I underestimated the darkness of the forest. The moon is nowhere to be seen and the darkness is pressing in on all sides. My feet slip on the wet Autumn leaves as I run. The cold evening air shocks my lungs as I inhale faster. My heart beats frantically, it's life or death. Adrenaline is coursing through my veins as I force myself to run faster. A growl cuts through the air and my whole body goes on red alert. I can't stop. Stopping means sacrificing myself to whatever fate has in store and fate has never been kind to me. Dark, red blood oozes from between the fingers pressed to my side. Each drop is like a message, one that ultimately means the end of my existence. I try to will myself to move again, but the pain is unbearable. His face looms over me and my body goes numb as time stands still. This is it. This is the end. I tried and I failed. It isn't death that scares me, but the pain that comes with it. Like a knife twisting in my spine, it erases every thought from my head. My vision fills with dark spots as the world starts to come back into focus. When the spots finally clear, fear consumes me. Like a demon that robs me of my senses, the darkness wraps around me. The only sound in the room is my heartbeat. I know he's here though, waiting for me to acknowledge him. Waiting for me to speak his name into the air like a believer summoning their god. My mouth is dry, and I parch my lips. I can feel the drops of blood clinging to them.
"Asher."
The darkness shifts as a man steps out of the shadows.
"Hello, Sweet."
He walks around me slowly, his steps quiet.
"I see you still haven't learned your lesson."
I lick my lips, the blood lingering on my tongue as he crosses in front of me.
"And what lesson would that be?"
He stops in front of me, his eyes locked on mine. As he bends down, my whole-body tenses waiting for him to strike. His lips graze my ear and I can smell that metallic twang of blood coming off of him.
"That I own you."
His hand squeezes my throat and I am left gasping for air when he lets go. I lower my head taking a few breaths to regain my bearings. I lick my lips before spitting out the blood that has filled my mouth.
"You don't."
I whisper the words at his back, sure that he heard them. He turns to face me once more, his head cocked to the side in question. He studies me for a moment before making a gesture for me to explain.
"You don't own me. Maybe you did at one point, but not now and not ever again. So, do whatever you want to me but that won't change. You don't own me, Asher."
The smile that once played on his lips slowly fades as he realizes that I'm being serious. He studies me once more as if waiting to see if I'll break the facade. I don't and it only takes a second for Earth-shattering rage to overcome him. He flies across the room and I bite my tongue to keep from crying out in pain. His icy cold hand grips my heart as his eyes meet mine.
"You think I don't own you? You think that everything you are, have been, and will be is your own doing?"
He squeezes again and this time I cannot help but cry out.
"I control the narrative. I decide who gets to play the game. Me. I can end it all whenever I want. End you whenever I want."
Fighting against the pain, I look up at him. As our eyes lock, I clench my teeth before breathing out the words...
"Do it."
