Page 80 of Kat Bethel

Then the world would be his oyster.

My heart raced every time a shadow on the road moved, but eventually my eyelids drooped. I swerved into the other laneafter passing out for a split second. The rumble strips startled me awake.

The giant sign in front of me announced that I had arrived in Massachusetts, and I took the off ramp to the rest stop. I had to get a couple hours of sleep if I wanted to keep going.

Where was I even going?

I’d instinctually headed in the direction of home, but I couldn’t take this to them. Especially if I couldn’t warn them what was coming so they could prepare.

Not that there was much we could do to get ready.

A giant sign was in the distance, announcing that this rest stop was a state park with the tallest trees in the northeast.

I turned off the engine, considering retreating into the woods to hide for the rest of my life. Around one of the decorative trees, I saw a bed of herbs planted around it in a ring. My eyes landed on the lemon balm that I’d recognize from anywhere. I considered cutting some to burn to soothe myself.

Instead, I pushed my seat back as far as I could to sleep before making any more impulsive decisions. After some rest, I’d figure out a solution.

I had to.

As soon as my eyes closed, dreams of blood and screaming filled me. A scene of me encapsulated by fire, screaming as I burned.

I woke up drenched in sweat. My breathing came in hard pants like I’d run a marathon, and I didn’t feel any more rested than I had before.

But at least I had an idea. Go west, until I kissed the other shoreline. Hop a plane and keep going until he wasn’t interested in me anymore.

What if he chased me across the entire world?

My stomach fluttered. No one cared about me that much.

But what if he did?

Why did I suddenly want to find out if he would?

My heart pounded at the prospect. What if he did?

I shook my head to get that fucked up hope out of my thoughts.Oh yeah, Sasha doom humanity for validation.

When they locked me up, they should have thrown away the key.

I turned the key still in the ignition. As soon as the lights flipped on my skin crawled. I blinked as I searched for what had my instincts on high alert, but after double and triple checking the shadows I found nothing.

I was on edge.

With a deep, calming breath, I started the car and shifted to reverse. I checked the rearview mirror, and all the breath inside me whooshed out.

A black shadow stood in the illumination of the red break lights. A man with a cowboy hat stood right behind the back bumper.

I tightened my hands on the wheel to steady them as waves of fear washed over me.

I felt its eyes on me, despite its featureless face. Every muscle froze in place, like he’d hijacked my body and locked me inside.

A line of white appeared on his face, splitting apart with slow, intentional increments, until it carved itself in a bloody, twisted grin that was too big for its face. It stretched to the point it was too painful to even looked at. A spike of terror jabbed through me.

Not like with Abiel where I felt too close to the darkness within myself than I was comfortable with. That I was more of a monster than I admitted to myself.

This fear was primal and old. That in the darkness, I was nothing more than prey.

This wasn’t a creature twisted into something darker. There was nothing human left in that thing. That knowledge resonated in my bones.