Moonlit Outcast - Crimson Bound

“Dang it! For the love of – crap! Stupid map app.” Ayato bangs on the steering wheel, mumbling profanities. “Take a shortcut, my ass. Fuck!” The young college boy drives aimlessly through a mountain pass. Ayato, a rich boy, intended to meet some of his friends at a club. Drinks and girls, a perfect combination for a nighttime celebration after a basketball game. On the way, his driving app found a shortcut along an old, worn path. He figured there wasn’t any harm in going. Ayato followed his phone’s directions until the service became spotty. No towns for the past thirty miles. He drove by the last gas station and dollar store a while ago. Still, the chance to score a hottie or two tonight, this shortcut had to be worth it.

“Come on, come on, show me a signal.” Ayato held his phone up while he drove. “Damn it all to hell!” He curses as he loses signal. “Fine then. I don’t need a stupid phone to tell me what to do anyway.” He tosses the device into the backseat. After coming to even more dusty, dirt roads, Ayato’s frustration reached his limit. “Screw this, I’m going the usual way.” Jerking the wheel around quickly, Ayato makes a sharp U-turn on the road and heads back the way he came from.

He drove for several minutes, his annoyance steaming! Taking all the turns he thought he remembered, the drive was testing his patience. “Where’s the exit to the main road? I know I haven’t passed it.. There!” Turning off the worn mountain pass, he finds himself on a deserted highway. “Yes! Lucky me! I’ll be there in no time. Ore-sama’s coming girls!” Grinning, Ayato speeds off. As he drove, something felt off. The entire highway was empty. No cars were coming. And no street lamps were illuminating the road. Actually, several were broken or missing. ‘No problem as the sun has not even set yet.’ Ayato thought to himself, the uncertainty didn’t bother him.

His ringtone startles him. “Shoot! Where did I place that phone?” Searching around the passenger seat blindly, then looking back for a moment, he spots the device sitting in the middle backseat. “Argh.” He steadies the wheel before twisting backwards to reach. Struggling to grab it, the phone beeps after ringing. “Dang, hold on.” Turning back around, Ayato plans to pull over. His eyes widen as he spots something in the road. Right in front of him. He quickly swerves into a ditch; a boom noise follows as the airbag releases.

Ayato takes a few moments to pause and allow his racing heart to settle. He coughs some of the dust out of his system and shoves the deflating airbag out of his way. Cracking his window, he turns to look out on the empty road. “What the…?” Scrambling to unbuckle and open the door, the boy steps out to search for the object that caused him to swerve. “What the hell? There was a person… a person on the road in front of me. Where did they go?”

Looking back at the car, he had run over something and gained two flats, both on the driver’s side. “Shit. Reiji’s going to kill me.” Remembering his phone, he goes to grab it. “Again? No service or internet? This blows.” He kicks his car tires out of frustration. “Who called?” Opening his phone’s recent call list, empty. Only a couple of his buddies called a couple days ago. Same for his messages, nothing recent that distracted him from driving only moments before. “Weird.”

Taking a few deep breaths, he gathers his things, shoving his keys, wallet, and phone into his backpack before locking the car. “Damn it, now I gotta walk to find a place to stay.” Ayato glances at the sky, a red-orange hue. Huffing, he starts walking down the road. Ayato walks for an hour, hoping for a gas station, a store, even a house. Nothing. The night sky overhead began to darken. Checking his phone often for a signal but finds nothing as he hikes. “What’s with this trip? Should’ve just stayed home to shoot some hoops instead.”

Ayato walks for another couple of miles before finally spotting a building ahead. He starts running towards it. A small diner, perfect! As he reaches the door, he notices the lights were out. The door was bolted shut with a padlock. Peering inside, it was a mess. Tables and chairs overturned, glass scattered, and no sign of life anywhere in the diner. He hits the door and curses loudly. “Now what? I’m lost in the middle of nowhere. Damn it!”

“Excuse me? Sir-” A small, timid voice asks. Ayato whirls around to find a short blond girl with rosy eyes standing behind him. “Excuse me, did you say you were lost?” She wore a nun’s attire: a black dress with sleeves that reaches her fingers; her skirt grazes the ground, with matte dark brown boots peeking beneath. She had a black veil that reached her mid-back. A white bonnet covered most of her hair; a strand of curly blond hair peeked out, and a stiff white neck wrap. Her dress had a black apron-like length of fabric tied tightly over the top and around her waist with a cherry-red rope.

“Yeah.” She’s cute. “Do you know where I can get some service around here? And a repairman for my car?”

“Car? Where?” She looks around for said vehicle.

He points in the direction he came. “I got a couple flats up the highway. Who do I call around here to fix it?”

“Oh. Everyone’s gone home for the evening. You can try tomorrow morning. Do you have a place to stay?”

“No.” Realizing how exhausted he is, he sighs. “Where’s the nearest hotel?”

“I’m sorry.” She bows. “There are no hotels or inns in this town. But,” She raises her head and points towards the dirt road behind her. “If you want, you can stay the night at my place. It’s not much.”

“Really?” He scoffs, she’s so brazen. “We just met.”

“It’s no trouble. There’s plenty of space. Come, I was about to start dinner.” The girl turns and walks behind the diner. “It’s a bit of a walk, I’m sorry.”

’Sweet! Dinner alone with a cute girl. Maybe my luck’s changing after all. Tonight shall be fun!” Ayato follows the cute little stranger to her home. The pair pass a few homes with boarded doors and windows. “What’s with the doors?” Ayato asks with concern.

“It’s a small town with little money. Everyone does what they can to survive.” She replies. “Here we are.” She motions to a grand cathedral in front of her.

Ayato stood in his tracks, stunned, looking at the Gothic structure in front of him. A dark charcoal building nearly eight stories tall looms, casting an ominous shadow over the town. The graying limestone archway holds a giant wooden door, now aged and weathered through the years. A bright brass handle gleams against the dark, heavy wood.

Small gargoyles peer over the edge of the roof, leaving dark, grooved stains from their open maws as they watch below. One tall, skinny tower flanks the left side of the building. The right side holds a small square building, hidden by the town’s encroaching shadows. Tall, beautiful stained-glass windows glow with the setting sun. A blinding, fiery orange beam shines through the dark, seemingly abandoned town behind them.

Ayato squints against the glare, barely making out shapes of figures in the stained glass. “Whoa. You live here? All by yourself?”

She giggles. “I’m not alone. Come in and get settled. I’ll start dinner soon.” She opens the gates surrounding the building. “The living quarters are around back.” She leads the way to the small square building and opens the door.

“Right. Oh hey, I didn’t catch your name. I’m Ayato. You can call me Ore-sama.”

“Nice to meet you. My name’s Yui.”

…

Ayato sits quietly at the dining table. He checks his phone once more, no signal, before shutting it off. ‘She said that other people live here too. Where are they then?’ The door leading to the living quarters opens as Yui walks in carrying a futon and blankets. She had folded back her sleeves with pins, and swapped her outdoor shoes for thin, soft slip-ons.

“Apologies for the wait. I’ll go back for your pillows in a minute.” Yui sets them down behind Ayato, who watches her every move carefully. “Ayato-san, is there anything you would like to eat?”

“Just Ayato or Ore-sama. I can eat anything.”

Yui nods with a shy smile. “Happy to hear it.” The blond girl leaves for the kitchen quietly and closes the door.

…

“Delish! Can’t remember the last time I’ve had such great food. It looks simple and plain but damn girl, you must be an angel or something. ’Cause this is to die for!” Ayato exclaims as he scarfs down his food.

She giggles in delight. “I’m happy to hear. I agree the food is simplistic. Over the years, I’ve worked to make food more appealing to the taste, rather than sight. Do you want seconds?”

“Yes, please.” He hands his empty plate over. She refills his dish with extra. “Thank you.” Ayato digs in again. As he ate his dish, the boy notices that she was barely eating. The two lock eyes for a moment. Yui smiles and takes a big bite of her food.

After dinner, Yui insisted on doing the dishes herself. “So, Yui,” Ayato said, approaching her from behind. “Where are the other residents? You said you didn’t live here alone, yet it’s just been us for a while. I have yet to see a single priest, nun, or anyone here. And not while you cooked or during our meal.”

“The head priest, Seiji, lives in his own house down the road, and the sisters are away on a trip.” She states as she cleans.

“But you said you don’t live alone.”

“That’s true.” She dries her hands and faces him. “Even if they’re not here currently, it doesn’t mean I feel lonely. Everyone who walks through these doors, even strangers, I feel comfort in these safe surroundings.”

Ayato scoffs as he walks towards her. “You’re weird.”

“Huh? You th-think so?” Yui clears her throat. “What do you mean to imply?”

“What girl in her right mind doesn’t feel lonely in a big, empty place? Especially with a guy,” He quickly moves in to trap her at the sink. “A guy that you just met less than two hours ago? Are you stupid or just naïve?”

Yui swallows and looks down. “Even if.. even if you don’t agree, it’s not wrong. I’m never alone while I stay here. He’s here, always. He protects me.”

“Really? Can your ‘god’ protect you now?”

Yui blinks. “God? What do you- mmph!”

Ayato shuts her up with a kiss. So much pressure and force. She was such a twig, Ayato was certain he could crush her. Her outfit was thick, aside from her light body, he could feel her at all through the fabric. Before he could move his hands beneath her dress, he felt a strange force jerk him backwards. Hitting his head on the cabinets behind, he didn’t notice Yui’s disappearance from the room.

“Damn! What the hell was that?” Looking around, he saw no one, not a single soul in the kitchen. The lights flicker, the room becomes dark and eerie. “Where’d she go? That flat-chested little bitch. Hey sister~! Come back.” He stands up and calls after Yui. “I promise to be gentler! Yui? Hey Yui!” Ayato walks through the kitchen door to the dining room. The lights flicker in here as well. He opens the door to the hallway. Only light came through from the bright moon outside. “Yui~! Where are you?” The redhead continues down the hallway, silence filled the air. Cold chills ran up his arms. Shivering, he trudges forward as he makes out a tall shape at the end of the hall. A large pair of oak doors stand firm. ‘Heh, stupid girl. You’re mine now!’ Ayato sprints down to the end. Bursting through the doors, an astonishing surprise stops him in his tracks.

The nave appears in ruins as if a tornado had blown through. Pews broken, upside down. The rugs shredded, glass scattered everywhere, around every inch of the room. All of the room’s paintings were ripped, broken candles and town books strewn around the floor. A small layer of dust lay undisturbed on the floor. The rafters were still intact, critters scurrying across the beams above.

“Whoa.” Ayato inches forward until a spot in the floor felt loose under his shoes. Glancing down, he quickly stumbles backwards as he finds out that part of the floor he was standing near was missing. Only a deep, black hole stares back. “The hell happened to this place?” The doors behind him shut; a locking sound follows. Ayato spun around and reaches for the doors. “Hey!” He bangs on the wood. “Oi! Let me out! This isn’t funny, Yui!”

“It’s not funny? That is true.” Once again, Ayato searches for her by voice, but it seems to come from the whole room itself. “Being locked away isn’t fun. Forced to do unpleasant things, be friendly, and accommodating to all. Do you know how exhausting it is to be perfect in every way? All the time? People expect so much and get upset after a single refusal. And to receive so little in return.”

Scoffing, “Hell yeah I do. Story of my life. Hey, if you’re done copyrighting me, let me out of here, you stupid bitch!” He shouts in the air.

“You say I’m stupid and naïve.” Ayato’s eyes travel to the sanctuary where a broken statue of a cross, fashioned into a throne, sat in the darkness. There he finds the figure of Yui kneeling before it. “You’re right. That was me at one point. Foolishly trusting every smile and hand given. Slowly dying inside until I found Him.”

The redhead glances towards the front door of the building. The sturdy wooden door was shackled with large iron chains from the inside. “Che. So I’m screwed.” He mutters. “What does all this have to do with me?”

“He set me free.” Ayato turns to find her behind him, eyes to the floor. “Without him, I couldn’t stand up for myself. Fight back and break free. At least that’s what Father said I should do. But it’s hard, you know? Hurting others in return. I thought I couldn’t.” Yui faced Ayato. He let out a small gasp as her eyes began to glow a deep magenta. It was easy to lead people to believe everything’s okay. It’s not lying if the words are not deceiving.”

“The hell are you? No sane believer of God would ever commit such crimes. Or act-” Ayato was interrupted by her sudden laughter. Such a beautiful yet terrifying sound. The hairs on the back of his neck shot straight up. ‘No. I have to leave. Chick’s crazy. I need to get out of here!’

“No, my Father, stupid. My living father, Seiji, not some made-up deity.” She wipes her tears. “At one point, I did believe. No matter what was said or done around me, I did believe without question or hesitation.” She admits regretfully. “Unfortunately, that was a long, long time ago. Too many years, decades ago.”

“How.. how old are you?” He stutters.

“Hm? Seventeen, why? Oh.” She puts a finger to her chin to think. “You mean my real age? That’s a secret.” Yui puts a finger over her lips, flashing a toothy smile. Ayato pales as he notices her canines were sharp and pointy.

“The town.. did you get rid of everyone? Actually, never mind. I’m sure once you tell, you’d have to kill me.”

“Kill you? Oh I just drink my fill. Then you can be buried with all my other nutrients.” She motions to the large, broken stained-glass window behind the makeshift chair, to a vast graveyard. “It’s quite peaceful out there. The town folks really do seem to enjoy it out there-”

“Oh shut up!” Yui looks taken back. “Enough of your ranting, sob story and bullshit lies! Just let me leave, or I’ll kill you myself.” Ayato grabs a plank of wood and holds it like a bat. “Out of my way bitch, or I’ll whack your head clean off!” Yui suddenly appears in front of his face. Very close, noses nearly touching. Surprised, Ayato backs up only to stumble into the pit. Yui stares after him. A sweet aroma drifts upward from the pit. She unconsciously licks her lips at the scent.

“Don’t just stand there, my dear, go and feed.” A deep male voice coaxes from the makeshift throne. “You need your nutrients. Go on, Yui.”

“I will Father. Though it’s been a while since an outsider was lost in our forest. Do you think that since he’s young, healthy, and full of energy, he may be the first to survive?” She asks in no hurry.

“Perhaps. Do you really want him if he did? There are many others in this world.” The head priest, Seiji, asks his devotee from his seat.

She thinks for a moment, then shakes her head no. “He was rude, and if you didn’t step in, Father, perhaps he would have assaulted me. My unclean body would have suffered more. No, you are correct. I will wait for another worthy of my wretched soul.”

“Very well. Go and drink my daughter.”

Yui eagerly jumps in after Ayato. Soft sucking sounds follow as the night passes slowly.