𝓗𝓲𝓼 𝑅𝑒𝑖𝑔𝑛

33

3𝓻𝓭 𝓹𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓸𝓷 𝓹𝓸𝓿:

The night was unusually quiet, and the air felt thick with tension, like something was about to break. Kailani sat on the sofa, knees drawn to her chest, as she watched Salvatore silently move around the room. He was getting ready to leave. His tall, muscular form was a dark silhouette against the soft glow of the dimmed lights. He never spoke, but his movements were deliberate, each step like a warning. He had left her alone once before-never for long, and always with her knowing that her compliance was non-negotiable.

But tonight, as he leaned over her, his gloved hand brushing against her cheek, she felt something shift. His eyes bore into hers, as though silently reminding her that her world, her life, existed only because he allowed it. His thumb grazed her lips slowly, almost tenderly, and then he was gone. The door closed softly behind him, and for the first time since he took her, she was alone.

"Thirty minutes," she whispered, trying to steady the wild beating of her heart.

The seconds ticked by slowly, stretching into what felt like hours. Her mind raced with the possibilities-could she escape? Could she run far enough in thirty minutes? Every part of her was screaming for freedom, to get away from him, but the fear of what would happen if he caught her was just as loud.

But what if this is your only chance?

Her feet moved before her mind caught up. She stood abruptly, the sudden surge of adrenaline making her hands shake. Her heart thundered in her chest as she crept toward the door, every instinct in her body telling her to stop, to go back. But the thought of being trapped here forever, under his control, pushed her forward.

She opened the door quietly, stepping into the cool night air. The moon hung low in the sky, casting long, haunting shadows over the dense woods that surrounded the estate. Her pulse quickened as she stepped off the porch and onto the gravel driveway, glancing over her shoulder one last time.

Run.

Her body obeyed instantly. Her legs carried her forward, through the yard and into the trees, her feet pounding against the earth as the cool night air whipped against her face. Her breath came in short, shallow gasps, and the branches scratched at her skin, drawing thin lines of blood that stung as she pushed through the thick underbrush.

The woods were endless, dark and suffocating, but she didn't stop. She couldn't stop. She had no idea where she was going; she just knew she had to get away. The moonlight filtered through the trees, casting eerie shadows that seemed to shift and move as she ran. Her heart pounded in her chest, the fear of what would happen if Salvatore caught her driving her forward faster, harder.

But as the minutes stretched on and exhaustion began to creep into her limbs, the first flicker of doubt set in. Was there even a way out? The trees all looked the same, and the more she ran, the more lost she felt. The soft hum of an engine in the distance sent a jolt of terror through her. Salvatore was coming back.

Faster. Run faster.

She pushed herself harder, her legs burning with each desperate step. Her eyes darted around wildly, looking for any sign of freedom, a road, a way out. And then, just as hope began to spark in her chest, her body slammed into something solid, knocking the wind from her lungs. She stumbled back, gasping for air, her hands flying up to steady herself against the cold, unyielding surface.

A wall. A massive, impenetrable stone wall, surrounding the whole forest.

"No..." Her voice came out in a broken whisper, disbelief flooding her system. Her palms pressed against the rough stone as she stared up at the towering barrier. It stretched as far as she could see, an insurmountable prison enclosing the entire forest. Trapped.

Tears pricked at her eyes as the reality sank in. There was no escape. No matter how far she ran, how hard she tried, he had built this place to keep her in.

The sound of the engine grew louder, closer, until the glare of headlights pierced through the trees. Her heart dropped into her stomach, dread consuming her. He's back.

She spun on her heel and ran, faster than before, her breath coming in ragged gasps. The woods seemed to close in around her, the trees pressing in tight, blocking her path. She stumbled over roots, her body bruising as she crashed into the earth again and again, but she didn't stop. She couldn't.

The roar of an engine echoed behind her, and then... something else. A chainsaw.

Kailani's blood turned cold. She glanced over her shoulder, and through the darkness, she saw a figure emerging-a man, no doubt, masked with a chainsaw roaring to life in his hands, his eyes stuck on her. The sound of it filled the air, a violent buzz that sent terror coursing through her veins. She screamed and ran harder, every muscle in her body screaming in protest.

The chainsaw growled behind her, the man's heavy footsteps gaining on her with terrifying speed. Her mind spun wildly, desperate for an escape, when she saw it-a tunnel, dark and narrow, cutting through the earth. She darted inside, the cold, damp air clinging to her skin as she sprinted into the darkness. The roar of the chainsaw echoed through the tunnel, deafening and terrifying, but then... silence.