He ran and ran, and it felt as if he had been running for ages, but whenever he glanced back, they were still behind him.
"Mum!"
He cried out for the woman in front of him but no matter how he cried out, the woman refused to turn back to look at him.
The tears in his eyes stung. The scenery was getting blurrier and when he miscalculated his steps, he stepped on a stone and tripped.
"Argh!" He cried out when he fell. It hurt but he bit his lower lip to stop himself from crying out. It will be worst if they knew he cried.
They caught up with him. Those green eyed monsters and their three red headed leaders sneered as they formed a circle around him.
One of the red headed leaders smiled at him as he whispered, "I told you to stay low..."
Terrified, the boy apologized, "I'm sorry...I didn't mean it..."
The other red headed monsters laughed at him and one of them passed the smiling red monster with a hammer, "Just do it."
Before he can stop them, they took his hand and the red monster smiled as he slammed the hammer down repeatedly on his tiny hand.
He heard the cracking of the bones and a loud shrieking pierce.
.....
"GHOST!"
Kai Xin and Phantom cried out in panic when Ghost suddenly screamed and vomited.
They were not bothered by the sight and smell of the vomit as they flipped him to his side so that he could breath better.
"Ghost..." Phantom sighed as he watched Kai Xin wiping him down.
As she was wiping Ghost's face, she glanced up and in a sad tone, she asked, "How can I leave him, Phantom?"
Phantom asked as Kai Xin tended to Ghost, "What just happened?"
"His nightmare...It's getting worst..." She murmured, "Bring me a new towel."
When Phantom went to get the towel, Kai Xin sighed, "How can I leave this idiot alone?"
"Pain... Pain... " Ghost cried out. He was sweating profusely as he battled his own nightmare. "Mum... Help... "
Kai Xin reached down and took his left hand, the one that was broken into pieces, the one that hurt him everytime it rained.
She knew that Ghost hated this hand of his. It served as a constant reminder of his own fear.
As she gently massaged it, she said softly, "Xiao Ying... Don't be scared... I'm here..."
Still sleeping, he frowned and cried, "Don't hit me... Don't..."
"No one will hurt you, Xiao Ying. I'm here."
Ghost's eyes fluttered and it opened slowly. When he looked up, he saw a familiar face.
It was the face of a woman he had not seen in years. As he smiled, he whispered, "Mum... You are here..."
"Hmmm... I'm here. Xiao Ying, you are safe with me."
"You have to hide... They are coming... "
Kai Xin patted his chest and whispered, "Sssshhhhhh... They can't hurt me."
Ghost nodded. Before he fell asleep again, he murmured, "Must hide..."
Once he was finally fell back in a deep slumber, Phantom frowned.
She was right. If she was to leave the idiot, who knew what he would do.
Kai Xin knew what was on his mind. She reached over Ghost to touch Phantom's shoulder, and in a clear voice, she said,
"Phantom, you and I...Despite our past, we managed to live a proper life with a happy childhood, no matter how short it was. Even if no one knew about our pain, we don't have to face our demons everyday, but he..."
She glanced down as the sleeping guy before adding, "He doesn't have anyone else but us. He never have the chance to escape. I know you are worried about me but I can't leave him. Not now. Not until those bastards are all gone."
Once she was done with her speech, she went to the bathroom to clean up.
Phantom watched the locked bathroom door and thought wryly, "We don't have to face our demons everyday?"
He scoffed when he heard the sound of the water running, "Daisy...You don't know this, but you are my demon."