Daydreams And Nightshade (DaN #1)

Chapter 68: As good as dead

Noah flinched at the sound of branches snapping. They weren't already on their way back, were they? He squeezed his eyes shut, fear slowly but surely building up in his chest, and he wanted to scream.

He had no idea what the soldiers would do when they got back. They'd been given a fake position in order to find Alexei and the others and when they realized it they'd be less than pleased. They were sure to make them pay dearly for it.

His dry mouth had still managed to produce enough saliva to dampen the gag in his mouth. Marteau had been cautious. With them out searching, Noah could've gotten away with screaming for help. If Alexei or Ivan had been nearby they'd had a bigger chance of finding them.

As things were, they did not, and Noah's optimism was fading quicker than ever. It had been his last hope. That the others would finally find them before the soldiers got back. He had nothing to offer anymore. No one cared to listen to him and they didn't even mind killing Cassius, so if he or the other two couldn't tell them the position of their squad they'd be of no use anymore.

They'd just be killed. Thrown to the muddy ground in the middle of nowhere with no one finding them before wild animals had feasted on their corpses.

Noah clenched his fists. He just wanted to be home again. He wanted to turn back time and not even consider for a moment to sign up for this. Why had he let himself be so manipulated? Why hadn't he noticed what was going on around him? He'd played right into the Gashcrows' hands and been oblivious enough to not notice until he was already facing the horrors of the war.

Worst of all, he'd left Luna in that chaotic state of the town. She was stuck in a war as well, trying to stop the uproar and keeping furious masses from destroying each other.

And he'd just up and left. Just to prove to them all that he wasn't the failure people thought he was instead of staying to help sort things out.

He turned his head towards Cassius and Winton. Cassius had done his best to hold back vomit while gagged, though some of it had found its way out his nose and Noah was pretty sure he'd suffered a concussion.

He prayed it wasn't a serious one.

Did it matter though? What were the odds of surviving at this point?

As voices coming from the woods grew louder, Noah's stomach twisted. The smallest ray of hope he had left wished it would be Alexei and the others. That they'd finally found them at the last minute, having fought the other soldiers and traced their steps to the camp.

But Noah had no such luck. Not ever.

"Well it was a cute attempt," Marteau said as he walked over, looking much more sinister than his voice would imply and he turned to the others with a nod.

Noah clenched his jaw as they moved towards one of the tents.

"But I wouldn't worry," Marteau continued as he began untying the chains around Noah. "You at least had the decency to talk, unlike this one over here."

He tilted his head in Cassius' direction and Noah watched in horror as men surrounded them both.

"And since he doesn't talk," Calvez said, producing a knife from his belt while kneeling in front of Cassius. "He's not going to need his tongue, is he?"

Noah fought to speak. Tried to yell at them to stop through the gag but it was pointless.

"I wouldn't waste so much of my energy on him." Marteau pushed Noah down on the ground with the help of two others, and Noah struggled in vain to get loose. "He's as good as dead anyway, isn't he? If his head doesn't kill him this probably will. In time."

Tears ran down Cassius' face as Calvez removed the gag and forced his mouth open. Cassius had no defense. Most of his teeth were gone already.

"Honestly? I wouldn't watch," Marteau advised him as Calvez traced the blade of the knife along Cassius' cheek. "It'd be a pitiful last view."

Noah paled. A pitiful what?

Marteau noticed his expression and smirked.

"Oh, you didn't think we would do anything to you?" He scoffed. "After you were the one who tried to screw us over? No, we're just not going to cut your tongue out or kill you, because you're the one who actually talks."

Another man came forward to push Noah's head down, stretching the skin around his eyes so Noah couldn't close them.

"I seem to recall you not being too fond of the dark." Marteau stomped down on his chest and the air went out of him. "Isn't that right?"

He tried pleading through his gag. Tried telling them to stop. That they could work something out. Not that he had any idea what he could offer at that point but he couldn't let it happen.

All it amounted to was desperate words drowning in a damp piece of cloth.

Marteau had warned him against pitiful views, but there were no pleasant ones to look at. It was grey skies, dark woods, or the soldiers standing over him, holding two thin knives right above his eyes.

He let out a last whimper, trying desperately to find something worth looking at.

Then he couldn't see anymore.