Chapter Three: Learning His Name

Natasha POV

As I followed the stranger deeper into my mind, I started to notice little details about him. Wanting to know more about this intruder, I started to ask questions.

"So, sense your here now mind telling me your name?" I asked, gesturing with my hands. The young man smiled, and said; "kyleselm..." he continued but I zoned out, this reminds me strangely of math class... disrupting my thoughts, the boy flicked my nose.

"If you ask, be willing to hear the answer." he glared at me with piercing green stare.

"Well I'm sorry I didn't learn cave man." I retorted. The boy sighed, "Fine, then make up a nickname for me."

I tapped my chin for a minute pretending to think.

" Can I call you dumb ass?" I wondered. He flicked my nose again.

" Absolutely not."

"Ugh fine." running what he said earlier through my mind. "something with a K." I muttered aloud. I looked up to the boy's face, seeing him smirking slightly.

"K-K..." I tasted the word. "Kyyyyyy...Kyle!" I shouted triumphantly, glad to have found a fitting name, I put my hands in the air.

"Ha-" I was suddenly interrupted by the room-or my mind shaking. I fell to the ground, with someone falling on top of me.

" The hell..." Kyle murmured. I sighed,

"Dammit, it's my mom." I pushed him off of me hearing a small grunt. I stood up fully looking up at the screen.

My mother stood there in her nurse outfit close to my face, glaring like it was no one's business. Because the screen showed a first person view I could look up the woman's nostrils. Kyle stood up and stood beside me.

"That's your mom?" Kyle questioned. "She looks nothing like you."

I nodded, " Yep that's the devil herself."

"Nah the devil doesn't wear 10 gallons of makeup." Kyle said. I gave a small laugh.

" I should go." I started to back up, pointing with my thumbs. "And don't let this fool you, I still don't trust you."

" Yah I know and get that woman away. She smells like a corpse." Kyle said, scrunching up his nose. As I was about to chant the spell to leave my mind I said, "oh, and try not to mess anything up." I said, Kyle saluted, and I smiled, closed my eyes and said

"translatione."

---

Natasha POV

Opening my eyes I sat on my bed in the real world. I blinked and looked up to face my 'mother'. She was in a light blue nurse uniform, and it looked like she was mad. Her glaring face made her more ugly.

" You little bitch." She scolded me. "I told you to watch your brothers! Not fantasize over boys!" She screamed.

"I know, I'm sorry." I said, straining my voice as if to not yell. "Do you want me to make you lunch?" I said, The only reason I was this nice, was because she could take away my books. And make me hurt. In more ways than physical.

"It was supposed to be made when I got here!!" She yelled. I nodded quickly, scampering around her, and running to the kitchen. I started to put together a sandwich, with eggs and bacon. Tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, I put the sandwich on a plate, next to a salad.

My mother was sitting at the table, patting Axel's hand.

" You were so brave honey." she said. I set the plate down in front of her. She glanced at me.

"This had better be better than the last one you made me." She said, her voice calming down more around her own blood. She always did this to me. Said my father just didn't want me anymore, and damn was I ready to move out.

"It is." I said I could tell that Axel was surprised at how I reacted around my mother. I didn't even know if she was my real mom, and I was fine keeping it that way.

" Leave me alone so I can talk to my real son." She said venom leaking into her words. I nodded and walked away clenching my fists. I was so done with this woman. My nails bit into the palm of my hand. Making it to my room, I plopped down on my bed sighing to the ceiling.

Sighing, I started to hum. It was a song I had heard it multiple times, only remembering the sound of it, but the words had faded away from my head. I had kept it hidden from everyone, never able to tell them where it came from.

I continued to sing the eerie tune, blocking the rest of the world out.

'Where did you hear that?' Kyle asked, seeming shocked for a minute. 

"Just when I was younger," I muttered. I suddenly heard a harsh knock on my door.  Groaning I stood up, and walked to the door. 

Axel stood there, his face glaring.

"Excuse me, but can you just leave me alone?" I said returning the glare.

Axel did not respond, but shoved me back into my room, pulling himself in as well, and slamming the door shut. Axel's voice was gruff, his voice seemed to be sharpened.

"All right, drop the act, princess." He practically spat.

"What the hell do you mean?" I asked him, then I saw his face turn from the previous tan, to a sickly pale. His arms turned thin and lanky. His face was the worst, he had craters of black where his eyes were supposed to be, his mouth was sewn shut, and were chapped and dry.

His regular t-shirt and shorts had turned into a singular dark cloak, covering his frail, pale body. A hood sat on top of his head.

"Princess," His voice sounded grated and worn, he didn't speak with his mouth, but with his mind. "I need you to come with me, we need your help." I stood there stunned for a moment, before finding my voice.

"Help with what exactly?" I asked, shaking slightly. The thing grabbed my arm.

"You know what I mean." It said harshly. I blinked a look of confusion clear on my face. The thing let go of me,

"I am called a Vasanistís, that means torturer in english." His voice was still sharp, like a parent chastising their children. 

"Your father," He started then looked around the room, seeming to look for something, satisfied in his search he turned back to me. 

"Your father is one of the strongest monsters of our world. And he tortures for fun, not because the person did anything wrong, but because he finds amusement in watching people suffer." 

It's face had gotten closer to mine, and I stared into the dark void where its eyes should be.

"And I need you, Princess, to use your power, to help us fight for the top." I took a ragged breath.

"Look, I'm not the biggest fan of my father either," I started to back up, wanting to leave the room. "But I don't think I can help you."  Its voice spoke in my mind once again.

"You don't have a choice." The thing came towards me, hands outstretched, and grabbed my arms as I tried to flee. He started to chant a spell,

 I squirmed in his grip, wanting him to let go. Anger burst through all other emotions, and my arms started to tingle. The chant faltered

The thing was pushed away as a strong wind knocked it away. I realized the same thing had happened when I pushed Kyle the first day I had met him. The thing fell out of my open window, as it stumbled back. I heard a loud squeal type scream, I rushed to the window, and down on the sidewalk, was a body leaking out greyish blood.

Small wisps of flesh floated up into the sky, as the body seemed to disintegrate, coming into my open window I covered my mouth, but not before I breathed in a couple of flakes. Feeling rushed into me, and I realized it was all the pain, and sorrow, and grief, of all the people this man had killed and tortured.

My body fell to the ground, wave after wave of pain hit me, harder than any pain had ever hit me before. I sobbed as the feelings rushed into me, making it hard to breathe. I then heard a voice that I never thought would make me feel