Cadell’s dark demons

*This story is underneath my folder titled “Nothing will be lost”. Gacha Club character designs are under this forum: https://www.youngwriterssociety.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=116005&start=1485. The main character is based off a character from my story “31 horrendous Halloween tales” which is under my folder titled “31 Halloween tales”. Enjoy!*

Introduction

Cadell Beckford was born to human parents, nothing out of the ordinary. He too, was a human, because anything else was a work of fiction, right?

But buried within Cadell was a gnawing hunger, a burning pain. He didn’t know what to call it or make of it, but to him, it was Unholy. It was evil.

And it took over him.

Chapter One

Cadell sat alone on the swing, watching the other children play. The purpose of Mommy taking him to the playground was for him to make friends, but just how was he going to do that? What were they supposed to talk about? Toys? Games? He didn’t know what any of the kids liked, he didn’t know what they wanted.

“Are you playing by yourself?” A voice asked.

Cadell looked up.

Standing right in front of him was a girl his age, with long, blond hair and soft violet eyes. Her white tee-shirt and pink overalls had slight grass stains on them, but they were barely there.

“Yes, I am.” Cadell replied. Where was she getting at?

“Can I play with you?” The girl asked.

She wanted to play with him?! Why?! Why would she want to play with him?

“Sure!” Cadell said with a grin.

The girl sat next to him on a swing. There was no questioning the moment, he’d be grateful for the new friend.

Chapter Two

“Cadell, it’s time to go!” Mom called out from the bench.

“But-“

“Now.” She declared.

It had only been a few minutes, and already, Mom wanted him to leave his new friend behind.

“I’m Cadell. What’s your name?” Cadell asked, just before Mom could pull him away.

“Sophie.” The girl replied.

Sophie. Cadell thought to himself as Mom grabbed him by the arm and pulled him from the swing set, her nails burrowing into his skin.

A few kids watched. Some out of boredom, some out of amusement. If the pain were any greater, he’d scream and throw himself on the ground.

But he couldn’t do that. He had to be strong. He couldn’t let them see him freak out. Not again.

Mom wanted him to make new friends and yet right when he did, she took him away. Dad was just like that. They didn’t like him They didn’t like him They didn’t like him They didn’t like him They didn’t like him They didn’t like him They didn’t like him They didn’t like him

But that wasn’t true. They were just being parents. Of course they liked Cadell.

He shouldn’t worry too much.

Chapter Three

Cadell was in the dining room, staring at a plate of sliced peaches. He could only have “healthy snacks”, that was the rule when he was home.

He took a bite out of it. It was sweet, it was sour, and then…

Out of his mouth it went, along with blood.

Dad frowned as he took the plate away, but what was Cadell to do about it? Eating anything but meat felt like poison, and his teeth were so sharp that it cut into his tongue.

“You always make a mess. Can’t you learn to eat without spitting out blood?” Dad asked.

Cadell shrugged. No, he couldn’t.

“Be better next time.” Dad said, as though Cadell could magically change.

Chapter Four

Cadell sat on the floor of his room, looking through photos of his class. Every year, his class got shorter and shorter, and it was all because of him.

Why did he do it? Why was he such a monster? What had made him that way?

Cadell’s stomach growled. He had to eat, but he couldn’t do it again. No, that would be bad. That would hurt people.

There was always the rusted iron mask, filled with millions of diseases. His parents never cleaned it, because they said that he “deserved to get sick”.

It lay in the corner of his room. The mask that made him feel less than a dog.

Cadell could put it on, or give in.

No. Never.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Cadell clicked on the mask, the heavy material digging into his mouth. He could taste the rust and chips of paint already, the mask was tightly locked on his skin, he could not say a word.

He couldn’t even scream.

Chapter Five

FLASHBACK

Cadell stared at the body of Roxie. She was bleeding on the grass, her blue eyes staring off helplessly.

He hadn’t meant to do it. He didn’t even know that it was in him. But yet, there she was, bleeding because of him. Because he was hungry.

Her parents would come out and yell at him if they knew. He had to leave before they came outside to check. They’d blame it on an animal, and Cadell would be off.

But the blood on his teeth? That would take awhile to wash off.

Chapter Six

“You deserve it. This pain, this suffering.” A raspy voice said.

Cadell couldn’t move his head, the mask wouldn’t let him. The bars that made the mask dug into his face, he could only sit and wait.

A shadow formed before him, with long, spindly fingers.

“Take it off and give in. You’re nothing but a monster. A monster that eats and eats and eats. Just give in. Pretending will get you nowhere.” The thing said.

But what about Sophie? She wanted to talk to him. She was new, though. He hadn’t seen her in the playground before. Sophie didn’t know about Roxie or Ansel. If she did, then she wouldn’t want anything to do with him.

She’d leave. Soon, she’d leave, and he would be nothing but a monster. Just what he deserved. Exactly what he deserved.

“Dinner!” Mom screeched.

Cadell unfastened the mask, the shadow disappeared.

He’d eat like the creature he was.

Chapter Seven

Always fruits and vegetables. That was what was on Cadell’s plate.

“Eat. It will help with your curse.” Mom said.

Curse. That was what it was. He hated how he could smell the decadent, unattainable blood of his parents, how he could imagine the sweet, saccharine taste floating in his mouth.

If he shoved enough of the fruits and vegetables down his throat, would he be normal?

Chapter Eight

At first, the food went down. But then, he felt it bubbling up within him and it all came back out.

Mom and Dad looked at Cadell in disgust. He bit his tongue, but even the taste of his own flesh wasn’t enough to satiate him.

“Put the mask on.” Dad seethed.

“But-“

“Now.”

Already, Cadell could taste the rot of the mask on him. Though he met Sophie earlier in the playground, the possibility of ever meeting her again seemed to grow farther and farther, more like a brief dream.

Chapter Nine

Night. He had to sleep. He had to rest his eyes.

Cadell would see Sophie another day, he wasn’t banned from going to the playground.

Roxie’s bloody body…

No. He couldn’t think of her.

It was all his fault…

But the shadow told him what he was.

No, there was no time to think about it…

Chapter Ten

THE NEXT DAY-SCHOOL

Yet another day at school. The shadow had appeared in the corner of Cadell’s room in the morning, but he ignored it and it went away.

As usual, his peers avoided him. Cadell heard whispered breaths of “Monster” from the teachers, but when he asked about them, they simply brushed it off, declaring that they would “never say those awful words” about him.

What liars. But could Cadell really blame them? He let his hunger take over, and he attacked Roxie and Ansel, his two only friends.

So he sat alone at lunch, with a plastic bag of fruit he wouldn’t eat. He’d throw it out later, and then keep down his hunger as best as he could.

Who was that? The blond girl, with the blue eyes, walking towards him? She smiled as though he were an old friend…

Sophie? From the playground?

Chapter Eleven

“You’re here too?” Sophie asked as she sat next to him.

“Yes! I go here too. I didn’t know that you also went to school here!” Cadell said, careful not to smile too much around her.

“Nice! At least I have a friend to go to school with.” Sophie said.

Her expression turned grave, and then she asked him:

“Why are you sitting here, all by yourself?”

How could he answer that? Could he answer that? Wouldn’t she leave him if he told her?

“Because they don’t want to sit next to me. They don’t have to if they don’t want to.” Cadell said.

“But why? Why don’t they want to sit next to you?” Sophie asked.

She really wanted to know, her eyes were getting wider as though she wanted to absorb his answer.

“Because they don’t. That’s all.” Cadell said.

Sophie took a bite of her sandwich, probably figuring that he wouldn’t tell her. Mentally, Cadell sighed in relief.

She was still his friend.

Chapter Twelve

FLASHBACK

“Want to get some ice cream?” Roxie asked.

Cadell was at Roxie’s backyard, he was visiting for a playdate, it was his first one ever.

The ice cream truck arrived. All he had to do was say yes but…he couldn’t even move his mouth. He felt like he was going to faint…fall down…

“Cadell?” Roxie asked, eyes creasing in concern.

No, he couldn’t…he couldn’t-

All he felt was the burning sensation to eat, to bite. All he saw was a blur. All he thought was nothing.

Chapter Thirteen

“There’s Cadell Cadaver.”

“What’s a cadaver?”

“My Mommy told me that it was a corpse.”

“Oh. I hope he doesn’t eat us.”

“Me too.”

So that was his name? “Cadell Cadaver”? Hm, at least Sophie didn’t hear.

“Cadell? Are you listening? I want to show you my bow ponies!” Sophie said.

Cadell blinked himself back to reality. They were outside, at recess, Sophie showing him her collection of bow ponies, each pony doll with a different type of bow in the mane.

He couldn’t listen to their words, he had a new friend, he had to pay attention.

He had to keep his hunger down.

He had to ignore the shadow.

Chapter Fourteen

“This one is Pixie, and this is her sister, Polly…” Sophie trailed off. Her eyes were downcast, her voice was low.

“Sophie, are you okay?” Cadell asked.

Sophie nodded.

“I was just thinking about an old friend, nothing much.” Sophie said.

Cadell felt chills running up his spine. He didn’t know who she was talking about, but something about what she said sounded familiar…

No. It was nothing.

Right?

Chapter Fifteen

In a hospital room, a woman lay on bed, screaming and cursing as she gave birth. Her husband held her hand, mumbling nonsense words of comfort.

The nurse carefully pulled out the baby, declaring: “Congratulations, it’s a boy!”

In the corner, a shadow grew closer and closer, gaining momentum, grabbing the baby-

“Cadell?! Wake up!”

Cadell lifted his head from his desk. A minute ago, he was outside at recess with Sophie, and a minute later, he was in class, and then…

Then he fell asleep.

“Sorry Ms. Walker. I’ll stay up next time.” Cadell said meekly.

He was certain about that statement the same way he was certain that his hunger would stop.

Chapter Sixteen

The day at school had ended, Cadell’s mother was waiting outside.

She clenched his hand tightly, Cadell could see blood spill from his pale skin.

“You didn’t act out, did you?” Mom asked.

No, he didn’t. He kept it under control.

“Good. I don’t need any more notes from school.” Mom said.

As always, the dark shadow followed close behind, a stain in Cadell’s life.

Chapter Seventeen

Only a few more blocks towards home, and Cadell would have to put the mouth mask on. Only a few more blocks…

But deep inside, he felt hollow and empty, like the void within him would grow and grow and grow.

Cadell broke off, following his instincts.

Chapter Eighteen

A shivering puppy, lost in the cold, abandoned by loved ones, just like Cadell.

And just like Cadell, it would fall.

Cadell bit into the metallic blood and matted fur. The puppy screamed for help, but Cadell kept it from running, biting deeper and deeper.

It’s okay, you’re safe now. Cadell thought.

The emptiness within him was beginning to fill up, he didn’t feel so alone anymore. He had made a new friend to help him, they were one.

“Cadell!” Mom cried out.

She was trying to interrupt him, but he wouldn’t let that happen. He needed to finish eating, he had to save himself and the puppy.

He felt her pull him away by his shirt, but the last piece of meat had been eaten, and the puppy was but a thin husk of a skeleton.

Chapter Nineteen

“You ate a puppy?!” Dad shouted.

Cadell nodded weakly. Mom had relayed the whole thing, she kept him pinned to the living room floor, gripping his shoulders.

Dad shook his head in disappointment. Cadell felt his heart sank within. He knew what his parents thought of him, he wished so desperately for it to not be true.

“I don’t understand why you can’t just stop. Do you want them all to be afraid of you? Because that’s what is happening right now. No one is going to love you or want to be friends with you if you act out. Matter of fact, I’m not sure if any of us like you anymore. You make it so hard. It doesn’t have to be. Just don’t hurt anyone. Simple as that. I wonder what we did wrong as parents to get a child like you.” Dad lamented.

Tears streamed down Cadell’s eyes. That was what they thought about him all along. He knew it, and he was foolish to believe anything else. Even his parents knew that he was filth.

“Calm down, it’s not that serious.” Mom said gruffly, as though his presence was irritating.

Calm down?! Calm down?! How could he “calm down” when Dad just said that they both hated him? That they were both disgusted by him? Some nerve she had, telling him to “calm down”!

The emptiness was growing again, swimming with crimson-fueled resentment. The tears stopped, he didn’t feel his heart anymore.

So they thought that he was a nightmare? Alright then.

He’d give them a nightmare.

Chapter Twenty

Cadell could taste the blood and flesh rising within him, the screams of his parents mere white noise.

But somewhere, his heart ached. He was eating people who gave him food and a house. Shouldn’t he be grateful that they kept him alive? Who cared what was said, so long as they still kept him under their roof?

Still, Cadell slashed and bit, paying no mind to the blood that painted the walls.

The pain that flared in his mind was undeniable, could not be ignored.

Chapter Twenty-One

Cadell wiped the blood on his mouth with the back of his hand. His parents lay on the ground, bleeding out, eyes wide and white.

Just like Roxie and Ansel…

Why? Why had he done it? Was he ruled by his hunger, condemned to a life of eating and killing? Could he not love, could he not feel?

Tears welled from his eyes, but were they even real? Was he even good?

“Don’t blame yourself, Cadell. You’re a monster, just like your parents.” A soft woman’s voice whispered.

By the time Cadell looked up, there was nobody.

Great. He was starting to hear things. Fantastic.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Cadell tried his best to hide the bodies in the hallway closet, even though they were quite heavy to carry, but he managed to shove them inside.

He wished that he could bury them. The presence of his parents was a reminder of what he did, of what he was. The stench of rot could be smelled, even in his room, stinging his eyes.

No matter. Cadell had to sleep. He had to at least try…

Chapter Twenty-Three

A young woman with cold blue eyes and long black hair was ripping the eyes off another woman, who was being held down by a young man.

The woman screamed, blood gurgling from her mouth, but the other woman simply put one eye in her mouth and the other in the man’s.

“Give us your light.” The woman said, eyeball in the bleeding maw of teeth and tongue.

Cadell woke up, the stench of rot overpowering his senses.

Chapter Twenty-Four

“What’s wrong?” Sophie asked, eyebrows creased in concern.

Another day at recess, except that the air felt colder, and there was a sense of unease. Even at school, Cadell could still smell the dead bodies of his parents.

“Nothing. Why’d you ask?” Cadell asked. Could she sense it? Could she see it?

Sophie shrugged.

“I thought that something was bothering you, that’s all.” She said.

She handed him a blue pony dotted with green stars, its pink eyes holding fragments of hope.

“This is Mr. Cookie. He used to be my friend Ansel’s, but he’s yours now.”

“T-thank you.” Cadell said, accepting the pony from Sophie.

Ansel’s? Did that mean that…the pony belonged to her old friend, Ansel?

Chapter Twenty-Five

FLASHBACK

“I have to go now! My friend is having a birthday party!” Ansel said.

Cadell looked up. He and Ansel were having so much fun playing with toys, why did Ansel have to leave?

“Can I come?” Cadell asked.

“Well, no. You’re too…too…”

“Too what?” Cadell asked. He had a feeling that he knew where it was going, but hoped that it wouldn’t go there.

“Your teeth scares everybody. You would scare everybody.” Ansel said.

“Do I scare you?” Cadell asked.

“N-no.” Ansel stuttered.

Wasn’t he supposed to be his friend? Wasn’t he supposed to be nice?

“You think that I’m a monster.” Cadell said, walking closer to him.

“You can be.” Ansel admitted.

“I can be? Why would you say that?” Cadell asked.

Ansel started shaking, but Cadell didn’t wait. He bit into his flesh, his teeth searing through Ansel’s skin.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Years had passed since Cadell had eaten his parents. Once, at six, he didn’t know how to hide the bodies. At sixteen, they were buried in his backyard.

Why did Sophie want to be his friend? Matter of fact, why did she even want to go out with him?

The eyeless woman watched from behind. Oh, how he wished he knew her name. Perhaps then she wouldn’t be such a looming presence…

Chapter Twenty-Seven

“Relax, Cadell. It’s the dance, you’re supposed to have fun.” Sophie said.

Sophie had her hair wrapped up in a braided bun, her soft violet eyes glimmering with her sapphire eyeshadow. Her pink dress billowed out like a flower, a flower that would never die.

Cadell linked his arm around hers. He looked just like the other boys in his black tuxedo. It was the school dance, for all of the students. He was one with them all.

“He’s going to kill us all.”

“Look at him. See how crazy his eyes look?”

And still, they whispered about him.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

A girl with completely white eyes sat above a bleeding body, shaking in fear. Pieces of skin were stuck in her teeth, she touched the body softly.

A blue-eyed girl and green-eyed boy stood behind her, watching with interest.

“No can hurt you with my power, yes. But at what cost? I never asked to be born as a demon. My family never asked to be demons, and yet we are. It is our curse. Why do you want it?” The girl asked.

“Because as humans, we’re weak. We’re helpless. Besides, you’d be let out of your misery if you just help us.” The blue-eyed girl said.

The bloody girl stood up and turned around, facing them both.

“Aradia, Fabian. No, I can’t let you have my power. You don’t understand it, and I never want you to.” The girl said.

She then ran off, almost like an animal would…

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Oh, so they wanted Cadell to attack? They wanted him to tear through their flesh?

The kids and teachers all whispered, glancing at him as though he were some grotesque creature from Hell.

Well, fine then. Time to teach them the lesson his parents were taught…

Chapter Thirty

“Cadell, stop! Stop it! Let them go!” Sophie cried out.

What, the animals? The animals that filled him with life? The sweet, soft blood of the animals? Their screams were mere white noise, their flesh red meat.

And the emptiness didn’t scream at him anymore. Why, if he wanted to be with Sophie, then that was none of their business.

Chapter Thirty-One

“It was you, wasn’t it? You killed Ansel.” Sophie said, voice faded to shock.

“Ansel? What do you mean?” Cadell asked, panting from the adrenaline. The bodies were many, the scent of blood overpowering.

“My parents told me that an animal killed Ansel, that moving away might help me take my mind off him…but it was you. It was always you.” Sophie said.

Cadell turned around, facing her. Her blue eyes were searching for a sliver of humanity in him, a sliver of hope. He didn’t know who Ansel was to her then, but he still did it. He still killed her friend.

The curse was all because his parents wanted power, all because they wanted to be more. How on Earth could he be any better than them?

“But you love me, right? You’re not going to kill again, are you?” Sophie asked.

Sophie, a pure, sweet girl. Sophie, so pretty, like a butterfly.

He didn’t deserve her.

“Yes, I love you. I love you so much that I’m scared of myself. You’ve seen me now, so save yourself.” Cadell said.

Sophie laced her hand with his, squeezing gently.

“You’re not going to kill, because you’re better than this.” Sophie said with a smile.

Cadell swallowed hard. He hadn’t changed much since he was a little boy. Was he any better?

Chapter Thirty-Two

The girl held her bleeding sockets with shivering hands, screaming in pain. Aradia and Fabian were about to leave, but Aradia stopped and turned around, saying:

“Xylia, it’s alright! You’ll finally be able to rest.”

Xylia laughed humorously, shakily getting up from the ground, just as a living skeleton would.

“You’re not going to get any of my power, but your child will. They’ll suffer the consequences, just like I did…” Xylia trailed off.

Then, Xylia collapsed to the ground, Aradia and Fabian leaving her behind, paying no mind to her words.

Epilogue

Cadell never understood why Sophie loved him. Did she see good in him? Did she see a possibility of kindness?

He dreamed of Xylia, the demon who died because of her parents, the demon who had cursed him so. She was only a cursed human, but because of his parents, she became something else. She didn’t deserve any pain.

There was one child Cadell had. A baby girl, the picture perfect image of Sophie, eyes alight with innocence.

Her, he named after Xylia, the woman who was once alive and then a shadow.

Perhaps she would be better than him.