Chapter 3 - Encounter

A Chapter by lowlyMasquerade

An encounter with Him causes slight memories to resurface

“Are you going to come out of there or what?” His voice came through the door, smooth as honey, supposedly soothing.
I pressed the palms of my hands to my ears, blocking out his voice. I don’t want to hear the voice of this frightening man. Like the devil trying to coerce me.
My breathing was becoming labored. I recognized this feeling of terror. Did I feel this before? Why is it so hard to breath?
I was sweating, beads of liquid flowing across my forehead and down the sides of my face. I removed my hands from my ears and wrapped them around myself, my knees drawn up against my chest.
“If you don’t come out on the count of three, I’m going to have to come in there are get you myself.” I could almost hear the smirk in his voice. Like he knows me.
Does he know me?
I registered what he had said, and my heart stopped dead, dropped to the bottom of my gut like a stone.
I do not want to go out there and face him.
“One...” His voice was playful, like he wasn’t causing my brain to freeze with the thought of seeing his sly grin.
I started to whimper, my eyes watering, my head ringing and my stomach roiling, my knees drawn up against my chest, the pressure to the point where it was painful, yet I still drew them closer.
“Two...” I looked quickly around the room for something to defend myself with, and I failed to see anything useful in the bright, plush confines of this room. I never thought warmth and softness would make me feel so helpless. I tried to groan but nothing came out but a faint wisp of air.
“Don’t make me do this,” he spoke, his voice softer than it was before, less honey-coated, rougher. “You know how I get when I’m angry.”
What was he saying? I knew him?
I knew him?
Did I really?
My mind tried to process this information, but it wasn’t all that surprising, given the fact
that I couldn’t remember anything about my life previously besides him.
My body collapsed onto the floor, my knees still tight against my chest, curled up in the fetal position. I kept my eyes closed, too afraid of what was about to happen to be able to face this truth.
“Fine then. If you don’t want to cooperate, I guess I’ll have to come in and get you.” I could hear him trying to turn the doorknob, but the deadbolt was thrown, hindering his efforts. I could hear him sigh.
“And now you’re going to make me get my keys. Wonderful.” I could hear his footsteps lead away from the door, and I let out a faint sigh of relief. It was then that I realized just how tired and worn out my body was, how physically exhausted I was from the stress of the chase.
I remained on the floor, hugging myself tightly, and closed my eyes, hoping for a brief respite from reality.
The world falls away.

~~~

“Hey. Wake up.” I felt something jabbing into my side, and opened my eyes once again, wondering who on earth would wake me up at this hour. My mother always said...
My dreams fall away as the memories flow back into me, and I look up...
...Right into the disapproving glance of Him.
I let out a muted shriek and scrambled backwards on the floor away from him.
He was crouching on the carpet, so very close to me, that my mind could no longer comprehend what was happening, I just knew that I needed to get away. I backed away as far as I could, attempting to escape him.
I hit a wall.
I closed my eyes, drawing my knees against my chest once more, and saw him smirk for the first time.
“Now, come on, I’m not that bad, Kate.” He reached his hand towards me, and I just stared at it. Who was Kate?
Oh. Right. I was Kate.
Wait. No I wasn’t. Not anymore. I’m starting a new identity, a new life, a new world. But how could I do that if this man knew me?
I remembered my necklace, the silver one with my supposed name on it. I grabbed it, and tugged hard on it, breaking the thin silver chain from around my neck, and flung it across the room, all the while my gaze never leaving his hand.
His smirk disappeared. “Now, why on Earth would you discard such a lovely item so easily? It was my only way of knowing your name, after all.”
I just stared back at him, his gaze flooding my body with a fear so powerful I was compelled to back away again, only to be stopped by the wall once more.
He stooped closer, his amber gaze locked on mine with an intensity so heated that I was physically unable to close my eyes. “Answer my question, Kate.”
“I’m not Kate.” I said it, confused at my voice, this being the first time i had actually heard it aloud. It was meek and small, barely more than a whisper, but it filled him with elation.
“Ah, so she speaks!” He smiled so broadly, I was forced to such my eyes against the brightness. His hand came to my cheek, scraping off some of the dried mud. “Ah, I was wondering if you were mute, or if you just didn’t like me.” He took in my horrified expression, and chuckled. “Oh, but how could I have expected any different. Well, Not Kate, it seems you have some explaining to do. How could someone with the Mark of Sythryl fall asleep on my property?”
I just stared at him, the confusion building into a mountain of uncertainties, and I spoke for a second time in my life. “What are you talking about?”
His expression froze, and anger built behind his eyes. He looked at my face once again, and his expression melted as he noticed my fear painted so clearly in my features.
He stood ubruptly. “Well, we’ll have plenty of time to discuss that over dinner. it’s nearly midnight, and I reckon you haven’t eaten in quite a while. There’s a bathroom at the end of the hallway. get yourself cleaned up. I’ll not have you getting any more mud in my house.” He turned and walked out the door, keeping it open behind him.
I stared after him, remembering the dark redness of the hallway, the shadowy walls where the souls seemed to hide, and I closed my eyes once more.
When was this nightmare going to end? When was I going to wake up and remember?

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