**Warning:** This chapter involves explicit scenes of violence, death, physical abuse, brutality and murder themes. It could be seriously triggering to some readers...
Elysia's POV:
A peculiar impulse surged within me, compelling me to step out of the car and approach them, my heart thumping irregularly. I observed the traffic light, seconds away from turning green. With hurried steps, I crossed the road just as Sebastian called my name when the signal changed.
Glancing back momentarily, I found him, getting out of the car and navigating through the passing cars. My focus, however, snapped back to the direction where I last saw Ares. My heart raced with anxiety, unable to spot him anymore.
"He's going to be fine. Don't be paranoid, Elysia!" I muttered to myself, fingers tightly clutching my clothes as I scanned the passing alleyways. Why was Ares in this area? He typically commutes to the office in his car. I couldn't have been mistaken; it was undoubtedly him.
Spotting a familiar Audi parked nearby, panic surged within me. I anxiously searched for him, repeatedly straightening my already neat sleeves. Countless unsettling scenarios filled my mind, paranoia scratching at my neck. Rubbing my nape, I approached his car. Ares wasn't inside; he must be somewhere around, surrounded by them. The disconcerting thoughts intensified.
What's happening to me?
Why are these irrational ideas occupying my mind?
As my breaths quickened, I hastily opened my purse, fumbling for my pills. However, my efforts to calm down seemed futile, as if my body refused to heed my brain's instructions. Retrieving my pill bottle, I discovered it was empty.
"I forgot to buy..." I trailed off, closing my bag once more. In the past few days, juggling between worrying about mom's surgery and work, I forgot to take my medicines, neither feeling a need for them, and hadn't paid attention to refill my pills.
"Ma'am!" I turned to see Sebastian sprinting towards me. "Never do that again, please, it's dangerous. Mr. Knight has given me your responsibility—"
"Sebastian, it's his car. I saw some people around him. They seemed weird; there was definitely something wrong with the way they were surrounding Ares. We need to find him; he could be in danger at this moment. Let's search for him," I interjected, looking at him expectantly.
He pressed his lips into a thin line, averting his gaze. "Okay, ma'am, I will look for Mr. Knight, but I need to send you back before that, and I promise I would come back here."
"Are you hearing yourself? I told you he could be in danger right now, and yet you're saying you'd drop me first?" I asked incredulously.
My mouth hung open when he stayed silent. How could he? Ares is his boss.
Moving my gaze away from him, I looked around the streets. It was still early in the morning, and it wouldn't be so hard to find them since there weren't many people around.
I ignored Sebastian, turning the other way, scanning the surroundings. He kept following after me, insisting I listen to him and go back to the car, but I turned a deaf ear to his requests.
My ears pricked up when I heard a groaning noise of a man, along with an audible thud. With rushing footsteps, I turned the corner, halting in my steps.
My breathing seized, seeing Ares standing in the middle, surrounded by six guys, his back to us as the man in front of him said something.
"Get back, ma'am!" Sebastian ordered, coming forward.
I saw the man in front of Ares looking past him, at us and said something in Ares' ear, causing him to look back towards us.
His eyes widened, finding me here. Before I could react, a sudden movement around him caught my attention, my wide shocked eyes shifting my gaze to the man behind him who pulled a knife, stabbing Ares.
In that instant, Ares dodged the knife, his reflexes fast to avoid the attack on his stomach, and Sebastian rushed towards the men too. A sharp, piercing pain in my head blurred my vision.
I shook my head violently, clearing my view, focusing my eyes back to Ares and was about to sigh in relief that he wasn't hurt when I noticed the drops of blood dripping on the ground.
My breathing seized for a while, gaze shifting to Ares' coat sleeve, seeing bloodstains on it.
The pain in my head became unbearable, a memory flickering in my eyes, disconnecting me from my surroundings.
Drip!
Drip!
Drip!
The profound silence was shattered by the sound of blood dripping from the tip of the massive butcher knife in Mother's hands.
My body froze, unable to move, as I stared into those wide, bloodshot eyes fixed on me, radiating nothing but insanity.
In the eerie stillness, the bedroom door behind her creaked open further, revealing a man equally drenched in blood. A silent gasp escaped my lips as I recognized Mother's brother, Uncle Jim. They used to talk and laugh with Papa, and...
When his eyes met mine, his eyebrows raised in surprise before shifting back to Mother.
My heart drummed loudly in my ears as my body trembled violently under their piercing gazes. Mother stared at me, a blank expression on her face before a wide smile broke onto her lips, revealing her teeth. In that moment, she looked less like a human and more like a monster wearing a human face.
What would they do to me?
Amidst my losing senses, survival instinct kicked in, and I stepped back, intending to escape when my foot slipped on the blood-smeared floor, and my body tumbled backward down the stairs.
The worn wooden floors of our countryside house creaked loudly along with my shriek, making a sharp noise as I tumbled down the stairs. My head, shoulder, and arms hit each step, and I landed with a harsh thud on the floor.
A painful cry escaped my lips, my eyes fixed on the figures standing outside the bedroom door. The dim light from the room cascaded on them amidst the heavy darkness of the night.
Despite the pain from the fall, my brain couldn't register the damage as my body moved on autopilot, rising to my feet and staggering away to escape from them. I rushed deeper into the house, running towards the living room and then making my way down to the basement. I opened a secret door in the midstairs and slipped inside, closing it firmly. This hiding spot had been my secret refuge countless times in the past, and Mother was still oblivious to this place.
My heart pounded crazily inside my chest as I listened to the faint sound of heels ticking against the floor, accompanied by heavy footsteps of the man. The entire house was enveloped in darkness, and I couldn't see anything except for the strong foul smell clinging to my hands and clothes. I knew I had blood stains on my cream-colored frock and all over me.
A wave of nausea hit me, and bile rose in my throat. I quickly covered my mouth with my violently shaking hands, suppressing any sound from escaping me that might give away my location.
My ears attuned to the faintest sounds outside, tracing the haunting cadence of their footsteps in the living room. The basement door groaned open gradually, accompanied by the ominous echo of heels.
"Where are you, Elysia? I'm gonna find you," Mother's calm voice slithered through the air, and the bass of their approaching footsteps reverberated on the basement stairs.
Tremors wracked my body as her words hung in the air. My hand clamped over my mouth, eyes shut tight, as they passed near my hiding spot. Dread seized my limbs, as her voice reached my ears, intensified by the frightening melody she sang.
"In the stillness of this night, I'm gonna find you, my little dove!"
"In the shadows, my little lamb, don't you hide. Mother is coming, don't be shy!" Tears rolled down my face, mingling with the clamminess and blood on my trembling hands.
A sharp screech sliced through the air, and I realized it was the sound of a knife scraping against the walls.
"Creeping softly through the gloom, Mother's searching, don't you cry!" Her voice rang louder, punctuated by a thudding noise as the knife plunged into the wooden wall.
THUD!
"Oops! Wrong place," a sinister laugh echoed, merging with her shrill singing.
"Creeping closer, whispers near. In the silence, you should fear!" Her voice grew louder, each word a torment to my ears. In that moment, I wished upon the heavens for my heart to stop beating so her torturous voice would stop.
THUD!
This time, the thump resonated closer, as their footsteps retraced the stairs, stopping after a few steps. My ears pricked up, getting anxious when they weren't moving. Eerie silence hung in the air, breaking by her melody, sounding too close.
"In the stillness of this night, I've found you, my little light."
THUD!
My heart stopped beating for a moment when the knife struck the door I was hiding in, stopping a hair's breadth from my face. An audible sob escaped me and with a surge of adrenaline, I kicked the door open, catching them off guard. As they staggered back, I scrambled up the stairs, tears streaming like an unstoppable torrent.
I heard the heavy and hurried footsteps behind me, but I didn't falter,
racing towards the main door.
With panicked and rushed movements, I flung the main door open, sprinting through the courtyard towards the house boundaries, aiming to vanish into the protective cover of the bushes.
Yet, after only a few strides, a large hand seized my hair, its fingers weaving through my locks like unyielding chains. I was violently jerked back with cruel intensity, a burning sensation radiating from my scalp. A guttural scream escaped my lips, blending with a painful whimper.
"Trying to escape, little b*tch?" Uncle Jim hissed, a sinister grin etching itself across his face.
"P-p-please, Un-uncle, s-spare m-me," I pleaded in a feeble voice. His smile widened, relishing my desperation. From the corner of my eye, I spotted Mother closing in.
"You dared to run away, Elysia?" My body quivered at the sharpness in her voice. Uncle's grip on my hair slackened as he thrust me forward.
I landed on my knees on the ground, positioned in front of Mother. My gaze shifted from her feet to her hands, one clutching a knife and the other a belt. My lips trembled, witnessing her wrathful demeanor.
"I-I'm s-s-sorry, m-mom. P-p-please, fo-forgive me," I stammered.
"What did you call me?" She interrogated in a menacing tone, fury flickering in her eyes.
My eyes widened, hastily intertwining my hands in a pleading gesture. "Sorry, Sorry, Sorry, M-mother, it's m-my fault. P-Please—" my words wavered, trailing off as I followed her hand movements, watching as she raised the belt.
A swish of the belt reverberated in the cool air before I felt searing pain in my left arm as it struck my side with a resounding thwack.
"AH!!!" An involuntary scream tore from my throat, echoing in the silence. Before the pain could fully register, I clamped my mouth shut with my right hand, eyes wide in terror, shaking my head. But it was too late.
Strike after strike echoed in the air, landing on each side, nearly piercing my flesh. I firmly kept my mouth shut, refusing to make a sound, afraid to incur more beatings. I sobbed, swallowing my painful screams into my palms.
In the eerie darkness, a familiar neigh cut through the silence, and I turned toward the ranch, my heart leaping with hope as Nova emerged from the bushes, galloping toward us.
Tears of gratitude streamed down my face, and a mixture of cries and painful whimpers escaped my lips. Mother and Uncle Jim froze momentarily, the beating coming to a sudden halt, as Nova leaped over the wooden rails.
It all happened so quickly that they couldn't react in time. Nova's powerful kick sent Mother sprawling on the ground, accompanied by a thunderous and aggressive neigh. Mother's painful shouts and curses echoed through the courtyard as Nova retaliated.
Attempting to rise, I placed my hands on the ground, but my weakened body betrayed me, causing me to fall again. Glancing at myself, I noticed smudges of blood on my arms and legs, my back throbbing in pain.
We need to escape...!
Gritting my teeth, I attempted to stand again, groaning in pain. A figure passed by me, prompting me to turn toward it in horror.
My eyes widened as I screamed for Nova. Uncle Jim struck Nova's hind legs with a long, hard wooden plank, eliciting a high-pitched neigh from him.
Adrenaline surged through me as I rushed toward Uncle Jim, trying to wrest the plank from him.
"NO! Don't hurt my Nova," I pleaded, gripping the plank that was poised for another strike on Nova. Uncle Jim's eyes locked onto mine, a monstrous rage evident in his gaze as he kicked me away. My weakened form staggered backward before the wooden plank struck across my chest, sending me to the ground once more.
A sharp pain radiated from my chest, stealing my breath with a sickening crack. Nova's agonized neigh drew my attention. The butcher knife that had been in Mother's hand earlier, I saw it lodged in Nova's back, blood oozing out and staining his once-white fur.
"N-Nova!!!" A broken scream escaped my lips, my sobs grew more pronounced, a sense of helplessness and desperation overcoming me. Blood slipped from my mouth, and as I got up again, racing towards Mother to stop her when Uncle Jim hit my back with the plank, throwing me on the ground.
"N-Nova, RUN!" I screamed, but he was surrounded, unable to move. He was injured, yet he desperately tried to defend himself, staggering for another attack.
Clutching my chest, I mustered a loud plea, "H-HELP!!!"
"S-SOMEONE HELP. PLEASE!!!" My desperate cries reverberated through the night, the crushing pain in my chest mirroring the torment unfolding around me, intensifying by each passing second, witnessing blood leaking from Nova's wounds.
"PLEASE, STOP!!!" I screamed, vision blurred with overwhelming pain. "I b-beg you, p-please, don't h-hurt him. I'll d-do anything. PLEASE!!" Crawling towards the staggering Nova, I pleaded through the crushing agony.
Mother's hands paused, an eyebrow raised at my words. She walked up to me, leaving Uncle Jim lingering around Nova. "P-p-please forgive m-me, I w-would do a-anything. Just l-let him g-go." I spoke with difficulty, feeling a sharp pain in the chest. My eyes shut tight, enduring the piercing ache.
Suddenly, my hair was yanked back, Mother smirking down at me. "Really? You want me to forgive you?" I nodded, scalp searing with pain. Up close, I noticed Mother's injuries from Nova's earlier attack.
A sickening laugh escaped her, forming goosebumps on my skin. Hovering over me, she spoke in a low voice. "Then bleed!"
Tears streamed down my eyes, dripping on the ground, seeing the same knife in her hand.
My eyes helplessly tracked her hand movements as the knife slashed open the skin on my arm. A painful whimper escaped my lips, stirring Nova again as he sensed my distress.
His neigh intertwined with my whimpers. I turned my head towards him. "N-Nova, no!" I commanded. "Sit!" I gritted out through clenched teeth, breathing heavily.
He acknowledged my command but didn't sit, restlessly staggering back and forth, blood dripping from his back, heavily injured.
As the pain became unbearable, my vision blurred, desperately looking for a way to send Nova away from here.
He wasn't safe here...
He...needed to leave!
When my pleading eyes shifted to Uncle Jim, they widened, capturing a maniacal gleam in his eyes, mirroring Mother's madness.
With a sinister smirk stretching across his face, he raised a massive knife in his hand, identical to Mother's, flaunting it in my direction.
No!
NO!!!
I shook my head desperately, a piercing pain intensifying in my head. Before anyone could react, he ruthlessly attacked Nova, stabbing him in the neck, legs, and back.
My body froze, unable to move or even make a single noise. Silence enveloped everything, except for a persistent, elongated beep echoing in my ears. My gaze remained fixed on Nova as he staggered, collapsing onto the ground, his large innocent eyes filled with agony, blood soaking the already soiled earth beneath him.
I witnessed it...
I watched my Nova taking his last breaths right in front of me. Tears trickled from his eyes, as his head rested on the ground; the once vibrant black orbs losing their gleam as life slipped away from them.
My once favorite pair of black eyes were now staring at me lifelessly...
I lost him...
Right in front of me...
I lost my Nova...
Because of me, he died...
After I wasn't sure how long, I heard an agonized blood-curdling scream resonating throughout the area. The sorrowful wails were so heart-wrenching that they seemed to bring the whole forest to its knees, as if the solemn trees and bushes themselves were witnessing the mournful weeping.
Another grieved wail made me realize that it was escaping from my own mouth, as my fists relentlessly beat against the unforgiving ground.
My tears seized, a very unfamiliar feeling rising within me, as I shifted my vacant eyes to the woman beside me...
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Hey guys! Share your thoughts about today's chapter. This was truly difficult for me to write the intensity, feeling her pain.
Next update will be sometime between Wednesday or Thursday this week!
Next chapter will be the one that a lot of you have been waiting for, stay tuned!