Marina
Opening my eyes hurts my brain. I blink multiple times and whine at the pain slicing through my soul. It’s as if I just survived being thrown into a giant cheese grater. My body parts are tingling, every tendon, every bone.
“Ouch...” I grumble.
There isn’t any complaint in the world to relieve my headache. I sit up with a grimace, hating how sore my muscles feel. Simply sitting is hurting my arse.
“Rough day?”
Alarmed, I twist around to rest my eyes on a girl. Darkness is all around us. Still, I can see her wave her hand before walking up to me.
“Yeah...” I mutter. “Where am I?”
The girl giggles, and I glare harder at her. It’s just my luck running into a sadist. My pain amuses her. Ugh. The urge to punch her in the face is oddly hard to resist.
“Why don’t you find out for yourself?” The girl says.
Good idea, genius. I just look ar
MarinaFor the first time in ages, I end up dreaming about John. He is running away from me, and I'm chasing him. Laughter erupts from his throat."What's the matter?" He stops briefly to flash me his teeth. Somewhere deep inside, I know he shouldn't be this young. Neither should he be a human. "Can't catch me?""Wait!" I'm panting as I pass trees while squinting at the sun. "Stop running!""I'm not running. I'm right here, sourpuss,"Tear-stained cheeks and shaky hands; that's how I wake up. It's bright outside, not super bright since canopies are blocking out the sun, but the light is still way intenser than any light found under the mountain.My mum always used to describe the sun as life. But even if the light is beautiful, it burns like a thousand spread fires over my eyelids.Bothered by the light, I sit up with a building headache, freezing in motion when I spot Beast pulling down his pants further away.What is he doing
MarinaThe cage is moving again. The slight shake beneath my feet prompts my knees to buckle under my weight, and I wobble forward. Fortunately, Bailey is there to catch me.He chuckles in amusement as he grabs me. “Take it easy,”His enormous hands are gripping either side of my waist, and for a second, I’m flying. Without effort, Bailey helps me back on the ground and releases me once I regain my balance. Gazing up at him and witnessing his entertained smile speeds up my heartbeat. Damn him and his gorgeous face.Forcefully, I stare down at the ground. “Thank you,”“You’re welcome,”Bailey smirks at me, and I shake my head, rolling my eyes at his swagger. He is too darn full of himself.“Stop smiling at me,” I growl at Bailey, who laughs in response.“You’re not that bad,” He winks at me.Embarrassed, I look away from him and lift my eyebrows
MarinaStaying away from the middle of the cage is easy. Remembering the earlier scene is all it takes to shudder and wish I was back in my fluffy bed at home.Life was less complicated under the mountain, while the surface is chaotic. I never know what’s going to happen next. And yet, I think I prefer being in the actual world rather than hiding beneath my mountain.My eyes haven’t adjusted to the sun yet. Luckily, our cage is like a tiny forest. It’s a habitat for us humans, with trees and bushes shielding my eyes.Most of the trees are laughably small, though, but there is one tall oak standing in the middle of the cage. It’s probably strong enough to let a human climb to the hatch directly above it, but I’m guessing someone already tried and failed.Everyone must avoid the middle of the cage for a reason. Maybe Dave and Adam eat the people who dare to challenge fate by trying to escape?I shudder uncontrolla
MarinaAs sunlight enters through the canopies and land on the face, I thought I once knew, heat explodes through my body. Beast’s ragged breaths become my own. And unwillingly, I melt under his gaze, afraid this might all be a dream.I’ve dreamt about John for years. My heart used to cry out to him every night, waiting for the day he might come and save me.Beast couldn’t be John, right?Not knowing what to say next, I stare at Beast with tears building up behind my eyes.I’m burning with the need to keep my hands on either side of his face. The determination to find out who he is flush through my entire system while the pure desperation is choking me slowly with anticipation.“Who are you?” Tears stream down my face. “Is your name John?”When my fingers tap his cheeks, Beast flickers his eyes away from mine. Darkness clouds his gaze, and he grabs my hands. Slowly, he pulls my trembling
MarinaPain has become part of me now. Watching John walk ahead of me and knowing he isn't mine, it's agonizing enough to knock the air out of my lungs.I want to scream, beg and ask him to reconsider his choice of being with Amy, but it would be a terrible thing to do.If Amy is the one he truly wants, then I should respect that."You can't tell the others that I can speak,"Shocked at John's sudden stop, I look up with no time to mask the inner torment gnawing at my soul.He looks torn the moment he sees my expression, but my pride causes me to glance away. John taking pity on me isn't something I want. I don't need him, and yet, it's so hard to resist stealing another glance of him."Did you hear me?" John asks."I did," I inform him bitterly. "And may I ask why I can't tell them?"John sighs heavily. It takes every bit of willpower to keep myself from lifting my chin.My mate doesn't want me, so I shouldn't lo
MarinaThe atmosphere is tense and awkward as I watch John pull out the others from the cage one by one from above the hatch.Bailey helps him. He lifts Lily up into the tree, not even glancing at me when he is the last one to climb.I can't believe everyone is so okay with this.There is no goodbye; they shed not even a single tear when I'm left standing alone.My friends don't seem to care about me, not even John. In his defense, Amy is seriously injured, and his expression told me he wanted her out of here as quickly as possible.It still hurts being abandoned, though.I twitch my lips and stare down at the ground. Self-sacrifice was my decision. I wanted this, yet I didn't expect to feel this lonely only seconds after being alone in this cage.Adam promised to look the other way for five minutes. He told me Dave wouldn't question our deal later. Adam assured me my friends would be safe, and strangely enough, I believed him.
MarinaThe nights are the absolute worst now that I'm spending them alone. Even though I know I'm sleeping inside a terrarium, the trees growing inside suddenly feel so frightening. Branches move like ghosts in the night while bushes rattle around me.I shudder. It's only the wind, Marina, I tell myself calmingly.It makes sense for there to be sounds. Adam told me the original use for Dave's terrarium is to harvest insects. Angels apparently eat them when they aren't swallowing humans.Therefore, the handy angel Dave built this terrarium cage—metal bars on top, glass at the bottom.I have to admit, Dave's work is impressive. It sure feels like I'm inside a veritable forest, but since I've walked around every corner and turned every pebble, the terrarium no longer feels that interesting to me.I want to what the world looks like outside of this cage, but of course, I'm a prisoner, so Adam won't let me.He thinks I would escape,
MarinaHot-headed, that has never been a description suited for someone like me. I've always been the quiet girl, the one with books and pictures of the world above.Life, love, freedom, and justice have always been sacred to me, and the only thing able to bring out my fury is if someone questions those three.At least that's what I thought until I met Adam.Now, I'm shaking with rage at the smirking man, glaring daggers into his midnight eyes and cursing him for looking as ripe as an apple, as seductive as a sex-demon."How can you say that after I saved your life?" I grit my teeth at Adam, venting out my anger without thinking. "I gave you my blood; you would have died without it. And yet you sit here-..."Adam hushes me and then offers me a glittering smile, showcasing his teeth. Suddenly Adam has become the picture of calm while I'm struggling not to slap him across his annoyingly sharp-angled face."Calm down," Adam's voice is lo