Chapter 1: 逃げる

"It is nothing to die. It is frightful not to live."
― Victor Hugo, Les Misérables

This has to be the best decision I've made in my entire life

The sky was roaring now as darkness engulfed everything that it could, with rain pouring hard on my shoulder. The fabric of my long sleeved white blouse is sticking to my skin almost exposing my being. I am basically soaked by the icy water now but I didn't care. I had to keep moving forward so that they can't catch me. By now, that person would have already found out of my escape. A few men will be dispersed right away to go out looking for me so I mustn't waste a second.

I have to keep running if wanted to live my life.

After wandering in the woods for who knows how long now, the muddy road finally came in sight. It was as if doors have opened up for me by then and I couldn't help but feel glad for it. I just have to follow this trail, continue running and soon I will be free. But by the moment I stepped on the murky trail, a force sent me flying a few meters. After a few spins in the air, I finally came to a stop. My vision became clouded and the only thing I could feel was the cold rain hitting my face and the muddy surface beneath me. My body felt numb and I couldn't move. I stare at the dark cloud above me as the smell of salty rust clog my nostrils. I wanted to desperately cry out for help but I couldn't find my voice.

Am I going die like this?

I was expecting to feel pain at this point. But for some reason, I couldn't feel anything except a grave amount of exhaustion all over my body. The pitter-pattering of the rain was luring me to fall to sleep as I felt my eyelids feeling heavy at that time. I am afraid that if I sleep, I may not be able to wake up again, but the drowsiness was unbearable I think I'm about to fall anyway. I guess it's better to die to way after all. At least, the pain and the emotional torture will stop. At that moment, I heard a few voices coming near me.

"Is she dead?"

"I'm seriously going to terminate this worthless chauffer."

"What a waste. She looks so tasty. How I wished I met her and got a taste of her blood before this tragedy… Such a poor girl."

I saw a blur of purple, white, brown, and black above me. Is that a teddy bear I'm seeing? I couldn't trust my eyes. "Oh look! Her blood's spilling from her head. Impressive."

I couldn't help but gasp at that. What is this guy talking about? My vision was getting blurrier as every moment passed by.

"…Onegai (Please)… Tasukette (Help me)… " I whispered in despair. I didn't escape just to die like this. I don't want to die this way.

Just then I felt my body lifted as a strong pair of arms raised me from the ground. I could only see a blurry shade of yellow through by my now closing eyes.

"Oi, oi! Just exactly are you doing Shu?"

The man who was carrying me whom I think was being referred to by the other guy as 'Shu' didn't respond instead he continued to walk bringing me somewhere I don't know until I completely lost consciousness.

Darkness…

All I see is just pitch black walls surrounding me everywhere my eyes go to. Where exactly am I? What is this place? My chest was starting to feel tighter as if I am not getting any oxygen and I'm starting to quiver. A mannish voice in the darkness called out to me. It was so soft I wasn't even sure if I heard it really or if that was the product of my imagination. It was oddly familiar to me for some reason it was making me scared. I hated the malice and cruelty in his voice.

I don't want to be in this place!

"Aki-san…"

The voice became louder and now I am sure that it was not a hallucination. I didn't know when I started running but I felt myself moving forward. It was as if it was the right thing to do at that time. I started to run looking for an escape.

"Aaaaki-san…" then I heard an evil laughter echoing through the air making my spine shiver. I could see the shadows coming from the darkness getting to me. I didn't know how but it seems that there were numerous tentacles growing out of nowhere all aiming to snatch me. I could hear my heartbeat pounding like a bass drum

"You're mine." A black tentacle shot through and whipped through my arm… then my left leg, then my waist. Tentacles were firing through one after another until blackness covers my body. I couldn't move anymore and panic was starting to arise. I couldn't breathe anymore. I reached to the air in hopelessness.

Please…

Save me!