ETHAN HUNTER

Are you afraid of the Dark

   Every beauty needs a beast, to  protect her from everything but him...

                                         - N. R. Hart

Savannah's POV:

I'm standing in the middle of absolute darkness... Everywhere around me, as far as I could see there's nothing but darkness.... I'm biwildered... It feels like a deja vu.... I've been in this place before.... It's too cold here, I'm freezing...Then this familiar glistening light that appears from nowhere... I can see someone walking out of it... Though it's only a silhouette, I can make out who it was... Ofcourse it was him.. Ethan..

And, again I feel totally numb... I don't wanna be here... But I couldn't move...
I can feel a pair of arms slowly curling around my waist.... I'm startled... I try to screem, I couldn't...
I couldn't even open my mouth...
I can feel this person's breathe on the crook of my neck... And then all of a sudden those arms tug me forcefully, from behind....

I get up from my sleeping position, and sit upright... I'm panting, and gasping for air... I can feel the sweat dripping from my body... The covers are drenched in sweat..
It was a dream... Just a dream.. I try to relax, but how could I... Yes it was just a nightmare but it felt so surreal to me..It's just a dream but this was exactly the same one I had last night...

Dreams don't reccur right, do they??..
It was an inexplicable and terrifying one... This has never happened to me... Why do things like this happen, all at once... I'm having these bizzare nightmares... Let alone the fact that I'm at my abductor's house...

I stand up from the bed and passively yet hastily walk towards the bathroom to wash my face... I splash the cold running water on my face to lighten up my drowsyness.. I look into the mirror, I look flushed out from all the happenings... I let out a sigh, and got ready for bath... A luke warm water and the jacuzzi would greatly help my mood... I get into the jacuzzi and sink my body and my mind in this warm pleasing water.. I close my eyes and lean back, enjoying the bath as slowly I forget and sink myself in this soothing bath...

After reveling in the bath for an hour or so, I get myself dressed at my simplest from what he has provided...
I am provided with expensive clothing, accessories and beauty aids, which are not needed at all... I am not used to dressing up this way at all... I always try to be simple and I've never wanted to gain attention, from using such things...

I try to open the door thinking he would've kept it open so that I could try running away from here once again... Nope... But thats not the case, seems he's clever and I'm much foolish... I heaved a sigh of frustration and walked back and sat on the couch..

I think of my plan, how am I gonna do this.. Can I fool him that easily... But yeah, yes I can, he says he loves me so he'd definitely believe me... So should I say "Yes".??. Yes I should, atleast to make him believe... Wait, noo, what if I become his prey, in my own trials... What if he marries me right after I say yes... Getting away from here wouldn't be easy then... That would be far more complicated to handle... If I do that I'd only make this already worse situation even more tangled....

Okay, maybe I should try escaping again, just another time... I should give it a try... But this time I should be more heedful.. This time I should do that in the night.. Maybe past midnight. That would do good... No one will find me at that time of night...
I'm patiently going to wait for the night...

I was sitting there in silence rationalizing my plan in my head, when I heard the door open... I was expecting Ethan to enter the room.. But, to my surprise it was Elise.. She entered in with a warm smile... I forced a smile at her...
"How are you doing, dear?"
She questioned me...

"Umm fine, I think."
She stared at me for a mear second before continuing....

"Well alright, Ethan has planned a date night dinner for you Savannah, and he wants you to dress up at your best for this.. So he sent me to get you dressed up..."

I stare at her quizzically... What do they even think they're doing... Doesn't she know this sounds crazy...
She's being so casual, as if I was his girlfriend...

"He sent you to get me dressed up??!!
Don't you feel this is soo absurd...
You look like a genuine lady Elise, tell me don't you feel all of this is so not right... He has abducted me and then now, he wants me to dress up for his date??!! And you, how can you act like it's so normal??..." I try to fight back my tears but I fail... I'm elploded with my emotions...

She sits beside me and gently puts an arm around my shoulders... And continued speaking...
"Savannah, I know all of this is hard for you to take up but,"
She then took my hands into hers..
I looked at her, addled.. She slightly squeezed my hands and spoke again,

"trust me Savannah, things will get better, but only if you can cooperate.. I've been here in this house from a very long time and have seen him all through his life... He's much more than what you think he is... When you come to know, you'll love him.."

I stare at her for a long time, unaware of what to say to her... Is she telling me the truth?? Or is she being manupulative?? But a part of me, well to be more precise my heart wants to trust her... I'm unable to make a decision... Okay, I have to play along atleast until tonight, I'm not going to say yes for sure, but atleast until I escape from here, I've got to stay neutral... I took in a sharp yet long breath and nodded at her...

Her lips curved into a smile..
"Well then, come on Savannah let's get you ready for tonight.." she said with wide smile..

"Wait, I thought you said it was dinner, but it's only past 2..."I asked, confused..

"Yes it is, but we've got a lot of stuffs to do... Select your outfit, then trial then your pre-makeup process and all that.. So it takes time, dear.. We'll have Hannah and Karen to help us.."
She said sincerely...

Who are Hannah and Karen?? Do they work here or are they someone like me... I simply nod and walk with
her..

I'm annoyed.. These people are just painting me with all the cosmetic products... Is this all needed at all??
I don't really like the idea of being dolled up like this... I just want to show them how much I'm annoyed of them... No, but I don't.. I have to keep all this to myself.. Soon I'll be gone from here... I'd be free from this..
The mere thought of being free again, makes me enthusiastic...

It's now past 7 in the evening and I'm all dolled up... Ugh, how much I hate this..
"You look gorgeous dear, Ethan's gonna fall for you again tonight.."
Elise says, wide eyed in awe..

"Yes you really do, you look stunning.." said Karen...
"Yep, and our make up skills are adding on to your already beautiful face.." Hannah added...
Seems both of them are fond of their work... I can see the pride evident on their faces...

"Now you're all dressed up and ready for the date with Ethan.."
Elise said, with so much excitement, and all of them left me to myself after telling me that they'll call me when I'm needed..

Date.... I was never expecting a date tonight... Anyways what's happened is happened, now I should work on my plan... I should run away from here, once all of them are asleep, or atleast in their rooms... I should, I definitely have to, I'm out of options... I have to..

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Author's note:

Hey guys, hope you liked this one...
This was also a less interesting though... But I promise there'll be interesting stuff in the following chapters... And also the chapters may be longer from the next one... Thank you guys... Do need your love and support.. Do vote and comment...
Stay safe ❤️❤️❤️..

- SARAH ❣️