Everything Ends Here by Cathyrn Chapter 1 "The hell with you Conant! What are you going to do if I refuse to use my 'power'?" Nick fumed. "Piles rocks on my chest? How about burning me at the stake?" "Get lost Nick!" Adam hollered back with equal bluster. "If you're not going to help the circle then you can just leave." "Fine! I will!" Nick threw his hands up in the air and looked to Cassie. 'I tried.' Cassie nodded her head in sympathetic understanding. 'I know.' "No, you didn't Nick." Adam muttered. Nick gave Adam a one finger salute and started to stomp away but stopped when he saw Sean sitting by himself a little ways down the beach. The small dark haired boy was tracing red patterns in the sand and Nick had a pretty damn good idea what that red was. "Would you stop doing that!" Nick almost screamed at Sean who cowered before him. "I-I'm sorry Nick but...it's kinda what I do." Sean quickly stammered out. "What you do?" Nick demanded grabbing up Sean's arm and shoved back his black shirt sleeve revealing the deep raw wounds underneath. There were so many of them, some were scars that were partially healed but most were not. They were fresh and red, like hamburger meat. "It's blood magic Nick." Sean whispered meekly. "You call cutting the shit out of yourself magic!?!" Nick looked deep into those frightened black eyes and shook his head in disgust. "Nick!" Adam called his voice drawn tight. "And you Conant," Nick snarled looking back over his shoulder. "I suppose this is all well and good with you isn't it?" "No it is not!" Adam hollered. "I had no idea it was that..." "Bad?" Nick taunted. "A few slices here and there. Oh, that's fine for the good of the circle but kolobus that's bad right?" "Kolobus?" Adam's brows drew together in confusion. "It means to mutilate." Sean said quietly still staring down at the patterns in the sand. "Ancient Greeks used to perform mutilations to appease the gods. I just want to do something beneficial for the group Nick. Something good to help make up for all the wrong that I've done." "Damn it Sean." Nick's voice changed and carried an almost pleading note to it. "Can't you see you don't have to do that? Just being here, just being alive, that is enough. Everything should end here." "It doesn't hurt Nick, honest." "Yes it does, it hurts me a whole hell of a lot." Nick turned and walked down the beach alone. ~to be continued~