Just let me sleep!

Chapter 19

Chapter 19
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" 'We should split up.' he said....great idea, brilliant, absolutely flawless!" Alex walked down the tunnel, grumbling under his breath, hugging himself tighter, though to anyone watching, it would have looked like he had his arms crossed in annoyance.

His fire orb hovered above, stretching a dim glow through the narrow passage but the darkness in front was too thick, shadows seemed to lean towards him.

"I wonder how Theo is doing ...." He muttered under his breath as his voice cracked. "I should have gone with him...... he is probably so lonely right now..." His complaint echoed louder than he meant it to, making him flinch. Every puff of dust falling from the ceiling made Alex all jumpy. A droplet fell next to him which nearly stopped his heart, his eyes watered just a little.

"This place hates me." He whinnied.

His boots tapped against the stone pathway, creating echoes bouncing from the walls in uneven patterns. It didn't take him long to figure out that his footsteps weren't matching the echoes. Maybe, well, most likely, because the footsteps weren't his to begin with.

"I-Im not scared...." He whispered with teary eyes, dreadfully turning his head to look over his shoulder. But even then, through the darkness he couldn't see much. Which made it worse.

He took a step but echo made two.
Alex stopped but the steps didn't. Came other then another.

The flame orb pulsed nervously while he felt like ground was swallowing his feet. He didn't look behind his shoulder again. No, time he bolted without thinking.

"Nope, nope, nope, nope... absolutely NOT!!!" He cried, sprinting so fast that the flame orb streaked behind him like a comet's tail. " I'm too young to die! I haven't even become knight yet!"

Boots slamming against the ground as he ran through the tunnel. The footsteps behind didn't follow Alex's frantic stomps, they were more patient and calm. The fire orb wobbled above him, throwing shabby shadows across the walls that twisted like reaching hands.  Alex's breath hitched.

He whipped around a small corner straight into something soft.

" BWA—-?!"

Alex's arms were uselessly grabbing the air as he collided full-force. The impact knocked air out of his lungs, sending him and unfortunate obstacle to the ground in a flailing, tangled mess of limbs, clothes and panicked shrieking.

The fire orb dipped, casting just enough light to reveal the two silhouettes on the ground, one trembling while the other groaning.

Alex blinked rapidly, hair covering his teary eyes while his heart was hammering, threatening to jump out of his ribcage.

"Oh no.. no... please dont eat me.." He whimpered underneath his frantic breathing. " I don't taste good...!!!! " He babbled still sprawled across the stranger, trying to catch his breath but also afraid to breathe.

Pale smooth skin caught the light from the orb, giving sun-kissed glow. Dark hair fell across stranger's face, revealing the faintest hint of purple beneath.

And the moment Alex's eyes met strangers the fire orb flickered once, then died out.