SKULL: Cursed Souls

CHAPTER 14: FANGS

Five days after Techno's incident.

"James, did you get any information about my friends already?" Ryder asked.

James looked at Ryder with a straight face. "They are both okay but I had to check on Logan instead since I couldn't get any information about Darwin, I also couldn't locate him at the moment. Logan's been having a hard time in coping with your 'death' and Lazy may have had the hardest time since he stopped going outside," James told Ryder.

Ryder felt sorry for both of his friends who suffers because of him being missing, he knew that it is hard for them to cope from but he also figures that letting them know that he is alive would put them in grave danger, he would rather have his friends alive without him in the picture than dead because of him.

"How about my parents? They were already devastated when my brother died, what more when I went missing?" Ryder asked James.

"From what I gathered, your mother's been pregnant but she is having trouble due to old age but your father changed and have a new job now."

Ryder finally realized why his mother had many mood swings prior to he and his brother's incidents, it is because of her pregnancy.

"I guess that losing both sons finally changed my father. Thank you for checking on them James. Can we soon check on my mother if we have time?"

James smiled then nodded before leaving.

***

Inside an abandoned clinic.

Someone heaved a sigh, almost breathless. "Help me, please. Can you untie me now?" he asked the person with him.

"People like you thinks too highly of themselves but look at you now. How does it feel to be helpless, huh? Darwin, right?" the person mocks.

He plunged the bat that he is holding towards Darwin's head.

Darwin started having convulsions from the hit but the person with him only laughed at his situation, but when Darwin finally stopped, the person realized what he had done. He got his ears near Darwin's nose, not a breath can be heard nor felt. He used his fingers to find a pulse but he also failed to do so.

He trembles as he backs away to the now breathless body of Darwin, "I killed him?!" he looked at his hands.

***

Ryder woke up from his dream in worry of what is to happen to Darwin, he knew that he should act fast, or his brother's friend would soon meet his demise.

In the afternoon when James came to check on him, he immediately told him of his dream.

"The One-Eyed, the person who'll kill him would be from the One-Eyed," Ryder told James.

James' eyes widened after hearing of it.

"I'll gather Skull and my gang, if One-Eyed is involved then Skull alone would not be able to save your brother's friend and an old companion of mine," James heaved a sigh.

"You knew him?!" Ryder asked.

"He was a member of my group, Ryder. I chose not to find him when you asked me to because we had an agreement not to let our paths cross again. But I wouldn't let a fellow die like what you said, would I? Anyway, you cannot get out for now due to the tighter security but I assure you Darwin's and everyone else's safety," James smiled.

Ryder thanked James but insisted on finding a way to get him out even just for the night.

"Tomorrow, let's find a way to get you out. Witch's group will start patrolling tomorrow so maybe I could find a way to get you out," James said.