The Howling Spaces

A small amount of light filtered through a gap in the wall. A pair of eyes were drawn to the spot cast on the ground. The eyes were fixed on this light, but the soul in the gaze was almost non-existent. Murmurs could be heard as they seeped their way through the walls. Moans and whimpers. The owner of the pair of eyes was oblivious to everything. They didn’t seem to hear or smell the horrible stench of blood and human waste. It didn’t make a difference. Unhurried footsteps were suddenly heard, immediately quieting the entire area. The footsteps were accompanied by the jingle of keys and the swoosh of wind. The footsteps abruptly come to a halt. It takes three seconds. It appeared as if the owner of the feet was concerned. Two pairs of eyes looked up from inside a cell. Saint Job would pay homage to the eyes that stared at the door with such patience. The footsteps began to move forward, and a flicker passed through the patient eyes in response. The sound of a key turning in the lock was heard, and the door was then opened. The soldier sneered as he walked slowly into the cell, as if he gazed upon the vilest thing that had ever existed. He was holding a stick in his hand, which he used to poke the person in front of him. He jabbed harder each time he landed on a new body part, beginning with the limbs and ending with the head. The soldier began to speak, but his words were quickly swallowed as the person being treated as a human jab thing stood up and appeared to want to attack. The soldier swerved to the left, and the prisoner brushed up against him. As soon as he recovered, the soldier ran out of the cell and quickly shut the door, preventing the prisoner from escaping. He reached for keys on his belt, but his hand came up empty. It took him a second to realise what had happened. But, it was too late, as the door slid open, slamming into his face. The prisoner then walked calmly out of the cell, watching the soldier moan in pain from the hit. But it didn’t end there. The soldier’s moaning was silenced when a palm strike landed at the base of his neck, rendering him unconscious. The stolen keys landed on the soldier’s body, and the prisoner walked away. The other prisoners, who were still locked in their cells, watched with trepidation as the escaped prisoner’s shadow passed underneath their doors. The facility was large, but the prisoner walked through with ease. The person, who was not completely unfamiliar with the surroundings, avoided the many guards and hid from those who were unexpectedly approaching. The prisoner’s footsteps picked up speed only about two minutes before the unconscious guard awoke. The alarm went off just as It was left about fifteen more steps to the exit. The person dashed for the exit doors to freedom. The yard was surrounded by a metal fence, and the prisoner was certain that if it hadn’t been electrified before, it definitely would be now that the alarm had gone off. This did not deter the prisoner at all. After spotting a location that was the right height for a quick jump, the prisoner took a few steps back and then tore through the yard, quickly jumping over the five-foot-tall barbwired fence. Unfortunately, the landing was not as smooth. A searing ache ripped through the prisoner’s right leg after a misstep. The reopening of an old wound was the result. The sound of running footsteps caught the prisoner’s attention, and he turned around to see a soldier coming. The prisoner raced even faster than before, oblivious to the discomfort. The prisoner hoping to get lost in the forest that encircled the facility. A massive explosion halted the prisoner’s progress before he vanished into the woods. Looking back, the prisoner saw half of the complex fall apart. The pursuer was rendered speechless as well. The explosion, however, continues. This time, the other half of the plant was destroyed, and the explosion appeared to be headed for the forest. The prisoner merely lingered for a brief moment before fleeing. While the soldier ran and jumped over the fence, not for the benefit of the prisoner, but for his own safety. The escaped prisoner walked quickly, fearful of the approaching explosion, without looking back at the prison where he had been held for two years. The explosions stopped only a few minutes later. And the escaped prisoner patiently moved between the trees after that. It was quiet in the woods during the day, but it was even quieter at night, when the prisoner sat in front of a small fire, roasting rabbit meat on a long stick. As the escaped prisoner finished the preparation and began eating like a ravenous dog, the distant screech of bats could be heard. After finishing his meal, the prisoner extinguished the fire and climbed a tall tree, eventually settling on a large branch to sleep. The next morning, the prisoner was awakened by the sounds of leaves being disturbed and heavy breathing. With his eyes narrowed, he noticed a figure approaching slowly from the distance. Following the person is the sound of hissing. As the figure approached, the escaped prisoner realised it was the soldier, his body covered in raw wounds. The stench of blood was especially strong as he limped past the tall tree. The ex-prisoner went unnoticed by the soldier as he passed by. In pain, he hissed and moaned, but he didn’t stop moving. One leg trailed behind the other. The prisoner realised that the soldier had barely survived the explosions of the previous night. After observing the soldier vanish, the prisoner descended from the tree and quietly followed behind. He didn’t know where the soldier was going, but he was clearly on his way somewhere, judging by how determinedly he walked despite the pain. The prisoner had been following the soldier for quite some time and was unconcerned about the status of the person he followed. At one point, the soldier lay down, looking as if he wouldn’t live to see the next day. He closed his eyes and collapsed on the forest floor, unconscious. An hour later, the soldier awoke with his limbs protesting as he stood up to find a large piece of meat on a palm leaf by his feet. The soldier paused, wary. He looked around the forest but saw no one. Finally, unable to resist, he reached for the meat and devoured it greedily. He reasoned that if he didn’t eat something, he would die anyway, so it didn’t matter if the meat was poisoned or incorrect. He kept moving after eating, but the soldier was on the lookout for anyone else in the forest. The soldier received such gifts for another day while he would be asleep, until his curiosity caused him to pretend to be unconscious. He noticed the prisoner putting food by his feet with his eyes narrowed. The soldier acted quickly, grabbing the prisoner in a firm grip. However, it was ineffective because the prisoner was quick and nimble, even twisting the soldier’s arm against his back. The soldier grunted in pain, but he did not struggle. He exhaled and said, “Thank you.” The prisoner didn’t say anything in response, but he did let go of the soldier. The prisoner did not look back as he walked away. He felt there was no point in following the soldier any longer because it was already like this. He continued on his own path. As the prisoner made his way into a small clearing between the trees, sunset was approaching. He took a look around for a moment, then went to gather wood for a fire. He moved quickly to take advantage of the limited daylight. After a while, when it was dark, he sat on the forest floor in front of a fire, roasting meat. For a long time, the prisoner stared at the fire, lost in thought. His hand reached up to his chest, and he simply rested it there, his gaze absent from the forest. A branch snapped, jolting him out of his reverie. He sat up in a crouch and took a look around. From the depths of the forest, shadows emerged. Soldiers who were not like the one he had left behind earlier in the day. Some rode horses, while others moved on their own two feet. A single glance at their uniforms was enough for the prisoner to recognise them as foreign soldiers. As they approached him, the prisoner looked around and noticed three pairs of soldiers carrying crates. It didn’t take a genius to figure out who was responsible for the prison bombing. The prisoner took a step back, aware that he had nowhere to flee. On all sides, he was surrounded. “You are not from here,” said the one who appeared to be the leader, gravelly. “Who exactly are you?” The prisoner remained silent, staring viciously in an attack stance. He was already prepared for what was to come. His skin was a different shade than that of the territory’s natives, so he stood out. After receiving no response, the leader narrowed his eyes and took in the entire appearance of the person in front of him. “There were rumours of a spy, caught by the Yuisen army,” he said after a few seconds. Few people with your skin tone would venture into Yuisen territory. Seeing your state, I have a suspicion that you escaped the facility before it was destroyed,” the leader laughed. “But, who can be so lucky?” he said after a brief pause. It wasn’t a question he needed an answer to, and the leader looked the prisoner in the eyes for a beat before saying, “Seize him!” The soldiers moved slowly forward, and the prisoner retreated. He was outmanned. A gunshot rang out just as he was about to surrender, and everyone’s attention was drawn to the direction and the outcome. Everyone looked suspiciously around the forest after a single soldier fell to the ground. The prisoner would have taken advantage of the opportunity to flee, but it wouldn’t have taken much for the soldiers surrounding him to attack. But then there was a grunt from the clearing’s edge, behind the prisoner, and two soldiers were on the ground. An unknown hand dragged the prisoner into the dark forest. In the bare light of the moon, the owner of the hand ran quickly, expertly dodging obstacles. It was only a brief moment before he came to a halt. It was the facility’s soldier. He turned to face the prisoner, but before he could say anything, a series of gunshots rang out in the area they had just left. The prisoner quickly grasped the soldier’s hand and began running again. He encountered resistance after two steps. When the prisoner looked at the soldier, he said, “Don’t worry, they won’t be coming after us.” “Our army is not going to let them go.” The prisoner grasped the situation. He turned to face the soldier, who nodded. He then turned around and walked away, waving goodbye. The prisoner turned around as he watched the soldier vanish into the trees, then resumed his journey. The prisoner walked cautiously because he couldn’t see clearly in the dark. His movement through the forest was accompanied by the sounds of crickets and owls. The prisoner would pause from time to time to listen for any footsteps other than his own. The prisoner eventually found a used path just as the sky began to show the first signs of dawn. The prisoner thought it would be days before he found a human path after recently escaping and fleeing new captors through the woods. In his heart, he silently rejoiced. He moved quickly along the path, and then voices could be heard in the distance. Human activity is audible. The prisoner was pleased, but he remained vigilant. He crept up to the edge of a clearing, expertly hiding behind a tree. Four people were going about their business with little awareness. In the clearing, there were three males and one female. Tents were set up in the corner, and it appeared that the travellers were about to continue their journey. They hurriedly packed their belongings. The prisoner stood there for a long time, not intending to reveal himself to them. When the people finished, they continued on their journey, unaware of the escaped prisoner who had followed them. They moved for several hours. The four were odd, and the prisoner discovered that analysing them was a good way to distract himself from the pain in his leg. If he was on his feet for too long, it became unbearable. The prisoner was relieved when they came to a halt. If the pain persisted, he was prepared to go it alone. He knelt and massaged his feet and ankles. To avoid breathing too loud and thus exposing himself, the prisoner suppressed his pain with thoughts that he would only recall in dire circumstances. The four people burst out laughing, and the prisoner looked up from his crouch on the ground. He noticed that there were now five people in front of him and not four. The fifth person wore peasant clothes and carried a black satchel, but his eyes were filled with steel. It was the soldier, but he was missing his uniform. While the other four laughed, the soldier didn’t even smile, indicating that they didn’t know each other. The prisoner observed the soldier begin to turn away, but he was abruptly stopped by two of the three males, while the female watched with delight. They attempted to take the soldier’s satchel, but he eluded their grasp. After that, the smiles faded and they began to attack. The prisoner was perplexed as to why he felt the desire to assist the soldier. It was as if they were more than just random strangers with hostile intentions. The prisoner remembered how the soldier had helped him, and he couldn’t ignore what was going on any longer. The prisoner, who appeared out of nowhere, expertly blocked two blows aimed at the soldier and threw both attackers to the ground. The newcomer astounded the four people. The prisoner took a stance of attack, and looked at all four, menacingly. He knew that the element of surprise was gone, so he now had to look formidable. The expression seemed to work, because the four travelers/thieves all scoffed and moved away, giving a wide berth as they stalked down the path. The soldier took a brief glance at the prisoner before following him. They both walked down the path together without saying a word to each other, but nevertheless, acknowledging each other’s presence. The prisoner didn’t have to ask before the soldier explained that he had been dispatched by his commander while they were fighting the enemy soldiers. He needed to get a message to the capital city. It was almost dark, and the soldier couldn’t ignore it any longer. “Why haven’t you said anything since?” he inquired. He asked the question, hoping he wasn’t being impolite. The former inmate only smiled and reached for his chest. This time, he drew something from his clothing. It was a black leather rope that was holding an object. He showed it to the soldier whose eyes widened in recognition, and the soldier immediately bowed and apologised. The prisoner smiled warmly as he looked at the bowed head in front of him. He put his hand on the soldier’s shoulder and motioned for him to stand. After that, there was nothing but silence. The soldier couldn’t find anything to say. His face wasn't thick enough to hide the embarrassment he was feeling. They found a suitable location to spend the night. The prisoner caught a hare, which they cooked over a small fire. They ate, and they slept in the trees afterwards. The soldier made no objections as he followed the prisoner’s lead and climbed a tall tree. He found a suitable branch to rest on. After a few moments of silence, the soldier asked into the darkness, “Are you still awake?” For a split second, there was no response, but then there was a grunt. “It must have been difficult all these years,” the soldier continued. “Your leg appears to be in pain. Is that how it came to be?” There was another affirmative grunt. “Then, are you going to return home?” For a long time, there was no response. However, two grunts soon indicated a negative. “Do you have any plans?” the soldier inquired. Two negative grunts appeared once more. “Oh. If none, I hope you would come with me,” the soldier said after a brief pause. He paused, but quickly realised that the other person might interpret it incorrectly. “It won’t be as a prisoner,” the soldier quickly explained. "No. I can guarantee that you will be free in the capital. Things will be different this time. Better.” For an extended period of time, there was silence. The former prisoner had clearly never considered going to where the wolves lived, let alone making a life there. But it wouldn’t hurt to see where it led. The prisoner grunted in agreement, and the soldier, who had already assumed silence meant refusal, was taken aback. He sighed and then said, “okay.” The next day, they continued along the path until they arrived at the outskirts of a small town around midday. It was enjoyable to see how lively and bustling with human activity it was. The two men moved at a breakneck pace. They were en route to the docks. They found a market and bought some fruit with the soldiers’ money. It slowed them down just a little. They did, however, eat some as they moved. A loud “HEY!” came from behind them, and they both turned around to see a group of seven males staring at them, three of whom they recognised as the ones from the forest. The two men exchanged a quick glance, and with tacit understanding, they took off like the wind. They swerved around people and stalls. The prisoner followed in the footsteps of the soldier. Up ahead, a child dropped his toy, but the prisoner advanced and jumped high without halting. When he landed, he felt pain in his leg. As he continued to run, the voices of the seven males could be heard following them. The soldier didn't pause to take a breath, and the prisoner didn't want to either. Fortunately, they were soon able to hear the sound of the sea and the sailors' calls. They ran even faster. Soon they both simultaneously jumped aboard the ship as it was departing the docks. The soldier looked around at the people staring at them. The faces barely hid the apparent intention to throw the unwanted passengers overboard. The soldier simply removed his top garment, and the people backed away when they saw the uniform underneath. When the prisoner noticed this, he smiled and turned around to see seven males on the docks with dissatisfied sneers on their faces. His smile grew bigger, and he turned to face the soldier. The soldier followed his gaze, and when he saw those expressions, he burst out laughing. They slid onto the deck and laughed, allowing relief to wash over them. Afterwards, they both sighed silently. A calm contentment washed over them as they just breathed in the sea air in deep thought.