Chapter 4(A puzzling riddle to fix)

"Even the laws are scared of you, how pathetic" he pauses and sniffs.

Henry closed his eyes briefly as tears had gathered. This was the worst nightmare. He had given up on finding his girlfriend and now he was missing home.

He wished to end it all and go home, he was never going to go on a trip again, he would act responsible and try to be a hardworking man who assist the family.

"This is all a confusion, I am not king or whatever you call him, my name's Henry and..."

"I heard you died last night but it turns out you went on a trip to arthadeal and now, we have brought you home in secret"

Henry wailed in his heart, it could only mean he was in another country again! Who would understand him?

He would always be lost in this riddle. The narration Diego gave got Henry more confused and baffled.

No one who captured him explained to him what exactly the price tag was. Neither did anyone who tried capturing him make it alive. He wonders what would be the fate of Diego.

"My family is worried sick over me..."

"Don't you think I had a family! A family you massacred" Diego spat throwing the dagger at Henry who duck his head to dodge it.

Diego kept hindering him from completing his statement. He was raging in anger at Henry and would have chopped him off if not for the price tag placed on him. Henry scuffles and pants heavily.

Luckily, Diego wouldn't murder him because he was wanted alive. The dagger got stuck on a wooden pillar behind Henry. It made a squeak sound.

There was a guard standing beside Henry and so he pulled the knife and hurried to give his boss Diego who beckons on him to place it on the table.

That was close and Henry inhales hard, trying hard to control his tongue from rolling out any more words.

Diego stomp towards the door and was about to make another statement at Henry when suddenly the door blast open and Diego's body scattered before Henry.

Henry quakes at the sight of another dead body. It was more horrific than the previous ones. The grenade used to blast the door open had shattered his body.

At the door, three people dressed as bodyguards appeared holding machine guns and pointing at Henry. They were two men and a woman.

"Oh my God!" Henry laments crying as he was shivering where he sat. He thought it was all over. The war for his life over a price tag that he knows nothing about.

How long would he get involved in a scandal? Who was this king that they all wanted and why was he mistaken?"

Diego's men started a gun fire at these three and Henry had to fall himself to the ground to avoid being hit by a bullet.

His ears could hear the vibrating and rattling sounds of bullets. It was a hard fall and it made him whimper as he was hurt.

After a while, he didn't hear the sound of gunshots rather it was the clomping sound of a shoe striding adjacent him.

Someone was untying him and taking the chair off his back. Henry growls as his face was covered with dust. He had inhaled too much dust while upsidedown.

Henry had to face up, exasperate some air and then duck his head at the man standing before him. He rose up slowly from the ground, growled and sat limply on the ground.

The three people with the guns bow slightly at Henry. They were standing behind this man who had a warm gaze at him.

"Sorry I'm late boss" His serene voice echoes as he stretching his hand at Henry. 

The young man was taken aback. This must be another set of gangs who were after him for the price. At a point, Henry wished to die.

The whole place was a mess, objects scattered by the bullets flying everywhere in the room earlier.

To Henry, he was beginning another phase with this set of dangerous people who praises the king while capturing him.

Henry folded his knees to reach his chest shaking his head as he was afraid. His mind was void of thoughts, his head banging hot and his breath almost ceasing.

He was covered in sweat as his heart races fast. The situation was triggering and endangering. He told himself that he wouldn't move as he wasn't ready for another phase.

The man before him was still stretching his hand at Henry to assist him up. Out of shock and constant pains, henry collapsed.

***

CHILDHOOD...

His boggy eyes were becoming blurry as his feet tread on the cold ground, which was floored by wet leaves. The white pyjamas which was once admired had become damp, ripped off and covered in dirt. 

His breath was ceasing from the constant race and had to halt down to a walk. He was holding on to someone who race with him.

There tender feet stepped on thorns but it didn't stop them from running away from the people chasing after them.

Dark tree trunks, shadows, overhanging limbs across the path seen at the last second, clumps of bushes, barely visible black trails snaking through the undergrowth, moon shining through a lattice of leaves. 

Patchy sky and stars seen in glimpses through tree breaks, tall shadowed pines stretching up like arrows into the sky, streaks of cloud against the earth.

The wind slipping through leaves, cracking undergrowth with each step, creaking tree trunks, the flutter of wings unseen, snapping twigs, grass and weed sliding against pant legs, breathing sounds.

Coyote calls, fox yipping, wolves howling, snarls, padding feet along a trail, a grunt of pain at catching a root or tripping on dead night. Though it was creepy, yet she kept moving in any direction her staggering legs took her to.

Cobwebs in the face, cold, dewy leaves sliding across her skin, slipping on wet leaves and mushrooms, tripping on bumpy roots, stones, dead fall.

Thorns scratching skin, scrapes, and cuts on hands from falling in the dark, pine needles embedded in skin during fall, his ears tingled twist and jerk at every unfamiliar sound.

The rain had ceased earlier but left the cold to linger around. He suddenly halts from running causing the person taking the lead to stop also. He was exhausted and felt his heart would explode.

They were two kids struggling to escape the cruel world.

"We must survive Henry... listen to me, you can do this"

Henry shifted his gaze at the person speaking. It was a boy just as he was. He was encouraging him not to give up or they would be caught by the adults who were chasing them.

"I'm scared" he cried while gasping for air as he rest his back on a tree which was at a close proximity.

"Shh, I promise to protect you with my life" the boy says with a serene voice as he embrace Henry warmly. Henry buried his head lazily on this boy's chest as he felt warmth running down his spine.

For a reason, he felt safe in the arms of this boy who would risk everything to protect him.

The barking of dogs drew closer as the golden rays from laterns in the woods were almost reflecting on their face.

"What do we do?" Henry's tender voice questions as he noted that he had made the adults catch up with them.

"I will distract them while you run away!" The boy beckons with a bright look at Henry who shook his head vehemently.

The boy terminated the hug and intended to race towards the adult but Henry held on to his hand crying and stomping his feet.

"No! we stick together! Remember! The nun always says that!" Henry defended begging this boy not to go.

"Stay alive Henry, I would always have you in my heart, if she ever finds you, tell her I love her" the boy concluded with tears in his eyes while letting go of Henry's hand and running towards the lights.

***

PRESENTLY...

"No!"

His yelps jolting up as his body judders. Letting out air, he flutters his eyes open. His nose sniffs a lingering fragrance. He felt warm and something lightly heavy on him.

It took a while before his eyes caught sight of an off-white wall. His brain detects that he was in a spacious room.

Covered with a blanket and fixed on an intravenous fluid. The glass window was wide in length and size that could fit for a glass down.

This room could fit for a sitting room. The bed he laid on was enormous and could fit 5 people on it. A couch was a distance from the bed and a flower vase lean beside it.

The room was neatly arranged and he thought if perhaps it was a suit. He slowly disconnected the drip on his hand and climb down the bed.

He winced as he was feeble and tried not to fall, slowly, he strides towards the window and drew the curtain. He widens his eyes as he notes that he could see almost the whole city through the window.

He ogles his eyes as the sun was directly pouring its angry gaze on him. Henry drew the curtain back in position as the sun ray was disturbing his sight. He leaps back to the bed. He was certainly not home, where could he be?