Struggle with the maniac

Annette started crouching and rubbing her eyes intensively. Instinct fueled my response; I sprang backward from the chair, putting distance between us. In my trembling hands, I held a glass can. The thought of smashing it against her head consumed me – a desperate, primal urge to survive.

I readied myself, adrenaline coursing through my veins, but then I hesitated. If I attacked her directly, I’d be perilously close to her. No, being close to her is lifethreatening… the painting will be the best solution! I grabbed my painting, a canvas heavy with its wooden frame, and in a swift, brutal motion, I swung it at her head with all the force I could muster.

Annette’s scream filled the room, a visceral cry that seemed to scrape against my very soul. The collision was brutal, a clash of art and horror, and as the painting connected with her temple.The frame splintered upon impact, while Annette’s temple bore the brunt of the blow, blood gushing forth to mar her twisted beauty.

She staggered, dazed and wounded, her hands slipping in the crimson stream that coursed down her face, obstructing her vision. The sight was horrifying and strangely empowering.

In that charged moment, there was no room for second-guessing. Adrenaline-fueled instinct took over as I seized a chair and swung it with all my might. It struck her form, the impact mingling the sound of splintering wood with her guttural cries of agony. My intention was not to end her life but to incapacitate her, to create a window of escape.

I didn’t expect her to react on this like that. With a manic fervor, she lunged toward me, driven by a primal rage that transcended her impaired vision. I dodged and weaved like a matador facing a charging bull. The chair became my makeshift shield, warding off her frenzied attacks, allowing me precious moments to gather my thoughts.

The room had transformed into a battleground of desperation and horror. Annette’s screams mingled with the cacophony of clashing furniture and labored breaths. In her madness, she pushed forward relentlessly, an embodiment of terror, her relentless pursuit blocking my path to the door.