Chapter 8: Old hut.
She ran through the woods, panting heavily. She stepped on many twigs, wincing in pain but didn't stop running.
She thought they were gone. How did she not notice them before? Why do they even want her? What do they want from her? Honestly, what would they gain by getting her? A ransom? Gold? Is that all? Stupid! Stupid! She cursed herself for stepping out to the terrace last night.
"Ahh!" A low shriek escaped her throat so they don't hear her. If they haven't already. She stepped on something, and it hurt so badly. Dragging herself behind a tree, she slumped down. She raised her leg to see it bleeding, with dried bloody marks on her calves. Holding a small part of the object that hadn't gone all in yet, she tried to pull it out. Her eyes watered from the pain. Trying so hard not to scream out loud.
The more she pulled, the more it hurt and bled. It wasn't that big. She groaned and pulled everything out. It was a thorn, a long one at that. How did she not see it? How could she when her eyes were hazy and running at high speed, not even checking what she was stepping in or on?
'Reina! How did your life come to this?' She asked no one but herself. Holding the hem of her gown, she tore it long enough to tie the wound and stop it from bleeding.
After tying it, she breathed out heavily and leaned her back on the tree bark and closed her eyes to rest them, not sleep.
Her eyes snapped open, she looked up, and just ahead was smoke. It was dark, which meant there was someone close. She got up, forgetting she had a wound beneath her leg now. She stepped on it and flinched. Reina sauntered, trying to put less weight on that leg.
Following the direction of the smoke, she limped her way there whilst looking back in case those men would show up. She walked for a long while before she found a hut and firewood that was creating the smoke burning outside. Going close slowly so as not to alarm the person with how she looked.
Reina stood before the hut's door, the fire beside it. She wanted to knock but had second thoughts. What if it's a trap? Or probably a crazy old with. Hoping for non, she knocked on the door. No answer.
"Can't believe you let a woman overpower you", A voice echoed amongst the trees. They were close!
Frantically knocking on the door, she let herself in, but still no answer. The wooden door creaked as she pushed it slowly, allowing her head in to check if it was safe before her body. She entered, and it looked dark and looked like it had no windows, but her eyes slowly adjusted to the lights, making the room bright enough for her to see.
"Who are you?" Someone asked. Reina's heart almost left her chest. She assumed there was no one in there after she knocked. Aman came into the room. He was old and wore a white garment, it was dirty, and it stopped right above his ankle.
"What do you want?" He asked again, his voice on guard. He was set and ready to strike if he had any ill motives.
Reina moved back slowly as he approached her, staring at her from her feet to her head. She flinched as her leg hit something. The cloth she used to tie her wound has been soaked with blood. The man seemed to be cooling off when he looked at her leg, or was it the fear in her eyes?
"You are hurt. Are you one of the survivors?" He asked, fetching water from a pot.
Reina was puzzled. Survivors? What does he mean by that? He came close to her and offered her a stool to sit on. She was tired and had no strength to think if this was a bad decision or not. It's either this old man or those bulky men outside trying to take her away. She had no strength to run anymore. So she sat down, feeling her thighs relax.
"Let's see here." The man lowered himself and drew his brows together at the sight of her foot. He held the cloth and loosed the tie. He dipped a clean cloth in water, squeezed and applied it on her. She winced and pulled her leg back. It was hot. He held her leg again and applied the cloth, cleaning the blood around her foot and the dirt.
They heard a knock, and both jerked their heads towards the door. The knock got louder and more aggressive. It's them. Reina panicked. She got up panic-struck, looking for a place to hide.
The man was confused, does she know who was at the door? Is she running from someone? The knock came again. He held Reina and directed her to a small room at the back.
"Do you know who is at the door?" He had asked.
"Yes. Please don't make my presence known!" She pleaded. He understood and told her to stay until it was safe to come out.
He left her in there and went to get the door. He faked a yawn when he opened the door, and there were three of them.
"May I help you, young men?" He asked, staring at each of them.
"Did you see a lady walk by here? Bleeding and dirty?" The bigger one asked, trying to see the inside of the hut.
"No," The old man said and went to close the door, but they didn't let him and pushed him across the room and barged in.
--
Reina was on the floor, her heart racing faster than her breath. She clamped her mouth with her hand to make no noise, even a breath shouldn't be let out.
The man got up in a rage. He started mumbling incoherent words, his eyes turned dark, and soon the men couldn't move their bodies, they all froze with their eyes widened. He approached them and stared at them one after the other.
Reina stood in shock. They are statues now, and they are alive but unmoving. Paralyzed? She watched him lead them out and disappear with them.
He reappeared in the middle of the forest, where he slit their throats with his now long finger and left them there to die.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Emoji_9
Emoji_9 Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!
Creation is hard, cheer me up!
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone