EPIPHANY, teen wolf (3)

eighteen

"What?" Stiles released a shaky breath.

The creature continued to speak in Japanese.

"I don't- I don't understand." Stiles spoke, releasing nervous breaths. "What did you do to Alex?"

"She's only unconscious." The creature's raspy voice replied as it crouched down beside Alex's body. It tucked some of her hair behind her ear, stroking her cheek with the back of its wrapped hand.

"Don't touch her!" Stiles yelled.

"She won't get physically hurt. She's on our team now." The creature spoke as it stood up again, beginning to pace around like it was doing before.

"Physically? Our?" Stiles sniffled, releasing small breaths, his voice quiet. His tone rose. "Who are you?!"

"Not who are you, Stiles. Who are we." The creature responded menacingly. "It's getting colder, Stiles. Did you notice that we've stopped shivering? We, including Alex."

Stiles glanced at Alex to find her goosebumps gone. She wasn't trembling either.

"Do you know why that's a bad sign?" The creature continued.

"It's the body trying to conserve energy." Stiles responded, his voice still shaky as he released breaths. "It was my fifth grade science report. Hypothermia."

"Our speech is starting to thicken." The creature spoke. "Then comes fatigue. Confusion. We're going to die if we don't get out of here. All of us." It whispered the last part.

"Stop saying that. Stop saying 'we'." Stiles spoke, glaring at the creature.

"We're trying to keep you and Alex from freezing to death." The creature replied. "You better get up Stiles. You better get up and save Alex."

"How, there's a freaking steel-jawed trap on my leg!" Stiles exclaimed loudly as tears stung his eyes once again.

"Is there?" The creature whispered as Stiles began to sob. "Notice something different?" Stiles noticed how the trap was now on his left leg, rather than his right. "It was on your right leg before, wasn't it?"

"No- no..." Stiles spoke quietly.

"Are you sure?" The creature asked in a whisper.

"What is this?" Stiles glared at the creature as he sniffled. "What are you doing?"

"We're trying to save you, Stiles. We're trying to save your life." The creature responded as it glanced at Alex. "Yours and Alex's."

••••

The creature finished drawing another backwards five on the wall. "You don't understand, do you? It's a riddle. Do you know any riddles, Stiles?"

"A few." Stiles responded weakly, the boy starting to lose energy. He glanced at Alex, making sure she was okay. She was still unconscious.

"What gets bigger, the more you take away?" The creature asked.

"A hole." Stiles replied quietly.

"What gets wetter, the more it dries?" The creature continued.

"A towel." Stiles sniffled.

"When is a door, not a door?" The creature spoke.

"When it's ajar." Stiles replied in a whisper as he exhaled a shaky breath.

"Everyone has it, but no one can lose it." The creature carried on. "What is it?"

"I don't..." Stiles whispered, not being able to finish his sentence.