Zero Zero

A slender woman with pixie cut short brown hair, is running naked through an indoor maze. The walls blend seamlessly, giving no hint of a turn. She slams hard into a wall. “No, no no no no no no no.” she panics as she realizes she is cornered. She has many bruises, markings on her body showing she has been assaulted. She turns around, sitting in the fetal position as she can only wait for her pursuer to come for her. Each minute felt like forever and a day to her. 

Footsteps echo throughout the maze. 

The woman is trembling as she fears that the one pursuing her will beat her. Possibly even rape her again. She can see a shadow before she sees his face. She can see a tall man. Long black hair down his back that shines even in such low lighting. Black dress pants, with black leather shoes. Synthetic soles. Thick soles. Skin reddish brown. Not a scar on his well toned body. She is rocking in place as she waits for what is to come. 

He stops before her cracking his knuckles as he makes fists. 

She does not look up. She kept her eyes on his feet. “Please… I don't want to die. I will do anything you ask.” she said softly. 

The man knelt down before her. He boops her on the nose. 

She shakes even more. 

“Fear. Such an ugly thing.” he said to her as he grabbed her face to make her look him in the eyes. “I envy you.” he said licking the side of her face before adding “I am doing all this to you, for very selfish reasons. May I tell you the reasons?” he asks her as he looks her in the eyes.

She nodded, shaking as she replied “...y..yes..” 

She screamed in pain, as she stumbled forward. 

“I was born without knowing any fear. I do not startle. I am not surprised.” he said as he helped her sit down. “I have even looked down the barrel of a gun, and I just felt nothing. I knew I was going to die. I even dared them to, even as they pulled the trigger, nothing. No racing heart. No life before my eyes. I just said hmmm.” he looks at her hands. “I saw you get startled by everything. Jumpy. Who can blame you though. You were the victim of some horrific upbringing.”  He said as he ran his finger along some of her scars he did not make. 

She is trembling but finds her courage to ask “Why, me then? Most would pity me. Leave me alone even.”

“I am narcissistic. I have been doing this for years now. Hundreds of men and women. No children mind you. I may be a piece of shit, but I have never harmed a child.” he told her as he caressed her face. “You, to me, are a wonderful work of art. Who better to hopefully find my perfection in. I have done most of what was recorded being done to you by your parents. I hopefully did them correctly. I know you are no longer that child but here is to hoping that fear will be just shitting right out of you. Speaking of, if you do need to shit or piss anywhere is fine. I will be burning this place down when we finish.” he said to her, letting her go. 

“We will finish? So i will get to live?” she asks as she seemed less frightened. 

“That depends on you my dear girl, this place is a maze. So go, if you make it to the end of my maze, you will be free of me. Free to push this nightmare deep down inside you. To even call the authorities. Write a book. I will never be found if you do make it out. No worries, I am the only thing in here that will harm you. You are welcome to stand and fight me as well. I will harbor no ill feelings to you.” he said leaning against the wall letting her stand to her feet. 

She looks at him as the blood runs down her head. “Free? No tricks?” she asks him as she seems to have found courage to live on. 

He nods “I may be the villain in your story, but I do not lie. And I will not break a promise.” he said to her.