Page 49 of Venomous Desires

Why did it always have to be this way? Why did I have to fight so hard, only to end up here?

I looked up, my eyes burning, and I could tell they were red and swollen, and watched the snowflakes dance in the air, almost mocking me.

For a moment, the world was silent, and I allowed myself tobe lost in the quiet. The only sound coming from my mouth was quiet sobs.

I had never cried like this ever since my father died. I promised not to cry.

Yet, here I was, tears falling freely. Memories of him flooded my mind. The memories of him were suddenly crushed. His laughter echoed in the silence. I long for his comforting presence. Grief was a relentless storm. It broke down even the strongest walls. I promised not to cry. But promises could be fragile. Emotions couldn’t always be controlled.

If he were here, he’d never let me be humiliated like this.

Oh God, why did I feel like I couldn’t breathe anymore?

My hands trembled as the mocking laughs pierced through my eardrums with wrecking force. And my jaw clenched.

As the cold seeped into my bones, I felt every emotion. Hatred.

And longing. I missed my home, missed my Mom. But what would I say to her? That I gave up? It was a pure impulse. I decided to be the man of the house, but sometimes I wanted to stop pretending to be tough for everyone, myself included. Oftentimes, however, I wanted to be a little girl.

A girl.

Just a girl.

And as exaggerated as it sounded, I guess, it was not just him throwing money at me. But the power he had over me.

I felt like prey, consumed, lost in his dark light. And he, a predator regardless. A monster, to be more precise. He not only hunted me but my fears and helplessness.

The air frizzled my hair and stuffed it into my eyes. I flipped them back and rubbed my palms on my lap.

I didn’t know what he wanted from me, but the gruesome realisation I couldn’t escape his hands was as terrifying. I might have underestimated him, taken his teasing and mocking asmere amusement, but today, it was something else that horrified me.

He was a man not to be messed with.

I learned my lesson. Hard way.

A sudden noise jerked me when I heard a snap from behind. It was almost unnoticeable, but I heard it and my body stilled.

I quickly looked over my shoulder, but there was no one, only darkness and silence. A lamplight flickered in the distance. Once. Twice. And as it flickered for the third time, I let out a shaking breath.

Under the lamplight stood a man. For a moment, I would have thought him to be just some random person, but the shimmer on his wrist was mocking. He shifted, ever so slightly, and I caught a glimpse of his watch. Though I couldn’t see it clearly, but the gold couldn’t be ignored.

My heart hammered as recognition washed over me.

He was the same man from that night.

The one I believed was stalking me.

Fear gripped me. My heart pounding like a frantic bird, wings in flight.

Ruins would often start on black nights. Cold, starless, sparkless and bleak nights. And this night promised everything evil.

Every instinct screamed to run, but my feet felt like lead.

I forced myself to breathe, to think. The memories of that night crashed over me. His eyes had been cold and calculating. A predator’s gaze. Now, here he was again, watching, waiting.

Stupid, stupid Sera! Why did I have to run to a scheduled place knowing I had a stalker?

The lamplight flickered once more, moulding creepy shadows around him.