Chapter 17

Baekhyun woke up at midnight. Ever since Chanyeols missing he wasn’t able to sleep well. He used to wake up many times at night by hallucinating Chanyeols voice. After he’d calm himself down he closed his eyes again and tried to fall back into sleep. Sleeping with his thoughts by Chanyeol wasn’t easy but getting his dead friend out of his mind was impossible.

Yet where he’d gained back a little bit of his memories it was even harder not to think about the memories he’d made with Chanyeol. They loved being anywhere all that mattered was that they were together. They could have a wonderful in a storeroom, it didn’t matter. The more those memories and feelings became the harder sleeping at night was.

Chanyeol was missing everywhere. Baekhyun imagined Chanyeol sitting next to him at breakfast although there was an empty place now. He tried to think about how taking a shower with his boyfriend would be like, he thought of his intimate touches, of how good it felt to be one with Chanyeol. Everytime those feelings were about to overwhelm him, he tried to distract him with housework or watering the tree of life, he tried to chitchat with anyone around him and he used to stay at university until late. Never had Baekhyun learned as much for university as now – or tried to at least.

But when the night came and he laid alone in Chanyeols huge bed, the thoughts began to rise. He couldn’t control his mind and whenever he forced himself to think about anything else than Chanyeol his mind would find an abstruse way to connect him to his thoughts. When he finally managed to sleep he used to wake up often at night.

But what made it even harder this time was that he’d dreamed of Chanyeol. He’d heard is voice and even felt his body next to him. He was hugged by his true love, he was happy and now he knew that it would never be like this again. There won’t be any Chanyeol with him from now on. He has to stay on his own feet from now on.

Baekhyun bit on his under lip and played with his ring on his finger. C and B, Fire and Light. Where there is fire, there has to be light. But light can be without fire... You’re wrong Yeolie. I can’t live without you. I try, I really do, but it’s too hard…

He began to sniff. Crying was something he got used to for the last days, how he hated it. Love can hurt much more than any imaginable pain.

I thought you and I had a great future. Even the ring said that you’re special to me. How can you leave me…?

This was too unfair. Why was he the one who got his love ripped apart again? First, they were separated for five years and now as soon as they’d found back together he was all alone again. This wasn’t right, this was cruel fate.

A knock on the door brought Baekhyun out of his thoughts. Tao slipped into the room and climbed up the bed. “I heard you crying, Baek…”

“it’s nothing…”, the black-haired mumbled and whipped away his tears.

“It will become easier in the future.”

Baekhyun nodded lightly and pullet the blanket up to his face.

“Try to sleep again…” Tao was about to leave again when Baekhyun held his hand.

“Would you…stay here this night...?”

Tao smiled lightly. “Of course.” The smaller got back to Baekhyun and hushed under Baekhyuns blanket. As soon as the older felt the child’s body he hugged him tight.

“Thank you, Tao…”

“It’s okay. That’s what friends are for…” The child snoozed into Baekhyuns hug and closed his eyes. “Good night Baekkie.”

“Good night…”

Darkness. No matter where Baekhyun looked, he couldn’t see anything but darkness. He gasped in surprise when he felt a little hand reaching out for his. “Tao?”, he whispered into the darkness.

“Baekhyun…”, Tao mumbled in fear and clinged to his friend. “I can’t see anything.”

“I can’t-“ A growl was shutting up Baekhyun and Tao tried to climb onto Baekhyun. “Shht…”, the older whispered and lifted Tao up who wrapped his legs and arms around Baekhyun.

“What was that?”

“A growl…”, Baekhyun mumbled and tried to find just a little ray of light to orientate himself. “I#ve heard it somewhere before…”

“It will come and eat us…”, Tao mumbled in fear. The growl was now accompanied with paces and tippytoes. “I correct myself. THEY will come and eat us. It’s not just one.”

“Can’t you freeze the time for them?”

Tao shook his head. “No, I can’t. I don’t even know what to freeze.”, he whispered.

Baekhyun sighted. “Okay…then we have to find another way out.”

“Woah!!! Now I get why I should come with you guys!” Baekhyun froze at the laughing voice he could hear just now. This…

“We said it’s too dark, we can’t see anything.”

“Then I guess it’s time for a nice fire to happen.” This can’t be…

Baekhyun held onto Tao even more, looking into the darkness were the known voices came from.

A little fire glowed up in the darkness and the first thing Baekhyun could see was Chanyeols smiling face. “Tada! You’re nothing without me, guys.”

“We know you’re best Chanyeol. Let’s just find this sliver and leave. I really don’t like this place.”, Jongdae murmured.

“We should look for some wood to share the fire first.”, Minseok guessed and tried to find anything in this darkness.

What is happening here…? Baekhyun and Tao stood in a corner observing their friends. Is it a dream again…? As much as he tried, Baekhyuns feet didn’t want to move, has much as he wanted to scream Chanyeols name, he wasn’t able to. The growl came back and suddenly Baekhyun knew where he’d heard this sound before. It was the same sound the demon made when it chased him on the campus. No…no…Chanyeol…

“Did you hear that?”, Jongin asked and looked around.

“No, nothing.” Chanyeol had made a few steps and stood a little off side the group. Jongdae and Minseok were still looking for some wood to carry Chanyeols fire around.

“I bet I heard a growl.”

Minseok chuckled. “You don’t have to be scared by darkness Nini.”

“I’m not! I just said what I hea-“ With the small light Chanyeols fire gave them, Baekhyun could see how something hit Jongins chest and threw him against the stonewall hard.

“Kai!”, Chanyeol screamed and ran to his friend. Baekhyun could see six holes that were hit through his body. The man was breathing unsteady, they had to leave now when they didn’t want to lose Jongin. “Chen, Min! Hurry! We have to leave!”, Chanyeol screamed and tried to stop the bleeding. Kai was losing blood too rapidly.

Baekhyun couldn’t see much from now on. Chanyeols fire wasn’t strong enough to show what happened, because he was trying to help Jongin. All he could hear was the growl of this demon and Minseok and Jongdaes running. “Hurry!”, Chanyeol screamed again and when there was a loud metal sound he let his fire glow up more again.

Baekhyuns eyes widened when he saw not only one but at least ten demons surrounding his friends. “Chanyeol…”, he whispered aware of what must happen next. “Tao we need to help…do something.”

“I can’t. I have to touch the demons to freeze them separately…Like this I would freeze everything…”

Jongdae was hit by the whip-like tale while he tried to protect his boyfriend of any harm. “Jongdae!”

His arm was badly injured. It seemed that he couldn’t move it anymore.

“It’s nothing Babe. Even Baekhyun could take this…”

Minseok shook his head. “Those are bigger than the one that was after Baekhyun. Look at Jongin.”

“Then I guess I’m happy that it only hurt my arm…”

Jongdae was talking ligh