Whispers Death and Hold you Dear.

So... I've been sick. Sick and injured in fact.

Have you ever talked with the Rake by the pale moonlight? Its a terrible fucking idea. Seriously, don't do that.

I wandered out into Maenad territory to prove to myself there was no rake anymore. I wanted it to be true. I wanted that hideous mutt to be gone for good. But It wasn't. I found myself face to face with it, surrounded by a pack of its little ferallings.  They walked in a circle around us. Some of them had weapons and were pacing around us on two feet... some of them were looking a little less then human. Like little rakes, malting and paling with varying amounts of patches of hair still left on their disgusting scalps. The sight of them was enough to make me nauseous but the Feral Beast himself... I lost my dinner... and lunch... breakfast... probably a few meals earlier than that.

It snickered and smiled wide for a moment. I thought it might be opening wide to gobble me up... but it just stopped at a smile-like... thing... thank god.

"Hello Fracture~... what brings you to my neck of the wood. Tired of living already?"

"Just... needed to prove something to myself... I was wrong. Now I'm going home."

I went to step home... but I found I hadn't gone anywhere. I tried again.... nothing... my door... it wasn't there...

"Daww... Whats wrong kitten? Can't leave? Don't act so surprised. I can't have you leaving yet. I need you to stay a moment and listen to me so you can pass a little message on to your master."

And then it pinned me to the floor. I felt it run its claw down my back... then I felt them dig in and pull at a my flesh.

"I-I will! I-I WILL!" I screamed, pained in fright at the sensation of those horrible... claw... things.

"Yes... smart... wise. What a good kitten. Your screams should send quite a message... your corpse will leave quite a statement."

All I could respond with was more screaming as it started to actually cut into me.

"Whats wrong?! Aren't you happy?! You know the truth. I'm still alive. The pursuit of knowledge is so noble isn't it?! I'm so happy I could give you such a valuable gift in your final moment! Do you like it?! Don't you love it?!"

That's when there was a yelp loud gunshot. Followed by a yelp and growls all around us. The rake stopped. I looked around to find a Feralling dead and bleeding against a tree. Another shot and another one went down. Mist of blood... snips had finally decided the situation had turned bad. The Ferallings all moved to cover.

The Rake tore down my back again watching curiously for a response. Another shot. A furious savage cry was let out from over me. The beast flipped me so I could see my demise and the closing bullet wound that had pieced through its.

"This isn't fun anymore. I don't care for guest. Misery loves company and I'll have none of that!"

I started screaming as its mouth started to open wide. Not to smile this time. Wider. Wide enough to take my head off with a bite.
"SAY GOODBYE TO YOUR MASTER AND YOUR LITTLE PETS. THERE WILL BE NO VAHALLA FOR YOU. JUST MY PERSONAL HELL WHERE I CAN HAVE AS MUCH FUN WITH YOU AS I WANT."

That horrible voice... booming in my head.
Then suddenly a fire bust our in a ring around us. I heard all the Ferallings start yelping and retreating. Even the rake leaped out and off of me and stared confused as to what just happened. For all its kunning and savageness... it was still an animal at heart. Still a victim of one of the most primal and simple fears... fire.

Its mouth closed. It glared.

"Next time kitten. Don't forget to pass that message along. Hahaha."

And then it left... I tried to step again... found I had landed on something soft... passed out. Woke up in my bed. Sick and injured.

Couldn't move much. Had Sloth read and type some comments for me... but apparently I got delirious. Had to stop all together.

I shouldn't have listened to her.

I should have believed what I saw with my own eyes. I didn't need to prove anything... I knew better... I checked anyways....

And apparently a few things have gone to shit in my absence.

One of the runners I'm responsible for got swamped by a different fear... I should have saw the signs.

And Picasso apparently found and destroyed a valuable archive library that had a Archivist collecting invaluable data about how fear cults war and interact.... a fucking travesty.

I'm gonna see if I can't manage to get up off my feet and deal with this shit...

Fracture out.