Page 74 of Payback
“I learned from the best.”
She rolled her eyes, and I retreated, extinguishing all the lights before retiring to my own room. I discarded my shirt and socks, leaving my pants on, and began perusing my closet. There, I found another dark mask that concealed my entire face. Save for small eye holes, it portrayed a wholly neutral expression, exuding an eerie aura. I clutched the mask in my hand as I systematically turned off all the lights throughout the house.
Chapter 38
-Alison-
It was the oddest little click that roused me from my slumber. I opened my eyes, gazing up at the dark ceiling. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the darkness, and then I began surveying the room. I couldn’t see anyone there. The silence enveloped everything. Perhaps it was even a bit too quiet, and it caused my heart to quicken its pace. Slowly, I rose to a sitting position, and my attention was drawn to something peculiar about the gate of the cage. I hesitated, wondering if my drowsy mind was deceiving me, but as I extended my hand and exerted pressure on the gate, it started to creak open. How was that even possible? I distinctly remembered seeing Jared secure it in the evening, yet now it stood wide open.
“Jared?” I called out, but was met with nothing but silence.
Logic urged me to stay within the cage, as if it were somehow the safer option, but the gate was open! A surge of curiosity overcame my fear, and I slowly began to slip out of the cage, allowing the blanket to fall away. I remained on my knees momentarily, surveying my surroundings before standing upright.
“Hello?” I called out, yet the silence persisted.
To ascertain my solitude, I headed to the bathroom, ensuring it was vacant as well. Indeed, it was, further deepening my bewilderment. Nevertheless, I returned to the small chamber of personal torment, casting another glance around. Yet, there was no sign of anyone. My attention turned toward the doors that led out of the room. I walked over, my hands trembling as I reached for the handles. I had trouble believing they would be unlocked, but as I pushed down, there was no resistance. Slowly, I eased open the doors, taking care to prevent any noise. I poked my head outside, glancing in both directions down the dim corridor, but it was vacant. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was profoundly amiss. Even my mind was screaming that something was dreadfully wrong, but why would Jared open my cage? Could there be another person in the house? And if so, for what reason? Suddenly, an urgency to locate him gripped me. Perhaps he could explain why this house now felt like a scene straight out of a horror film.
I hurried back into the room, finding a big shirt to put on. It was crucial to be covered before venturing out there again. I retraced my steps to the doors, casting a wary gaze around. Before crossing the threshold, I paused and doubled back. I grabbed one of the hanging canes, inspecting it with a nod of approval. It had the potential to inflict damage. Armed with the cane, I returned to the doors, this time mustering the courage to step fully into the hallway. I gripped the cane as if it were a baseball bat, poised to strike should anything attack me. While I was uncertain of Jared’s room’s location, I surmised it had to be on this floor. Nevertheless, it could be any room along these lengthy hallways. This house was immense.
With slow, barefoot steps, I traversed the cold wooden floor, constantly scanning the darkness and casting glances over my shoulder to ensure nothing was pursuing me. Whenever I looked ahead, it felt as though something was breathing down my neck. The edginess I had experienced from Jared’s watchful eyes paled in comparison to this. It was like real stalking—the sensation that something could emerge from the shadows to consume me. However, any potential attacker would be sorely mistaken if they believed I would surrender so easily. I wasn’t one to bow down, and I had nearly endured a week of Jared’s torment. If some intruder thought they could have a taste too, they would quickly realize otherwise.
I persisted with cautious steps, rising onto the balls of my feet before settling them down flatly. The first door closest to me came closer. I turned the handle and peered into the small spare bedroom. It was unmistakably not Jared’s.
“Jared?” I whispered. “Master?”
He didn’t react to either of the names I used, but I hadn’t anticipated any response. I pressed forward, proceeding to the next room—a small library—yet found nothing. I called out his name to be thorough, but silence was the only answer. The longer I took to locate him, the more my unease grew. Something was amiss. The hair on my arms stood on end, and my heartbeat seemed to echo in my throat. Drawing closer to the staircase leading to the lower floor, I paused. But I was determined to fully scour this floor before descending further. I bypassed the dim staircase and headed to the room nearly opposite it. I opened the door, revealing a soft glow emanating from within. A small lamp had been switched on. The sight was comforting, as I thought perhaps Jared was using this room and was still awake. I entered the room, pushing the door wider.
“Jared?” I called out, hoping for a response. I ventured deeper, my attention drawn to the closed bathroom door. Could he be in there? As I moved toward it, a sudden creak sliced through the room. I was about to whirl around when a hand clamped over my mouth and an arm snaked around my waist. The bedroom door slammed shut as I squirmed and screamed against my attacker’s hand. I drove my head backward, striking him, and he grunted, stumbling back. Swiftly turning, I used the motion to swing the cane directly into his side. A pained yelp escaped him before he staggered away, ultimately collapsing to the ground. I lunged toward the door he had closed and flung it open before I hurried away.
“Jared!” I yelled, at a loss for anyone else to summon. Contacting the police was unfeasible—I had no phone.
I rushed toward the staircase, but just before I could reach out, my attacker seized me from behind, gripping my hair tightly. A scream erupted from me as he forcefully pulled me back, yet I refused to let the pain overpower my resolve. Swinging around once more, I aimed a blow with the cane, but he was prepared this time. He seized the cane, wrenching it from my grasp and hurling it aside, the resounding thud and subsequent rolling noise resonating loudly in the scary silence. Who the hell was this man? His powerful physique suggested a man rather than a woman, yet when I spun to confront him, he was masked, his eyes peering through small openings. The darkness hindered my vision, obscuring the details.
I attempted to wriggle free from his grip, clawing at him with my nails, raking across his neck. He hissed, but swiftly captured my wrist and deftly turned me around, shoving me against the railing that overlooked the entrance of the house. A metallic flick indicated a knife being deployed, followed by the sound of fabric tearing. Panic coursed through me as I comprehended his intention. He sliced through my shirt, reducing it to mere strips that dangled from my body, leaving me exposed. Then, with the knife poised at my throat, he maintained his position. Adrenaline surged through me, the realization that I was about to be violated within the confines of this house gripping me. His rapid breaths filled the air, his intent so obvious. His gloved hand traced along my body before finding my breast and kneading it. The threat of tears overwhelmed me as this stranger defiled me. He parted my legs forcefully, forcing me into a vulnerable stance. Meanwhile, his free hand gripped my hair, wrenching my head back once more. The blade pressed even harder against my throat, and I felt it graze my skin. A trickle of blood dripped down, the warmth of it chilling me. The sound of his ragged breathing sent shivers down my spine, the realization sinking in that this was the beginning of a horrifying violation. Yet, in the midst of this terrifying state, he uttered a single, enigmatic word that rattled me completely: “Run.”
The knife withdrew from my throat, but my fear paralyzed me from immediately turning around to ensure his absence. It took a few agonizing seconds before I mustered the courage to turn, discovering an empty space behind me. Doubts about my own sanity crept in, but I had no intention of remaining to verify the existence of my tormentor. Hastily, I descended the stairs, aiming for my only escape route. The door loomed directly ahead, and I lunged for it, hope for freedom coursing through me. Yet, upon grasping the handle, the door resisted my efforts to open it. In my frantic state, I twisted the lock, but even then, it remained shut. It felt as if an invisible force held it fast, denying my passage. Desperation surged within me, and I pounded my hands against it, tears streaming down my face in a torrent of terror.
“Come on!” I pleaded.
I heard a noise from the other floor, and I realized he was coming after me again. Initially, I couldn’t fathom why he had released me earlier, but it gradually dawned on me that he relished the chase. Hastily, I raced past the staircase and went to the living room, knowing it held a door leading to an outdoor porch. Bursting into the living room, the doors swung open forcefully, crashing against the walls. Rushing toward the sliding door, I attempted to open it, only to find it obstructed. I shook it vigorously, hoping it would yield, but it remained closed. I dashed toward one of the windows. While the first one wouldn’t budge, a slight push opened the second one. I let out a relieved squeal, and just as I was about to slide my leg out to the other side, a grip on my collar from behind yanked me back. The sensation of choking overwhelmed me before I was hurled backward and landed on the ground.
My attacker returned, looming over me with the knife in hand, moving closer. I scrambled backward and berated myself to get back on my feet. Springing into action, I dashed in the opposite direction, attempting to reach another room. I stole a glance behind me, seeing him approaching with determined strides. I tried the next room, only to find it locked. I persistently tried door after door, yet none of them yielded on this floor. How was that possible? My thoughts were too scrambled to make sense of it all. My primal instincts had taken over, seeking only to flee the encroaching danger. I tried to force the next door to open, but it remained steadfast.
I turned my head, convinced my attacker was right beside me, but when I looked, he had vanished. I shifted my gaze the other way, yet he wasn’t there either. My heart continued its erratic rhythm as my brain struggled to comprehend the situation. What was happening tonight? I questioned. Something was profoundly amiss, but I was too overwhelmed to connect the dots. I cautiously retraced my steps toward the living room, where I knew a window was open, retracing the path he had just pursued me through. My movements were measured, unsure why he hadn’t pursued me further, considering I seemed like an easy target. My body felt peculiar, tingling with the aftereffects of being hunted, pushing it into overdrive. My vision was slightly blurry, but I remained resolute. I vowed to myself that I would escape this alive.
I set off abruptly, retracing my steps toward the living room, when a door to my left swung open unexpectedly. A hand shot out, seizing my arm in a tight grip.
“No!” I screamed, unleashing my fury.
I was forcefully pulled into the room and thrust to the ground. My attacker leapt over me, pinning me down with his weight. The glinting knife hovered menacingly, a sinister harbinger of the impending pain, while his heavy body immobilized me. Struggling to devise a plan, I acted instinctively. Summoning all my strength, I sank my teeth into the flesh on his wrist, biting down with an intensity that elicited a pained cry from him. He tried to wrench himself free, but my grip persisted, my bite unrelenting until I tasted the metallic tang of blood. Simultaneously, my hand reached for the knife, striving to wrest it from his grasp as he tugged at my hair, attempting to pry me off. When I wouldn’t let go, he moved his hand. He clutched my throat, exerting pressure in an effort to subdue me. I tolerated the choking sensation, fixated on securing the knife. Abruptly, he released my throat, his attention shifting to his own pants as he fumbled to unfasten them. Fueled by desperation and unwilling to succumb to violation, I intensified my bite on his wrist. Despite his discomfort, he lowered his pants, poised to assault me despite my persistent resistance. Driven by urgency, I maintained my grip on his wrist, creating a momentary opening to slip my fingers beneath his and retrieve the knife. I quickly let go of his wrist with my teeth before I repositioned the knife at his throat. We both froze, the tension thick as he lay between my legs, ready to force himself upon me, yet now confronted with the edge of a blade at his throat.
“Get off me, you fucker,” I growled in a low, venomous tone.
Time had been put on pause as we both panted, recovering from the stalking and the inevitable end. I was well aware that I was going to get caught. Whoever he was, he had come prepared, but I was a fighter, and surrendering easily wasn’t in my nature. If he intended to rape me, I was determined to make him regret it. However, the tables had turned. I now held the knife, a powerful threat against him and his life. I exerted enough pressure to convey my unwavering readiness to kill him if he persisted in his monstrous intentions. Our eyes locked through his mask, and my fear had diminished. I wielded the power now. Yet, one of his hands started edging toward mine.
“Don’t!” I warned, tightening my grip around the knife. “Move, and I will cut you. Get off me now!”
He remained immobile, and the tension intensified as we both waited, uncertain of each other’s next move. The moment seemed to stretch into eternity, although in reality, it was just a few seconds.
