Forbidden Desire

[3] Oppressive Silence

𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

The sound of water dripping onto the cracked cement floor echoed through the suffocating darkness of the night. Each drop fell with a rhythm, steady and haunting, as though counting the seconds that dragged on endlessly.

The room was cold, the chill seeping through the walls like invisible tendrils wrapping around everything within. The air was damp, carrying with it the stale scent of mildew and dust—a smell of neglect and abandonment.

But the water wasn’t the only sound in the room. A quiet whimper broke the oppressive silence, weak and trembling. It came from the little girl curled up on the floor, her frail form shivering from more than just the cold.

Her clothes were tattered, clinging to her like a second skin, smudged with dirt. Her hair fell in messy strands over her tear-streaked face, the salty droplets glistening faintly under the pale beam of moonlight that slipped through a narrow crack in the boarded-up window.

The moonlight was the only source of illumination, casting long, eerie shadows across the room. It touched the girl’s delicate features, highlighting her wide, fear-filled eyes that darted toward the slightest sound.

She clutched her knees to her chest, her small hands trembling as though holding herself together was the only thing keeping her from falling apart completely.

The stillness was suddenly broken by the sharp creak of a door. It groaned loudly on its rusty hinges before slamming open with such force that the sound ricocheted through the room, startling the girl. She flinched, her head snapping up, her breath catching in her throat. Her heart pounded against her ribs, a drumbeat of terror.

The man who entered was tall and imposing, his silhouette cutting through the light like a shadow come to life. His footsteps were slow, deliberate, each one resonating with an unspoken menace. He stopped a few feet away from her, his figure blocking the moonlight and plunging her into an even deeper darkness.

For a long moment, he stood there, his gaze fixed on her. She dared not meet his eyes, keeping her head lowered, but she could feel the weight of his stare, as if it carried all the contempt in the world.

There had been a time when that gaze was filled with warmth, with affection. Once, he had smiled at her, his laughter a melody she had cherished. But that was a distant memory, now replaced by a coldness so profound it threatened to swallow her whole.

“Look at you,” he said, his voice low and devoid of the kindness it once held. It carried an edge, sharp enough to cut. “What a mess you’ve made.”

She opened her mouth to respond, to plead, but no sound came out. Her throat felt dry, her words trapped somewhere between fear and despair. The tears that threatened to fall again blurred her vision, but she blinked them away quickly, not wanting to show weakness.

He stepped closer, his presence overwhelming, and crouched down until they were eye level. She tensed, every muscle in her body screaming to shrink away, to disappear into the floor. But she held still, her chest rising and falling rapidly with shallow breaths.

“Do you understand what happens to girls who don’t listen?” he asked, his tone deceptively soft. She nodded frantically, her lips trembling as she tried to form an answer. His smirk deepened, his expression unreadable under the dim light.