Hate, With Passion (Editing)

Chapter ~ Twenty One: Truth, with Cabin Boy

My jaw hit the floor and I blinked furiously as I tried to take in who was in front of me. My eyes grew double in size as they gradually worked from the ground up, taking in the standing figure.

My eyebrows knotted together and puzzlement was visible on my face.

“You?” I blurted. I could not even say his name it was too confusing for me. I was in shock.

There before me was the scrawny kid, pointing the gun in the direction of where it had been fired. His blond mess of hair shadowed his face and with his confident, bold stance it made him seem slightly intimidating.

I still had not closed my mouth. My mind could simply not get over that this little brat, the one easily pushed around, had just shot a man without any emotions or thoughts playing across his face.

The gun was still aimed in my direction and in fear I pushed myself into the wall. I did not dare move, not with his eyes locked onto mine and his fire arm ready to shoot.

Silence passed through us. A thick, deadly silence filled with tension and suspense. Even though nothing moved around me my mind was spinning in circles with questions and confusion. This boy was not the skinny, clumsy cabin boy. No. standing here he looked like someone in control, someone with authority as well as someone others should be careful of.

He seemed indifferent to killing a man just a few moments before and I felt my skin crawling at that thought.

The silence was finally broken when he breathed out a loud breath that I never knew he was holding. The arm holding the gun suddenly dropped as though it weighed a tonne and the boy instantly relaxed.

He flicked his head so strands of blond hair moved away from his eyes and he gave me a small sheepish smile.

I could feel my eyebrow twitch as it rose in a crooked shape, intensifying my bewilderment. My jaw was tensed and all my muscles were knotted in a stiff shape. I was not breathing in fear that if I did then it would prove this was not a dream.

The cabin boy’s smile slipped from his mouth and he slightly frowned. “Are you alright?” he questioned, his voice thick with concern.

I could not speak, let alone breathe. My thoughts were going out of control as they tried to point to one explanation to all of this. Everyone on that ship was insane!

The boy was taking some steps towards me and I jumped when his hand came up on my shoulder.

“They did not do anything, did they?” he asked and I could see the worry clear in his blue eyes.

I tried to speak but my mouth kept opening and closing, no sound was coming out. I managed to shake my head and the boy gave me a smile. He then grabbed my tied hands and tugged me off the wall.

“We should get back quick; I’m assuming when their friends find the other two dead they are not going to be very happy.” He spoke quietly, a little shyly as well.

The kid started to drag me back through the alleyways and side roads. I could feel my feet moving on their own accord and so I followed him out. However I was still stunned by this boy, this very weak, little runt had just killed a man. No, killed three men!

* * * *

We finally managed to weave ourselves out of the ghost town and were climbing up the slope in the forest. The whole time I said nothing and the boy seemed content with that as he held my hands loosely in his.

We kept walking; my mind was empty now I just could not comprehend anything. I just let everything go and was just allowing myself to be pulled forward.