To Break Loose [Original]

Chapter Twenty Four

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Twenty Four
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Author: I hope this story has been good. Just want to let y'all know I need your support too, your votes and comments help me more than you think. Kind reminder to hit that tiny star button at the bottom of this. Thanks and happy reading!

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A PAIR OF HAIRY HANDS STRANGLED HER.

She jerked awake, met by darkness as her own small hands flew to wrench the hands apart.

It was vanity as the grip on her neck only tightened.

Asher choked.

Her legs flailed in the darkness, all of her voice leaving her in that moment as hope dwindled before her.

She did everything she could, clawed even, yet the hands were determined to end her there and then.

Her eyes brimmed with hot tears as she imagined the painful reality of her end. She'd always imagined her death to be painless, quick. It was her dream death.

Yet in the complicated position she was, all hope of a peaceful death broke to pieces.

"This is your end, Olivia"

Her eyes widened in sheer recognition of the husky voice.

"NO" it exploded out of her as she fought to reject the thoughts that soon filled her mind.

Laughter followed "This is your end, Olivia"

"No! No..." She continued to protest until her voice paled to a weak cry, until she jumped up and opened her eyes, finding it to be all a dream.

Tears fell unguarded from her tired eyes. It still hurt where he held her. The skin was soft like it was all real.

This had been the nature of her nightmares for the past few days.

It made sleeping more dreadful than when it was those men.

She kept seeing Rick Sherwood coming at her with a singular assignment in mind. To kill her.

It was gruesomely terrifying yet the fact that she had absolutely no control over it only ached her to the bone.

That night after the talk with Oren, it felt as though a different side of her was manifesting. A side whose ways remained a mystery to her.

Follow my ways, and you will find peace.

She gasped at the firmness of that voice, yet the calm afterwards sent warm shivers down her spine.

She was hearing voices recently.

A voice actually.

A still, calm voice she'd never heard before.

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Paranoia was an understatement to what she felt. She was talking to herself on the road, calculating.

Thinking maybe after the semester she would die her death. She'd submit her final year project and rid the world of herself.

But no, it hurt to remember how that made Harry feel. But this was never about Harry, or anyone else. It was about her, Asher. It was her story. Her tragedy.

Finding joy was a lost cause, that, she had concluded.

Life would always be unfair, especially to the innocent and abused.

She tripped but caught her stance quick enough.

People turned but she didn't pay mind to their questioning looks.

She was a walking mess but what did that matter?

She had to be in school and happened to miss coffee.

It was pure torment, her nerves were all over the place.

Samantha, some preppy girl had been ranting about her week and all she could do was grip the edges of her desk until her knuckles whitened.

Make it stop - she cried inwardly as she watched the redhead's mouth run.

She tumbled out of class, in desperate need to wash her face, to catch a breath, anything!

Everything was infuriating, everything irked her and she wasn't far from losing her mind.

Perhaps she was going psycho, it was becoming hard to decipher reality from her dreams. Familiar faces were popping up everywhere!

Peace.

She calmed momentarily, returning a blank stare to the girl in the mirror.

That voice spoke again, and it brought an otherworldly peace to her mind.

She turned to faucet on and put her hands under. She relished the feel of ice cold water and put it on her face when it felt right.

Her eyes had lost their shine years ago, anyone who looked carefully could realize the dark voids that replaced her pupils.

Everest met her at some point but all she could do was keep waking like he didn't exist. Fortunately, he didn't bother.

It was clear that they weren't friends and the respect for their boundaries was imperative.

When Asher left her block, she turned down the stony path, no destination in mind as she surveyed the greenery around her aiming to drown out her thoughts...even if it was for a second.

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