The Story of Midnight

Chapter 23 part 3

"To the world you may be just one person, but to one person you may be the world."

-Brandi Snyder

***

My mind didn't come up with the constant questions I usually find myself having. I guess I've contemplated this enough times to just give up on trying to find answers that will satisfy me; the lies I keep telling myself to give me some sort of silver lining.

"Cloud, are you still there?" I managed to say in a loud enough voice despite my throat being dry. "Can you hear me?"

I didn't receive a response back.

Did the Commander do the same thing to him? Did he drug him and torture him too?

My thoughts suddenly wandered back to Maeve. I remember every little detail of that dream; how her eyes brought me anger, how a simple gesture could cause me to break down, how young she looked.

I don't know for how long I stayed in the darkness but when I heard the door open again, apprehension pulsated through my body. The footsteps that followed weren't like the Commander's; powerful and with purpose, instead they were cautious and indecisive.

The sound continued to increase in volume until they stopped in front of me.

I heard a small gasp.

Raising my head to tell the person that I was awake and listening, I waited for him to speak. A few seconds passed before I heard a familiar voice.

"Shadowmyst, what did the Commander do to you?"

My lips curved into a faint smile.

"It's good to finally hear another voice other than the Commander's."

He's the experienced soldier that Cloud and I fought days ago and met again when he came empty handed to tell us that no food and water was to be handed to us. I wonder what happened to the young soldier that was with him that day.

"This has gone too far. I thought he would just leave you with no food for a few days but..." He trailed off, probably gazing at my bloodied form in horror as my life slowly pools at my feet.

I suddenly smirked.

"Guess I look worse than I thought."

I didn't hear anything, which means I did look much, much worse than I thought; I guess aside from being covered in your own blood.

"I came here to give you something." He said suddenly growing serious.

"What is it?"

I heard him get closer to me and said, "Water."

Just hearing the word made me think of the cool liquid refreshing my parched throat.

I swallowed on invisible amount of saliva.

"No, you can't. You'll get caught and suffer the consequences. I don't want you to put your life or position at risk because of me."

A minute passed by, the soldier contemplating what I said.

"I don't care," his voice held strength and resolve. "You taught me something very important that day, Shadowmyst. I'll never forget the kindness you showed me. It's only natural for me to repay my debt to you."

I pursed my lips as a lump formed in my throat.

This stranger's going to help me? I simply told him a plan to fool the Commander, but he knew there was more to it than just that. I could've gotten revenge on the Commander's army for all the assassination attempts and killed him along with the young soldier when we fought each other, or in their sleep if I wanted to when they were unconscious, but didn't. And because of that he's willing to risk everything, even his life.