Dominion

Chapter 4

"It says here, for the wages of sin is death but the gift of the Lord is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Ben reads out pointing his phone touch towards the inscription on the wall.
"What does that even mean?" I move closer squinting my eyes to see the inscription. Ben shrugs at me clicking on his phone camera to take a picture of the inscription. 
"Be fast, let's leave this place. This place has an odd vibe to it. Is that meant to be a security cause I wonder why someone would just stand in the corner monitoring our moves without making an attempt to approach us or something. It's creepy" I complain rubbing my arms to prevent the goose bumps from rising.
Ben snaps his head to me "What did you say?" his voice is one of panic.
I look at Ben eye-wide, "Ben, put your torch off" I whisper urgently.
"No! Whatever is there might be afraid of the light that's why we haven't been approached since." Ben argues
I cover my face with my hands "I knew it was a bad idea to leave the others and walk around by this time."
"Let's just walk away normally like we don't know anything is there and quickly join the others." Ben says removing my hands from my face.
"How are we going to do that? There's every possibility we are attacked. Put your torch off and we break into a run. That way it's harder for it to trail us." I explain
"It's going to be hard for us to see our way too. We might even run into it unknowingly. " Ben reasons.
"Lower your voice." I glare at him "there's no time for an argument. The best chance is still for us to turn off the light and run." I snatch his phone and quickly turn off the torch.
"What do you think you're doing?" Ben grabs my hand as soon as the torch goes off and retrieves his phone. The torch comes up shortly after to reveal a frowning Ben.
"Let's go," he tugs me to follow him but I stay rooted to my spot.
"Ben," I whimper in fear looking behind him.
Ben follows my line of vision, "aarrgghhhh!!!" we both scream impulsively. I don't know how and when our feet started moving but I am running as fast as I can. Ben a little in front of me.
"This is your fault!" I yell at him striving to increase my speed.
"Are you for real right now!?" Ben yells back.
"If only you listened to me but no! You never listen to anyone but your stubborn self." I throw back at him.
"I will be the mature one and say now is not the time to start an argument over whose fault it is. We need to concentrate on how to get to the others in one piece." No matter how much I am ready to argue with him I know he is right and nod in agreement even if he can't see me.
Ben stops abruptly and I follow suit using the opportunity to catch my breath. I can't hear or see any sign of what has been chasing us and I take it as a good sign.
"Why did you stop? " I ask panting. Ben points to the two pathways in front of us.
"Which way do we go?"
"Most likely the left. We passes through our right all through while coming which is obviously our left now." I reason. I begin to hear sounds from whatever has been chasing us which means it's getting closer. Panic envelopes me as I drag Ben towards the left.
"Let's go, we don't have time" Ben releases his hand from my grip but follows me nevertheless.
We haven't gone that far when Ben suddenly stumbles over something and cries out in pain.
I rush to his side "are you okay? Can you manage to walk?" I ask frantically.
"My leg, I feel like I twisted my ankle." he hisses in pain, his hands gripping his injured leg.
"Which part exactly hurts?" I examine the leg trying to flex it a little.
He flinchs in pain, "my ankle, it hurts so bad."
"Sorry" I try my best to massage his ankle as quickly and good as possible.
"Does it feel better? Can you manage it?" I ask and he nods in response.
I assist him in getting up, "Good, we need to keep moving "
I watch with pity as he struggles to run with his injured leg, slowing my pace for him. Suddenly, he looses his balance and collapse to the floor. I am on edge right now , I don't know what to do.
I crouch down beside me, "Ben look at me" he does as I say. "You have to endure the pain for a little while, I can sense we are almost out of here, come on." I try lifting him up but he is unyielding.
"Go, don't wait for me. I will only slow you down. I just need to rest my leg for a while and I will be right behind you." I look at him in disbelief, he can't seriously think I will leave him alone. If something were to happen to him, I wouldn't forgive myself. 
"There is no way I am leaving you here." I say looking him straight in the eye to let him know I am serious. The sounds are getting louder and I know we had little time.
"I have a plan, don't worry about me Clara. Go." he pushes me and I scramble to my feet looking at him uncertainly.
I mean to run but I don't. My feet decides to stay rooted to the spot they were.
"Clara go!" Ben yells, hurriedly untying the bandanna on his head to tie around his injured ankle. Will that help?
I freeze as I see it approach us menacingly. From the glimpse I can see it's all dark and scary looking. I don't even want to know how it really looks like. For once I am happy for the little light.
I watch as Ben manages to stand to feet, whatever has been chasing us an arms length away. Limping towards me, Ben grabs me by my hand and moves to run but it's too late.
" Aarggh!!! Let me go! No, no..." I scream as I feel myself being lifted in the air, my cries a mixture of Ben's. I collide with the floor hard, pain shoots up my body. The figure looms over me ready to strike again, I try to crawl away. I can hear Ben from where he lays on the floor call out to me. Apparently, he had been a victim of the first hit too.
"Clara! Clara!!" Ben shakes me profusely. I blink my eyes several times trying to understand what just happened.
"Let's go, I have taken the picture" Ben says once he sees he has gotten my attention.
"What happened? " I ask him
"You kind of zoned off" he chuckles putting his phone in his pocket.
I take a while to process what he says, I zoned off!? So there was never anything chasing us? I wasn't hit? How is this possible? I must be dreaming.
"I zoned off!? But-" I look around quizzically.
"But what?" he asks me.
'But it felt so real' I wanted to say but he won't understand so instead I shake my head. "Let's go" I tell him.
He looks at me uncertainly but nods regardless.
We got to the camp in the evening along with many others and so we were just shown our rooms to rest for the night. Ben and I had then decided to walk around whilst everyone got acquainted. With the way things turned out tonight, that's a decision I am putting it on my regrets list for this camp. Hope I won't have to add many more.