•MPHFPC ONE SHOTS•

<=THE OTHER KIND OF HIDE-AND-SEEK=>

[This is another random scene from my librarian au, so if you don't know what that is I, again, suggest you to check out "LET'S CALL IT A DAY" before reading this]

I rushed around a corner, my lungs burning from all the running. I stopped there to take a break and draw a few deep breaths, but I had to do that quietly, which was hard.

In the distance I could hear Caul boasting about himself. "Not a single librarian has ever escaped my claws!" he boomed. His voice was getting closer again and I feared that he knew exactly where I was hiding. I shut my eyes and hoped to wake up from this nightmare, but to no avail. You should have stayed in your boring little life in Florida, I told myself, because this is way worse than boredom.

Caul's every footfall made the ground shake and I realised that I was shaking, too, but from sheer fear. He was sticking his hand into other buildings, yelling "GOT YOU!" every time, only to end up groaning in frustration upon finding nothing in his hand. It was only a matter of time until he would get to the building I was hiding behind.

"Face your inevitable doom!" Caul bellowed and then added, in a sweeter tone, "I can make it quick and painless, if you'd like! Though that wouldn't be much fun..."
Then I heard him break out cackling, his laughter echoing across the hills. "Oh, no. It won't be quick and painless at all." he said. "Because I want to enjoy this!"

My heart was beating out of my chest and my body was screaming at me to run. Most of the things that were crossing my mind in that moment were I'm afraid and I don't want to die. I needed help, someone to come and save me. Mr. Bentham would help me, but why wasn't he already here? I thought of screaming for help, but quickly and thankfully decided against it, since that would draw too much attention to me.

And then I heard Caul get down on his knees and hands dangerously close to me. I stopped breathing for a moment.
"Come to me, little librarian. Come and dieeee..." he said and just a few seconds later, his awful breath reached me. I stiffened at the smell of it.

I looked up to see his fingers slowly creep around the edge of the corner, greedily feeling for me. I stepped away from them, hoping my footsteps wouldn't make too much sound, but then I stepped on a dry branch and it snapped. Now both me and Caul were quiet—I was trying to silently slow my breathing and he was listening closely for more sounds.

He was still feeling up and down the wall for me, his fingers growing longer and I backed away further, more careful this time. I picked up a rock from the ground and threw it, hoping it would lure him away from me. Caul's fingers stopped on the wall and I looked up to see him stare in the direction of the rock. He narrowed his eyes and bent down, trying to spot me hiding somewhere. Of course, he wouldn't find me there.

My trick seemed to have worked, but then I tripped over what appeared to be a giant root and fell backwards. I felt the root underneath me move and heard Caul laugh. "Found you..." he said, his voice dark and then I realised that the root I tripped over was one of his long fingers.

Then he came into view, his upper half peeking around the corner. I forgot once again how intimidating he was from up close. He was a nightmare, a man who had seemingly merged with a tree. If only he was as peaceful as one. Caul grinned at me, showing off his dagger-like teeth. "The game is over and I won." he said as he was drawing closer to me.

"This was never a game." I said, trying to stay calm, but failing.
Caul rolled his eyes. "Maybe not to you, but the way you're running and hiding from me, makes me think that we're playing hide-and-seek. And now that I've found you..." he said and he went to grab me. "I get to keep you!"

Panicking, I got back up on my feet and decided to make a run for it. I didn't get very far, though, because Caul slid one of his fingers underneath me and lifted me off the ground. Soon the distance between me and the ground was so big that I didn't dare to jump down. But what would have been better? A couple of broken bones or being dead in this monster's stomach? Then I realised I couldn't defend myself or run away with broken bones. Maybe I did make the right decision after all. Maybe I would live another day.

"Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide..." Caul sang and held me right above his face, his head tilted back. "I hope you'll have fun on your riiiide."
He was about to drop me. "Wait!" I shouted. Caul clicked his tongue, annoyed and groaned, probably upset about me ruining his little poem.
"What is it?" he grumbled.

Unfortunately, I didn't think of what to say next, yet. My thoughts were racing while I desperately tried to think of something. Then, "uh...what's an honourable death without any last words?" I said. Caul thought for a moment, then nodded, understandingly.
"You're right. Yes, good point." he replied and hummed in agreement. "Go on, then. Say your last, final words." And then Caul added in a pressuring undertone, "but make it quick."

Good, this was good. I bought myself some time. I closed my eyes, pretending to think deeply about my last words, when in reality, I was thinking about a way out of this. With no success. How would I get out of this? I had no weapons to stab into Caul's hand and even if I did, he might've dropped me and then I'd be at the breaking-my-bones-on-the-ground part again—and I already knew how that would've ended up.

While I was thinking, Caul was saying over and over again, "tick...tock...tick...tock." and that was not helping at all.
A sudden thought crossed my mind—I should call for help now.
"Time's up!" Caul said and I flinched at his shrill voice. He brought me closer
to his gaping mouth and a wave of putrid air hit me. I held my breath.
Caul grinned at me one last time. "Maybe you'll meet your grandfather on the way down." he said and laughed. Then he let go of me, dropping me into his mouth and I screamed for help, and everything went black, the scene froze. I only heard Caul's laughter all around me.

I jolted awake, gasping for breath. I wasn't in my bed, but whatever was underneath me was still soft. Looking up, I saw countless of eyes staring back at me—a human, but insectile face. For a moment, I couldn't pinpoint what or who that was, but then it spoke to me.
"You had a nightmare." it was Mr. Bentham. He was holding me in his hand.

My breathing steadied a bit more. "Yeah," I said and began looking around, fearing that it was more than just a nightmare. "Where's Caul?"
Mr. Bentham moved his hand, so I could see him. "There." he said and I spotted Caul peacefully sleeping, resting between two buildings. He almost looked harmless, but I knew very well that he wasn't.

I sighed in relief, a heavy brick of anxiety falling off my shoulders.
"You often have nightmares, don't
you?" Mr. Bentham asked. Despite his monstrous looks, he radiated a sort of calm and I couldn't help but feel immediately safe around him.
"Yeah, almost every night." I replied. He nodded, compassionately.

How could someone, who'd been trapped in this place for years with his man-eating brother, be so calm? Or was he? Was he slowly falling apart inside in order to maintain what was left of his human self? Was it just a matter of time until he would snap and try to eat me, too? Or was he, like Caul, even planning on it and just waiting for the right moment to strike? I shivered. For now I stashed these horrible thoughts away.

"I could help you with your nightmares." Mr. Bentham said. "Talking about them and putting them into words can help you deal with them."
The thoughts came back and I shivered again. He's not a monster, I told myself. My grandfather was friends with him, after all. I nodded at Mr. Bentham and said, "Yeah, I think that'd be a good idea."