Twisted Devotion

Chapter Twenty One

Jess lay on the cold, damp floor of the shed, her entire body aching, her mind a hazy blur of pain and confusion. Every breath she took felt like fire in her lungs, her head pounding as if it might split open at any moment. Everything was fractured, pieces of reality slipping in and out of her consciousness like fragments of a nightmare.

She tried to move, to shift even a little, but her muscles refused to cooperate. Her limbs felt heavy, useless, pinned by the weight of her own weakness. She could barely hear the distant sound of footsteps, the fading voices—Ava's voice, Dominic's voice. They were gone now, swallowed by the dark and the cold.

A surge of panic flared through Jess's foggy mind. Ava. Where's Ava? The thought pushed through the haze, sharper than the pain, forcing her to focus. She had to get up. She had to help her friend.

With a groan, Jess forced her eyes open, blinking against the dim light filtering through the gaps in the shed's broken roof. Everything was blurry, her vision swimming as she tried to lift her head. The air smelled of rot and earth, the damp wood creaking ominously beneath her as she shifted, finally managing to prop herself up on one elbow.

She tried to call out, to make some sound, but her throat was dry, her voice barely a rasp. "Ava..." The name escaped her lips in a weak, broken whisper. She had to do more. She had to move.

Pain lanced through her ribs as she struggled to sit up, her entire body protesting the effort. She gritted her teeth and pushed through it, her mind focused on one thing: getting to Ava. She didn't know how long she'd been lying there, how long Ava had been with Dominic, but she knew she couldn't waste any more time. Jess knew Dominic—knew the darkness that simmered beneath his surface charm. If he had Ava now, then...

No. She wouldn't let herself think like that. Ava was strong, stronger than anyone gave her credit for. Jess had to believe that. But even the strongest person couldn't fight alone forever.

Jess's breath came in shallow gasps as she finally managed to sit up fully, her back resting against the rotting wall of the shed. Her head spun, and she squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, willing the dizziness to pass. She needed to think, to plan.

She had to find help. She couldn't rescue Ava on her own, not in this state. But where was she? The shed was far off the beaten path, hidden deep in the woods. The last thing she remembered was following Ava here, trying to talk some sense into her before Dominic showed up, before everything went wrong.

Jess bit down on her lip, tasting blood, and forced herself to stand. Her legs wobbled beneath her, and for a moment she thought they would give out entirely. She braced herself against the wall, her fingers digging into the rough wood, trying to keep herself upright.

Her thoughts were sluggish, but one thing was clear: she had to get out of here. Dominic had taken Ava somewhere—probably deeper into the woods. Jess had to get to the road, find someone, anyone, who could help.

With painstaking effort, she staggered to the door of the shed. It creaked loudly as she pushed it open, the hinges rusted and resistant. The cool night air hit her like a slap, and she breathed in sharply, trying to clear her head. The world outside was dark, the trees looming like silent sentinels, their shadows stretching across the ground like claws.

Jess blinked, her heart pounding as she tried to orient herself. Which way was the road? Which way had they come from? Her thoughts felt like sludge, slow and uncooperative. She needed to get her bearings, needed to remember how they had gotten here, but everything felt muddled.

Her legs trembled as she took a tentative step forward, then another, her hands still clutching the edge of the door for support. She was moving, at least. That was something.

Just a few more steps, she told herself. Just a little farther.

Her foot caught on something, and she stumbled, collapsing to her knees in the dirt. A sharp cry of pain escaped her lips as she hit the ground, the impact jolting her already battered body. For a moment, Jess thought she wouldn't be able to get up. She just wanted to lie there, let the darkness take her. But she couldn't. Ava needed her. She couldn't stop now.

With a grunt of effort, Jess pushed herself up again, ignoring the throbbing in her head, the sharp pain in her ribs. She had to keep moving. She had to.

The distant sound of something—footsteps? Twigs snapping?—reached her ears, and she froze, her breath catching in her throat. Her heart pounded in her chest, the fear rising like a wave, threatening to drown her. Was it Dominic? Had he come back for her?

For a moment, she thought about hiding, about crawling back into the shed and waiting for him to leave. But no—if it was Dominic, hiding wouldn't save her. She was too weak to run, too slow to fight. And if it wasn't Dominic... if it was someone else... help.

"Help," she croaked, her voice hoarse and barely audible. She tried again, louder this time, but her voice cracked. "Help! Please..."

The footsteps grew closer, and Jess's heart raced. She tried to push herself to her feet again, but her legs wouldn't cooperate this time. She slumped back down, her body trembling with exhaustion.

And then, out of the shadows, a figure emerged.

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• Jess is alive! It's getting pretty intense though, do you think she'll get help? And save Ava?•