Blood Ink ✔️

13: Run

It isn't too soon after you start down the dark sidewalk that you notice the footsteps behind you.

At first, you aren't too concerned.

A middle-aged lady with a shopping bag had been headed in the same direction as you earlier. You assume that it's her making the soft clicking sounds on the concrete behind you.

But, you shouldn't have.

The thing that causes you to become alarmed is that when you lengthen your stride and speed up your pace, the footsteps speed up too. And when you begin to speed-walk due to your uneasiness, the footsteps follow.

Your heart jumps in your chest, pounding like a drum being beaten to its physics limit.

You're being followed.

Too scared to turn around because you already know who's behind you, you simply gulp in a huge breath of freezing cold air and push your body into a slight jog.

Home isn't an option. You don't want the man to know where you live, and your roommate probably isn't home. You need a public place, with people. With safety. Your wrack your brain, pushing past the gnawing fear edging through you as you try to think of somewhere nearby.

As you do, you glance hesitantly over your shoulder.

There behind you, mirroring your slow jog, is the man from the corner store. He's not even being subtle now, keeping a small distance between the two of you as he watches with a tiny, terrifying grin.

There's no one around him, or you. The street is completely desolate, devoid of any other life forms in the dim street lights.

You break into a sprint.

You don't know where you're headed to, but you need to get there fast. You're smaller than him; maybe there's a chance you can outrun him and avoid being subject to whatever plans he's made for you.

Just maybe.

Shivering, you refuse to think about what those plans might be.

For the first time, the man speaks.

"You can run, little Y/N," he calls mockingly in a rough, gritty voice that sounds like he's been smoking for a long time. "But you can't hide. Just give up now, sweetheart."

He knows your name.

He knows your name.

You're surprised that your heart is till in your chest at this point as your limbs tremble with overwhelming fear, a thing only intensified by the knowledge that this man was either sent by your family, or an enemy of your father.

Your footsteps pound heavily on the concrete and your legs ache as you run as fast as you can, but the dim concrete street stretches on dismally in front of you.

There's no one here to save you.

No one here to hear you scream.

What are his orders? Take you out, or bring you back alive?

You don't have time to wonder.

Helpmehelpmehelpmehelpme screams inside your head, but on the outside your remain silent, forcing all the physical energy you can muster into your legs.

You take another glance out of your shoulder, and what you see makes a sob explode out of you.

Now there's a second figure, this one hooded and silent, following behind the first man like a terrifying shadow.

There are two of them, and one of you.

You're done for.

Except...