Manhunt

Chapter 39

Warning: this chapter includes graphic content that may be disturbing to readers.

She gasped and awoke from her sleep, clutching onto the bed sheets tightly and staring up at the ceiling. Fighting to catch her breath, she tried to relax her body into the warm bed as she closed her eyes. Waking up this morning would make it the third day she was stuck in this room, and she was beginning to wonder what, exactly, her agency was doing.

The trackers were still working—they should have an idea of where she was.

She sighed, digging her head into the pillow as she waited for her heart rate to settle down. Ever since the night Samil had tortured her, she couldn't sleep due to the unsettling nightmares that occupied her. It was getting to be incredibly uneasy, and affected her thought process to a significant degree. She was terribly exhausted, but she'd continuously failed at sleeping without being haunted by violent dreams.

Opening her eyes again, she peeled the damp sheets away from her body and forced her shaking figure to sit up. She immediately glanced over to the chair that Matthew generally occupied whenever he was watching her.

Her heart stopped when she saw Samil.

And it wasn't a figment of her imagination.

"Can't sleep well, my dear?" He questioned, slowly getting up from the dark mahogany chair. Her body instantly pressed itself against the backboard as she observed Samil carefully. Throbbing was felt on her left arm as he got closer, no doubt triggered by the trauma. "Don't fret; my knife isn't with me at the moment." Her breaths turned into shallow gasps.

She knew she was pressing her luck when she hadn't seen Samil since the first day, but seeing him when she'd just woken up was too cruel. How long had he been there? He could have been watching her all night and she wouldn't have known.

"Why are you here?" Her voice cracked and she cleared it so she wouldn't sound so pathetic.

"Just wanted to drop in." He shrugged, shooting her an eerie smile as he glanced down at her healing arm. "See how you were fairing."

"I could be better," she whispered, hoping that he would leave. She slid her legs over the edge of the bed and got up cautiously, ready to run away from him if she deemed it necessary. It wouldn't work out due to the limited space, but she would die trying. "There's nothing really to see here."

"I wouldn't say that." Samil purred, his muddy eyes scanning over every inch of exposed skin. She felt utterly naked under his disgusting gaze. "Amazing how Matthew hasn't jumped you yet, considering the fact that what you're wearing doesn't cover much." Julia inhaled deeply, forcing back the small amount of vomit that started to crawl up her throat. Her fingers found the edge of the bed sheet and she quickly pulled it in front of her.

"I want to be alone, please."

"Being polite now, Julia?" He cocked his head, his eyes flashing with laughter. "That's a much more desirable transition to how you were before. I suppose I taught you enough to realize that." She bit down on her bottom lip, resisting the urge to scream and simply stuck to nodding. "Good, my dear." Samil started to move around the bed, heading towards her at a leisurely pace. She climbed back onto the bed to create more space between them, her instincts screeching at her to run.

"I don't think it's very effective to waste your time on me." Julia babbled quickly, her skin burning from the intense fear that shot deep into her bones. "No one is coming to get me, Samil."

"I admire your attempts to distract me." He chuckled, stopping at the spot that was an inch from where she was moments before. "But that's where you're wrong, dear. Your parents, as well as a fraction of your agency, are coming to get you. I've made contact with them already."