Don’t Come Closer

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Chapter 4: Don’t Come Closer

Night came without warning.

One moment, the faint light slipping through cracks above gave the bunker a dull gray glow.

The next—

Darkness swallowed everything.

Aya sat against the cold wall, her knees pulled slightly toward her chest, knife resting across her lap. The lantern between them flickered weakly, casting unsteady shadows that made the room feel smaller… tighter.

Oppressive.

She hated nights like this.

Too quiet.

Too still.

Her eyes flickered toward him.

He hadn’t moved much.

Still near the opposite wall, sitting with one knee up, arm resting loosely over it. His head tilted slightly downward, eyes half-lidded—but not asleep.

Not even close.

Watching.

Always watching.

It irritated her.

“Do you ever relax?” she muttered.

A beat of silence.

“No.”

“Figures.”

She looked away again, jaw tightening.

The quiet stretched.

Minutes passed.

Maybe hours.

Time didn’t feel real anymore.

Then—

A sharp inhale.

Aya’s head snapped up.

Her eyes locked onto him instantly.

Something was wrong.

She could feel it.

“Hey,” she said, sharper this time. “What’s wrong?”

No answer.

His hand tightened against his knee.

His breathing—

It was uneven again.

Worse than before.

Aya stood slowly, instincts screaming at her to keep distance—but something else pulling her forward anyway.

“Don’t come closer.”

His voice came out low.

Strained.

Different.

Aya froze.

Her grip tightened on the knife.

“…What’s happening to you?”

“Nothing.”

“Don’t lie to me again.”

Silence.

Then—

A sharp, pained exhale.

His body tensed.

Aya saw it clearly now.

The veins.

They were spreading faster.

Darker.

Creeping across his neck, up toward his jaw.

Her stomach dropped.

“This isn’t ‘nothing.’”

“I said stay back.”

This time, it wasn’t a warning.

It was a command.

Aya didn’t move.

Didn’t step forward.

But she didn’t step back either.

“I’m not leaving you like this.”

A mistake.

The moment the words left her mouth—

He looked at her.

Fully.

And Aya’s breath hitched.

His eyes—

They weren’t the same.

The faint glow was stronger now.

Brighter.

Hungry.

Her pulse slammed against her ribs.

“…You need to get away from me,” he said quietly.

Aya swallowed hard.

“…Or what?”

He didn’t answer.

Didn’t need to.

She saw it.

The way his body was holding itself back.

Like something inside him was fighting to break free.

Aya’s fingers tightened around the knife.

“If you turn—”

“I won’t.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I do.”

“How?!”

His jaw clenched.

“Because I’m still in control.”

A beat.

Then—

A low growl slipped from his throat.

Aya froze.

That—

That wasn’t human.

Not even close.

Her instincts screamed now.

Run.

Get away.

Leave him.

But her feet didn’t move.

“…You’re losing it,” she whispered.

His head dropped slightly.

“Yeah.”

The honesty in that answer made her chest tighten.

Another breath.

Shaky.

Controlled.

Barely.

Aya took a step back.

Just one.

“I can help—”

“No.”

Too fast.

Too sharp.

Her eyes narrowed.

“You don’t even know what I was going to say.”

“I don’t need to.”

“Stop acting like you know everything!”

His head snapped up.

And this time—

There was anger.

Real anger.

“You think I want this?” he snapped. “You think I asked for it?”

Aya flinched slightly.

But didn’t back down.

“No,” she said. “But that doesn’t change what you are becoming.”

Silence.

Heavy.

Dangerous.

Then—

“…Say it.”

Aya hesitated.

“What?”

“Say what you’re thinking.”

Her grip tightened.

“…You’re turning into one of them.”

The words hung in the air.

Sharp.

Final.

For a second—

Nothing happened.

Then—

He laughed.

But it wasn’t normal.

Low.

Rough.

Empty.

“Maybe I already am.”

Aya’s heart skipped.

“That’s not funny.”

“I’m not joking.”

The lantern flickered harder.

Shadows shifted.

His face—

It looked different in this light.

More hollow.

More dangerous.

Aya forced herself to stay steady.

“If that’s true,” she said slowly, raising her knife slightly, “then I’ll do what I have to.”

His eyes flickered to the blade.

Then back to her.

“…You won’t.”

Aya’s jaw tightened.

“Try me.”

Another pause.

Longer this time.

Then—

“…You still hesitate.”

Her breath caught.

“You always did.”

Her chest tightened painfully.

“Shut up.”

“It’s the reason you’re still alive.”

“No,” she snapped. “It’s the reason people died.”

That hit.

She saw it.

Felt it.

The air shifted.

Cold.

Sharp.

“Careful,” he said quietly.

Aya’s grip tightened harder.

“I’m not scared of you.”

“That’s the problem.”

Silence again.

Thick.

Unbearable.

Then—

A sudden noise from above.

A loud crash.

Both of them froze instantly.

Aya’s head snapped upward.

“They’re back.”

More than before.

She could hear it.

Multiple footsteps.

Scratching.

Something heavy dragging across the surface.

Her pulse spiked.

“We need to move,” she said.

But he didn’t respond.

Aya looked at him.

He was still staring at her.

Still tense.

Still… holding on by a thread.

“…Can you even fight like this?” she asked.

A dangerous question.

But she needed to know.

His lips parted slightly.

Then—

“Yes.”

Aya didn’t fully believe him.

But she didn’t have a choice.

Another crash echoed above.

Dust fell again.

The hatch wouldn’t hold forever.

Aya inhaled slowly.

Then exhaled.

“…Fine.”

She tightened her grip on the knife.

“But listen carefully.”

His eyes stayed on her.

“If you lose control—”

“I won’t.”

“If you do,” she continued, voice firm, “I won’t hesitate.”

A pause.

Then—

“…Good.”

The word came out almost relieved.

Aya’s chest tightened again.

She hated that.

Hated the way he said it.

Like he trusted her to end him.

Another loud bang.

Closer.

This time—

Something cracked.

Aya’s heart slammed.

“They’re getting in.”

He stood slowly.

Steady.

Despite everything.

Despite whatever was happening inside him.

Aya stepped beside him.

Not behind.

Not running.

Facing it.

Together.

For now.

Because the truth was—

She didn’t know which was worse anymore.

The monsters outside…

Or the one standing right next to her.

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