Bright morning woke up the country while Autumn was nestled under the sheets, refusing to wake up. The remnants of last night's troubling dream lingered in her mind, disrupting her sleep until the early morning hours.
"Atty," April entered the room, holding a steaming cup of coffee. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafted through the air, stirring Autumn from her sleep. Groggily, Autumn shifted, attempting to evade the intrusion.
Amused, April reverted to an old childhood tactic. Setting the coffee cup aside, she leaned down to Autumn's level and let out a playful scream in her ears, startling Autumn awake.
"The hell," Autumn exclaimed, throwing off the sheets and leaping out of bed to chase after April, her bare feet padding softly against the floor.
"Oops," April let out a playful squeal and ran outside, yelling, "Sorry, Atty," but Autumn wouldn't let go. April giggled mischievously, her laughter tinkling like wind chimes as she darted out of the room. With a playful grin, she glanced over her shoulder, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"April, stop." Autumn ran after April until they reached the door. April stood on the other side of the door. Breathless, Autumn tried reaching April when the girl bolted outside.
"Catch me if you can," she screamed for the world to hear. Autumn couldn't; she tried, but the girl was tired. Their laughter mingled in a symphony of joy and excitement as they raced through the house. They darted around corners, dodging furniture with practiced ease, the thrill of the chase propelling them forward.
Finally, they burst out onto the porch, the warm rays of the morning sun bathing them in golden light. Their laughter mingled with the sounds of birdsong and rustling leaves.
"My god," Autumn panted as she tried to gain control over her breath. She looked to the side to April getting up and walking away, and before she could ask for more, she saw April walking towards her with the same coffee cup. "You are losing your strength; look at you, panting like Peaches," as a cue, the little boy ran towards April and sat in her lap.
"Food betrayer," Autumn pouted. Peaches has taken like to April. He wouldn't leave April's side ever since April recovered.
"I used to run a lot, you know?" She did run a lot. Zyler chased her every chance she got. He would mock her for it, taunting her that she liked the chase. Maybe she did like the chase, or perhaps she loved being chased by him. Was it the thrill or him? She didn't know.
"So," April began while sipping her coffee. "What's the deal with Zyler?"
Autumn almost spat her coffee. April saw how her sister was reacting. "I see," she smiled.
"You couldn't get him out of your mind, can you?" April could tell the signs, whoever this guy was. He rooted himself deep in her sister's soul, and her sister might not know it, but she did.
"Do you love him?" There was no beating around the bush. Autumn whipped her head in April's direction.
"I don't, I just........." there was nothing else she could say. What would she say? Does she love him? Can she love him? Is she capable of loving him despite everything he did?
"Was he nice to you?" April wanted to know more about this man that plagued her sister's thoughts. "Is he a good man? Does he keep you happy? Is he kind?"
Autumn wanted to laugh. Kindness? Gentleness? She scoffed at the mere thought, suppressing the urge with a harsh bite of her lip, tasting the metallic tang of blood as a grim reminder of the darkness within.
Zyler, a name synonymous with chaos and malevolence, was not merely a storm but an explosive force, a living embodiment of destruction that shattered the fragile peace of her existence. He invaded her life like a festering wound, spreading his tendrils of chaos through her once-serene world. Where there had been tranquility like a still pond on a summer's day, now is the wreckage of her former peace, torn apart by Zyler's relentless onslaught.
Every touch, every word, every glance felt like a blade slicing through Autumn's soul, leaving her raw and exposed. Yet, despite the pain, there was an allure to Zyler's darkness, drawing her inexorably closer to the edge of madness.
And yet, in the darkness, there was a strange beauty to Zyler's chaos. Like a painting rendered in shades of black and crimson, his presence colored the world in hues of despair and longing, revealing the raw emotions hidden beneath the surface.
In the end, Autumn knew that she was powerless to resist him. Zyler was not simply a man but a force of nature, a primal entity whose existence defied comprehension. And though she struggled against his hold, she knew deep down that she was forever bound to him, a willing captive in their shared twisted dance of darkness.
"Why won't you go back?" April tapped the side of her coffee cup nervously while petting Peaches. The dog sighed as April's fingers massaged his thick, fluffy coat.
"You know why we can't and won't go back," she sipped her coffee while staring far into the woods.
"It has been over two years since we have seen anything happen around us. Do you think he is still a threat?" April felt silly asking that question. Of course, he is. She lived with him and was married to him. Lord knows he is a threat.
"I don't know, but it would be better to hide for a few more years and see where life takes us," being away from him was killing her, too, but going back to the States would put April at risk.
"Don't put your life on hold for me, Atty," April felt guilty that Autumn had to give up her life and career and move back to this place. "You have to go after what you want."
"I am not putting anything on hold, April," Autumn's voice rang out, firm and unwavering, slicing through the peaceful tranquility of the moment. She stood tall, her stance defiant as she asserted her decision. "This is my choice. I chose to be here, and I am not discussing this with you—"
Before she could finish her sentence, the air was torn apart by the loud blast of a gunshot. The serene stillness shattered like fragile glass, replaced by a sudden chaos that engulfed the surroundings. The once peaceful atmosphere was now charged with tension and urgency, as if the very fabric of reality had been torn asunder by a single bullet's impact.
Three masked men walked inside. Autumn grabbed April and Peaches, trying to run away, but the men were quicker. They reached the trio in three quick strides. One of the men with a tattoo held a phone in his hand. "Found them, boss," he grabbed Autumn by her hand and nodded to the man talking on the other side. "Put them in the car," he instructed the other man.
The men dragged the trio into the car and put them. "Where are you taking us?" she struggled, but the men weren't relenting. "Who are you? Did Liam send you?" Autumn yelled.
The man's grip tightened around Autumn's neck, his fingers digging into her skin like talons as he pressed the cold blade of the knife against her throat. "I have no fucking connection to Liam," he spat, his voice dripping with malice. "Shut the fuck up and be quiet. If you want to know the answers, we can discuss them once we have your precious Zyler's ashes. We will have him by his knees."
He forced Autumn back into the seat with a rough shove, his hand gripping the accelerator as the car lurched forward with sudden speed. The engine roared like a growling beast hungry for the chase ahead.
Instantly, another car appeared behind them, its headlights glaring in the darkness like predatory eyes. With a screech of tires, the chase was on, the two vehicles hurtling down the deserted road like dueling titans. "Is that our car?" the man in the driver's seat asked, panicking.
"No, it is not," the man in the passenger seat answered, firing his gun. The car behind them responded with another bullet.
"Shit, he found us," the man in the driver's seat pressed the accelerator harder, trying not to crash the car and avoid the bullets.
Autumn's heart pounded in her chest as the landscape blurred past, the wind whipping through her hair like a furious storm. She glanced at the rearview mirror, her eyes widening in fear as the pursuing car drew closer with every passing second.
As the car zipped by, she saw Cole in it. He overtook their vehicle, and the men pressed their brakes hard. Cole stepped out and walked to Autumn's side and, without a second thought, shot the men while she closed Peaches's eyes.
He was on the phone with someone. "I found them," she knew who it was. She longed to hear his voice, but Cole hung up on Zyler before Autumn could dare to.
"Let's go," he showed her the way.
"Who are they?" Autumn pulled April to her side and held Peaches close.
"Do you want to know the answer?" Cole opened the door, holding it for the trio to get in. Autumn said nothing. April looked traumatized, but Autumn asked her to get in.
"They are some minions of Varney's," Cole started the engine, and they headed to the airport.
"How did you know where we were?" Autumn couldn't stop looking for him. She was disappointed when the other door didn't open, and Zyler didn't hop out.
"We knew where you escaped to two years ago. We didn't want to show up," Cole shrugged.
Autumn wanted to ask about Zyler, but April's hold on her hand made her realize there were pressing matters. April's scary face stole her attention. "We are okay," she tapped April's hand, clutching her arm. "Trust me."
April closed her eyes and put her head on Autumn's shoulder. Soon, they were at the airport and in the jet, while Autumn clutched her heart in her hands. How will he react? The last time she saw him was when she betrayed him two years ago. Was he angry? Was he going to punish her if she saw her? Only the shortening distance will tell.