Drapetomania | Creepypasta

21.

The stranger's pacing brought him ever closer to my hiding spot. My heart pounded in my chest, and cold sweat dripped down my brow. I clutched the rusty pipe tightly, trying to control the tremors that shook my body.

Jeff's protestations and the stranger's refusal to believe I was gone had put me squarely in their sights. I was trapped, vulnerable, and defenseless. Panic coursed through my veins, but I couldn't move. My body had grown weak, and dehydration had left me on the brink of collapse.

The cellar's darkness felt like an oppressive weight, closing in around me. The seconds dragged on like hours as the stranger's steps grew louder, echoing in my ears. I knew I had to act, to find a way out of this dire situation, but fear held me in its unrelenting grip.

"Y/N L/N." The boxes surrounding me were swept away with one movement of the stranger's hand, revealing a darker version of Ben. At first glance, I thought it was him, but as the truth unfolded, I realized it wasn't.

This figure had white hair, pale skin, and striking red eyes. He wore an exact replica of Ben's clothing, but in greyscale, and stood slightly taller, exuding an eerie aura.

"What the fuck," was all Jeff could manage, his hands buried in his white hoodie pocket. It was the first time I saw his face, and it was nothing short of terrifying. Scars marred his cheeks, resembling the ones he had inflicted on Maya. His eyes' surroundings were a blood-red hue, and his skin was pallid.

"I told you," the white-haired man spoke as he leaned down towards me. "Bet you're glad to see some human life, eh?" His lips curled into a smirk. I wasn't entirely sure if I'd call them human, but I nodded in agreement nonetheless.

"So, you're telling me that other bitch was a decoy? That little fucking dickhead. I'll kill him when I see him," Jeff ranted.

"Now, now, Jeff. All will become apparent over time," the white-haired man, who introduced himself as Dark Link, said. He leaned down to inspect the chain that bound me. "Rightio, Y/N. My name is Dark Link. I'm not here to help you, but essentially, I am." His cryptic words left me puzzled, but I continued to nod, pretending to understand.

His hands were cold against my ankle as he kept inspecting the chain. "I'll refrain from questions for now. That's not my job," Dark Link said, holding his hand out to Jeff, who looked puzzled.

"A key?" Dark Link queried, and I couldn't help but find his name strange yet fitting for him.

"Why would I have a key? It was YOUR lookalike you put her here," Jeff retorted.

Dark Link sighed, "Well... a saw? Something? To cut the chain at least." I tensed up at the thought. I didn't want him to cut me accidentally. What if he wasn't here to help? What if it was actually Ben?

With that, Jeff went back upstairs to see what he had. Link had deemed his knife to be 'unprofessional.'

"You've been here for quite some time. You're very resilient," the albino male spoke as he looked up at my face. "But you look like death. And that's coming from me." Despite the dire situation, I appreciated his attempt at humor; it made the situation a little more bearable.

He continued to inspect the chain while we waited for Jeff to return. It felt surreal, sitting in that cold, dimly lit cellar with a mysterious figure who resembled Ben but wasn't. Dark Link's presence was both unsettling and strangely comforting, given the circumstances.