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The house is silent.
I know he left earlier this evening, he did not try to hide it. I debated finding a way to escape, but the debate was short-lived. Not today. This needs to be calculated, the conditions are too harsh and I barely have any clothes. Not today… I’m not willing to acknowledge that the outside conditions are not the only reason why.
The cold hits me hard the moment I get out of bed. The house is warm, but on my damp skin it feels harsh. I tug on a pair of thick socks, the boots he gave me earlier, and pull a thick, knitted sweater over the over-sized t-shirt I’m wearing. It is obviously only over-sized on me, since it is Niklas’ t-shirt, as is the sweater that brushes the top of my knees.
Wrapping my arms around my body, I leave the room and head downstairs.
I’m thirsty.
I stand in front of the kitchen window, drinking a glass of water and enjoy the view. Watching how the moonlight is absorbed by the smooth snow, brightening up everything around the cabin. It’s beautiful.
There’s solace here… among the pine trees.
I take a deep breath, absorbing this moment of calm, beauty, and silence. I catch my reflection in the window, there is a faint smile on my lips. It’s hard not to love this. This dark, silent beauty of this scenery, so calm… too calm.
The promise of a storm.I shake the gnawing feeling away.
After a few more moments, I turn around, walking through the darkness of the house and open the door that leads to the garage. I turn on a light that blinds me and look around. I haven’t actually been in here before, not without running away from the monster that holds me in this beautiful illusion of comfort. Tools, gardening tools, power tools, just tools, everywhere… on the floor, on the walls, nicely organized, but yes, so many tools. In the middle, there is this huge, black pickup truck. Even I have to admit it looks hot as hell.
I wonder if I could drive this down the mountain. I walk around it and bump into something covered by a tarp. I look down, studying it. It’s big, but not too big, it has a familiar shape. I lift the tarp and look in awe. A snowmobile! Surely, this can take me down the mountain. So, we’re not as trapped out here as he made it out to be. However, traveling through the thick, high snow could prove quite challenging even on this. I hastily look around, weary that I could get caught studying the very machine that could be my means of escape—my only means of escape. I pull the tarp uncovering most of the vehicle, studying it. There’s no key.
Damn it.
Of course it requires a key. It might not even work, maybe that is why it is covered.Shit.I make a mental note of the manufacturer. The key might have that engraved on it, if I ever find one in this house.
I cover the snowmobile and move away, a fresh smile on my face, hope blooming inside of me. It’s a strange kind of hope though, more like… thankful for the option, instead of an obsessive need to find the key.
Interesting.
Before I reach the door to head back in the house, I make sure I look around on every wall, just in case there are keys hanging around among the numerous tools, but there’s nothing. He would be stupid not to keep them on himself, especially with me here. I sigh and turn off the light before stepping back in the dark kitchen.
My eyes are taking their time to readjust to the darkness. I keep my hands around myself, careful not to bump into anything and walk back to the sink, guided by the light coming from the window. Filling another glass of water, I just stand there, yet again admiring the almost-white sky bleeding snow, the bright moon that bathes everything in a sharp light, the mountain peaks in the distance, the pine trees forming the edge of the forest in front of the cabin. How am I not growing tired of this beauty?
Suddenly, I see something among the trees at the forest’s edge. Movement. I lean over the sink, closer to the window. It must be Niklas… coming back. I straighten and focus my eyes.
It takes a second for them to process the terrifying picture developing in front of me and two seconds for my brain to realize the danger I am in.
There is nothing at the edge of the forest. What I’m seeing in the window is not the view from the outside, but the reflection of the inside.
The sinister reflection of Adrien standing but a few feet behind me, with a triumphant, cruel smile on his sleazy face.
I’m absolutely frozen in place, completely silent, even my heart has gone quiet. He knows though, he knows I see him, his grin is getting larger, the evil in his eyes getting darker.
My skin prickles, my bare legs get cold, my breathing heavier. I clutch the glass in my hand and I swear I can feel it giving up under my grip. I can feel the fear, the absolute terror creeping up from my spine, wrapping itself like massive spider legs, around my body.
I want to scream. I want to bellow and yell. I want to call for Niklas.
The power of this moment hits me like a punch in the gut, knocking the wind right out of me.Niklas…I’m not sure when the line between kidnapper and savior blurred.
I think of him and my breathing steadies.
Niklas…
I think of him and my mind gets clearer.
Niklas.
I think of him and my skin gets warmer.
