The Tale Of Hearts

Chapter 108

Hazel's POV

The rain poured down, soaking me to the bone as I stood alone on the desolate road. My chest felt hollow, yet an ache so deep throbbed within me. Tears streamed down my face, though I didn't know why I was crying. It was as if the sky and I shared the same grief. My heart felt like it was breaking, but for what, I couldn't understand.

"Hyden?" I called out, my voice shaky, the name leaving my lips like a plea  but the only response was the relentless drumming of the rain.

"Hyden!" I screamed again, louder this time, desperation clawing at my throat but my voice only echoed back at me, bouncing off the emptiness around me.

The road stretched endlessly ahead, and I started to take a step when the screech of tires pierced the air. My heart leaped into my throat as headlights blazed through the storm, racing toward me. I froze, terror rooting me to the ground. A car sped closer, the roar of the engine deafening. I clenched my eyes shut, a scream ripping from my chest as I braced for the impact but it never came. 

When I opened my eyes, everything had changed. The rain was gone. Instead, darkness surrounded me, thick and suffocating. A single dim light hung from the ceiling, flickering as it illuminated a strange, cluttered room. The air smelled damp, almost metallic, carrying a chill that seeped into my skin. My breathing hitched as I took it all in, old furniture, stacks of crates, and objects I couldn't quite make out in the dim light,  But then my gaze fell on the wall and my stomach dropped. A sprawling collage of photos stared back at me, as if to mock me—my photos.

I tried to move, but my body wouldn't cooperate. Panic surged through me as I looked down. My wrists were tied to the arms of a cold, metal chair. The ropes bit into my skin, keeping me bound tight. 

"No," I whispered, my voice trembling, disbelief washing over me. I pulled against the restraints, the chair creaking beneath me, but it was no use. My movements were frantic, desperate, but the ropes held firm. Then, a loud, bone chilling laugh echoed through the room, bouncing off the walls like a mockery. My breath caught, my head snapping toward the sound. In the shadows, a figure emerged, the man wearing a black mask. My chest heaved, tears stinging my eyes as his gaze, cold and unfeeling, locked on me. His laugh was low and sinister, filling the air like shadow. Behind him, I saw Hyden. He was hanging from the ceiling, his hands bound together, his head slumped forward. My heart shattered at the sight of him, His shirt was torn, revealing bruises and cuts along his arms.

"Hyden!" I tried to scream, but my voice was muffled. A cloth was tied around my mouth, stifling my cries. Tears spilled freely down my cheeks as I fought harder against the ropes, my body trembling with fear and helplessness but Hyden didn't move. My muffled screams filled the room, a desperate call to him, but he remained silent, almost lifeless. The masked man tilted his head as if amused by my struggle, his laugh cutting through my soul like a blade and I couldn't breathe. My chest tightened, my mind racing with fear. I yanked at the restraints until my wrists burned, but I couldn't break free.

"Hyden," I whimpered through the cloth, tears streaming down my face. My voice cracked,  It was becoming harder and harder to breathe, the panic clawing at me from the inside, threatening to drown me. The man in the black mask slowly began to peel it away, the fabric slipping off his face, revealing the last person I ever expected to see, Bryan. I froze. My heart stopped. The world around me blurred, my breath shallow as his grin widened, cruel and twisted. The laughter that spilled from his lips was no longer masked by the sinister tone, it was all too familiar. It was Bryan.

"NO" I gasped, my chest tightening with disbelief. My eyes searched his face for some sign of the person I once knew, but all I saw was a cold, twisted version of him. His eyes gleamed with dark satisfaction as he saw the shock written all over my face. His hands moved slowly, as if savouring every second of the moment.