Retreat into Darkness

Chapter 11

Allaura Aislinn

"We stop here for the night." Caspian's voice rang out through the night.
I was so damn tired. We rode for hours and hours. We never stopped to eat. I did from time to time take a sip from some water Caspian handed to me. Other than that, we rode.

He dismounted his horse and pulled off two blankets. Which I assume are for sleeping.

I hopped off my horse and grabbed the blanket he had in his hand.
"We're gonna need to make a fire. It's dangerous without one. Do you think you can grab some wood?" He asked as he set down his comforter.
"Yeah, I got it."
"Bring this with you," — he says while throwing a dagger to me — "if you're in trouble just call out." And with that he dismisses me.
What a prick.

The forest does not feel safe. It's dark and cold out here. I can barely see where I step, let alone see any fire wood. I stumble over a few rocks and branches while I walk deeper into the woods. I make sure I note my surroundings. Caspian hasn't made a fire yet so it'll be too easy to lose my way through the woods.
I trip over something hard and I curse as I fall into my knees. Looking back I see fire wood.
Thank fuck.
I pick up about five logs. They aren't to heavy to carry at all which is a surprise.
I make sure all the logs are placed neatly on my arms before I turn around and walk back the way I came. The way back looks familiar so I don't have to worry about getting lost, thank god.
My foot catches onto a rock and a log falls from my arms.
"You have got to be kidding me." I mumble under my breath.
Why the hell didnt Caspian do this. It would have been much faster and way easier considering he's twice my size.
Prick.
As I bend down to pick up the log with one hand, while I balance the other four on my other, I hear rustling to my left.
I completely freeze on the spot. My thighs ache as I stay in a squatted position. I don't think i've blinked for a whole minute as I stare to my left, in the direction of the rustling.

Another moment goes by before I hear hissing. The same hissing I heard before Caspian captured me. The thing in the black cloak is here.
Shit. Shit.

I feel small breaths at the back of my exposed neck. A second later I hear him, "What a pretty little human you are." It hisses.
The voice is so low, so — so cold.
He circles me. The same black cloak is hanging all around him as his long white hair rests against his chest.
He stops in front of me and lifts his head so I can see his face.
Oh my god.
His — his face.
Pale. So, so pale. Like a sheet of paper. His eyes are completely black. The same shade I saw back in the human world. Only under his eyes it looks like black veins rest deep under his sockets.
"Yes, it was me you saw back in your human realm. I can see your thoughts, human. You think of me as hideous?" He seethes.
I don't respond. I'm too scared to even breath too hard.

Caspian, Caspian, Caspian.
Dagger.
He gave me a dagger, small enough to be a throwing knife, but it's something. I just have to be able to get to it from my pocket.
"Stupid foolish girl. You cannot hurt me. The dagger is useless."
Shit. He read my mind.
"Yes, indeed I did." He chuckles.

He slithers closer to my face, making me suck in a breath from how close he is. He yanks the fire wood from my arm and throws it behind him.
He brings his face close enough, and inhales me. He is smelling me. So close to my neck.
One bite and i'm dead.
The creature lifts a pale hand and I notice it's black, long claws. He drags a single claw on my cheek. Hard enough to draw some blood.
I wince at the sudden pain on my right cheek but don't move my face.

If he wasn't so focused on my face, and how I would react to the pain he is causing from my temple to my cheek. He would have noticed I have the dagger now in my grasp.

I stare the creature deep in its eyes. Keeping on a mask.
I am not scared. Not now I am not. Not now.
I swing the dagger across his hand and cut off his finger.
Warm liquid sprays on my face and the creature screams. So loud that I think my ear drums will shatter.

I charge for him. I jump on the creatures back and stab his neck. Over and over again. Not stopping when he falls to his knees.
      Not stopping when he falls to his chest.
I stop when I hear him take his last breath.

I squirm off the creature until my back hits a tree. I look down to my hands to see that they are covered in black blood. It's under my nails, on my blade, my sleeves. I feel it's blood on my face and I go to wipe it off, only for the blood from my hands to get onto my face.
I sob, and I sob loud. I don't know what to do. I'm shaking, so bad.
Caspian, Caspian, Caspian.
Is what I repeat in my head. I think I might be whispering it too.

I let my body slump against the tree and stare at the dead creature. That lays face first to the ground. Dripping in his black blood. Drowning in it.

I hear rushed footsteps behind me. But I don't panic knowing it's him.
He stops shortly noticing my body slumped against the tree trunk.
"What the hell-" He starts but notices the blood coating my hands and face.
He snaps his head to the body that lays on the ground and looks between me and the creature.

Caspian kneels down beside me, very slowly.
He slowly takes the dagger out of my hand and puts it away while taking a piece of cloth from his satchel.
He carefully places the cloth in my hands and closes my fingers into it.
"I will take the logs back, yes? You follow me back to camp. Stay close to me." He says while going to pick up the fire wood.
I nod once, staring at the piece of cloth in my hands.
He starts walking back to camp with the logs in his arms. So I push myself off the ground and use the trees to support my weak legs. I stumble behind him, he looks back a few times making sure I keep up.

Once we pass by a few more trees, I see that Caspian has made camp. All we need to do is light up the fire wood, and we'll be safe.
I'll never be safe. Not here.

I sit down on the blanket that's on the other side of the fire. I wait until the fire starts to actually lay down and get comfortable.

Once the fire is lit, I clear my throat and hold out my hand towards Caspian. He looks between my hand and my face, before fishing out the dagger from his satchel and throws it into my hand.
I don't say thank you. I don't say anything as I lay down on my side with the knife wrapped tightly in my fist. Readying myself for anything.
Caspian walks to the other side of the fire and sits down on his blanket as he watched the flames.
He watched the flames and I watch my hands. My dagger. The dagger that looks like a throwing knife. So, so small. Yet so deadly.
The dagger that saved me from death.

I stare and I stare at the dagger in my hands until my body is too tired to keep my eyes open. Then and only then, is when I allow the sleep to take me.

-

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