Darkening Days

Chapter 20: A Bloody Good Time

I woke up to that familiar grinding sound. When I opened my eyes, Eric was standing in front of me again.

"Get up", he ordered. "We don't want you soiling yourself. Go."

I blinked, disoriented, not able to recognize what exactly he meant. Then, after figuring out what he meant, suddenly I began to be aware that I was cramping terribly. Forget about the sick feeling I've been feeling in my stomach since the blood- right now what's bothering me are the cramps in my lower abdomen. I've been cooped up in this place for what, a little more than a day? And I haven't even had the opportunity to relieve myself once.

"It's about time", I grumbled. "Where's the bathroom?" I said, trying to put an edginess into my voice, despite the pain I was in.

"You think we have one? Go outside."

"Fine, I think I will", I retorted.

Eric chose not to answer me. After considering me for a second more, he just walked down the hall. I got up, not without stumbling, and followed.

Upon emerging from the hall and into the familiar cave opening, I saw the whole group- and my gaze found Derrick. I stared at him for a moment. I got the feeling that I was looking at him with pleading eyes, though I didn't intent to. I guess it's just involuntary. It's only natural to want someone who you thought was your friend to help you out. Right now, Derrick's my only hope, and that's not much. Still, there is a chance that he would, just maybe, become who he once was again. Just maybe.

Derrick held my gaze, too. Something inside of me expected that, like in the cliché TV shows, he would have a short glimmer of recognition, a short moment where the real him, the suppressed him, was able to overcome the monster and take control of his body just once more, before the monster took over again.

But that didn't happen. He continued to stare at me with a cold, undisturbed expression, the same one that he had when he kept me back to save my parents.

I moved on, following Eric through the entrance hall leading to the outside world. As I walked, I saw the light at the end of the tunnel: it comforted me.

The moment I stepped out of that hall, I immediately felt the wind on my skin, the sunlight warming me. I smelled the fresh air- a delicious change from the stuffy cave air. I felt myself soften, relax. The cramps and the sick feeling in my stomach seemed to go away. I know, it has only been no more than a day, but still, being kept in a dark cave for the entire time could do a lot to a girl.

My brief moment of relaxation was interrupted by Eric. "Do your thing, now! I don't have forever", he barked.

I was invigorated by the open air, so I found myself able to respond in my normal spirit: "Yeah, you do, asshole."

"Watch your mouth, little girl." He looked at me with a twisted grin, then shrugged me off, turning the other way.

At that, I scrunched my nose, turned around on my heels, and wandered off into the forest, hoping I wouldn't have Eric on my back. As I walked on, though, it didn't seem as if he was following me, at least as far as I could tell, or, specifically, hear from behind me- thankfully. I stopped at a shady spot- but not without streams of light filtering in from above- blocked off by bushes and trees, and had my privacy.

I intended on lingering around for a few minutes afterwards. Who knows when the next time I'll get to have this opportunity will be? Well, it's true that they'll have no choice but to let me out like this frequently, but still.

Not only did I remain there for just a few minutes- I remained there for several minutes, soaking up the sun pouring in from the gaps in the canopy. I sat on the grass, enjoying the soft ground, forgetting about the cold stone floor that I'd been confined to.