Hide and Seek in the Dark (Being Rewritten)

Chapter 17

17

I didn't know how long it had been, how long I had been locked in that dirty cell, curled in a tight ball on the floor trying to keep warm. It'd been hours, maybe, since I had last heard Benjamin talk. Since he started crying earlier he had refused to speak.

Excruciating pain moved up my side with every movement, with every breath. Throwing up earlier was probably the worst idea imaginable. All the retching had worked out my abs, including Len's crappy patchwork and now I was really paying the price. Not to mention I hadn't eaten since the day before and now had nothing to go on. My stomach growled at the thought of food and I hissed at the pain it created.

A small, dirty hand held out what I can only assume was the man's liver to me. "It's a little old," Benjamin spoke in a whisper, only meeting my eyes at every other glance, "but it should still have some blood in it. Blood is good for you," he explained. "It makes you big and strong. Like vegetables."

I smiled at the analogy but shook my head. Almost instantly Benjamin's face fell. I knew he was ashamed of his current eating habits, and maybe having me accept the organ would reassure him that he wasn't alone, wasn't the only one who had to eat the dead because he was starving. Don't get me wrong, I was hungry- extremely so- but I wasn't starving. Give me a few days and I'm sure I'd dig right into that bloody slop as if it was some strange French cuisine. But until then I was going to wait until we were saved and then I was hitting the nearest IHOP. That didn't change Benjamin's mood however.

"Hey." I struggled against the searing pain to sit up.

"You shouldn't do that," he quickly warned, but I waved him off.

"Don't worry about me. How are you doing?"

"Me?" He looked legitimately surprised.

I nodded. "Yeah. You've been here for a long time, haven't you?"

He nodded after a moment's thought. "Yeah."

"Are you okay?"

His big green eyes started watering up and I could see his face begin forming red splotches as he tried to hold it in. "No," he choked.

A hard pain started forming in my chest, the back of my throat burned with grief. I knew I was experiencing Benjamin's pain and not my own; however my heart still went out to the kid. I knew first hand just what this kid has gone through. He has been neglected, refused food, beaten and screamed at. My chest tightened once again and I knew it was my own feelings this time. I needed to get him out of here.

Benjamin was crying now, fat tears falling down those hollowed cheeks, streaking through the dirt that smeared them. His breath was coming in little gasps. "They hurt me, Princess," he sobbed. "I'm scared! I wanna go home!"

I reached out and despite the horrendous pain I felt in my side I pulled Benjamin into my lap. He felt incredibly tiny and unnaturally light for his age. "Shh," I cooed to him gently. "It's going to be alright. Okay? We're going to get out of this place."

"We are?" he sniffed, staring up at me with those heartbreakingly sad eyes.

I nodded. "Yeah. You know why?"

He shook his head, wiping his face with the back of one hand.

"Because my friends are coming to get us. They're gonna save us."

"They are?" he whispered and I nodded.

"Yep. They've been practicing for weeks now. They're probably coming to save us right now."

His eyes filled with tears once again, but instead of the weight I felt fill my chest last time, I felt a lightness- like the world was been lifted from my shoulders. Benjamin began wailing once more but I knew this wasn't a sad crying, or hurt crying. He was happy, happier than he's been in months.

I held Benjamin closer, rocking him gently as he cried and snotted into my sweater. After about half an hour he became silent and it wasn't long until I found out he was sleeping. Gritting my teeth against the pain I scooted back until I was leaning against the nearest wall with Benjamin still in my lap, sleeping like a little baby. He's so small... This little boy, I would keep him safe until the others came. Whatever Karnayna had in store for him didn't matter, I would keep him safe.

Heavy footsteps came stomping down the hallway until they stopped in front of our cell. There was the jangling of keys and the heavy door swung open.

Come Heaven or Hell I will protect this boy.

Len stepped through, a nasty smirk on his face. He was flanked on either side by some of his goons.

I will protect this boy, no matter what, I silently vowed. I narrowed my eyes, glaring up at them as fiercely as I was able, holding Benjamin's tiny form closer. I bared my teeth, feeling the small white fangs erupt from soft gum tissue, and snarled, daring them to come closer.

And that was a promise.