Escape from the Compound of Death

I hurriedly made my way to the rooftop's edge and leaned over the three-foot tall border. Looking down, I saw a daunting drop of seventy feet onto the unforgiving ground below. Even if the water had been within reach, attempting a dive from such a height would have surely been fatal. Just as I contemplated my predicament, the door suddenly burst open, and the werewolves stormed through the door, their heads wildly turning in every direction.

Having been spotted, I resorted to the only logical action I could fathom. I clambered onto the rooftop border, positioning myself to face my pursuers. "Don't take another step!" I warned. Snarls escaped their lips as I inched closer to the edge. Sweat trickled down my forehead, my gaze instinctively drawn to the ominous void below. "I'll jump, I swear!" I said, mustering the nerve to act suicidal, thinking they would cherish my life more than my death. My plan hinged on their capitulation, ensuring a safe passage out of this perilous situation.

The werewolves exchanged glances, clearly dismissing my threat, as smirks played across their faces. Their slow, menacing approach sent a shiver down my spine, and I couldn't help but steal a fearful glance over my shoulder. The ground loomed far beneath me, and I found myself torn between despising the thought of the long, harrowing descent and dreading the abrupt halt at the end.

"Jump," a voice echoed in my mind, jolting me to the core. The sheer force of that word threatened to unbalance me, nearly causing me to lose my footing on the precarious edge.

"What?!" I yelled in exasperation at my own mind. The werewolves paused, seemingly taken aback by my outburst, unsure if they still had an appetite for someone who appeared to be arguing with herself.

"Jump!" that infuriatingly familiar voice persisted, aggravating me further.

"Just hold on, gentlemen," a smooth voice interjected. I redirected my attention from the werewolves to the source of the voice, and there, amidst the parting creatures, walked a man.

He was no ordinary man; he was undeniably captivating. Standing just a touch over six feet tall, he exuded an air of elegance, clad in a pristine black suit. His long, sleek black hair was neatly tied back, accentuating his fair complexion. A brilliant smile adorned his face, accompanied by a pair of piercing blue eyes that shimmered like a tranquil lake, albeit with a hint of frostiness akin to the chill of mountain runoff. His features were refined, his nose possessing just the right amount of sharpness, and his hands boasted impeccably groomed, long fingernails.

"I don't believe you really want to jump, Miss...?" the man inquired, his voice composed.

"Don't you dare try me." I responded

The man's laughter resonated through the air. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Nobody. However, allow me to introduce myself. I am Lord Otis Ruthven." With a graceful sweep of his arm, he performed a gallant bow before me. Startled, I recoiled, nearly losing my balance in the process. This was the very name that Four-Eyes had mentioned, the person he intended to bring us to.

As Lord Otis Ruthven lifted his head, his gaze fixated on my left hand. A sly grin played upon his lips. "Ah, I see you're the new partner for our mutual friend, Victor. Speaking of whom, where might that intriguing gentleman be hiding? It appears my men have lost track of him within the depths of my establishment."

"Perhaps he was swept away along with all the other rubbish," I suggested, a hint of sarcasm in my tone.

Lord Ruthven's chuckle filled the air as he approached me with deliberate steps. I regarded him warily, keeping a cautious distance, my senses on high alert. He extended his hands, a gesture meant to convey trust. "Just like Ben, you have a wonderful sense of humor," he said. "We could just have a little chat inside?"

He closed the gap between us steadily, the distance narrowing to five yards, then four, and finally three.

Jump now!

I glanced nervously over my shoulder at the terrifying drop, and Lord Ruthven clearly did not appreciate my hesitation. In the blink of an eye, his appearance contorted with fury, and he lunged towards me. Swiftly evading his grasp, my feet lost their footing, and I tumbled over the edge. A chilling scream escaped my lips as I plummeted through the air, the world spinning around me in a wild and uncontrollable frenzy. The ground rushed closer and closer, and just before impact, I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the inevitable collision.

But the impact never came.

Instead, a strong and familiar pair of hands enveloped me, snatching me from the clutches of certain doom just three yards above the ground. As I opened my eyes in astonishment, I found myself embraced tightly against a dark coat. It was Victor, my savior. My heart flooded with relief, a feeling I rarely experienced, and I instinctively wrapped my arms around his neck, clinging to him for dear life. However, he seemed uncomfortable with the affection and swiftly set me down on the ground, putting some distance between us.

"Enough distractions. We haven't escaped yet," Victor tersely reminded me, snapping my attention back to the perilous reality at hand.

We found ourselves standing next to the foreboding edifice known as the Building of Doom within the treacherous confines of the Compound of Death. From above, the imposing figure of the Big Bad Guy peered down at us, a constant reminder of the danger that lurked.

Positioned near the docks on the far side of the compound, I turned my head and noticed a couple of lifeless figures stacked in the shadows. It was the patrol guards and their dogs, their motionless forms telling a tale of swift and silent elimination. Among them, I couldn't spot Ben's body, leaving his fate uncertain and weighing heavily on my mind.

Victor wasted no time indulging in sightseeing, promptly seizing my hand and forcefully propelling us towards the docks. As we hurried along, my concern for Ben grew too overwhelming to ignore, and I couldn't help but voice my question.

"What have you done with Ben?" I demanded, my voice tinged with both anxiety and accusation.

"Focus on your own survival," Victor retorted sharply, his response brimming with an unwavering determination that left little room for further inquiry.

I soon understood the urgency in Victor's words. Above us, the werewolves took a daring leap over the building's edge, expertly using their claws to scrape against the walls, slowing their descent to flank us from all sides. In a desperate bid to escape their clutches, we veered along the building's perimeter and swiftly turned the corner.

To our advantage, we stumbled upon another truck stationed near the docks, its cargo comprising wooden crates awaiting unloading. Without hesitation, Victor seized my hand once more, urging me towards the group of men engaged in the laborious task of loading the crates onto nearby boats. He forcefully propelled me towards the boats, redirecting my focus to finding a means of escape.

Phantom-like, demonic, tentacled, and monstrous hands emerged from the pages, as if an erotica novel had sprung to life. They swiftly pulled the men towards them, engulfing them in their eerie grasp. Victor skillfully evaded the cascading books, except for one unfortunate encounter. His foot caught on the corner of a page, causing him to stumble, and a skeletal hand seized him tightly. Descending to the ground, he swiftly contorted his body to deliver a forceful kick towards the creature. Just then, a pack of werewolves appeared around the corner, sprinting menacingly towards both of us.

With a burst of adrenaline, I dashed towards Victor and the scattered books, swiftly grabbing the entire box. Without hesitation, I hurled it towards our approaching furry adversaries. The flying pages of the books struck the werewolves, unleashing the enigmatic entities within the paper, diverting their attention. Capitalizing on the distraction, I seized hold of the cover of Victor's book and forcefully slammed it shut. Instantly, the bony hand lost its grip and tumbled lifelessly to the ground. Victor swiftly tore it off and flung it against a nearby truck, causing it to shatter into countless fragments.

Seizing a spare book, I swiftly snatched it as Victor reached out, hauling me back up to my feet. With Victor leading the way, we hastened towards the river boats, where a few men stood hesitantly, unwilling to provoke the wrath of the enchanted books. Brandishing my spare book, I extended it towards them, causing them to shriek in terror and plunge into the water, desperate to avoid the dreaded paper cuts. Seizing the opportunity, we commandeered a swift jet craft, with Victor skillfully taking the helm. Engaging full throttle, the sudden acceleration threw me back into the rear seat. As we raced away, I stole a glance over my shoulder at the shore. The werewolves continued their struggle against the book demons, but on the docks we had just departed, Lord Ruthven stood, a mere fraction of a second too late to intercept us. The fury etched across his face reinforced my relief that we had managed to evade any final exchanges before our escape.

As we raced down the river, exhaustion and relief washed over me, causing me to slump in my seat. I instinctively covered my eyes with my arm and let out a groan. "Let's never repeat that ordeal," I pleaded with Victor.

He scoffed, seemingly unfazed. "That's just an ordinary night for us," he replied matter-of-factly.

Removing my arm, I stared at him in utter horror. "You've got to be joking, right?" I exclaimed, unable to believe what I had just heard.

"No."

"For once can't you just make a joke?" I pleaded.

"No."

We continued our journey in silence for several miles until Victor skillfully docked the boat on a secluded and tranquil shore. It was here that we disembarked, leaving behind the vessel to blend into the anonymity of the city. However, I was determined not to be perceived as a helpless damsel, incapable of walking on my own. When Victor attempted to lift me up, I swiftly evaded his grasp, leaping out of his reach. "I can rely on my super speed perfectly well now," I argued, asserting my independence.

"Oh, but I haven't seen proof of this," Victor countered.

"Maybe because you went the wrong way."

"But, I was able to get away much faster than you were,"

I answered, "Um...I haven't seen any proof yet".

Victor challenged me with a question. "Then tell me, where is Ben?"

My face contorted in disbelief. "You didn't lose him, did you?" I exclaimed, a mix of concern and incredulity coloring my words.

Victor let out an exasperated sigh, rolling his eyes. "I had enough time to move his body to a secure location and then come back to rescue you," he explained, his tone conveying his annoyance.

Surprised by his response, I pondered aloud, "So you actually came back for me?" Admittedly, despite the bond between us forged by the rings, I hadn't anticipated him going through such trouble to ensure my safety.

He raised his hand, revealing the ring. "I had little choice".

Crossing my arms over my chest, I frowned. "Of course you had choices," I countered. "You might have left me there on the roof or ordered me to jump and... I hesitated and raised an eyebrow. Speaking of which, how did you convey that to me? All I heard was a resonating voice in my head."

"Telepathy," he replied simply, his response contrasting with the intriguing nature of the subject.

"Telepathy?" I echoed, seeking confirmation, and he nodded in affirmation. Raising my hand, I gestured back and forth between us. "You mean to claim that we can converse with one another without actually speaking?" I questioned, a mix of curiosity and amazement evident in my voice.

"Yes."

"Is that really possible?" I persisted.

"I will not lie to you," he replied.

A wide grin spread across my face as I envisioned the endless possibilities. We could travel and perform in shows across the country, showcasing our extraordinary connection! The thought of amassing wealth and eventually retiring to a tropical paradise crossed my mind, even though I knew Victor's fate would likely lead to him turning into dust. All we needed to do was perfect our act and...

But a dreadful thought interrupted my reverie, and I narrowed my eyes suspiciously at Victor. "You can't possibly read my thoughts, can you?"

"No," he replied.

Feeling a sense of relief, I mentally let go of the idea of accumulating vast wealth. After all, I had always preferred a more low-key lifestyle. "Okay, so what's our plan now?" I pondered aloud.

"We need to dispose of Ben's remains," Victor stated matter-of-factly.

My face grew pale, and my stomach dropped. "How?" I squeaked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"He expressed a desire for cremation," Victor informed me.

I cocked my head, forehead furrowed in confusion. "Cremation? But isn't that challenging to accomplish without a proper furnace?" I questioned. Victor, in his characteristic impatience, simply turned his back to me and strode into the urban jungle of towering buildings. "Hey, wait!"