Lost

Chapter 25: Attacked

*Trigger Warning: The chapter contains violence and harassment.*

Post your reactions, Losties. It's another emotional rollercoaster. Messed me up a bit tbh

Salma's P.O.V.

As the world started to crash down on her, all Salma could do was run. Chaotic, she forced her stiff legs to move faster. The forest ahead of her was illuminated by the flashlight of the man in pursuit, but her panic-stricken eyes could see nothing. The branches slapped her in the face, and the twigs clawed at the fabric of  her scarf, pulling her hair in the process. Salma dare not pause or slow down, however. Apart from the frantic pulse drumming in her ears, she could hear the man's heavy footsteps still chasing her. Her legs seared in pain, and she could hear him getting closer.

A scream left her lips when she felt his hand make a grab for her shoulder, but before he could get a hold of her, her feet moved in thin air as she fell down in some sort of a ditch on all fours. Salma's heart sank to her stomach at the sudden fall, and she was retching, struggling to breath. However, she did not get the chance to recover.

The man roughly grabbed her hair through the scarf . Salma whimpered weakly when he pulled her up to force her to her feet.

"Stand up, Hellcat!" he growled.

Salma's legs felt like they were made of jelly and refused to carry her weight anymore. Drained, she fell back on the ground. Her inability to comply angered the six foot tall devil. He yanked at her hair again. This time, so brutally, that she screamed when her scalp burned with a searing pain. A sudden impact to her cheek caught her by surprise. Her veiled face burned when he slapped her again.

"Quiet!"

Salma had trouble making his features in the dark, but she could feel his face inches from hers when he pinned her to a tree that towered over her. Her breath was shallow, and quick, laced with cold, undiluted fear. Tears flowed out of her eyes. Salma tried to scream for help but her voice was muted by horror. She cringed away into the tree, her stomach churned in disgust. As her heart hammered against her rib cage, she wished the tree would swallow her whole, but it did not.

"Now, if you want this to end quickly and less painfully," he spat in her face, "you would want to do what I tell you to do. Get it, bitch?"

"Wh-who are -?"

Her trembling voice got caught in her throat when he tightened his grip around windpipe. A  rattling, wheeing sound escape Salma's lips. She desperately struggled to break free.

"I ask questions," he squeezed her trachea as if to crush it. "You answer. That's how it goes."

Salma's vision started to get darker. He held the blunt end of the flashlight close to her, threatening to hit her with it. Salma watched as the heavy, metal ring on his finger with the skull engraving, started going in and out of focus. Her ears started to ring. Still choking her, he continued.

"First of all, let's see who you are," he snarled, lifting the light to her face. Her hazy eyes were blinded with the sudden, intense beam.

Seeing her veil, he cursed.

"Get that damn mask off, vixen!"

He let her go, making Salma gasp for air. Hoarse, retching sounds escaped her throat as she keeled over, trying to fill her lungs with some much needed oxygen. Not able to say a word, she raised her hand pleading him to stop.

"Pl- ease!" she wheezed. "Pl-please, st-top!"

Her weak protests only caused him to shoved her forcefully. Her back hit the trunk knocking the little air she had, out of her system again. The beast attacked her veil, trying to peel it off. Begging him to stop, Salma held it in place with both her hands. He cursed, and tried to removed them. There was a sudden sharp sound, and he yelped. In a desperate attempt to get away, Salma had brought her hand slicing against his disgusting face.