Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
"I know you're used to being spoiled, princess, but it's in your best interest to stop being so stubborn."
Fi... re, I winced. My wrist... is on... fire.
"Hey, I'm serious," he placed a hand under my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. "If you don't tap out soon, that blood will stain your shirt the same color as those pretty little eyes of yours."
Instead, I looked into his jaded eyes, searching for any ounce of empathy or compassion that once was.
"The... time..." I gritted through my teeth. "What time... is it?"
"The time?" He flattened a cold blade against my cheek. "I think you have more... pressing issues at the moment."
"Just answer the goddamn question," I snapped, my voice a hoarse whisper from all of today's earlier screaming.
"Fine," he smirked, playing with my chains. "Since I'm the nice guy here, I'll indulge you just a bit. After all, you've been a good girl, isn't that right?"
He slowly fished his phone out of his jacket before flashing the screen to me, illuminating the dark, cramped room.
23:57
Saturday, September 12
"What's wrong, Cinderella? Your fairy godmother waiting for you at home or something?"
He calmly squatted in front of me, taking a moment to study my face.
"But look at that," he repositioned the knife at my throat. "Maybe you're not the good girl I thought you were."
A low, dark chuckle filled the room.
"Sneaking out, breaking curfew... you've really let yourself go since the last time I saw you."
Since the last time he saw me...?
I could help but snicker at the irony of it all.
"Really?" I peered up at him with innocence. "If anything, I thought you'd be proud."
Fuck, I turned away, realizing my mistake.
"I know you're prone to sarcasm," he leaned into me, "but I'd seal those lips of yours if I were you. Don't forget, he can easily take your place if you don't remember yours."
No, my heart froze, constricting to a third of its original size. Don't bring him into this.
Coming a little closer, he ran his thumb over my lips, caressing them. "Mmmmm, I didn't think so."
He stood up, suddenly, and nonchalantly cast the knife to the side. "Well tonight was a bust"
A piece of my heart soared at the realization that tonight's lacerations were over. However, that relief quickly dissipated as I recalled which part came next.
"Any last 'goodnights?" He picked up the baseball bat that was leaning against the wall, showing off a few practice swings.
As if by fate, his phone fell a little out of his pocket, causing his lock screen to illumine one last time.
Huh, would you look at that
00:01
Sunday, September 13
YOU ARE READING
「𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐞」𝘮𝘩𝘢 𝘹 𝘰𝘤
Fanfiction"Lightning Never Strikes Twice" "Lightning Never Strikes the Same Place Twice" Two different versions of a single expression in which the same meaning holds true: An unusual and negative event is unlikely to happen again to the same person or in th...
