Michelle

Chapter Thirteen: Groceries

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(REVISED VERSION)

THE sound of footsteps grew louder, causing Michelle's heart to race. She closed her eyes tightly, hoping that Zach would leave her alone. But to her dismay, the bed dipped behind her, and an arm snaked around her waist. She could feel the tiny hairs on her nape stand up as his breath tickled her skin.

"I love you, Michelle. Sorry for doing this to you," he whispered, nuzzling against the back of her neck.

Michelle's body tensed up, and she wanted to turn around and punch him in the face. But she remained still, not wanting to provoke him any further. The feeling of helplessness was overwhelming.

"Are you awake, darling?" he asked, and Michelle didn't respond.

Zach tightened his hold around her and kissed the top of her head, and the room fell into silence. Michelle tried to move away, but he pulled her against his chest, and she could hear his heartbeat pounding in her ear. She took a deep breath and sat up,

Zach furrowed his brows. "Oh, you're awake."

"Stop talking to me." She attempted to jump off the bed, but he grabbed her arm and turned her to face him.

"What's your problem, huh? I've been so nice to you, but you keep on being like this," he said, his voice rising.

Michelle scoffed and crossed her arms. "Can you blame me? What am I here? A guest?"

Zach's face contorted with anger, and he punched the pillow beside her, taking deep breaths to calm himself. Michelle's eyes widened, but she didn't show any fear.

"Let's... Let's just sleep, darling," he said, trying to reach for her arm again.

But Michelle flinched away and lay down, her back facing him. She could feel his arm still around her waist, and he continued murmuring sweet words to her. But she pretended not to hear him, shutting her eyes tightly and praying for the night to be over.

--

The next day, she found herself sitting on the couch with him beside her, flipping through an old photo album. As he rambled on about the pictures, she couldn't help but roll her eyes.

He stopped at a photo of the two of them in college. "We were so young here. I remember the day I asked to take this picture with you. You said yes, and I was thrilled."

She raised her eyebrows skeptically. "I thought it was for the school's program. Why do you still have it?"

"Let's just say, I lied. Yeah, I'm a good actor, I know." He chuckled, but there was a glint in his eyes that made her uneasy.

She balled her hands into fists, remembering the truth behind that innocent facade. But before she could say anything, he looked at his watch and jumped up.

"I should cook for dinner, darling. Just sit here and wait for me to call you up when it's done."

As he headed to the kitchen, she couldn't help but feel trapped. She glanced around the room, looking for a way out, but the windows were barred and the front door was locked. She heard him rummaging in the kitchen, then suddenly he spoke up.

"We've run out of food, babe."

He grabbed his keys and made his way to the door. "I'll be out for a moment. Don't try to escape, okay? I trust you, so don't break it."

As he drove off, she looked out the window and noticed that he was heading away from the house. She knew this was her chance to escape.

She ran to the door and tried to open it, but it was still locked. She paced back and forth, trying to come up with a plan when she remembered a Youtube video she had watched on how to pick a lock.

Without wasting any time, she grabbed a knife and a butter spreader from the kitchen and made her way to the door. She slid the knife into the latch and managed to pry it open. Then she slid the butter spreader between the door and the frame and began to work on the bolt.

Finally, the bolt gave way and she swung the door open. She grabbed a flashlight from the table and ran out into the night, knowing that time was of the essence.

Even though her feet ached, she didn't bother to cease her speed. Her eyes spotted the sky and it was getting too darker than before, so she turned on the flashlight and continued her journey through the dark forest.

Meanwhile, Zach drove back home, a sense of satisfaction filling him after completing his task. He carefully placed the groceries he had bought in the trunk, making sure they were secure.

Minutes later, he arrived home and parked his car in the driveway. As he approached the front porch, he noticed something strange. The door was slightly ajar, and there was a butter knife lying on the ground.

Fear crept up his spine as he realized that something was wrong. His heart racing, he dropped the grocery bags on the ground and rushed back to his car. He quickly got in and started the engine, his mind racing with the possibilities of what could have happened to her.

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