NOVEL WEB Chapter 38: On the Verge of Death
As I was flung back into the dark and dank cell, a surge of unbearable pain ripped through my body, the result of the APTX-08 drug that had been injected into me.
It felt like every cell in my body was being shredded, every nerve ending set on fire. I could barely breathe, let alone think, as the agony consumed me.
The twins, Hana and Ha-Eun, ran to my aid, their eyes wide with fear and worry. They tried to comfort me, to soothe me, but their words were lost in the roar of pain that filled my ears. Still, I was grateful for their presence, for their warmth and kindness in this hellish place.
A guttural scream escaped my lips, bouncing off the hard and cold walls of the cell. The sound was a haunting reminder of my plight, a cruel mockery of my hopeless situation. I thrashed on the floor, clawing at the dirt, hoping for some relief. But there was none, only more pain, more suffering.
Zane, who had been watching from the corner of the cell, his arm and leg still bandaged from the wounds I had inflicted on him, smirked with twisted delight. He enjoyed seeing me suffer, seeing me weak and vulnerable.
This was his chance to get back at me, to make me pay for all the times I had bested him.
He pushed the twins away with a harsh shove, limping toward me with a malicious glint in his eyes.
“Well, well, well, Xeno,” he sneered, his voice oozing with malice.
“Looks like you’re not so tough after all.”
He pinned me down with his weight, increasing the pressure on my chest, making it harder for me to breathe. I felt his hands digging into my flesh, his nails drawing blood. I gasped for air, feeling a sharp pain in my lungs.
I tried not to resist, knowing that it would only make things worse. The aching was unbearable, threatening to erase my sense of self.
Zane’s fists rained down on me with brutal force, each punch a reminder of his hatred and resentment. His laughter rang in my ears, a chilling sound that made me shiver.
“This is for all the times you’ve wounded my ego, Xeno,” he hissed, his voice full of venom.
“For all the times you’ve foiled my plots and broke my body.”
The twins, who had recovered from Zane’s shove, tried to stop him, throwing themselves at him with all their might. But Zane was too strong for them, too enraged to care.
He tossed them aside like ragdolls, his fury undiminished.
He kept hitting me, his fists becoming a storm of pain, each blow a testament to his twisted sense of justice. The pain was overwhelming, a relentless attack on my body and mind that threatened to destroy me. But I held on to the thought of my loved ones.
They were the sparks of light in the darkness, the reason I fought to live.
With every hit, I told myself to endure, to survive for them.
As Zane’s strength faded, his punches became slower and weaker. But his insults continued, his words meant to hurt me more than his fists.
“You’re nothing Xeno,” he spat out with disdain.
“You’re worthless and pathetic.”
Through the veil of pain, I managed to smile defiantly at him blood dripping from my mouth.
I wanted him to see that he had not broken me that I still had some fight left in me. I smiled because I knew that by doing so, I had become a symbol of defiance a proof of the indomitable spirit that refused to give up.
I smiled because I could feel death’s embrace approaching and I knew that this might be my last act of rebellion.
As the agony tore through my body, I gathered all the strength I had left to look Zane in the eye, my gaze burning with a fierce defiance. I wanted him to know that he had not won, that he could not break me.
In that moment, I swore to myself that I would keep his attention on me no matter what it costs, that I would keep the twins safe from the evil that lurked in this place even in my final moments.
As if reading my thoughts, Zane, panting heavily, stood up, a wicked smile on his face.
He bent down, his mouth close to my ear, his voice a poisonous hiss.
“You know, I could end your misery right now, but that would be too easy for you,” he said, his breath hot on my skin.
“You see, you’re the only one on my kill list who gave me so much trouble. The voices in my head won’t let me kill you just like that. They want to see you suffer, to see you plead, to see you shatter, knowing that you failed to save anyone. They want you to die knowing that everything you did, everything you endured was for nothing.”
He straightened up, his eyes gleaming with malice.
“I will take away everything you love, Xeno,” he vowed, his words a cold and cruel declaration.
“Starting with the twins.”
He limped towards the twins, who were huddled in the corner of the cell recovering from Zane’s earlier brutal actions, leaving me screaming…
As Zane neared the twins, they rose to their feet, bracing themselves for the fight. Ha-Eun put herself in front of Hana, guarding her sister with her body. She clenched her fists, ready to strike. Zane smirked, confident that he could take them both down easily. He had been hunting me for a long time, and he was not going to let anyone stand in his way.
The twins put up a good fight, considering their lack of training. They dodged and blocked some of Zane’s attacks, and even managed to hit him a few times, making him grunt in pain. I felt a surge of pride for them, mixed with fear.