The sky was fading into a deep shade of navy as you made your way home from class. The walk wasn't exceptionally long but it was through the woods and when the sun was gone, it seemed that much longer. Your satchel slung across your shoulder and your hair falling out of its ponytail after a long day, you tucked your hands into your pockets in an effort to keep warm. Autumn had long since gone and fall was turning into winter right on schedule. The leaves and sticks crunched beneath your worn in sneakers as you passed the familiar pine tree that reminded you that you were near to the halfway point which was a stream. You thought you could hear the faint trickling of the water in the distance.

The air was chilly and bit at your cheeks as the wind whipped itself around your pea coat. Running your fingers over your house key that was tucked in your left pocket and mobile that was in your right, you let your mind wander absently. The projects you had to work on before the semester was out, what time you needed to be at work on Saturday, if your mother would make cranberry cheesecake for the holidays like she did last year. You checked your cell phone absently; the battery was dying and it was nearing four thirty.

That's when you heard it. A 'pop' noise from the far left. Without slowing your pace, you peered into the clearing the natural landscape offered but there was nothing to be seen apart from a fallen tree. Deciding it was nothing more than lack of sleep from working on a last minute project late the night before, you continued on, keeping your head tucked down into your scarf, inhaling the familiar scent of vanilla and amber.

Ten steps later you heard the same sound again, but this time it was from behind you. Gripping your keys in your pocket, you sandwiched your house key between your fingers, ready to use it in your defense if you had to. You slowed your pace for a moment, waiting. If there was someone there, surely they would come into your line of sight. After all, why would they be worried about someone seeing? Then it hit you. You were alone. The nearest house was at least a mile away and even then there was no guarantee that you could outrun whoever was behind you, especially if it meant hopping over tree branches.

Inhaling the sharp air, you turned your head slowly, letting your eyes roam over every inch of the wooded area. Nothing seemed out of place or unusual but part of you knew that you were trying to convince yourself of this idea. There wasn't anyone there. You really were alone. The walk home suddenly seeming longer, you quickened your pace, trying to make up for lost time. And there was the stream. The wave of relief that washed over you was short lived.

There was a man in the woods.

He was too far away for you to really see, but he was looking at you. He was staring, almost as if he could see right through you. And he was straight ahead. You stopped in your tracks, unsure whether or not to make eye contact. Perhaps he was just passing and completely unrelated to anything you had heard prior. After all, how could he have gone from behind you to in front of you in a matter of only minutes without your noticing? It was impossible.

But you didn't have to debate for very long. In what seemed like a blink, he was gone. Your eyes never left him but he wasn't there anymore. Surely you were delusional. People don't just appear and disappear in instances. Taking a deep breath and running your hand along your forehead for comfort would be your downfall.

No sooner had your hand left your pocket, you heard the unfortunately familiar popping noise and before you had time to even process what was happing, you felt hands twist behind your back and smelled wood smoke. Someone had gripped your hands and forced you on your knees, face down. There was breath on your neck, hot and tight, coming in short gasps. You tried to wriggle out of the grip you were in but it was no use. You had nowhere to go.

"I'll make this much worse if you fight me, love." Came a man's hoarse voice and you instantly knew it belonged to the stranger from before.

"Please." you managed to get out between breaths. "Please, I'll give you what money I have-"

"Shhh. Shhh." He whispered into your ear, your stomach turning in fear. "I don't want your money – it's of no use to me."

"W-What do you want?" you said after a moment, wondering if you even wanted him to answer the question.

He didn't respond, but you felt him grin into the curve of your neck, the scent of wood filling your lungs again – his scent. He inhaled heavily, breathing in your hair, scarf, coat, all of you.

"Now I think we both know the answer to that, don't we?" he said in an irritatingly soft voice. Shifting his weight, he pulled you upright and onto your feet. "C'mon, upsy daisy."

Keeping your hands firmly grasped in his own, he stood in front of you, letting you take in the full view of him.

He was tall, and you almost had to crane your neck to look up at him. His hair was long and tied back in what you could only know to be a ribbon. His face was unshaven and his clothes looked like they'd been well worn. The one thing that redeemed all of these seemingly unfavorable qualities was the blue of his eyes. It was dark, almost navy and you had to blink to make sure that they were even real. He raised his hand to your cheek and brushed away loose strands of hair, causing your body to stiffen at the uninvited touch, though part of you wondered if in different circumstances you would mind so much.

"Now, don't be like that, love." He said with raised eyebrows. "You see, I'd let you go," he explained, "But you're just far too beautiful to pass up. So," he said, inflexion heavy in his voice, "I suggest that you behave yourself and we'll get along fine."

You stared at him for a long moment. It was obvious what he wanted, what he had planned, and at the present time, there was no way to escape. You were reminded of the countless horror films where the captive always seemed to get away at just the right moment. Something told you that you wouldn't have such luck.

"And if I don't?" you said bravely, feeling your heartbeat in your ears, pulsating through your veins.

He cocked his head to the side, giving you a once over that made you feel violated. His lips were pursed together. His silence gave you a moment to look at the curve of his cheek and the bow of his lips. Intriguing, but also disgusting, you reminded yourself.

"If you don't," he said, leaning in close, placing his lips to your ear again, your throat catching, "I'll make sure you feel it when I kill you."