Submerge

R E G A R D S

TW

M A S O N

8:10

The silence of the night was broken only by the echo of my solitary footsteps and the occasional whisper of leaves rustling in the breeze. An unsettling feeling crawled up my spine, quickening my steps towards Nathan's apartment, just a few blocks away.

Suddenly, I heard the rapid patter of approaching footsteps behind me. A jolt of fear electrified my senses as I turned to see two menacing figures swiftly gaining on me. My instincts screamed at me to bolt, but paralyzing terror held me rooted to the spot. In no time, they were upon me.

"Hey!" one snarled in a voice that dripped with malevolence. "Where do you think you're going?"

Before I could formulate a response or even comprehend what was transpiring, an agonizing punch landed squarely in my stomach. The breath rushed out of me as pain radiated through every nerve ending. Before I could recover from the initial assault, another hit connected with the side of my head, sending an array of stars across my vision.

In desperation, I attempted to scramble away but they were relentless. They cornered me like prey in their vicious circle, their fists descending on me from all angles like brutal raindrops. Each blow felt like being struck by a sledgehammer and their cruel laughter drowned out everything else.

My feeble attempts to retaliate proved futile against their overwhelming force and numbers. Blood seeped from gashes on my face and arms as they continued their sadistic onslaught with perverse delight. The pain was all-consuming, spreading through every fiber until it was all I knew.

As I collapsed onto the cold concrete alley floor in utter helplessness, one assailant leaned over and yanked me up by my jacket collar. His foul breath reeked of booze and nicotine as he sneered into my face: "Marco sends his regards." He then slammed my head into the unyielding pavement.

For a fleeting moment, darkness swallowed everything. I fought to cling onto consciousness amidst the fog of pain and terror. I tried to scream, plead for mercy, but all that emerged was a feeble whimper. Tasting blood in my mouth, I choked as they continued their ruthless assault while I lay defenseless beneath them.

And as if the Fates were toying with me, I heard footsteps echoing in the alleyway and my heart leaped with desperation. This had to be help. I forced one eye open, squinting through the agony and the encroaching darkness.

A figure stumbled towards me, hunched and unsteady on their feet. The moonlight revealed a face twisted with drunken leering. My relief turned to dread as I realized this was no savior.

I tried to scream, to scare the drunk away, but my voice failed me. 

The drunk loomed over me, swaying like a drunken tree.

Muscles braced, I steeled myself for the expected rain of blows as his fists hovered menacingly above me. Instead, a twisted grin stretched across his face as he bent down and unbuckled his belt. He revealed himself with a perverse display of dominance that left me frozen in fear.

Climbing on top of me, his putrid breath washed over my face, choking me as I lay helpless beneath him. The air was heavy with the sour tang of booze and body odor, intertwining with my own raw terror and revulsion to form an oppressive atmosphere.

An additional layer of violation was inscribed onto my already shattered psyche. His hand tore at my trousers with a brutal force that made me wince, pulling them down in one swift motion. Then his hand found its way to my exposed skin, wrapping around it with a coarse grip that sent jolts through my entire being.