City of IF

[Emperor]

Chapter 9

Warning. This story contains strong language, scenes of violence and other matter that may be offensive. For mature readers only.
The dull scratching of his squared charcoal pencil faded. The unearthly emptiness that it filled him with faded with it also as Ignacio slowly came back to the realization that he was alive. His coffee and cream colored hand put the pencil down slowly and cautiously, almost treating it as something as sacred as a holy relic – or something as dangerous as an unstable stick of dynamite.
He clenched his drafting hand open and closed over and over, staring at it like an alien appendage. He wondered what would happen if he let himself walk down this path again. The last time he was a prisoner, wasted from starvation, sitting in his own filth and piss. Ignacio had gone down a road that he couldn’t escape from, trapped by the obsession, lost in – whatever it was that produced the three drawings that were now in front of him. If it had not been for Kumanda and his giant and gentle hands, he was sure he would not have escaped, which was exactly why he couldn’t tell his friend that he decided to go down that dangerous road one more time.

Ignacio was afraid. Afraid to look too closely at what he had drawn; the fear of what they might show him. Not only that though, he was afraid he would not know what to do once he had looked. Going into a trance like state and producing dark and slightly prophetic charcoal sketches wasn’t something they taught you how to deal with in art school. He closed his mismatched eyes and drew in a deep breath letting it out slowly. He had come this far. Igancio opened his eyes.

₰ ₰ ₴ ₴ ₰ ₰

Leif stood in front of his stereo, a strange mixture of abashment and pride swirled inside of him. He hated being in debt to anyone, especially someone who he respected and liked, but times were hard - even more strange, his own hardness was changing. He had found the envelope Wendy had left behind in his sock drawer. On the front was written Take it or don’t, up to you. Just know that it expires and if you don’t use it then it’s no use to either of us, cuz’ I can’t take it back. Inside was a money order for two hundred ten dollars and thirteen cents. It had taken everything in himself to deposit the money order, but he knew that he needed the money and unlike everyone else he knew Wendy wasn’t offering it out of pity, she had given it to him just to help out a friend in need.

Back when Kelly and Stephen were still alive he would have done the same for her and he wouldn’t expect a penny of it back. Leif was sure that the same was true for Wendy. She didn’t expect any repayment, but Leif couldn’t bear the thought of not paying her back. It might take him a year, maybe two or even three, but he would pay her back. So he had deposited the money and the first thing he did was to withdraw just enough to pay off the minimum amounts on his long delinquent bills. For the first time in a long time, he decided that he needed some music in his life and went over to the stereo to turn it on. Almost hesitantly he pushed the power button, and the lights came on and the sound of a compact disc spun as it searched for the next track. It had been so long since he had used his stereo that he didn’t even know what C.D. he was last listening to. A fluid and moody guitar composition filled his apartment, the band on the compact disc began singing about how dim it is underwater and how down there it all seemed okay, even if that briny water had already filled your lungs. As the dark and beautiful lyrics infused into him the memory of Kelly came.

“You have to listen to this!”

Leif tried to feign detached indifference but, as with most things with Kelly, she felt one of two ways about anything, deeply skeptical and unimpressed or deeply passionate and believing. The same was true for her music choices; there were very few artists that she was truly loyal to. She could absolutely love one song off of an album but hate the band’s music in general. She popped in the C.D. and hit the shuffle button, another quirk that Leif had always thought endearing. He sat down, ready to listen, to try to hear what it was that she found. In all honesty he was really intrigued; it was very infrequent when a whole album of music moved her.

“Who is it?”

Kelly sat down next to him, so close that there was not enough room for an inch to breathe between them. Leif, with an iron will, pushed the knowledge of her proximity out of his mind, trying to pay it no attention. They had been through that already, Kelly knew that he had always had a problem with relationships, that in the end he sabotaged them, especially if they were working or healthy. Though it wasn’t as if Kelly didn’t have her own set of problems, she had the tendency to pick men who would leave her, who couldn’t see past the capture, for the real and beautiful person she was. So in the end the girl who couldn’t be loved and the man who couldn’t feel love decided that they had to stay friends, because in the end they would only scar each other.

“I don’t know, one of my co-workers burned it for me, but I love it.”

She wrapped her arms around him and rested her fiery, curly auburn crowned head in the crook of his neck. The thing about “just being friends” that killed him was that now that he was technically safe and had proved it beyond a shadow of a doubt over the years, she never held back on the intimate affection she showed Leif. She would lay her head in his lap as he read Pablo Neurda out loud, or when it was late at night as they watched the television she would lie spooned against him with the heat of her body setting fire to his mind. So as they sat like this on his couch listening to the singer’s strange vocals, singing about a journey unending and filled with regret and pain, he did not push her away. For, even though it hurt just a little at feeling her this close to him, it would hurt a hell of a lot more if anything changed. The second song came on, a different singer this time.

“Same band?”

Kelly got up, pulling Leif to his feet.

“Yeah, they both sing lead.”

Leif allowed her to pull him to the very small empty space between the coffee table and the wall that the television and the stereo occupied.

“Isn’t that annoying, never knowing who is singing the song.”

She looked at him with her kaleidoscope, hazel eyes.

“No. Besides it’s just the two of them, so it has to be one or the other.”

Leif rolled his eyes, feigning not to notice that she had locked hands with him. The song was slow and rhythmic and he couldn’t help but liking it already.

“What’s this song called?”

Kelly huffed out a breath of air in frustration and then wrapped her arms around his waist, holding him tightly against her.

“Will you shut up and just dance with me.”

They danced together, little quarter steps around and around.

The sun is dim, down here where I swim
Magnetic neurons guide the fish at school
In the dark

He pressed his face against the side of hers and closed his eyes and he could feel her heartbeat in a steady thrum against his chest.

And I am unafraid of the big blue deep beyond
Down where they’ll find me

Underwater

The world had stopped for them as they danced in their small circle; the only thing that existed was the two of them and the music.

And I am at peace
Down here by the Coral Reef
In the dark

Every time he took a breath in all he could smell was the faint scent of rose oil and cinnamon, long since dulled by a long day.

The lilting tide lulls me on
And the night is nearing now
In the big blue deep beyond
Where they can find me

Underwater

On the edges of his awareness, just politely tapping him on his shoulder but not intruding, was the fact that their breathing had become syncopated. Leif wasn’t even sure if he could feel her heart beating against him anymore, maybe they thrummed in time with each other.

The chains are strong
Now it won’t be long
Till the dark
And they drag me down to the bottom of the Sea
But I am unafraid of the big blue deep beyond
Where they will find me

Underwater


Kelly held on to him tighter as if she was trying to save her life, he held her back fiercely but it didn’t seem enough. He wanted to hold her so tight that everything could be said in it, that he wanted to give it a chance, to try at having something between them.

Finally I am at peace
I wonder if I’ll wash ashore
(Underwater)
I don’t mind I always kind of wanted burial at sea
(Underwater)

They just stood still now, both of them crying and not knowing why, holding on to each other like two lovers, like a husband and wife, like lifelong friends watching the coming of the end of everything. Leif struggled with telling her, telling her that he did love her no matter how much he said that he couldn’t feel love. He wanted to tell her they were worth the chance, that what they had was worth the risk if it meant that in the end it might work. But before he could say anything the final guitar strums were in place and the band was singing the last line in unison.

Underwater

Leif was still firmly in the memory of the dance he and Kelly had shared, torrents of tears crashed out of him and each breath drew agonizing sobs. He didn’t know how long he had been crying and through the knife sharp grief he was feeling there was at least one tear out of the hundreds that had been a tear of joy. A solitary tear shed that shimmered and glistened its way down his face in celebration of a moment so keenly beautiful that only through a tear it could be expressed. Between one sob and trying to catch his breath is when he first noticed the smell. It smelled like apple blossoms being carried on a warm wind in the dusk light of an autumn evening – but more than that, it smelled like hope fulfilled. It was this scent that brought him back to the here and now and in the here and now someone was holding him tightly in an embrace that had no rules, had no boundaries and no stipulations. Leif opened his eyes and with her head turned so that the side of her face was resting on his shoulder and his head resting against hers, was Symphony. He just held on, not caring where she came from or how she got in, he held on because if he didn’t Leif didn’t know if he would ever stand again.

Time had passed that much he knew, but in that moment it had no meaning, there was his grief and there was Symphony fighting for him, being there for him so that he wasn’t sucked down into the darkness where he had been living so long. Now they sat on the couch, with hot tea just made by her, in silence as his mind tried to recollect itself from the shards of his walls breaking down. He nursed his tea gingerly; it was sweetened and had a touch of cream added making it warm and welcoming. And as if sensing the moment when he had enough of himself back together in the way that he was used to, Symphony looked at him with only understanding in her eyes.

“How long were you here before…?”

She smiled.

“Long enough to see that you needed a dancing partner.”

Leif laughed, it was small and quiet but it was real. He could only imagine what he looked like dancing alone, his arms wrapped around an imaginary partner or even worse, himself. The silence that sat between them wasn’t uncomfortable, if felt recuperative, like a boxer getting that (is it thirty or is it a minute) rest between rounds. He was halfway done with his tea when she put hers down, drained to the bottom and got up.

“Wanna go for a walk with me?”

Leif couldn’t think of anything better right now. Though he had put a crack where he had been damming up all his pain over this dark time, he still felt raw and if he stayed here only more memories would come – he didn’t know if he was ready for that.

“Let’s go!”

He went to the bedroom to grab his keys; they were lying on the top of his dresser, next to the taser that Wendy had lent him. He pocketed the keys and regarded the weapon not knowing if he should take it with him or not.

“C’mon slowpoke.”



₰ ₰ ₴ ₴ ₰ ₰


Ignacio sat staring at the three pictures in complete confusion and utter amazement. Nothing so strange had ever happened in his life like this, he was not one of those people who claimed to have seen U.F.O.’s or ghosts or had visions of future tragedies. It was not as if he didn’t want to be witness to such spectacular things, but he had long ago accepted that this life, his life was destined for nothing greater than a long series of perfectly mundane events. But now, for the first time, he was not only looking at three sketches that could only put him that elite group of people, but he had dawn them himself.

Ignacio sat back staring at them, the sky turning pink as the sun rose from the east, wondering what to do. He could simply ignore the three hidden messages, one of a woman’s shadow, one of an apartment complex he had never seen before and one of a different woman tied to chair. He could just throw them in the trash and go on with his life, it would be the easier thing to do and he knew damned well it would be the sane thing to do. Though each time he tried to convince himself that is exactly what he would do, the memory of watching the woman fall past hotel room window would creep back into his mind.

Ignacio was certain that he had seen her no matter how much the H.S.U. psychologist told him that it was more likely that he just thought he had seen a woman and had really seen the man in the black suit. The same man the police thought to interrogate him and ask him why the man in the black suit had no identification, no dental records, no medical records, no tax records and no fingerprints. Ignacio couldn’t help but think that there was something greater happening here, something just behind the curtains of reality as he knew it and somehow he was an unexpected piece that neither side had counted on being put in play. He couldn’t help but feel that it mattered what choice he made and it mattered what he did, if not to the disappearing falling woman, if not to the captive in the chair, then it mattered to him. He took up the pictures and put them in the bureau and locked the drawer when he was done. Ignacio walked heavily to his bedroom and collapsed on his bed. It had been a long day and now he was fighting off the sleep that eluded him so easily earlier. He knew there was only one thing to decide when he woke up, burn the pictures or embrace potential insanity and try to find the apartment. As he drifted off to sleep, one last image crept into his near slumbering mind. It was of the falling woman and like in the movies right as she passed into the frame of the window her decent went from meteoric to dripping honey slow as if she was in slow motion. She had her eyes closed and her arms spread wide, the wind whipping her hair behind her, but the last thing Ignacio saw was her face. She was smiling.

₰ ₰ ₴ ₴ ₰ ₰


He had forgotten how much joy a simple scream could give, how it filled his ears in a beautiful harmony as it passed his ears, bounced off the walls and the corners of the tiny room and echoed back. Lux put down his glorified meat tenderizer and absent mindedly stroked his cock through the fabric of his pants. The woman Wendy was red, raw and the seeping wounds on each of her cheeks almost gave her round apple cheeks a cherubic blush. He knew that he could not kill her, but he also knew that he had all the time in the world to enjoy this as much as he wanted to. He picked up the Polaroid camera and turned to face his captive.

“Smile beautiful.”

She looked away to the left, trying to hide her face and tears from him. Though she did not realize it, this pleased him even more. His excitement grew another notch knowing that she would not break so easily and how much sweeter it would be when she finally did. Would she plead first? Would she beg and bribe him? Would she offer him anything? Like a novel reaching its climax, Lux could not wait to see how it would all end. His only resentment was that in that moment, when she would offer all that was hers for reprieve of his trade, of his art – that in that moment he could not do the one thing he truly wanted to do. For he took no greater pleasure than seeing the absolute horror and despondence in his victims eyes as they gasped their final breaths in the realization that he already had everything they could ever give him and that there was never anything they could give that would stay his hand in taking their lives.

The bright flash of the camera washed over her face and the camera spit out the picture. Lux turned back around and waited for the film to develop. This was just another tool he used, to strip them of their control, to use the visual aid of the photos to show them just how much they suffered at his hands and in turn that would feed their fear. There was a second purpose to the whole process. By taking pictures, admiring them and showing them, it allowed for his victims to recover. Lux thought it was interesting that in these modern days his playthings didn’t last as long as the ones in the past. Maybe it was because with modern conveniences it allowed humans to live a much softer life in the aspect of they didn’t have to struggle so hard with day to day survival. In the old days he would hound his prey across the desert sands for weeks at a time. Back then his tools were heat and thirst and fever and relentless, languid suffering. But like most of his kind, with the new rules of a modern age, he either had to adapt or be replaced. So Lux had adapted, with no great joy or celebration, unlike his lower brethren who now held positions of power over him.

Though that would all change now, now that he had the bait, it would only be a matter of time until Symphony was his. And unlike this fragile thing that was bonded to the chair, Symphony could withstand all the darker techniques that he had to deny himself from using with the weak flesh of these little mortals. Lux put the picture aside and picked up a signet ring made of brass and iron that was tarnished with years and years of age. It was of a pentangle with a dot in the spaces of each point all resting in a circle. There were thousands upon thousands of little mortals who would kill for this ring – and he smiled at the memory of the hundreds he had sent to their deaths with the promise of giving it to them. He slipped it on his middle finger and closed his eyes, soon it was glowing bright red as if he had just plucked it out of a forge. He walked over to his captive and smiled in genuine pleasure as her eyes widened at the sight of the smoking hot ring. Lux leaned in close to the woman Wendy’s ear and let his tongue slide over the soft skin of her earlobe.

“This might sting a little.”

She wrenched her head even further in disgust and Lux grabbed the hair at the back of her head, pulling her head back. He pressed the hot seal to the middle of her forehead and inhaled deeply as her flesh smoked. She screamed and tried to jerk and lash him off of her. Lux licked his lips. He took off the ring and stood back admiring the brand he had left on her. Lux found him deeply pleased with the idea that maybe Cain had screamed as loudly as Wendy did. He went back to the table, took off the ring and picked up the camera again. He brought it up to his face so that he could peer through the eyesight and mimicked moving from left to right, pretending to be trying to find the perfect angle and lighting to bring justice to the beauty mark he had left on her. He was disappointed that the woman was in too much pain at the moment to appreciate his improvisation, so with the moment passed he instead just took the picture. Once again he let some time go by as he pretended to busy himself with waiting for the picture to develop. When he heard her breathing slow just enough that it let him know that the initial shock of being burned and branded at taken its course, Lux secreted a disposable razor blade between his middle and index finger so that its edge pointed toward his palm in his semi-clenched hand. He leisurely closed the distance between himself and the woman and knelt down on one knee so that he was at eye level with her.

“You know, this can stop at any time you want. You do not have to suffer like this. All you have to do is tell me what I want to know.”

Lux smiled as he amused himself, he knew that she knew nothing about the whereabouts’ of Symphony, but it pleased him to make her believe that there was something that he wanted.

“I… I don’t know anything about someone named Symphony.”

He grinned even wider, pleased with her resistance.

“Are you sure? I do not enjoy having to hurt you Wendy. You have such a beautiful face, I hate having to scar it so. But because you insist on lying to me, look at what I have had to do to it.”


He held up the first picture that showed her sleeping in a peaceful state, whole and healthy. He pocketed that one and then showed her second picture with her rosy, blood red cheeks. The woman Wendy stifled a gasp and Lux pocketed that picture as well.

“I am afraid that this next picture may shock you a little.”

He held up the most recent picture with her branded forehead and this time the woman could not hold back the shocked gasp and the tears came again. Lux leaned forward and kissed the first one as it made its way down her bloody cheek, she wrenched her head to the side again and Lux licked both the salty tear and the copper blood off his lips. He grabbed her blood stained shirt and pulled hard on it so that it ripped from top to bottom. When the woman Wendy tried to wrestle with her bonds again Lux brought up his fist, clenched hard into a ball and slammed it into her face. Her head snapped back and blood began to leak from her newly split lip. He had hardly used any force at all, saving it for more poignant lessons to teach her later. The strike did have the effect that he wanted it to as she stopped her struggles in shock.

When he had her attention again, Lux wrapped his hand around the center of her bra and with a quick jerk, ripped it off of her. He sat back on his heels, taking in the sight of her breasts. He was glad that the cloying coldness of his masters unexpected presence still made itself felt, for her dark pink nipples were stiff and he could see the tiny goose bumps in a perfect circle on the outside of her pale, pink areolas. Lux leaned in seeing the horror grow in her eye, he could tell that the woman Wendy now knew that the physical torture that he was subjecting her to was just the beginning. Lux cupped his hand under her breast. He brought his mouth to one of her nipples and swirled his tongue around it. She tried to struggle away from him again uselessly.

“No!”

Lux took his mouth off and looked up at her.

“No? Are you sure?”

The woman spat down, the spittle landing full in his face. Lux grinned up at her, then with the hand that was cupping her breast he grasped the nipple between his thumb and index finger, pulling it toward him hard. With a flash of his other hand he brought the hidden razor to bear and sliced off her luscious, pink flesh and breast was made even more beautiful by the weeping blood now running from it. The blood left vibrant red trail that pooled, filled and then spilt out of her bellybutton. The woman Wendy’s voice shrilled out in a beautiful scream and Lux stood up and quickly took up the camera again, snapping the shutter just in time to capture her horror and pain. He pocketed the picture and then knelt before her again; he unbuttoned the first few buttons of her jeans and lapped up the blood in her navel. He languidly slid his tongue upwards to her bleeding breast and pushed his tongue in the wound. The woman jerked as he brought heat to his tongue searing her flesh so she wouldn’t faint from the blood loss. The woman Wendy screamed again as the pleasant smell of her burning flesh fill both of their noses.



So this chapter was meant to be a lot longer, but I stopped myself. I apologize if it feels unfinished, but the only way to shorten it was to stop it here. The DP is a simple one once again- regarding Ignacio being the only viable one - and I apologize to my readers if you are feeling boxed in on the decisions. But before I put a poll up I am open to suggestions to changes or alternatives

[Tikanni Corazon]

Hey Emperor!


Another fab chappie, and one that I can't believe I failed to notice before now. I'm really liking Leif more and more as the tale progresses. Though tragic, there is something very endearing about him, and as Symphony brings him further out of his constantly depressed state, I'm finding myself all the more drawn to the character. Lux, on the other hand is proving to be absolutely vile. Some of the decriptions of him and his sordid deeds had me almost shuddering. Both very well done! :)


Okie dokie, I found a couple of things...

Quote: His coffee and cream colored hand put the pencil down slowly and cautiously, almost treating it as something as sacred as a holy relic – or something as dangerous as an unstable stick of dynamite.

I think this would be better if the second 'something' was removed. The sentence comes across in the same way, but it has a smoother flow. That aside, it's a really nice couple of lines actually. :)

Quote: Leif stood in front of his stereo, a strange mixture of abashment and pride swirled inside of him.

Another line that struck me positively. Simple yet effective. :)

Reading it though, I think 'swirled' needs to either be 'swirling' or the sentence needs to begin with an 'As' to keep it as the former.

Quote: It had taken everything in himself to deposit the money order, but he knew that he needed the money and unlike everyone else he knew Wendy wasn’t offering it out of pity, she had given it to him just to help out a friend in need.

The double usage of 'money' in this sentence interrupts the flow a little. Maybe it could be changed to 'cash' or something similar to make it smoother.

Quote: A solitary tear shed that shimmered and glistened its way down his face in celebration of a moment so keenly beautiful that only through a tear it could be expressed.

All of the lines that I seem to be quoting are ones that actually stand out for me positively throughout the entire chapter, lol! Maybe that's the reason the negatives come to my attention too.

With this one, it's the same kind of thing as with the others. There's nothing strictly wrong with the lines at all, but because they're so good and I can see a way that they could be even better, I feel compelled to mention it. Double usage of 'tear' in the sentence...I think it's the first one that needs changing, though I'm having trouble thinking what it could be exchanged for...something like...

A solitary bead of moisture shed that shimmered and glistened its way down his face in celebration of a moment so keenly beautiful that only through a tear it could be expressed.

Quote: Leif laughed, it was small and quiet but it was real.

Okay here, it doesn't sound right as one sentence. I think it either needs to be changed to...

Leif laughed. It was small and quiet but it was real.

...or something like...

Leif laughed, a sound small and quiet, but it was real.

...with or without the part marked in blue.

Quote: The bright flash of the camera washed over her face and the camera spit out the picture.

Need to eliminate a 'camera'...If the first was to go, the sentence would be just fine if 'of the camera' was removed and left as is, though adding 'as he clicked the button' or something after 'face' would sound good too. And I think 'spit' would sound better as 'spat'.

Quote: Though that would all change now, now that he had the bait, it would only be a matter of time until Symphony was his.

'Now' marked in red can go.

Quote: Lux smiled as he amused himself, he knew that she knew nothing about the whereabouts’ of Symphony, but it pleased him to make her believe that there was something that he wanted.

I think this needs to be broken into two sentences, so that it reads...

Lux smiled as he amused himself. He knew that she knew nothing about the whereabouts’ of Symphony, but it pleased him to make her believe that there was something that he wanted.


For the dp...I'm guessing that it's to say whether Ignacio is going to take the pictures to the authorities or not? If so, I'm going to say that he hang onto them for a little while, rather than just going straight to the police. If they mean something and he goes to the cops, they're more apt to think that he knows these things because he played a part, or that he's just some nutcase. I think that maybe, not that he's finished drawing them, he should show them to Kumanda, and see what he says. If that's not the dp, then let me know and I'll give you another. :)


Much enjoyed, Emperor! Keep up the good work! :)

[Crunchyfrog]

Hello! It's been a while. I realised I missed Chapter 8. It moved the plot on, joining the dots between the bodies at the traffic accident and Tetra. The circle has been completed, but it is beginning to look like it's too late for Wendy.

And now we also have confirmation that Symphony is otherworldly, as are her persuers.

For Ignatio's DP, he is troubled enough with his inner power, and with all the will in the world, nobody is going to put any significance into pictures some crazy guy created while in a trance.

Ignatio wants to do something about it. Finding the apartment isn't going to be easy, and he doesn't know the identity of the woman's shadow, nor does he recognise Wendy in the chair. But he does have the memory of the disappearing woman's face... would it be weird if he drew that face and started asking people if he'd seen her? I wonder what kind of trouble that would get him into.

But it might help lead him to the apartment...

Good to see this SG moving again. :)

[VenomousAngel]

Nice work Emporer. I would give a suggestion to Ignacio, However.. I found myself more interested in Lux, Symphony and Wendy... Sadly, I do not feel connected enough to suggest where to send Ignacio next.. But I would love to read the next chapter, See what happens to Wendy!

[Emperor]

I just wanted to express my enormous gratitude to Tikky, Crunchy and now to you Angel for reading my chapter. I have made some promises to a few people in keeping this sg running and will and intend to do so. Even though I have only 3 readers it is enough to want me to keep going for now. So look for a poll soon.

As for not connecting with Ignacio. The only thing I can suggest is to go backwards and start at chapter one. With that said, I understand it is an daunting one and do not begrudge the task. But it is the only suggestion I can make. Other than to simply point out that as the writer I will make a better attempt to make him more relate-able. As a community of writers I'm sure it is a curse we all share and lament.

Though I cannot promise anything in the near future. I can assure you Angle that since you have read and commented on mine, I will read and comment on one of yours.

[kkdestiny]

Hey Emperor, I don't have the time to read your story from the beginning at the moment (cleaning the house) but i will be soon.

Seeing as he's tempted to, and in the interest of the story, i would say that ignacio should keep the images and try to find the apartment building to make sure it 9still) exisits. I suppose the rest of his choices will have to go on from there.

I'd also like to comment on the torture scene, but I'm not sure how to do it. Just know that you made me grimmace and become very uncomfortable from where I am sitting.

I'll make sure to start SR from the beginning within the next week.

[Emperor]

kkdestiny wrote:

I'd also like to comment on the torture scene, but I'm not sure how to do it. Just know that you made me grimmace and become very uncomfortable from where I am sitting.

if I haven't already said so, thank you for reading kk. as for commenting on the torture scene, you can say what ever you want. I won't be offended. Though I should say that if it made you uncomfortable, then the scene accomplished its job.