Two shadows are following us, I'm sure of it. I can feel the eyes watching us from the dark alleys that run next to the main street. The lamp posts illuminate the immediate surroundings, leaving us blind to the darkness. Must I kill again? Yes. A sound behind us, four feet running, barely touching the ground. But I hear them.
I feel the familiar tingle in my body as the world around me turns towards red. Within an instant I am between her and two blade-carrying figures. They mumble - no, shout at me, but I can't make out the words from the red.
Although my body is used to the stress, I feel it resist every move. The first shadow slowly begins his attempt to strike me with his blade, but I easily evade the slash. Adrenaline flows within my veins, as my enemy's arm cracks when I grab and twist it. I seize his blade and finish him off, cutting his throat.
The second man's expression shifts from greedy to worried. I start to grin as I thrust the blade through the air, again aiming for the throat. My arrogance betrays me, as the man blocks the blow from below with his blade. My grip of the weapon fails, sending it flying through the air. Quickly - too quickly - the man tries to stab me, but I'm faster. I grab his arm and throw him to the ground. He looses his grip on his knife, and I stab him with it. The world is as red as is the blood flowing on the sidewalk.
Suddenly, I become aware of a sound - a scream? - behind me. I turn, facing her. The blade - my blade - had struck her leg after its short flight. Her blood flows like a red river. As the world turns towards black I try to take the two steps towards her, but my body won't obey me. The world turns into warm nothingness, and then the warmth is gone.
Time passes, or does it? I don't know anymore. She's probably dead by now, and I killed her. I must be dead, too. I don't want to be alive. I try to cry, but I have no body to weep with. I am alone in my agony.
She's dead. I killed her. What is my punishment, being trapped here for the rest of eternity with no body, just my mind and my pain? Am I dead?
I hear voices that call out to me. It's her. She's come back. We're both dead, and she's here. She's here to haunt me. I try to run, but I cannot. I cry. I think I cry, but do I? I feel the tears, I see them distort the blackness.
The voices have stopped, the tears are gone. I don't know how long it lasted; time has no meaning anymore. I do know that I cannot hide in insanity, and I cannot grieve forever. And my punishment is just.
I barely think anymore. Where am I? Why am I here? I remember someone - something other than me. Who is it? Is there anyone besides me? There is nothing, not even me.
I sense something - what is it? A warm and tingly feeling. I'm sure I've felt it before. I'm sure of it. I feel, so I must be. The memories are coming back - memories from long gone.
Something is coming to me, taking over the nothingness. What is it? Blood? No, not blood. Just red. It's the world, say my memories. It is what is.
I collapse to the ground - yes, ground. Solid ground. I hear a scream. She's screaming, trying frantically to bind her wound. It can't be, she's dead! I killed her! I killer her a long time ago! I suffered my punishment! It can't be! I notice I'm on my feet, in the red. There's a knife in my hand. I step towards the woman, who turns towards me, horrified by the blood. Blankly, I stare back at her. As I ready the knife, I see panic in the woman's eyes. In one fast move I step forward and stab her to death.
I suffered my punishment!