The Underground

I Tried

I was exhausted and injured. Every breath I took sent sharp pains through my body. My muscles felt like lead, and my vision blurred at the edges. I didn't think I could survive this, but at least Alex was safe. I wondered how long it would take for the poison to kick in.

The Butcher loomed over me, his eyes narrowing as he studied my face. "What are you mumbling to yourself about?" he growled.

I managed a weak smile. "Just asking myself when you'll be knocking on death's door."

His expression changed in an instant. He froze, his eyes widening in realization. A moment later, he swayed slightly, a wave of dizziness washing over him.

"What the fuck did you do?" he demanded, his voice tinged with anger and fear.

"If you can't take them down the good old-fashioned way, then just poison them," I replied, a smug grin spreading across my face.

He staggered back, clutching his head. "You little bitch... but when?"

"That smoke screen from before wasn't ordinary," I explained, my voice steady despite the pain. "It also had poison particles mixed in." I laughed, the sound harsh and bitter. "You thought I wouldn't go down without a fight, did you? You idiot."

I watched as the Butcher's strength ebbed away, his movements growing sluggish. He stumbled, trying to stay upright, but it was clear that the poison was taking hold. I could see the panic in his eyes, the dawning realization that he was losing control. 

He then lunged at me, his hand closing around my neck like a vice. I felt his grip tighten, cutting off my air, and then his fist drove into my gut. The first blow knocked the wind out of me, and each successive punch felt like a sledgehammer, sending waves of agony through my body.

A large crowd began to gather, drawn by the commotion. Faces blurred together, but I could hear the mix of voices—some cheering for the Butcher, others looking worriedly at me before averting their eyes.

With a show of brute strength, the Butcher lifted me higher, displaying my bloodied and brutalized body to the crowd. Blood trickled down my face, mixing with sweat and dirt.

"Finish him!" a voice shouted from the crowd.

"Make him suffer," another added, their tone filled with malice.

"Butcher him!" someone else cried out, their voice raw with bloodlust.

The crowd's voices blended into a cacophony of cruelty. There was no sympathy, no compassion—only a collective hunger for violence and death. The faces in the crowd became a sea of leering, twisted expressions, each one eager to see more pain, more suffering.

The Butcher tossed me aside like trash, my body hitting the ground with a painful thud. He waved at the crowd, basking in their approval, then pulled out his knife. I lay there, barely able to move, every part of me throbbing from the beating. But I could sense it—he was becoming slow. The poison was spreading fast, but not fast enough to save my life.

I guess this is where my chapter ends. He approached me slowly, that devilish smile never leaving his face.

"Thank you for entertaining me, boy," he said, his voice dripping with mockery.

Summoning the last of my strength, I looked up at him and said, "At least I'm not going to the afterlife alone, Butcher." I chuckled, though it hurt to do so. "That poison doesn't even have a cure, so let me say this to you: I still won this fight. This is not your victory—it's my checkmate, you bastard!" I laughed hysterically, the sound more of a rasping croak.

He groaned in fury, his face contorting with rage. He pulled back his knife, ready to deliver the finishing blow. I smiled through the pain and whispered, "Goodbye, everyone... and Levian, thank you for everything." With that, I closed my eyes, bracing myself for the end.