SHARING EMMA [18+]

39. Sense of Helplessness

|EMMA|

I let out a groan, the sharp pain in my nape jolting me awake. It felt like my body had been hit by a truck, every bone aching as if it were about to shatter.

My memory was a mess, pieces of it scattered like a puzzle waiting to be put together.

The last clear thing I remembered was Ryker leaving to fetch Carlos. And then, there was this crashing sound that echoed through the mansion. The lights were already out, but the noise sent the guards into a frenzy, their voices overlapping as they scrambled to figure out what was happening.

With a blend of curiosity and concern, I left my room and headed downstairs. I watched as a bunch of guards rushed around, their urgent commands filling the air. Only when they pinpointed the cause of the uproar did the agitation taper off. As it turned out, a tree branch had speared through a window at the mansion's rear.

I sighed in relief and let them do their job—whatever they were supposed to do in that situation—and headed back upstairs. However, I had barely stepped into the room when something sharp plunged into the back of my neck, erupting a searing pain, and I collapsed onto the floor.

Now back to my current predicament, my vision swirled as I struggled to make sense of what was happening. The pain in my neck radiated outwards, making it difficult to focus on anything else.

I tried to move, to push myself up from the floor, but my body felt heavy, unresponsive.

Somewhere in the haze, I became aware of muffled voices and shuffling movements. Shadows danced on the edges of my perception, and I strained to connect the dots. I had to fight against the darkness that threatened to swallow me whole.

"Are you sure about going through with this?" a man's voice floated, though he didn't seem to be nearby. It was as if he conversed with someone behind a barrier, a door perhaps, but I couldn't be sure. My vision was still pretty subpar.

"I have to," another voice responded, this time of a woman. "I have waited for this opportunity for years. I cannot back off now."

"And what about the others?" the man inquired.

"Their turn will come, but I need to handle her first."

"Okay, but can you handle her if she wakes up? We don't have much time."

"No worry. I know what to do. Just focus on your part. Get them both and tie them to the post outside. We need to start the ritual as soon as possible."

What ritual? Both who? Who else was stuck here? My heart pounded as a wave of panic surged through me.

What the hell was going on here? Where the fuck was I?

A surge of adrenaline granted me a brief burst of energy.

I tried to move, to gather my strength, but the pain in my neck intensified, radiating through me like wildfire. It was as if every attempt to break free from the weight pressing down on me only fueled my suffering.

I heard something creak, followed by muffled footsteps.

In the darkness, a faint glow of light appeared, and I turned my head toward the source, squinting to see through the blur.

A figure stood there, holding a lamp. My heart raced even faster. Who was it? What were they planning to do to me?

The figure stepped closer, and as the lamplight illuminated their face, I could make out the sharp contours of their features. It was a woman, her eyes glinting with something unsettling.

I strained my foggy mind, trying to make sense of the situation.

She moved closer and leaned down, her cold fingers brushing against my cheek. "Awake, are we?" Her voice held a strange melodic quality, almost hypnotic. "No matter, it will end soon."