Chapter 14

Eve exhaled a deep breath and gently blinked his eyes open, but the light forced him to close them again. He naturally turned his face to the other side but winced when he did so because his body felt too heavy and exhausted to move.

Ah! Why is my body in pain?

"You're up! River! He is awake," The thunderous yelling made him cringe. Looking around, he discovers he is in a ward, but he suspects if it is a real hospital. Soon, his gaze was drawn to a frightened but joyful face of Sage. "Thank God, you're okay."

Why am I in this hospital-looking room?

"Relax, Ziggy. He wasn't dying in the first place," Eve, who was in a daze of what the hell was happening, heard footsteps and a poker face came and stood beside his bed. "How are you doing, Luna?"

The only thing Eve could do was stare at them perplexedly. Many thoughts raced through his mind, but his throat was too dry to utter a sound as if he hadn't spoken in days.

"I---" He parted his lips but couldn't speak but he observed how River and Sage exchanged a sneaky glance, but with a smile that seemed to be frozen on their faces. Their robotic exchange made Eve frown.

Eve was naive and stupid, so he couldn't see past their phoney smiles. Something about his purity and obliviousness just doesn't belong here. His sapphire eyes, innocent but lost, glistened like blue gems as he innocently looked at them for answers to the situation he was in.

"He looks so adorable, I want to bite him," Eve's eyes widened at River's playful words which earned him an elbow in his guts.

"Shut up! What are you, a dog?" Sage rolled his eyes.

Eve got out of his haze as he tried to speak. "Where am I...and...how...did I end up in this room?"

He watched in dread at how the colour drained out of their faces. River asked desperately. "You don't remember?"

Eve's heartbeat quickened and his eyes widened. But it didn't end there. When he searches his memory, he finds none. Which made his gut clench in terror. It only gave him more headaches.

"R-Remember what-Ugnh!" He hissed as water immediately filled his eyes when he tried to get up. He gasped for air when he felt a blood-curdling pain in his chest and stomach.

"Hey! Careful. Your wound hasn't fully recovered yet," Sage helped him sit against the cold wall.

Eve glanced at them for an answer after a few long breaths because he was losing it. His insides were a puddle and his memories were all jumbled.

Sage sighed. "We found you passed out in the back building. You were drenched in blood while there was a huge cut on your chest. Do you remember how you got there or who did this to you?"

Eve shakes his head helplessly. He rubbed his eyes to get rid of those stubborn tears which were doing nothing but making him look weak. He was getting tired and frustrated with being weak.

"That's fine, it happens due to shock sometimes. No need to worry Luna," River said casually. Eve found it odd how chill he sounded but he didn't comment.

"H-How long have I been sleeping?"

"For three days," River let out. Eve's heart dropped at his words, he glanced at Sage, who quickly looked away. "Now, do you want to stay here or return to your own room?"

"Back to the room," Eve let out without much thought but got cut off by Sage.

"Here is fine I guess! It will be easy for the nurse to take care of him-ah!"

Sage was abruptly yanked and pulled into River's lap, who stared him down with a dangerous look that made Sage feel chills all over his body. "He said he wanted to go back to his room. So, let's take him to his room. Alright, Ziggy?"

Eve watched them perplexed, not understanding anything.

Sage's face pinched in fear as he met River's glare. Sage looked uneasy but he quickly nodded and River patted his head before letting him go with a crooked sweet smile. "Good boy."

River turned to Eve with the same smile which made him flinch at how quickly River changed his expression. "Let me help you get back to your room. And maybe you can finally meet your roommate if he is even in his room. You might be lucky who knows," He laughed but Sage didn't find him funny rather he looked irritated.

Eve, already in a daze, could do nothing but nod.

🍿🍿🍿

Eve looked at his reflection in his dorm mirror, remembering what that guy had done to him in the swimming pool hall.

It was difficult to maintain my bewildered expression while pretending I don't remember anything. Eve let out the breath he had been holding in front of his friends, who had just left him in his room seconds before.

I remember running into that terrible guy, but I have no idea how I got this wound. He drew his shirt up and looked down at the large scar that ran from his chest to his stomach. It's as if someone was attempting to crave an X with a sharp weapon.

Eve's mind became even more confused. He closed his eyes and attempted to recall again, but nothing happened. He grumbled violently and opened his eyes.

I didn't make a mistake by not telling them what happened in the swimming pool, did I? Why does it feel like I have forgotten something important?

Fearful of his own thoughts, he walked slowly to his bed and sat down, taking care not to trigger the scar. He closed his eyes and tried again to retain his memories.

~ FLASHBACK ~

"Fucking speak little lamb!"

And because Eve doesn't recall what he went through at the hands of this stranger, he has no idea who he is.

"I didn't come here intentionally," Eve let out in a panicked low voice.

He keeps telling himself that even though the guy was large and buff, he shouldn't be afraid of him, and ask to leave him alone or he'd call his friend River on him.

"Do you think I give a fuck about your excuse?" The stranger roared in his stone-cold voice that left Eve shuddering and paralyzed on his spot.

'Clank'

Eve jumped so high that his spirit almost left his body when the screwdriver slipped from his grip and made a horrible, thunderous noise on the ground.

Eve's life flashed before his eyes as he grasped how quickly life can change. He was enjoying his life at his house just a day before, but now he was facing danger at every turn for the sake of survival.

"Who are you by the way?" The stranger suddenly smirked. Changing his personality again he weirdly looked at Eve. As if he was closely observing changes in Eve's expressions and personality.

Eve was beyond astounded. He didn't understand the look in his eyes but it was scary.

"M-My name is Eve and I got here yesterday,"

You mean the day before yesterday. "Ahh, so you're a newbie. Interesting," The stranger told him not looking surprised. "So, how many dicks have you sucked since you arrived here? What's the score?"

His question caught Eve off guard as he almost choked on his breath. "I-I..what.."

He appears to be insane. Like his desire to live and the means of survival were long robbed from him, which he now feeds off of others. By taking their will to survive.

Because it was more fun like that. So, why not?

"Do you know who I am, little lamb?" he inquired, reading Eve like a report. As if he was making sure that Eve remembered him or not. He grinned, but there wasn't anything humorous. "Who.I.am?"

Eve's heart suddenly began to race at the name. It's as if his heart was trying to tell him something but his brain keeps denying it.

Eve shook his head which doubled the evilness on the face in front of him.

"Well, that's sad. I thought you'll remember me because I'm not someone that could be forgotten easily. I have that charm you know," He stepped forward causing Eve to inhale sharply.

What is he talking about? Remember him?

"How could I remember you when I never met you?" Eve asked in confusion but also in fear.

The stranger laughed dryly in a deep and rough voice that erupted goosebumps on Eve's skin. Even his laugh is scary. But why does it feel like I have heard it before?

"Now that's unfortunate," Eve's heart raced when the boy stood in his glorious tall height, sweat glistening on his toned abs from whatever the hell he was doing before Eve barged in with his squeaky personality. "Shall we introduce each other and become friends?"

Eve highly doubted that this person wanted to be his friend from the teasing and playful look on his face. Why does he look like he wants to eat me raw?

"P-Perhaps another time...I should leave right now," Eve excused himself and attempted to run, but when he went for the doorknob, it slammed shut and an intense shadow hovered over him.

"Ah, not so early," Eve heard above him and his sanity betrayed him. Turning around he looked up through his trembling lashes. The body was so close to him that he could feel the coldness coming from him.

"L-Let me go please!" What's with this freezing temperature around this guy? "Angh!--" He let out a strangled noise when a solid but cold hand gripped his throat, shutting him for good.

Instead of listening to him, the stranger closed his eyes and immersed himself in the familiar warmth. It surprised him because all he had felt all this time was this mysterious chill. "You're so hot it's as if I'm going to melt."

Eve whimpered as he tried to push the guy, which caused him to open his dead eyes, they landed on Eve's soft and crimson earlobe, and he stretched out his hand without hesitation to reach it. Eve flinched reflexively, his guts screaming for him to flee, but he felt too trapped to do so.

"Let me g-go! I accidentally came here," Eve cried out desperately trying to break from the tight grip, but failed miserably.

He didn't tell the devil that some dumb boys had thrown him inside since he didn't want this person to know he was bullied. He remembered Sage telling him that if he showed anyone how weak he was, he would become the target of countless red batches.

And this guy looks like a perfect red batch holder.

"I like how you're begging. Make me want to fuck you,"

"P-Please..let me...go! Please don't..! It..hurts!

Not only did the devil increase the pressure and aggressively twist Eve's wrist behind his back, but the wretched boy just snorted and tugged on Eve's hair to turn his face to the other side and take a soft bite on his earlobe. Even though it was only a brush of his lips against the smooth skin, Eve could feel the fire straining in his stomach and his cheeks heating up.

Something switched in the stranger's eyes, and his desires stirred like boiling water. His freezing body has finally found a warmth that was able to absorb his cold for the first time. And fuck! If it wasn't addicting.

"Nnghf-!" The newbie in distress hissed, and before he could catch a break, his face got turned again, and he came face to face with a wicked smirk.

"Oh...I'm so sorry I didn't notice that I was hurting you."

"That's f-fine," Eve cried out in discomfort, not like he had any better choice.

The stranger grinned, his eyes locked with Eve, who seemed to be lost in them. "So sweet of you. How are you finding this place?"

Scary, what he wanted to say but instead he said. "A bit strange."

"Hmm," he hummed, seeing Eve's breath slowing down, he allowed Eve to look into his eyes for a longer time. Making sure Eve didn't realise his trick, not like he didn't already know dumb Eve was.

"And what's the reason you came here?"

"Because I killed-" Eve's eyes widened in shock. He couldn't believe he nearly gave himself away. When he returned to reality, he realised he was being played.

"Kill-ed~" The devil boy sings, lips closely hovering over Eve's hesitant and trembling ones. "But who?"

"Oh-oh, didn't know you were busy. Should I come later?"

Eve jerked at a new voice but the cold body trapping him was large enough to forbid Eve from sneaking to look who it was.

"No need, just deliver the news you're here for," The cruel stranger fumed without breaking the intense eye contact with Eve.

"Alright. So, the guy from yesterday was indeed a watcher who was sent here to keep an eye on you."

He raised his brow amusingly. "Now, that's interesting."

"You haven't heard the next news, it's more interesting," Eve heard their conversation cluelessly. "Rumours are that there's another watcher who's roaming freely in Sunford. So Uncle Antonio has told me to pass you the information to be careful or else he won't be happy.

He visibly flinched as though he had seen a ghost. He looked triggered for some reason. Eve didn't understand the sudden change in him, but the hands that were grabbing him became even more cold.

"I'll be fine," His jaw gritted, and face tensed. "Get out now."

The person sighed behind him. "Alright, just be careful."

"Are you the watcher?" His grip tightened around Eve's throat cutting the air, as his eyes darkened while he inquired a frightened Eve.

Eve, who didn't understand what he was talking about, still shook his head. But the latter only glared at him and snarled. "Come here," he dragged Eve in front of the pool which heightened his anxiety. "Do you know how to swim?" He asked, and Eve looked like a scaredy cat, shaking profusely.

Terror oozed in his stomach. "N-NO! Let me go-!"

"Don't look so scared, it's making me horny. Don't worry I won't drown you," But the sinful grin was the opposite of his words.

~Flashback End~

Eve felt a chill as he came back to reality. That's all he could remember. Everything was a haze after that.

That smile was scarier than anything else. And what's the deal with that screwdriver and blood on his hand? What he was doing before I got there? Eve shivered as he remembered it.

He was certain he got the wound from that guy, but when and how? He didn't tell anything to River and Sage. His instincts told him that they both are hiding something from him, therefore he should keep his distance from them. They didn't seem surprised when I told them I couldn't recall anything, as if they were expecting it.

River said they found me in the back building but I was in the swimming hall so how did I end up there? And how do they know to search for me in that building? Who told them?

He lay on his bed and let out an exhausted breath.

He shivered from the cold breeze penetrating through the window. He closed his eyes and felt the wind tingling on his face.

It feels nice. He liked the cold.

"I don't like cold..c-can..can you hold me? Y-You're very warm." He snapped his eyes open and abruptly sat up as the voice in his head said.

He peeked at himself in the mirror that was settled on the right wall directly in front of his bed, the eyes staring back were empty. Why is this mirror so big?

He shook his head to get rid of the voice but to no avail. "P-Please don't leave me I won't do it again please don't leave me I beg you."

His heartbeat rises and he puts his hands on his ears to get rid of that familiar voice he was running from for so long.

Go away please! Go away!

'Ding'

Suddenly a bell rang, and he jumped as his heart skipped a beat. But it made the voices stop.

He fell back on the bed. And without even trying, he eventually passed out.