Within three weeks, I have become a martyr in my town. I am an outsider. Nobody loves me, everybody loathes me. People have told rumors about me, and others believe them. The people called me every name they could think of because of that man. Now they tell me that I’m better off dead and nobody will ever miss me. I’ve been trying to live up to everyone’s example, but I’ve been lied to, even the town preacher doesn’t want me in the church. What type of preacher would do that? Ban an 18-year-old from a church, but not the full-grown man? Singling out the wrong person from the flock?

  It won’t matter soon. Soon, I won’t be here anymore. I’m in my home… alone with my thoughts… with this noose dangling in front of me. I’m ready to end it here; end it all. My pain, my suffering, all of it will end. How odd that I would die in the same manner as my mother? It seems… so fitting. Goodbye… demons…

…

…

(THUD)

(THUD)

(THUD)

“…What was that?”

I see… blood splatter on all my windows… except one that was written in blood:

(COME OUTSIDE, GIFTED ONE.)

…

…

  For some reason, this is compelling me to take down the noose, and I do. I get down from my chair and slowly walk to open the door to see outside. I see no one outside my front yard, but I do hear a man’s scream. The voice sounds… familiar. It sounded like… the man who betrayed and lied about me. The screams sounded like they were behind my house. I hold the noose in my hands as I walk to my backyard. I slowly turn the corner and see… the violator. He was being held by the neck by a man wearing a hooded robe who was a couple of feet taller than him. This hooded man… there was something about him that was gnawing. Before I could think of what to do, I hear my name…

“TALIA!” The liar calls to me, also getting the man’s attention.

  The man drops him and turns to get a look at me. The man was in a tattered hooded robe. The only thing I see of him are his eyes. His eyes were… inhuman. The irises are the color of crimson, the pupils were slits. He extended his arm.

“Give that… to me.” He says to me.

He’s talking about the noose in my hand, he wanted it.

“No, Talia! Don’t give it to him!” My “father figure” pleads.

“Quiet, you abomination of flesh!” The man shouts. “After what you have done, you deserve no mercy!”

Wait a minute… this man knows what he did?

“Solomon Richt! I know every misdeed you have done. The people you have wronged, robbed, assaulted, abused, and manipulated. It is horrid how you have betrayed the girl who thought of you as a father to her. You betrayed her trust, you defiled her, and lied about her, along with 20 others that you have ruined. Ruth-Ann Green. Bethany Turner, and Gina Redd. I am certain those names ring bells.”

This man knew that with such certainty? I didn’t know that at all. If I did, I would never have come to him for anything.

“Talia! Don’t listen to him!” Solomon pleads again. “I—I didn’t lie about you! I never did what he was talking about! He’s a liar!”

He truly thinks I’m that stupid? The hooded man’s nails become claws as he aims them at Solomon’s head.

“You lie to save your own skin. You lie to continue your devious acts. You are not worth a breath.”

His claws retract and he extends his hand to me again.

“Give it to me, Talia.”

I was hesitant to even walk towards this man, but he looks at me with a calm look in his eyes.

“Do not be afraid. I am here to help. You do not need that, so give it to me.”

  His voice is so reassuring. So, calm. I walk toward him as if I was entranced. I did hear Solomon yelling at me, but I’m not paying attention to his words. When I gave the man the noose, he calmly took it other than quickly take it.

“You little whore!” Solomon snaps at me. “You believe him over me?! I hope you burn in hell! Just like your mother!”

It struck a nerve in me, I respond:

“NO! You’re going to burn in hell! Not me! After what you’ve done to me, you’re the one who deserves it, you lying, manipulative, abusive waste!! This is what you get for hurting those women… and me!”

  The only closest tree to my home was several yards away. I look to the man and see the rope no longer in his hands. I look back at the tree and see the noose wrapped around one of the branches--Wait. How… When did that happen?!

“Talia,” The man says to me. “I recommend that you look away. Look away and go inside. You do not need to see this.”

  I felt compelled to do what he said. Even though seeing my abuser get what he deserved would seem nice, it would seem low of me. It is best to let… karma take over. It looks like the man must have a history with Solomon, but Solomon doesn’t seem to know him; he didn’t say a name. The way the man is dressed is not common here. Who is that man? Is he… the embodiment of fate? Why do I… feel… so… tired? Need… to… sleep…

.  .  .  .  .

  It seems I had gone to sleep for what feels like hours. I don’t know how I manage to make it inside into my bed, nor do I know how long I slept. Also, I forgot to lock my door, because the man from before is inside my house sitting down and drinking what looks to be tea; seeing the tea kettle on the stove, and his hood is down exposing his fair skin and some of his black hair. The man stares at me right in my eyes and smile.

“Nice to see you are awake, Talia.”

His voice was low and smooth when he spoke to me. He stands up, walks toward me, and kneels to my level.

“Who are you?” I asked him.

“I… have many names, gifted one. But if you like, you may call me Seth.”

“Why… are you here?”

“There is something about this town… that called me here.”

“Like… what? What called you here?”

He looks around like he saw something floating in the air, inhales, then lightly exhales. I feel his cold breath brush past my face.

“There is something about this town’s people. The lies they tell themselves to make them feel better. How they ridicule others to make themselves feel superior. Oh, how their souls are tainted with their misguided faith and pride. The souls that were lost due to their mistreatment and misguidance. The cries of those souls whispered, shouted; they called to me. I attempted to come for them, but it was in vain; I was too late. Until I heard you loud and clear, I had to come for you.”

“You came… to save me?”

“I have already saved you from killing yourself. I came to help you.”

“So… you’re telling me you’ve came to Tinton before?”

“Many times, before.”

  So… this man has been here before… But how many times? Multiple times? Where did he come from? Again, the way he’s dressed, it doesn’t look like he’s from this town. And what I saw from him earlier… Wait a minute…

“Wait. What did you do to Solomon?” I ask.

  He smiles and extends his hand. I have a feeling he’s going to take me to Solomon. As reluctant and worried as I am, I decided to take his hand. His grip is firm but feels soft and warm.

.   .   .

  Seth walks me outside to my backyard to show me what he did. There was no expression on his face as we walked, geez, he didn’t even look at me. We walk far away from my yard and stop, seeing the tree in the distance earlier. On one of its branches, I saw the rope attached to it. At the end of the rope… was Solomon. It shocked me, and I know Seth sees my face. I am stunned at what I’m seeing, I didn’t know what to really think, seeing my abuser, one of my nightmares, dead.

“I did not do this to him.” He says to me.

I look at him confused.

“What do you mean?”

“I showed him the sins he committed. The weight of his guilt ate him up inside until he was no more than a shell. He decided for himself.”

I have a feeling that Seth… has some type of power; the power to influence. He’s not human. I’m very sure that he’s not from this world; he’s some type of… entity. Thinking about it, it doesn’t bother me like it should. I’d say he is… karma incarnate.

“If that is what you want to call me, Talia, so be it.” He says, I guess he reads minds as well. “But you must know, I am more than… karma. I am what the worst of people would see in their nightmares. I am the being in every dark corner in their minds. The people will see Solomon as an example of what is to come if they bring you any harm.”

Wait. Just me? Is he telling me there’s nobody else in the same predicament as me?

“Why just me? Is there no one else?” I ask.

“No. Not in this time.” He replies. “Also… for a young woman your age, you do not deserve what these people have done to you, Talia Diamond. So, I would like to make a proposition.”

 Him saying he wants to give me a “proposition” made me move my hand away from his. I’ve heard that word too many times and it’s led to too many decisions I’ve regretted making or was forced to make. I know Seth can read my mind; he looked me right in my eyes. Those red eyes… felt like they could look into my mind and my soul. He had a calm face as he did.

“I understand your hesitation. Do you think I want pleasure from you? Flesh is of no interest to me, and I have no interest in taking you. My pleasure is seeing and making the worse liars, the vainest… suffer. That is why Solomon was first. I want to help you accomplish that. I wish to be your catalyst.”

 He wants to be… my catalyst? He looks as if he wants to stay by my side. He wants to help me so I can have my moment. My day. My revenge… But I am hesitant to take that step. Seth smirks and turns to face me.

“No worries. I understand that you are hesitant, so I will not force you. Rest assured; the offer will still stand. Tell me when, I will be around.”

Seth sounds very assuring. He wasn’t in a rush. It shows in his eyes.

“Come. I can take you back home. There is no need for us to stay here anymore.”

  I agreed and held his hand once again. As we headed back to my house, I thought about Solomon. Did he deserve what happened to him? Was there another way? If I told anybody about what he did to me, no one would believe me, and Solomon would roam the town free. All of his victims are dead and I’m the only one alive. So… yes, he deserved what he got. And no, there was no other way. During the walk back to my home, I heard a scream in the distance… Someone found Solomon…