CHAPTER 9- THE SELECTION
1091 Words
CHAPTER 9
ELLIOTT'S POV
I pulled the blanket closer around myself, my heart refusing to calm down.
The cupboard, the strange guy, Tristan and I found was empty.
Empty.
It felt strange. Off. Suspicious in a the-walls-are-watching-me kind of way.
I rolled from side to side on the bed, restlessness chewing through my insides like worms burrowing through wood.
Eventually, my head fell to the side.
ALEX'S POV
What worse could happen?
That was my first thought when my eyes snapped open.
Max wouldn't stop whispering in my ear.
At first, I rolled from side to side on my bed. The feeling was familiar—like years ago.
But back then, nothing ever happened despite Max's dramatic predictions.
Now...
It was happening again.
“My instincts are never wrong, Alex. It's happening again. I can feel it.”
A low groan escaped me.
“I don't have time for your tantrums, Max. Go to sleep.”
“Stand up, Alex.”
His tone was sharper now. Urgent.
Before I realized it, my feet moved on their own.
My eyes turned golden-brown.
My body moved without my command, ignoring everything I shouted internally.
Max had taken over.
No.
This felt different.
I could still sense Max somewhere inside me.
Quiet.
Too quiet.
I clutched my chest and nearly stumbled as a strange, familiar scent dragged me forward.
My lungs tightened.
My breath came in short, sharp gasps.
Max was letting me feel it.
My curse.
“What's going on?” I growled inwardly.
I tried speaking to Max.
Nothing.
Silence.
He had retreated somewhere deep inside, abandoning me with whatever this was.
For years, I never fully understood the curse.
It started with tiny red spots on my face that itched for hours, then screams in my head that sent my heartbeat spiraling out of control.
But now—
I swallowed hard as my feet continued moving on their own, drawn toward the scent.
Toward...
Elliott?
My eyes returned to normal, like waking from a trance, and I finally realized where I was.
Standing beside Elliott's bed.
He looked like a sack of potatoes wrapped tightly in a blanket.
Tch.
I turned to leave.
A soft groan made me pause.
He rolled toward my side of the room, exposing part of his face.
My brows furrowed.
I leaned closer.
And closer.
Until my face hovered just above his.
This scent...
It felt familiar.
Achingly familiar.
Was it coming from him all along?
Why did you pull me toward you, Elliott?
Was it really you?
My thoughts twisted into knots.
Max remained silent.
Hidden.
He mumbled something unintelligible.
I straightened, ready to leave.
Then I felt a touch.
My eyes flashed gold again.
The ache in my chest returned.
He had grabbed my leg.
I turned sharply.
His eyes were half-open, clouded with sleep.
“Don't leave,” he muttered.
Then he drifted back to sleep, his grip loosening.
Who are you, Elliott?
ELLIOTT'S POV
The day should have begun with the loud bell jolting students awake.
Instead, my sleep remained peaceful.
Too peaceful.
At first, I felt something pleasant.
Warm.
Comforting.
Then it felt like something was crawling slowly into my ear.
My hand shot up and smacked it.
A strange grin spread across my face.
Then I felt a weight pressing down on me.
What the—
My eyes flew open.
I tried to sit up and turned—
Roy cackled so loudly that Alex jerked awake from his bed.
“Sorry,” Roy muttered, though he continued laughing.
He was sitting on top of me.
“Morning!” he chirped.
I scratched my left ear aggressively.
“What's so good about the morning?” I yawned.
“Oh, you have no idea.”
Roy grinned as he pulled on black shorts, a white polo shirt, and a black band tied around his head.
“We're going hunting.”
He sounded like a kid heading to an amusement park.
“What's so special about it? I can barely catch a rat, let alone something running around in the bushes.”
I waved him off, rolled over, and pulled my pillow over my face.
Then—
A smack landed on my butt.
My entire soul left my body.
I shot upright.
“Why did you do that?!”
Roy blinked in confusion.
Alex turned toward us.
I blinked too as realization crashed into me.
Right.
I'm supposed to be a guy.
I guess getting smacked on the butt wasn't considered strange here.
No way I was ever getting used to that.
“Let's go hunting,” I forced out with an awkward laugh, trying to erase the weirdness hanging in the room.
Roy didn't comment.
Instead, he handed me my hunting outfit.
It was red.
“But why red? Does that mean I'm on a different team?”
“Exactly. Don't worry—Alex is on your team. He might be annoying, but I doubt he'd leave one of his teammates behind.”
Roy smiled.
The smile didn't reassure me.
It looked like he was lying for the sake of my mental health.
“You two must've been teammates before. Has he ever left you?” I asked.
Roy froze.
Then he glanced at Alex.
His expression darkened.
“Let's just forget about that.”
“But—”
“Put on your outfit, Elliott. Elder Gideon will be there, and trust me—you do not want to become after-hunting entertainment.”
That shut me up immediately.
Minutes later, I stepped out of the bathroom with the red band tied around my head.
“What if I lose?”
Roy slowly turned toward me like a character from a horror movie.
“You... don't... want... to lose... Elliott.”
“Wow. Terrifying,” I muttered.
“It'll be more terrifying if you actually lose. Just make sure you get three catches. You're with Alex. You two will be fine.”
He grinned.
“Hey! That's not funny!” I snapped.
I couldn't believe my survival depended on Alex of all people.
“But don't worry,” Roy whispered into my ear. “I'm certain Alex likes you. I saw him standing next to your bed last night.”
“What?!”—
Roy was already gone before I could finish.
“Next to my bed?” I whispered, turning toward Alex.
Our eyes met.
I looked away so fast my neck nearly snapped.
Alex casually tied his red band around his head, then walked out without sparing me a second glance.
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