The Minimalist (yandere!Tears of Themis x reader)

the forest

the sun had set hours ago. Y/n wasnt dressed to be out in the woods this way. 

she wasnt sure if they had stopped looking for her. she had heard sirens behind her, but now she was so deep in the woods she couldnt find her way back to the main road. 

her body was tense and cold. she walked with numb feet, and chattering teeth. her jacket wasnt doing much good against the cold, but it was better than nothing. 

she was following a trail, it was overgrown, and obviously not used by anyone besides hunters and teenagers looking for trouble. she was looking for somewhere to lay down. somewhere she could be safe from animals. 

what was the use of taking that money? all it did now was sit in her pockets. could she use it to make a fire? she didnt have a lighter. there was no way she would be able to make a fire. 

she turned down a path, and hopped over a root. her nose was running and cold. her lungs were sore from breathing in frozen air. her breath came out in smoky puffs. 

she had her phone. but there was no signal. she would be lucky if it kept its charge throughout the night. 

she walked aimlessly. straining her ears and eyes for any sign of a road, light, or human. but the only thing she heard was animals scurrying in the underbrush. 

she wondered if Artem or marius or vyn had survived. she wondered if they had killed Jacob, and the other movie theater employees. that would be her fault. if she had stayed, they wouldve been able to live. maybe she wouldve been able to live. but she couldnt sit with the idea that she would have to go back to them. 

but now, shivering in the cold, she was starting to miss them. 

it was like the moment before you quit a job. you see all the good moments you had with them, you forget the bad. she remembered how gently Artem would hold her. how his warm hands would cup her cheeks and wipe away her tears. 

he wasnt all that bad. he seemed to actually love her. he took care of her, held her tightly. never hurt her like the others did. 

mercy tugged at the collar around her neck. they had bought her expensive gifts. 

was she wrong for wanting to leave? 

she looked around. her body was exhausted. she just wanted to sleep. 

she walked a little ways off the path, and came across a hollowed tree. it was cramped, and small. but it would keep her from freezing to death. 

her stomach growled as she slowly crawled inside. it was already much warmer the the outside, but not by much. she would just barely be able to avoid hypothermia. 

she pulled the hood of the jack closer around her, and patted down the pine needles that littered the ground. it was a bit softer because of them. 

she curled up, her knees to her chest and shut her eyes. praying she would make it to the next morning.