I drift in the dark. I guess I dozed off while waiting. I didn't sleep much last night because of that idiot Sute. It's a miracle I functioned at all today. Sleep is important to me. It helps me feel safe.

  But never too safe.

  Wrath makes sure of that. I‘ve slept often ever since that night in the street. She was a very nice girl, but she was new to the sewers.

  She had data and a phone too! What rarities down there…I met her when scurrying around in a couple of trash cans, and we bonded well.

  I fell for her eventually. We were a duo in the dark, and we would stay up at night watching youtube anime recaps…it was one of her favourite pastimes.

  But we relaxed too much once, and while cuddling, her brains were blown out right next to me. I took her phone, and I ran. I came back once I saw the person shoot her leave, and I was horrified, because I saw her get killed and beaten right in front of me, right around a corner.

  He was a damn bastard. I never saw him after that, but I got closer to her, and he didn’t even look at her. He just scoffed and said if he didn't get love, two brats shouldn't.

  I still keep an eye for him to this day. I vowed that day I’d never love another girl. It hurt too much to lose them.

  That's why I obsess over them rather than fall. It’s…a wall to stop the pain.

  And when I find that man, I am going to roast him and everything he loves over a spit, and toss them into a pit full of botfly eggs.

  As I drift, I hear a dark chuckle and a scene comes into view. I sit in a dark, damp tunnel, cuddling a girl.

  A shiver goes down my spine, but she cuddles closer, sharing her phone screen with me.

  “No, No, Eva we have to go! We have to go!” I shout, desperately trying to get her to move and run away with me. She doesn’t budge, only holds me tighter.

  This is only a memory I suppose. I’m me, but younger. I think I was eleven. I cuddle closer to her, trying to enjoy these last fleeting moments one more time.

  I turn to her, and kiss her head softly as my body trembles at what’s about to happen. Tears start running down my cheeks as I clutch her to my chest.

  This may be a memory, but my imagination can change it, but Wrath won’t let it be that we can run.

  “Why are you crying my dear? Is the video too sad?” She asks sweetly as she puts the phone down and turns to me.

  “I’m so sorry Eva. I’m so sorry. I tried to get you to run.” I sob.

  “It's ok, I'm not sure what to run from, but you look cute when you say sorry.” She mumbles, leaning in and kissing me softly on the mouth.

  And her lips tear away from mine violently as a bang echoes out from the smoking pistol.

  A cry tears from my throat as I see the bits of skull across the floor.

  I choke down my grief, and watch her beautiful white hair turn red and black from the grime and blood on the floor.

  I turn my eyes, burning with hatred to the man standing there with a smirk on his face.

  “I don't know who you are. But I have sworn this on my very existence, across every rebirth and version of me that has ever existed and will exist, I will wipe you off the face of this earth and all the other earths. I will make you suffer what she and I suffered a million times over.” I swear with a burning hatred in my heart.

  As the scene fades away, and the warmth of her body leaves my hand, I turn to Wrath and begin to speak.

  “This was the first time I met you Wrath. Maybe it was the day my personality fractured and you were born. Maybe it was the day the hate in my soul birthed you as a sin. I don't know.” I pause and turn back to where the man had stood. “But you became my wingman. When you appeared, a black swirling vortex next to me of evil, the man fell to his knees and said lord wrath. I have no clue as to why, or who envy is, but what I do know, is you are my ticket to finding him. And I hope you will enjoy it as much as I will.”

  Wrath doesn't move for a moment. “I am a sin, one of the seven. There is a council, though it's a loose term for it, it just keeps them from killing each other.” He pauses. “Easiest explanation for you is that you awakened me. There was a war in our realm, after a few of the others in the council tried to usurp me. They hurt me and drove me to slumber.” He pauses again, considering whether to continue. “I am the sin of hatred. Of wrath. And you scare me Ikari. You bury your rage, leaving less than an ounce showing, with a sin amplifying it at all times. You have suppressed it, and contain in you more anger than I have ever. You have it locked away, sure, but anything locked can be unloc–” He stops, and looks away, disappearing into the real world before returning. “She stirs.” He says coldly. He's probably mad his drama got ruined.

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  With a feeling akin to emerging from cold water, I gasp as I wake.

  I orient myself as my gaze flickers around the room, only to remember the lights aren't on. Snapping my fingers, I see the switch and decide light is better right now, it'll answer most of her questions.

  Flicking the switch, only one light turns on, right above the girl. How cinematic. Interrogation sort of lights.

  I pull the chair I was sleeping on up in front of her and sit down confidently.

  “So little foreign girl, why'd you stab me? Oh, and sorry for having to hang you up.” I apologize without really apologizing.

  “You look cute when you say sorry.” She murmurs as she opens her eyes and winces at the light.

  I pause.

  “What is it?” She asks. “You froze.”

  “Tell you if you tell me why you said that.” I offer. “An eye for an eye.”

  Her expression saddens for a moment.

  “I loved a boy once. He…ran away after I got hurt by an evil man. I tried to find him, but never did. Every time someone says sorry I say it as a remark. Keeps him close to me. Now I obsess over anyone who reminds me of him.” She mumbles, letting her hair fall in her face as her gaze lowers.

  “Your hair used to be white, didn't it?” I ask, my body trembling.

  She frowns, clearly confused. “Yeah, but it's gotten so dirty, and I haven't been able to wash it so it looks black. How did you know?” She asks.

  “Eva?” I whisper, my mind spinning.

  “Yeah that's my name, how did yo–” She pauses. “Kari?” She whispers.

  I lean in close, letting her see my face again, though she's seen it in broad daylight.

  I let the chains drop with a clatter and hug her like a starving cat seeing catnip.

  I hear her breath rattle in her chest, clearly trying not to cry.

  “Oh my god you're alive!” I whisper. “I saw you die right in front of me! How are you alive?” I can barely think, my mind is racing with shock.

  “I don’t know, I just remember the man being gone when I woke up and seeing you cry as you walked away. But, I assume our reunion means we are back together?” She whispers as she wraps her arms around my chest, touching it as if she isn’t sure I’m real.

  “Of course dumbass! Like I’m letting you slip after this miracle!” I choke out as tears flow.

  She stills and asks a question I was hoping she’d ignore. “So then how did the violence on you go after that! I know I was the main target, and after I disappeared, surely they left you alone.”

  I don’t answer and go still. I remember what she told me everyday down there. Maybe it’s different now, because she did stab me.

  She puts her hand on my cheek and makes me look into her eyes.

  “Did they leave you alone?”

  “I…killed them all. I’m sorry. I know you always told me we weren’t like them and we didn’t hurt or kill others.”

  She pauses for a moment.

  “Did they provoke you?”

  “No. I ravaged their camp, interrogating them on who that man was.” I reply.

  She sighs, and I can’t tell if she is mad or what.

  “Well, a person must have their grief. I know I did when I couldn’t find you. Wait, how? You were like eleven? How did you kill them?” She wonders.

  I panic and think about whether I should show Wrath to her or not.

  While I deliberate, Wrath decides he does want to be seen, and swirls into existence next to me.

  Immediately, a dark cloud colored dark red and purple appears next to her, and screams for her to kneel to him.

  Eva kneels to him quickly, though I can tell her mind is racing and she’s scared.

  “Wrath! You’re scaring Eva!” I yell.

  “That’s Claire's fault! She’s an obsession sin! I’m the ruler of sins! They are obsessed with me, both with respecting me and romantically! What do you want me to do?! ” He yells back.

  “Well, if I control you, then I can control that one right?” I wonder.

  “Maybe, but I'd rather just say it myself.” He pauses and turns to the cloud. “Rise.” He commands.

  The cloud visibly expands like releasing a breath it was holding and zooms up to wrath.

  “Lord Wrath, you haven’t been present in the spirit realm in years! What happened, Lady Lust has missed you!” The cloud giggles. I shrug and stop listening to the two as I turn to Eva and help her up.

  “You ok?” I ask her as she shakes.

  “I–I guess, but what is that thing? Claire is so scared of him…” She murmurs.

  “That's Wrath, he–”

  “Silence you wretched human! You cannot refer to his majesty in that way!” The cloud screeches at me.

  “Silence you infernal screecher! You will get me hurt!.” He bellows at the cloud before taking it aside to talk to it personally.

  “Why is it so scared, I can hardly stand in this presence, it feels as if I am atlas and am holding the world! How can you stand?” She whispers.

  “Huh? Well, because it lives in me? Something about being terrifying in the depth of my hatred. I’m not sure.” I reply smiling softly at her.

  “Well…do you still have my phone after you ran off with it that day?” She asks as the pressure eases and her mind clears.

  “Of course my love, I started customizing it when it didn’t work so I didn’t have to throw it away and get a new one. It was that important to me.” I answer as I pat my pockets to find it, only to groan.

  “I lost it today during the fall! I can’t lose it!” I groan.

  She grabs my hand and starts dragging me towards the exit.

  “Well, let’s go! We only have an hour or two to find it before dark! Neither of us have flashlights!” She grunts.