His Prize

Chapter 14: Escape Day (Part 5)

My face is against the grass. I'm half way to the garden fence. It's hard to think about anything but the pain.

There's a figure approaching me.

I let out a groan and roll onto my back. It's Alex. Shit.

I was hoping that he was incapacitated.

He's standing over me. This is it. I tried to kill him, and he knows it. I can barely crawl, and he's just standing there, unaffected by my attack. He could stamp on my chest and crush me.

I bring up my arms as a shield.

He keeps watching. The dim moonlight doesn't reveal his face.

He reaches down and grabs my torso, hoisting me up over his shoulder. I groan in pain from the pressure on my bruised stomach. He's taking me somewhere. I guess he doesn't want to kill me in his backyard.

Reality comes crashing in on me as I realise what he's about to do. I scream, I kick, I bang my stinging hands against his back, anything to try get away. The tears start flowing again.

I know I look pathetic. I always pictured myself being stoic in the face of death. But now that the moment is here, it's different. I don't want to die. This isn't fair. I've done everything in my power to stay alive, just to keep breathing. And now it has to end. My life is going to be taken away. I fought with everything I had, and I'm still going to die. I never stood a chance. It wasn't fair.

"Stop," he growls, carrying me inside.

I keep squirming in his grip. How can I stop when my life is about to be snuffed out?

He takes me into the bathroom and places me in the bath.

Despite the pain, I push myself to the furthest corner of the bath. He put me in here so he wouldn't make a mess. With that thought, a new wave of tears erupt.

He puts on rubber gloves, kneels by the edge of the bath, then reaches for me.

I push further away from him and use my bleeding hands as a shield.

He grabs my arm.

"No! Please no! I don't want to die!" I scream, desperately trying to yank my hand away.

He lets go.

"I'm not going to kill you, Nina."

"You're a liar! I'm not stupid! I know you've planned to kill me from the start! You told your soldier friend that you're going to kill me! You're always telling me how you're legally allowed to kill me!"

"Nina, please, calm down."

"How can I calm down!? I'm going to be-"

"Nina!" he grabs both my wrists and pulls me so I'm face to face with him. "I'm not going to kill you. You're going to be alright."

"I-I... but- you-"

"Initially, I did plan to get rid of you, but that's changed. Though you do push my buttons, I've decided to keep you around."

My jaw drops. I'm at a loss for words. I'm not going to die?

"Besides," he lets go, "If I lose you, how would I complete Ragnarok's dungeon?"

"You're-You're keeping me around until you finish the videogame?" My mind is all over the place.

"No, I'm going to keep you around, period."

I'm stunned.

"Now, let me see your hand."

I reluctantly give him my hand. He sits on the side of the bath, carefully inspecting the wound.