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Emma’s breathing increased as she pounded her feet against the floor.
The door to freedom was close.
So close that she could almost taste it.
Yet it seemed so far away.
She finally stopped at what seemed to be a crossword between two paths and looked around her. Feeling her heart about to explode, she leaned next to a marble pillar to catch her breath.
Then she heard footsteps echoing in her direction.
‘I have to get out of here,' she thought quickly as she looked around. With the sound getting closer and closer, she swiftly ran to the path on the right. It led her to a hallway full of doors. There she quickly rushed towards one of them and opened it revealing a room filled with furniture cluttered against one another.
“Emma…”
The voice was distant but she didn’t want to take any chances. Shutting the door behind her, she squeezed her way through the clutter and crouched down as the footsteps drew closer and closer.
“This is fun, Beloved,”
The voice was distant.
“We used to play this game back in the military camp but it wasn’t pleasant. If we were caught by the seeker we faced the brutal punishment of being whipped in the bitter cold.”
He chuckled sadistically.
“We always played this game during winter and I hated it. However, I always dreamed of experiencing this game with you someday and that dream has come true! Now, we get to play it again except I am the seeker this time!”
Footsteps echoed down the hall.
“Maybe…maybe… when I catch you… we can have a do-over at this game…and it would be as exciting as ever… That’s alright with you right Beloved?”
Bang!
Emma jumped when she heard that sound and her heartbeat increased.
“Aww, wrong one."
The door slammed and footsteps resumed.
"How about...THIS ROOM?"
She jumped again and her eyes watered with fear.
Suddenly, the door to the room opened and closed with a bang.
“Wow! So much clutter, Beloved. You must forgive me. I was so busy buying new stuff that I didn’t have the time to arrange them.”
The sound of a heavy object scraping against the floor could be heard and she shivered.
“Yep. This place was supposed to be our living room. I was preparing to fashion to your taste but I know you well. This would be the most ideal place to hide.”
He laughed evilly that echoed around the room. As Emma's instincts started to prick, she moved deeper and deeper into the clutter after a few seconds of contemplation.
“I know you are in here Beloved. I can smell your sweet, seductive, feminine pheromones from here! Or is it fear I smell?” He took a deep breath and exhaled deeply. “Whatever it is, it makes me crave you."
The furniture around her moved as his grunting continued. Nonetheless, she continued to move until her back hit the wall. When she realized she couldn't get out of the room, she started feeling with her hands for something to assist her. Be it a hidden door, a button, a mechanism to end her life, anything to help her.
“I can see you…”
The sounds of furniture moving drew closer making beads of desperation roll down her temple. This time, she pressed her body against the wall and hit herself against it.
Then she felt it.
The wall moved.
“I will win the game!”
The furniture was moving rapidly now and looking behind her she could see his silhouette through the rest of the object. Pushing away her fears, she pressed her body against the wall and continued to exert force hoping it would give way. However, as she pushed the wall became heavier and he got closer.
Finally, it gave way and as she tumbled into the abyss, a part of her hoped she would land on something soft. Another part of her hoped the fall would lead to her demise. Eventually, she landed with a splash and was unable to breathe. After taking in the little air she had, she opened her eyes in order to realize that she was underwater and sinking deeper into its shadowy depths.
However, movement in the water made it clear she wasn’t alone. A shadowy figure loomed in the depths and made itself known by the barely visible glimmer of light it showed. Terrified and running out of air, she swam to the surface and took a huge gulp of air when she burst out of the water.
Everywhere was dark and silent except for the splashes of water she made while keeping herself afloat. Then a small wave rippled through the water pushing her forward. Hearing his evil cackle echoing around her, she looked around frantically until she spotted a gleaming light in the distance. This light beckoned her to come.
Suddenly, a shadow loomed above her. When she looked up, she saw a huge humanoid hand reaching out to grab her. However, it missed creating a huge wave that pushed her away from the light. Terrified, she started swimming towards the light but could only perform a few strokes. This is when it grabbed her and nearly squeezed the air out of her.
“WELL, WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE I'M GOING TO WIN THIS ROUND, DON'T YOU THINK DEAR?"
She struggled to break free.
“WHY SO SCARED DARLING? I DID TELL YOU THAT IF YOU ARE CAUGHT, YOU WILL STAY WITH ME IN THIS WORLD FOREVER.” He chuckled and brought her closer, his golden eyes illuminating his face in the darkness. “BUT WHY BOTHER? YOU CAN’T ESCAPE EVEN IF YOU TRIED.”
Emma grunted and looked back at the warm light representing her freedom. Enraged, she dug her teeth into his flesh causing him to yell and let go of her. Plunging into the abyss once more, Emma swam until she reached the surface and swam towards the light.
“OH, I SEE. YOU WANT TO PLAY AGAIN?"
Then the current pulled her back. Struggling, she added energy to her strokes and finally made it to the edge.
“WOW! YOU ARE AN EXPERIENCED SWIMMER!”
Panting, she felt the ground shake beneath her and cracks appear. As she ran, the cracks grew wider and the ground crumbled beneath her, forming jagged platforms. Her pace picked up as she jumped from platform to platform until she was close to the door where the light was coming from. Taking a huge leap, she reached out and grabbed onto the ledge.
The ledge she was holding on to cracked sending her heart racing. Bracing herself she hoisted herself up and climbed over the ledge. The door stood before her, and she reached out and hoped that the light would lead her to freedom. This led to a narrow corridor, far from the glow.
She took a deep breath and kept walking, feeling her way around the darkness while following the light trail. Then the walls around her concocted into a mass of fleshy blobs with red eyes. Dark arms emerged to reach out to grab her. Irritated, she started running but as her feet touched the floor, something grabbed her, leg tripping her. Looking behind her, she saw a dark, ugly creature slowly transformed into a dark figure of him grinning from ear to ear. Then more disconcerted figures appeared each smiling and begging her to stay. She screamed, pried them off, and started to run. The walls narrowed on her while the hands continued to claw at her scratching and ripping pieces of her clothing but she kept running until she finally reached the light.
The light illuminated the place slightly increasing her body temperature but filled her with hope. Spreading her arms wide, Emma basked in the warm light taking in deep breaths as tears flowed down her cheeks.
“I won,"
Something inside her cracked when she heard that voice. She opened her eyes to see she was back in the interrogation room with Jake standing before her with a grin on his face.
Then he laughed.
“Wow! You were so filled with hope when you walked through that door!” he said in fits of laughter. “But don’t worry. You will be filled with…Beloved? Are you okay? You look pale…”
His voice grew distant for all Emma could hear was glass shattering around her. Then her vision changed to grey as Jake grew smaller until she towered over him.
Meanwhile, Jake watched Emma’s transformation into a giant white fox, and he smiled. "Aww, Beloved. You look beautiful!”
Emma roared and clawed at him but he laughed and dodged the attack.
As he dodged another attack from her, he continued to say, "You look so magnificent! If I had my way, I could turn you into a plushy and hold you in my arms forever!”
She brought her paw to his side, but he blocked it with his bare hands and effortlessly moved her paw away from him while sending a sword slash at her. Emma growled stood on her hind legs and pounced on the floor sending huge blades which pierced Jake's flesh from underneath and then sent a huge fireball at him. Unfortunately, Jake quickly healed himself before dodging the attack which destroyed the walls of the labyrinth. Angry that he was still alive, she continued her barrage of attacks on him which he effortlessly dodged until she swiped her paw at him only to be stopped midway by him.
Jake noticed the intense hatred in her eyes and the immense strength in the blow but he grinned. He pushed it off and ducked when she spun around to attack him with her tail. This ripped through the labyrinth walls. Jake grabbed one of her tails and jumped on her back.
Taking a deep breath, he plunged his sword into her back.
Emma roared in pain and tried to shake him off, but Jake was able to hold on while deepening the sword into her body. Then she moved backwards to pin him to the wall but he took out his sword and jumped off just in time. He watched as she failed to heal herself, glaring at him with eyes full of hatred before gearing up to attack him but he countered her attack. Channeling his spirit power he cut himself with his sword mixing their blood together and chanted a spell. Then he drew some symbols with his sword and sent them to her.
Once the symbols touched Emma, she roared in pain and crumbled to the floor. Jake waited until she transformed into her normal self before approaching her.
“What a shame,” he picked her up and walked through the ruins of the labyrinth. “But you look so beautiful in your true form.”
Then he placed her on the bed and he laid next to her wrapping his arms around her body. “I hope you wake up soon Beloved. I have a fun day planned for us tomorrow. Do you want me to perform some voice asmr for you to sleep well? I have been practicing. Do you want to hear it?”
He didn’t need to wait for a reply as he started to whisper something into her ears until she opened her eyes but to his horror, it was dull.
ns 15.158.61.51da2
