The day was dreary. Gray, damp, and wet. The slosh of the cars as they passed on the street mixed with the pitter patter of the rain. Deston loved this kind of weather. It seemed to have a calming effect on everyone. Most people would just be grumbly and sluggish but there were a few content faces he saw as he made his way down the streets of Chicago. Even the unfortunate souls who had a vehicle shower them with puddle water as it passed couldn’t seem to put up more effort than a disappointed sigh. In weather everyone kept their head down. No one wants to stand out and challenge the day to get even worse. It helped the unnoticeable become invisible. 

Deston’s eyes could just barely see under the gray hoodie he was wearing. His eyes scanning the faces of those that passed by. Everyday at exactly 8:15 in the morning his target walked this street to get to work. Weeks spent following just this one man. Deston hadn’t put this much effort into a target for nearly a year now. But this one was special. He had direct access to Deston’s real target. And today was the day Deston retrieved the information that he needed from him. He appeared a block away, rounding the corner running a bit behind schedule, his walk furious and fast paced. He had just found out his wife had been cheating on him. His mind was in the perfect condition now. His guard was down. A sly smile curled into the corner of Deston’s lips.

They bumped shoulders on the crowded sidewalk. Deston’s hand pressed against the man’s chest in contorted in a mark of magic. The man continued down the street checking to make sure he still had his wallet and phone, not even giving Deston a second glance. Deston resisted his own urge to take a look back at his target. Deston already knew where the man was going. There was no need to keep eyes on him. The magic was already there. Now all Deston needed to do was wait.
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The man arrived at small building and stumbled inside. His heart was racing. He couldn’t believe she could do this to him. Twelve years they had been together and just like that, out of nowhere. They had just spent the other night out on a date. [i]Why would she do this?[/i] The lights were dim now and a faint red glow began to come from them. He had to keep checking over his shoulder to make sure it wasn’t there. Her laugh resounded in his head. God she wouldn’t shut up. He just wanted to make her suffer. Make her hurt like she hurt him.

Suddenly it slithered past him. He wasn’t sure what it was but he could feel his heart pounding in response. His back pressed up against the wall. It felt sticky and slimy, the smell of iron coming from it. God above she wouldn’t shut up. She was so loud now his head was starting to spin, and he was breaking out into a sweat. Suddenly he couldn’t remember where he was. He dropped to his knees, his breaths coming in gasps. He tried to wipe the sweat from his brow smearing the blood across his forehead, adding to the nauseating feeling. Why was he here? He was supposed to be at work. [i]GOD SHE WOULDN’T SHUT UP![/i] There it was again. It just went behind him. His head swiveled trying in vain to keep up with it, the spinning causing him to collapse to the floor, spitting out at the inch of water that had accumulated on the floor trying to drown him. [i]“Oh GAWD MAKE IT STOP!”[/i]

[color=ed1c24]“I can help with that.”[/color] A voice in the dark whispered out. Who was there? Why wouldn’t they help? Their voice cut through her laughter like a knife, leaving only a dull thud in its place.  Brief moments respite before she began again.  [color=ed1c24]“You just have to tell me where the Grand-Magi is.”[/color] 

[i]Grand Magi?[/i] He shouldn’t answer. Where was the voice coming from? The room just had to stop spinning and he knew the voice would be right there on the edge of his vision. It was slithering around his leg now, crawling up his pant leg, another one climbing across his lower back it’s slither sending shivers through his already contorting body. There was more than one?! [color=ed1c24]“Tell me where the Grand-Magi is!”[/color] 

[i]“I don’t know! No one knows! He disappeared a year ago! Just make her stop!”[/i]
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His coworkers were gathered all around him, some shouting for someone to call an ambulance, others touching his forehead calling out to him in sweet consoling tones. The man frothed from the mouth as he screamed out nonsense to no one in particular. His body contorting this way and that.

It was in Deston’s power to make the delusion end but the man’s answer fanned a fire in Deston’s heart that raged uncontrollably. This man was supposed to have all the answers. He was supposed to know the Grand-Magi’s every move. Instead he was two months of wasted effort and pointless life. Deston had the power to make the delusion end, but he just walked back out the door. He let the drizzle sizzle the fire of his soul. Step by step he felt the calm return. He was too far away to fix the madness he had laid upon the man now and a pang of regret doused what was left of Deston’s rage.

He shuffled his way back to the homeless shelter he had called a home for the past couple of weeks, wondering what direction he should go from here.