Chapter 40

The atmosphere deepens through an ombre of blue until it reaches a perfect starlit black. The air was moist and you could hear the droplets of water dripping on the sink and the odor tasted like metallic blood.



Gunner squinted his eyes and felt his head throbbing grotesquely, as if it was hammering how many times per second. He felt like something was trying to get out of his stomach. He wanted to throw up, and as he gradually opens his eyes, all he sees is darkness. He couldn't see anything because there was no beam of light.



He wanted to touch his eyelids because he felt something was dripping in his face, but he couldn't even move his arms like they were glued onto something or whatever.



A pang of pain slit through his skin up to his throat as he tried to lift his leg, causing him to scream. An agonizing scream echoed throughout the room. A tear escaped from his eyes and beads of sweat were now forming on his forehead.



Slowly he could see clearly in the dark and that is when he learned that there was a dim light near him and his eyes slowly adjusted to the dark. He was not surprised because he was used to it. He can see clearly in the dark.



His chest was rising up and down as he slowly lifted his head enough for him to see his entire body. He learned that he was strapped to a bed and, if he was right, it was a stretcher that was used in a hospital.



'What is this? How did I get in here?" he whispered out of thin air and trying to remember what had happened. All he remembers was he was trying to run away from Ibiza and after that he doesn't know what happened next.



Gunner suddenly felt sticky and it was coming from his legs. He then tries to look at it and is horrified as to what he has witnessed. The skin on his right leg was peeled off and had a slimy image of blood. It was painful and he was sure that the strap on his leg was already glued to it.



And the white strap was filled with dried blood and his eyes widened as he stared at it for minutes, slowly absorbing to his mind what had happened to him.



His teeth cackled. 'Ibiza," he shortly breathed as he quickly roamed his eyes around and only seeing nothing, it was totally dark and he was alone.



His stomach curled up and now he realized that he was afraid of the sight of Ibiza. And how come he wasn't afraid of dealing with the nun and now he was afraid of Ibiza?



'Ibiza was different from the rest. He speaks death," he uttered, answering his own thoughts. How can he be able to survive if he is already afraid of Ibiza? He had to do something to come up his fear.



He had to see his twin brother as his motivation to escape on an impossible mission, but no matter what, he was still breathing, meaning he had energy to fight. He still has a chance.



'I still have a chance, yet every time I see those chances there are always hindrances and now I am facing this," he muttered under his breath as he again looked at his leg whose skin was peeled off.



Gunner couldn't help but to scream out of his lungs again as he lifted his legs in force, hoping the strap would give in, but it didn't. It just makes him more in depth of pain. A pain that stretches out his throat and his stomach seems like someone is scratching out of his intestines.



'Let me out of here!" he screamed out at the top of his lungs as he forcibly tried to wrangle out of the strap, but it didn't even help a bit because of the pain that he was feeling in his legs.



He was strangled again and again, but nothing. It just wasted his remaining energy if there was any left. His chapped lips were peeling off as he licked them. He was thirsty and badly needed something to drink; he would drink whatever would only quench the thirst that was building up in his throat.



Gunner looked up at the ceiling and silently prayed.



A tear escaped from his eyes, he was such a teary person and he hated it, but what could he do? He just couldn't help but to be weak at some time.



'Oh! God, if you are there, please hear my pleas. I know this may be the first time that you heard me pray and call your name and have cursed you in my thoughts and question you about why our situation is like this, but please, if you are there and hearing me out, please… please save me. Please save us, save all of us. But if that is such a big favor, please use me as an instrument of saving all of us here. Use me and I will devote my life here, devote my life to you. If you are hearing me… if you are there-' he was cut off by his words when a low tone of voice suddenly spoke up that sent shivers down to his spine.



Even though he didn't yet see the face of the owner of the voice, he already knew who it was.



"Praying will not solve your problems, my child. In here, He can't hear you. This structure is sacred because if He can hear you, your cries and prayers may have already saved you. Look at the young boys out there, they just look like you, still praying, and it makes me sick to see and hear them praying over and over and nothing happens," he laughed briskly and shook his head.



Ibiza came out of the dark corner slowly until Gunner could totally see him and his face was grim. He was smiling deviously as he stared at Gunner. His gums are showing up, causing his saliva to fall like sticky liquid droplets.



The air smells stale of fear as he approaches Gunner step by step. The only clacking of his feet is the only noise that can be hear like it came from the damp of water.



Gunner wanted to curse and punch his face hard when he suddenly felt his stomach curling up with fear. How he hated himself for being such a scared cat. He should be tough and brave and if he is afraid of him, then what comes more when it really comes to the rest, especially Dr. Vega?



Gunner took a deep breath before speaking, not wanting to stutter. 'What did you do to me?" he asked, and he was somehow a little proud of himself for not stuttering in front of him.



Ibiza tilted his head as if looking at a kid who couldn't understand every word that he said, yet he smiled ridiculously.



'No need to rattle like a snake. You are not dead… yet. You are still alive thanks to me," he said as he put his hand on his chest as if flattering himself as his eyes landed on Gunner's leg and raised his eyebrows.



'Oh! Is it about your leg you are asking me? Don't be such a baby, it is just a small sample of skin that I peeled off your leg. Stop being such a pussycat. I just examine it or maybe stitch a purse and give it back to you or if maybe I am in a mood, I'll give it back to you and I will be the one who will put it back. I am sure you will like my stitches because I am good, with that," he said, and laughed hysterically without any reason, which made Gunner looked at him and that is when he realized something.



Gunner realizes he shouldn't be afraid of him. Because there is no reason to be wary of him. And even though his physical appearance would swallow the soul of every human, there is still no reason to be scared of him.



‘That is it, Gunner." He thought to himself and smiled privately.



'I hope you are giving me back what was once mine," he said, referring to the skin of his legs which made Ibiza laugh even more and trace his long nails deeply into his legs.



Gunner screamed in agony as if it was tearing him apart. It was torture and he can't be any of help and he can't even punch his face. He can't fight and he promised himself that he will be the last person whom he would do his revenge if he will ever make to survive.

'You mean this?" he asked as he lifted his hand showing his index finger that dug into his flesh. A trail of blood was dripping and running through his arms as he licked it, which Gunner made him want to puke.



Gunner closes his eyes and strangles himself again. He needs to get out of the stupid strap, but he feels helpless.



'Save your energy because you might want to need it later," Ibiza said as he lifted an axe and swayed it like a lightweight material. It was shiny and it looked like it had just sharpened.



Gunner swallowed his own saliva. You can't be scared of him, but he is a lunatic. What will happen to him next?



'I don't know why you are doing this to me, but I am telling you now that I am useless and you can't use me for anything, so could you please just let me go," he said, and he knew it was a dumb thing to say and nothing was going to work that way.



Ibiza again sways his axe like he had not heard of anything from Gunner, instead he was enjoying every sight of his emotions in him.



'Let's play hide and seek. You hide and I seek," he said as he tilted his head and winked at him.



‘Lunatic rat.' He thought, and maybe if he rides along with his stories then can get out of being trapped he in there and he would be freely think of what he would do next. Considering that he already knows where his twin brother is, is an advantage because he can buy time on how to get him out of there, but if he ever can't, then he can break the glass and can just do that.

Looking at those glasses, they are not just any cheap glasses that would be bought outside, but they were redesigned for the project.



'Okay let's play your favorite game," he said and Ibiza drooled in excitement and he stuck his tongue out, like tasting the odor of the air which smells like metallic blood. 'But first untie me here so I can run and hide and don't worry with my situation I can't barely run like I normally did before so maybe you could give me a favor to longer your counting and let me hide. Easy of finding me will not make you enjoy it. Hard of finding me will make you in a pool of excitement and happiness," he said wanting Ibiza to take a bite of what he had said. Even for just a small time he could still use it for buying time to rest and to think of a plan.



Silence filled the air and none of them breaking the silence and Ibiza was in deep thought yet a minute after Ibiza smiled and lifted his axe as if slashing Gunner.

Gunner closes his eyes thinking it may be it is his last of breath and that is already the cause of his death but a moment passed and nothing happened only a smashed at the edge of his bed makes him opens his eyes. His heart beat was racing wildly thinking it was his body was cut in half but it wasn't.



It was the strap he slashes away.



'Let's play my child."