The Monster From The Nightmares

27. The Lies We Tell

Zitao gasps and scooches away from the two boys as fast as he can, resulting in him falling off the table he was on. He whimpers as they approach him.

"P-please don't hurt me...." he begs, "I don't know how I got out, I s-swear. P-please."

"We aren't going to hurt you Zitao," one says. Zitao whimpers as he leans down, "Chanyeol, you can leave now. Take Autumn with you."

"Autumn?" Zitao exclaims, then sees the other boy lean down and pick up her still form, "Autumn!"

He tries to get up and go to her, but he is held back by the first boy. He can hear Autumn moan a bit as the other boy, Chanyeol, carries her out.

"Don't hurt Autumn!" Zitao cries.

"Calm down, she's fine," the first boy soothes.

Zitao trembles and begins to panic as he feels his powers start to go out of control. They disappear as something cold wraps around Zitao's wrist. He could feel his powers writhing in protest inside of him. It hurt, and Zitao whimpers.

"Zitao, calm down," the boy orders.

The pain slowly dissipates and Zitao sighs in relief when it's gone.

"Are you hungry?" the boy asks, Zitao nods slowly. The boy smiles, his Dimples showing. He holds out a hand, "I'm Yixing."

Yixing...

Zitao's head begins to pound. And he closes his eyes tightly, not shaking Yixing's hand.

"I want Kris and Lulu and Autumn," he says in a pleading whisper, then opens his eyes, "Please."

"You can see Autumn, she's one of us now."

Zitao freezes. She was one of them?

"What does that mean?"

"Autumn agreed to join us, the Exo," the boy explains slowly, his demeanor slowly darkening, "We let her bring you back to life."

"Suho killed me..." Zitao mumbles.

"That was an accident Zitao," Yixing sighs, "As soon as it was over, Suho ran up to me with you in his arms. He didn't mean to kill you, but he was too late. He was really beat up about it."

"Still..."

"He acted out of anger. That doesn't justify what he did, but it does explain it," Yixing swallows, "Please Zitao, don't make us put you back in the basement."

Zitao shutters at the thought.

"I want Autumn...."

Yixing nods, "When she wakes up, you can talk to her," he smiles again, lifting Zitao up, "Before anything else, let's get some food into your stomach."

Zitao's mouth waters at the thought and he nods in earnest. Yixing leads him out of the room and down the hall. The smell of multiple seasonings fill his nose.

"Looks like Kyungsoo is making Jongin's favorite," Yixing comments, "Do you like rice?"

"I liked Autumn's when she and Kris made it..." Zitao trails off.

"Well, something tells me you'll like Kyungsoo's even more," Yixing states, "He burns our meat sometimes, but most of the time his food is amazing."

Yixing enters a room, Zitao follows. And his jaw drops.

He had never seen so much food in his life. Even when Kris's boss would let them eat after hours at the restaurant, never was there this much.

"Woah," he breaths, Yixing chuckles.