It's all in the eyes

"Devin!"

Devin's eyes snapped open, awoken by Darcey's cry.

'No, no, no, no, no…' His crimson eyes reflected the white ceiling as his blood ran cold. 'Please no!'

Instantly, he pulled himself out of his grogginess and scrambled out of bed.

"Devin, Devin…"

"I'm here, Darce, I'm here!" He rushed to Darcey's side, grabbing her outstretched hand. She felt deathly cold, shivering in his grasp.

"D-Dev, I don't feel so- Nngh!" Darcey winced in agony, gritting her teeth.

"Darce, Darce, it's okay! Everything is going to be alright." Devin's eyes glistened as he tried to stay calm.

'You fucking idiot!' He berated himself.

"Let me call for help." He was about to let go of Darcey to search for his phone when she tightened her grip.

"Devin, I'm slipping! And I- I- Ahhhh!" She screamed in pain, her eyes tightly shut, with veins pumping from her neck.

"Stay with me, Darce!" Devin shuddered.

'All you had to do was stay up!' The internal insults continued.

"I-I'm sorry…" Darcey started crying.

"There's nothing to be sorry for, everything will be alright." Devin gently patted her head, trying to stay calm while his own voice tore at him.

'We're losing Darcey again because of you!'

"No!" Darcey shook her head. "I've been a burden to you." A creeping blue hue began overtaking her skin.

"Darcey, stop!" Devin panicked, witnessing her slowly turn blue.

Darcey's eyes reddened from the tears flowing down her cheeks. "I made you get a job, I made you suffer through mom and dad, I made you hold it all in, I-"

"I did those things myself!" Devin cut her off.

"I am your brother." He soothed his voice.

"From the moment mom gave you to me, wrapped in all those blankets at the hospital. I thought you were the most precious thing I'd ever seen." The blue hue reached her neck, spreading like frost over her skin.

"I knew from then on already, that I'd give everything just to see you smile." He smiled at her. "I regret nothing. So please don't feel bad about anything, and just stay with me."

Darcey smiled back at him. "Thank you, Dev…"

The blue hue encroached on her face.

"Darce, Darce!" Devin panicked.

"Argold…" Darcey gazed deeply into Devin's eyes. She reached for his face, only to fall an inch away off the bridge of his nose.

"Darcey…"

Devin's vision blurred as his cheeks fell wet with tears. Supporting her hand, he helped her touch his face.

Darcey's vision blurred as the world around her dimmed. Devin's radiant crimson eyes beckoned her.

"Since when did you…" Their ethereal glow was breathtakingly beautiful.

"Look so cool…" Bringing Darcey peace. Her skin and lips turned a dead blue, and her once vibrant blue eyes now forever clouded.

This moment was, just like the last…

…

Devin stood in silence for a long time, Darcey's cold, dead hand in his grasp. No thought could escape the abyssal silence. His listless eyes never left her. She lay so peacefully, so peacefully, when suddenly—

"You know it's funny how you can just walk out that door not giving a fuck about anyone!"

"How can I give a fuck about anyone when you're always down my throat?!"

!!!

Devin heard glass shatter as the two went at it in the kitchen. The sound echoed through the house, pulling Devin from his despair.

"Why don't you go remind the kids how much of a damn failure I am again!?" A spark flickered through his crimson eyes as his blood boiled.

"Why don't you stop spending every cent we have on that whore of yours!?" He slowly turned and walked to the door.

"Tell me, who's the bitch that's worth your family!?" He ground his teeth, then kicked the low table out of his way. Crack! With a thud, it hit the wall, breaking a leg off.

"There is no whore! There are no bitches!"

At the door, Devin grasped the silver handle. Click, he pulled the door open and slammed it shut behind him.

Creak, creak, creak…

"Devin, what are you doing here?" His mother asked.

"Wait, stop!" She shrieked.

Thud!

Devin's eyes snapped open. He bolted upright, huffing and puffing, while scanning the room. "Hhhuh, I'm, hhuh… in my, huh… room again?" He realized, before glancing at his hands. He turned them, raising his palms, as they shook uncontrollably. His face faltered at the reality that…

'I…' These pale clean hands. 'I…' That were covered in blood. 'I-'

"Urgh." Darcey groaned.

"Darcey!" Devin looked up, before rushing to her side.

"Darcey! Darcey! Darcey!" He shook her sleeping figure, calling out to her.

"What?" Darcey blinked sleepily at him. She plopped her ear plugs off and asked, "Is it time already?"

Devin shuddered. "No…" His broken smile on display, he chuckled. "No, it's not."

"Then don't wake me up!" Darcey grumbled, turning back to sleep. "And why do you look different?"

"Huh?" Devin uttered, hurriedly touching his face. He gasped, and turned away from Darcey. 'Shit, they're not on!'

...

Bleurghh! Devin's hand trembled, gripping the edge of the basin.

Aargh! Argh! Ejecting his bile onto it, he gasped, looking down in absolute despair.

Shhhhh! He let the water run, drowning it all down the drain.

"It- happened again." He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before straightening up, his legs feeling weak beneath him.

"And it will happen again, and again, and again…" He faltered, his crimson eyes reflecting his messy self in the mirror. Sunken eyes, extremely pale, and white spots in his black hair. He gripped the basin tighter.

"I can't, I can't, I can't…" His voice broke. Burying his face in his hands, he shook his head. "I can't do this-"

'Darcey…' He uttered internally, silencing his outer turmoil. He turned back to the mirror, "Darcey needs me…" He realised. "I can't be losing it like this. I don't have time to…"

"Time…" Inspiration sparked in his eyes. He pulled out his phone: 6:26 am, May 1st, Friday, 2020.

"I have time, I can- I can change everything!" Devin beamed, then his face fell. "Damn, I look horrible." He sighed. Looking at his tired crimson eyes, he sighed once more. 'I'm a monster.' Devin looked away from his reflection as painful memories came back to haunt him.

He retrieved his contacts. With practiced ease, he set them on his eyes, blinking a few times to turn them dark brown. He rubbed his face free of fatigue and fixed his hair.

Reinvigorated, Devin steeled himself.

"I'll find out what's going on here and put an end to it." Then he softened his expression.

"So Darcey will never have to suffer again…"

Thud. Devin left, shutting the door behind him, leaving his reflection in the mirror…

Its lips curled…

Its deep violet eyes, glimmered with sadistic malice…

End of Chapter 4