The pitch black of night surrounded me, inky darkness broken only by moonlight reflected on the water. I knew to get back to my home I’d have to find the path, and the path that led to the village could be found if the ocean was at my left.
At least that’s what I remembered. It was hard to tell from the back of a limo.
When he’d screamed at me to leave, I took it literally, meaning he wanted me to leave his mansion, but as I walked in the dark, I realized that this was a man who’d bought me a cell phone, hated that I got too close to the edge of the cliff, and made sure I ate enough food at meals. He was overprotective and fearful. He never would have demanded I leave his home and flee into the darkness. He wanted me to go to my room, dammit.
I’d been a fool. But how was I supposed to know that? And who would’ve blamed me for leaving?
I kept seeing him smashing the vases, the crash of broken glass echoing in my ears. His rage was a live beast, howling and snarling, ready to tear its foes asunder.
My chest hurt from running, and I had a stitch in my side that would not quit. Perspiration dotted my forehead, and the thin dress I wore clung to my dampened skin. I stopped running. He was not in pursuit anyway.
Was he?
I heard a rustling behind me, but when I looked back, I couldn’t see anything. And Sawyer was the type that would make his presence known, not skulk about behind me. The cold night air rustled the skirt of my dress, tickling along the edge of my dampened skin. Goosebumps raised along my arms, and I shivered. I was freezing. I cocked my head to the side and still, saw nothing. I turned back around and charged on, determined to find the road that would lead me back to the village, to my mom, sister, and home.
I barely stifled a groan. I’d left. I’d broken our contract, and now everything he’d promised me would be null and void. I squeezed my eyes tight against rising emotions that threatened to consume me. How could I go back to what I’d left behind? My mom would have no more nurses visiting the house. Our bills would revert back to being unpaid. I’d have to go back to finding a way to make ends meet, but I would. I always did. Maybe I would take a second job. Or maybe…just maybe…if I asked him to take me back…
No. Clenching my jaw, moving toward what I thought had to be the path in front of me, somewhere in front of me, I kept going, kept moving. I could not go back, and surely if I pressed forward I would find what I needed to. I would figure out what to do in the morning, but tonight, I had to get to shelter and safety. I peeked over my shoulder just one last time. Though I was a good bit away now, I could see the outline of his enormous house, the windows lit up on the top floor, as if they were waiting for me.
Behind me lay some sort of twisted fantasy. In front of me lay my future.
But as I turned away from the house, I caught a glimmer of something metallic. Just about at my waist, not ten paces away, a shadow moved. I froze.
Was it him? Had he come for me? And if he had…what would he do when he found me?
I swallowed hard, inhaled, and spoke into the darkness. “Hello? Is someone there?”
I had nothing. No cell phone to light my way, no flashlight, not even the light of the damn moon. I swallowed hard and inhaled, raising my voice again, but louder this time. “Who’s there?”
As the clouds cleared the moon, three men stepped out before me. One held a pistol. The other a length of rope. And they were coming for me.
