𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐓𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐩'𝐬 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 | +𝟏𝟖

𝘛𝘶𝘭𝘪𝘱

❈•≫────≪•◦ ❦ ◦•≫────≪•❈

|  |   𝟓   |  |

I wake up to the sound of lightning striking in the distance and light rain pitter-pattering on the roof and window. Normally this time of year rain and thunderstorms are frequent in Moscow. Every other day we have warm sunshine and a nice summer breeze but with the exception of thunderstorms and heavy rainfalls as well. 

I glance at the clock on my nightstand to read, 2:34 a.m. It was late but I normally wake up around this time to use the toilet and hydrate myself. 

The sound of the toilet flushing begins to drown out as the rain starts pouring heavily again, and the cool air in my room causes goosebumps to increase on my skin. I enter my room, the darkness a little bit too eerie for my liking as if Ziel himself is watching me from each dark corner.

I switch on the lights, my eyes nearly blinded by the action as I slowly and meticulously look around. I sigh in relief, my heartbeat normalizing as I switch the lights off and make my way downstairs toward the kitchen.

Another flash of lightning, outines the hallways of the upstairs as I tread lightly. I'm still on edge considering it was just yesterday morning that Ziel entered my office without being detected. It fucking creeps me out knowing he has eyes on every fucking corner of my life. He probably knows when I take a shit too. Fucking creepy bastard.

I descend the stairs, the creaks causing me to cringe at the sounds. I feel like a child doing something I shouldn't in my own goddamn house. Stepping off the last step, I feel a chill running up my spine as the cold air crawls all over my body like the unwanted hands back when I was nothing but an escort. The memories of those times feel like a fever dream now but it wasn't something I'd take an interest in to remember. 

Those days may have long disappeared after my ex-husband entered my life but it was still something that caused me to feel nauseous.

I enter the kitchen, open the cabinet, and remove a glass, then rinse the cup to pour myself a glass of water. The water gushes from the tap, filling the glass mid-way before I turn it off and place the glass to my lips. 

Another flash of lightning with the sound of roaring thunder in the midnight sky penetrates my house, and in my peripheral, it seems as though a shadow just ran across the room.

At this point, I can't tell you if it's paranoia or PTSD but I'm terrified of even the shadows that I had once grown habituated to when I first moved into this house. Now not only are my demons watching me but the sick and twisted feeling of someone else's prying eyes is gazing at me from the darkness.

I finish the glass of water, placing the empty glass on the counter, before turning around to make my way back to my room.

What I felt in that very second as I turned my gaze, was even beyond me. I felt as if in an instant as quick as it may be, I died, went to hell, and got kicked back into my body. The lightning strikes loudly outside, lighting up the entire room as the thunder grabs my scream from my throat and employs it outside for itself.

I couldn't think, I couldn't move, nor could I talk as I looked up at the skull mask hiding his face. Considering how close he is to me, about 2.5 to 3 feet away, his breathing is alarmingly quiet as if he's nothing but a ghost standing in front of me.

My chest heaves rapidly, my heart unable to keep up with my brain processing the information it's taking in at such a fast pace. I brace myself back onto the counter, my palms are clammy from sweat and my body froze in place from my fight-or-flight response being jacked sideways.