All Bets Are Off

Chapter 20

"No one's gonna help you now. You're mine." Rick's evil smirk directed at her as he sat languidly on the chair looking at her. "You've been the target just because you're with him. But he's not here right now."

I don't give a rat's ass was what she wanted to respond to him but she can't move her mouth and it was then she realized her mouth was taped shut. A strange feeling of horror settled on her as she saw her feet were bounded on the bed, her hands were tied on the bed post. She can't move. Her body felt beaten and weak. And the blood on her leg only added to her terror, the pain is overwhelming her. Rick stood up. The whites of his eyes are red, his torso naked except for a towel over his shoulder with patches of red on it. Blood. Her blood. His smirk was triumphantly evil as he walked lazily towards her. "It's just you and me," he said holding the bloodied steel lamp base on his hand.

No she shook her head as her eyes teared up, panic already seizing her. No. She screamed though her gagged mouth. Donghae!!!

Dara's eyes flew open. It took a moment before her wits returned to her as Suzy's empty bed met her panicked eyes. Her bed was shaking and she thought there might be an earthquake but then she realized she was the one who was shaking. She quickly sat up, lifted her knees up and put her head between them, squinching her eyes shut as she tried to stop the tremors running though her body. Shit, why now? These panic attacks are such a pain in the neck. Damn you Rick, you little dumbass! After a minute of breathing in and out, trying to relax the tension coursing through her body, she felt a little better but she can feel beads of sweat dotting her forehead and she felt depleted. And the pain on her leg is acting up again.

The pain in her leg brought out the dream-no the nightmare- she had so she swung out of the bed and walk-hopped out of her room to drink the painkiller. She made herself some milk and sat on the couch just staring into space while her thoughts run interminably as the silence feasted on her. One thought keeps pressing into her head.

She could've been dead.

Or if not, in worst shape than she already is. She had delayed him by fighting him off but he still overpowered her. She lost consciousness no matter how hard she tried to stay awake. And who knows what could've happened to her, what Rick will do to her, if Donghae didn't come. Another tremor racked her body and she put her knees up again and curled herself into a ball, her mind conjuring up images on what might have happened. What she could've end up in. And what that Mischa girl might have felt when she was rendered powerless by a strong man who was driven mad by drugs.

Stop it! She forced the gruesome images off her mind trying to breathe in and breathe out again to relax. She was alive. And safe. Maybe a little battered but still kicking. That's all that should matter. She fought him. Defended herself. She's strong.

But still not strong enough.

She didn't know how long she was curled up into a ball until her tremors dissipated. She exhaled and carefully laid her feet down and gingerly stood up. She hobbled to the bedroom and sat down on the edge of the bed. She looked around her room, from the white linoleum floor, the yellow door of the bathrrom, the vanity mirror Suzy had brought in... They all seemed so eerie all of a sudden and she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep for long. Maybe she could call someone to sleep over. But who? She doesn't have many friends. Who was she kidding? She only had Suzy as a friend. But she can't call her just because she's having panic attacks. The guys? She wouldn't be able to sleep even if she want to as she will spend the entire night guarding the house and keeping them from wrecking it. Donghae? No, he already did so much for her and bothering him about something as puerile as a nightmare is so... well childish. Chaerin? She glanced at the clock pursing her lips. 1:18am. Would she still be awake? She could try.