Chapter Three
A/N: SO MUCH SYMBOLISM! XD But anyway, this chapter is just more development of what's been going on since the whole 'Dagur incident'. Gives you a tad more insight into Hiccup's feelings about it and how his friends/family are helping him (or not) to deal with it.
He's running. His boots slosh through mud and sleet as he sprints as fast as his legs will carry him. Hiccup gasps for air, his throat clenched tight. His head is pounding. He can't see straight.
Someone is following him...
He can hear their heavy footsteps behind him, echoing off the trees that surround them. Shaking his head furiously, Hiccup narrows his eyes and tries to see past the blurring and stars that ruin his vision.
"Hiccup..."
He shivers at the voice.
"Stop..."
Without warning, Hiccup's feet stop moving. He stumbles, shocked that he can no longer move. His body goes rigid and shivers roll through him. He doesn't turn to face his follower but he can hear their footsteps growing closer. And closer. And closer...
"Hiccup." They say again. It's man's voice. A familiar voice...
"P-please..." Hiccup stammers, tears stinging his eyes.
The man grabs his shoulder and spins him around. But before Hiccup can see who it is, a horrible pain blossoms in his stomach. He screams in agony as the man withdraws his blade from Hiccup's midsection. He laughs, cruelly.
Hiccup sinks to the ground, wheezing as he clutches his bleeding stomach. It doesn't hurt, actually. There's only a dull echo of pain there...but he doesn't seem to notice. He's still gasping and whimpering, knowing he's going to die. The world fades away, leaving only the chilling sound of his attacker's laughter.
"I'll be back..." He hisses.
Hiccup moans and buries his head in his arms. No...please...
The footsteps recede into the distance, leaving Hiccup alone. He gasps, fighting the darkness that struggles to consume him. But the darkness cheats. Soon, the sky itself turns dark. No stars or moon rise to break it apart. There's only black, empty darkness...
Please...
"Please...please...no...please no..." Hiccup moans in his sleep, one of his hands clutching his hair. His eyes are squeezed shut, small whimpers and cries escape his lips as he rolls over again. His blankets are strewn onto the floor, twisted up with his constant thrashing. Only his pillow remains, grasped in his clammy, shaking fist.
Downstairs, Stoick sighs as he also rolls over. Apparently, Hiccup isn't the only one who's been having trouble sleeping lately. Berk's chief closes his eyes for the hundredth time, willing himself to fall asleep.
But to no avail.
He sighs again and flops onto his back, staring at the ceiling. It's only then that he hears it. Low whimpers muffled by the wooden surface above him. He sits up, straining to hear. Maybe he only imagined it this time...
"No...no...no..." Hiccup's voice is undeniable this time, much louder than a moment ago. His words tremble with the panic that is rising within him as nightmares tear through his mind. Stoick can hear it and it pushes him to jump to his feet. He runs out of his room and up the steps, arriving in his son's room just in time to see Hiccup jolt upright in bed, a ghostly look on his face.
"Son."
Hiccup jumps, startled by his father's voice. He spins around and stares at Stoick with wide, fearful eyes. "D-Dad...?" He stammers.
"Are you okay, son?" Stoick asks, tiredly.
For a long moment, Hiccup only stares. There's an odd look on his face. A disturbed look. In this level of darkness, his emerald eyes look pale, his face ashen. "Yeah..." He finally answers, although it's just a breath of a word. Both of them know it isn't true. Hiccup will never be okay again...unless Dagur has been dealt with.
"Just...try to get some rest." Stoick tells him.
Hiccup nods slowly and lays back down, turning on his side so his back is facing his father. His impassive eyes stare at the wall. He won't be sleeping anymore tonight...not if it means experiencing that torture again.
"Alright, guys!" Astrid calls as she claps her hands together. The blonde girl is wearing a bright smile on her face. There's a happy twinkle in her eye as she looks at the group of teens in front of her. "Since Hiccup is still kind of restricted in the amount of flying he can do, I'll be taking over training until he's back to his normal self." She casts a look to Hiccup, who is sitting with Toothless against the far wall.
He smirks at her, a silent 'you'll do fine'.
She responds with a grateful wink and looks back to the others. "I thought we could start with a race. Everyone, mount up!"
And, miraculously, the other teens don't argue with her. They exchange excited looks, all of them loving the idea of another race. Then, they hop into their saddles and prepare to take off.
"Are you coming, Hiccup?" Fishlegs calls from across the Academy.
Hiccup hesitates, reluctant to admit that he isn't exactly feeling up to flying right now. With all the twisting and turning he did last night, his wound has been a little sore and he'd rather not push it. "Nah..." He calls, avoiding his friend's searching eyes. "Toothless and I are a little worn out from yesterday..."
"You sure?" Fishlegs mumbles, seeming to not buy his story.
"I'm sure." Hiccup flashes his most convincing smile. "Go on, Meatlug looks like she's ready."
"Um, okay. If you say so." With that, he hops into Meatlug's saddle and they hover into the air, buzzing through the front door and off into the sky. They are quickly followed by the other teens.
All...except for Astrid.
She frowns at Hiccup, who hasn't noticed she's still there. He looks distant, like his thoughts are a million miles away. He is sitting with his back pressed to Toothless, his knees pulled up to his chest and his arms wrapped around them. There are shadows beneath his eyes, as if he didn't sleep at all last night.
Concerned, Astrid strides over to him. "Hey," She begins in a gentle voice.
He glances up at her out of the corner of his eye. "Hey." He says. "Shouldn't you be out with the others...?"
She shrugs. "Shouldn't you be?"
He lowers his head so that it's leaning in the crook of his arm. "You heard what I told Fishlegs, didn't you? We're just kind of tired from yesterday..."
"Yeah, I heard." She mumbles. "But I don't buy it."
He arcs an eyebrow at her. "What?"
She sighs, deeply and kneels down beside him. Her expression softens when she says, "Listen...you know you can talk to me, right? What you went through was really tough and-"
"I'm fine, Astrid." He cuts in, harshly. "You don't need to worry about me."
Astrid recoils a bit. Since when does Hiccup talk to her like that? Or, anyone for that matter.
Then, seeing Astrid's surprised face, Hiccup's expression mellows. "Sorry..." He mumbles, raking a hand through his hair. "I didn't get much sleep last night...I guess I'm a little irritable."
She nods and places a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry about it. And, Hiccup...?"
"Yeah?"
"Don't worry about...that either. He's gone and you're safe now. Just try to forget..."
He lowers his gaze and closes his eyes. "I know. Thanks, Astrid."
She leans down and gives his cheek a soft kiss before standing up. "Remember, if you ever need to talk, I'll be here."
He smirks. "I'll keep that in mind."
With that, Astrid runs off toward Stormfly. She hops into the saddle and hurries to catch up with the other kids. But before she takes off, she looks back at Hiccup one more time.
His posture seems a little more relaxed...but there's a knot between his eyebrows that shows his mind is not as peaceful as his body. There's a war raging in there. One that can't be stopped by simple, kind words and a safe bed to sleep in at night. Hiccup is scared. And it's killing his family and friends to see him like that.
