Chapter 2: First Crow
The unsettling news of a woman found dead on West Joryan Road hit the airwaves, her life brutally cut short, a chilling tale of violation and murder. The details painted a grim picture—naked and suspected of being raped before meeting her untimely demise. As the police delved into the investigation, suspicions swirled around the victim's boyfriend, the last person seen with her before she left.
A heavy sigh escaped me as I absorbed the latest crime report. "Another crime. I'm sure this will never be brought to justice." The weight of cynicism settled in, a nagging sense that the system was inherently flawed, allowing perpetrators to slip through the cracks.
My gaze shifted to the television screen, where law enforcement officials paraded in front of the cameras, attempting to reassure the public. Yet, skepticism lingered in my mind. "Just another policeman," I muttered disdainfully. The news portrayed them as flamboyant figures, more focused on publicity than diligent investigative work. The frustration grew as it seemed like justice remained elusive, obscured by a system that often prioritized appearances over genuine efforts to solve crimes.
The name Joseph Trillan echoed through the television speakers, the newscaster emphasizing him as the prime suspect. A sudden jolt of recognition surged through me. "Joseph Trillan? He's the son of the policeman who used to live near here." The revelation added a layer of complexity to the unfolding tragedy, intertwining the lives of those in the community with a crime that now reached their doorstep.
Glancing at the clock, I realized I was perilously close to being late for work. Hastily donning my clothes, I prepared to navigate the day ahead. As I rushed towards the door, the urgency of my schedule overshadowed the gravity of the news.
In my hurried exit, I spotted a red car, its familiarity tugging at the corners of my memory. However, the pressing demands of the moment compelled me to overlook the significance, and with a fleeting glance, I continued on my way, leaving the mystery of the red car to linger in the recesses of my mind.
Arriving at the office with beads of sweat clinging to my forehead, I checked the time anxiously – 8:58 am. Relief washed over me; I hadn't crossed the threshold into tardiness, but the looming deduction from my salary served as a stark reminder of the unforgiving nature of workplace norms. No pay for overtime – the familiar lament echoed in my thoughts.
The day unfolded in its predictable monotony, code flowing from my fingertips until nightfall ushered me homeward. Yet, a subtle unease nestled in my chest during the journey. The specter of fear gripped me as memories of the previous night flooded back. The events seemed almost surreal, leaving me questioning their authenticity. Despite the uncertainty, the genuine trepidation lingered.
Lost in my thoughts, I was jolted back to reality by a voice – Lara, my officemate. "Daniel! Are you okay? You seem to be feeling bad," she inquired. "Ah yes, I'm sorry, maybe I'm feeling bad. But I'm fine," I replied hastily, eager to distance myself and hasten home. The bustling evening streets offered a fleeting respite from my inner turmoil.
Yet, the veneer of normalcy shattered when I passed the spot where the previous night's attack occurred. A chill ran down my spine as I noticed the lingering trace of blood. The realization struck me like a blow – a tangible reminder that the events were not mere figments of my imagination. The world around me seemed to warp with an unsettling blend of reality and the inexplicable, leaving me grappling with the enigma that now colored my existence.
Stunned by the bloodstains at the spot of my recent attack, my gaze was arrested by the sight of a hooded figure. As our eyes locked, a disconcerting familiarity crept into my consciousness. The more I stared, the clearer it became – he was the man who had stabbed and robbed me the previous night.
His face, etched with the indifference of someone who had left me for dead, resurfaced vividly in my memory. An unsettling calmness washed over me, and without a conscious decision, I found myself chasing after him. The man darted through the labyrinth of alleys, each step a reminder of the wrong turn I was taking.
In the pursuit, he led me to a secluded corner cloaked in darkness. The sudden confrontation unfolded, and he demanded, "You! Why are you alive?!" A question that mirrored my own bewilderment. Yet, the answer eluded me as we stood there, two figures intertwined in a cryptic dance between life and the shadowy remnants of a fateful encounter.
"You're the one who attacked me last night!" I declared, my voice strong and determined, as I confronted the hooded man in the dimly lit alley. He chuckled in response, an eerie sound that sent shivers down my spine.
"I thought the police were on my tail, that's why you were chasing me. You're a fool to come here alone," he sneered, followed by a mocking laughter that resonated in the darkness.
A sudden realization struck me - I had made a grave mistake by pursuing him alone. "I've put myself in danger," I whispered to myself, regret coursing through my thoughts. Before I could fully grasp the severity of my error, the man lunged towards me, brandishing a menacing knife – the very one he had used the night before.
Fueled by fear, I stumbled backward, narrowly avoiding the sharp blade. As the man prepared for another attack, an unexpected surge of adrenaline coursed through me. With newfound strength, I swiftly dodged his advances and managed to disarm him. The tables had turned, leaving the once-confident assailant stunned and defenseless.
Blood dripped from my shoulder, a reminder of the perilous encounter, but an unexpected calmness settled over me. The alley, once shrouded in shadows, became a stage for an unforeseen reversal of fate.
"Hmm, so you think you can fight me huh?!," sneered the man, readying himself for another attack. Unexpectedly, he collapsed, gripped by an unexplainable event. He convulsed on the ground, vomiting blood, and writhing in pain. I stood there, perplexed and uncertain of what had caused this sudden turn of events.
His cries for help echoed through the alley, "Help! Help me!" he pleaded repeatedly. It was then that I recalled the heartless indifference in his eyes when he left me to die the night before. A strange detachment washed over me, and I found myself unable to summon any empathy.
I watched as he suffered, bearing the pain he had callously inflicted upon me. Memories of his cold gaze as I lay wounded flashed in my mind. In that moment, it seemed as if a karmic balance was being restored.
His cries for help gradually faded until silence claimed the alley. The man lay lifeless on the ground, and a peculiar mix of emotions stirred within me. There was no remorse for his demise, no regret for my passive role in his fate.
In the aftermath of the man's demise, an eerie phenomenon unfolded. Shadows coalesced, and from the lifeless corpse, a crow emerged. "Congrats on your first hunt," the crow's words reverberated, catching me off guard. "Huh? Did I hear you speak?"
"Yes, but only you can hear me," responded the crow, aware of my bewilderment. Sensing my curiosity about the man's sudden death, the crow offered an explanation.
"You might be wondering why that man died so suddenly. Can you see the blood running down your shoulder?" The crow directed my attention to the wound inflicted by the man's knife. "The blood from your shoulder contains poison," it revealed.
"Whoever comes in contact with your blood will surely experience severe pain and die," added the crow, dropping a revelation that sent shivers down my spine. The gravity of the situation dawned on me, and a disturbing realization settled in – the very essence of my existence had become a lethal weapon, a force capable of bringing about pain and death to those unfortunate enough to come into contact with my tainted blood.
"What? Wait, wait a moment. I need to process all these events. I still don't fully understand," I exclaimed, grappling with disbelief and confusion over the unfolding mysteries. However, the crow abruptly transformed back into a shadow and echoed from my pocket.
As I checked my pocket, I remembered the tarot cards that had caught my attention earlier. To my astonishment, the image on the cards had changed, now featuring a crow alongside the existing imagery. The supernatural revelation deepened, leaving me to contemplate the profound implications.
Even more astonishing, as I inspected my shoulder, the wound inflicted by the man's knife miraculously healed. No trace of the stab wound remained, as if the injury had never occurred. Overwhelmed by a mix of amazement and trepidation, I hurriedly ran to escape the confines of the dark alley, eager to put distance between myself and the enigmatic events that continued to reshape my understanding of reality.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone