Darkness.

It consumed her entirely, enfolding her in its freezing embrace and sinking its sharp talons into her erratic heart.

Tara's breaths spiraled out of control, growing heavy and labored as they blindfolded her. Air escaped her protesting lungs. Fear nearly suffocated her, and despite her limbs being free, she felt a constricting confinement.

Was this how it felt like to be buried alive?

"Nice catch," one of them whistled before a high-five resonated.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

A cascade of profanity echoed in her mind. Her blood turned cold at the unsettling sounds of their snickers and hushed whispers as they secured the cloth around her eyes. Every fiber of her being yearned to unleash a torrent of screams and curses, to kick and punch against the malevolence surrounding her.

Yet, what power did a girl trapped in a car with four malicious men possess?

Her heart pounded louder, the veins in her neck pulsating until she could feel the vibrations of her frantic organ in her head.

The engine roared to life, the car moved, and Tara began to count.

One heartbeat.

Two. Three. Four. Five...

Tara continued counting, her attention focused on their speed, every bump in the road, every turn, and every smell or noise that could provide a clue to their location.

Her ears twitched and her eyes moved rapidly despite her inability to see past the blindfold.

Fifteen.

The road changed. The familiar asphalt was replaced by a deafening gravel path, its coarse texture signaling a shift in the surroundings. They were heading somewhere farther than the outskirts of the city.

Forty-eight.

A left turn.

The vehicle jostled slightly due to the uneven, unpaved grounds. Tara took a deep breath and bit down on her bottom lip to stop her teeth from chattering.

A hundred and fifty-three.

A right turn.

Her leg bounced and she squeezed her knees together. 

Two hundred and ninety-five.

They slowed momentarily before accelerating again. Tara clasped her hands, tightening her grip the further they advanced.

Four hundred.

A left turn.

The lump in her throat continued to grow, nearly choking her. She swallowed hard, suppressing tears and sobs that threatened to escape. Staying alert was crucial.

Five hundred and twenty-four. Five hundred and twenty-five. Five hundred and twenty-six.

The car stopped.

Her heart sank.

Tara remained frozen as the person in the passenger seat exited. The creak of an aging metal door echoed before the car resumed its forward motion. Upon parking, everyone disembarked. She flinched when a hand seized her elbow, yanking her out and dragging her through the door and into the house.

Stumbling over her legs, Tara felt the ground shift in texture beneath her feet, transitioning from asphalt to tiles and finally to carpets. The disorienting journey continued as she was ushered into the unknown until her body was flung and tossed onto an unfamiliar bed.

The mattress protested the sudden weight placed upon it, and its softness did nothing to soothe Tara's haywire emotions but rather worsened her state. She steeled herself for the impending storm. 

Hugging herself tightly, Tara found herself unable to move as she strained to listen for any signs of movement. Soon, footsteps approached, the rhythmic thud, thud, thud growing louder until they came to a halt right before her.

Fresh tears spilled out when the blindfold was removed. Her eyes fluttered rapidly, adjusting to the sudden onslaught of the light. Her lips quivered as her gaze landed on the guy towering over her. Her cheek throbbed, reminding her of what happened earlier, but she couldn't help but beg again. 

"Please," she choked out. "Please, let me go. Please."

Her body trembled violently, akin to a small, lonely leaf facing a gust of wind. She knew escape was improbable, yet the instinct to try persisted.

"Please," she pleaded once more when he remained silent, only staring at her. "I-I'm not a prostitute. Or, or a street girl. I beg you-"

Her pleas dwindled, and her voice faltered as a smirk stretched across his lips. Her heart stuttered when the remaining three joined them in the bedroom, all sporting the same devilish and predatory expression. 

Her eyes widened, frantically darting from one menacing face to another. Her fingers twitched involuntarily, and her toes curled in a desperate attempt to ground herself. Monsters. These were real-life monsters, reminiscent of the ones she had only seen in crime movies and shows.

In this horrifying moment, however, they were undeniably real, and she found herself trapped with no means of escape.

"We won't harm you," the driver declared, approaching her cowering self at a deliberate and ominous pace. "We'll let you go too. If you want to stay alive, all you have to do is do as we say." Bending forward, he pushed his face closer to hers, prompting her to shrink away. He licked his lips. "We promise to release you when we're done, little lamb."

Any lingering hope she clung to was mercilessly extinguished and shattered to smithereens as all four loomed over her huddled form. She was their fresh prey, and their expressions conveyed a twisted sense of pride in their accomplishment.

The hunt had been successful. Now, the grim feast was about to commence.

Word count: 873.

Total word count: 2081.

2K milestone✔