King of the Darkest Stars (EXO Kai ff)

Chapter Twenty Six

I'd gone to sleep too early and now I was wide awake in the dead of night. It was funny how the once loud, bustling camp could be so different when they were all asleep. Of course they weren't all asleep. There were guards on duty. They stopped close guarding me days ago, and now went on their usual rounds. They passed by me every fifteen minutes or so.

The camp was scarier to me like this. It was eerie and I felt like every shadow was a creature waiting to attack. At least in the daylight I could see who was coming for me. Monsters that lurk are scarier than monsters who leap. One is planned and one is reckless.

I felt watched.

I knew there were people hiding in the darkness. I could feel their gazes on me. I could hear an odd breath of wind every now and then that made me stand even more rigidly against the pole.

The pole.

The pole scared me because I could never see what was behind me. I could only ever see what was right in front of me. Anyone could be behind me. The more I thought about it, the more breath the breath on the back of my neck became. I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head, allowing the breeze to brush over my neck and wash away the feeling.

I was just being paranoid.

A hand wrapped around the pole and covered my mouth. I could have passed out from the rush of fear that convulsed throughout my entire body. I felt my bonds being untied and wondered what torture they had in mind for me tonight. I recognised the man as he stepped in front of me, grabbing onto my wrist. He was the one who called me crazy. The one who spat on me all the time. His stare warned me against screaming.

Something about him was different.

His eyes made my stomach drop. There was something serious in them. Less gleefully violent like the other men. His grip tightened on my wrist and he started walking. I turned and grabbed the pole, pulling against him.

He was much stronger and my hands slid off the pole as he put an arm around my waist and yanked me free of the poll.

"Stop!" I shouted. He put a hand over my mouth. I saw a lantern move on an unzipped tent and the shadow of a person move forward. I screamed against his hand, but the person's hand only became visible for a second as they zipped up the tent.

No one here would stop this man.

He pulled me a few meters into the woods and pulled out a knife. My breath shallowed and I fell backwards. He reached down, grabbed my arm and yanked me up. He shoved me against a tree and held the knife to my throat. I looked up into his face, his scruffy beard made my skin tingle and itch.

"I can see it in your eyes." His voice was gruff and slightly sad. "You want to die."

I shook my head but couldn't speak over his hand over my mouth. His eyes had a strange calm to him and I wanted to move forward the cold tip of the knife held me in place.

"Don't scream." He took his hand off my mouth and I stayed silent. My breathing did enough to express my fear. "You don't have to be afraid. I'll be quick."

He put his hand on my face, softer this time, and moved my hair out of my face. I kept my frantic gaze on him. He studied me in a way that made me feel sick and inhuman.

"Such a waste." His voice was low and I wondered if he had meant for me to hear the muttered words. His eyes wandered across me and seemed to be admiring what little life was left in my sallow body.

"Please." My voice came out more raw and disused than I meant. "Please, don't kill me."

"Oh no no." He brushed my hair repeatedly in a way that reminded me I was fragile as a small animal in grasp. He could easily snap my neck without even needing to use the knife. "Don't be scared. It's okay. Deep breaths."