Days turned into weeks and the police had no leads. Lavender couldn't stay with Parvati forever, so she moved back home and installed a security system. Her days turned into an unsettling routing for Lavender after the eerie events intensified. Her once vibrant life became a series of cautious glances over her shoulder, second-guessing every shadow that danced in her periphery.
She no longer went out with colleagues after work. She travelled directly to work and then directly home at the end of the day. She locked her doors and wouldn't answer her phone unless she recognized the number first.
Her stalker's presence loomed like a dark cloud, permeating every aspect of Lavender's existence. She sought refuge in the safety of friends' presence in her home and diligently reported every unnerving incident to the authorities. Yet they remained one step ahead and left no trace behind.
One chilly evening, after a long day at work when she had to work late, as Lavender made her way home through the dimly lit streets, someone bumped her shoulder but then continued past her and never once looked back.
She brushed it off and kept moving forward when a sudden wave of dizziness engulfed her. The sickly-sweet scent of lilacs permeated the air and suffocated her senses. Panic surged through her veins as a cloth covered her mouth and darkness swallowed her whole.
When consciousness returned, Lavender found herself in a small, dimly lit room with one ankle shackled to the wall. The weight of her predicament settled heavily upon her. Fear threatened to engulf her, but she fought against it, searching frantically for a means of escape within her confines.
The days blurred together as she remained captive, her resolve tested at every turn. Her captor kept himself disguised and appeared only fleetingly while she was awake. She dreaded what he did when she finally succumbed to sleep because she always woke to the overpowering scent of lilacs and there was always a fresh blossom in the vase next to her bed.
Lavender's determination to survive burned brighter each passing moment, her mind meticulously cataloged every detail of her surrounding in hoped of finding a way out. Each discovery sparked a flicker of hope in the darkness. Her spirit remained unbroken despite the relentless psychological toll.
Lavender finally seized a fleeting opportunity. In a daring display of courage and resourcefulness she managed to slip free from the shackle on her ankle, determined to reclaim her freedom.
Her heart pounded with adrenaline as she navigated the maze-like corridors, the chilling scent of lilacs guiding her towards a potential exit. With each turn, she evaded capture, driven by a primal instinct for survival.
In a heart stopping moment, as freedom was in reach, her captor materialized, blocking her path with a sinister smile.
"Did you think I wasn't watching you," he hissed.