Chapter 24

Claire's POV

My head feels heavy… I try to open my heavy eye lids but struggle to keep them open. With much effort I was finally able to see, only to find myself in an unknown place. Where am I ? Panic started to rise in me. Just a moment ago I was playing hide and seek with Winslar, and the next moment I am here, with my hands and feet tied while I am in this dark room. My eyes started stinging from unshed tears. What should I do? Will I die here? All alone? Will anyone even come to save me? Will they even know where I am when I myself don't know? Fear and panic mixed in a horrible way. I started feeling nauseous, my earlier breakfast threatening to come out. It hasn't even been a week since the 'creature' incident and this… why are they targeting us? Why did they bring me here? Is it because I am friends with Oleander? Maybe it was a mistake to befriend her that day… No! What am I thinking? She is my best friend! She has helped me so much ! First, I need to calm down. I look around in hopes of finding something or anything that will help me locate this place. My eyes scanned the room and the only things my eyes found were—

1. A peculiar looking washbasin with some weird cult type writings on it.

2. A dim candle, which is fighting for its dear life in the far end of the room.

3. A creepy silhouette which seems to be inching forward with each passing second, in the otherwise lifeless room.

Wait… What? A silhouette? I am not alone? What will happen to me now? The silhouette kept inching forward. My heart beat so hard from fear and anxiety that it started hurting. Winslar…. He was the first person I thought of … why is it? The answer is clear, its because I love him…

Winslar, I am sorry… I should have said this to you when I had the chance… I muttered to myself while tears rolled down my cheeks. I love… you… I said before closing my eyes shut, waiting, for something horrible to happen… but… nothing happened? I opened my eyes only to see Winslar dangerously close to my face. Winslar… is here?

All the fear and anxiety turned into dust and pure relief found its way to my heart at the mere glimpse of his face.

I am here, angry head. His voice was filled with so much sweetness and gentleness that it hurt. I wanted nothing more than to bawl in his arms like a toddler. I suddenly felt the sharp pain of the tight ropes on my hands and feet. The pain made me wince a bit, but there was something else which made me worried… The look on his face… that look felt dangerous and scary. He looked like he would destroy anything that dared to hurt me and… I kind of liked that…

He hurriedly removed the ropes, his face still dangerously cold he muttered something like, "we need to get out of here quickly, I don't have enough power to fight all of them" before he picked me up in his arms and ran straight toward the exit.

But…. Something appeared on the door, and my gut told me that our plan of escaping quietly has failed…..