The Story of Midnight

Chapter 19

"Darkness does not leave us easily as we would hope."

― Margaret Stohl

*****

My hands lost their grip on the Commander's wrist.

It got harder to breathe. My lungs burned from the lack of oxygen as his grip tightened.

My head started to throb.

I squeezed my eyes shut not knowing what to do. I only managed to take in short gasps of air.

"Don't die on me yet, demon-girl. I've barely just started to have my fun with you."

My eyes opened to the colors of the night. Everyone looked like they were holding their breath and were staring at me in horror as they slowly watched my life slipping away.

I blinked a couple times to adjust to the dimness of the small area then my eyes fell on the Commander's. I could see something that can only be described as mad desire and sick amusement in his eyes, that evil smirk I thought I would never see is now etched on my mind.

"So the demon finally decides to show itself," he said in triumph, "You have the eyes of a snake."

I didn't know what a snake was, but I assumed it was some sort of dangerous creature.

My hands grabbed his wrist again, but this time it looked like Zephyr had something planned since there was more force on the hold than I had on him before.

"Let go of me." My voice sounded more sinister than I thought I could possibly say aloud despite his grip still on the collar of my jacket, stealing the air out of my body.

The Commander smirked widely and said, "Let go of you? Just try it."

My eyes narrowed at his ignorance.

"I warned you."

Somehow I lifted my legs high enough to knee the Commander in the jaw making him stagger and loose his grip on my jacket. His sword now lay forgotten.

My body acted quickly.

I crouched to grab one of my daggers and swiftly made my way to the disoriented officer. The tip of the blade was pointed at his stomach as I held on to him so he wouldn't fall. The Commander grabbed my right shoulder to regain his lost balance.

Silence followed; the prisoners too stunned to speak. Their eyes were abnormally wide at seeing movements that were too fast for them to register.

I always took pride in my agility, but this time it was Zephyr who should feel that way.

"I could kill you right now." I murmured in a dangerous tone.

"I could do the same to you," The Commander said in the same level of voice.

My eyes drifted down to a knife being held to my stomach. What I did next surprised me: I smirked. The Commander looked at me with confusion.

"Just as I thought..." I mused.

"What are you--"

Before he finished his question, the pommel of my dagger found its way into the Commander's jaw. His head snapped back at the fierce blow. I found myself in a crouching position and swiped my leg across the ground so that his balance was lost and he fell to the ground; his knife lay forgotten.

I heard the air leave his lungs making him vulnerable for a short time. In a flash-like motion, my dagger found its mark on the Commander's chest, the pressure just enough to cause pain but not pierce his armor.