Alex felt the pressure of biting and clawing stop for a moment. He sobbed in relief, his breath ragged, his swollen eyes watching as the men backed away slightly, seemingly confused. A small flicker of relief might have sparked in his heart, thinking the torture was over.
But it was only a pause before a more terrifying storm.
I watched closely. The change wasn't overly dramatic, but it was clear.
The men stopped gnawing on Alex's flesh. Instead, their bodies began to grow restless. Their breathing, which had been heavy with the urge to consume, now shifted to a different kind of panting. Their faces began to flush from a sudden internal heat.
They tore at their own clothes. Within seconds, the seven men stood naked around Alex, their bodies smeared with blood and sweat.
Alex looked around with an expression slowly filling with a new horror—a horror even deeper than the fear of being eaten alive.
