UNKNOWN GUEST

#64 A Pair Of Heels and Safehouse

"Shhhh," the voice whispered, slithering into my ear like a snake, too close, too invasive. The tone was eerie, almost soothing, but it was laced with something sinister. "Don't fear. Don't scream. Everything is okay. You're gonna be okay."

Panic surged through me, and I tried to scream, but a bitter taste filled my mouth as I realized a strip of tape was sealed tightly over my lips. The voice hushed me again, more forceful this time. "Shhh, stay silent."

I thrashed, desperate to pull my hands free, but they wouldn't move. I glanced to my sides, eyes wide with terror, and saw that my arms were bound by strange ropes, digging into my skin just above the elbows, anchoring me in place. The more I struggled, the more the ropes bit into my flesh, and I could feel the skin peeling away beneath the rough material. I could feel the warmth of blood trickling down, the tears it brought stinging my eyes.

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to make sense of this nightmare. When I opened them again, I was blinded by a harsh, white light. It burned into my retinas, disorienting me. I blinked, and suddenly, I was back in the suffocating darkness. Blink. Light. Blink. Darkness. My mind was trapped in this terrifying cycle, reality slipping further from my grasp with each flicker of my eyelids.

And then, silence. A heavy, oppressive silence that made my skin crawl. I strained my ears, hoping for some sound, anything to break the tension. But all I heard was the deafening void.

My heart pounded in my chest, each beat echoing in my ears like a drum, until I heard it— tip, tip, tip, tip— the unmistakable sound of high heels clicking against a wooden floor.

The noise was rhythmic, almost hypnotic, like the beating of a sinister heart. Each step sent a jolt of fear through me, the sound growing louder, closer, as whoever it was approached. My breath hitched, and I squeezed my eyes shut, as if that could somehow protect me from what was coming.

"Make him my soldier," the voice commanded, dripping with malice.

"My soldier," it repeated, and I felt my blood run cold. I clenched my fists, trying to summon any bit of strength I had left. But I was powerless, utterly helpless against that voice.

"Wake up, my soldier," it whispered, more insistent now, crawling into my mind like a parasite, feeding on my fear.

"Look at me, soldier," the voice demanded, but I couldn't, I wouldn't. I clutched my eyes shut, willing it to go away, willing myself to wake up from this nightmare.

But the voice wouldn't leave. It hovered, wrapping around me like a suffocating fog, seeping into every corner of my mind.

"My soldier," it repeated, over and over, a haunting chant that I couldn't escape. It was relentless, a dark force trying to break me, to mold me into something I didn't want to become.

A sharp splash of cold water hit my face, jolting me from the darkness that had consumed me. My eyes flew open, panic surging through me. A hand was coming at my face again, but this time, I reacted on pure instinct. With every ounce of strength I could muster, I grabbed the hand in a crushing grip, feeling the bones shift under my fingers.

"Jason! Jason! Snap out of it!" The voice was familiar, but it was distant, like it was echoing through a tunnel. I blinked, once, twice, three times, and the world started to come into focus. Uncle Clint stood in front of me, his face etched with worry. I realized I was gripping his hand so tightly it must have been painful. I released it immediately, my breath coming in ragged gasps as I tried to calm down.

He flexed his fingers, wincing slightly but ignoring the pain as he looked at me with concern. "You alright?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. It felt like my voice had been stripped away, like I'd forgotten how to talk. I stared at him, my mind racing. What could I say? What should I say? This was Uncle Clint—he'd understand, wouldn't he? But then, a lingering whisper echoed in my mind, a warning from that voice, telling me not to say a word, to keep it all inside.