Twisted

Panting heavily, I struggled to run. All my life, I had never known desperation to move my legs till now that survival was needed. I hadn’t come this far to give up. It was one thing to run a marathon for an exercise and another to run cause your life depended on it and the worst part; not knowing what you’re running from.

I stopped abruptly when I got toward the cliff and looked down at the ocean. Turning my neck to see if they were close, I pulled on my hair enough to rip it off. 

There was no way I was jumping into that deep ocean and would come out alive. 

And what was it all for?

To end up dying in water after escaping my abductors or to surrender?

Disheartened, my weak knees fell to the hard ground and I winced at the pain. Shutting my eyes, I envisioned myself some place else. Somewhere normal. I never knew there’d come a time when all I wished for was feeling the sun on my skin or wishing I was doing so little as going to the supermarket filled with people. 

And then my life flashed before my eyes— from my thirteenth birthday to seeing my loved ones and registering each one of their scents to the extent my nose couldn’t even smell mine. 

Obviously, I smelled like dust being locked up for weeks-- like a cave woman and the only chance I had to escape was sleeveless. It was almost as if I was gone. I knew I was gone or had about a few minutes left. 

My eyes opened in shock and my body jerked at the sound of the gunshot making me anxious. In as much as I felt numb a while ago, nobody ever wanted to die or at least know they were going to die.

                        •••

                     -Burned-

Three months earlier

Nicole

The morning certainly didn't feel normal waking up with a headache and thoughts from last night at Pete fucking cheating ass’s apartment. Breaking two eggs into a bowl, I pursed my lips, stuck on what to do next. All I could think of was him. And how much of a loser he was, of course.

I had had a hunch about his secretary and how close they were. The fact was that I was hands down jealous. She was blonde, taller than I was and with a body of a model. No, don't call me sick.. she didn't bring any secretary vibes, she looked more like an escort. 

What kind of secretary could afford to get implants on her boobs and booty? I knew it from the start from her stupid doctored smile revealing her all too perfect teeth I knew she got worked on.

Pete however convinced me and told me it was not worth talking about and that I was the only one.

"I love you, only you, ” he said to me. Those words made my stomach tighten and as much as I tried to fight it, I couldn't help but blush.

I would hate to think he’d leave me for some fake booty too.

Okay back to last night. My going to his apartment was to surprise him with a box of pizza and a bottle of Charles heidseck brut. It had been a while since we had our alone time since I was always busy and didn't have time to go on official dates or sleep overs with my boyfriend. 

Yeah, I get it.. I suck, but I was willing to change since my work paid off and I got promoted. Pete had given me a key to his apartment a month ago but I hadn't really made use of it. He always knew when I was stopping by.