7. Bella

7

BELLA

M y head throbs incessantly as consciousness creeps back in. A dull ache pulses behind my eyes. I blink, trying to focus, but darkness envelops me. Where am I? The last thing I remember is the village elders, their solemn faces, and then... nothing.

I shift, feeling soft moss beneath me. It appears to be laid across a stone floor. The cold below seeps through the thin fabric of my ceremonial dress. A shiver runs down my spine, and not just from the chill. This isn't right. This isn't where I'm supposed to be.

Slowly, my eyes adjust to the gloom. Jagged walls loom around me, their surfaces slick with moisture. A cave? How did I end up here? I try to sit up, but my limbs feel heavy, uncooperative. The air around me is thick and musty with an underlying scent I can't quite place.

"Hello?" I call out, my voice but a whisper. It echoes back at me, mocking and hollow. No response. I'm alone, at least for now.

I force myself to breathe deeply. Every ounce of me fights back the panic clawing at my chest. Think, Bella. What happened? The village, the waira attacks, the elders' decision... It all comes rushing back.

Tears sting my eyes, but I blink them away. No time for that now. I need to figure out where I am and how I got here. I manage to push myself up to a sitting position, ignoring the wave of dizziness that washes over me.

As my vision clears, I notice more details of my surroundings. The cave is larger than I first thought, stretching back into impenetrable darkness. Near me, I spot what looks like a pile of furs. Did someone bring me here? The elders? Or... something else?

A chill runs through my body at the thought. The monster in the mountains. The one they were offering me to. Is this its lair? Am I truly alone, or is it lurking in the shadows, watching me?

I strain my ears, listening for any sound beyond the steady drip of water echoing through the cave. Nothing. But that doesn't mean I'm safe. I need to move and find a way out before whatever brought me here returns.

Slowly, carefully, I try to stand. My legs shake beneath me. I'm still very weak from whatever they used to knock me out. I stumble but catch myself against the damp cave wall. The rough stone scrapes my palm, and I bite back a hiss of pain.

"Come on, Bella," I mutter to myself. "You can do this. One step at a time."

I take a tentative step forward, then another. My eyes dart around, searching for any sign of danger, any hint of an exit. But the darkness seems to press in from all sides, suffocating and endless.

As I inch forward, my heart hammers against my ribs. The darkness seems alive. It pulses with unseen threats at every turn. Suddenly, a faint shuffling sound echoes from deeper in the cave, and I freeze. My breath catches in my throat, and I squint my eyes, trying to pierce the gloom.

There. A flicker of movement. My muscles tense, ready to bolt, but where would I run? I'm trapped in this stone prison with... whatever it is.

Another sound, like nails scraping against rock. Closer now. I press myself against the damp wall willing myself to disappear into it. The ceremonial dress clings to my skin, damp with sweat and cave moisture.

"Please," I whisper, though I'm not sure who I'm pleading with.

Suddenly, a shadow detaches itself from the darkness. My eyes widen, struggling to make sense of what I'm seeing. It's tall, impossibly so, its outline a jumble of inhuman angles and protrusions. As it moves closer, details emerge that send ice through my veins.

Tentacles. Dear gods, it has tentacles. They writhe from its back, smaller ones rippling along its arms. Its skin is black as night, seeming to absorb what little light there is. But its eyes... they glow a deep, haunting green and they're fixed directly on me.

I want to scream, but terror steals my voice. My legs give out, and I slide down the wall, curling into myself. This is the monster. The one from the mountains.

The creature takes another step forward. I catch a glimpse of his sharp teeth and long, serpentine tongue. Its head tilts, studying me with an almost curious air. But there's something else in those otherworldly eyes. Something hungry.

My mind races, recalling fragments of village gossip. An ancient being. Violent. Territorial. And now, I realize with sickening clarity, I'm in its territory.

I should run. Fight. Do something. But my body won't respond. I'm paralyzed, caught between the primal urge to flee and the crushing certainty that any movement will trigger an attack.

The monster – for what else could it be? – is close enough now that I can hear its breathing. It's surprisingly soft, almost gentle, a stark contrast to its terrifying appearance. A tentacle reaches out and hovers inches from my face.

I squeeze my eyes shut, bracing for pain, for the end. But nothing happens. After a moment, I dare to peek. The creature has paused, its head cocked to one side. Is it... confused?

For a heartbeat, our eyes lock. In that instant, I see something unexpected in its gaze. Not just hunger or violence, but... loneliness? Curiosity? It's gone in a flash, replaced by that predatory gleam, but it's enough to make me wonder.

The creature's eyes rake over me, those eerie green orbs drinking in every detail. My skin crawls under its scrutiny. I feel exposed, vulnerable.

Its tentacles continue to writhe. Each movement is hypnotic and nauseating. The smaller ones on its arms twitch, as if eager to reach out and grab me at any second. I press myself harder against the cave wall.

My heart pounds so hard I'm sure it can hear it. Can it smell fear? Because right now, terror courses through every fiber of my being. I've never felt so small, so utterly helpless.

The monster takes another step closer. Its massive frame blocks out what tiny light there is. Seven feet of pure nightmare looms over me. A sound escapes its throat – a low rumble that might be a growl or... is it purring?

Something in me snaps. Fight or flight kicks in, and flight isn't an option. With a strangled cry, I lunge forward, my hands balled into fists. I swing wildly, aiming for anything I can reach.

My knuckles graze its chest – like hitting solid rock. Pain shoots up my arm, but adrenaline dulls it. I kick out, my bare foot connecting with its leg. It doesn't even flinch.

Suddenly, tentacles wrap around my wrists, yanking my arms apart. I struggle, twisting and pulling, but it's like fighting against steel cables. The creature holds me at arm's length, its head tilted. Is it... amused?

Those piercing green eyes dance with something that looks disturbingly like enjoyment. Its lips curl back, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth. My blood runs cold. Is this how I die? Torn apart by this abomination while it laughs?

I thrash harder, driven by pure desperation. "Let me go!" I scream, my voice echoing off the cave walls. But the monster's grip only tightens. It pulls me closer, and I can feel its hot breath on my face.

My mind races. Why isn't it killing me? Why did the village offer me to this thing? What does it want?

The creature's long tongue flicks out, tasting the air inches from my cheek. I recoil as a whimper escapes my lips. Its tentacles shift, wrapping around my waist now, lifting me off the ground. I dangle there like a helpless caught fish.

Tears stream down my face, but I refuse to look away. If this is my end, I'll face it with what little courage I have left. But as I stare into those otherworldly eyes again, I see something unexpected. Concern? Fascination? It's studying me as intently as I'm studying it.

For a moment, we're locked in this bizarre standoff. Me, shaking uncontrollably and horrified, held aloft by its impossible strength. And it, this monster from nightmares, regarding me with an intensity that's almost... human.

My heart pounds wildly, each beat a desperate plea for survival. I try to steady my breathing, but it comes in ragged gasps.

"P-please," I stammer, my voice but a whisper. "What do you want from me?"

The creature's head tilts slightly. Its tentacles shift, adjusting their grip. I flinch, expecting pain, but instead, they seem almost... gentle? The thought is so absurd that I almost laugh, hysteria bubbling up inside me.

Suddenly, the monster's mouth opens. I brace myself for a roar, a growl, anything but what actually comes out.

"You," it says, its voice a rumble that seems to vibrate through my entire body. "You are... different."

I blink, stunned. It can speak? The shock momentarily overrides my fear. "I... I'm what?"

The creature's eyes narrow, its gaze raking over me once more. "The others leave things. Food. Trinkets. But I can't understand why they left you for me."

My mind reels, trying to process this information. The village's offerings, the sacrifices... they were real? And now I'm face-to-face with the recipient?

"I-I don't understand any of this either," I manage to say, my voice shaking. "Why am I here…in this place?"

The monster's tentacles tighten again slightly, not painfully, but enough to remind me of my precarious position. The creature doesn't respond. It just continues to stare me up and down with a strange curiosity in its eyes.

Time stretches on, an eternity compressed into moments. I hang there, suspended by his tentacles, trembling and terrified. He remains motionless save for the slow rise and fall of his chest. The silence is deafening, broken only by the steady drip of water echoing through the cave and my own ragged breathing.