Page 43 of Iced Up Love: Part Two
Back to me.
Standing at the stove, stirring something in a pan like this is just another day, like he didn’t drag me here, like nothing about this is wrong.
He’s still singing.
“So close your eyes, just stay with me… this is where you’re meant to be…”
My chest tightens.
I don’t stop.
I move past the doorway, straight for the front door.
It’s closer than I expected.
My hand closes around the handle and I turn it slowly, trying not to rush, trying not to make noise.
The latch clicks.
It’s too loud. The singing stops.
“Liana.”
I don’t look back. I pull the door open and run.
The air outside is cold enough to hit me properly, sharp and real, and for a split second it almost feels like relief until I actually see where I am.
Trees. Everywhere. Dense, close together, stretching out in every direction. No road. No house nearby. No sign of anything except forest.
I don’t stop.
I run anyway.
The ground is uneven and my body isn’t fully steady, my steps catching, my balance off just enough that I know I’m not moving as fast as I should be, but I push through it, forcing myself forward, branches scraping against my arms.
“Liana.”
Closer.
Too close.
I push harder, even as my vision starts to blur at the edges, my foot catching on something I don’t see, my body pitching forward and then his hand grabs me.
Hard.
He yanks me backward before I can recover, my body twisting as I try to pull away, panic hitting fully now.
“Let me go!”
I fight him, pushing against his grip, trying to twist out of it, but he’s stronger and I can feel it immediately, the difference between us as he drags me back.
“Stop!”
My voice is louder now, breaking, but it doesn’t change anything.
He pulls me all the way back to the house.
The distance disappears too fast.
