With every step I take, it’s as if he’s always a heartbeat ahead, casually leaning against a tree, exuding an air ofboredom. The shadows dance around him, creating an unsettling aura that heightens my sense of unease.
How did he get ahead of me so fast?I keep running. Sweat is dripping from my forehead, and my heartbeat feels like it’s in my head.
I instinctively veer to the right, desperate to evade capture. The man, once again, leans casually, and the weight of survival claws at my mind, urging me to run faster, to escape the danger lurking in the shadows.
It’s like this is a game to him, and a part of me… is enjoying the chase.
I keep running. It’s so incredibly dark, now that the clouds have rolled in, and the rain has started. I wish I had a flashlight. I thought I knew where I was going, but I should have been home by now…
I don’t stop running, even though my legs are screaming to stop.
I dart to the right, then swiftly shift to the left, weaving through the dense woods in a desperate attempt to zigzag and outsmart the men pursuing me.
I spot a massive oak tree looming ahead, its knotted branches reaching out like protective arms. I slip behind its sturdy trunk, the rough bark pressing against my back as I stumble to my knees. With the earthy scent of damp soil filling my lungs, I lean my head back, resting it against the cool, solid surface of the tree. I close my eyes and take deep, steadying my breaths, trying to calm the whirlwind of fear and adrenaline coursing through me.
Drip. Drip. Drip.
My arm is searing with pain as it feels like it’s burning from fire. I grab it and apply some pressure, as my blood drips on the wet leaves below my feet.
Fuck, this hurts.
“Dani, I know you’re out here,” his voice floats through the crisp night air, strikingly familiar... but how do I recognize it?
The bar! This is the man from the bar!
My insides do a little flip.
I should not be excited right now.
“Yes, Dani, you are correct. You don’t need to be scared. We need to talk to you...”
I remain frozen in place, bewildered. Did I even utter a word? Can he... read my thoughts?
“This will be much easier Dani, if you just comply and do what you are told.
“Fuck you!” I scream back at him, knowing he is nearby.
“Is that what you want, Dani? You want me to catch you and fuck you? Do you like this game? You run; we chase?”
Is this man joking right now?
I should be outraged. I should be disgusted…
He lets out a low, rumbling laugh that sends a cascade of shivers racing up my body, resonating with an unsettling charm. “You are most certainly not disgusted, my sweet, sweet goddess. Your body is telling me you are feeling… excited…” There’s something cool and collected about his deep voice that both mesmerizes and terrifies me.
I curse my body and my hormones for betraying me. Why do I have to be into this kind of shit?! I think of something witty to say but something else catches my attention.
As the fog begins to creep in, an eerie stillness cloaks the surroundings, heightening my sense of unease. I find myself enthralled, captivated by the soft rustling of leaves whispering in the damp air. Unsettling sounds emerge from the depths of the dense thicket, cracking twigs and indistinct rustles, like a giant animal is nearby. The atmosphere is tense, as if the very woods are holding their breath and waiting for something to disturb the silence.
Suddenly, a colossal shadow materializes before me, its form looms menacingly against the dimly lit backdrop of the forest. Rising over ten feet in height, the creature’s hunched, sinewy frame is cloaked in a tangle of matted, midnight-black fur that seems to merge seamlessly with thesurrounding darkness. Its elongated limbs stretch like twisted branches, each ending in razor-sharp claws that glisten subtly in the faint light, hinting at their lethal potential.
As the creature steps forward, the ground beneath it quakes softly, heightening my sense of dread. Its face is a grotesque collage of animalistic features—fierce and primal. Glowing red eyes, like twin embers ignited by an unholy fire, pierce through the shadows, surveying me with a malevolent intelligence.
What in the actual devil is this thing?!
“Dani!” the beautiful man from the bar yells from a distance. I stand frozen.
The creature growls low and menacingly, revealing a set of jagged fangs glistening threateningly in the dim night. Thick, viscous drool drips from its muzzle, pooling beneath its massive, clawed feet. Its nostrils flare on its elongated snout and twitch, drawing in my scent. With each breath, it emits a series of unsettling clicking sounds, as its piercing gaze locks onto mine, seemingly examining deep into the very essence of my being.
