Black

XXVI

So I walked faster. The deeper I walked into the alleys, the darkest it got. Good.

The darker it got, the better. It could never get totally dim because of the lamp posts that lined the alley, so I wasn't that bothered about being in total darkness with a murderer. If he was a murderer, then I was an uncontrollable psychopath on the loose.

I couldn't run that fast because of Zoe's body that weighted me down and due to that, a horrible idea started taking place in my head. I have taken a lot of risks in my life, but this was going to be one hell of a big risk.

Reluctantly, I moved the hand that rested on Zoella's back up and down it. She started moving, stirring up.

With a shaky breath, I whispered, "Zoe, we are playing a game right now, I-It's called running from the beast. There is a person who is called the beast who follows us to try and catch us and in order to win, we can't let him catch us at all. After winning, we get huge chocolates and candies. Can you play along?" I have created that game in my head ages ago for when this time comes, and here it was. I waited for an answer but I received nothing from her.

"Zoe."

She lifted her head and rubbed her eyes, moving her head to look around. First mistake.

I clenched my jaw and nudged her, "If you look around, we lose too. So, are you going to play?" my voice quivered.

"Morning, Zee," a voice echoed through the place, making me want to block my and Zoella's ears from his cold, monstrous voice. Second mistake. His voice wasn't distant, meaning he was close.

My heart pace increased as I clenched her clothes in my hand. This was going drastically wrong.

"Zoella, don't look," I said when her head snapped to his voice. She looked back at me, her chest rising and falling against mine. Without having to look at her, I knew she was scared. Third mistake.

"Will you potect me from the beast?"

It was then when I felt the whole world stop. When my heart beat slowed down and the distant sound of the cars and the city went silent. I looked at her and saw the fear in her eyes, but along with the fear, there was the spark of challenge.

"Always."

She smiled slightly and started squirming in my grip, trying to get out.

Unwillingly, I let her go. The warmth of her body, that was the only thing that stood as reassurance to me, gone. She reached out for my hand, squeezing it.

I lifted my head up and so we ran from the beast.

~

*Flashback*

I stood in front of the cemetery for the thousandth time ever since they left me. Every and each one of those times was spent in the same spot that I occupied right now, staring at the gate that led to the world of death blankly and waiting for some kind of force to push me to walk inside. Every and each one of those times I went back home without knowing where my family rested.

The thought that I was never going to see them again made my knees shake whenever I took one step forward. I couldn't believe that this was it, that my family was gone now and the only way I could technically be close to them was through touching or talking to a stone that rested on a bed of soil.