PHILANDERER'S AMOUR

Present Day, Lanimer Woods, Ansbrunn Town, January 1, 2019. The voice of her painful cries echoed in the hallways of the mansion. While limping and whimpering in pain, she persistently moved forward. The marbled floor appeared as if it was made of thorns. The invisible shackles that hung around her legs halted her movement. Confined by constraints, but a burning sensation in her heart to run towards salvation persisted evidently. She had been running for a while, first from him and then from the guards, yet she couldn't escape the horror that trailed behind her.  The fear prevailing in her heart reminded her about the absoluteness of her new world. The world that threatened her freedom and free will. The very world that dawned on her the realities of contemporary society about the existence of monsters. They existed in the human body, capable of ripping people to shreds. Abigail caught the eye of one such barbarous man who robbed her of her virtue and confined her. His glare was invariably threatening, his voice crisp and his words were hoarse. The scars upon her body commemorated all the excruciating torments and agonies that she suffered. She ran till nobody seemed to follow her, or to the point when no sounds of footsteps trailed her.     After running to the fourth floor, she came across a storeroom which wasn’t in use. So, she went inside that dark room and hid behind a chunk of wrecked ancient furniture.  The room was too bleak to see anything, but she managed to hide behind one of the huge cupboards. After successfully escaping from the callous man, she sighed a breath of relief. It had been a month since she had been captured, yet it seemed like a lifetime to her. At that point in time, She even struggled to remember her life before it. While remembering the pain she was put through, tears filled with anguish escaped from her eyes. Apparently, she believed that everything that she witnessed and lost couldn't be compensated with anything but death. Thereupon, she settled upon the cold floor and the memories of her early life flashed before her. One month ago, Idens City, December 2018. It was the day of her engagement with her love. Her eyes glinted, and she had a captivating tenderness upon her face. Caleb Walker, her paramour had been doting on her for as long as she could remember. At first, they were childhood friends and then their relationship blossomed into love during high school. She had been in love with him ever since. Caleb was a cordial man who had a lot to offer, he wasn't just generous but also practical. He owned a small business and was a conscientious man.  Since they both had been going steady in their relationship, they decided to settle for each other. The day when he proposed to her, he knelt in front of her and presented her the ring. She accepted it, and then they both engaged themselves in a passionate kiss. Everything was planned by Caleb as he wished to spend his life with Abigail.  Since Abigail was an orphan, she had been living in the care of her foster parents. There wasn’t much information about her roots, or her real parents as she was left in foster care when she was just an infant.  Her foster parents did make sure that she achieved her goals and succeeded in life. They were the source of constant support. They even supported her relationship with Caleb and wished for them to get married and lead a blissful life.     After the beautiful date with her love, Caleb dropped her to her home.  They both smiled, hugged and kissed each other goodbye. Little did she know that it wasn’t a mere goodbye, but a farewell.  Thereafter, she entered into her home to witness the most horrific scenario. There were several blood spots on the entrance. The corridor appeared like the ones that are present in the horror thrillers.  Tiny vestiges of fear crawled on her skin as she began to fear for the life of her parents. She pursued the trail of blood which took her to the bathroom while shivering tremendously. When she reached the bathroom, she observed the absolute horror while finding the bodies of her foster parents drowned in the bathtub. Because of witnessing the heinous crime, her knees weakened and she fell on the ground with a thud.  She let out a painful screech, clenched her hairs and cried her eyes out.  After agonizing for a considerable amount of time, she regained her strength and went towards her phone that she left on the table of the living room.  She reached there only to find out that her phone was missing as well and tiny droplets of sweat appeared over her forehead. She rushed towards the dining table and grabbed her handbag in haste.  When she opened the door towards the exit, a hard punch struck her cheek and she fell on the ground.  She opened her eyes to realize the shadow of the complete darkness that was enwrapped over her eyes. she was blindfolded and was carried over in a car. She threw her legs and arms at the man sitting beside her to escape. The man grabbed her neck and whispered in her ear, “The more ruckus you’ll make, the more atonement will be there for you".  Then, he tied her hands with a rope and mocked her helplessness.   She felt the fear conquering her mind and heart. After feeling defeated, she lied there quietly.  10 Hours later, Lanimer Woods, Ansbrunn Town, December 2018. Soon, the screeching sounds of breaks woke her up, and she felt the tension arising again in her heart. Then, the man placed his one arm around her back and the other arm around the bend of her knees. As she was losing her balance, she placed her arms around his shoulders which were still tied.  Thereafter, he asserted in a hoarse voice, “Dare to do something unpleasant, I’ll make you pay". Then, She complied that she will acquiesce. Then, he lifted her and she lied closer to his chest. She could feel his heart beating.  But she still could not see anything as the blindfold still prevailed on her eyes, but she heard several noises and whispers. She could sense the whispering that went around her while she was being carried.  After walking a considerable distance, the man entered a bleak vacant room and dropped her on the floor. Due to the sudden fall, she felt pain in her lower back and yelped. Then she heard growling sounds that made her shiver in pain.  The man untied her hands and removed her blindfold. She opened her eyes to witness the goon that held two fully grown Doberman pinschers that howled, growled and barked at her. The only thing that kept them away from her was the leash that the goon held. When she gaped at the man that approached her, his big boots made a rhythmical noise against the marbled floor, and his semblance was solid and threatening like a huntsman. His face was stern, yet harmonious as he swung the gun from his shoulder. The polished surface of the metal glimmered. His calloused fingers wiped its surface while feeling the cold metal.  The man that stood beside her wore a mask, the one that people used to wear in masquerades.  He stretched his muscular body, yawned and then averted his gaze towards the meagre figure lying below. He pointed the muzzle of the gun towards her head and glared deep in her eyes.  While his azure eyes held a fancy for madness, her hazel eyes were filled with tears.  He tapped her soft skin with the muzzle and spoke with a smug, “ Either this or that? How would you like to greet your death?” She observed the dogs that appeared as if they had been starving for generations. While they growled and barked, their drool fell on the floor.  Even her imagination betrayed her, and she couldn’t fathom the way which would be more appropriate. It was ardent that she didn’t wish death. She wanted to live, but the predicament forced her into making a decision.  She glared at the hungry eyes of the dogs and flinched in fear, then she averted her gaze towards the muzzle and felt her knees shiver. She bowed towards the man and held his feet while sobbing. “I beg you to have mercy on me. I don’t remember hurting you or anyone; If I did unintentionally, then forgive me. I still have things I need to do with my life. I can’t die just yet”, she managed to utter while stuttering and sobbing. Her painful cries held the power to break even the most callous men, but he didn’t even flinch.  He lowered to her level, laughed like a frantic and nuzzled his nose into her hairs. While clenching her wrist sternly, he uttered, “It is my burden to make sure that you make amends. Your worries should only be confined to pleasing me. You must suffer more, must lose more, must pay more with gaiety for your folly”.