Chapter 2- Butcher

Astérix stumbled over her own feet as she ran down the hall, she reached the room she woke up in and slammed the door shut. Hobbling over to the bed; she crawled under it. The door opened up and heavy footsteps entered the room. Astérix held her breath trying not to gain the attention of her pursuer. The footsteps stopped and Astérix waited, hoped she was safe. The bed curtain flipped up and a hand grabbed her ankle. Astérix screamed.

The shadow slowly moved toward her, taking it's time. Astérix hobbled backwards as quickly as she could. She was scared out of her mind. Would the person hurt her? Or even worse kill her? A man rounded the slate corner. He caught sight of her and a grin played on his lips startling her.

"You're awake!" he yelled enthusiastically. The man was tall, very tall. He towered over Astérix like a mountain. Astérix pegged him about 6'4'', he had large open eyes the color of smoke and his long umber colored hair was tied up in a ponytail. He wore an open button up shirt un-tucked with blood stains on it and a pair of holy jeans. Through his clothes Astérix could tell just how muscular he was. In his hand was a butcher's knife, blood still dripping from the tip. Chills ran down her spine. He's going to kill me! The thought ran through her mind. Astérix let out a blood curdling scream, turned, and ignoring the pain, ran. Her body had kicked into survival mode and adrenaline began to course through her veins as she sprinted away. The man unsure of what he did wrong followed behind her at an increasing pace.

"Hey come back here!" he yelled the gruffness in his voice made him sound harsh. Astérix tried to retrace her steps to avoid getting cornered or lost, her surroundings became a blur. Her goal was to get away from this crazy man, to get out of this nightmare. She was smaller in size so she could make turns easier and outmaneuver the psycho. Luckily steps did not hinder her, she passed the indoor garden and into the first hallway she encountered. Astérix stumbled over her own feet down the hall, when she reached the room she woke up in she slammed the door shut behind her. Panting heavily, she hobbled over to the bed and crawled under it. Placing a hand over her mouth she tried to suppress her breathing. Astérix removed her hand and held her breath when the door opened up. She could hear his heavy footsteps and dared not look out from underneath the bed skirt. She waited for him to give up and walk out, or exit through the door on the other side of the room. It all played out like a cheesy horror movie where the damsel in distress tries to hide from her pursuer and is found soon. Suddenly the bed curtain was flipped up and a hand grabbed her ankle. Astérix screamed bloody murder. She was dragged from under the bed, her fingernails scraping against the wooden floor. When she was completely out in the open she turned and stared up at the man who had chased her. Her heartbeat quickened yet again, threatening to burst out of her chest. She screamed again and threw punches at him aiming for his face but because of his height hitting him in the chest. He seemed to shake off each blow as if it were just an annoying, little fly.

"Leave me alone!" she yelled at him. Her voice was high pitched and sounded more shrill than demanding. The umber haired man just started at her. Eventually she stopped finding her attempts useless.

"Let me go please?" she said, voice quivering in fear and tears threatening to spill from her eyes at any given moment.

"I didn't mean to scare you" he said his voice echoing with a thunderous boom. Astérix squeaked and tried to crawl back under the bed; but froze when she spotted the bloody butcher knife. The man followed her gaze and picked it up.

"Please don't kill me!" Astérix pleaded. She was confused when he started to laugh at her. It sounded like he was mocking her or, he was going to kill her and eat her. She was in the hands of Dohmer's brother, he was psychotic.

"I'm not going to hurt you, I was chopping meat for dinner" he said with a smile.

"D-dinner?" she asked meekly.

"You have to eat don't you?"

"Well….yeah but-"

"No buts"

"Do you own this castle, please let me out!"

"I don't own it I'm only the butcher and we can't let you out"

"We?"

"Yes we" Astérix's brows furrowed in thought.

"Why can't I leave?"

"I don't know" He had moved away from her now and headed to the door.

"Wait" she called out. He stopped and looked at her. She looked so small and fragile sitting on the floor before him, all bandaged up. Parts of her hair hung in her face and tears brimmed her eyes.

"I need to call my mom"

"…..There's no phone here" Before she could say anything else the man walked out of the room shutting the door behind him. Astérix stood up and limped to the bed. Now that the adrenaline rush was wearing off she could feel the pain. Astérix felt like she had been hit by a train. She collapsed on the bed and cried into the cotton pillow.

A loud banging noise like someone punching wood awoke her. The headache had returned and she groaned as she forced her eyes open. Astérix felt worse than before; the door squeaked open. Inclining her head Astérix watched the butcher walk in, it seems like someone was punching wood. He looked a little unsure of himself as he stepped closer to her.

"Dinner is almost ready" he said. She cringed at the volume of his voice.

"I'm not hungry" she whispered, her voice hoarse from all the screaming. A grumbling noise resonated from her stomach giving away her body's hunger. He started at her in disbelief. Astérix stared at the ceiling, if they wouldn't let her out then she wouldn't eat.

"Look" he said "Your wounds are extensive, you need to heal and you can go when you're fully recovered. Your body needs food to fuel itself ultimately helping repair itself."

"I can leave and go to a hospital"

"No…master says you can't"

"Who is Master?"

"Master is master"

"That…doesn't help me any" He got up to leave.

"Wait I don't know your name"

"It's Zephros" he said with a smile. "You?"

"Astérix" she answered. She swung her feet over the edge of the bed instantly regretting it. Yelping in pain she lifted her left limb back up onto the bed. Upon further inspection she noticed the purplish blue color of her ankle.

"It's swelling, doesn't look too bad though maybe a hairline fracture" Zephros said leaning over the bed and looking at it. Astérix sniffed as more tears started to brim her eyes. Zephros held his hands up.

"No please don't cry again, I hate it when girls cry" Astérix bent her head and allowed her hair to fall into her face blocking Zephros' vision. He sighed and gently touched her shoulder.

"I know you're still crying it will be okay"

"I've never broken a bone before…"

"Bones break no one human is invincible"" Zephros softened his voice to a dull roar.

"I have a headache I just want to sleep" Astérix said flopping back into the pillow. A tiny bell sound resonated in the air. It was a soft melodic comfort to her ears.

"It seems dinner is done" Zephros said. Astérix felt his powerful hands lift her up into the air. She screeched like a falcon as Zephros carried her out of her room.

"Put me back!" she yelled which did wonders for her headache. Zephros decided to not answer her as she screamed all the way to the dining hall.

It wasn't the least bit like her room. Where hers was like a prison, this was the exact opposite. It was a vast room with space to fit almost three hundred people. A long cherry wood table stretched almost the length of the entire room and was positioned meticulously in the center of the red and gold embroidered rug. Astérix looked at the golden swirls that seemed connected to all the corners of the rug, it was dizzying to look at. Small chandeliers were littered on the ceiling glittering like diamond teardrops. On one side of the room huge windows opened up to the night air. It was calmer than the storm before. Zephros placed Astérix in a seat and disappeared through a door. Astérix was inspecting the red tapestries hanging from the wall when he returned. He carried a steaming bowl. Setting it down in front of her Zephros took a seat beside her.

"Are there others here?" Astérix found herself asking as she took a spoonful of soup. It was really salty like it was poured in to hide bad ingredients.

"Yes there are five of us total"

"Where are they?"

"Out"

"Who are they?" Zephros took a minute to think.

"They are those that live here" he said. Astérix wanted to slam her head into the table but didn't want another injury and instead mentally did it. Slowly she ate the unrecognizable flavor of the soup in front of her. Cringing at the tremendous amount of salt as she did so. Glancing at Zephros she noticed him shoveling the food in as if he's not eaten for years.

"Do the others eat?" she asked. Zephros paused.

"Of course"

"Then why aren't they here eating?

"They're working"

"Working?"

"Yes"

"Where?"

"You ask a lot of questions….there's the cook, gardener, maid, me the butcher, and the young master"

"Is that all you're going to tell me?"

"Yes" Astérix huffed and folded her arms across her chest.

"Fine….fine" she pushed away the empty bowl crinkling her nose up.

"Too much salt" A crash was heard in the next room.

"Uh oh" Zephros stood and picked Astérix up carrying her from the dining hall.

"What are you doing!" Astérix yelled.

"Trust me….just trust me" Zephros said hurrying up to her room. Once there he laid her on the bed, shut the door, and locked it.

"I'm going out the back way keep both doors locked" he ordered leaving out the other door, locking it.

"The door locks both ways?" Astérix moved over. Indeed it could, it wasn't a strong lock but it would hold. She reached her bed once more and collapsed on it, babying her broken arm. It would hopefully be a peaceful night.

Maybe it wouldn't. Astérix sat up as the door was being pounded on. She heard the cracking of wood and scrambled under the bed. Curling up she closed her eyes and listened as the door splintered open and someone walked into her room. They walked softly so it couldn't have been Zephros. He was a brute with heavy footfall. Whoever it was, was strong though as they splintered the door. She waited and waited but the person never left her room. Slowly she calmed, quelled the fear and fell asleep on the hardwood floor.

The intruder in her room glanced at the bed, it was warm she was near. She would not be able to find a hiding place next time. He made a mental note to put a door with only a lock on the outside in the frame tomorrow. For now he'll let her have her win, for now she can elude him, but in the upcoming days he will meet her. His Astérix, the girl he saved from the crash. The stranger left the room glancing at the bed one last time.