CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 9
The Breaking Point


---

Naoki ran.

Faster than his lungs could handle.
Faster than his thoughts.
His heart pounded like war drums, each beat screaming a prayer:

“Let her be okay—please, let her be okay.”

But the gods didn’t listen.

He turned the corner behind the school’s abandoned gym—
—and saw hell.

There she was.
His mother.

On all fours.
On the dirt.
Tied up like a dog.
Rope digging into her wrists and ankles, face pressed into the cold ground.

A leash wrapped tightly around her neck.

Angelyn stood above her.
Foot pressed cruelly against his mother’s head like she was nothing more than a doormat.

Her mask was on. Her eyes smiled.

“So slow, puppy,” she said as Naoki skidded to a stop.
Breathless. Trembling.

“Looks like mommy started the party without you.”

The other eleven were there too.
All of them.
Leaning against the gym wall.
Some laughing. Some filming.
Others just watching like it was a boring play.

Naoki’s knees buckled.

“M-Mom…”
He dropped to the ground, crawling toward her.
“She’s bleeding—please, stop—please, I’m begging you…”

His voice cracked.
Tears ran down his cheeks.

Mira knelt next to him, brushing his hair aside.
“You should thank us. She needed some discipline.”

Kane cracked his knuckles. “He’s too loud.”

Before Naoki could react—
A fist like iron slammed into his face.

Everything went black.


---

He woke to pain.

A hard floor. Cold air.
Something rough cutting into his skin.

He tried to move—
—but his arms were tied behind his back.
His ankles bound.

His mouth gagged.

He couldn’t scream.
He couldn’t cry.

Then the lights turned on.

Blinding.

Around him, in a circle of chairs—
sat the Twelve.

Laughing.

Mocking.

Watching.

Naoki’s skin was bare.
He was completely naked.
Humiliated.

They had shaved his head—clumps of hair still lay scattered on the ground beside him.

He couldn’t breathe.
Couldn’t speak.
Couldn’t even beg.

Renzo lifted a camera.
Red light blinking.
Recording.

“Toy’s awake,” he grinned.

Angelyn walked forward.
She knelt next to him and lifted his chin.

“You really are pathetic, Naoki,” she whispered sweetly.
“Your mom couldn’t handle it anymore. She passed out.”

She leaned in.
Eyes glowing with cruelty.

“She’s in a coma now. Doctors say she might not wake up.”

The laughter in the room exploded.

Naoki’s heart shattered.

He screamed into the gag—
A sound no one could hear.
A sound no one cared to hear.

His face twisted, his eyes burned, but they only watched him like he was a broken doll on display.

Angelyn stood.
Turned to the others.

“Well,” she said, stretching. “Mom’s out of commission.”

She looked down at him with disgust.

“Guess he’ll have to replace her.”

She kicked him lightly in the ribs.

“Let’s start.”


---

Naoki’s soul fractured that day.

And in that moment—
Bound.
Naked.
Powerless.

Surrounded by devils in school uniforms…

Something inside him died.

And something darker was born.


---

To be continued...

HERES MY KOFI ACC
ko-fi.com/flooeyeaway

ANY AMOUNT WILL GREATLY HELP ME 🙏

Chapter end