Chapter 3: Snakes and Prey

Guan Ping took a step back from the door, his legs moved before his thoughts could be put together, he ran down to the nearest room, tugging at the door handle, the door was locked, he runs to check the room after it, he shakes the handle up and down aggressive and impatient, no use. It's locked. He felt the sweat drip from between his fingers, he'd not noticed his heart hammer through his chest, and the persistent ringing sound in his ears. He looked around, lips parted as he inhaled and exhaled heavily. Then he runs again, he would try every door in this building if he had to. He tried another door, a fourth a fifth. All are locked.

He slows down, he moves his hand against another wooden door, his warm fingers slide against the wood before he reaches for the cold metal handle. It opens barely a crack, something was blocking it. He sighed lightly, anything would do he told himself, he pushed door with his shoulder but it seemed like something had fallen behind it. He shoves it again with harder force and budges enough for him to slip through, he hits himself against the frame as he squeezes past and kicks the obstacle, then bends down to touch it. Tree bark? Rough texture with bumpy surface, is this where they store the wood for the fire? It's night time and there is no light in the room, but he tells himself he'll do without. He feels around him, a table, wood? More logs. The moon shines through the glass window illuminating the clouds that surround it, Guan Ping feels a chill down his spine, and the leaves outside blow with the wind hitting against the glass. He continues to search till his fingertips feel a sculpted log, his hands slide up it to feel the cold metal. A sharp face that cuts him with the lightest brush, he licks the blood off his finger and picks it up, he swallows and carefully feels his way out to the door, bumping and walking into things in the dark, his right hand takes the door handle and he yanks it open sliding back out, he closes it behind him and hears more logs collapse to the floor. He paces quickly then transitions to running, his black locks dangling down his headband and sweat drops trail down his forehead.

There it was the flickering light, the slightly cracked open door, Guan Ping gritted his teeth angrily and smacked the door open.

The head of a single man turned to him, he has a smug face, plump cheeks that make his eyes narrow, and a sickening smile. "Well how can I help you at this time young man" His smile grows further. Guan Ping feels intensely uncomfortable, a shiver rushes down his spine, as his hand tightens against the weapon in his hand.

The man's smile fades as his eyes pin to the axe in Guan Ping's hand.

"Where is she?!" Guan Ping growls, glancing both ways quickly but keeping his focus on the creepy man in front of him. The symbols on his shirt, the dog tags, this man was a high-ranking officer.

"Give me that" The man commanded, his face becoming stern. He puts his hand out, he is much taller, bigger, he knows his power and Guan Ping is scared and its evident. "You don't want to get in trouble now do you?" The man asked, his tone patronising and as though he was talking to a child.

Guan Ping's right hand shook tremendously against the axe handle.

Get it together.

The man's expression turned to a smile again, dimples on his cheeks that make him appear kind and pure. He steps forward and Guan Ping steps back fully alert and his weapon close to his chest. The man puts his hands out warily. "Easy boy, you'll hurt someone with that.

"I know what you did" Guan Ping snapped, his nose curled in disgust.

The man had studied his body language closely, he should have struck by now if he'd planned to. He reached for the shelf next to Guan Ping pulling it down with everything in it.

Guan Ping flinches losing his guard as the heavy items in the old store room fall onto him. Once he looks up again he receives a hard kick to abdomen that knocks him back and he drops his axe. The man walks over slowly, a perverted smirk on his face, and Guan Ping rolls onto his stomach to crawl for the axe to retrieve it but it he is kicked back down with a heavy boot to his shoulder, he stretches his fingers helplessly trying to reach as he struggles under the big man's weight.

"Get off!" Guan Ping growled but all his strength was not enough to heave off the man's weight.

The creepy man grabbed him by the hair pulling his neck back. "Watching you struggle is my favourite part" The man chuckled eerily and used his other hand to reach for the axe. Guan Ping elbowed him hard in the stomach, forcing him to release him. "You little shit!" The man cursed, and Guan Ping slid from under him accepting he'd have to abandon his axe, he crawled between the shelves as the man retrieved the weapon. "Now you've made me mad!" The man spat swinging the axe in his hand.

Guan Ping crawled between the shelves wary of the direction of heavy footsteps.

"You don't want a little fun?" The man snorted.

And Guan Ping sat beside one of the shelves leaning his weight on it sideways, he uses his feet to push against the ground. "You disgusting pig!" Guan Ping snarled knocking the loaded shelf onto him and crawling to hide behind another further down. Only now he was cornered and limited for space to run. The last three shelves were lined next to each other, and the man's footsteps were just on the other side.

"Resist all you want, but a cornered rat, is a dead rat little boy" The man smiled and Guan Ping held his breath praying he'd come from the further side to give him enough space to run past, he held his breath not be heard, his heart beating fast as he squatted. The halting of footsteps was unnerving.

Then that instant Guan Ping noticed the man's figure under the shelf he was hiding behind. He quickly crouch walks escaping by an inch as the shelf collapses down almost crushing him. He places his hand on the floor pushing himself straight up and runs to turn the corner of the other two standing shelves when the axe flies in front of his face almost slicing it off as it penetrates the wall. Guan Ping breathes heavily as he pauses and then moves past the things on the floor to head for the door, but his legs have ideas of their own and take him back to the direction of the fight, he grips the axe and trys to yank it out of the crumbling brick.

What am I doing?

Guan Ping feels the man grip him from behind, his arm around his waist and the other around his neck to pull him away.

"No! Get off! YOU DIRTY OLD SHIT" He desperately grabs the axe with one hand, his grip loose and almost dropping it, as he fights for his life. He could feel the perverted man's crotch against him through his pants, hard and pushing against him threateningly. His hand swings blindly, and a loud scream comes from the man as he falls and brings Guan Ping to the floor with him. The man wails in agony, and Guan Ping pants as he struggles to free himself from the man's lap. The man holds his busted knee cap, and Guan Ping crawls forward wide eyed and in disbelief at the cracked open leg spitting blood and visible bone.

For a moment, it's like the sound froze, he just watched the commander's face screaming his lungs out in torment, Guan Ping just gaped for a moment, and then the moment after he felt a surge travel through his blood stream to his hand like fire, he picks up the axe and slashes the man in the chest, and the blood splatters everywhere, but he doesn't stop, he feels all sense of compassion leave his body, as he continues to strike and cut him, his blood shoots everywhere, and his suffering becomes louder. Guan Ping grits his teeth he's full of rage. He pushes the man onto the floor with his hand and then cuts the man's head open with the axe. He becomes lifeless under him, and that's when he finally stops. His chest heaves up and down as he stares at the damaged body. He blinks a few times, then let's go off the axe, he moves back suddenly in denial about what had happened. His grey eyes remain fixed on him, like he'd expect him to get up again with his face cut in half and his brain splattered on the cold floor. He breathes in again and wipes his blood covered face with the back of his hand, as he stands up. His legs suddenly feel weak and his stomach forces out all the disgusting porridge he'd eaten from earlier, he throws up so violently his eyes water till his gut is empty.

Is this what it feels like to lose control?

He snaps back to reality, he looks at the opened door, the room, there's a dead body behind him. His heart pounds, he quickly runs for the door tripping over a box on the floor, he crawls back up closing the door and then pushing one of the fallen shelves against the door to block it. He sits next to it with his brows furrowed.

What have I done?

He stares at the aftermath. His thoughts bounced through his mind at a hundred miles per hour.

He deserved to die, he was a bad person.

But wait, shit, shit shit shit, I have no evidence who will believe me, this was a very bad idea.

Shit. Fuck

He smacks himself on the head.

Idiot, what have you done?! . Shit, Guan Ping why don't you use your brain for once.

He deserved it, he so deserved it, he was a disgusting pig who abused his power. But where do I go now?

I can't just tell them, it's not that easy.

What if they heard everything? They'll find me, they'll see what I've done.

But surely if I tell them, he deserved to die, that he…

He pauses as if the air had left his lungs, there's movement outside.

They know… They're here

He runs to the window, his legs barely carrying him, he glances from the side of the closed curtain. It was morning now, he squints his eyes pained by the autumn sun, and moves back. He crawls back next to the door, sliding next to it anxiously.

Is this where I die?

Could things have gone different? Won't I become a soldier like the rest of you? I couldn't have stood idle, I couldn't have let him live after what he did and…

Where is she… I never saw her? Did he kill her? Did he hide the body? Why didn't I ask before I- god Guan Ping you're so stupid.

He lay his head on the cold ground as he curled up shaking and his mind pushing him to breaking point. The lack of sleep didn't help either.

Are they going to kill me?

Who do I go to?

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