GOLDEN HEADLINES

85: Naked Fire

"I TRUSTED YOU"

When Alessia opened her eyes, the soft hum of the car was gone. Instead, there was silence. Cold, suffocating silence.

She blinked, disoriented. It was pitch dark, the kind of darkness that swallowed everything.

Her wrists felt heavy, and when she tried to move, she couldn't. Panic set in as she realized she was tied to a pole, her hands and feet tightly bound.

"T-Tyson?" Her voice was trembling, barely above a whisper. "Tyson, are you there? What's going on?"

No response.

Her breathing quickened, her heart pounding in her chest. She tried to wriggle free, but the ropes dug into her skin, burning with every movement.

"TYSON!" she screamed now, her voice echoing in the empty room.

Still, no answer.

Tears streamed down her face as she began to realize the horrifying truth. "This can't be real," she whispered to herself, her voice breaking.

"This has to be a nightmare."

But the cold air, the pain in her wrists, the suffocating darkness—it was all too real.

Her voice cracked as she screamed again, "H-HELP! SOMEBODY, PLEASE!"

No one came.

How had this happened? She had trusted Tyson. He had been kind, caring, and gentle. How could he have done this to her?

The sound of footsteps broke her thoughts. Slow, deliberate steps echoed through the dark room. Her body froze, her breath hitching.

"W-Who's there?" she managed to whisper, her voice shaky.

A figure emerged from the shadows, and her heart sank.

—It was Tyson.

Tyson stepped inside, his calm demeanor unchanged—but this time, he wasn't alone. He carried a large metal can, the kind that sent dread rippling through her veins.

Her voice trembled as she screamed, "T-Tyson, what are you doing? What is that? Why are you doing this, We were f-friends?"

"Alessia," he said softly, almost mockingly, "do you have any idea how long I've waited for this moment?"

She shook her head violently, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I trusted you! I thought you were helping me! What did I do to deserve this? Why are you doing this to me?"

Tyson chuckled darkly, stepping closer to her.

"Do you think this is about something you did? No, Alessia, this is about me. About what I want. It took me an entire year to gain your trust, to have you let your guard down."

He crouched to meet her terrified gaze, his tone growing sharper. "So now, I'm going to make it worth every second."

Alessia pulled against the ropes, desperation surging through her. "You're sick! You're insane!"

Tyson leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a cold whisper. "Maybe. But you're here now, and there's no going back."

Her voice cracked as she sobbed, "P-Please, Tyson. Please, just let me go."

He tilted his head, studying her like a predator watching its prey. "Begging won't save you, Alessia. It's too late for that."

She watched in horror as Tyson reached for the can, his movements deliberate and unhurried.