Page 9 of Grotesque Love

As I take my first step, the floor creaks beneath my weight, causing me to freeze in place. The sound echoes in the room, shattering the stillness like breaking glass. I hold my breath, waiting for any sign that someone else might be present in the house. But all remains silent.

Encouraged by the lack of response, I continue my slow shuffle towards the window. Each step feels like an eternity, my heart pounding with every movement. The darkness seems to press in around me, as if trying to keep me confined within its oppressive embrace.

After what feels like hours, with trembling hands, I grasp the curtains and pull them back. A dim light filters into the room, casting long shadows across the floor.

As I push open the window, a rush of cold air greets me like an old friend. Gasping at the sudden change, I lean out slightly, taking in deep breaths of the crisp night air, swallowing it greedily as I fill my lungs.

Tonight the moon is full and beautiful. The night sky is clear, the storm clouds gone.So, it’s not a new day then?The thought fills me with a sense of clarity, washing away the remnants of grogginess that had clouded my mind.

How long had I been asleep?

Hours?

Days?

Weeks?

Does it even matter anymore?

A silvery glow illuminates the landscape outside, casting everything in a mystical light. The outline of trees sway gently in the night breeze, their leaves whispering secrets to the night. The world outside feels alive, vibrant in a way that the darkness of my room never could be. From here I can see the maze. I vaguely remember Carver mentioning a groundskeeper, but the overgrown remnants of a garden that must have been beautiful once deny his presence.

As I lean further out of the window, a sense of longing washes over me. I yearn to be out there, among the shadows and moonbeams, to feel the cool night air on my skin and the soft earth beneath my feet.

I’m tempted to do something stupid.

Something crazy.

I lean further forward, too far forward, teetering.

A door slamming somewhere within the manor makes me jump, and I lose my balance.

The sound reverberates through the silence, sending shivers down my spine. My skin prickles and sweat runs between my shoulder blades. Someone else is here. I am not alone. Quickly, I pull myself back into the room, heart racing with fear once again. Why am I so afraid?

Straining my ears, I listen intently for any other signs of presence, but all I can hear is the beat of my own heart as it pumps blood around my body and the faint rustling of the trees outside, their leaves whispering secrets that I cannot decipher.

Without thinking, I rush back to the bed ignoring the tenderness in the soles of my feet as they slap against the cold floor.

Shadows dance along the walls, playing tricks on my eyes.

I dive under the covers, pulling them right up over my shoulder as I wait to be discovered. Every creak of the floorboards, every echo of the wind outside sets my nerves on edge as I try to stifle a whimper that falls from my lips. Time seems to stretchon endlessly, each moment dragging out into eternity. Somewhere a clock ticks.Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

And then I hear it – a soft thud. It comes from down the hall. Someone is moving through the house, their footsteps deliberate yet muffled by the thick carpeting that lines the floors. Carver.

Remember, Ari.

Remember.

The footsteps draw closer, and each beat of my pounding heart echoes in my ears like a drum announcing impending doom. The door to my bedroom opens slowly with a low groan, and through my slitted eyelids I can barely make out a figure in the doorway, they’re nothing more than a shadow touched by the dim moonlight filtering through the window. I bite down on my lip, trying to stay quiet.

Please, I beg silently.Please.

A sudden gust of wind shifts the still-open curtains and I realise a moment too late my mistake. I try to keep my breathing deep and even, instinctively wanting this person to think I’m asleep. The earthy scent that follows a heavy rainfall lingers in the air, along with something more musky.

Their footsteps echo as they cross to the open window, closing it softly and muttering something unintelligible under their breath.

The drapes are closed once more, blocking out all of the beautiful moonlight and plunging me back into total darkness.No. Please. No!

My covers move as the person comes closer. The mattress dips slightly as they lean over, and a gentle hand brushes a stay lock from my forehead. The touch is cool, surprising me. Carver’s hands are always hot. Clammy.

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