As my foot slams down hard on the pedal, I convince myself that’s the only reason I’m going to the bakery—to talk to her, and maybe get a feel for if she could be the right one.
But deep down, something dark is rising in me, and I know that I’m desperate enough to do whatever it takes to save my pack.
Chapter 2 - Hyacinth
Whistling a little tune, I twirl my keys on one finger as I do my final walk through the kitchen. My two shop assistants left a short time ago after cleaning the front of the shop, and all that’s left to do is double-check tomorrow’s orders.
As I go through the receipts, I walk past the line of fridges, ticking off cakes already made and noting what still needs to be done. Even though this might be considered the “boring” part of my job, I can’t stop whistling my happy little tune.
I never imagined my life could be this good. Moving here was the best decision I ever made.
I linger a little, tracing my finger across the spotlessly clean bench and thinking about all the baking I’ll be doing tomorrow.
It’s the one thing in the world that’s always made me happy—and now, I get paid for it.
For a moment, a heavy, dark wave threatens to sweep over me. I pull my thoughts away from my past, forcing myself to think only of the present—and hopefully, a future just as bright.
It’s not just the work. I’ve made such good friends here, and what an amazing bonus to find out this town has such spooky history!
The tune springs to my lips again as I go through the back door. For just a moment, I feel a flicker of fear, as if intense, all-seeing eyes are on me. I whirl around, searching the darkness.
Did that shadow just move?
They need security lights out here!
Reminding myself to breathe in long, slow breaths, I turn slowly and look around the docking bay. It’s a small area with a few back doors to shops adjacent to mine and a couple of dumpsters at the end of the driveway.
Nothing moves, and the night stays quiet.
Almost too quiet.
I stand for another second, looking around as if my eyes could pierce the shadows. The wave of dark memories threatens me again, but I shove them away, setting my jaw as determination fills me.
I’m not running, do you hear me! I’ll never run again. This time, I’m here to stay, and I’ll fight for this life I’ve built.
There is still no movement or sound, and I sigh softly as I turn back to lock the door.
Probably just me being paranoid. I have a good reason to be, but still—
A strong hand clamps over my mouth as an arm loops around my waist. I try to scream, but the person’s grip is too tight. My arms flail wildly as they start to drag me down the pathway towards the edge of the parking lot.
Fear races through me, paralyzing me at first. I fall limp in the strong pair of arms, feeling a hard chest pressed against my back. Blood pounds into my temples, and I gasp for air, barely able to draw a breath with the hand pressed against my mouth.
By the time we reach the edge of the parking lot, my initial shock has worn off, and I’m starting to think again. I stay limp as they half carry, half drag me towards a small, beat-up-looking car.
I thought shit like this didn’t happen in small country towns?
I almost giggle at the ridiculousness of that thought, as if statistics could save me from my current nightmare. I also wonder if this has anything to do with the town’s spooky history, and it just makes me want to laugh even more.
Okay, I’m truly cracking up now. I’ve got to get my shit together.
When we reach the car, the guy pins me tighter with the arm across my mouth and uses his other hand to look for his keys. I act immediately, grabbing his hand and pulling it away at the exact same time as I bring my pointed heel down on his toes as hard as I can.
I try to leap away, screaming at the top of my lungs, but his yell of pain drowns me out. I’ve barely taken a step when his hand grabs my shoulder and shoves me against the car.
“Hey, buddy, just calm down,” I gasp. “Let’s talk about this.”
He grunts, keeping one hand on my shoulder while he keeps searching for his keys. I can hear them jingling as he fights to get them out of his pocket. Briefly, my mind tries to run down the road of all the terrible things that could happen once he puts me in the car, but I shut it down immediately.
