I start to pace around the room mindlessly, my thoughts spiraling out of control, a panic attacking coming on, leaving me dizzy. My body is tense, every nerve lit like a live wire until after a moment, I stop dead in my tracks, my gaze snapping to the door.
I move toward it, every step of my bare feet quiet. My trembling hand rises, resting on the cold metal handle. Doubt creeps in for a second, his warning echoing in my ears, but I push it away, biting my lip as I press the handle.
And it clicks.
My eyes expand as I pull the door open cautiously, peering into the dimly lit hallway and the sound of running water echoes faintly—he’s in the bathroom. This is the perfect chance.
Slipping through the doorway, I tiptoe, my movements painstakingly careful. My heart pounds so loudly I’m terrified he’ll hear it, even over the water. When I make it to the top of the staircase, I pause and glance around, thinking about Midnight.
Where is she?
I start to whisper her name, but there’s no jingle, no soft meow in response. My chest knots, and I hesitate, torn between searching for her or making my escape and coming back for her with help.
Then, the bathroom door unexpectedly unlocks and panic floods my veins causing me to fly down the stairs without any more waiting around.
“Kitten!” His angry shout slices through the silence like a whip, clearing spotting me.
My breath comes out ragged as I reach the bottom, my hands grabbing desperately at the front door. I yank it hard, but it doesn’t budge.It’s fucking locked.
I whip around to look for another way out, but my blood runs cold. He’s standing at the top of the grand staircase, staring right at me. Soaked. Completely naked. His muscles glisten in the low light, and in one hand, gleaming and deadly, is his axe. His stare is dark and fatal, a warning for me to stay put, but as soon as he starts to descend gradually and menacingly, survival kicks in yet again.
I dart to the right, down a long hallway, my only thought to get as far away from him as possible. The hallway opens into a huge living room, and my eyes lock onto a window across theroom. I sprint for it, slamming my palms against the newspaper covered glass, trying to shove it open, but it won’t move. The sound of his footsteps grows closer, unhurried but relentless.
Desperate, I grab a solid ornament from a nearby cabinet and hurl it at the window with all my strength. The glass explodes outward, shards flying in every direction. Without hesitation, I leap for the opening, grabbing the edge to haul myself through.
The jagged glass rips into my hands, slicing deep and I scream, the pain searing, but I don’t stop. I drag my body through the shattered frame, the shards tearing at my arms and legs. My skin burns as blood flows freely, staining the cold pavement outside before I hit the ground with a hard thump, the impact jarring, but adrenaline forces me to get to my feet.
My legs shake as I take off, sprinting across the yard, leaving a trail of blood in my wake. Just as I make it to the edge of the woods, I glance back, seeing him calmly unlocking the backdoor, and a new kind of terror sets in as he steps out, still naked, ready to pursue me with that axe.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. He’s out of his damn mind!
I sprint through the woods, the icy air burning my lungs. The rough, uneven ground tears into my bare feet, but I don’t stop. I can’t stop. Darkness starts to surround me, the dense forest offering hardly any light and no hint of an escape, just an endless maze of skeletal trees.
I zigzag wildly, hoping to confuse him, taking sharp turns and doubling back, but I know I’m leaving a trail—my blood dripping steadily onto the frozen leaves like breadcrumbs for a hunter.
My heart pounds like a relentless rhythm of fear, but I don’t dare glance back. I don’t want to know how close he is, don’t want to see his shadow weaving through the trees, inescapable.
The faint rumble of an engine pierces the silence, a beacon of hope. My ears perk up, and I push myself harder, crashing through the underbrush toward the sound until the forest breaks open to reveal an isolated, rocky, uneven road.
There it is—a rusty red truck moving along the path. Without thinking, I leap onto the road, waving my arms frantically.
“Stop!”
The truck screeches to a halt, the tires skidding slightly on the gravel. My hands slam against the warm hood, and I take a moment to gather myself, my body trembling as I drag myself around to the passenger side.
The window is down, and a man sits behind the wheel—a middle-aged stranger with weathered features. His wide eyes scan my battered, bloodied frame, his confusion quickly morphing into concern.
“Are you okay?” he asks, leaning slightly toward the open window.
I shake my head violently, gasping for air, my words tumbling out in a ragged plea. “Please... please get me out of here. Now.”
His hesitation lasts only a second before he nods, his hand gesturing toward the seat. “Get in.”
I yank the creaky door open and fling myself into the passenger seat. The truck smells faintly of old leather and tobacco, but it feels like sanctuary compared to the nightmare I’m fleeing. The moment the door shuts, I twist my head back, staring into the darkness of the woods. Is he back there, watching, waiting?
The man clears his throat, his hand tightening on the wheel. “Who are you running from?”
I don’t answer, my teary eyes locked on the forest, my pulse roaring in my ears. “Just drive,” I whisper hoarsely, my voice breaking. “Please... just drive.”
