Page 2 of Slay All The Way

“Sorry, babe,” he says, flashing a grin that feels more rehearsed than sincere. “Work call. You know how it is. Gotta keep the boss happy, right?”

“Right,” I mutter, the bitterness creeping into my voice.

He glances around the cabin, wrinkling his nose. “I still can’t believe you wanted to come to this dump. I mean, why are we out here freezing our asses off when we could be on a tropical beach or in a nice hotel somewhere?”

“Because I wanted to get away from everything!” I shoot back, the frustration bubbling to the surface. “I thought it’d be nice to have some time together, just the two of us. You know, without work, or phones.”

“Sure, but this place?” He waves his hand dismissively, as if the cabin itself is the problem. “It’s kind of a total shithole. You could have picked somewhere with some actual comfort. Like Mexico, or Cuba. Somewhere?—”

I feel my heart race, anger mixing with hurt. “I wanted to spend time with you, not sit on a beach with a cocktail in hand while you work on your tan and check out every girl who walks by in a skimpy bikini! I thought you cared about us.”

“Oh here we go.” He rolls his eyes, his indifference cutting deeper than any argument. “I care about us. You know I do, and I wanted a vacation just as much as you. This just isn’t where I envisioned us relaxing, that’s all. Besides, I can’t just go off grid. You know I’m on a lot of important cases right now that I have to take care of. You can’t just expect me to drop everything.”

I take a deep breath, trying to steady my rising temper. “You don’t get it, do you? You’ve been on your phone the whole time we’ve been here.”

“Chill, Alaska.” He brushes off my words, as if they’re nothing. “When’s dinner going to be ready, anyway? I’m starving.”

“Seriously?” I can’t believe he’s shifting the conversation so easily. “You think that’s all I’m here for? To cook for you while you scroll through your phone?”

“Come on, it’s a cabin in the middle of nowhere. It’s not like I can just order take-out. Besides this was your idea, remember?This is whereyouwanted to be,” he retorts, plopping down onto the couch. “Do you think we’re even going to get the hockey game on TV out here?”

The weight of his apathy fills the room, wrapping around me like the cold air outside. I feel smaller and smaller, wondering how I got here, trapped in this cycle of disappointment, while he treats everything like it’s just a joke.

Like everything I say or do is an inconvenience and completely irrelevant.

“Ha, found it. Thank fuck!” he shouts.

“Great, cause spending the night in silence while you watch one of your games, glued to your phone is anything different than what we did back home.”

“Just get dinner ready, will you?” he adds, flicking the remote in his hand as if it’s the most important thing in the world. “It’s a good game tonight, these teams are both top in the league, you’ll see.”

The tension hangs in the air like an unwelcome guest, but I can’t find the words to say what I really feel. I turn away from him, staring out the window at the swirling snow, wishing for something—anything—to change.

As I scan the tree line, I spot something—a flicker of movement. Was it just the wind? My heart races, and I squint into the blackness, straining to see, but the shadows dance in the cold night air. The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, a warning of danger that tingles like static electricity.

My breath catches in my throat, and my pulse quickens. Is someone out there? Watching me? The thought sends a shiver down my spine, prickling my skin with a chill that feels both terrifying and oddly exhilarating. I lean closer to the glass, my forehead pressing against it, trying to pierce the veil of darkness beyond the window.

I shake my head. “I’m just being paranoid,” I mutter under my breath, forcing a laugh that sounds hollow in the quiet. I’m crazy, right? There’s no one out there; it’s cold as fuck out there. Yet, a strange thrill courses through me, mingling with the fear.

Maybe I’m just imagining things. Maybe the fact that Mark clearly doesn’t want to be here, with the added stress and tension is playing tricks on my mind. But the thought that someone could be out there—watching, waiting—settles in my chest, heavy and persistent. I can’t shake the feeling, though.

The idea that someone finds me interesting enough to observe sends a shiver through me, both fear and curiosity entwined and intoxicating.

I step away from the window, trying to convince myself to breathe normally, but my heart races like a caged animal. There’s a part of me that leans into the idea, craving this attention even if it’s cloaked in shadows. But as I look out into the stillness, I remind myself of the danger that could lurk just beyond my sight—a stark reminder that with this thrill comes a price.

I shake it off again, my mind racing as I retreat further into the cabin toward the small kitchen. The shadows seem to shift as I move, and I can’t help but glance back out the window one last time, a mixture of fear and intrigue tightening my chest.

No. There is someone watching, and somehow, that thought both terrifies and excites me.

In fact, a part of me craves it.

2

JOHNNY

All I Want For Christmas Is You - From Ashes To New

The world is my stage, and tonight? Tonight, I’m Santa Claus. Oh, not the fat, jolly, ho-ho-ho one—no, no, no. My Santa’s a little... different. My Santa likes to watch. My Santa leaves gifts no one else would dare.

---