The Dark Fairytale

Chapter 5 | Pointing Fingers

"Have you got some water?" I asked Jacob. "Sure," he answered handing me a pitcher-like thing. To say it was dark would be an understatement. It had been four hours since we had been walking and though snowing had stopped an hour earlier, the cold isn't making things easier for us any time soon. 

To sum it up, I'm tired, cold and hungry without a plan or place. The only thing that's been good for me is the fact that Jacob and Jareth have filled me in about what I've landed myself into. Jacob to more precise and Jareth commenting from time to time for why he thinks my whole existence is very odd in the first place.

And the more they have told me about Addoreda the more pathetic my situation has started to appear to me. I took a gulp of water and somehow it tasted weird. "Why does it taste weird?" I inquired, after swallowing it.

"We didn't have anything, so we had to put it in the gut of the Griffin we killed earlier," Jacob provided and I spit out what I had just drunk. "You did what?" I shrieked.

"Hush! I think I found something," I heard Jareth's voice hushing us. "What is it?" I asked, passing pitcher back to Jacob. I sat down beside Jareth, my eyes looking in the direction he was pointing. It was too dark for my eyes to make anything, but I could tell it was a small bunker at the other end. "That's a hideout!" I said in surprise, making my way towards it. Finally! It had been a long night. "Come on, let's get going."

Before I could take a step further, I found myself being pulled back. "Are you trying to get yourself killed on purpose?" I heard Jareth's voice whispering into my ear. My back pressed against his torso as he supported both of us. Though he didn't seem to notice, I could feel his arm wrapped around my waist, his breath cool at the back of my neck. "I can't believe you asked her to tag along," Jareth said under his breath, his words directed to Jacob. "What now?" I defended and Jareth pointed into a direction, a few meters away from our destination.

"What?" I asked, unable to see anything at all. I felt him sigh. "Look carefully. You'll see some movement," he insisted and I tried harder. Then I finally saw it, a whole pack of big wolves circling the area. Their dark fur camouflaging them in the darkness.

"Holy Rhea! You got to be kidding me," I cried, covering my mouth with my hand. "How are we supposed to get in?" I asked, looking back at them for some insight.

"Don't worry, I've got a plan," I looked at Jareth smiling before he turned to face Jacob. "No, you don't," Jacob threatened. "Come on, man," Jareth insisted. "What is it? What is he trying to do?" I asked Jacob. "You'll see," Jareth smirked.

I, for one, didn't want to.

At all.

_______

"Are you sure it will work?" I asked Jacob who simply shrugged. Jareth, on the other hand, looked too much optimistic for our liking. I mean there's no wrong with being hopeful but this seems like a long shot to pull off. Jareth, as usual, begs to differ.

The plan was simple. 

1. Use the bait to deviate wolves.

2. Wait for Jareth's signal.

3. Run as your life depends on it, which, in our case, surely does.

Simple, right?

No.

I went over the plan one more time in my head and made a mental list of everything that could possibly go wrong. And let me tell you, it's a long, very long list.

"Come on, guys. Show a little enthusiasm. After all, I'll be the one going all the way to the wolves to set the bait. Your task, in comparison, is much easier," he said picking up two more of the dead wild squirrels for the bait. Once he was done, he looked at us one more time, his amber eyes set with determination. He could be a leader, I could tell by the way he was encouraging us. In other words, how he made us fall for this.

"Fine," I said when the silence continued for too long. 

"Good. Are we set?" he asked looking around, probably scanning the area.

"Yeah," Jacob said taking positions. "I guess it's around a three hundred meter run. Lure wolves at least five hundred meters away. With this much meat, it will give us two minutes maximum. It's a close call but we can manage, hoping everything gets right.

Once you s***h these," Jacob referred to the corpse, "You won't have much time before they smell blood and run into your direction. Drop the thing and run as fast as you can," Jacob explained and I bit on my lip nervously.

Even though we manage to get there in time, Jareth would have to cover at least five hundred meters in almost one and a half minutes. Even for someone from the military, it's like running as fast as you can.

"Are you sure you can do this?" I couldn't help but ask. Though he hasn't completely accepted me in the team, I can't help but feel scared for him. "I've been trained as a part of special forces. Of course, I can pull this off," he answered as a matter of fact. "Okay," I replied, hugging myself.

"I'll be fine. Be safe," I heard him say, a little softer this time. I faced him and realized his amber eyes were fixed on mine. I felt myself nodding. 

Several minutes have passed and Jacob has signalled me to be on my mark. I could see the pack still pacing the area, the sound of their howling and barking could be heard this close as well. A few moments passed and it became prominent, more aggressive. I could see them running towards the direction Jareth has gone. "Now! Run!!" I heard Jacob's voice and that was it. I ran. As fast as I could. It wasn't easy as the ground was still moist, the darkness of the woods didn't help me either, but I continued to run until I could see the hideout clearly. Just last hundred meters, I said to myself. Although I could feel my lungs burning I only pushed myself harder.

Until we reached there.

I found Jacob standing in front of the metal door. "It's locked," he snapped. "Let me see," I said pushing him away. There was no keyhole or even a lock or padlock. There's got to be the way. But we had no time to waste.

I inspected the door once again when I saw a beeping light. I looked at the band on my wrist and I decided it's worth a go. I angeled the band so that the eagle head is facing the tiny led. For a moment, nothing happened and just when I was about to pull my hand back, a click sound welcomed us. I turned the handle and it opened.

"It worked!" I heard Jacob sighing in relief before I pushed the door open and we both got in.

"f**k! They're too close. He won't be able to make it," I heard Jacob curse and I looked outside over his shoulder. Jareth was coming our way but the wolves have sensed him. They were coming his way, faster than he could ever be. One of them leaped at him and he fought to fend him off, but it had slowed him down for others to catch up to him. There's no way he could survive the whole pack.

Just when another wolf leaped at him and ready to sink his canines into his flesh, it was projected to the back where it collided with the rest of its pack. The explosion reverberated through the place, liting it up like firework before everything was swallowed by the darkness.

Jacob helped Jareth, as I put the ray-gun down, my hands still shivering from the sight and the unexpected adrenaline rush. "Holy Rhea! You 'kay?" I heard Jacob asking Jareth who let out a yeah. Their eyes met mine and Jacob grinned in satisfaction.

"That was amazing! Where did you learn to aim like that?" Jacob asked as they made their way in. "I don't know. It just happened," I told him, feeling unsure myself. "That's an AZ-345, the gun alone weighs more than three kilograms. Just one shot and it can vapourize anything that hits its blow," Jareth said, his voice containing no emotion.

"I didn't know that," I admitted. 

"You don't remember who you are but you remember how to fire a gun. How convenient," he scoffed. I felt his words directed at me with brutal accusation. As if it was my fault. And all I could think was what did you wrong in the first place.

"Jareth, calm down, man," Jacob tried to calm him.

"What's your problem?" I asked, too fed up of his demeanour. 

"You tell me," he said, now his eyes staring back at mine. 

"You don't trust me, do you? I get it. I haven't done anything to earn that but I just saved your goddamn life. Least you can do is be a little considerate." I lashed out.

"And I saved yours. So guess we're equal," he replied, his voice as cold as frost.

"Why are you like that?"

"Let me ask you the same. Why don't you just tell us who you are? Why bother lying?"

"Because I don't know, okay? I don't know how many times I have to say that until you believe me but I don't know who I am. I don't know my name, I don't know who I am and I don't know what the hell I am doing here. And trust me, at this point, I want to know that. More than you do," I realized I was almost shouting at this instant. Probably to hide the fact that my voice was wavering. To cover up the fact that I was shivering. 

Since the moment I've woken up, I have worked my best to push those thoughts aside. To stay calm and strong but the truth is I'm scared. I'm scared of this place, these people, and everything this place has to offer. I'm scared that I would die any second and much more scared that I would die without even knowing the point of my existence. Without knowing who I am. Without any trace of memory, any trace of existence. 

That when the moment would come, I won't even get to see my life being flashed in front of me. It will be a complete blank like I wasn't even real, to begin with. It's already too difficult to face this on my own, I don't want someone to remind me the same, every single second.

"... So please, stop making this more difficult for me," I said, barely holding my tears.

"I need to take a shower," I said to no one in particular before I left. To where, I didn't know, but anywhere alone because I don't think I can face anyone at the moment. I don't want to be with Jareth, because he only hurts me. And Jacob, though he's nice, I don't want to be with him either.

"Hey! You!" I heard Jacob calling after me but I pretended not to listen.

"f**k! We don't even know her name," I heard him curse and almost laughed at my fate.