Chapter 16: Ugly truth

Sara Hyori

by Sara Hyori

Story

“Of course the second detective will figure it all out,” her quiet whisper back to James was interrupted by his loud, mocking laughter. It was a laugh that carried threat and ruthlessness, filling the air with tension and fear.

“If the second detective could find me, do you think you would be here? No! That old fool couldn’t find his own nose even if it was right under his face! I’ve been beating up girls for years, and no one, not a single soul, has ever suspected me! Look at me, I have an angelic face,” his voice was filled with confidence and cynical indifference to human life. He spread his arms wide, as if displaying his power and impunity.

“Maggie knows I’m with you!” Caitlin almost shouted, but her words were suppressed by James’s harsh blow. She felt the force of the blow knock all the air out of her, and sharp pain pierced her face. She was thrown aside like a doll, obedient to the will of her tormentor. Exhausted and frightened, Caitlin clenched the fluffy pom-pom Maggie had attached to her dress before leaving home. It was her last chance for salvation, her last hope for calling for help. Her fingers trembled as she discreetly pressed the small object, hoping the distress signal would work. James looked at Caitlin with a cold, piercing gaze, as if delving into the depths of her soul.

“You can imagine how dismayed I was when I learned that you had forgotten what happened between us last time,” he said, his voice enveloping her like bonds from which there was no escape. “At first, I thought you were just teasing me, pretending not to remember anything, but you described all those details that only you knew. And that… that was simply astonishing.” He approached her, his touch feeling as cold as ice. His fingers rested on her shoulder, like invisible chains holding her in place. “And when I was convinced that you really didn’t remember, it was me… It became so… easy,” his voice was sweet, like poison penetrating the soul, leaving only darkness and fear. “What a coincidence, isn’t it? Your brain closed those pages, but now it’s starting to show them to you… In such horrifying and mystical forms.” As he sat down next to her, there was a predatory grace in his movements, as if he were playing with her, like a cat with a mouse. His hand confidently and precisely probed her head, as if he wanted to drive his words directly into her consciousness. “Let me tell you again how it really was. We met at the mall. You were charming, just my type, so determined and unconcerned about anyone or anything. You were choosing curtains for your new apartment. I helped you choose the sage ones, which screamed that you wanted to stand out and be unconventional. Then I invited you for a date, and you suggested not wasting time and going grab lunch somewhere.” Then, grabbing her by the hair, he lifted her face so that they were face to face, his eyes burning like flames, and his smile was so merciless that it contained not a drop of humanity. “I hate girls who behave as confidently and arrogantly as you do; that was your problem, just agree and don’t argue.”

She felt every word from James plunging her deeper into the bottomless abyss of horror. Fear blinded her, rendering the world around her indistinguishable, and the only thing remaining in her consciousness was a dark foreboding of imminent danger.

© Sara Hyori 2024-03-05

Genres
Novels & Stories, Suspense & Horror
Moods
Challenging, Dark, Emotional, Tense