Neon Lights

26

Trigger Warning (TW): Panic attack
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Those neon green eyes — they were fiery and full of hate, almost glowing in the darkness of his home. The pressure at the base of his neck tightened as his back pressed harder against the door, making it hard for him to breathe despite the quick thumping of his heart against his ribcage. His mind was working miles per second and his body itched to move.

Whatever this man before him wanted, Callisto couldn't give it to him.

Eyes darting away from the face looming before him, and his hands desperately moving behind and around him to find something to grab onto, his left hand grazed something. Thankfully, it was close enough that he could get a proper grip on it. Without hesitation, he hauled the thing toward the side of the man, not anticipating anything.

As if those neon green eyes had been tracking his move, the man immediately let him go and took a step back. Callisto's swinging missed and he fumbled a little bit toward the other man, his arms aching as the momentum almost forced his body to twist sideways.

Callisto swung the thing he held, a vase, again at him but once again missed. This time, the strength behind his action was so strong, the vase hit the wall and shattered. He closed his eyes for a brief second and then opened them, once again caught by the neon green eyes staring at him. Unlike before though, he could still move his body.

"Who are you?" Callisto said, breathing harshly as he pressed his other hand on his neck, taking in air. He wanted to run but there was no way he could, not by the stance — tensed shoulders and narrowed gaze — of the intruder.

"You have ten seconds to tell me what I need to know," the man said as he took a step toward Callisto. "Or you can meet your maker."

Callisto didn't think twice this time. He grabbed the knob of his door, ready to yank it open and run when strong arms grabbed him by his shoulders and tossed him away from the entrance. A strangled noise escaped his throat as he was thrown to the floor, his back colliding on the ground and forcing air out of his lungs. Pain emanated from every point of his body, making it even worse for him.

"Ten seconds," the man said, his voice quiet but still searing into his mind like a hot knife.

"I—" Callisto coughed, taking in deep breaths as he forced his elbows on the ground and pushed himself to sit up. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Nine," the man said, his eyes not even blinking.

Panic surged through his veins then and his life threatened to flash before his eyes. He scanned the area behind the intruder but with the narrow hallway blocked by the tall figure, there was no way he could make a run for it now.

"I—"

"Eight."

Warning bells went off in his head and a sudden urge to just freeze and watch death cover him echoed in his mind, locking his muscles to the ground. His phone was somewhere on his person. If he could just break free from this paralysing fear, maybe he could call for help.

But one look at the man and he knew that wouldn't work.

"I really—"

"Six," the man said, crouching down in front of him. "Don't waste time."

Callisto's eyes burned. Out of desperation, he forced his body to move and search for the closest thing he could find. It was a metal ornament Luna had given it to him as a housewarming gift before, placed right on the living room's coffee table. With where he was, he would only need to move a few more steps and grab it. But just before he could, he was turned to the ground, chest on it and a grip tightened itself around the back of his neck.