Give & Take

Nightmarish Dream

"Get off me!" the Earl hissed and swung his cane at Baekho who quickly let go and stepped back.

"Please. Leave," Baekho said. He turned to the window. It was now or never. He rushed towards it as the Earl continued yelling for the guards but just before Baekho climbed out, he heard the Earl stop yelling followed by a heavy thud. Chills ran down his spine as he slowly turned his head. He gasped and felt the same coldness grip his chest as when he had seen the twisted man except this time, it was a head rolling on the floor. Baekho immediately felt his throat gag but he kept it in as he watched the hero took a step forward, looking at him dead in the eyes. Bloody sword in hand and splattered blood on the floor.

"Where are you going?" Minhyun asked in a tone so cold that Baekho felt his hair stand up. He started climbing down but from his frantic motions, he slipped and one of the gloves came right off. He grabbed the vines but only one hand could hold on now while the other just made the vines die, turning black from his touch. He slipped again when he couldn't find proper footing and fell right down. He cried out when he heard a crack and felt a sharp pain in his ankle but now wasn't the time to slow down. He pushed himself up forcefully and started running despite the pain. He held onto the cape tightly and gasped heavily as he tried to get away from the mansion without a proper direction. He just ran as fast as his legs could bring him. Wind bellowing in his face harshly and the sharp pain in his ankle didn't help but he kept going, telling himself that if he made it away, he would be free from Minhyun. He was also crying, unable to believe what Minhyun had just done. He killed the man with or without Baekho's powers. He had already intended to do so from the very beginning. Baekho knew it was all just a bloody test and he hated being a part of it. He slipped and fell onto his hands, wincing and sniffling.

"No... No. Get up," He told himself as he pushed his trembling body up before he gave up and continued crying. Get away. Run. Set yourself free.

But it wasn't easy with a painful foot.

And it didn't become any easier when he heard galloping behind him. The carriage. Baekho had forgotten about it in his panic to escape. Minhyun was going to catch him again and that thought only pushed him to run even faster, making him cry out from the pain. He couldn't falter now. One step and the next. Keep going, don't look back. Don't think. He entered a vast field that he didn't know would exist in the middle of a town, clueless as to what a park was. He could feel his chest seizing up and his knees wanted to buckle but he pushed himself on and on. Then he heard footsteps behind him. Quick and steady. No, no, no. Go faster. Push on.

Then it happened so fast that he didn't even register the pain of his fall as Minhyun had tackled him onto the ground. He was spun around and Minhyun was on top of him, panting heavily as well. Baekho grunted as Minhyun's hands suddenly found their way around his throat.

"Why didn't you do it? Don't you want to be free?" Minhyun asked in a snarling tone. Baekho gasped and tried to peel Minhyun's gloved hands off him with his own gloved one but he couldn't get a proper grasp as it was slippery.

"I can't," He wheezed while crying. "I can't." Minhyun's eyes were filled with anger as he squeezed tighter, causing Baekho to choke and gasp. His heart was beating so fast to try to pump oxygen into his body to keep him awake and he tried to breathe but his consciousness was fading. The grass all around them started turning dull and shrunk until it was nothing but death infused dirt.

"He wanted you dead. How could you let someone like that live? You're a coward. You have powers that can give you the life that you want and make people live in fear of you. And yet you choose to live like this. Selfless, kind and for what?!"

Baekho's vision was starting to turn blurry, unable to breath and as a last attempt to get Minhyun off, he lifted his bare hand and...

Touched him.