Fear

7 • Act 1

This was only the beginning. What came next was far worse than I could have imagined. Act One was just an introduction. Act Two... that was when the real nightmare began.

I promised myself I would tell my story, and I intend to keep that promise, no matter how painful it is to relive these memories. So, here I go...

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When I woke up, I found myself face to face with the devil who kidnapped me. Tyler was staring at me with an unreadable expression. It wasn't malicious, but it was unnerving, sending goosebumps up my arms, which I soon noticed were strapped tightly to a metal table in front of me. The cold surface only added to my discomfort.

I glanced down, noticing my legs were strapped to the chair legs. I couldn't move, no matter how much I tried, and believe me, I tried for what felt like a whole hour before I realised my efforts were futile.

As my panic slowly began to subside, I glared at him, trying my best to hide my fear. But it was like he could see right through me. He chuckled, drawing my attention. He began to pace around me, hands clasped behind his back, seemingly lost in thought. Then, suddenly, he spoke.

"Emily." His deep, recognisable voice always threw me off my thoughts. I turned my head towards the sound, trying to track his movements. He came into view, and I followed him with my eyes as he continued to pace. The tension was agonising.

"What?" I spat, trying to maintain some level of composure. He shot his head towards me, locking us in a tense and uncomfortable eye contact, and glared at me with those dark brown eyes. If I wasn't feigning cockiness, I'm sure I'd have gotten lost in them.

"Watch it." He swiftly walked towards me, slamming his hands down on the table, making me flinch.
"Are you forgetting, Emily? I have the power to destroy you... Don't test me." The cold tone, straight face, and unblinking eye contact told me everything I needed to know. I gulped.

My eyes followed him as he sat down on a chair in the corner of the room, hands tucked in his pockets, one leg rested over the other knee.

"Do you know why you're here, sweetheart?" he asked, almost condescendingly. I slowly shook my head.

"I was going to do this next week, but you were caught talking to another patient, and therefore, you've broken the rules." He sounded angry, but as if he was trying to maintain composure. The tone of his voice gave it away.

My eyes widened as I realised he'd found out about my conversation with Faisal.
"Faisal..." I whispered, to myself rather than to him.

He walked over to me and crouched down by my right side.
"I almost went crazy when they told me. I'm so disappointed in you." He maintained eye contact and lowly murmured, "You're a naughty girl."

I don't know why, but I blushed when he said that. I even caught myself off guard. He gazed at me, unbroken eye contact, and I could've sworn that he almost smirked when he noticed, but he suppressed it.

His eyes bore into mine so intensely that I had to look away, but when I did, he grabbed my chin and pulled my face back to look at him. As he did, he whispered, "Act One begins now."

My heart beat loudly in my chest as he stood up and walked away from me. I tried to watch what he was doing but his body blocked the view. I heard a clang coming from a table over in the far right side of the room. It was shrouded in shadow so I couldn't see, but then I heard metallic noises.

Tyler's deep voice sounded out from the corner, his back still turned,
"Aichmophobia, Haemophobia, and Trypanophobia. Knives, blood, and needles. Well... Dylan will sort out your fear of needles, but as for the other two..." He turned around to face me as he continued, "I have an idea to kill two birds with one stone, if you know what I mean."