Never World

The Sunday before The Dark Hand died, Tess had been at the pharmacy trying to exchange anything she could for her father’s medication. She never told anyone, but that was the first time she had seen the The Dark Hand. The decrepit pharmacy was closing and security was trying to get her to leave, but she just couldn’t without the pills. Not again.

A disturbance near the front entrance distracted both the security guard and the pharmacist long enough for Tess to snatch the medication she needed. She crept silently through the aisles toward the side exit. The alarm would go off, but she’d have enough time to escape before anyone caught her.

“I’m going to die.” Tess heard a strange voice whisper. It sounded electronic. Fake.

The figure grasped onto Tess’s arm, his fingers long and bony. His outfit was all black and bulky and his face was covered with a black, emotionless, plastic mask. She knew who it was.

Tess pulled away.

“What?” Tess hissed.

“They’re all traitors. I just need someone to know,” The Dark Hand said. His voice chilled her to the bone. “You need to know.”

He stepped closer to Tess and pushed her long hair away from her ear. He whispered something. Tess opened her mouth to respond, but The Dark Hand put his gloved hand on her shoulder.

“You can’t tell anyone,” The Dark Hand replied.

He waited until she nodded and then hurried to the exit. The blaring alarms forced Tess to follow him, but when she entered the alleyway The Dark Hand was gone.

Tess kept his secret. Who would believe her anyway?