Page 27 of Rayne

I should have grabbed my cell and used it as a torch but I was too distracted to consider that as a sensible option. Heading to the stairs, I start to climb when a creak stops me in my tracks.

My head turns towards the living room, my eyes squinting through the dark. It's not unusual for old houses to make noises, especially after the sun sets and the temperature drops. But inside of me, something was screaming.

It feels like I'm being watched. Little goosebumps appear on my arms as the little hairs stand on end.

I try to tell myself I'm being ridiculous, that I'm alone here. But I can't shake the feeling of burning gazes.

I need to get to my cell.

If I can get dressed and check the fuse box, I will be able to sort out this mess. Until then, my only other option is to run outside naked in my towel and traumatize the neighbors.

Taking a deep breath with confidence, reminding myself that I am a fully grown adult who isn't afraid of the dark, I continue my ascent up the stairs.

"Where are you going, little one?" a deep voice travels through the darkness.

Instantly, I freeze, heart racing. My head swings back toward the living room again, my worst fears confirmed.

I'm not alone.

In a split second, my fight-or-flight instincts kick in, and I bolt up the steps as fast as I can toward my bedroom. When I reach the second landing, I make a dash down the corridor until I spot a shadow at the other end, halting me in my tracks.

The figure is standing still, the only sounds are my own ragged breathing as I clutch the top of my towel.

He couldn't have gotten up here before me...

Realization hits me fast…

There's more than one person.

I can't move from my place, frozen in fear as I stare wide-eyed through the darkness. Slowly, the shadow moves, the floor groaning with footsteps as he heads towards me.

Gasping, I turn, rushing to the stairs. Glancing down, I spot the second figure at the bottom of the landing, hands in pockets.

I'm blocked in, fear ripping through me.

I try to make a dash to the only other room I can—my parents' bedroom behind me at the other end of the corridor. As I slam into the door, I'm horrified to find it locked, my hands gripping the door handle as I shake it violently.

Whipping around, I do a check to see where they are. The figure on the staircase is slowly climbing up, but the other one has stopped in the corridor.

Mental calculations run through my brain, and I don't give them a second to process, bolting to my bedroom door halfway down the corridor as fast as I can. It terrifies me running toward him, but if I can get to the door before him, I'll be able to lock myself in which will give me a chance to call for help or climb out the window—naked position be damned.

As soon as I start making tracks towards it, the shadow sprints towards me, hands grabbing me around the waist just as my fingers graze the door handle.

I let out a scream, throwing my elbow back. It hits ribs, a low grunt echoing around the hallway but he doesn't let me go, instead swinging me around to slam me into the wall.

My back smashes into the pale white wall, and I try to bring my knee up but he blocks it with his body before shoving a forearm into my chest to hold me in place.

A figure appears in my peripheral vision as the second figure stalks toward us and I can't stop my body from trembling.

Slowly, I make out a hand digging into a pocket, pulling something out. The sound of metal reaches my ears, before orange light fills the room. I realize it's a lighter and for a split second, I panic, thinking they are about to set the house on fire with me inside.

He raises the lighter up—my eyes trying to focus on anything I can. First, a zipper on a black hoodie. Then...

Neck tattoos.

Fuck… It's him.

But that's not the worst part. And it certainly doesn't bring me any comfort.

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