Page 18 of Bound to a Killer
ARIA
It feels like forever before a faint snore echoes from the far side of the cabin. The tendons in my neck strain, and a tight pull tugs through my abdomen as I lift my head, just enough to see the couch. A few deep breaths follow, slow and steady. He’s slumped into the cushions, one arm hanging over the edge, completely still.
Good. He’s asleep.
I let my head fall back against the firm mattress and exhale a nervous breath. Now what?
The fire crackles beside me as I shift toward its low, glowing heat. The thought of stepping back into the cold sends a wave of dread through me, but this might be my only shot. He didn’t drive too far to get here. I don’t remember everything about the initial drive, but I can picture the path through the woods now. A steep incline. A left turn just before the cabin. I just have to make it that far without being seen.
The sky will lighten soon. If I’m lucky, someone might be on the road, maybe a driver headed to work or a delivery truck. But I won’t have long.
Holding a deep breath, I turn to my side, using my forearmsand bound fists to lift myself upright. The bed creaks, and my eyes snap back to the couch.
He hasn’t moved. His eyes remain closed.
I’m still terrified, but fear won’t keep me still. Every movement counts. There’s no room for mistakes.
Exhaling a quiet, steady breath, I begin picking at the ropes around my wrists. It doesn’t take long before frustration sets in.This is hopeless.I square up my shoulders, refusing to give up, and try again, pulling on my hands until I manage to get enough slack to work with. Loosening the ends with my fingers, I wiggle my hands until they turn purple and finally reach the knot. Slowly, I begin to undo it, my heartbeat slamming against my chest.
Euphoria floods me as I free my hands, then quickly move to my ankles, repeating the process. The pink polish on my nails shines, mocking me of my life mere hours ago as I work my fingers through the other knot, ploddingly making progress, each tug dragging on endlessly until it finally comes apart. And for the first time, I let myself breathe.
But the second that breath settles, the polish catches my eye again, soft and strangely out of place under the dim firelight. My chest aches thinking of Clara. I can’t imagine what today will be like for her and Kelsey when they go downstairs looking for me, only to find Mrs. Shaw hanging from the ceiling.
My stomach churns.
This will all be over soon. I’m almost out of here.
I push the ropes aside and circle my wrists, coaxing blood back into my hands before slowly, very carefully, rising to my feet. My eyes drift to the door, then snap back to the couch. This would be so much easier if he left his keys out, but I guess I’m not that lucky. I study him from across the room, weighing whether it’s worth the risk to check his pockets. But fear keeps me rooted. There’s no way I’m stupid enough to go anywherenear him, asleep or not. Time is slipping, and the longer I stall, the slimmer my chance becomes.
On silent feet, I inch toward the door, wincing each time the floorboards creak. My muddied slippers lie a few inches apart, one flipped over on its side from when he tackled me. I slide them on and keep moving. The space between me and the door stretches like a hallway in a nightmare. Each step feels taunting, endless, distorted.
When I finally reach it, a prickle climbs my spine, and I twist my neck around, catching one last glimpse of my abductor.
This is it. I twist the knob slowly, my eyes locked on his resting face, praying he doesn’t wake now that I’ve come this far.
Then the door opens.
I did it.
He doesn’t stir.
The blood pumps erratically through my veins, distracting me from the gust of wind that hits me head-on. I ease the door closed behind me, not daring to breathe until it clicks shut with a quiet finality.
That sound is all it takes to drive me forward.
I bolt.
Adrenaline barrels through me as I tear into the open, the cabin vanishing behind me. Each slap of my slipper-covered feet against the frozen ground echoes with urgency. No hesitation. Only fear. The need to disappear before he opens his eyes numbs me to every sharp branch, every jagged root, every bramble that lashes at my skin. Pandemonium breaks loose inside my head, a war cry of instinct and panic, impossible to silence.
My eyes sting against the icy breeze, but I don’t stop. Moisture from the ground seeps into my slippers, numbing my toes. My legs burn. My lungs ache. Leaves whip past my ankles.Wind tears at my clothes. The forest swallows me whole, the paths all converging into one endless maze, twisting and constricting, forming an inescapable labyrinth.
My foot snags on something buried beneath the leaves and muck. I yelp, both hands thrusting out to catch my fall. The cold ground pummels my skin, moisture seeping into my shorts, palms burning from the impact. I scramble upright, knees raw, vision tilting. I don’t let it slow me. I can’t.
Every second that ticks by is a second closer to being caught. The wind screeches as I push forward, long shadows lunging past, guiding me through an endless circuit of trees that feels like it is starting to cage me in.
Until finally, just ahead, the trees begin to thin. Sparse trunks open to what looks like a clearing, and through the gaps, the first flicker of early light breaks the darkness.
For the first time, something flutters in my chest, feathery and light, like I’ve grown wings and can finally soar through the last few yards.
