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~♡~
• I worked at a quaint little bookstore nestled in the heart of Birmingham's historic district. It was a haven of dusty shelves and well-loved volumes, where the scent of old paper mingled with the soft rustle of turning pages. As the clock ticked closer to closing time, I busied myself with tidying up the shelves, straightening stacks of books and ensuring each title was displayed just so.
As I worked, I couldn't help but steal glances at the clock, counting down the minutes until my body could finally escape into the cool night air.
Coworker: "See ya tomorrow, Hannah Briden!" *shouted after seeing me putting on my coat*
Hannah: "Yeah and by then I hope you've finally decided to call me just Anna. *fixed my hair* After all, we're the same age, there's no need to be so formally."
Coworker: "Got it, just Anna." *winked at me*
Hannah: "Haha, so funny. *spoke ironically* See ya!"
Leaving work after a grueling day, I felt a rush of relief wash over me. Finally, I could escape the confines of my work place and embrace the freedom of the evening.
As I made my way home through the bustling streets of Birmingham, the city buzzed with life around me. Neon signs flickered overhead, casting an ethereal glow on the pavement below. The sound of footsteps echoed against the brick walls, mingling with the distant hum of traffic.
People hurried past me, their faces lost in thought or animated with conversation. The air was thick with the scent of street food wafting from nearby vendors, tempting my tired senses. Despite the chaos of the urban landscape, there was a certain beauty in the rhythm of the city, a heartbeat that pulsed through its veins.
I glanced up at the sky, where the last remnants of daylight mingled with the soft glow of streetlights. Shadows danced along the alleyways, hinting at secrets hidden within the city's depths. It was a familiar scene, one I had witnessed countless times before, yet tonight it felt different, charged with an unspoken tension that sent shivers down my spine. As if dangerous eyes were stalking me.
With a lingering sense of unease, I continued my way until I reached the house. The familiar sight of the home should have brought comfort, but tonight it only added to growing apprehension. As I approached the front door, my brain couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, the sensation of eyes boring into my back sending shivers down the spine.
Fumbling with the keys, my hands hurriedly unlocked the door and stepped inside, hoping to find solace within the familiar confines of my own space. But as the door closed behind me, the oppressive atmosphere seemed to follow, wrapping around my body like a suffocating blanket.
Every creak of the floorboards, every shadow dancing in the corners, seemed to whisper of impending danger. With trembling hands, my feet made the way through the dimly lit hallway, heart pounding with every step.
Suddenly my feet stopped walking further as I felt a presence looming behind me, and as I tried to react, arms coiled around my waist, pulling me into an icy embrace. A breath, hot and unsettling, brushed against the nape of my neck, sending shivers down the spine. My pulse quickened, and a wave of panic washed over me as I realized I was not alone. Every instinct screamed at me to flee, to break free from the suffocating grip, but I was frozen in place, trapped in the clutches of an unseen assailant.
?: "You can't escape me." His voice rasped, low and menacing, sending a chill down my spine. His words dripped with the arrogance of a man consumed by obsession.
?: "You belong to me." *growled, his grip tightening around me, suffocating and possessive* A twisted smirk played on his lips as my breath quickened, a reaction he savored with sick delight.
?: "Scared, darling?" *taunted* His voice dripping with malice. His fingers tightened around my waist, a cruel reminder of his control over me.
With a surge of adrenaline, I fought back, desperation lending strength to my limbs. I thrashed and flailed, striking out with my arms and kicking wildly with my legs, determined to break free from his grasp. His grip faltered for a moment, his surprise evident in the brief pause.
He spun me around to face him, I continued to struggle, my movements fueled by sheer desperation. In the darkness, his features were obscured, but I could feel his presence looming over me like a shadow. Ignoring my frantic attempts to break free, he pressed me against the wall with a force that knocked the breath from my lungs.
Before I could protest, his lips crashed down on mine, stealing the air from my lungs and leaving me gasping for breath. His kiss was intense, demanding, a brutal assertion of dominance that left me reeling. With asurge of panic, I tried to push him away, but he only tightened his grip, pinning my arms above my head with a strength that was both terrifying and undeniable.
For a brief moment, the frantic rhythm of my struggles ceased as his lips, surprisingly soft, momentarily distracted me. In that fleeting instant, a wave of conflicting emotions swept over me, momentarily blurring the lines between fear and a strange, unsettling fascination.
He sensed my hesitation, his grip loosening slightly before tightening once more, his arms encircling my waist with a possessiveness.
His body pressed closer to mine, a suffocating weight that threatened to engulf me entirely. I could feel the heat of his breath against my skin.
He broke the kiss and locked his gaze with mine, his eyes piercing through the darkness. With a hesitant breath, in the faint moonlight, I could make out the intense blue of his eyes, startlingly vivid against the shadows. There was a calculating glint in his gaze, a spark of something dark and unnerving.
Caught off guard by his sudden scrutiny, but I refused to look away. Instead, I held his gaze, refusing to show any sign of weakness or fear. His lips curled into a smug grin, a silent acknowledgment of his victory in catching me off guard.
?: "Caught you off guard, didn't I, Darling? *murmured* Don't worry, I like it when you're feisty. Makes things more interesting."
His words were a sinister whisper in the darkness. I tried to muster a response, but his proximity was suffocating, his presence overwhelming. With a predatory gleam in his eyes, he leaned in closer, his breath hot against my ear.
?: "You can struggle all you want." *breathed out, his voice sending a chill down my spine* "But in the end, you'll always be mine...
