"People are wild things. You can't tame them."316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq7nSIKQgOa
-Dave Connis, Suggested Reading
Despite the first night job hunting, Hazel continued to go into town seeking a job. Every night as she was leaving, she felt like she was being watched. Every night she kept her fears to herself becauase if the Hunters were going to do something, wouldn't they have done it by now?
On her 7th night, the prickling got worse, like her stalker was closer by or watching her more intently. And the sensation was there from the moment she stepped out of her home.
"H-hello?" Hazel said quietly. "Who's there?"
There was no response, but she could have sworn she heard the grass rustling.
Hazel walked faster into town and stared at the ground, making no eye contact to anyone. Some might have found this strange, a girl slouching and hurrying into town, but she didn't care, she wanted her stalker to go away.
If he even exists, Hazel thought just before she ran into somebody. She shrieked as she fell down hard on the ground.
"Sor-" she began as she looked up at the person she'd run into, though she stopped abrubtly when she saw him. He was tall and scary looking, and the sensation on her neck was now painful. Hazel shivered. "S-sorry," she said.
The man said nothing, just looked down at her, so Hazel repeated herself.
"No young lady should be out this late at night, miss," the man said. He looked down at me, looking me over, and his gaze lingered a bit on my chest; he licked his lips. I shivered. This must be a Hunter, she thought, but she couldn't be sure.
"Yes, I-I should really be going," Hazel said. Something about this man scared her. She shivered again, though it was relatively warm out tonight.
"No, I don't think you're going anywhere without... supervision." He leaned a bit closer down to her.
"N-no, sir, I have a friend waiting for me, s-sir," Hazel stammered.
"Thought you were alone?"
"She's just out of--"
"You aren't going anywhere without an escort."
"You can't kidnap me," Hazel said, "not with all these people around."
"Oh-ho, you'll soon find out that I do what I want." He was in her face now, his breath hot and disgusting.
"You can't. Not when so many can see us."
"They can't see us, though, doll."
"Wha-"
The man smiled. "C'mon, darlin'. Without a fight. If you come with me nice and easy, I'll pay your family a handsome amount of money." He reached out his hands to grab her waist. "Give a fight, and they all die."
Hazel gasped. The man grabbed her waist and picked her up. "You'll be a nice treat," he said quietly and grabbed her hand. "Follow. Now."
He took her to an elegant carriage. It looked like it had come from a castle. He shoved her inside and shut the carriage door, and after a moment they were off.316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbxa50G9dgL
~*~*~316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlmMXm3ap1I
Hazel had fallen asleep sometime during the journey. She was shook awake by the stranger and he helped her out of the carriage. She stumbled groggily out and gasped as she saw what appeared to be an abandoned castle: ivy crawed up the gray brick walls; windows were darkened; the drawbridge was rotting.
The man said nothing, didn't even look at her. He led her through large creaky gates and through a long path in the overgrown weeds. Halfway there, he stopped and tied Hazel's hands together, gagged, and blindfolded her. Her whole face was covered and some overwhelmingly sweet smell seeped into her nose. The next thing she knew, her legs were giving beneath her and she was being carried.
When Hazel regained full conciousness, she was laying on a large, soft bed. The Hunter was pacing at the edge of the bed. "No Normal stays under this long, so she must be one... but wouldn't she have shown her powers by--" He stopped when he turned around and saw her struggling to sit up. "Why, you're awake, Doll Face."
"Don't call me that," Hazel growled.
"Now, now, you must be polite to your Master."
Hazel grunted but didn't reply. The Hunter leaned over her, his hands on either side of her on the bed.
"Get off me," Hazel squeaked. She chided herself for being so weak and scared.
"Now, now, darlin'--"
"I said, get off me!" Hazel pushed him off her with all of her strength, but the Hunter didn't budge. Instead, two hand-shaped holes were burnt into his coat and now burning his skin.
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