Page 89 of Loving Violet
I fight to stay conscious, to call out for help, but my voice refuses to obey. My mind is a storm of confusion and fear. The cheers from the game seem impossibly far away now, the sound distorted and warped.
The cold dirt presses against my cheek as the darkness overtakes me, heavy and suffocating. The last thing I hear is the faint roar of the crowd, a cruel reminder of the life just out of reach as I slip into unconsciousness.
When I wake up, it feels like my head is going to explode. I try to move, but the pain intensifies. I raise a hand to my head, gingerly feeling for the source of the pain. My forehead seems fine, but as my fingers trace to the side and then the back of my head, I find a big lump.
The pain is excruciating.
I open my eyes, realizing that I’m swallowed by darkness. There’s no light.
Where the heck am I? I can't see anything.
I force myself to stay calm and let my eyes adjust to the dark.
After a few minutes, I can make out the room. It's large, and I can see some indistinct shapes of furniture.
Have I been here before? I don’t know.
I'm lying on top of a sleeping bag with my head resting on a pillow. I roll over and try to stand up, but I only make it to my knees. My heart pounds in my chest as I take in my surroundings. The room is unfamiliar, and the sense of disorientation is overwhelming. I need to figure out where I am and how to get out.
Slowly, I struggle to my feet on shaking legs, my head throbbing with each movement. The room is still mostly dark, but I can see enough to make out a door on the far side.
I take a cautious step, then another, until I'm close enough to reach out and touch the door. It's locked.
It could be worse, I could be chained to the wall.
True fear starts to creep in, but I push it down. I have to stay focused. I scan the room again, looking for anything that might help. There's a small window near the ceiling, but it's too high to reach. There's also a table with some papers on it, and a chair beside it.
I look around more closely and realize that I'm in some sort of hunting cabin. It has to be even though I don’t see any knives or guns around.
I walk over to the table, hoping for a clue. The papers are scattered, and I can't make much sense of them in the non-existent light. My eyes can only see so much in the dark. Sitting in the chair, I try to think. What happened to me?
I remember going to the restroom at Adrian's game, and then...nothing.
I reach for my phone, but it's not in my pocket. Whoever took me must have confiscated it. I feel a surge of anger and frustration.How could this happen? Who did this to me?
I hear a noise outside the door—a shuffling sound, like someone moving. My heart races. I stand up quickly, looking around for anything I can use as a weapon. The chair is too bulky, but maybe I can break off a piece of it. I tug at one of the legs, but it's sturdy and doesn't budge.
The noise comes again, closer this time. I back away from the door, my mind racing.
What if it's the person who took me? What if they’re coming back? Are they the one who has been sending me notes all this time? Fuck, how can I escape this place? Where are Adrian and Austin?
At the thought of both of them, I start to panic. My breath comes in short, rapid gasps, and my vision begins to blur.
No, I need to stay in control. Whoever has me is probably the same person who has been stalking me all these months. I have to stay calm Violet.
I force myself to take deep breaths. In and out. In and out. I need to figure out how to escape this cabin.
The door handle rattles, and I hold my breath. The door swings open, and a figure steps inside, silhouetted against the faint light from a small porch fan that’s rocking back and forth
A familiar voice rings out, chilling me to the bone.
The voice is so familiar, but it still takes me a moment to place it. I’ve been talking to this man at work for days now.
“Hello, Violet.”
“John, can you help me, please? I don’t know where I am or how I got here,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady.
John just faces me. In the dark, I only have his silhouette, I can't make out his features, but I think he might be smiling. “Violet, it’s okay. You’re with me now, and I will take good care of you.”
