Savored Poison

Into The Darkness I Will Go

The only time I went out if the tent was either to use the restroom or to eat. Nobody dared to talk to me, not even Stiles, they knew that if they tried to get anywhere near me that I would lose it. 

So I continued with it, using it as one of my little tricks. Missing my training in the morning and instead doing everything myself. Working on certain things that I was lacking. Then I just decided to run laps.

 I'd always loved the feeling of running, going everywhere and nowhere at the same time. But not here. I felt free but caged. Like a bird with its wings clipped. I was limited with everything. I bet that if I looked hard enough one of Maliki's men would be watching me to make sure that I didn't run away.

But I made a promise.

I'd have to save Shanik, but most importantly my friends before I could even think about escape for myself. It was a rule for me. They were my life. The only thing I had left. If I didn't have them then there would be no me. 

So after a solid hour of just sprinting my ass off,  I made it back to camp, grabbed some food and went back inside my tent. Doing the same process over and over again. Get up, eat,  running, eat, then go in my tent for the rest of the day, hearing over the gossip with the soldiers. 

It took Maliki a good four days until he approached me. 

"Alright fine. I'm not letting you stay here the whole time and your a very valuable asset that I can't let go to waste. I'll let you go and see your friends, consider this your present before you end up being my second in command, alright?" 

I smiled in victory, "Yes sir...lead the way"

 It took me a lot of effort to say without grinning. But he listened to me. Turning around he went up to Stiles and said a few words before he motioned me to follow him. I wasted no time, running to his side . 

"It's gonna take the whole rest of the day to get there and back so here..." he took a small pouch out of his cloak and handed it to me, looking inside I saw that there was a water bottle, a few rations of food and a knife. MY knife.

I looked back up at him, "you deserve it.." he said before I could even ask. 

Then he turned back around and started to walk, motioning me to follow him. Quickly tying the pouch to my belt I followed his lead, walking right on his heels.

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It took a few hours to get there, Maliki was quiet just about the whole way there. 

The only time we stopped was for a food break. Taking a look at my rations I grabbed the first thing I saw, but Maliki didn't seem to be hungry for anything. 

As soon as I was done we were off again. It was cold, snow was starting to fall down on my lashes and I had to put my hood up and cover myself. Branches scraped my arms and legs but I didn't dare stop. I wanted....NO, NEEDED to see my friends. A urge to see them was inevitable and I knew they would do the same for me, if I was captured. 

So we kept on going, keeping a steady pace until finally the forest opened up into a clearing. A house suddenly caught my vision. My brows furrowed. This is where they were? I couldn't breathe. In one minute I would be seeing my friends again? And they could hold me in their arms and tell me that everything was going to be okay, that I could save them and we would all live happily ever after? 

Getting sucked out of my trance I could see Maliki staring at me, curious. 

Then noticing that I could see him, he cleared his throat, "Well here we are. You have just ten minutes" I let out a breath I hadn't realized i'd been holding, "Thank you." 

He sighed, " don't thank me yet," then we went inside. There I saw a few men, built like wrestlers and three times my size.  I cursed, how would I get my friends out now? We wouldn't be able to take them down! That was basically a  suicide mission.

Taking in my surroundings I noted the whole place. There was little furniture and a lot of open space. Then there were four other rooms, three bedrooms and one bathroom. Two of the doors were closed, but Maliki suddenly pulled out a key and unlocked the first door. Seeing the two best people in the world I started to tear up. Running in they both didn't recognize me until I was hugging them, Makala and Jeremy. 

"How are you here? Alex? Is that really you?" 

Makala cried, well....that blew my cover but I could care less at the moment.

 "Yes its me! Of course it's me," suddenly Jeremy was at my side, hugging me too, he looked sad but overjoyed to see me. 

"What are you doing here?" He asked, "I am with Maliki, I begged him to take me to you guys" 

They looked over my shoulder and froze, "Maliki" Jeremy grit his teeth, that's when Maliki stepped forward, making me realize that he was standing there the whole time.

 "Hello Jeremy, Makala. It's nice to see you again. Have you accepted my offer yet?"

 They both glared at him, "We would die before working with you, nobody would ever work with someone as evil as you! Not even the devil himself." 

Maliki laughed, "Well it's a shame that you think that way. Alex..." he said to me, "...why don't you be a doll and tell them what's going on, how you've let them down already?" I gulped, looking at my friends I could feel my heart drop. 

"Tell us what hon?" Makala said, "it can't be as bad as this lunatic really says it is. We support you no matter what" 

Tears suddenly went down my cheeks, "No!" I looked back at Maliki, "you tricked me! You..! You...." I couldn't breathe. Jeremy looked at me with worried eyes, "Alex it's okay."

 I shook my head, not believing anything he said. What would he do when he found out? What would he think of me? I was on the evil side with a monster that they hated with a fiery passion.

"Well since she's having a little trouble telling the truth I guess I'll have to break the news.." He grinned, "What a pity you have to find out this was but.. Alex has been working for me." 

Their eyes widened, "Your lying! Why would Alex work for you, she's smarter than that. Alex! Tell me he's lying" her voice softened at the last part, "It's true." I whispered, but they heard me. 

Before they could speak up I continued, "I did it for you! I was trying to see if he knew if you were alive! I didn't have a choice! They were going to kill my friend and maybe you if I didn't say something. I didn't know I swear." 

They backed away from me, "All promises are bound by word. And word is bound by law."

 I sobbed, "What?! What the hell does that mean?! You know I wouldn't do anything to hurt you! I have been looking for you since the day we split up and..... "

 I gasped, "Where's Sean?!" They looked at me with cold eyes. "We haven't see him since that day we ran." 

My knees buckled, luckily or unluckily Maliki was there to catch me. Pulling me back into the hallway. My time was up, "Wait! Why? Where is he! I can find him, I made a promise.... I made a promise to save him." 

Jeremy scoffed, "He went looking for you and probably died cause you were too selfish, to worried about saving your own skin. You joined their side and because of that Sean probably paid the price" 

Then the door closed in front of my eyes. 

Pulling out of Maliki's grasp I started to sob. Was he dead? Was Sean really dead? 

That's when I felt nausea hit me like a wave, collapsing to the floor all i felt was a moment of dread as dots formed in front of my eyes and engulfed me entirely  .