“Shoot” he taunted me as his steps didn’t stop even for once and my hold on the gun tightened more. “Don’t hesitate, shoot me” he challenged me once again, taking another step towards me.
I stared at him, his piercing gaze locking onto mine, a twisted grin playing on his lips as if I was acting the way he wanted and he was proud of that.
My heart was thumping loudly in my chest as my grip on the gun tightened. My trembling finger reached out for the trigger and I was still contemplating the thought of killing or not killing him when he took a big step, which reduced a lot of the gap between us. Panic surged within me, and in a rush of adrenaline, my finger pulled the trigger.
He shouted, his scream was so loud that I couldn’t hear the sound of the gunshot. His body collapsed backwards.
I closed my eyes tightly, my heart thumping in my chest very loudly, my hands dropping to my side and I slowly opened my eyes, assuming that I would find him lying in the ground but to my surprise, he was sitting there with his weight on his palms and a smirk on his face.
My eyebrows drew together as I looked at the gun before my eyes flicked to him and I was even more surprised to find that he was not injured. There was no blood, as I expected.
I once again pulled the trigger and realised the gun was empty and he was just doing a drama.
Fear and frustration welled up inside me, along with anger and helplessness. I had been so close to breaking free and ending this nightmare, but now it seemed I was back at square one. He had played me once again and I became a mere pawn.
Taking his weight on his palms and keeping them pressed against the floor behind his body, he started laughing like a maniac, throwing his head back, his one leg folded while the other one was spread. He was still holding that knife that he picked up from the table with the intention of harming me with it.
His devilish laugh echoed in the whole room, which was rather empty and devoid of any life or humanity just like him. His crackles sounded no less like Satan’s.
His laughs pricked my ears and shuddered me at my face. Fear crippled in my veins as he continued laughing, enjoying my fear.
His eyes gleaned with a madness that was impossible to ignore, his expression contorted in a way that made him appear more like a deranged creature than a human being. He was looking no less than a psycho who actually needed medical help.
“Aw, how cute you are!” He laughed once again, “You really thought that I would…” His laugh stopped him midway but I didn’t find anything funny in it. “I would leave a bullet in it. I read your moves even when my back was to you. I just wanted to test how long you can go” he again, “You are truly adorable”
There was nothing adorable about the situation, nothing remotely humorous in the way he had played with me.
Suddenly, he stopped laughing altogether and stood up. My eyes flicked to the knife that was shining under the dim light and his fingers wrapped possessively around the handle when he realised I was staring at it.
As his steps brought him closer, I instinctively moved back, my heart pounding in my chest like a trapped animal desperately seeking an escape. I knew that could save me from what was waiting for me next yet there was a thin hope that I held tightly.
His eyes, which were once tingling with amusement, were now filled with darkness, the intention to ruin everything that came his way, including me.
Something dark flickered into his eyes, indicating that now he was fed up with my reluctant and the little futile games I was playing with him to escape.
Abruptly, he took two big steps, which were enough to remove all the space between us. He grabbed my arms in a tight hold, whirled me around, and pushed me into the chair in which he was earlier seated.
The cold wood met my back with an unforgiving thud, and I found myself trapped, confined to the same seat that had held him moments ago.
Everything happened so fast that I couldn’t even discern was happening around me. One moment I was standing and the other moment I was seated on the chair with him looming over me like a dark nightmare.
His beastly body that leaned over me cut off the small amount of light that I was able too see. With a dark shadow on his face, I could see nothing else but a Satan in him.
With his legs, he pinned me to the seat, halting all my movements. With one hand, he grabbed my jaw, while in his other hand, the knife gleamed, its sharp edge pressing coldly against the delicate skin of my throat.
“Now tell me what you think is a fit punishment for your little futile attempt to escape”
He dug in deeper and my breath caught my throat. A slight movement, even a single word out of my mouth, would piece my skin.
“Shall I kill you?” He asked.
My eyes welled up with tears but I didn’t let them fall. I knew that showing weakness would only fuel his sadistic pleasure, and I was determined not to give him that satisfaction.
I wanted to gulp it down but I couldn’t because of the position of the knife. My whole body was trembling and my heart was thumping loudly in my chest. Terror was so great that it seemed like I would pass out anytime.
He kept the knife in its place as if giving me time to answer his questions on while I stayed frozen in place, too afraid to make any move or say anything that could provoke him. I bite my tongue not to say anything that could put me into more trouble and force him to actually kill me.
“Ummm, no!” He took the knife back and I took a deep breath. “This will end your chapter for once and all and I will lose you forever, which I don’t want!” A sadistic grin danced across his lips.
My eyes were noticing his every move as he walked back and forth in front of me. Though he was no longer over me and I could easily stand up, I stayed at my place because I knew that at the moment it was best for me, and all the energy left me when he showed me death right in front of my eyes.
He tapped the knife rhythmically on his palm as he walked around, thinking about the way he could punish me. At the moment, it seems like he has lost his mental balance. I couldn’t see even a small fraction of Ansell in him. He was possessed beast.
Everything that I was seeing was ensuring me one thing. There is something more than my brother’s murder or his crime that has changed him so much.
My thoughts were cut short when suddenly he sat on my feet and placed his arm on my knees to stop me from making any move.
“What about legs?” A cold shiver ran down my spine as the knife was placed on my thigh, its cold touch searing through my clothing. “They are exactly what are you used to go away from me, right?” He asked.
“No!” I shook my head vigorously, my eyes wide with dread as I understood what he meant.
Without listening to my plea, he dug the knife in a bit, tearing my jeans, but my skin wasn’t injured, yet.
“Please, Ansell, don’t” my whole body along with my voice shook in anticipation. I was so terrified that no even the words came out of my mouth.
The sweat dribbled down my forehead while my blood turned cold in anticipation. He kept in dragging the knife down my legs, tearing the jeans in two parts but the knife didn’t touch my skin even once. But I wasn’t sure how long he would keep it under control. I could see the devil in his eyes, which wanted to see blood, pure blood.
“Yeah! You alright!” In a flash of a second, he pulled the knife away. “I would love to wrap them around me as I take you against the wall”
As much as his words disgusted me, he held me for a few minutes, knowing that he was going to spare my legs. But my relief was short-lived as his other words reached my ear.
“But your toes ”
His gaze shifted downwards to my feet, along with his full attention.
“Yes” he chuckled, “Your cute little toes, they are of no use to me”
The cold blade of the knife traced along my others legs, sending shivers down my spine. The fabric of my jeans offered a thin barrier of protection, preventing the blade from piercing my skin. But the terror of what he might do next gripped my heart like a vice, squeezing the air out, of my lungs.
“No, please, no”
A desperate plea escaped my lips as I instinctively pulled my legs back, hoping to evade his cruel intentions but he was too fast in grabbing my legs and bringing my feet ahead.
“Keep your leg still or don’t blame me if I end up cutting off your feet” he threatened me.
Tears welled up in my eyes, and my voice trembled with fear as I tried to reason with him, trying to push him away but also scared that it would provoke him and he would do as he planned sooner.
“Please Ansell, you can’t do this”
I was continuously shaking my head, my whole body now visibly shaking, my heart drumming in my throat, as my lips continuously begged him but my request fell on deaf ears. He was not ready to listen, his eyes were focused on my toes which he desperately wanted to cut.
He held my leg with one hand while his other hand, which was holding the knife, rose high.
“No!”
An ear-piercing and heart-wrenching scream left my throat as the knife descended with terrifying force.