Inferno Hearts | Xu Minghao

1. Under His Control

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"Did I make myself clear?" His inquiry sliced through the air, bearing an air of unwavering dominance and authority, the subtle undercurrent of a warning lacing his words unmistakably.

"Don't worry, everything is under my control," the other one assures him.

"Good, now let's do it."

On an ordinary Friday night, Nabi typically found solace in the simple pleasures of life—curling up on her well-worn couch, the soft glow of the television casting a comforting ambiance.

It was her brief escape from the demands of a world that often seemed stacked against her. But this particular evening would prove to be far from ordinary, changing her life in ways she couldn't imagine.

After enduring a grueling day, one that demanded every drop of her determination and strength, Nabi yearned for the familiar embrace of her modest apartment.

She had stopped by the corner store on her way home, a routine pit stop for the essentials that sustained her through the trials of daily existence.

Nabi lived a life of solitude, with no financial safety net to catch her if she faltered and an incomplete college education that stood as a silent testament to her unfulfilled aspirations.

To keep her fragile world from crumbling, Nabi often working excruciatingly long hours, sometimes well into the depths of night.

It was a daily struggle, an unyielding climb toward a future she had envisioned for herself. A dream that resided in the hallowed halls of a business school, and a yearning to one day launch her own enterprise.

Yet, these aspirations felt like distant stars in a night sky, their brilliance obscured by the harsh realities of her existence.

As the clock struck 11:00 PM, Nabi finally crossed the threshold of her apartament.

The familiar sights of her humble abode welcomed her, as if frozen in time since the morning when she had embarked on yet another arduous journey to work.
Or so it appeared at first glance.

Placing the groceries she had purchased on the worn kitchen table, she hurriedly proceeded to the bathroom. A yearning for a quick, soothing shower and the relief of slipping into something more comfortable beckoned her.

Emerging from her night routine, Nabi ventured back into the kitchen, her thoughts inevitably drifting toward the meal that awaited her.

However, as she entered the room, an inexplicable chill swept over her. A sudden shadow, a distortion in the familiar tapestry of her existence, seized her attention and sent a shiver racing down her spine.

She halted in her tracks, her heart pounding against her ribcage as the room seemed to hold its breath.

Could it be a mere figment of her exhausted mind, a fleeting hallucination born of the relentless grind, and the absence of rest?

Her thoughts raced, grappling with the odd presence that now bore down on her, steadily advancing with an unsettling purpose. Panic, icy and unrelenting, surged through her veins, demanding her immediate retreat.

She bolted for the refuge of her bedroom, where she sought refuge under her bed, her heart racing, her breaths shallow, and her very being entrap in a web of pure terror.

Why would anyone set their sights on a 21-year-old girl, one who struggled to barely make it for two meals a day? The answer lay shrouded in chilling simplicity: someone who had an obsession with her for years.

The bedroom door swung open with a jolt, sending shockwaves through her. This was it, she thought, her heart racing in despair.

Tear tracks glistened on flushed cheeks, her breaths becoming shallower and more labored. She recognized the telltale signs of a panic attack drawing near.

Footsteps echoed, growing louder as they closed in on her bed. Her heart raced even faster, knowing that he was searching for her.

It seemed as though he didn't find her, and for a moment, Nabi let herself believe she might be safe.

With cautious steps, he neared the exit, only to freeze abruptly. A sinister chuckle filled the air, sending a chill down Nabi's spine.

"Well, isn't this a precious sight?" he taunted, his voice dripping with malice, sensing her rapid breaths from underneath the bed.

Nabi's breath caught in her throat, her fear tangible. He advanced, drawing nearer to the bed once again.

"Crawl out," he ordered, his tone oddly calm. "Come on, i won't hurt you." He even went so far as to drop the knife.

"Huh?" Nabi's voice trembled, disbelief lacing her words.

His chuckle darkened. "Move. Step out before I change my mind." The words carried an odd weight as he closed the distance between them, and Nabi's shock gave way to a chilling realization of the danger that still loomed.

Nabi's terror had reached a crescendo, and her rapid, uncontrollable breaths only intensified her distress.

She knew she was on the brink of passing out, trapped in the agony of a full-blown panic attack, and her precious pills lay agonizingly out of reach.

But there it was—the knife. Just a short distance from her trembling grasp. This was her fleeting opportunity!

She cautiously reached for the weapon, determination mixed with desperation. A gut-wrenching scream escaped her lips as searing pain shot through her hand, the killer having roughly stepped on it.

"Now, what did I said, hm?" he sneered. "Why can't you be a good girl? Crawl out, or I'll break that delicate hand of yours." His cold command reverberated through the room.

Fear and pain battled within Nabi. As everything around her started to dim, she knew she couldn't overcome him physically.

She surrendered to the panic attack, closing her eyes and letting the encroaching unconsciousness consume her. She no longer registered anything, not even her own whimpering cries of agony.

As silence settled, the absence of her whimpers of pain caught his attention. Pulling at her limp hand, he sought to get her from under the bed.

His grip tightened around her, only to discover that she had slipped into unconsciousness. His lips curled into a sinister smile as he loomed over her petite form.

"Welcome to your new reality. You belong to me now."  he murmured, a chilling promise that sent shivers down the spine of the room itself.

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to be continued..