Chapter 12 :
He groaned as he blinked slowly awake.
Everything came rushing back at him like a runaway train.
Shit he thought, he remembered everything from the night before.
He remembered almost making it to freedom and climbing the top and being shot with a tranq gun and falling.
He blinked and miserably opened his eyes to realize that he was yet again in an unfamiliar room. Under thin silk comforters and soft silk pillows.
He was undressed – all the way down with only his boxers on.
Damn. This was turning out to be a routine, him waking up from some drug-induced sleep or something, or another to an all-too-strange surroundings.
Maybe they were trying to get him lost in the huge maze of rooms for him to find it impossible to get out the mansion. He'd probably live and die in that room from now on.
He rubbed his temple and sat up, his eyes furiously aware at the blinding light coming from the open balcony doors. The thick silk drapes were billowing in the breeze like gentle ghosts. From the sun, it was probably around nine in the morning/
The room he was in, if even possible, was more beautiful than the last one, with a dark blue and white motif, expensive silk drapes and upholstery, silver decorations... it was a room fit for royalty – and he finally realized that he was probably treated differently from other servants – they probably didn't sleep in a room like this. Why ? He didn't really care much for that anymore.
All he cared about was that he failed. He hadn't been able to escape.
He clenched his fist and closed his eyes to block all his misgivings.
Fuck it all ! How did they know that he'd be attempting an escape last night ? He hadn't even settled when to do it and polished the plan until two days before !
How ? How goddamn it ?!
Forcing himself to think of practicality instead of his rage at his failure, he stretched his muscles, making sure that he hadn't broken a bone or pulled a muscle.
Sure – and surprisingly enough, there was an injury, but it wasn't at all too grave and there were no others like he initially expected. Only his right arm was in trouble. He had pulled it when he grabbed a branch to keep himself from falling.
Once more, all the details came rushing back to him and he couldn't help but berate himself at how stupid he'd been.
He had thrown caution to the wind and just barged on with his plan without checking if it was the right time or not or if he had planned everything perfectly to allow his escape to go without a hitch.
Damn !
He knocked his head against his open palm as he thought about the errors he made the night before.
He hadn't actually checked if everything was clear to make his move, his impatience made him forget about stalking in the shadows the way he did in the back alleys and dark streets. He didn't stop to think that maybe the same thing he had anticipated to hide in was the same probable place any smart person would be waiting.
Stupid ! STUPID !
He rocked as he sat on the edge of the bed, trying to expel his self-blame but hardly succeeding. He knew it was his fault he got caught. He was too careless. Maybe someone saw him heading in that direction and they had cut him off.
How else could he explain their presence there before he even arrived ?
He bit the inside of his mouth and finally managed to calm himself down for a while, although his heart was still thudding mercilessly against his ribcage.
He cleared his head and thought of a plan of action. There was no way he could attempt another breakout soon, they'd be anticipating that. He'd have to wait for a few more weeks ...
He clenched and unclenched his fists and was so immersed in his thoughts that he didn't notice the door opening, nor heard the sound of muffled footsteps.
He jerked up suddenly when a pair of shoes stepped into his line of vision.
Crawford was standing in front of him, dressed in his usual white suit.
But ... he should be at his office by this time – Ken's brain protested.
There was no way that Crawford would allow himself to be late, it was against his dogma, he learned that the hard way, so this must be an apparition to taunt him.
He averted his eyes and continued to rock forward and backward, trying to ward off the unwanted phantom plaguing him.
He froze when the apparition in white crouched down to face him. Cobalt blue eyes level with his own burnt steel grey and he felt strong lithe fingers clenching his knee, feeling almost like Crawford intended to crush his kneecap.
" You can't run away from me, Ken. I'm everywhere. You can't run and you can't hide. There is no way you can escape..." The voice was soft, almost gentle and caressing... but Ken felt the intensity stinging him and he felt himself starting to shake.
Not in fear ... but in absolute anger, it was a potent abhorrence he could no longer mask with his normal flippancy.
How dare he keep him captive like that and take on the pretense of being superior and master to him ?!
Like the sudden flicker of a candle, his trained fist swung through the air like lightning, his intense anger peaked to break Crawford's jaw. Just as suddenly, his clenched fist was caught in Crawford's palm, almost as if he was anticipating the movement.
For once, he saw a ghost of a smile gracing Crawford's lips as he watched the younger brunette's shocked expression. " I'm always one step ahead of you, Ken. Don't think for one moment that you can fool me."
Slowly, Crawford placed Ken's captured fist back onto the boy's lap and without warning, gave a soft patronizing pat on Ken's head as he stood up.
Ken was too stunned to react, and he sat there, speechless and unmoving.
" Get dressed Ken. From today on, you'll be acting as my official assistant at the office. Make sure you learn something important during the course of the day."
And then he was gone, like a mist dissipates into the warm morning, it was like he was never there at all.
† † †
''Schuldich ! Help me, Schuldich !" Ken's voice was ringing in his head, amplified by his own terror and fear for the boy's safety.
"Schuldich ! Why aren't you coming to help me ?" He could hear the anguish in Ken's voice. He turned, his eyes searching for the brunette's form in the dark, but he couldn't see anything, it was pitch black. He could only hear the faint rustling of leaves and smell the newly cut grass. He turned, trying to make sense of the direction from which Ken's voice was coming from.
" I'm here Schuldich !" Suddenly, a blinding light came on and he could finally see Ken. He was hanging from a branch of a tree, there was nothing but an abyss below him forming a large dark ring around the thick trunk of the tree , bottomless and dark.
Ken looked at him, his eyes laced with panic, Schuldich could see beads of sweat tracing the delicate line of his jaw. His heart raced as he dashed towards Ken, but every step he took seemed to be taking him away rather than towards Ken.
There was hissing all around him, and suddenly he was surrounded by snakes. Large white pythons twisting and squirming with a terrible intensity that seemed to cause the very soil he was standing on to shake. His panicked eyes found Ken once more, but the brunette was slipping, losing his grip on the branch that he was holding onto, his lips forming a word as he plummeted downwards. Schuldich ... it was a soundless cry.
And suddenly, he realized that all the snakes had gone, they had slithered forth into the abyss as quick as lightning just as the boy disappeared into its depths.
Schuldich sank to his knees helplessly.
Sinister mirth.
A truly sinister laughter issued from the depths of the dark abyss and he raised his face and watched as a white entity came from the recesses of the chasm. It was composed of all the snakes that had once surrounded him, and in its human-looking arms was a frail creature, unconscious and unmoving, his hands dangling limply at his sides as the monstrous and yet – strangely graceful-looking creature cradled him in its arms. There was no face on it. It was like a white shadow, cradling Ken so tenderly despite its threatening demeanor.
" Ken !" He shouted, his body shaking in fear.
The creature laid the brunette on the ground, and Schuldich was quickly at his side, looking at the stiff body in front of him. He touched his hand and felt that it was cold.
Deathly cold. Ken had no pulse.
The body before him was already a corpse.
Suddenly, pale eyelids opened and a soulless pair of eyes stared at him.
" You didn't look for me Schuldich ." The blue lips whispered.
And he was being strangled ...
He couldn't breathe ...
It was then that he heard a voice, " You can't run away from me, Schuldich. I'm everywhere. You can't run and you can't hide. There is no way you can escape..."
He woke up, bathed in sweat and breathing in ragged gasps.
That was when he knew that it was a warning, a threat the he mustn't ignore – if he did, Ken would be lost to him ... in a way that he couldn't possibly imagine.
† † †
Redemption Moon : Hullo there people ! I am yet again, on time ! I'm really glad to be able to update regularly (but it's gonna be a 'probable regularity') Advanced classes suck and I have almost no time for myself. TT Your beautiful reviews are the only things that keep me updating.
Say hello to anushkajan and CrimsonEyedAngel99 (although she's been here for some time – I think – coz I don't see her regularly) everyone !
Tryster : Here's your dose of Schuldich-ness for you. And yeah, I'm feeling both as well too (yay, braddy's looking out for him and evil braddy too) But I gotta admit, I kinda like writing Crawford him. Because. And just because.
Schu : Thankies ! I appreciate that ! nudgenudge you know I do. Uh-huh, I'm glad you do nods. Waiiii ! Thankies ! superhuggletackleglomp
Anushkajan : You cried ? huggles I'm glad – er... that I caused so much emotion lol I don't think it's weird at all (some of my readers have done stranger things… calls out RIGHT EVERYONE ??!!) Welcome to the family ! I shall. Please continue your support ! You and everyone else's reviews and support are the only things that keep this going!
Whisper Reilman : GO GO SUPPORTINATOR !!! What kind of enemies huh ? snickers We'll just have to wait and see ne ?? lol Does anyone ever escape in my stories ? thinks and ponders heh. shrugs I guess not ! lol OMG ! You really cracked me up with that comment ("Not that I'm complaining, because I also have this moment of iner glee when the plans fail and Ken goes toppling out of trees and off of walls and into oncoming traffic") !!! LOL's rolling on the floor cheers Yay for you and your Supportinator tights ! glomps
Allis : I AM honored ! You have no idea how I dance the dance whenever someone adds me to their Favorite authors ! dances You really make my heart wanna explode !
Mariki : You lose interest ? sweatdrops and mopes at the corner Eep ! I dun think I can write anything in the cramped space of your stomach – besides, I dun even have a laptop.
CrimsonEyedAngel99 : LOL He did. I'm sure of it. And yes, all he wanted to see Schuldich ! bawls But I can't say I'm not sympathetic towards Crawford. I love him in this story. snickers (I sound like a reader myself) Crawford is NOT at all evil ! bawls again
Kasugai gummie : Yay for you! Crawfie is so nice here ! huggles Crawfie Haha ! Now you have mixed emotions ! I love confusing people like that ! evil cackle Bwahahahahaha ! I refuse to answer that question ! ;;
Misura : Oh. nods I see. I gotta find that movie then . ;; lol I'm not sure you are (wrong or right, that is) , but I love it when someone states their theories and stuff. You know I do. And I love it that you love it! huggles
Wai –aki : He did ! He did ! jumps around with you Now you know how 'poor neglected Schu is doing' evil laughter Hohohohoho ! Yep, a few chapters away, maybe just two chapters away especially since you're a - eeps No ! I shall not reveal ! (although I almost gave you a clue) runs away