Winter #6

In the overpowering dimness and unease, Ethan strode slowly between the damp walls that reeked of anxiety. His eyes stared wide-eyed at each successive room built of stone with rusted iron bars. The basement was too stuffy to linger in for long and Ethan was beset by an overwhelming sense of anxiety.

His shoes created a regular, stiff beat, each step that brought him closer to the far end of this row of stone prisons felt like a step towards death. His feelings grew even more unsettled as Ethan felt Emily's scent grow thicker, as if it were the lifeblood of this dark underground chamber. A low screech from the last room at the edge of the darkness made his thoughts even more frantic.

"Emily, are you there?" he hissed softly, barely audible.

His steps felt like they were being dragged, his legs felt numb and the oxygen felt depleted in the humid soil. His vision had never clearly observed anything since the young man set foot in this place, but the thing happening in front of him made his eyes feel sharper than ever.

"Damn it! What are you doing you bastard?" the young man exclaimed when he saw Emily being whipped by an unknown man. The stranger seemed unaware of the presence of other people in this underground room and remained focused on his work.

In his limited movement, Ethan reflexively ran towards the last prison that confined Emily with iron chains binding the girl's hands and feet. Lash after lash was relentlessly inflicted on the increasingly pathetic Emily. A rancid odor suddenly assaulted his nose and it angered him even more. With determination, Ethan threw his flashlight in any direction and now the young man took up his signature archery stance.

Ethan drew his bow far back, and in the next second a single pointed arrow pierced the nape of the stranger who had been relentlessly whipping Emily. The man collapsed after pulling out an arrow that stung in his neck.

"Ethan," whispered Emily who was beginning to lose consciousness.

Emily felt a sharp pain on every inch of her skin. Her clothes were barely on, a result of how hard the lashes she received were. Her head felt swirling and nausea began to rise in her throat. It felt like time in this place was slower than it was elsewhere. Emily never knew when her suffering would end and thought that she would end up miserable in this place. However, a familiar arrow brought her relief and she gave a thousand silent thanks. Ethan was here to save her.

Ethan kicked the brutish-faced man who took up almost the entire floor of the prison, with great difficulty Ethan dragged him out so that there was room for him to approach Emily. The dim light of a lying lantern helped Ethan to remove the chains that bound Emily.

"Ethan," Emily's voice sounded so quiet and frightened.

"Emily, hold on," the man said softly.

"I'm going to die," Emily replied as she felt her body ache and blood drip into a puddle.

"At least don't die before you explain what happened to me." Ethan did not stop removing the iron chains from Emily's legs. Anger burned in his eyes that were colder and darker than usual.

The young man's chest was rising and falling and the rage seemed to be about to burst at the terrible condition of his friend. Emily may have only met him yesterday but Ethan already considered her a friend, more than just a stranger on the run.

"Stop right there! Or I'll shoot you," the low-voiced threat made Ethan clench his hands into tight fists. His eyes glared angrily at the man who had appeared out of nowhere.

Ethan recognized the man's face for a moment, he was the same person he had seen that day. The man brandished his gun as he walked closer. The air felt increasingly tight, Ethan was forced not to act rashly or his life would be lost the moment the trigger was pulled.

"I don't know who you are, young man, but I don't want you to deter me from my goal," the man threatened as the distance between them grew closer.

Ethan didn't budge where he stood. Meanwhile Emily winced even more in pain on the verge of unconsciousness. The voices she heard made Emily's feelings even more miserable, in her near-death situation, Emily still thought about Ethan's safety which was under threat.

"This woodpecker won't be lodged in your head at all if you move away from there right now. I was kind enough not to involve anyone else in my dealings with that woman, so get out of the way!" Albert said with a cynical look and didn't want to be contradicted.

The gun was still in the air and Ethan was not at all deterred by the man's threat, Ethan was just waiting for the right time to kick the man's ass and throw the gun out of his hand.

When they were only a foot apart, in a fit of rage Ethan kicked the man with all the energy he had gathered since then. The young man did not give Albert the slightest chance to attack him back, without a weapon, the man seemed to be unable to do anything. The gun in Albert's hand had been thrown somewhere and Ethan didn't have to worry about a bullet going through his brain. Albert rebelled and growled as if his growl would make his strength increase, in reality the man did not have enough self-defense. Ethan's fists turned white from how hard he clenched and punched, leaving Albert battered in no time.

"I don't know how you found that girl's whereabouts, but all you need to know is that she is my friend and I will defend her no matter what. Even if it costs me my own life!" with his chest rising and falling Ethan shouted that sentence to Albert who seemed to be defeated.

In a slumped position with his face pressed against the ground, Ethan locked Albert's hands together, binding him with the chain that had been used to bind Emily some time ago. By the time that happened, Emily's consciousness was already very thin indeed and the girl desperately struggled to stay awake.

"Damn it! You can't do that, boy!" snapped Albert thrashing around between the crush of the ground and Ethan's footsteps that rendered him immobile.

"Those words would be more appropriate if you showed them to yourself, you idiot!" Ethan spat on Albert's reddened face, making Albert make a sour face.

Ethan grabbed the gun lying on the ground, pulled the trigger and fired at one leg of Albert who was trying to stand up. Instantly the man's body collapsed with a screech of pain that echoed throughout the dimly lit room. With a very limited opportunity, Ethan quickly brought Emily out of the dungeon.

"I promise I'll kill you both, you bastards!" Albert shouted one last time before he lost consciousness.