The Dark Monster

7. Away from home

I was sniffling the whole way. My tears weren't stopping. They were running down my cheeks. I was exhausted, scared, confused, worried, and whatnot. In short, I was a mess. When I would sniffle or hicupp, I felt the man behind me tense, but he didn't say anything.

We stopped at a place near a lake to rest. He pulled me down the horse and binds my hand with a rope and then to a tree like I am an animal, more tears came in my eyes. He looked at my tears and sighed.

"Don't cry," he grumbles in his deep voice, and I want to cry more. I am crying for my father, my village, my home, and myself. How can he tell me not to cry when he has snatched me from my life for God knows what.

To kill you, you dumb girl. My inner self mocked me.

"Would you k-kill me?" I asked him directly, not thinking straight. He glared at me as if I had said something unlikeable.

"Sit," he said and went away to his men that were gathered on a side. Some were taking care of the horses, making them drink water. All men were looking at me some discreetly and others openly. I felt like something on display.

I just don't understand why am I here? What does he want from me? Did I do anything to him, which makes him angry with me, and that's why he kidnapped me. Or maybe he wants to really kill me. But if he wanted to kill me, he would have done that in the village. Why would he take me all the way here?

"Here" as I was in my reverie, an apple was pushed in front of me. I gazed at him and shook my head. If he thinks I will take something from him as if he is my friend, then he is highly mistaken.

"No, I want to go back to my father. Please let me go," I pleaded. The only thought on my mind was my father. I wanted to know that he is okay, that he is alive. I can't bear to lose him, I don't have anyone apart from him in my life.

"Eat," he said harshly, pushing the apple in my hands, but in anger, I threw it away.

"I want to go back, can't you hear me?" I yelled at him. This made him angry because the next thing I knew was him grabbing my face in his hand harshly and coming face to face with me. His eyes were forest green so deep and lifeless. It scared me to my core. He was enraged!

"I am telling you this for the very last time. You are never going back. If I hear this again from your mouth, the consequences will be very bad, " he gritted in anger and then jerked me away as he stood up. He left without saying a word. I wanted to cry so badly at his behaviour. Everyone was watching me some with pity, and some were amused. I hate the attention, I wanted to shout at all of them. I hate each and every one of them. They are his people. They are letting him do whatever he wants with me. No one is helping me.

I closed my eyes to contain my tears inside, and I won't cry. I tried to loosen the rope, but it was too tight. Every time I twisted, it slashed my wrist. I can feel warm liquid around my wrist from the harshness of the rope. I have to run away from them, from him. God knows what he will do with me.

After an hour of struggling with my rope, I was finally able to lose it. I felt a little happy, but my happiness died as soon as it came. I was this close to being free when he came to me telling me that we were going.

"We are going," he said as he opened the knot, which was already loosened. He looked at me, and then he saw blood, and his face turned dark. He glared at me with such ferocity that I shivered, but thankfully, he didn't say anything. He pushed me up by my arm but was careful enough not to hurt my wrist, I was a little surprised at his actions. I thought of him as a cruel and ruthless person, but he is being so caring with me even though he had taken me forcefully from my home. I don't understand him.

"Why do you keep testing me? I am trying to be patient with you, but you are making it harder for me, " he threatened as he sat me up on the horse.

"Don't test me," he warned meand I looked away from him. He then sat behind me. I moved forward so I won't touch him, I felt so uncomfortable being this close to him. I want to go back to my home, to my father. I closed my eyes when I again felt tears in my eyes at the memory of father lying unconscious.

After a few more hours we reached an open space there were houses around the place. Little houses of stones and woods. The horse was now walking. Women and children came out of their houses when they heard us. Some men were also there, they all seemed happy to see us, well not me but the other men. Everyone was eyeing me when they saw me. They were curious and intrigued. They were whispering to each other, definitely talking about me, making me o uncomfortable, I squirmed a little.

Everyone jumped off their horses, and some went to their families. It seemed kind of a reunion. How can they be so happy? Did they know that they have killed so many innocent people? I didn't think they would have families. I am having everyone with a passing second. I feel suffocated in their presence. I felt him getting down from the horse, then he pulled me down, a man taking his horse away.

An old woman's cane ran in our direction, and she hugged him. He stood like a statue as the women hugged him.

"Thank God you are back home safe and sound," she laughed happily. Then she saw me and her eyes shone with happiness and then she eyed him again and they talked with eyes and then she shrieked in happiness. She came to me and hugged me as if she knew me very well. I pushed her away from me as she was about to fall down he held her. He glared at me if looks could kill. I would be six feet deep by now.

"Don't touch me," I snapped. By now, everyone's attention was on us. A few of them gasped when I pushed her, and some were angry at me. He was radiating with anger and was about to come towards me when the lady stopped him by grapping his hand and shook her head at him, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a second. When he opened them again, they were set on me. He took a step towards me as I stepped back. But with two long steps, he was in front of me, and I froze in fear.

"Achilles don't," the lady said in a stern voice. He turned towards her one more time, then he looked towards me and then grabbed my hand and took me with him to God knows where. The lady was calling him from behind but he didn't pay any heed to her.

"Achilles be easy on her," she said one last time. He was taking me somewhere. It was difficult for me to try to keep up with his steps. I fell on my way and hurt my knee in the process. I whimpered in pain, but then I felt a harsh tug on my hand, pulling me back to my feet.

"Stand up," his voice boomed. He pulled me towards a house that was in the middle of the forest away from everyone. There wasn't any house around. This house was fairly bigger than the ones I saw before. He opened the door and took me inside. He walked upstairs with me in tow. I was hissing in pain due to my bruises in my wrist and knees. He opened a door and pushed me inside. It was room with a small bed in the middle and a table and chair on one side. There was a small window in the room.

He pushed me down on the bed and then pulled out a rope from under the bed. He tied the rope around my wrist and the other hand to the handle of the bed.

"It hurts, please don't do this," I pleaded, but he didn't even look at me.

"You deserve it for pushing my mother," he said, and then he was out of the door, locking the door after him. I screamed in anger.

"You deserve to die too, you stupid, cruel, dark monster," I yelled.

I started crying again as I was frustrated and angry. I cried for a very long time, and then I fell asleep as exhaustion finally caught me. I really want to go back home or die!