I did this. This is what I did to that naked man. I remember sinking my teeth into his stomach … eating his flesh … and liking it.

I don’t scream. My voice doesn’t go high or loud enough. I just let out this soft moan as my body tilts to one side. Everything goes very dark in a split second. Somewhere close by, Zaniel shouts my name as I slip into unconsciousness; I feel his body against mine before I hit the cold, snowy ground.

“It’s okay.” I hear his soft voice all around me. “I’ve got you.”

Passing out isn’t so scary. It’s just like going to sleep, but very, very sudden. I don’t mind it. It’s kind of nice. Safe, in this darkness, in Zaniel’s arms, out of my own body, away from the blood. Even if I could think straight, I do not need to dwell on any of it. All I can do now is sleep.

“Zaniel?”

Zaniel raises his head, eyes widening. He is not surprised to see the Yokai above him, emerging out of the dark entranceway. He is more concerned about her freezing, being naked in such cold. She does not seem to notice. She simply takes a deep inhale of the crisp winter air, minty and refreshing in comparison to the dank inside of what is left of Jibun Jishin. “Ooh,” she shivers. “It’s nice out here.”

Zaniel tries to roll over onto his knees. Every movement sends spikes of pain shooting through his torso. The Yokai rushes to his side to assist him. That is when she notices the unconscious body next to him. “Is that … is that me?”

“Well —”

“Why am I saturated in blood?!”

“Y … yeah, about that —”

“Am I DEAD?”

“No! No, you just passed out. And I … well, I didn’t want you to be alone.”

“Oh. Well. Um. That’s very kind of you. Are you…?”

“Yeah. I’ll be all right. Eventually.” He lets her gingerly help him to his feet. “But it looks like we have to make another trip to the hospital.”

“Oh, brother. You can’t seem to stay out of trouble, can you?”

“Like you said earlier: I think my days of ‘trouble’ are over.”

The Yokai slowly smiles, remembering: “I never said, ‘trouble,’ I said, ‘adventure.’”

“Oh. Right. Well, how about you? How are you feeling?”

Her arms wrapped carefully around him, the Yokai gazes up at the night sky, then closes her eyes. “Full.”

Zaniel starts to laugh, then winces, and clutches his broken ribs. “You? Not hungry? That’s a first.”

“Yes.” The Yokai gives him a sly grin. “But it won’t be the last.”

“What do you mean?”