More. More. It wasn't enough. 

Shaw felt movement and soon their hands were touching skin again. This was their best friend. Jonah. 

CRACK.

The same sound echoed through the room. Again, the soggy substance reached their lips and they chewed. This tasted different. Sweeter. Their hands fed them continuously, not stopping until they grasped for air. 

Shaw felt their body moving again. 

This pain... it was too much. Death. Death would be so much better than this. Their brain ached as if nails were being dragged all along the surface of it. 

Suddenly, Shaw shivered as freezing air swept across their face. Their heart dropped as their body started to fall. Once the awful dropping feeling in their gut stopped, their body began to move again. Their fingers grazed the ground, understanding that there was concrete under them. 

Shaw's body guided itself to skin again and reached, clawing at it. And for a third time, they heard the similar noise.

CRACK. 

Shaw gorged their self on the substance, not at all minding that it was bitter. They needed it. They would die without it. 

Shaw's eyes snapped upwards as a faint gasp echoed through the ally. An older woman stood near the entrance and look at them in horror. 

Shaw frowned, confused. Why was she looking at them like that? She looked so... disgusted. What was wrong-

Shaw's thoughts ceased as they glanced down at their hands. Their palms and fingers were coated in thick blood, small chunks of pink still in-between their fingers. 

Their chest heaved as they looked past their hands. On the ground was Erin, her head in different sections, smashed open. Shaw hurriedly wiped their mouth with their forearm, gagging when they drew back blood from their lips. 

Their eyes watered as they retched violently, grasping at their own throat. 

How could they? They would never...

Shaw's eyes found the woman hurriedly tapping on her phone, her hands shook as she raised it to her ear. 

Quickly, Shaw stood, shaking their head and stepping backwards. They tripped over empty beer cans but stood up again, still backing away from the woman. 

"I didn't mean to-" Shaw swallowed and cringed at the taste of iron in their throat. There was so much blood, they couldn't breathe without tasting or smelling it.

They turned on their heels and rushed further into the ally, turning and weaving through the dark spaces between buildings. Their life was ruined, it was over. They were going to go to prison and probably die there. 

A life over at nineteen. What a terrible reality. 

Shaw stopped when they reached a dead end. They glanced around, breathing heavily from the running. There was no fire escapes on the buildings, meaning there was no way out but from where they came. 

They tensed when they heard quiet footsteps growing closer. Shaw watched the corner, their heart pounding in their ears. Death. Death was the only thing that could save them now. But maybe, even then, it wouldn't be enough. 

Shaw's eyes widened when a young girl emerged from the corner, smiling widely. Shaw noticed the dry blood in the corners of her mouth. Her brown bangs fell into her eyes as she stepped forward. She sniffed, pulling a face. 

"I knew I smelled a newborn." She grinned. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and tapped rapidly. Once she was done, she slid the phone back into her jacket pocket. 

"I've never been sent to catch a live one before." She popped her fingers and took a series of steps closer. "Now then, little guy. You need to come with me." 

Shaw frowned confusedly, questions ready to spill out. But by the time Shaw had decided what they wanted to say, the girl was coming at him, her fist cocked. 

"Buh-bye." She muttered, twisting her fist in their gut. Shaw fell over into her hands, their eyes fluttering a little. 

Their thoughts scattered as the girl slung their body of her shoulder and jumped. Suddenly, they were on the roof, hopping from building to building. 

What was this girl? A superhuman? Was she even human?

Shaw's mind wandered as their eyes finally closed.