She hadn’t recognized him, not at first. How could she not know it was him? She was supposed to be the one! How had she not known it was him? There was nothing else to do now. She couldn’t be the one. Part of him was a little sad, but mostly he was angry. She would pay for distracting him, for making him be visible. He was willing to give up everything for her, for the two of them. So they could be together. But she’d thrown it all away on the cripple, that was why she was here. He came here to find the meathead, but he’d found her instead. It was just as well. But he hadn’t planned on finding her.

If he had been ready, he could’ve snatched her then. Taken her to one of the abandoned houses, purified her, burned the stench of the demon off of her. But he was just here to scope out the demon’s lair. She had walked right by him with her little dog, hadn’t said a word to him. He was sitting right there, how could she not see him? How could she not have felt him, waiting. Waiting for her!

It was weak of him to have called out to her, but he’d had to be sure. He didn’t miss the look of shock and confusion on her face at seeing him. He’d managed to shave and wash up at a homeless shelter so at least he looked more like the man she remembered. But she was all lit up now and her light made her visible. He could see other men look at her on the street as they stood there. He was watching her, watching for some sign that she hadn’t been corrupted. And all the while she was just trying to remember his name. How could she not remember his name? He’d left presents for her when they were in that place together. He thought about finding some yarn and sticks to make new ones to remind her who he was, but she should have known.

Well at least he knew now, she wasn’t the one. He’d been wrong before. That was how he ended up in that place. He’d been wrong about Rebecca. He was sure she knew she was special. She was his. But she’d run from him when he came for her. Candace hadn’t run, not yet. What she had done was worse. She defiled herself with the demon. Becky ended up with some scratches and bruises. And he’d spent months trapped in that place pretending to be normal. As if normal was a good thing. He couldn’t expect them to understand he was so much more than normal. That he was better than them, and their small-minded ways. Candace’s punishment would be much worse. But he needed to be prepared. He needed to plan. She would have to go home eventually. And when she did, he’d be waiting for her.

If he spent enough time around her he would be visible again. That couldn’t happen. If it did, they would find him, and put him back in that place. His parents had warned him, but they couldn’t understand. He doubted they were really even his parents. They were dead to him now. Candace was dead to him too, and soon would be for real. He would show her. She thought he was like the others, a weak man she could control but he had his powers. He wouldn’t be satisfied until she was consumed with fear. Until the light was extinguished from her eyes.

He’d start small, with her friends. Then he could watch the light die little by little.