Behind me

Chapter 18-Reclaiming Freedom

After my failed attempt to steal the key during the night, something strange happened the following morning. I woke up and realized that my shoes had disappeared. In their place were a pair of pink slippers.

I was bewildered, and as I approached Jonh, I questioned him about the whereabouts of my shoes. He smiled sinisterly and replied, "I thought the slippers would be more comfortable for you." I had a strange feeling, as if he was trying to prevent me from escaping.

The days in the cabin with Jonh had become unbearably tense. Every attempt to steal the key had failed. I was running out of options, but my determination to escape remained firm.

Until one morning, during breakfast, an idea occurred to me. After finishing breakfast, I waited for the right moment. I went to the room, deliberately threw myself to the floor with a loud crash, as if I had fallen and hurt myself. I began crying loudly and screaming in pain, simulating a serious injury.

Jonh, alarmed, rushed to the room to see what had happened. He questioned if I was okay and in pain. At that moment, while he was distracted, I took action.

I seized the screwdriver, which I had secretly hidden under the mattress during days of preparation. In an act of desperation and determination, I struck his leg with precision. A sharp cry of pain erupted from his throat, echoing through the cabin as his body writhed in agony.

However, his resistance did not wane. With surprising strength, he pushed me away, causing me to hit the wall with force. Excruciating pain overcame me, and I could barely keep my eyes open, but I knew I couldn't falter.

In one last surge of pure adrenaline, while Jonh struggled to remove the screwdriver from his leg and tried to get up, I didn't hesitate. I ran toward him, but his hand closed around my wrist with a force I didn't expect. Determined to defeat him, I tried to bring him down to the ground, using all my strength. With a fierce shove, he finally lost his balance and fell with a crash.

With one final effort, I wrested the key from around his neck and ran toward the cabin door. My hands were trembling, and my heart was racing with adrenaline as I desperately unlocked the door and stepped out into the darkness of the forest.

I didn't look back; my only mission was to put this nightmare behind me and seek help. Running through the forest, I could feel the stones cutting my bare feet, but the pain was nothing compared to the freedom that was finally within my reach. Each step took me further away from that ominous cabin and the threat it represented, and I knew I was on the right path to leave this nightmare behind.

After running aimlessly for some time, I felt as though I had spent hours in escape. Fatigue began to weigh down my steps, and the uncertainty of my destination overwhelmed me. That's when I spotted a majestic solitary pine tree, proudly standing in the middle of the forest.

I sat down at the base of the pine tree, letting my back rest against the sturdy and welcoming trunk. Its imposing presence and the feeling of being under the protection of that tree gave me a sense of security I hadn't experienced in a long time. I looked up at the canopy of needles while the sunlight filtered gently, creating shadow patterns on the forest floor.

There, beside that pine tree, I regained my strength and took a deep breath, knowing that my challenge was far from over but now having a temporary refuge and a renewed sense of direction. It was a moment of respite in the whirlwind of my escape, and the pine tree offered me the tranquility I needed to continue.

The sound of approaching footsteps filled me with dread, and my heart began to race uncontrollably. When I turned to look, there was Jonh emerging from the forest shadows, a piece of fabric tied around his leg to stanch the wound. Jonh made a desperate plea, calling my name.