The Last Hero (Villains & Monsters #2)

Chapter 3

Torture mention here. I know things are confusing, but this story, like Jamie, is a puzzle. It's going to start making sense very soon. Like, the next chapter. Love you guys. -Rae

- Three months ago -

He felt like his heart was going to burst from his ribs.

Was today the day?

As Sierra walked, he followed behind her, forcing himself to remain as calm as possible. He looked at the halls and wondered if he was being led back to the lower units -- back to those awful cells.

-----

Another scream tore from his throat as another bone snapped. Every bit of movement became painful -- from thrashing to try and get himself free to bracing himself for another blow.

He breathed heavily, facing the ground as tears flooded his eyes. "S-Stop..."

Daija stood in front of him and said nothing -- just stared down at him. He had no idea how long he had been here. It's impossible to keep up with time when you're in so much pain. All he did know was that he couldn't take it anymore. He wanted it to be over with.

"Kill me," he choked out. "Just kill me. Please."

"Eventually."

"You've hurt me numerous times yet you won't let me die," he managed to say as the pain threatened to consume him. "You won't let me go. Who's really the obsessed one? You're not any better than me."

"Aw," she started, and he didn't need to face her to tell that she was smiling. "Is that what you think I want? To be better than you?" She then laughed a bit. "Jamie, we were close best friends for a reason, weren't we? What was that cliche trope you loved in books? The whole, "We're not so different, you and I," kind of thing?"

He gritted his teeth, and he took a different route. "I fucking hate you."

"Hm?" She took a step closer, and when he looked up, he saw her smiling; cruel and cold. She found that amusing.

A part of him didn't care. He wanted to piss her off so she could finally end this. End him. "I said, I fucking hate you!"

She grabbed his chin and forced him to look in her eyes as she whispered, "One more time for me."

Another wave of pain rolled through him, and he winced. As he tried to breathe through it, Daija ran a gloved hand through his hair. "I know you hate me." Her voice was gentle, almost hurt. "At least I finally got you to say it out loud."

He rapidly shook his head, and the tears came down at last. "I didn't mean it! I don't hate you. It just hurts and-"

"But you said it twice," she said, and there was something soft in her eyes. "You clearly meant it if you said it twice."

Fuck, he hated this. The constant back and forth. The rage that built, only for it to diminish into intense guilt and make him feel like he needed to apologize. Still, it came out anyway. "I'm sorry," he tried to talk while he gasped for breath. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"I bet it feels good to cry all of that out," she said as she stepped back. "You can take your time."

It didn't feel good. Feeling pain from head-to-toe, sobbing and hoping that it would be over soon.

But there was nothing else he could do.

-----

At the memory, he suddenly felt dizzy.