Chapter 18 RESCUE

It was a hot afternoon when Kevin returned to the prison. The environment was deadly still. He observed that all the prison workers were all gone. He walked cautiously to the door. Found that it was locked.

Kevin looked around suspiciously. And when he was certain that no one was watching, he returned his gaze back to the locks. His right hand grew larger, setting his body at an unequal proportion. Fur grew from his enlarged arm.

And with his unusually large arm, he crushed the locks from the door and forcefully kicked the door to open. Then his arms returned to normal as he entered the building.

The room inside was dark and stuffy. Kevin took out his phone and turned the light on. His torch fell on faces of several prisoners reaching out to him through the bars, begging for their freedom.

He ignored them all, peering through the darkness as he searched the cages for where they had put Ashley. His torch finally found Ashley locked in a little cage, whimpering at a corner.

Ashley retracted backward in fear when he approached her cage, beaming his torch over her face. The tears on her cheek shimmered against the light.

“Shh…” he slid a finger to his lips. “I’m here to help. Do you know where the keys are?” he whispered.

Ashley shook her head, for she was too scared to utter a word. She didn’t know where the keys were. Ashley noticed nothing that goes on in the building since she always hid herself in the dark, huddled in a small corner.

Kevin looked around the room for anything he could use to open the door, but found nothing. He returned his gaze to her, edging towards the cage.

Clutching the bar, his eyes fell on her. “You may want to step away from the bar.” he admonished.

Ashley took the warning and shuffled backward until her back press against the cold wall. She watched from the dark corner as Kevin clutched the bars, shutting his eyes.

Veins sprout from his neck as he tore the metal bars apart. His hands grew larger and muscular. Hairs grew from his body, and when he opened his eyes, they were deeply colored.

Ashley fell to the floor as she watched him transform. Kevin let out a shrill as he tore the metal apart just enough for her to pass through.

He stretched his hands towards her. “C’mon, let’s go!” he yelled.

Ashley gazed upon his outstretched arms with fearful eyes. His bloodshot eyes terrified her. She was too scared to move an inch. Kevin yanked her out of the cage, and together they found their way to the door, ignoring the others calling to them with outstretched arms hanging outside the bars.

As soon as they were out of the building, Kevin shut the door and his body returned to normal. He held her hands and they ran until they were far away from the building. They stopped under an oak tree to catch their breath.

Huffing and puffing, Ashley turned to look at him. “Where are you taking me?” she asked in her little voice.

“I don’t know yet. But we have to get you far away from here before anyone sees you.” Kevin said, thoughtfully.

Ashley turned to look at him. “Why are you helping me?” The corner of her eyes crinkled as she inched towards him to inspect his face. Her face lit with recognition. “I know you…”

He stared wordlessly with guilty eyes.

Ashley slowly moved away from him. “You are that bad man back there in the park that had refused to help me when I was starving.” she leered, slipping her little fingers from his tight grip.

“Ashley, I am sorry I didn’t help you back then. If I had…”

“You didn’t care to help me back then, why are you helping me now!?” she cut him off.

Kevin tried to explain. “Listen Ashley, if I had helped you back then, something terrible would have…”

“I could have died that day.” she sassed. Tears spilled on her cheek. “I could have starved to death, if I hadn’t…” Ashley trailed as she tried to stop the tears, but they kept coming.

Kevin felt touched by her tears. “… but you did not die, Ashley. I promise I will see to it that you’re taken care of.”

He tried to get closer, but she shuffled further away from him. “Leave me alone! All you care about is yourself!” she whined and took off in a huff, ignoring his cry for her to stop.

“Ashley, wait!” he quickly chased after her. “They will kill you if they see you.” he warned.

That didn’t stop her. She kept running without a backward glance at him. Soon, she went off the road into a compound with several residential houses.

Kevin lost sight of her. He yelled out her name as he moved from one residential house to another. Rounded a corner and entered a narrow path in between two buildings.

Suddenly, he heard a thud behind him. Quickly turning to see what it was, he startled when he saw Ashley hanging from T-Rex’s hand. He watched with horrified eyes as T-Rex removed a knife from underneath his coat.

“T-Rex, please,” he implored him. “I’m begging you, don’t hurt her.”

T-Rex clutched her neck and took the knife closer to her. Ashley followed the blade with her eyes, her body trembling. Whimpered as he pressed it on her tender skin, her eyes wild. Her body shuddered at the touch of the cold metal against her skin. Kevin could only watch, and just like the last time, he felt completely helpless.

T-Rex threw a glance at him, his lips drawing back in an unholy smile. “Everyone you love dies.” his voice held a quiet but lethal warning.

His eyes widened.

Then T-Rex raised the knife.

“No!” Kevin exclaimed, racing towards him.

T-Rex plunged the knife into her chest with an impelling force.

Ashley gasped sharply. Blood spilled on her chest.

Kevin froze in his path, his eyes wide and wild.