Page 15 of His Dark Purpose

“Thank God.”

She was all right, then. Presumably, the ferocity of her feelings had overwhelmed her until she’d passed out, but he didn’t like the fact his admission had been the cause.

“Oh, little girl.”

Even with her red skin and matted hair, she looked so beautiful.

“How do we come back from this?”

The question hung in the air as he rose and walked to his personal safe. Whatever happened next, he was going to need the key to those cuffs.

Chapter Five

Predicament

Amy

Dark and garish dreams fractured her sleep, darting through her dreams like sinister, snaking lightning. There was no rest in the haze and no opportunity for equilibrium as she paced through the nightmarish landscape, and everywhere she looked, danger lurked.

Tall, creeping trees reached out from all directions, pressing their contorted branches in her direction and trying to trip her with their roots. Stumbling on, a dull sense of certainty filled her. She could only avoid their snatching tendrils for so long. It was only going to be a matter of time before they grasped her, tripped her, and she fell.

She screamed as one encroaching twig wrapped itself around her left ankle, giving way to gravity when it yanked her from her feet. Her cry was lost in the myriad of undergrowth furling to seize her limbs as she landed on the cold, hard earth.

On some level she realized she was still asleep and none of what was playing out around her was real. Yet, on another, she succumbed completely to the terror, panting with fear when the branches came clutching for her neck.

“How much longer can you hang on now, Amy?”

She swore she heard the goading voice from some distant place, but she didn’t know who or where it came from.

“How long before there’s no air left at all?”

Writhing against the grappling wood, she strained to be free, but no matter how hard she fought, the more the branches tightened. It was as though the more she struggled, the tougher her enemy became.

Exasperation merged with her dread when the branch at her throat stiffened. Its intent was clear.

It wanted her dead.

“Please!” she whispered the words with the remaining oxygen she had. “Please stop!”

Panic swelled in her brain, muting all other functions except the need to survive.

She had to fight, but she didn’t know how.

She couldn’t let the unknown evil win.

Opening her eyes, she blinked into the shadows.

Where am I?

For the longest time, she had no answer, her focus switching to the warm relief sweeping her body.

The nightmare’s over.

It had only been a dream.

Thank God.

She pulled in air, grateful for the oxygen rushing to her lungs. She’d never been more thankful to feel its cool path past her nostrils, and for a fleeting moment, that was enough.

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