A Sad Murder

Missing

Two Hours Ago

Anna's heart raced with terror as she caught sight of the objects held by the man who had abducted her. Unbeknownst to her at that moment, his proficiency with those instruments hinted at a disturbing history of such acts.

Facing him, Anna wrestled desperately against her restraints, but her struggles only inflicted more pain upon herself. She shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks, silently imploring him to spare her from the impending ordeal. Paradoxically, her vulnerability seemed to fuel his sadistic resolve.

Lowering himself before her, he spilled his array of tormenting tools onto the cold floor. Selecting a pair of pincers, he extended his hand toward her cheek. His touch was oddly gentle, tracing her skin as minutes dragged on. Just as Anna dared to hope he might relent, he suddenly clamped down on her right cheek, the pincer biting into her flesh.

Anna's cries of pain turned into sobs, her pleas echoing in the basement's dim confines. The man's concealed grin widened beneath his mask, relishing her anguish.

Switching to her left cheek, he replicated the cruel act, each muffled whimper escaping Anna's sealed lips reverberating through the room.

Finally releasing her from the pincers, he allowed his tool to fall to the ground. Anna's head drooped, her disheveled hair veiling her face. Little did she know, this was merely a prelude to further torment.

His grasp now on a thumbscrew, he manipulated it thoughtfully, a sinister snort escaping his lips. Lifting his gaze, he scowled at Anna, irritated that she appeared to be drifting into slumber. His firm grip on her chin forced her head up, prompting a grimace from Anna.

"Don't you dare drift off. Our little game isn't over yet!" His words resonated with a deep, aggressive timbre. Letting go of her, he seized her fingers, contemplating his next move. "Where should I start?" he mused, surveying her digits from right to left.

Anna weakly shook her head, her heavy eyelids on the brink of closure. Despite her blinking, she beseeched him to halt the torment.

Ignoring her feeble protest, he pressed on, callously subjecting her to his ruthless agenda. Slotting her index fingers into the thumbscrew's cruel embrace, he tightened it mercilessly, causing Anna to scream in agonizing pain until she succumbed to unconsciousness, her fingers released from their torment only after her ordeal ended.

"Why succumb to unconsciousness when the real fun has just begun?" his voice boomed. A sigh escaped him, accompanied by an air of disappointment. "I suppose I need a break," he added with a weary tone, rising to his feet.

Collecting his arsenal of torture implements, he arranged them meticulously on the table before departing the basement, leaving behind a scene of unspeakable horror.

Now

Anna gradually roused from her slumber, fluttering her eyes open. Initially, her surroundings appeared as a blur, but with repeated blinking, the details began to come into focus.

Intense pain radiated from the bruises on her face and fingers, prompting muffled sobs to escape her. Regret and remorse flooded her thoughts.

"Why didn't I report this earlier, when I first felt that someone was following me? I saw him more than once, and I was foolish to dismiss the danger. Now it's all gone wrong. It's like living in a real-life horror movie. I should be the one who's gone, not Drake. He was my love, my best friend, the only man I've ever truly loved. How did I let this happen?"

Tears coursed down her cheeks as she wrestled with her emotions. Even after witnessing Drake's final breath, a glimmer of hope clung to her that he might somehow still be alive.