We Were Once Wallflowers Part: One - An Extreme Dark Bully Romance

Part 12 - A Love Story - Scene 9 - Thursday

Originally written and posted on written on 5/2/2024 posted on 5/19/2024

Please Note: This first draft is subject to change upon official publication, including the addition of never-before-read scenes. If you enjoyed this chapter, please show your support by liking and following me for more smutty dark romance featuring all the controversial elements readers love—or love to hate.

Scene 9 – Thursday – 5/2/2024

Jane's feet pounded over the cleared earth, following the narrow road leading away from the cabin.

"You're gonna fuckin' pay for that, Mutt!" Tyler's voice rang out, followed by the sound of him stumbling. It gave Jane the precious seconds she needed. "I'm going to fuckin' kill you, bitch!" he roared.

She held her arms out, sweeping them in front and to the sides, searching for the sharp turn to the main dirt road. She couldn't risk running headlong into a tree. She knew she couldn't match Tyler strength if he caught her again. He was as least a foot taller, and she'd seen the toned muscle beneath his shirt. That muscle was bent on hurting her.

"Where the fuck are you, you cunt!" Tyler's shout echoed through the night.

Jane's right arm slammed into a tree trunk, and her foot caught on something jagged. She pitched forward, screaming, and crashed to the ground, sliding headfirst into another tree.

There was no time to register the pain. The bitter cold stung her wounds as she pulled herself to her feet, straining to hear the surrounding noise. Tyler was close, too close. His heavy breathing filled the silence, each footfall another nail in her coffin.

"Where the fuck are you, Mutt." This time, Tyler's voice was an exhausted pant. She heard shuffling and a mumbled curse. "Fuck. I left my lighter back at the cabin."

Jane took a cautious step forward, moving as slowly as possibly, fearing any noise would reveal her position. She reached out, swiping her sides and hitting more trees. She took another hesitant step forward and swiped her arms in front of her–nothing but open air. Another step, her hand stretching into the void. Her shoe hit a rock.

"Mutt?" Tyler hissed in the darkness.

Jane froze mid-step and held her breath. Tyler must have reached the turnoff. Instead of turning left, she had run straight into the trees on the other side of the main road.

Tyler took a step in her direction. "You're gonna freeze out here without your jacket, Mutt." He next step was slightly to her left.

Jane tried to think which direction led to the main road back to town. The right. That had to be the right choice. Or was it the left? If Tyler was going left, then she had to go right.

She lowered her foot carefully onto the dirt road, slipping from the trees. Another quiet step to the right, her eyes darting around as if she had night vision.

"I know you're here." Tyler took another step, heading in the wrong direction. "I can smell your fear, Mutt."

Jane took another hesitant step away from him, but her heel came down on a twig, snapping it. The sound echoed like a gunshot in the night.

"There you are." Tyler charged, but Jane was already running, pumping her arms and forcing her legs to move as fast as possible in a straight line, praying she wouldn't run headfirst into a tree.

The main dirt road ran straight for a long stretch before curving to the main two-lane highway out of the mountains. Being out in the open was dangerous, but without light, she had no other choice. The moon wasn't bright or high enough in the sky yet, but whatever light it provided gave her a sliver of hope.

But Tyler was closing the distance quickly. The sound of his labored breathing struck fear into her, but it was the crunch of his boots almost right behind her that made her change direction in a split-second decision, darting into the trees for cover.

The thought hiding somewhere, anywhere, and waiting for morning flickered through her mind. Or at least until midnight.

"Mutt!" Tyler cut through the trees, his presence right behind her. Regret set in almost instantly. The trees slowed her run to a jog. Her feet kept hitting rocks and roots, each step ending in a snapping twig or the rustle of underbrush as she collided with tree trunks.

"I'm going to make you regret this so fucking hard!" Tyler bellowed.

Jane ducked behind a thicker tree, slapped a hand over her mouth to silence her panting, and strained to listen.

Tyler skidded to a halt right by her. If he reached out, he'd touch her, find her hiding behind the tree.

"Mutt." His voice was calmer now, despite his ragged breathing, possibly more strained than hers. "Stop running and make it easy on yourself. You still have the chance to live through the night."

Tyler stepped past her, and Jane slid quietly around the tree, planning to dash back to the main road once he moved further into the darkness.

But Tyler froze. They stood in semi-silence, each waiting the other out before he spoke again. "You're going back to the main road, aren't you, Mutt?"

He took another step away from her, deeper into the woods.

Jane slowly counted to thirty in her head, listening to receding footsteps. When she reached zero, she broke into a run, aiming for the lighter darkness beyond the tree line.

She made it four strides before Tyler tackled her to the ground.