A cold shiver runs down my spine, causing the hairs on my neck stand up. "I wasn't trying to run away. I would have come back," I say, hoping it will calm him down.
"Sure you would. I'm still not happy." He purses his lips in a pouty expression. "Try to look at it from my perspective. I was away for a few days due to a stressful job. I come back, looking forward to seeing my dove, only to find that she is gone."
I choke on the lump in my throat and look back and forth between him and the open patio door leading outside. "I understand you're upset, but you can't kill me here," I say. "My friends would be witnesses." Hoping that mentioning them will make him change his mind.
"I have no intention of killing you right here."
"Then what do you want?" I ask, my voice trembling with nervous tension.
"Say... did you bring the pistol I gave you?"
"Yes, it’s upstairs."
"Good girl." He purrs, the vibration in his voice reverberating inside me. A warm, unwelcome sensation throbs in my core. This situation, his words, and the way he talks to me are not supposed to turn me on…but they do.
"Listen, My Little Dove," he says, "we're going to play a little game." I watch him raise his hand, his smartwatch lights up, and he starts typing on the small screen. "From the moment I press start, you have sixty seconds to get your pretty ass upstairs to grab that pistol," he pauses, and nods toward the patio door. "And run, as fast as you can; show me how badly you want to survive."
A faint beep announces the start of his timer. "No, wait–"
"Time is ticking." He cuts me off and taps his watch with his finger.
Without wasting another look at him, I turn on my heels and push through the door leading to the hallway, sprinting upstairs to my room. My hands are trembling as I reach for the pistol stashed between my clothes in my overnight bag. Gripping the handle tight, I take a deep breath. If that's what he wants, then so be it.
Chapter 20
Evelyn
I choose to completely ignore him and run right past him, out the patio door, and down the small dirt path that leads into the dense forest. At this point, I have no idea how much time I have left to make the most of my head start. But I will try, anyway. I didn't bother to put on my shoes, nor did I grab a jacket or anything to cover up. I couldn't afford to waste even one second.
I sprint barefoot through the mud, every branch and stone hidden underneath the leaves stabbing into the bottom of my feet. Even though it is still late summer, the night air is cold and damp. The soft fabric of my thin nightgown clings to my skin, cold and clammy from the moisture rising from the soggy grounds. The forest is shrouded in taunting darkness, the moon’s soft glow unable to break through the thick treetops. I don't know where I am or where I'm going. I lost track of my surroundings just a few feet into the shadows.
"Evelyn, I'm coming!" he shouts, his deep voice bouncing off the trees, echoing through the night and catching up with me. His tone is serious, but with a playful edge. At the loud, explosive sound of a gunshot that follows his voice and carries through the night, I scream at the top of my lungs and trip over my own feet.
My body feels heavy and weightless at the same time. My heart is pounding in my chest, adrenaline pumping the blood through my veins, urging me to run faster, to keep on going. I steal a glance at the pistol in my hand. He wants me to fight back; that’s why he gave me the firearm in the first place. And I want to fight back. I know I can, but I'm also not an idiot. Even with the pistol, my chances are slim. He still has the upper hand at this point. I am more or less completely naked, with nothing but my nightgown and panties covering my freezing body. I am the perfect prey. Whereas he's all dressed up for the occasion, fully equipped for this morbid hunting game we're playing. He is the perfect predator.
Just like at the hotel, he wants me to feel like I have a slight chance, even though I know it’s slim. I only have fifteen rounds in the magazine, so I'm limited. He, on the other hand, has two pistols plus the hunting rifle. The minute I run out of bullets, I will lose. Which means every single shot I make has to be well calculated.
It’s also useless to just keep running; he will catch up with me eventually. I'm physically weaker than him. It doesn't take an expert to figure that out. So, even though the adrenaline is pushing me beyond my limits, it’s only a matter of time before my body breaks down.
I am climbing over a pile of logs when another, much louder explosion of a gunshot echoes through the forest, and within a split second, a thick tree trunk beside me splinters into a million pieces. I scream from the shock and lose my balance, tumbling off the pile and falling to the ground on the opposite side. Another scream pushes the air out of my lungs as my knees hit rocks covered in leaves and mud. "Fuck." I grunt. The rustling of leaves from his heavy footsteps draws closer. Way too close.
I crawl behind a large tree, sit down, and lean my back against its broad trunk. I cover my mouth with my hand, and try to silence the soft whimpers of pain that fall from my lips. My knees are bleeding, mud covering the fresh wounds. It takes every last ounce of strength I have not to burst into tears. It is pathetic, but my whole body is trembling from the pain, my limbs are cold, and my muscles ache with every movement. My lungs burn from the cold air that fills my lungs with every breath, a sharp pain as if someone is stabbing me in the chest.
My eyes widen at the sound of his footsteps fading dangerously close, just behind the tree where I am hiding. I squeeze my eyes shut, silently begging him to just keep running. But instead, he starts firing into the air over and over again, and my hands snap to my ears to muffle the deafening sound of the explosions.
"Coo, Dove, coo," He calls. I lower my hands from my ears and listen to his footsteps, the leaves crunching under his weight, the wet mud squirting with every step he takes. "Evelyn, Eve, my beautiful Dove," he says, "I know that you’re here." A dark chuckle accompanies his playful call.
I look down at the pistol in my hands, my grip tight around the white handle. It’s now or never. I can do this. I only need one shot to hit him. As long as the bullet comes into contact with his body, I can win. I take a deep breath to calm my nerves before I push myself to my feet. With a careful step, I turn from where I'm hiding and face him with the pistol raised. I squint, not aiming properly, and fire three times. The kickback of the pistol vibrates through my body, forcing my shoulders back.
A painful groan brings me back to reality. I really got him? A small, hopeful spark flares up in my chest. Refusing to look at him, and the misery that will follow, I turn away from where he is and run as fast as I can.
"Evelyn," he screams my name after what feels like an eternity of silence. "I know you can do better." The spark I felt seconds before disappears, and my stomach drops to my knees. How is he still going?
"Kill me," I hear the twinge of pain in his voice. "Or I will kill you," he dares.
I keep running, pushing through the pain that consumes every single part of my body. In the distance, something catches my eye–a small run-down hut situated in a small opening of the forest. The moonlight illuminates the area, casting a beautiful white light on my saving grace. With no obstacle in my way, I risk a glance behind me. He isn’t there, and I see nothing moving through the bushes. Maybe I can lure him into a trap, or better, hide and wait out the night. I don't have any other options. My body will give out soon.
Chapter 21