Bitter (Pet #0.5)

by Akwaeke Emezi

“We agree with you. How much peace would their deaths bring?” Before Bitter could even think of a response, Vengeance reared up, and its smoke undulated in strong waves, directed out toward the window, toward Lucille. “We will hunt them. All monsters must die.” “Hold up nuh.” Removing Theron’s power was one thing; killing him was another. “Can’t you just take their money away or something? Redistribute it?” Vengeance slowly turned its scaly head to look at her. “No,” it said. “All monsters must die. The world bathes in evil again and again, no matter how many cleanses are washed through it. Wherever there is evil, there will be a hunter.” “I doh want people to die like that!” “Hunt with me, child. We must hunt together—that is the way. Angel and human. With the hunter comes the stripping light, the purged souls, the chance for another world to burst forth. All births are full of blood.” It looked distracted again, like talking to her was keeping it from something else, like she was taking too long to cooperate. “Not everyone survives.”