The Beast

The Beast (20)

He watched in complete fascination as I curled up into a ball in the dark corners, my loud sobbing filling the entire room as I cried, and cried, and cried.

I couldn't stop the tears no matter how hard I tried because I miss him, I miss him so much and I couldn't take it anymore.

The blood, the pain, the tears...

I didn't want this anymore..

I wanted him.

"Little Raine?"

"Go away!" I snapped, my eyes blazing with unexpected anger as I swung my head to peer at him through my wet lashes and blurry vision. "Just leave me alone!"

His loud sigh had me shuffling back further into the corner, watching with weary eyes as he made himself comfortable on the cold, rough ground. He seemed sad, troubled even as he openly stared at me with those unnerving eyes of his...

My heart started beating rapidly in my chest.

"Tears... How does it feel like when you cry?" As he inched closer, I went back, trying to keep a safe distance between us to no avail. He stopped, mere inches away from touching my bony knee with his own and I shivered. "Do you feel pain?"

I was struck silent at his question. I mean, he.. Was asking me how it's like to....cry? I almost burst into laughter at the thought but that look in his eyes stopped me. That look of burning curiosity, so different from all the other looks he's given me before. For the first time in forever, he looked hungry for something which was not my blood... Yet a basic knowledge every man, woman, and child should know. And I couldn't help but answer him....

"N-no... W-well yes..." I stumbled over my words, pressing my face into the cool stone of the wall but keeping an eye on his frame that was dangerously leaning over me, caging me into the dark corner with no escape...

The dark in his eyes started to swirl as his head tilted to the side, his face a mask of confusion. "Where?"

At that point, I was beyond petrified. He never asked me questions before. Was this all a big plan of his to confuse me then strike me down as I lay defenseless in his unforgiving grasp? Was this a new way to play with my already messed up mind?

Slowly, afraid of the consequences if I didn't answer him, I reached out a shaky arm to place my sweaty and dirt-covered palm on top of his chest where I could feel a faint thumping beneath my hands...

Thump... Thump... Thump...

His eyes were wide as he stared at my outstretched arm but made no move to stop me.

I lifted my gaze up to his. "Here..." I whispered as an answer, observing his reaction to my answer in silent fear.

The silence stretched on and I quickly took my arm back, cradling it tenderly to my chest, scared that touching him might destroy  some part of me all of a sudden. He was unexpected, ruthless, and I know he would kill me if he wanted to.

Surprisingly, instead of lashing out on me and bringing me to the ground in pain, he looked down at his pale, bony hands with an empty look. A look I knew all too well and I couldn't help but take a deep breath.

Because in reality, he was just like me.

Broken...

Sad...

And empty...

The look on his face said it all, and for a moment, I allowed myself to sympathize with him other than the hate I usually felt for him. Everyone is broken, even a twisted mind like him....