Was I going insane?
Yes, yes, I was.
I was bored at home on a Sunday morning, and because I was completely out of my mind, I found myself walking to Jase’s work, knowing very well that his break was up for grabs in a couple minutes.
The sidewalks were still wet from the previous frosted rain, and the leftover light from the fading sun glistened among the wetness, but I stepped carefully in case some patches were ice.
It was so dark this time of year… clouds covering the sky like looming death. Looking like it would rain every second… but it was almost spring, and Colorado was like that this time of year.
I sniffled and glanced around, finding myself still on main street.
My parents were still in New York… they had been for a month now.
What storm lasts this long and cancels their plane every time they book it? Was that mere coincidence?
I just swallowed something hard and continued down the streets, gently pushing my hair behind my ear to expose my blue sapphire earrings so that maybe he’d hopefully notice them.
He made me nervous, but… I still didn’t understand why I decided to dress up for him while I walked over to his work.
What I always told myself “don’t ask, don’t tell”. Which in this sense means, “don’t ask myself why I do things, and then don’t tell myself why I’m doing these things”. So that way, I stay sane!
The moment I walked further into the alleyway, my world suddenly chilled.
I stopped in my tracks, brows drawing together when my world blurred, once more.
I set my hand against my head, feeling my world spin around me like a hurricane.
But a voice suddenly echoed from behind me:
“There you are.”
I flipped around, searching the world for him.
But I saw a figure in front of me, distorted and black like the shadows in my nightmares.
I narrowed my eyes, struggling to see him further, but I couldn’t focus my sight.
He just stepped toward me.
I backed off. “Stop it! Don’t get any closer!”
His low chuckle burst through my ears, burning my mind like a thousand daggers. “My, my… I made you so incredibly ill and you still find the will to fight?”
I kept my hand to my forehead. “Made me ill…? What do you mean?”
His laugh burned through me, and I covered my ears, crying out. “Stop it!”
“It’s about time, little girl,” he said darkly.
The moment I gazed back up, he was in front of me.
My eyes widened as my bones chilled.
His hand just latched around my throat, and I choked, clutching onto his hand.
He smirked, raising his arm and me with it… and my legs started dangling.
I clutched onto his hand, kicking out my legs as my veins bulged.
The air in my throat caught in under his grip, and I gagged, struggling as he held me.
I couldn’t see him, though… he was all shadows… I couldn’t see anything.
I gasped for air, scratching his hand desperately as he smirked… the blur of his teeth coming into view.
“Don’t fight it,” he whispered menacingly. “Just relax and let go.”
I closed my eyes tightly before parting them, and I squinted my gaze, struggling to see as I let go briefly to see him.
I reached out to him with all the strength I had, taking every ounce of my life with me.
And I sliced my thumb deep into his eye.
He screamed immediately, releasing me.
I collapsed to the ground, face hitting the pavement immediately.
I sobbed as pain shot through me…
But I finally gasped, coughing and clutching my throat tightly.
I tried catching my breath, struggling to get up.
He was screaming still, rolling around on the ground and covering his eye as his cries of pain burned through the entire neighborhood.
My vision still fogged over with uneasiness and white, but I managed to crawl to a standing position, and I urged myself forward, struggling to breathe.
I distantly felt myself clashing with poles and trees, maybe pedestrians, I didn’t know… but eventually… I found myself barging inside the restaurant I was originally coming to.
As all my fighting spirit left me, I collapsed to the floor, coughing profusely as I gagged, clutching my throat tightly.
“Jesus Christ!” the hostess cried, rushing over to me. “Someone call 9-1-1!”
“Ja…” I choked, struggling to breathe. “Ja….”
“What is it, Honey?” she urged.
“Jase…” I coughed, struggling to breathe as my eyes still fogged over.
“Jase?” she said then. “Jase Deriek?”
“Please…” I begged quietly.
She then shot up, calling into the restaurant. “SOMEONE GET JASE!”
Padding footsteps echoed through the room then, and I heard the kitchen doors burst open, and someone distantly calling his name.
“What happened?” she pressed worriedly. “What’s your name?”
I struggled to breathe. “Jase….”
“He’s coming,” she responded gently.
I lowered my head, clutching my neck.
“Who’s calling me?” Jase’s familiar voice then, though he sounded more annoyed than worried. “Someone told me there’s an emergency.”
“Over here!” the hostess called.
After a moment, I could hear her speak again.
“She was calling your name,” the hostess said then. “Do you know her?”
There was a long, outstretched silence.
“Emma,” he said then, dropping to a knee in front of me. “Emma, what happened?”
I kept clutching my neck, coughing.
“Emma,” he urged, tone full of anger, worry, and frustration, clearly sounding serious. It wasn’t normal for him.
“Your head is bleeding,” he said then, running his thumb along my temple. “Did you fall?”
“She’s been clutching her neck,” the hostess said.
I felt his eyes on me.
“Move your hands,” he demanded then, grasping them and pulling them away.
When I heard him silence, I knew he saw the bruises.
“I’m taking her to the hospital,” he said then. “Come on, Emma, let’s go.”
I struggled to stand when he caught my hand and threaded his fingers through mine.
“But we called an ambulance!” the hostess argued.
“I’ll be faster,” he responded, helping me out from the shop.
The doors closed behind me, and I gazed up at him shakily. “Where… are you… taking me?”
He never responded to my question, just said, “Trust me. Keep going. We’re almost to my car.”
Trust him? Hardly.
But it wasn’t like I was in a good state to fight him.
He immediately helped me into his passenger seat, and I tipped my head back, vision framing with white when I heard his car start, and we drove off somewhere.
But my head suddenly lolled to the side, and my eyes rolled to the top of my head.
And everything went black.
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