Captured (Split Fanfitcion)

Chapter 8

The next few days started to rush. Days after days you had the same rhythm that you followed. There was not much you could do though since none of the individuals let you out of your room. Sometimes Hedwig stopped by and passed more and more time with you. It was obvious that he started considering you as a friend. You two were getting along well, but every time you felt guilty deep inside because you knew: this was all just a part of your plan. To gain his trust in order to escape. You felt so rotten, because you knew exactly, that what you were doing is horrible. But still... you had to remember: this was all about life and death. And you basically had no choice.

You noticed another organized change during your stay. Every time you finished your shower or simply woke up, you found a plate of sandwiches on your bed. You didn't know who brought it to you, but you were grateful to them... It sounded hilarious, didn't it? But this was true. It was a weird feeling because you were basically taken care of here, your keeper looked after you, but.. obviously you were nothing else but a test subject. Still, you knew your position could have been way worse than this. So you had to stay grateful.

Thanks to Hedwig, you got to know some information about the other individuals as well. Not everyone though, because it seemed like the nine-year-old didn't keep contact with everyone in that imaginary chair room. But he especially loved talking about a man called Barry. You remembered that he had already mentioned him before. They seemed to be close, well at least there definitely wasn't any tension between them. At least in that time when he hadn't lost his power because of Hedwig yet. According to what he had told you, Barry actually looked friendly with his artistic side, but of course, you couldn't judge anyone from the first sight. Nobody was like what they looked like here.

Today Hedwig visited you again, bringing some pencils and A4 papers, so the two of you decided to draw together. Neither of you was good at it, but it didn't really matter, you just did it for fun anyway. Since you had spent basically all of your childhood in the forest to learn hunting, you had a wide variety of knowledge about the animals and their appearance. Of course, all you could do is just drawing shaky silhouettes, but this was enough to make your partner amazed.

Hedwig though, he decided to illustrate some of the individuals from that chair room. He was currently trying to draw Barry, at least according to what he had said. Since you have never met him, it was hard to judge it from the things the boy had told you.

However.. one thing started to interest you. If he knew everyone from that room, maybe.. he could have already seen the monster as well. You knew that he had avoided this question last time, but now that your friendship became stronger, he might have opened up for you.

"Hedwig" you started while you were sketching a long-eared owl that he had asked you to do.

"Mm?" He hummed then looked at you with curious eyes.

"You told me that you know everyone from that chair room, right?"

"Yeah.." he said looking back to his paper where he has just started drawing a stick figure. "Well, not everyone. I'm always with Ms. Patricia and Mr.Dennis and sometimes with Barry. But the others don't want to be my friend. I know what they look like but I don't like to talk with them." He snapped huffily.

"If they don't want to be your friend, It's their problem. They don't know what they're missing." You gave him a reassuring smile. As he saw yours he smiled back at you too.

"Thank you for being my friend." He said quietly after a bit of hesitation. You stopped for a minute with your drawing, swallowed as you looked at him. In the way he said it.. your stomach started twisting to his words.

"M-me too.." you responded in a weak voice. You were truly the worst for planning to trick this innocent child.

"And why did you ask it by the way?"

"Uhm.." you started nervously "Just because.. Since you can draw everyone so well, I was wondering whether you could draw something for me."

"Sure!" He nodded smiling "Who do you want to see?"

"T-The monster." You said quietly. He suddenly stopped drawing his stick figures as he stared in front of him.

"I-I can't do that." He responded timidly.

"Why?"

"Because.." He continued nervously "Because I've never seen it. The monster doesn't sit in the same room with us. It's at the railway station. Mr. Dennis and Ms. Patricia always talk about it though, but I don't know what it looks like exactly.."

"Oh.." you were disappointed "And what about Mr.Dennis or Ms.Patricia? They must have seen it then, right?"

Hedwig looked like he was struggling with something. Probably because this was something he shouldn't have told anyone. "They.." he started after a bit of hesitation. "They've never told me if they have seen it or not, but they told us that it can crawl and climb the walls no matter how smooth that is. That it has inhuman speed when he runs. And his skin is harder than the skin of a rhino!" He sounded even excited as he described it "Though, not everyone believes in it, still... It can protect us all alone."

"Oh..." There was not much that you could answer. If this monster somehow took over the body of this man, then you were definitely screwed. Everyone was. "A-and" you swallowed shakily. "Do you think it'll ever get out?"

"You silly, that's why Mr. Dennis wants to do the ceremony." He giggled "If he's right, then the monster will be able to use the Light constantly. And everyone will see how strong we are." He grinned at you but it quickly disappeared at the moment he saw the desperation in your eyes. "What's wrong? Are you afraid to meet it?" He asked innocently. "Ms. Patricia has told me that everyone who meets the monster should feel honored. Because they're the chosen ones."

You chuckled then smiled at the floor bitterly "If you say so Hedwig.." It was not in your plans to make the atmosphere so depressed. So after a deep sigh, you decided to change the topic. "By the way who are you drawing?" You enquired looking at the 2 stick figures he has been drawing. It was a girl and the boy, holding hands.

"Oh, this?" He smiled at you sheepishly "I-I wanted to draw you now."

His answer surprised but also touched you at the same time. "Oh, can I see it?" He nervously handed the paper to you so you could examine it better. It was hard to recognize the guy next to your figure. "And who's this besides me?"

"..Mr.Dennis" he admitted after a bit of hesitation.

His answer made your stomach twist. "And why are we holding hands?"

"Because I think you would be a great couple." He shrugged innocently.

You swallowed uneasily. It was pretty sure that your face was getting warmer again. "But Hedwig, we can't be a couple. I'm pretty sure that Mr.Dennis doesn't even like me." You said shyly.

"But he likes you! He's talking about you all the time!"

You looked at him sheepishly "R-really?"

"Yeah, he's so annoying!" He snapped angrily. "Also he now always wants to know about a lot of girlish stuff so he only talks with Patricia and not me!" He sighed "He's never done anything like this before. But this started as you came." Then he crossed his arms. "So if you two are a couple, he'll be normal again right?"

He was looking at you with high hopes, but you couldn't really give him a proper answer. You were blushing and just couldn't think straight. There's no way that Dennis would like you. No just forget it... Also, why did this make you so nervous?! You didn't like him or anything!! ..right? Of course not, this guy was the f*****g reason why you were here! And he definitely wanted to kill you! There's just... no way...

"Although.."

You looked at him after being intruded of your thoughts "Yeah?"

"I think he'll be normal as well if the ceremony ends." His tone sounded way darker as he was staring at the paper now. "After all, he told us, that your faith is to meet the monster."

First, you looked at him shocked, but then you started smiling. It was a desperate, bittersweet smile.

Why did you even bother yourself to imagine situations that won't happen?

To make yourself happy?

To give yourself hope?

They will never happen.