A Thousand Times Enough

* Chapter 47 *

XLVII. • °

Josie Pov

Fingernails were dug deep into my wrist, I could feel my flesh peeling. My wrists were slammed up against what felt like glass and it shattered. As I tried to yell I was mute, like I had no voice, but I could feel myself screaming internally. It hurt, my screams were trapped inside my throat and it shook me to the core.

My bones vibrated underneath my skin almost as if I could feel them on the verge of breaking, they were so weak as if they could just be snapped in half. I couldn't see, it was black, I couldn't see a thing. But the smell, oh, the smell. All I could smell was something burning, no, I was stuck here.

I had no way to get out, I was stuck against this surface and surrounded by these walls. I was going to burn to death. I couldn't die like this, not now. Suddenly I saw light, but I was still surrounded by nothing it was still dark. I could see light traveling, so fast like I was racing through time.

My vision appeared, but it was one of the worst things that could've happened. There, Gael was smiling with his gritty teeth, licking them while I stood there in pure terror. I couldn't move still, my limbs became weak, nonexistent but still, he held both wrists with immense pressure.

Then he began to burn, he inflamed with fire. I felt the heat so terribly as his screams filled my ears by how close he was, my wrists were wrapped with fire as he held onto them but it didn't consume me, I never felt the excruciating pain that it could've caused within a second.

His hands began to melt off, and my eyes saw as his fingers began to fall off so easily like ripping a paper in half. I was terrified, even more terrified than before, my adrenaline had finally kicked in. Something I hadn't felt the whole time even though I was filled with fear, I could feel my limbs, I could move them.

I huddled down and ducked under him, and then I just ran. I ran for my life, leaving behind his screams that haunted me from behind. I ran down the hall and the more I did so the more it seemed never-ending, I was stuck here with him. No please, I couldn't be stuck here.

His screams became terribly louder, and they echoed off the walls and it sent ringing sounds in my ears. My head felt like it was going to explode from the inside out, I screamed and it bounced off the walls as I did. My head hurt worse and my vision became weak again, my eyes zoomed in and out. It seemed as if I was reaching the end of it, it had to stop.

A hand grabbed my wrist and as it did I fell on my back, I screamed. No please, it couldn't be him please. "Let me go! Please!"

"Josie."

The voice above filled me with comfort, I hadn't looked but I felt safe. I slowly brought myself to look up and it wasn't him, it wasn't the bad man. It was my dad, "Dad?"

He brought me to my feet and kissed my forehead, "It's me Kiddo."

"How...how did you find me?"

"I've always been here, even if you didn't see me. I've always been right here honey." He pointed to the middle of my chest and brought his hand back toward his. "And you'll always be in mine."

Tears began to overcrowd my eyes, I didn't feel anger toward him. And I questioned how I didn't, why didn't I feel angry. "How did you know where I was though, how did you know Dad."

He brushed away a tear that had fallen from my eye, "Because you wanted me to be here, you wanted me to save you. And I'm sorry that I wasn't there before to save you Kiddo but you're safe now."

Tears rushed out, no I couldn't control them though I had tried. "You did, Dad. You save me." He smiled as he placed another kiss on my forehead, and he began to back away after he did so. "Where...where are you going?"