Chapter 12 — Erin (2)
"How did you figure it out?" Erin was genuinely curious.
"If she had really lost control, why would she wait for you to watch the whole scene before 'talking' to you? And then, why would she give me control of the body afterward? Do you really expect me to believe such nonsense?"
"Hahahahahahaha!" How did this girl keep getting more and more interesting?
With each passing day, Erin grew more curious about what went on in Lily's mind. Not only could she process such shocking news so quickly, but she also spotted inconsistencies in her words in less than a day?
Wow!
Erin had no other way to describe her feelings.
She wanted to know more and more! And even more!
However, it seemed she would have to share some hard truths with the little girl.
'It's not my fault if she gets hurt…' Erin mused to herself.
Controlling her chaotic emotions, she replied, "Not even Akira was able to uncover my actions. I thought I hid them well by using others as shields. Well, apparently, I only fooled them."
"Do you want me to tell you the truth?" She smiled.
Resolutely, Lily said, "Yes."
…
In the hallways, Erin hopped around playing hopscotch on the blood-soaked floor, staining her already scarlet feet even more. Behind her were the severed heads of the two guards who had mistreated her and thrown her into solitary confinement, their mutilated bodies discarded.
She brushed her light hair away from her brown eyes, glancing around. She was looking for something interesting. Erin brought a clawed hand to her mouth and licked it. The metallic taste immediately awakened her senses, and she eagerly walked toward her next prey with hurried, excited steps.
She wanted more!
She savored every moment of this newfound experience. Was this what they called freedom? Or was it vengeance?
Erin had never been like this before. She used to be a quiet, reclusive girl. Invisible. But after enduring all the abuse from being one of the only three successful test subjects, and after all the labor imposed on her to uncover her true potential… She had changed. She had become defective.
Erin admitted it. She was broken, both inside and out. But she saw no reason to feel ashamed or to shrink away.
On the contrary, she should celebrate!
Celebrate the fact that she could finally be herself!
As these joyful thoughts filled her mind, she came across an older researcher. He was the leader of the organization's experiments.
"Ha… Haha…" Erin's mouth fell open before stretching into a wide grin.
She raised her arm and pointed one of her sharp claws at the old man's face.
Moving her lips without a sound, she said, You'll be my next.
The old man, understanding every word, grabbed a fallen sword from one of the guards' bodies.
"Not another demon, NO!" He shook his head in despair.
Erin's claws extended.
She closed the distance between them.
The man's expression of shock began to form.
THUD!
In a matter of seconds, his arm fell to the floor.
Delicious.
Then she disassembled him like a child's toy. Arm, leg, leg, until finally… Head.
And so, he was dead.
In front of her stood a metal door, as familiar as it was painful. Slowly, she opened it.
There, she saw "Lily" clutching a man's neck while the other researchers lay unconscious, drenched in their own urine. However, instead of appearing imposing or terrifying, she looked… frightened. Her hands trembled, and tears fell from her reddened eyes.
She seemed like a scared kitten, reacting to those who had hurt her but incapable of doing anything.
That was the impression Erin had. She immediately lost interest.
Until she saw what happened next.
CRACK
The neck of the man [Lily] was holding twisted at an unnatural angle.
"Oh!" Erin gasped in surprise.
Tears began streaming down [Lily]'s face like a river, much like a repentant sinner, but she continued her actions, ignoring Erin. When she was about to do the same to another researcher, Erin rushed over and stopped her.
"Don't you think they deserve more than a quick death?" Erin tried to convince her. "Look around. Everyone who suffered their abuse endured painful and slow deaths. Why shouldn't they get the same, or even worse?"
Her face turned calm. "They deserve nothing less than the pain they caused us."
[Lily] remained silent.
"Why should they deserve anything? They're not human like us, are they?"
Erin gave her a compassionate look. "No, they're not."
She decided to demonstrate her theory. Using one of the researchers, she slowly tore his body apart with her claws, making sure he was conscious enough to feel every ounce of pain he deserved.
"See?" Erin wiped the blood from her face. "That's how it's done!"
[Lily] watched all of this without reacting.
Suddenly, a male voice echoed in her head. "Do it. Release everything I locked away inside you."
"Remember all the pain Lily endured. Make them pay. They are guilty."
"..." She didn't respond, clearly not in her normal state, as if her emotions had taken over her rational mind.
Erin's face lit up. Together, she and [Lily] slaughtered the researchers brutally.
She then looked at the unconscious bodies and the lifeless corpses on the metal tables.
Should she end their suffering?
A brief debate arose in her mind, but it quickly concluded. She stood up and went to each one, stabbing their brains with her enormous claws.
[Lily] tried to stop her, but Erin persuaded her with her newly formed belief.
"Think about it. This world only brings suffering and misery to humans. With trauma like this, how could they ever live normal lives?"
[Lily] thought for a moment. She gave a faint smile. In the end, it would be freeing them from their pain, right?
She wished the same for Lily.
When they were done, the two were about to leave when they heard a noise from a corner. [Lily] moved toward the sound and began sniffing. She reached a wall. Without hesitation, she destroyed it, uncovering a hidden compartment. Inside, the last surviving researcher cowered in fear.
She dragged him out, her tears falling once again.
"Why?!" she asked in a desperate tone.
Why?
Her body moved against her will, yet it was everything she had ever wanted. To avenge the pain they had suffered unjustly.
Yes, in the end, he deserved it. He deserved every bit of what was to come.
With one motion, she pierced his heart, tearing through flesh, breaking ribs, and grasping the still-beating organ, her tears falling onto the mutilated corpse.
Watching this, Erin felt ecstatic. Never before had such excitement coursed through her body.
[Lily] looked at her seriously. "Can you promise me something?"
"Of course!"
"Please, keep Lily safe, since I couldn't."
"Who is Lily?"
The white-haired girl froze for a moment, her tears halting before pointing at herself.
"I am her, but she isn't me."
Erin was stunned, but for some reason, she understood the essence of it. The person before her wasn't Lily but lived inside her.
So, Lily is broken! Just like me!
Excited by this revelation, Erin wanted to show something to her new friend, leaving the lab.
Seeing this, [Lily] was confused, but drowsiness overcame her.
You can rest now, Celestine said.
"I can't…" [Lily] mumbled.
I'll take care of her, he reassured her.
"Hm…" [Lily] closed her eyes.
Maybe she could rest, just for a little while.