Reflections of the Damned

A Fragile Trust

The moon hung high over the settlement, its light casting a pale glow across the streets. From the balcony of their building, Elias and Lara stood side by side, the cool night air carrying the faint hum of distant voices and the rustling of the wind.

Lara gripped the railing tightly, her knuckles pale as she tried to calm the tremor in her body. Her mind was a storm of emotions—fear, confusion, and a strange, inexplicable trust that tethered her to the man standing beside her.

Elias leaned against the railing, his broad frame cloaked in shadow. His gaze was fixed on the horizon, but his mind was elsewhere. He could feel Lara's unease, her lingering fear from the events that had just unfolded.

"I know you're scared of me," Elias said quietly, breaking the silence. His voice was low, almost hesitant.

Lara turned her head sharply to look at him. "I'm not," she said quickly, but her voice betrayed her.

Elias gave her a faint, humorless smile. "You don't have to lie to spare my feelings, Lara. I saw the way you looked at me. I know what I am—what I become."

Lara swallowed hard, her fingers tightening on the railing. "It wasn't you I was scared of," she said after a long pause. "It was… what you had to become to save us. What you had to fight."

Elias turned to her, his sharp gray eyes searching her face. "You're not just saying that?"

Lara shook her head. "No. Elias, I've seen what you are. I've seen the monster you think you are, but that's not all I see. You've fought for us—for me. If it weren't for you, we wouldn't even be alive."

Elias's expression softened, though his eyes remained shadowed. "It doesn't change what I am, Lara. The things I've done, the things I've seen…" He trailed off, his gaze distant. "I'm not the kind of man who deserves trust, let alone forgiveness."

Lara stepped closer to him, her voice firm. "You don't have to be perfect to deserve trust. You've carried this burden alone for so long, Elias. Let me help. Let me carry some of it with you."

Her words hung in the air between them, and for a moment, Elias didn't speak. He looked at her, his eyes filled with something raw and vulnerable.

"Why?" he asked softly. "Why do you still believe in me?"

Lara's throat tightened, but she didn't look away. "Because I know who you are. Not the monster, not the demon—but the man. The man who's fought to keep us safe, who's risked everything to save us. That's who you are to me, Elias."

Elias's shoulders slumped, and he exhaled a shaky breath. "You deserve to know, Lara," he said finally. "You deserve to know everything."

He turned away from the railing, leaning back against it as he ran a hand through his dark hair. His voice was low, almost hesitant, as he began to speak.

"I wasn't always like this," he said. "There was a time when I was just… normal. I had a family—a mother, a father, two younger siblings. We lived on the outskirts of the City, far enough from its influence to feel safe."

Lara listened intently, her heart aching at the pain in his voice.

"But the City doesn't care about safety," Elias continued, his tone bitter. "It reached us anyway. I was fourteen when it happened. The shadows came in the night—slipping through the cracks in the walls, the spaces beneath the doors. I woke to the sound of screaming."

He paused, his jaw tightening as he struggled to continue.

"I ran to my parents' room first," he said. "They were already gone. My brother and sister were hiding in the corner, crying. I tried to protect them, but…" His voice broke, and he looked away. "The shadows tore them apart. Right in front of me. I couldn't save them. I couldn't do anything."

Lara's chest tightened, tears welling in her eyes. "Elias…"

"I was the only one left," he said, his voice hollow. "But the shadows didn't leave me untouched. They took something from me—my humanity, my soul, I don't know. All I know is that when it was over, I wasn't the same. I was… different."

Elias took a deep breath, his hands clenched into fists. "I didn't understand it at first. The strength, the rage—it felt like a curse. I became something the shadows feared, but also something I couldn't control. Over time, I learned to use it, to fight back. But it came at a cost."

"What cost?" Lara asked softly.

"I became a monster," Elias said simply. "A creature of the City. I can fight the shadows, but I'll never escape them. They're a part of me now, just like the demon inside me. That's why I've kept my distance—from you, from everyone. It's safer that way."

Lara stepped closer, her hand resting lightly on his arm. "You're not a monster, Elias. Not to me. You've used what you are to protect us, to fight the City. That doesn't make you a monster—it makes you a hero."

Elias laughed bitterly. "A hero? No, Lara. I've done things I'm not proud of. Things you wouldn't understand."

"Then make me understand," Lara said firmly. "Show me who you really are. All of it."

Elias looked at her, his expression a mix of pain and hope. Slowly, he reached out, his hand brushing against hers. "You deserve better than this, Lara," he said softly. "Better than me."

"I get to decide what I deserve," she replied, her voice steady. "And I'm standing right here."

Elias's lips twitched into the faintest of smiles, but his eyes remained shadowed. "You're too stubborn for your own good."

"So are you," Lara said, a small smile playing at her lips.

For a moment, the weight between them lifted, replaced by a quiet understanding. The night stretched on, the cool breeze wrapping around them as they stood together, neither speaking but finding solace in each other's presence.