White Orchids {BOOK 1 COMPLETED}

Chapter 45

TW: horror, grotesque imagery

I don't run. I sit on the black platform as if I were petrified. Maybe of fear, or it has taken itself so far into my mind that it won't let me flee.

Clover isn't running either. He keeps his eyes stuck to the creature and the mask we've come so far for. I cannot see how we could ever get our hands on it without being ripped apart.

It drags itself slowly forward and leaves dark red handprints on the clean platform. A bloody trail is also left by the mutilated body. Clover bends down and grabs my arm, his eyes never leaves the creature. He pulls me back up on unsteady legs.

"Sorry, sorry," the creature says in an unnatural dark voice.

It extends its hand, spreads its long fingers and pushes it against the platform to pull itself closer. I don't dare to avert my gaze.

It extends its other hand and leans back its head and towards the side in a way that reminds me of a curious dog. The creature is everything else but a pet, it would – and will – tear us apart. The hunger is still deep within me, my mouth salivates as its thinking of how it can have us, how it can tear us apart and watch us bleed, how it can...

"Break your spines," it finishes for me.

It moves its bloody hand against its gape, a thin but long tongue finds its way out of its mouth and moves against the fingers.

And I understand why the platform is so clean, why a part of its body is missing and that we're never leaving this place. We're going to die here.

My eyes fill up with tears, almost bursting down my cheeks. I try to get my legs to move, but it's like I'm frozen.

I need to flee. Have to flee. Even if it's impossible, even if I know that the creature will tear me apart the moment I turn my back towards it.

It's close now, just a few more meters and it will stand eye to eye with us. Clover stiffens and it looks like he wants to flee as much as I want but cannot move. He pulls my arm forcefully, but his feet remain at the exact same spot.

We'll die. This was nothing else but a suicide mission, there was no chance we'd get out of here unharmed. They sent us here without weapon or any way to protect us when they knew the darkness twisted and distorted everything around it. We don't deserve this, to go through all this pain just to be torn apart by this nightmare.

Flee. One single word, all I could do was warn them. A hope that Nine takes Sage and Sun out of this world and give up the hope about the mask.

The creature stands eye to eye with us now, with its foul breath. Its tongue moves out of its gape slowly like a snake. It runs the tongue over my cheek, over mud and sweat mixed together. I take short, panicked breaths as tears run down my cheeks, over its disgusting tongue.

Orchid, the name echoes out in my mind, what is happening?

It's impossible, I send back. Flee. Now.

"It was a punishment," it says and Clover's grip around my arm gets tighter. "A punishment for what we did. I'm sorry.... Sorry."

A sudden dirty boot meets the creature's upper body. I'm not sure how he was able to break the petrification. It's pushed back by the force and screams so loud it hurts my ears. In the next second we're running. I'm not sure how my aching legs are able to handle it. But that we're finally running and putting distance between us and the creature is all I care about.

Clover leads me towards the narrow alleyways we came from. Just as we reach the end of the stairs a coal-black hand grabs me and throws me backwards. I end up on my stomach, sliding over the platform. I groan by the pain that is throbbing through my entire upper body. I stand up on my knees with one hand touching my ribs.