CONSUME

00.

PROLOGUE

Her heart was pounding vigorously in her chest and it almost felt like her rib cage would break from it's sheer force. Fear fueled her steps and drove her further down the narrow street, the dim illumination from the streetlights being her only guidance in the dark.

There was no need to look back, she knew who was following her. She could picture his dark eyes and the menacing look they held, the kind but awfully strange smile that adorned his face and the blue suit that reflected his whole presence. It was strange but with time she had learned to recognize the sound of his car's engine, it strained from other cars and sounded somewhat lower. Often the bright colors that adorned the car would reflect in any near surface, which gave her somewhat of a hint. It was obvious that the small town girl had grown oddly paranoid, glancing at windows, jumping at any noise and breaking out into a sprint whenever a siren could be heard in the supposed idyllic town.

The thought of him made her even more scared. Her stiff legs felt numb in the piercing cold as she ignored it, forcing them to push forwards. If it weren't for the adrenaline she would've collapsed, fallen onto the harsh concrete and laid like a helpless prey seconds away from being eaten.

The car's engine suddenly overpowered the noise of her heaving breathing, the humming sound closer then before. Immediately she began running, tears forming in her eyes as she knew she wouldn't reach her apartment in time. There were no people nearby and no doors to run to, she was an open target.

Nothing could be heard except her rushing heart as she hid behind a parked car, immediately grabbing a nearby stone, knowing she could set off it's alarm if he found her.

For a second everything felt surrealistic. It was impossible that the feeling disappeared, absurd that there were no sound of the engine and utterly unthinkable that everything suddenly came to a drastic stop.

Then, there were something. It was a voice so sinister and calm yet raged that it made her whole body tremble.

"Now what is my pretty girl doing out here, in the dark hiding from me?"

The second she met his eyes she knew that nothing would ever be the same, he would take her away and never let her go.

It was over.