The boy heard a voice like the grating of swords in his mind, and realized it had come from the black-cloaked thing. Suddenly, it stopped its approach, as if a greater Power had seized temporary control of the creature and held it in check.

David was surprised to find his back against the wall. He had unconsciously inched himself away from the thing as much from fear as from disgust. He hated snakes!

"Who—what—are you?" The boy asked shakily. His vision tunneled, threatening to close. The effort of moving had cost him what little strength he had.

The black eyes glittered, and its bloodless lips broke into a mocking grin.  : Let us say that I am your nemesis, you and your kind, for a thousand ages and more. This creature is called a Myrdraath, a Mind Slayer, in your tongue; it has been sent to kill you—and will not miss a second time.: 

The voice grated in David's mind, and it hurt to listen. : But perhaps, I will let you live--:  Its mouth then broke into a parody of a smile, showing rows of equally sharp teeth. : if you tell me the secret of the Shield.:

He had no idea what the thing was talking about, but the creature had bought him some time—he could stall and distract it until help could come. Just then he heard a shout and a stifled cry from outside, quickly silenced, and from the open door he saw one of the Myrdraath flit by, followed by another. No, no one would come. A cold thought dawned on him that for all he knew, the entire hospital staff was dead.

A strange numbness gripped him, anger coursing along the edges, pushing the fear away. This—thing—had destroyed his once perfect world, and killed the only people he ever loved. He had nothing left to lose. He was dead anyway, and knew that the monster lied. It wouldn't let him live even if he had the answer. His green eyes blazed, and in a strong voice born of rage, he shouted, "GO TO HELL!"  That would have earned him a good "talking to" from his grandmother, but somehow it felt good.

The Myrdraath actually took a step back, a surprised look on its dead face. But the inner voice rasped angrily, : Foolish child! Your kind has always been obstinate, the downfall of your race. But no matter, the Myrdraath will tear through your mind as it did with your guardians—and I shall have my answer yet! :

Released, the creature moved with snakelike grace. Its dark eyes transfixed him, as a predator to its prey. But the fight had left him, strength failing along with hope, and he watched with a strange sense of detachment as the Myrdraath crouched above him.

It backhanded him contemptuously, claws mercifully retracted, throwing him against the wall, and his head reeled from the blow. Then its cloak opened, and before the boy could cry out in  terror, slimy tentacles shot from the thing's body with lightning speed, pinning his arms and legs to the cold floor. Their touch stung like acid on his skin. A pair of those disgusting appendages wrapped around his head and he screamed as sharp tendrils, like knives, stabbed into his mind. 

Then his limbs began to slacken and his throat closed, paralyzed by the creature's venom. He could only stare helplessly as the thing picked him up, enclosed him within its deadly embrace, and proceeded to rip his mind apart.