17: Unwanted scenario

We were already inside the forest, but still, we didn't stop from running. The man just kept dragging me with him, away from all those creatures swarming up in the kindergarten. So, for a few minutes, we were just there, in the middle of a forest, running away from creatures I didn't even think were real. I kept on trying not to think of all those creatures that were actually supposed to kill us if we didn't make it out of the kindergarten in time. The images just kept on crossing my mind and I couldn't just ignore them. They were really bothering me that I couldn't even think of anything else but that.

I closed my eyes for a second, gulping at the same time. I tried to get rid of all those horrible images as I let myself be dragged by the man who saved me. Well, he just kept running and so did I.

I realized that we were already running for quite a long time when I felt many beads of sweat rolling from my neck down to my back and arms. I was literally soaked with sweat even though it was actually really cold. "Hey!" I tried my best to stop the man from running, and he did. He halted to a stop and faced me, "What?" He snapped, he said it like he didn't even care if I was having a hard time catching my breath in front of him. I was exhausted, I needed rest, I couldn't even breathe normally since my breathing was in total rush.

I just ignored the man, and pulled my arm away from his grip. I moved to my right towards that one tree nearest to me and leaned against it. "Let... Let me take a rest, would you?" I annoyingly spat out at him. Well, the fact that he actually didn't care about my current state did irritate me a little bit.

He narrowed his eyes at me, "You can't. We have to get moving."

I closed my eyes and faced down, I felt like I wanted to get some sleep. I shook my head, "But we've been running for like a couple of minutes! Besides, why do we still have to get moving? For goodness' sake, we're already far enough from the kindergarten." I stated.

I heard him let out an exasperated sigh, "Yes, we are far enough from the kindergarten, we are already far enough from the creatures that wanted to eat us. But we're still in this forest, and it's still very dangerous!" I jolted, snapping my eyes open at the same time. He just raised his voice at me, didn't he? Well, I just threw him a questioning and annoyed look since I didn't know what I should answer back.

And so, I just glared at him, and he also did for a few seconds. I thought the silence would actually last for minutes, but all of a sudden this guy turned around and began walking away.

Without me.

My eyes widened at the sight. I just stood there, staring at his back. I expected him to stop when it already got a little bit too far, but heck, he just didn't. The guy just continued walking away, completely leaving me all alone by myself. I already sensed panic crawling up me when I stood up, and went after his retreating back.

I groaned inwardly when I was already just behind him. The fact that I went after him just like what a pet would do to its master really irritated me. I thought for a second there once again that it will just be quiet between us the whole time, but it actually wouldn't be, I guess. "Glad you still decided to come along with me." He spoke out with an accent of slight sarcasm. But I only remained silent and followed all his steps. It was just weird since we're only heading to one direction.

So, after running, now we're walking. The path that we were actually going through was almost covered with dried leaves, there were also fallen branches and well, some irritating plants that you'll even have to push aside so you can pass by. It was really a forest, and I noticed it was sort of getting darker since we were going in to the deeper part of the forest where there were more trees around.

"Where are we really going to?" I suddenly asked as I shook off the dry grass clinging onto my pants and boots.

The guy didn't answer at once. I waited for an answer from him while walking, but he didn't even speak. He just remained silent. "Boy, I just asked you something." I spat out again with a little hint of annoyance.

When he didn't answer again, this time I pinched his arm and he finally talked, "What is it?" He asked with his back still turned to me, though I was sure that he heard me clearly and was just pretending.

"Where are we going?" I asked again, forcing myself to act like I'm not irritated or the like.

"Somewhere."

I narrowed my eyes at him, "Of course, we're going somewhere. But where exactly are we going to?" I spat out, resisting the urge to raise my voice.

"You'll know when we get there." He dryly replied back. I let out an annoyed sigh, why can't he just tell me all the answers that I need? I was just one person who encountered a situation like this with those creatures for the first time. Not compared to him, I was certain that he already knew everything about all the unusual events of this night.

I couldn't help but to roll my eyes and silently throw curses at him under my breath.

We remained silent again as we passed by large trees and fallen branches. The path was no ending, I didn't even know when we should stop or something. Well, that's because this guy didn't want to tell me where we were going. If only he told me and it happened that I was actually familiar with that place then I could even help.

But something suddenly struck me.

"Wait a minute, where exactly are we?" I blurted out, breaking the silence going on between us.

"Forest."

"No." I furrowed my brows, matching up with his pace so I would be walking right beside him. "I mean, where? What city? Brede? Juvynile or what?" I looked at him, impatiently waiting for an answer.

For a moment, the guy faced me and just stared at me with an expression that I couldn't read. It seemed like he was confused. He looked away, "Juvynile."

My gaze fell down on the ground. I just watched my feet take steps on the path that was mostly covered with dried leaves as I tried to remember something. I really didn't know what was missing from my memory. But I was sure there were important pieces that I had forgotten.

My head throbbed once again which made me stop on my tracks and wince. I couldn't stop my hand from suddenly reaching to my temple.

"Are you okay?" I heard the guy ask, but I only ignored him and massaged my temple.

"You surely don't remember anything, do you?" And that actually made me face him in an instant. I realized he was actually looking down at me with his cold and sharp stare.

What should I even remember? I really have no clue.

I averted my gaze from him and just focused on our path as I went back on walking.

All I wanted was peace of mind, but something bothered me once again.

There was one figure of an old lady in a ragged cloak sitting on a fallen branch on the path. I was just going to call out to the woman when she suddenly turned her head to us.

Even in the dark, I could see those pure black eyes.

I froze on the spot.

She was one of those creatures, wasn't she?

Then she did something that was making me feel more terrified. She grinned straight at me with those blackened teeth and I felt goosebumps running up my spine. I knew she was looking at me. All I could do was freeze and stare as I saw the amusement in her.

The guy who was already a few steps ahead of me halted to a stop. I saw him turn to look at me at the corner of my eye, but my eyes were only fixed on the old lady. She was already standing up, her grin even becoming wider until I saw the skin at corner of her lips literally rip apart. I stumbled back, my fingers were staring to shake. "H-hey..." I was trying to tell the guy about the old lady just a few meters away from us, but fear kept my tongue curled.

The lady was already up and was still looking at me, but in a matter of seconds her head tilted to the side. I heard a snap, it was like she broke her own neck. Well I suppose she actually did, her head was tilted to the side for almost 180 degrees. Then what happened next totally sent me on the verge of collapsing.

The old lady purposely fell on the ground on all fours, and started running up to me like crazy with a shriek, the grin never peeling of its face.

The thought of running away from it already crossed my mind, but I just can't. I really couldn't move.

I was sure the monster was already about to jump onto me when the guy unsheathed his dagger and buried it in the monster's throat the exact moment it jumped up high. The dagger went through the throat of the lady and I just stared unbelievably at it. The creature was still thrashing as it hanged in the air, black blood was splashing out of its throat and I felt some drop on my face and my arms. I just blinked and didn't even have any reaction, I just felt the liquid burning up then suddenly disappearing into thin air.

When the monster was no longer moving and its body was hung limp in the air by the guy's dagger, he finally pulled his dagger out of its throat and shook off the blood as he narrowed his eyes at me, ignoring the fact that the body dropped right in front of him.

"I already told you didn't I?" He started, I was sure he was furious when I saw the look on his face but was just holding it back. "I told you to pretend like you don't see any of them. Once they know that you can actually see them they will never leave you alone, they can follow you around, play with you or worse, can even kill you." He spat out as he sheathed his dagger again.

"Now, if you really wish to get yourself killed just tell me so I could do it myself." I knew he was being rude, but I only stared at him and couldn't even speak a word. I tried to stop my trembling fingers by curling my fists to balls on my sides.

It took me a moment for my mind to move on. I closed my eyes again. Breathe through the nose, and not through the mouth.

When I opened my eyes, my head was already facing the road. And he was there, already steps ahead of me. "I was shocked. I'm sorry." I silently uttered as I tried my best to catch up to him with my slightly wobbly legs. I was sure he heard me since he suddenly froze for a second, but resumed on walking again.

"I'm telling you this for the last time. Ignore every unusual things that you see tonight, and pretend like you don't see them." He stated with a softer tone.

"I know." I mumbled again. Well, I was accepting the fact that I was really the one at fault why that creature wanted to attack me.

But then, I heard rustles coming from the bushes nearby. I glanced at it, and tried my best to ignore the fact that I actually saw one creature with a rotten body of a wolf. I really tried my best that I even squinted my eyes closed just so I wouldn't be scared by it and the monster wouldn't know that I could see it. I even clutched the forearm of the guy hard until we already passed by that creature.

I then let go of his hand as I let out a relieved sigh, but I really shouldn't be relieved since that relief was just temporary. I saw more of them on the way, and I really tried my best to pretend. There were these eyeballs with bat wings and tail flying around. There were these ugly little men with big feet. I had seen a lot of them on the path and I was really horrified that sometimes I would really stick myself to the guy. I felt like I was in an amusement park's horror house.

We were still walking in the same direction while I was looking for some unusual creatures around us when the guy suddenly paused, that made me look back at him. He was giving me that sharp stare once again. It seemed like something suddenly crossed his mind.

"Did you get hurt when you were still in the kindergarten?" He asked out of nowhere.

"Uhh... no." I hesitatingly answered back.

But then my eyes widened when he took steps closer to me, "Speak the truth." He demanded, as he went even closer to me, almost closing the space between us.

I took a step back, "I'm telling you the truth. I did not." I insisted.

He then looked straight at me in the eyes for quite a moment and I swear I saw something glow in his amethyst eyes once again. That was when he finally averted his gaze and stepped back, looking convinced by my answer. "But you must be hurt somewhere, you must have a wound or the like. Since when did you even have it?"

"No, I really am not hurt, okay?"

"But, where did you get the Scar if a Fiend didn't even give you it?" I heard him whisper to himself as he stared at me in complete confusion. And I also gave him the same.

He shook his head as he reached for my arm and began dragging me with him once again. "I'll have you checked when we get there."

I didn't even understand a single thing about what he said. All I could do was gape at him as I let myself be dragged.

What the hell are you really talking about?

I wanted to ask him, but I stopped midway when we suddenly stopped and I bumped my head at his back.

I grunted as I rubbed my hand to my forehead, "Why did you suddenly stop?"

"We're here." With that, I felt my eyes widening as I made my way beside him in an instant.

I blinked a couple of times just to make sure that I ain't imagining things.

"Uhm... this is it?" I unbelievably spat out, but I just heard him smirk.