The Lion's Den

Chapter 13

     I rolled over to put my arm around Zivon, but all I felt was empty stagnate air. I was confused, and opened my eyes to the dark, empty room. Zivon should be up by now...

     And then I remembered. I wasn't at home, I wasn't with Zivon. Where had Bert taken me? 

     The ground was cold against my cheek, and I lifted my body up with great strain. The room was dark, and I stretched my hand out in front of me. I couldn't see my own hand. 

     A crevice of light shown, sourced from a line of brightness. That must be a door. I got up, stepping forward to reach it. 

     Suddenly, my leg was caught and I fell flat on my stomach. My left ankle ached, cool metal digging into its skin. "Fuck," I muttered.

     The door creaked open, and I wiped my face of any emotion. In walked a man I don't seem to recognize, his face half shaded in the darkness of the room.

     "Hello little Devil," the strange man purred. "Nice to see you again." And it hit me. Not just realization, but sheer terror, as I recognized the walking nightmare standing in front of me.  

     It was my nightmare, the man that ruled them. Creg. My foster dad, abuser, and now kidnapper.

     The problem was, this wasn't a dream. Zivon wouldn't be here to pull me out, back to the surface. 

     I would have to drown on my own, suffocating in the loss of Zivon, and my own fate.

     I wish I would have told Zivon... I wish I would have told him thank you. I wish I would have told him I wanted to stay with him, I wish I would have kissed him more, savoring every moment with him like it was my last. 

     I'm sorry, sorry I was such a burden. Sorry I tried to stab you with a toothbrush the first day I met you in The Den. 

     I'm sorry my nightmare woke you up, and that I never really told you why. I'm sorry I tried to escape, and now I'm sorry I will never get to give you the cross...

     I'm sorry Zivon... I'm sorry. 

******

     I don't know when I woke up, but I wish I hadn't.

     I could feel the mats in my hair, glued together with semi-dried blood. I couldn't move, the pain was to much. I thought of Zivon, before finally blacking out again. 

Zivon's POV: Shes been gone for two days now. I can't sleep without her, so here I am for the second night in a row getting plastered drunk. 

     It's funny really, without her I expected time to stop. It couldn't possibly keep moving without her right? But it does. People go out, they laugh, smile, shop, do anything really. I can't.

     Every shot I take, I hope to forget her. I can't. Somehow her face seems to blur the whiskey itself, and I can't shake her from me. 

      This must be what hell feels like. Your own demon of emotions eating you from your insides, rotting you away.

     Without her I'm a shell, and I can't find myself without her. Her name echos through me, like a throbbing melody of grief.

     Feliks keeps trying to tell me she was taken. Something about the security feed showing Bert going into the room and never coming out. He's just trying to get me to pay attention to reality, but I don't want to yet. I can't.

     Stumbling out of the bar, I made my way to my car. Not bothering to put on a seat belt, I began my drive to the compound. It's not even a home without her.

     I don't remember where I'm going anymore. I see blurs of trees, fences and signs going by the windows. 

     A bottle of whiskey was in my hand, and I took a swig. Setting the bottle down, I missed the cup holder and it spilled everywhere. 

     Reaching down to pick up the empty glass, it had fallen between the seats. Digging my hand down, I finally retrieved it and set it down.

     Looking up, the world was swaying back and forth. I must be on a back road, because there are no cars here. No headlights are shining through the misty fog of the night and into my front window. 

     Suddenly a tree was in front of me. There was a boom. I flew forward, light erupting beside me. 

     White airbags inflated, and sharp pain collided with my head. As the world faded away, I wondered if Nova would be home when I woke up.