Sofia's POV
I woke up to the eerie silence of the cave, my head throbbing with the memories of the previous day's horrors. The makeshift bed of fabrics beneath me offered little comfort as I sat up, gingerly touching my bruised face. The pain was a harsh reminder that my nightmare was all too real. I examined myself, relieved to find that my injured leg had been expertly dressed with clean bandages, and the bloodstains had been scrubbed away. But who had done this? And why?
As I stood up, testing my leg's stability, I noticed the cave's interior had been transformed into a cozy bedchamber. But the sense of unease lingered. I hobbled towards the main area, searching for answers.
That's when I saw him - a young man in his early twenties, engrossed in a book on a shelf overflowing with dusty tomes. His piercing gaze flicked up, locking onto mine for a fleeting moment before he returned to reading, dismissing me. I felt a shiver run down my spine.
"Are you a book lover?" I asked, trying to break the ice, but he ignored me. I approached the shelf, scanning the titles, hoping to find some distraction from my predicament. But before I could grab a book, he spoke up in a chilly tone, "For the meantime, you'll be staying here. I'd appreciate it if you didn't touch anything that doesn't belong to you."
His rudeness took me aback. Did he not know how to speak to people? I bit back a retort, instead asking, "Can I have something more substantial to eat?" I requested. He points towards a bag of chips and a soft drink, his expression unyielding. "This is it". He said. "Can I please have something more heavier than this"I said "Take it or leave it."he uttered. I had no choice but to pick them up.
I hesitated, sensing a deeper animosity beneath his words. "How is your leg?" he asked gruffly, as if he didn't really care. I replied, "It's getting better," trying to gauge his interest.
But his response sent chills down my spine: "That's good. You're lucky it didn't get infected. Eat up so you can leave as soon as possible." Leave? Was he kidding me? The monsters outside were still lurking, waiting to pounce.
"Are you heartless?" I asked, incredulous. "You saved me only to abandon me to those creatures?" He shrugged, his eyes glinting with a sinister light. "I found my home myself. You'll have to find yours."
I dropped the snacks, my anger boiling over. "You're not even human, are you?" I spat, turning to leave.
As I stormed out of the cave, the dry leaves crunched beneath my feet, echoing through the stillness. But I didn't get far. A shadow loomed behind me, and I spun around to face the monster from my nightmares, its eyes fixed on me with an unblinking stare. My heart sank. This was the end. I closed my eyes for what was coming next.
_____________
I woke up to the familiar sight of the cave's dimly lit interior. But something felt off. Didn't I die the day before? I tried to remember, but my memories were hazy. I stood up, my eyes adjusting to the darkness, and saw that I was in "his" cave. Why was I here? I thought he wanted me dead.
I stumbled towards the inviting aroma of cooking food and found him in the kitchen, preparing breakfast. "Why did you bring me back here?" I asked, trying to keep my anger in check. "I thought you wanted me dead."
He didn't look up from the stove. "You should be grateful I brought you back," he said, his voice cold and detached.
I bristled at his tone. "I wasn't begging for your mercy."
He slid a plate of spaghetti onto the table. "Eat up. I don't have all day."
I hesitated, but my growling stomach won out. I ate quickly, trying to process what was happening. After finishing, I did the dishes, feeling a sense of unease.
With nothing else to do, I decided to explore the cave. I stumbled upon a laboratory filled with strange equipment and chemicals. Curiosity got the better of me, and I started conducting experiments I had learned in school.
Just as I was getting engrossed, he appeared behind me. "What are you doing here?" he demanded, his voice stern.
I tried to explain, but he cut me off. "Clean up this mess and leave. Now."
I obeyed, feeling frustrated and trapped.
That night, I couldn't sleep. I found myself staring at his face, trying to read his expression. Suddenly, he started shaking and twitching in his sleep. I rushed to his side, grabbed a bowl of water and a towel, and gently wiped the sweat from his face.
His eyes snapped open, and he sat up with a jolt. For a moment, he looked around wildly, then his gaze locked onto mine. "What are you doing?" he growled.
"hmm...You were having a nightmare" I explained. " What was it about it seems to be so troubling?... No.... let me get you water" was about getting up.
"I don't need your help" he muttered while rubbing his eyes.
I felt a surge of frustration, but something about his demeanor stayed my anger. Maybe it was the glimpse of vulnerability I saw in his eyes. Whatever it was, I decided to push my luck, my voice firm. "Tell me what dream was about."
" You don't need to know, just go back to bed, it's late already" he said and went back to sleep.