Page 29 of Corrupted Torment

CHAPTER12

NIXI

Age Seventeen

I don’t let my mind wander to Alice back at camp. I need to remain focused on myself. My feet slip on the uneven ground beneath me. The downpour from this morning causes issues to my usual tactics. The muddied ground dried just enough to reveal my footprints. I curse.

I’m not far enough, when the empty silence takes over from the call of the siren. It’s a sign for the hunt to begin. Like wraiths, they come, and they take, only giving us suffering in return. Too soon, the screams of my camp mates echo into the night. I can’t let myself stop. I need to find safety in the wooded landscape before I can think of rest.

My heart pounds erratically, like it always does. Fear consumes me; maybe this time it won’t be him. My grey eyed stalker that hunts me relentlessly. I know I should fear him too, but I don’t.

Even with him, I fight.

Despite his kinder nature, he still injects me with poison. I’ve seen what it can do. So far, I’ve been lucky. But in the back of my mind, a whispered voice insists it’s not luck at all. Maybe my persistent predator has a hand in that too.

He calls me Wildcat.

I shake away the thoughts. I can’t focus on him right now. A scream to my right pulls my concentration. Too late, I look ahead to slam into a large tree and my head crashes into a low-hanging branch. That’ll teach me to go off the pathways. A drip rolls down my temple and I swipe it away with the back of my hand.

Blood.

I turn around too fast, making my head spin. I lean up against the trunk of the tree and slip slowly to the ground. The grinding press of the bark scratches up my back. I take deep, steadying breaths as I try to control the whirlpool in my head. One look at my palms and I can see they took most of the impact. They’re both scraped up to pieces. I was running too fast. I don’t know if I’m even going to be able to walk right now, let alone run. Hell, standing could be interesting.

Shit, this is bad.

I don’t let myself go back to that time often, a time when I was a scared little girl. Without knowledge or power to even try to attempt fighting back. It’s futile; they always win in the end. I never give up though. I never let them have the satisfaction of my tears. Not anymore.

Right now though, I feel it. Deep in my bones, I feel myself surrender to my younger self. I watch with frightened eyes as I pull myself tightly against the tree, wishing to be invisible. A dark laugh ripping from me at the thought that one of their shots can do just that.

These men, these predators, can scent blood in the air. It’s only a matter of time. My stalker won’t be interested if there’s no game to play. He won’t protect me tonight.

A woman comes stumbling past, not even glancing in my direction. Her dress torn, exposing her breasts, but her cries are silent.

Soon that will be me.

I’m startled as a belch erupts from her mouth. Her eyes widen in panic as she collapses to the floor on her knees. She starts to gag and retch with her hand across her mouth. I’m mere metres from her, but she still doesn’t notice me. I don’t know if I should help, or if I should leave her to her misery.

She cries out in pain from her first bout of sickness. I crawl dizzily to her side. For the first time I realise it's one of Aggs' friends, Katie. I place a cool hand on her forehead. It’s scalding to the touch; something is far from right. Too weak to protest, she allows me to pull back her hair as best I can as she vomits again. It doesn’t matter as bile splatters my legs. It will wash.

Her stomach makes a gurgle and Katie pales. The acrid scent surrounding us now joined with the pungent smell of her bowels letting loose. Her cries turn into pained whimpers, and she curls up into herself on the filth covered muddy ground.

I don’t know what to do.

I instantly regret swinging my head round at the swishing of foliage. My vision swims and I grip my head, closing my eyes tightly. I vaguely recall it being similar to a fairground ride I’d once been on. Me and my best friend had been so excited that it was close enough to walk to from the foster home. I can barely remember Zee’s face now.

“Wildcat,” his voice calls softly to me. I open my eyes, slowly peering at him as he edges ever closer. Knowing now it’s my grey-eyed stalker, my shoulders relax ever so slightly. I turn my body towards him, shielding Katie behind me.

I know he made the noise on purpose. It’s all part of the game we play. What I don’t understand is why he’s still playing. I’m not alone. I’m injured and have barely gone far enough to sate his hunger for the hunt.

“You win.”

He has the nerve to scoff, as if my words mean nothing to him. Perhaps this time they don’t. It hasn’t been much of a competition to win after all.

“You’re injured.” His voice is annoyed and my eyes narrow. I’m more than aware of my own failings, but it’s not me I’m worried about right now. My hand moves protectively to Katie’s back with my eyes remaining locked on his.

“Help her.”

“I can’t do that, Wildcat.”

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