SMILE: A Terrible Night.

Carving Blood.

Chapter 24: (Scarlet's pov)

I heard him calling out from the kitchen, his voice cutting through the stillness that had enveloped the house like a suffocating blanket. I was not in mood to listen to his voice, his Taunts, I hate him more than i could express.

Taehyung: Honey, how do you turn on the gas?

His tone was unnervingly casual, as if we were a couple discussing mundane household matters. But I couldn't bring myself to answer, my breath catching in my throat as I choked on my silent sobs. Tears ran down my cheeks, mixing with the sweat and blood that clung to my skin.

My wrists were raw and aching where he had tied me to the armchair, the rope biting into my flesh with every small movement. I heard him call out again, frustration creeping into his voice.

Taehyung: How are you living in such a trash house? The microwave doesn't work, the TV doesn't work... and now? Not even the gas.

There was a pause, a moment of silence that made my blood run cold. I held my breath, praying he wouldn't discover the old gas stove's trick, how it needed a specific twist and press to ignite. But then, I heard it, the soft click of the flame catching, followed by his amused chuckle.

Taehyung: Whoa, it lit up suddenly.

His tone shifted, and I could hear the thrill in his voice. He began humming a tune, something twisted and distorted, the kind of melody that makes your skin crawl. His voice carried through the house, filling every corner with its eerie cadence. The lyrics came through, and I wished I could block them out, but they seeped into my mind like poison.

Taehyung: Round and round, the shadows play, hide and seek until you fade away.

He started humming.

Taehyung: Hear the whispers, feel the sting, No escape from the pain I bring.

I heard things rattling in the kitchen as if he was searching for something in the drawers.

Taehyung: Cutting deep, the scars remain, Blood and tears, but who's to blame?

There was a moment of silence, before I heard something being tossed at the stove.

Taehyung: Dance with me in the dark tonight,
Watch your world burn in the pale moonlight.

The song was a macabre lullaby, its melody creeping under my skin and wrapping around my thoughts. I shivered as the sound drew closer, my body tensing with each passing second. Then, the humming stopped abruptly, and I heard the scrape of a chair being dragged across the floor. My heart lurched as he placed the chair directly in front of me, its legs screeching against the wooden boards.

Taehyung sat down slowly, his face illuminated by the dim light seeping through the grimy window. His eyes gleamed with a dangerous glint as he tilted his head, studying me like a predator would its prey. In his hand, he held a knife, its blade tipped with a searing red glow, as if it had been heated over the open flame. My breath got caught in my throat as I realized what he intended to do.

Taehyung: Let's talk now.

He said, his voice was deceptively gentle. Without warning, he pressed the heated tip of the knife against my leg, and the pain exploded through me like wildfire. I screamed, unable to hold back the sound as it tore through my throat, raw and desperate. He watched me with an almost childlike curiosity, a sick smile spreading across his lips as he studied the pain reflected in my eyes.

Taehyung: I could have given you a painless death, you know.

He mused, dragging the knife slowly across my skin, leaving a burning trail in its wake. I writhed in the chair, struggling against the ropes that held me in place, but there was no escape. The heat of the blade seared into my flesh, the acrid smell of burning skin filling my nostrils.

Taehyung: But where's the fun in that?

He chuckled softly, as if he had just told a joke, and pressed the knife against my other leg, carving a shallow line into my skin. The agony was blinding, each cut sending a fresh wave of pain crashing through my body. My vision blurred with tears, the edges of the room fading in and out of focus as I struggled to stay conscious.

Taehyung leaned in closer, his face inches from mine, his breath were warm against my cheek. I could see the pleasure he took in my suffering, the way it seemed to fuel him. He tilted his head, as if considering his next move, and then pressed the knife against the inside of my wrist.

Taehyung: Tell me, Scarlet, do you think anyone's coming for you?

He asked, his voice laced with a mocking sweetness. The knife bit into my wrist, and I gasped, the pain stealing my breath. He didn't press hard enough to draw blood, just enough to keep me on the edge, to let me know that he could end it all with a single twist of his hand. I shook my head, more tears spilling down my cheeks, but he only smiled wider.

Taehyung: That's right. No one's coming. It's just you and me, sweetheart.

He trailed the knife down my arm, leaving a trail of shallow cuts in its wake, each one stinging as the cool air touched the open wounds. I could feel my strength slipping away, the pain sapping what little energy I had left. My head lolled to the side, my vision swimming as the room seemed to spin around me.

Taehyung: Stay with me now. We're just getting started.

His voice cut through the haze in my mind, and he slapped my cheek lightly, the sting bringing me back to the moment. I tried to focus on his face, but everything was blurring together, the pain and fear merging into a single, overwhelming sensation.

Taehyung: I want you to remember this, Scarlet. Every single second of it.

He pressed the knife against my thigh again, this time harder, and I screamed as the blade sliced through my skin. The sound echoed through the house, but no one came. No one could hear me out here, in this place that had become my prison.

He leaned back, admiring his handiwork, the crimson lines that crisscrossed my legs and arms. His smile widened, and he tapped the knife against his chin thoughtfully, as if he were contemplating his next move.

Taehyung: You're strong.

He said, almost conversationally, as he reached out to wipe a tear from my cheek with the tip of the knife. The metal was cold against my skin now.

Taehyung: You make it worth it. The way you cry, the way you tremble... it's beautiful.

He leaned in closer, his lips brushing against my ear.

Taehyung: Let's see how much more you can take before you break.

But even as the pain consumed me, I held onto one thought, survival. I couldn't let him break me. Not yet. Not while there was still a chance, however small, that I could find a way out of this nightmare. But with every cut, every whispered taunt, that chance seemed to slip further and further away, like a distant light fading into darkness.