2 The Old Dirge and The Fenrir

In this world, you're nothing if you look ugly and poor.

Appearance, wealth, and charisma.

Whether you are great or have the noblest heart, people would still never take second glances at you if you don't have the wealth and the looks. People won't recognize you, nor even remember your name.

But, if you have beauty, they will almost worship you.

Running swiftly through the dark alleys, Iris was thankful that she wore her most comfortable sneakers. Jumping and racing through the streets, Iris groaned as she felt her knees began to weaken.

No, she isn't a burglar nor a criminal on the run---but was being chased by her most obsessed stalkers. She has been running and hiding for almost half an hour, but they're still hot on her heels.

'Please get lost, please get lost...' Iris prayed inwardly, her legs struggling as they continuously lose their strength.

---

Earlier, upon buying her cosmetics to the nearest mall, Iris received several text messages from numbers she doesn't recognize. Though, she was only able to read it on her way home.

'Miss Iris, I saw you on the mall. You look so beautiful even when you try so hard to cover the seductive bitch you are.. so cute.' -Unknown number 1

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'Why do you hide your pretty face and legs? It would be better if we strip off those clothes don't we? Pls, show me of you.' -Unknown number 2

-----

*image of Iris from a distant angle*

'You look so lonely, do u want me to accompany you for the night?' -Unknown number 3

Grossed out, and completely frightened Iris didn't open the other messages from the unregistered numbers. She has been receiving these kind of offensive messages before, but they never really caused her serious harm. She tried reporting it to the police but there's just few that they can do to help, so Iris would just normally ignore it.

But one message caught her eye, it was from her best friend, Sera.

'Iriiiiiss, please tell me you're safe!! Lian and I was just waiting for you outside your gate but we found your house lights on... and the window in your bedroom was broken. We were so scared we didn't enter. You're still on the mall right? Please tell me you're still buying our cosmetics for our project! And, don't come near your home just yet, they might still be loitering around your house. We're on Lian's house atm. We've already called the cops, please, please stay safe.'

It was sent just five minutes ago. Alarmed, Iris fell silent as her palms began to sweat madly as her hand shakily held her phone. Instinctively, she checked for the only sharp thing on her pocket...a pen.

Immediately running on the opposite direction of her house, Iris dialed Sera's phone, it only rang a second before she immediately picked it up.

"Hello...Iris??" Sera answered.

"Hey. Sera, I'm here on the Joy Street--"

"Iris?? Hello? Where are you? We were so worried!! Are you okay?" Sera asked.

"I'm okay, but I-I'm being followed," Iris whispered.

"W-Wait, Iris...I can't hear you clearly. I think the signal in here's a bit bad. Don't hang up, ok? I'll look for signal...just don't hang up just yet." Sera said before the other line went quite for a while.

Iris impatiently stood by the street lights where she can be completely seen at the CCTVs, and where few cars passes by as she silently wait for Sera's line to reconnect, when suddenly a huge man went to her back and closely sniffed her.

Iris stiffened as she felt a sharp metal pointed against her side. Both her mind and body refused to work as fear began to swallow her up. Then, the man reached for her waist and roughly rubbed himself between Iris's thighs. She yelped but there were no longer cars nor even a single passerby near them.

"Try screaming and I'll eat you ALL up," a shrilling maniac voice whispered so closely to her ears, making her quiver.

She needed to move. She knew she must move, but intense disgust and fear were stirring her up. 'Get a hold of yourself!!' Iris thought as she slapped herself to wake.

Before the man could react, she swiftly grabbed her pen from her pocket and stabbed it on the man's neck. But surprisingly, it wasn't enough to completely immobilize him.

Iris began to run as the stalker regains his composure and briskly followed after her. Unfortunately, her vulnerability might have showed as an opportunity for her other prowlers to aggressively attack her.

Iris realized that if she had never taken her late brother's self-defence lessons, she would have been on a much dire situation right now.

'Thank you very much, even though you're no longer here, you still protect me til now.' Iris thought as she began to speed up.

Cornered by a much larger figure, Iris purposely made a wrong turn to a dead end to face her stalker.

'What?! This is a different person from before!' she exclaimed inside.

Pretending to be vulnerable and scared, Iris plead the huge man.

"Please, let me go...I'll give you anything but my dignity, just let me go."

But the man didn't seem to be properly civilized at the moment.

'Well, you want this the hard way, huh.' Iris snickered inwards.

-----

-----

"Ugh, what have you done..."

Iris whispered to herself as her brown golden eyes began to moisten, reflecting the shimmering lights of the city below. A lively bustling city filled with horrors.

And, the lady in her favorite red hoodie stood on the tower's rooftop edge silently watching the city and moonless night sky. Clutching the rustic railings with her bloodied hands, she took a deep sharp breath.

"Fuck you, sick world!!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. "What did I ever do to you?!!"

"Can't a woman just live freely?!" her voice cracked but, nonetheless, continued screaming. "Can't I just live like a proper human without these stupid prowlers?!!"

She stopped as she took some time to look down on the almost unaudible busy traffic below her. Then, she scoffed. "If you think you can tempt me to jump down here and kill myself, then you're wrong!!"

"C'mon, you want me to suffer with this so called blessing of yours? Kiss my damn ass and bring it on!!" she cried out slowly opening her eyes, looking up at the dark moonless sky. "Just...how much more bloodshed do you want me to do?" she gritted her teeth through her tears.

Suddenly, an unknown voice chuckled in her mind. "You want to suffer more, eh?" the voice said. "Look's like the lovely wolf is loudly howling in the night."

"What..." startled, Iris turned her head around to look for where the sound came from. "W-Who's there?" Wiping her tears away, her eyebrows knit as her eyes scrunched through the darkness behind her.

"Oh, there? I'm not there, I'm nowhere," the voice laughed.

Confirming that there's no one other than her in the rooftop, Iris couldn't help but mutter, "Shit, I really might have gone nuts." she wiped her face in fright and disbelief as she slides down to her back.

"Oh, no. No, no, no, darling." the voice snickered.

Iris almost felt the voice maliciously smiling as chills ran down her spine. "Do not give thyself so much credit. I might be a voice but I am beyond imagination in thy mind. I'm more than of an echo of siren's lullaby. Though, I might be a puzzle but I am more inferrable than your psychopathic mind."

"I have no time for your riddles, creep. Quit blabbering and tell me whoever the lunatic you are and tell me what do you want from me." Iris said.

"Oh, what I want isn't simple," the voice sighed, "though, what you desire is much more naively simpler. I might even help thy poor self if you would be so lucky."

"Excuse me?" Iris's eyebrow arched. Shaking her head she says, "What is it for you anyway? Why would you even want to interfere with my business?"

"You wanted a new life, right? To be reborn, like a normal person with a proper less-bloodshed decent life!" the voice said, "Believe it or not, we might have different desires but we come off with the same boat. Same page and interconnected ways to fulfill our desires." the voice laughed. "And, besides, you are the key, afterall." the voice mumbled.

"The what?" Iris asked.

She sighed. "Nevermind. Why did I even ask? Have I lost my mind? It's not like you can do anything. You're a total sick creep, and you're just a blabbering voice." Iris continued talking to herself.

The voice grunts, "You're really born to be awfully rude, aren't you?" the voice muttered, "Very well. Tell me, can a mere voice do this?" Then, everything went quiet for a while before a faint sound of flute began to fill the cold air.

"Uh, what took you so long?" Iris asked.

Then, the flute sound stopped briefly, "Shut up, I needed to get my flute." the voice immediately replied.

Not long after, as Iris listened to the strange yet welcoming melody, she found herself lying afloat from the ground, so as her bag, the sweep, mop, and bail full of dirt water began to float.

"W-Woah!"

Iris attempted to balance while flailing her arms in the air. Suddenly the music stopped, then everything fell harshly to the ground resulting for Iris to land with an awful thud.

"Argh, what the hell is your problem?" Iris massaged the back of her head.

"So do you believe me now, wolf?"

"I...I'm," Iris stuttered, "I think I'm high."

'I think I'm having hallucinations from my adrenaline rush from earlier. Yeah, that must be it.'

"So, are you ready to have a more lovelier and fascinating life?" the voice enthusiastically asked.

"Hah, I'm ready not!" Iris exclaimed.

"Brilliant! Let's go!" the voice said before Iris got to retort back and got completely engulfed by sparkling dusts and warm flashing lights that transported her to the unknown.