Obsession

Chapter 35

(35)

"Run,"

My conscious mind was yelling at me to do as he said. But I couldn't move a muscle. He had never played such a game before.

Something felt off.

"Bang!"

I screamed and fell backward on my bum. While still holding my hands against my ringing ears, I could smell the familiar smell of burn.

He missed huh. Not sure about the next time. Ughh. He was planning to kill me.

I had to run? Run?

I was now bare foot, quivering in this autumn breeze. Last time I attempted I literally was in full armour... Shoes and shit. Now I literally stood in my thin pajamas.

He circled me in a way he'd devour me. "I'll give you..." He stopped for a moment in contemplation before continuing. "An hour head start? If I don't catch you after half an hour, you win," he said.

An hour.

Where would I get in an hour? I had no idea how big the forest was, nor where I even was. I never tempted to step my foot in this enormous backyard. But how would this fair with no shoes on?

He whistled and sang his words. "You better run."

He didn't need to tell me twice.

I raced away, my feet being brutally charred by the rough, embattled earth beneath me. The icy mist from my own respiration engulfed my view as I climbed over the fallen tree trunk that blocked my path, the rough bark scraping mercilessly along my exposed thighs.

"Shit!"
I attempted to remain quiet, but the searing pain that plagued the skin of my inner thighs made it challenging to maintain silence, for every little jostle aggravated the burn to the point that it was a torment to bear.

I wished I had worn underwear before going to bed.

I ran through the bushes that were as tall as me. The branches scratch me as I force my way in. It stung, it really fucking stung, but the pain, I knew would be tenfold if he got a hold of me.... Easily.

He would let me get away with spitting in his face if he had his wish fulfilled.
This time was... The thrill of chase. In worst case scenario, I might end up with a bullet hole again.

He was unpredictable For sure. But not entirely a man with a bad temper. Temper? Bullshit. This fucked up man would literally stare at me sleeping for hours on end and slap me for making him wait when I hesitate to sit on his fucking lap.

For a moment I thought about giving up, letting him take me home and do whatever he wanted to do, it would take less energy that way.

Where the fuck do I hide?

Parts of the forest looked the same, it was a big bowl of trees, hills here, hills there, one big rock, another big rock, a stupid rope swing, a drizzle of water flowing downhill. It all looked the fucking same, what was I going to do?

I found a huge log and got inside as my feet were on fire.
I tried not to make a sound but the freezing breeze wasn't helping me at all.

Even if I had to wait and hide here till the morning, I would.
Losing one of his games was never a good thing.
And Mateo's life was hanging on his hands.

Finally, I was calm, I sat down and curled into a ball in the log, gripping a handful of stones I found.

Tears were streaming down my cheeks again. That look on his face when he told me to run, it was ...the determination... of ending me???