(TW - suicide attempt) 

Then

October was sure of only a few ways his powers worked. He wasn't sure why his and his fathers powers differed, but he knew they did, so he wanted to know how different they were. He thought that it was as good time as any to test his powers. 

It was three realities after he had been with Sebastian when he decided to try to figure it out. This one had been worse than any nightmare, beings that he couldn't see grabbing him, and tormenting him for hours. And then suddenly they would vanish. He would still be on edge, for hours waiting for them to return. Because they always did. When he would eventually start to let his guard down, they would reappear worse than before. 

He could make out their faces some times, speaking to him some how with out a mouth. The area where it would be completely smooth. Eyes a pale milky white, with blood leaking out. 

He had always thought he was brave till then. Till he was forced to be held by monsters, forced to feel their breath on his face, feeling their hands grabbing at his skin, nails tearing at his arms. 

He knows now he knew nothing about being brave. Does being brave mean enduring this forever? He didn't want to be brave. He wanted to be cowardly, if that could mean he didn't have to be there anymore.

Was he alone? Was there anyone else who was going through this? Is that where the monsters went when they weren't with him? Did they do this to others? Or was he alone? 

Eventually he snapped. He couldn't tell if  it was because the monster had pushed their nails into his skin to far, or was breathing into his face a bit heavier than before. Or because they were speaking right into his ear all with out a mouth, maybe it was the warm blood dripping from their eyes on to his face. Maybe because he could see their face at the same time as well. 

He rationalized that it would send anyone off the edge. 

The being held his face in one hand, and his shoulder in the other, pushing October onto the ground. Whispering into his ear words he could never quite make out. 

This time he heard one word, void. 

Of course he found it fitting. This really could be the void. Or hell. 

Are they the same thing?

He grabbed the monsters arm and plunged it into him stomach. The being above him vanished immediately. 

October lied himself onto the ground breathing slowly. He wasn't in pain. But he could feel the blood. Flowing from the wound onto the ground. 

Was this the end? 

October was fine with that. He was exhausted. He was just a child. He didn't have a family or friends. He just wanted to be normal. 

Maybe he wanted to die. 

He'd never really thought much about it, but now that it's happening, he's okay with it. It feels like it looks in the movies, like falling asleep. 

In the side of his vision he sees something. A girl, with long dark hair milky eyes, and wings. 

Her wings are swirls of dark purples and blues. 

"Are you an angel?" October asks. 

"No." She says, before taking out a long sharp sword, elegantly decorated with gold, the handle gleaming. Without hesitation, she swings and stabs October. 

Before the world goes dark, October sees her smile. 

~~~~~

He wakes up in pain. Both the normal pain, and some new. He's covered in injuries. His clothes bloody and torn October knows that he can't get very far the way he is now. 

The first day in a new reality is always the most stressful. October usually enjoys it. But seeing how last time ending, he's feeling more cautious. 

October tries to get his bearings. It's the middle of the night, and he's in the woods. He pushes him self up deciding that staying here won't end well. 

He finds what he thinks is north and goes that way. He's delirious from blood loss so he isn't feeling confident in himself. 

He wonders if he would keep dying from blood loss, if he couldn't get help. A never ending cycle. 

He giggles to himself, finding the absurdity funny in the moment. Although thinking more into it, it doesn't sound to great. 

If anything, it reminded him of Prometheus. 

What had he done to be punished? Would he be forced to die over and over? He couldn't remember what he had done but he must have deserved it. 

"But then who would be my Hercules" October whispers to him self. 

Who would kill the birds eating at him? 

The end of the woods were in sight, October hurried, seeing a neighborhood. 

Rushing out of the woods, he didn't notice the familiarity. 

Reaching the last tree, he can feel that he is going to faint, so he yells hoping for anyone to hear. 

He falls to his knees screaming for some one, before every thing goes black and he is laying on the dirt bloodied and bruised. 

860 words