Chapter 8
Large oak trees hung overhead as Casey drove down the narrow road, the gravel hitting the underside of the car as we went.
Red and brown leaves scattered across the windshield, and Casey turned on the wipers to swish them away.
The road seemed to go on forever, the gravel giving way to dirt, before finally coming to an end.
Her parents' cabin came into view, and a wave of calm swept over me.
We used to visit here often during our childhood, her parents welcoming me like their own, while my mother would be getting shitfaced at some bar.
Memories flooded my mind, filling me with warmth, a small smile spreading across my lips.
We pulled into the built-in garage and parked the car, the door closing behind us with a loud clang.
I opened my door and looked around the garage, noticing boxes neatly stacked in almost every corner.
Her dad’s workbench was pushed to the far left, covered in cobwebs and dead leaves.
I turned to Casey, her face etched in grief as she ran her fingers over the dusty workbench.
Her father had passed away only three months ago and the void he left behind was still evident. I walked toward her and wrapped my arms around her waist, resting my chin on her shoulder. She let out a shuddering breath as a tear slid down her cheek.
“I miss him so much,” she whispered, her voice trembling with grief. “Still doesn’t feel real, ya know?”
“I miss him, too.”
Tears welled in my eyes as I remembered the first time Casey invited me over.
Her dad answered the door, his blue eyes filled with a warmth I’d never seen from an adult before.
He treated me with kindness that I had never experienced from my own father, filling a deep void in me that I hadn’t even realized was there.
“He always made me feel welcome and loved in his home,” I whispered, tears sliding down my cheeks. “I’ll be forever grateful for that.”
Casey smiled as she turned to me, her hands gripping my arms.
“He loved you like his own, Lila. I hope you know that.”
“I do.”
We stood there silently for a few more seconds, looking out over the boxes that held her father's stuff, then grabbed our suitcases from the car and went inside.
The air was cold and stale since the cabin hadn't been used in over a year. Casey walked ahead of me, heading straight for the thermostat, dropping her suitcase in the living room. I headed for the bedroom we’d always shared, the wooden floor creaking under my feet.
When I entered the room, I turned on the light, bathing the walls in an orange hue.
I pulled my suitcase behind me as I stopped in front of one of the double beds, dust and cobwebs covering the surface.
I reached down and pulled the blanket and sheets off the mattress, tossing them to the side of the room, then repeated the same process with the other bed.
Gathering them in my arms, I made my way toward the laundry room, hoping like hell there was some detergent.
“Lila?” Casey yelled from somewhere in the cabin.
“Laundry room!” I yelled back.
A few seconds later, she appeared in the room, her brows knitting together.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
I plopped the sheets and blankets into the washing machine and searched the cabinets overhead for detergent. Just as I was losing all hope, I opened the last cabinet and there sat half a bottle. I sighed with relief as I grabbed it from the shelf.
“Thank fuck,” I breathed.
Casey walked up beside me and watched as I poured the detergent into the washing machine, a smirk playing on her lips.
“Washing laundry already?” she laughed.
I rolled my eyes as I started the machine, closing the lid with a loud bang.
“Well, unless you want to sleep with dust and cobwebs, I think doing laundry is called for right now.”
Her face turned up in a grimace, and she shuddered.
“Yeah, no thanks. Good idea.”
The cabin was finally warming up, the windows now coated with fog.
I slipped off my coat and walked into the living room, placing it on the wall hook by the front door.
We walked over to the couch and plopped down, dust flying into the air.
I waved my hand, trying to shoo it away, and Casey laughed.
“I think this place needs a bit of a clean-up,” she said.
“You think?”
She smiled as she leaned back, resting her legs on my thighs. I tilted my head back and closed my eyes, finally feeling some semblance of safety.
“Perry’s coming Friday after work to stay the weekend,” she said casually.
Perry was Casey’s boyfriend. He was an okay guy, but definitely not someone I could see her settling down with.
Perry was geeky, obsessed with Lord of the Rings and Legos.
He was scrawny and nothing like the men she’d dated before.
His only saving grace was that he treated her with respect, whereas the men before him never did.
I’d watched too many times as she’d gotten her heart broken, and for once, I was glad to see her happy and smiling instead of crying.
“Good,” I said with a smile. “Maybe he can bring some of his movies.”
She laughed and kicked me gently, knowing I was making a jab at him.
“Hey, they’re not bad once you actually sit down to watch them!”
“Yeah, well, I’ll take your word for it,” I said as I stood from the couch, knocking her feet off me in the process.
“Where you going?”
“Left my phone in the car, not that it matters. Signal out here is shit.”
I strode toward the garage and grabbed my phone, my shoulders slumping forward with exhaustion as the last few days started to weigh me down.
The TV blared to life as I walked back through the kitchen, my phone clutched tightly in my hand.
Casey sat on the couch, a thick blanket wrapped around her shoulders as she flipped through the channels.
“Whatcha wanna watch?” she asked, patting the couch for me to sit.
I sat next to her and kicked off my shoes, pulling my legs into my chest. Gazing out the window, I watched the sun slowly set, pinks and oranges filling the evening sky.
A chill ran down my spine as I realized all the curtains were pulled back, giving anyone outside a direct view in.
A feeling of unease slipped over me as I jumped up from the couch and drew the curtains closed.
“I hate this,” I whispered, stumbling back toward the couch. “I hate it so fucking much.”
Casey snuck up beside me, and wrapped her thick blanket around us, snuggling against my side. She rested her head on my shoulder, softly rubbing my arm. I let out a sigh as I pulled the blanket tighter, sinking into its false sense of safety.
“It’ll get better,” she said, her warm breath caressing my cheek. “It has to.”
I rested my head against the back of the couch, my body relaxing into Casey’s.
My eyes started to flutter closed, the exhaustion I’d been fighting finally winning.
I felt Casey get up and drape the blanket over my body.
She leaned down and pressed her lips against my forehead.
The sound of her footsteps receding was the last thing I heard before I gave in to sleep.
Floorboards creaked somewhere behind me, pulling me from a deep sleep.
My body felt rested for the first time in days, and my mind was less foggy than it was earlier.
I opened my eyes to see nothing but darkness, as night had fallen while I slept.
I reached for my phone on the coffee table to check the time, but I stopped when I saw the TV screen.
A tall figure appeared in the reflection, their face hidden by a hood. My chest tightened as panic rushed through me, my breathing becoming unsteady. I stayed silent and motionless, too scared to make a sound, pressing my lips tightly together, fighting the urge to scream for Casey.
The figure took two steps forward, pressing their body against the back of the couch.
Heavy breathing filled the silence, sending a chill down my spine.
I watched in the reflection as they reached forward, gently caressing the back of my head.
On instinct, I lurched forward, my body colliding with the cold, hard floor.
The air was knocked from my lungs, and I scrambled forward trying to stand.
A hand wrapped around my ankle and pulled me back, ripping a scream straight from my lungs.
“Casey!” I yelled, hoping against all odds that she was safe.
Seconds passed and she never came, fear for her safety clouding my judgment.
I kicked my other leg, hearing a grunt of pain from the person behind me.
As I pulled away, I gained my bearings and stood on shaky legs, backing away toward the bedroom.
Before I could run, a hand grabbed the back of my head, and something cold and sharp pressed against my neck.
His lips caressed my cheek, and I whimpered softly as he pulled me into him.
“What do you want?” I breathed, my voice cracking.
His hand moved from my head, his fingers trailing down my arm before gripping my waist. I felt his cock stiffen against my back, and a tingling sensation spread through my body. He pressed his lips against my ear, a smile creeping along his lips.
“I want you to run,” he whispered before releasing me and shoving me forward.
I turned toward the front door without glancing back and ripped it open, lunging forward and taking off in a sprint.
My bare feet pounded against the dirt and leaves, tears blurring my vision as I weaved between two trees.
The cold air whipped at my face, and I was suddenly thrust back to the night not long ago when I was being followed.
There was no one around for miles, Casey was probably dead, and I’d left my phone sitting on the coffee table. I was well and truly fucked.
My chest ached as I pumped my legs faster, adrenaline pushing me forward. My side started to cramp, and my legs slowed as pain shot through my muscles. Despite the cold, sweat dripped down my forehead into my eyes, mixing with my drying tears.
Suddenly, my foot caught on a branch sticking out from the ground, and I fell forward, my face colliding with leaves and sticks on the woodland floor.
Soft sobs wracked my chest as I rolled over, gazing up at the trees, the night sky hidden.
I listened for any movement, and something to my right stirred.
I crawled on my hands and knees to the nearest tree and pulled myself into a tight ball, making myself as small as possible.
Minutes passed, though it felt like hours, before I finally got the courage to peek around the edge of the tree.
There was nothing—and no one—there. I placed my hands on the tree and pulled myself up, then took off in the opposite direction.
My heart pounded erratically against my ribcage as my eyes darted back and forth, searching for any sign of my stalker.
The shadows seemed to dance, following my every move.
I whipped my head back around to face the direction I was going and the sound of blood rushed in my ears.
The crunching of twigs and leaves came from behind me, and I pumped my legs faster, the fear of being caught sending a wave of panic to my chest. My ankle throbbed with every step, but I pressed on, trying to find my way to the main road.
In my peripheral, I saw his large frame weave between trees, his pace quickening as he tried to get ahead of me.
I let out a feral cry as I pushed all my strength into my legs, surging forward on what little energy I had left.
Just as I saw the main road appear, a single ember of hope flaring in my chest, he stepped out from behind a tree with his face shrouded in darkness.
Before I could stop, I plowed into him, his chest feeling like a brick wall against mine.
I was thrown back, hitting the ground with an agonizing thud.
The air was knocked from my lungs, and I tried to suck in deep breaths. My vision blurred at the edges as I gazed up at him, and a shiver trailed down my spine as he smiled.
“What do you want from me?” I panted.
He leaned down and pressed his body against mine, his lips grazing my ear.
“Everything,” he whispered, before he plunged something sharp into my neck.
I gasped as a cold, tingling sensation wrapped around me, my body feeling light and heavy all at once. The trees above me distorted, and darkness swirled in my vision. He reached down and placed his arms underneath me, lifting me easily to rest against his chest.
He pressed his lips against my forehead and whispered.
“Now, you’re mine.”
Then, everything went black.