The door to Hirsh's room seemed much larger and more foreboding than I remembered. I gripped the doorknob, but couldn't bring myself to open it. My body feels like lead.

"I want to see him alone, okay?" I said, voice trembling. Truth be told, I didn't want Enzo to see me cry.

Enzo nodded, "Okay."

I forced myself to swing the door open and stepped inside. An abnormal darkness filled the room, despite the open window letting in sunlight. A knot had formed in my stomach, but now I felt inexplicitly on edge. Hirsh was lying on his back, eyes closed, and taking shallow breaths. I crept towards him, my body starting to shake impulsively.

"H-hirsh?" I sputtered. I wasn't sure if he could even hear me. His skin was pale; almost translucent. It was as if all the light and life of him was slowly draining away. I wanted to reach out and hug him, but he was so frail, I was afraid that I might break him. Cautiously, I stretched out my hand to touch his arm.

"Do not touch me, child," said a cold, calm voice. It wasn't Hirsh's voice; it whispered to me, alluring and deep. I froze, rooted to the floor. I opened my mouth to cry out, but words failed me.

"I have been waiting for you," said the strange voice. Though Hirsh's mouth didn't move, I knew the voice was coming from him.

"... Why?" I managed.

Hirsh's eyes suddenly opened, revealing them to be bloodshot with a jagged, black ring around each iris. He first started blankly at the ceiling, then sat up briskly and turned his head slowly towards me. I watched in horror as his eyes were completely consumed in black, transforming them into lifeless marbles. Hirsh gave me a ghoulish smile that shot fear jolting through my veins. This isn't Hirsh.

"I expect you've been wondering where I've been," the voice continued. "I haven't left this home, ever since that boy brought me here."

My thoughts buzzed, trying to make sense of everything. Enzo... he brought the creature here.

"Do not fret child, he was unaware of what he was doing. He's immune; that is what makes him the perfect transportation, though I gain no energy from him." I shook my head, trying to dispel the nightmare in front of me.

"This community is splendid!" The voice said, cheerfully. "I will surely enjoy my time here... that is, until everyone dies and he carries me to the next community... and then the next one..." Hirsh's deathly grin remained fixed on me.

"Wh-" I couldn't bring myself to speak, my mind was quickly becoming useless mush.

"I would have expected you to be more talkative than this," the creature in Hirsh said, almost sounding disappointed. "But you have isolated yourself, it seems. That is the first step; the normal humans think you are mad. Then you start to believe them... then they cut you off from the world until your power is worthless. Until you are worthless. Humans can be quite horrible, can't they? It is a shame that that is usually the fate of your people, but make no mistake, I have no pity for you. Because of the Peripherals, my kind has been reduced to such abysmal numbers."

"What are you?" I asked. "... What am I?"

"You and I are not so different, but I do not have the time to explain it to you now. You see, once this host dies, I will have to find a new one. Until I find a suitable host, we cannot communicate effectively. Just like in the garden, if you recall."

My heart pounded. "The scream. That was you.... "

"For now, I can only speak to you if I am in a host. "We've spoken before, though you were unaware of it."

"When?" I panicked. When would I have spoken to such an awful creature before?

"Come now, child. When was there a time when you heard a voice when no one else did?"

"The wall." My hands shook, though this time in anger. "Outside the wall. You were there." How could I have been so stupid? If Enzo wasn't brought into the community, none of this would have happened. But he could have died if he wasn't taken in. Would the creature had died along with him?

"Very good," the voice purred, causing me to cringe. I stepped away from Hirsh's body, grateful that I could move again. This wasn't Hirsh anymore. This was a monster.

"You may find me again once another person is one the brink of death. I'll be waiting until then."

"What about Hirsh?" I asked, though I feared I already knew the answer.

"Hmm," the voice chuckled. "It is too late for him now." A black cloud enveloped Hirsh's body, swirling and thrashing around him. He gasped for air one last time, then fell back onto the bed, limp and broken. The black cloud formed into the creature's lithe, deformed body and it stood before me. It screamed, making my head ring. I covered my ears, but I knew it was of no use. I felt the blood start to trickle down my face as the creature rushed past me and through the window. Its screech still pounded in my mind and I desperately cried out for help. Two hands grabbed me around the waist and I was lowered to the floor. Enzo's face blended into everything else around me; it was all a colored blur, but I could feel him shake my shoulders violently.

"Zuza! Zuza, what happened?!" His voice sounded sluggish and distant.

Because of me, Hirsh is dead.

I killed him.