8 VIII

It is bliss.

Pure ecstasy rushing in like a waterfall on every corner of his body. He never felt so much starvation, satisfaction—electrifying jolt inside him that shaken all his muscles. He breathes, body seemingly awakening from its long deep slumber that every pulse is like a tree hammering on his temples. Stiffly standing still before the crumbling human in his thin arms. Hands are mercilessly gripping her long tangled cascading hair enough to scrape some off the roots from its scalp. Tilting her lolling head further to the side to easily gain more access to her wilting inviting neck. His piercing devilish eyes pinned to the muted crowd in front of him against the continuing stare of the interested moon above.

An owl hooted far in the forest that bothered the hushed night causing him to lowly snarl and licks and once again bit for the second time. Seemingly used to this kind of things that he only let his body have all the go to satisfy him. His canines sinking at the smooth skin with no trouble at all. The more his tongue greeted the metallic taste of the blood the more his heart rocks in slow beats and the further he can sense his surroundings. The crash of waves on the rocks, the hops of the rabbits on the dry leaves, the rustling of the leaves, the cries of the crickets and the beating of wings of the birds.

Yet still, it is dead silent kilometers away from the town and the noise around after a full second only came as a muffled ring with the rush of blood beside his eardrums. His nape burns and hot thick liquid drools down his chin but still he drinks all the same. He drinks and drinks and stares more unblinking to his unspoken spectators.

Samty observe with his attentive slitted eyes the first figure who dare to move. The grazing of the fabric cuts into the still wind and, soon, everyone follows this hesitant motion. Because of this, with an unfathomable feeling rising up inside him, Samty's eyes darkened fully enough to stop the future steps of them. They immediately halt after only inching close while his hold on the woman tighten even more. His canines snaps back up to the living the same time hands weakly clench a handful of his clothes. But he didn't paid it any much of his attention.

He took a step forward.

The body of the woman limply dangles on his arms but the weight didn't pulled his eyes down to look at it. Instead, his clear vision are lock on the once again unmoving figures. Mouth slightly agape with his lips curving into something that made the air around them thick with tension. His obscure eyes is a bit blocked by his uncut hair but it didn't stop him. It didn't stop him seeing them now tentatively stepping back away from him with something akin between bafflement and fear. And Samty smiles the same. He smiles with blood dripping all the way down his neck with that unfaltering maniac smile that made them shudder. With his throat raw and scratchy, he managed to choke out a word.

For the first time, he blinks.

"Insolents"

Suddenly, a twig snaps—birds flew and Samty gasps and collapse.

~~~~~

Samty groans and squirms from where he lays. The carton beneath him that he scavenge days prior is itchy and he felt like he's drowning on it. The thick fabric thrown up to his chest is too warm for his liking, reprimanding the cool breeze he badly wanted. So he moves and lay on his side. He didn't open his eyes even though the sun's dull bright light is stinging them behind his lids from where it was trying to reach him from the back entrance of the alley. Trying to get some more sleep because he felt drained down to his bones from too much work of running away with a bitten bread in his hands. He can barely feel his limbs and the arm around his waist is hugging him too tight so he slaps it—

'Wait...'

His father knew how he hates it when he hugs him in his sleep. Felt like tons of weight is on his body pinning him down his spot.

Samty immediately opened his eyes and got greeted by a window drawn by a thin curtain that's slightly fluttering from the wind that the broken glass of the window welcomes. That's how reality came to him like a bucket of freezing water poured to him. He wasn't on his town and definitely not on the alley and certainly this is not his father's arm. Not having enough time to really pay much of his attention his rather reddish bare arms from the lone rays that passes on the holes of the excuse of a curtain as his eyes quickly snaps down on the indeed an arm circling on his petite body. He blinks in bewilderment and was sure to realize that the arm is absolutely should be connected on a body but his abrupt pull off in the world of unconsciousness left his mind a bit still clouded and logical thinking turned off. So when a nose bump the back of his head and a breath of air on his nape made him shudder down his toes, he practically yell out a cry on top of his lungs and bolts out of the caging arm.

Samty crashed with a loud thud down on the wooden floor and he is sure he'll see a purpling bruise on his leg after a full minute of how he got it hit on the leg of the chair that was sitting way too close on the now he knew that where he was previously laying is actually a bed. Without batting an eye on his hurt limb, he clambers up on his butt and skidded away to the old furniture. Eyes not leaving the lump under the blankets that is now waking up, letting him not to see the very low cabinet under the window. So with no means of knowing that it was there, his head squarely hit the target.

"Ah! Seriously!"

He hissed like snake when the impact vibrates throughout the entirety of his head. His eyes marring black dots with a dizzying sensation. And then he wince and curses his life when as he tried to aid his tortured head it made his hand came slapping the edge of the open cabinet that he somehow had the idea that it was made for some books when his fingertips had managed to lightly brush on the thick spine of them.

"Ow, ow—"

"Samty, you okay—"

"—Ow!"

Samty gave a howl of pain when the voice caught him off guard and made him flinch on his place. Bumping his head in the process under the same insufferable cabinet. The plane of wood that's one with the wall didn't do anything but stay still on its seat yet it gave him a very much reason to loathe it just the same. He just woke up and this is how his day had already started. Great.

He held his head between his hands for aid as he hunched his back. Keen on not getting the unsuspecting wood close to his body from where he still sat. It hurts like how he collided to his father when they were playing tag with his leg constricting like his bone got a dent from how hard he beat it against the metal leg of the chair. His eyes are close to try and ease out the pain but all he got from this gesture was hearing rapid steps somewhere followed by a loud bang of a heavy block of wood to another wood. Samty continued to help his tormented head as a booming voice echoed whole at the peaceful morning.

"What happened?! Fermon, I swear—!"

"I didn't do anything—!"

"—why are you even here?!"

His hands stops from putting pressure at the back of his head as he opened his eyes from the mention of a familiar name. He pulled his head up to its hiding place between his hands and knees, eyes landing where a mess of black locks sits on the back of the head of the man standing tall in front of him

Samty's heartbeat spikes as he went on his knees.

"M-mister! I haven't showed my utmost gratitude to you for saving my life!"

He bent down low enough for his forehead to touch the flooring as he speaks, palms resting on the wood beside his head. Letting them know how grateful he is of them helping him back at the forest and for somehow feeding his upset stomach when it was really him who fed himself. Well, he wouldn't think twice and will eat that poisonous berry and die in an instant if not for Celo practically pulling him away on that tall bush. All in all, he was glad for their help that he was still alive and breathing just like how a person should be. But he didn't got to look up after pulling that gesture when his eyes exactly landed on the perfect position where a small unintentional hole adorned the chipped wood. Making him see the multiple faces looking up at where three abled bodies are currently located. Although seeing numerous unfamiliar confused faces from where he still is paying his respect, his vision is completely stolen by the only old enough woman sitting by the window. Staring up also at the ceiling with furrowed brows.

Samty doesn't knew why but she seems achingly familiar. The honey-brown eyes she have glimmers where the sun's ray is warming up her whole body that's sitting on a single armchair with a cloth and needle in her lap. Her long golden brown hair braided up to its tips that was being held by a girl beside where she sits. Maybe it was just his imagination or maybe they did locked eyes.

"Hey"

Samty bolts upright in a heartbeat when a low drawl made its way to his hearing range. The chirps of the birds perched on the trees around them sounds like a mocking laughter on his ears when a hand catched the back of his head before it squarely landed again on the still wood. Suddenly, his uncontrolled heart beats heavier against his ribcage as he felt heat marring up his cheeks when he saw how close the man is in front of him, crouch down with an outstretched hand towards his head.

At this distance, he can fully see his mahogany eyes and his skin that is now again back on being tan with his well lips stretched into a sweet smile that made his insides squirms madly. Did he ate something horrible last night? He hopes he didn't.

"It's fine, no worries. Anywhere hurt?"

He sat there staring with unblinking eyes to the orbs that looks back at him. Concern lighting up his irises and he once again felt the same jolt inside his chest. Fluttering insects seems to be living inside him when he felt a tingling sensation starting up on his stomach. The longer he stared the more Samty felt his face getting hotter and hotter, getting beet red like the fruit he dared to pick and eat out the strict supervision of Celo. A fake loud cough and a word was the one thing that let him cut the staring contest he had with the other.

"Breathe"

She said and Samty swallowed. Gifting his lungs some air before he avert his gaze and think about an answer on the question that was thrown to him. Though he is a bit distracted by the hand that's lightly massaging his throbbing head, he still manage to feel himself first. His organs inside him aren't eating their neighbors and his left upper arm and nape isn't burning like the last night so he's perfectly fine. Well, maybe except his leg and head that he just got injured right after he woke up. He scrunch his nose from the thought of making himself look like a fool in front of someone, especially this kind of good looking one.

Samty felt the blood rush throughout his whole body.

"I think I'm fine"

He mumbled under his breath while looking at the worn-out bedside table the room has. Embarrassment creeping up his spine from how small and foolish he looked earlier, at the exact moment and probably later on also. He huffs to release some heat inside him and brought his hand up to try and cover his face from the two pair of eyes. He's sure enough that it is painted with a red color that made his pale complexion more visible and darker. But when his hand is levelled on his train of vision, he sees his wrist that is colored in an ugly combination of black and purple.

All embarrassment swings off his chest and replaced with surprise and confusion.

"When did I got this?" 

"Good, I thought you broke your nose the other day"