly, even his Mother was one of the heads which decorated the room walls; but there was no Father in sight. There is also a restroom that smelled identical to that of a lavender field of blossoms.

Lastly there is the room's raggedy wooden floorboards, creaking even with the slightest gust of wind. Luckily, the room's air was not particularly violent or freezing. A multitude of blankets were lazily scattered around his physical body, with his belongings thrown wildly over the blankets, almost as if a beast ravaged the cell while he rested.

Basil himself was equipped in nothing but his slick black leather pants, & a plain white button up that wasn't even completely buttoned.

The temperature increasing, Basil removed his plain white shirt, placing it on a dresser beside the king-sized bed. Returning to the actuality of 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, or more importantly; the meaning behind these descriptive hallucinations! - No. Nightmares!

Basil could sense the feeling of something eldritch, something incomprehensible, evolving on the inside. Deluged with disappointment, & releasing a quiet sigh; Basil, the royal prince, whose authority even as a youngster, went unquestioned.

Plagued by his very own everyday existence, simply closed his eyes, returning back to his rest. Finally dozing off on the tender cotton pillow as he recalled his Father's orders.

"𝘋𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮. 𝘋𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮 silently my son."

"𝐖𝐞 will save you."

A mysteriously deep voice called out to Basil from the inside of his own mind. Bursting into a crazed laughter before fading into utter silence.

Basil immediately exited his slumber. Wondering where this echoing voice originated from & who it exactly was.

Could it be the demon - no, devil of his nightmares?

Hyperventilating with his only remainder of breaths left. Breath after breath, sweat dripping like anchors in the ocean. The wind piercingly gelid & noisy. Also distinctly making out what seemed to be faint whispering below his feet.

His psyche & senses not able to even fully process his environment, Basil slowly leaned behind his left foot, stretching far for the blankets near his feet before -

"WAAHHAHAHHHHHHHHH!"

His world warping, distorting & contorting upon itself as he fell off the branch of a gigantic tree. The branches rattle & shake like a tambourine each he comes into contact with another,, & another, & another. Shattering one of his internal ribs on each 'padded' landing.

Leaves & fruit fall due to the concussive impact, triggering somewhat of a ricochet effect. All the while a bright-blood red apple follows Basil's path.

"AgHH!" let out Basil.

Before finally landing on the terrain below &~~

Silence once again took over. In similar fashion to every other previous time since he was born.

The sound of liquid trickling, drizzling profusely, slapping against the muddy earth. It was loud, so loud in fact, it would make one believe the only thing reverberating through the empty forest was their own life fluid.

The sensation of its moist texture felt as if snails steadily trailed over the surface of leathery skin. Insects in the background generate additional noise, advancing from a puny pest to outright irritating in the blink of an eye.

Croaking loudly with whatever lasting breath he could conjure. Tilting his neck an acutely moderate amount to observe his wounds. Witnessing a truly gruesome sight, shuttered stiffly as he examined his wounds.

A gigantic splintered tree branch, approximately 6.8 meters in width, & 12.8 feet in length, with the sharpness of a pin-needle. penetrating directly through his solar plexus. Piercing straight the heart of the young Noble.

"What is happening?. ." As he wished he was dreaming.

As Basil began to lose consciousness, just making out his Mother's figure reaching out her arms to him. Reaching out with his remaining endurance, before surrendering to his injuries.

The same apple mentioned before dropping directly beside Basil's dying body. Rolling leisurely as it hit the ground. Its rolling stopping as Basil's heavy breaths stopped..

-End