• Chapter eight
    The murmur of the Mahre kept going for about two minutes. They were discussing various topics, mostly about the experiments they did on Christian. They stopped when he moved, a slight twitch in his finger.
    ‘Number three thirty-seven, we have something for you.’ Its voice was distorted, a mix of a woman and a man.
    ‘No…’ Christian murmured, still slightly drugged, ‘not…again.’
    That’s when the lights completely came to life, and I soon saw that Christian had not been in just an operating room, but a chamber. The walls and floor were stained with dried blood, and I knew the stench in there must be horrible. Whoever was holding the camera zoomed in on Christian’s body, a pixilated frame moved slowly from his face down.
    His expression was painful to see. The tears that rolled down his cheeks left a clean streak of skin along his dirt and blood stained cheeks. There were scars and bruises all over his arms, some still fresh. He was still in the clothes I’d last seen him with too, and they were torn in every way.
    ‘What should we do?’ one of them asked, casually walking towards Christian. ‘We have to keep him alive; his brother will come for him then, no matter what.’
    I never noticed the tears rolling down my face as I watched Christian’s agony. I wiped them from my cheeks and kept watching.
    “You should stop,” Roy mumbled, concerned.
    “No, I need to know what’s going on.”
    “So eager for pain,” he murmured, “yet, you don’t even know how much it’s hurting you.”
    “Hurting me?” I stopped the video, closing his phone shut. “What do you mean?”
    “The Mahre, they want you to come with me. They know you know more than any average human about us.” he sighed, “With that, they’ll be coming after you too. You’re no safe than me here.”
    “Roy thanks.” I slid the phone across. “How’d you get that video?”
    “At the end, they find my friend that was hidden in the shaft, take him, and murder him right in front of my brother. Then I suppose they see my number, and send it to me, making me hate them even more.” He rubbed his forehead, closing his teary eyes. “I won’t forgive them for that, my brother’s expression…oh my gosh…I…”
    “You don’t have to finish.” I whispered, reaching for his hand. I grasped it tightly, and then let it go. But he grabbed it back, holding it with as much intensity as I had his.
    “Hey, remember when you denied that you were my girlfriend? Well, do you agree now?”
    What the heck? A sudden change of subject? Sigh. Maybe it’s for the best.
    I looked up at him. His eyes were smoldering, and I couldn’t resist. I moved over beside him and stared into his eyes.
    “I…maybe…but…y-yes?”
    He laughed. “Oh my gosh, you’re blushing.”
    My hands let go of his and touched my cheeks. I was worried he would be angry; I might be embarrassing him in public. Oh, stupid me. Why did my body have to do this?
    Roy laughed even louder now. “Oh my gosh, Tai. I never knew you could be so…funny.” He grabbed his phone and stood, walking towards the opposite direction.
    “Wait! Where are you going?” I asked, racing after him.
    “I can’t just walk you home remember? The Mahre? I’m sorry, I wish I could take you home but…well, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
    And then he was gone. Kind of like how wind suddenly appears, blowing you away, then disappears, all in a second. I sighed as I grabbed my things and prepared for a long walk home.