Journey (PONDPHUWIN)

Chapter 12: The Final Degradation

In the days following the confrontation with Pond, Phuwin began to feel the weight of his ordeal slowly lift. The fear that had been a constant presence in his life started to dissipate, replaced by a cautious optimism. Nop had kept his word—there were no more messages from Pond, no more late-night demands, and the suffocating control Pond had exercised over him seemed to have finally loosened. But even as Phuwin started to reclaim pieces of his old life, a part of him remained on edge, wary of the calm.

Phuwin returned to his routine, attending classes, socializing with friends, and trying to rebuild the life that had been shattered by Pond's manipulation. But something had changed. He was more guarded now, more cautious. The trauma of the past few months had left its mark, and while he was grateful for the reprieve, he knew that the scars would take time to heal.

It was late one evening, just as Phuwin was beginning to believe that he might actually be free, when everything came crashing down.

He was in his apartment, getting ready for bed, when there was a knock on his door. The sound was sharp, almost aggressive, and it sent a jolt of unease through him. Phuwin hesitated, his heart beginning to race. No one visited him at this hour, and the unexpected knock filled him with a sense of dread.

Phuwin approached the door cautiously, peering through the peephole. His blood ran cold when he saw who was standing on the other side.

It was Pond.

Phuwin's heart hammered in his chest as he stepped back from the door, his mind racing. How had Pond found him? What did he want? A part of him wanted to run, to hide, but he knew there was no escaping Pond if he had come this far. With trembling hands, Phuwin opened the door, his breath catching in his throat.

Pond stood in the doorway, his expression dark and unreadable. He didn't say anything at first, just stared at Phuwin with a look that made his skin crawl. The silence was suffocating, each second stretching out like an eternity.

"What are you doing here?" Phuwin finally managed to ask, his voice barely above a whisper.

Pond stepped inside without waiting for an invitation, his presence filling the small space. Phuwin took a step back, instinctively putting distance between them, but there was nowhere to go. The walls of his apartment seemed to close in around him as Pond shut the door behind him.

"You thought you could get rid of me that easily?" Pond said, his voice cold and controlled. "You thought Nop could save you?"

Phuwin swallowed hard, his pulse racing. "You need to leave, Pond. It's over. You can't—"

Pond cut him off with a sharp laugh, the sound sending a chill down Phuwin's spine. "You really don't understand, do you? It's never over, Phuwin. I own you. I'll always own you."

Phuwin's stomach twisted with fear, but he forced himself to stand his ground. "You don't own me. I'm done with you."

Pond's expression darkened, and he took a step closer, his eyes flashing with something dangerous. "You don't get to decide that. You don't get to walk away from me, Phuwin. You think Nop's little stunt scared me? It's going to take more than that to bring me down. And now... now you're going to pay for trying."

Before Phuwin could react, Pond grabbed him by the wrist, his grip bruising. Phuwin tried to pull away, but Pond was stronger, dragging him further into the apartment. Panic surged through Phuwin as he realized what was happening, but his mind was too fogged with fear to think clearly.

"Pond, stop!" Phuwin cried, his voice trembling. "Please, just leave!"

But Pond didn't stop. He shoved Phuwin against the wall, his hand gripping Phuwin's chin, forcing him to meet his gaze. There was a twisted satisfaction in Pond's eyes, a cruel pleasure in watching Phuwin struggle.

"You're going to regret ever crossing me," Pond hissed, his breath hot against Phuwin's skin. "You're going to learn what it really means to be mine."

Phuwin's heart pounded in his chest, terror clawing at his throat. He tried to push Pond away, but it was like fighting against a brick wall. Pond's grip only tightened, his control over Phuwin absolute.

And then, without warning, Pond slammed his lips against Phuwin's, the kiss violent and forceful. Phuwin struggled, trying to break free, but Pond held him in place, his hands roaming over Phuwin's body with a possessive, almost animalistic aggression.

It was the final degradation, the ultimate assertion of Pond's power. In that moment, Phuwin felt every last shred of his dignity, his pride, being stripped away. The humiliation was suffocating, overwhelming, and for a brief moment, he wondered if this was how it would end—crushed under the weight of Pond's dominance, with no way out.

But then, something inside Phuwin snapped. Maybe it was the sheer desperation of the situation, or maybe it was the realization that he had nothing left to lose. Whatever it was, it gave him the strength to fight back.

With a burst of energy, Phuwin shoved Pond away from him, putting as much force as he could into the movement. Pond stumbled back, caught off guard, and for a brief moment, Phuwin saw a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

"Get out!" Phuwin shouted, his voice hoarse with emotion. "Get out of my apartment!"

Pond's expression darkened with rage, and for a moment, Phuwin thought he might retaliate, might lash out in anger. But then, something changed. Pond's gaze shifted, and he seemed to realize that the situation was spiraling out of his control.

Without another word, Pond turned and stormed out of the apartment, slamming the door behind him. The sound echoed through the small space, leaving Phuwin standing there, his breath coming in ragged gasps, his body trembling with adrenaline and fear.

For a long time, Phuwin didn't move. He just stood there, trying to process what had just happened. His mind was a whirlwind of emotions—fear, anger, shame—but beneath it all, there was a glimmer of something else: resolve.

Pond had crossed a line, and Phuwin knew that he couldn't let this go. He couldn't let Pond win, couldn't let him continue to exert control over his life. This had to end, once and for all.

With shaking hands, Phuwin picked up his phone and dialed Nop's number. It rang twice before Nop picked up, his voice tinged with concern.

"Phuwin? What's wrong?"

Phuwin took a deep breath, steadying himself. "Pond was here. He... he tried to..."

Nop's voice was sharp, urgent. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

"I'm okay," Phuwin said, though his voice wavered. "But I can't do this anymore, Nop. We have to stop him. For good."

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and when Nop spoke again, his voice was filled with determination. "We will, Phuwin. I promise you, we will. Meet me tomorrow. We'll figure this out together."

Phuwin nodded, even though Nop couldn't see him. "Okay. Tomorrow."

As he hung up the phone, Phuwin felt a strange sense of calm settle over him. The fear was still there, but it was tempered by something stronger: the will to fight back. Pond had pushed him to his breaking point, but he hadn't broken him.

Phuwin knew that the road ahead wouldn't be easy. Pond was dangerous, and the fight to bring him down would be fraught with risks. But for the first time, Phuwin felt like he had the strength to face those risks, to take control of his life and his future.

And as he lay down that night, the darkness closing in around him, Phuwin held onto that strength, knowing that whatever came next, he wouldn't face it alone. He had allies, he had resolve, and most importantly, he had the determination to see this through to the end.

The final degradation had been Pond's last attempt to break him. But instead, it had only made Phuwin stronger. And with that strength, he would fight back—no matter what it took.