Chapter 16: The Masked Man
Natalie~
My breath burned in my chest as I ran through the dark street. The echoes of Timothy's mocking laughter rose in my ears. The cold night air spread through my thin dress, but the fear running through my veins drowned out everything else. My heart pounded, fighting for survival as his voice called out behind me, taunting and wicked.
"Where are you going wolfless?" Timothy's voice ranked out in the air, Sharp and scary; his footsteps echoed like a horror movie come to life; it was deliberate and unhurried, as though he was toying with me.
"You know you can't run forever Natalie!"
I swallowed back a sob, panic rising steadily in my chest, my surroundings blurred, and the dark alley twisted into shadows that seemed to reach out for me. Fear made my movement a clumsy mess, but I couldn't stop running, not now, not when Timothy was catching up so quickly.
Timothy laughed again, the sound sending chills down my spine. "You're making this too easy, Natalie!" he called out to me. Do you even know where you are going or are you just running blind?"
I didn't answer. I couldn't answer. My throat was dry, my lips were trembling as terror gripped every part of my body. Timothy's laughter wasn't human, it was the sound of a predator enjoying the chase.
Suddenly, I turned into a corner too sharply, my shoulder scraping against the rough brick wall as pain shot through me, but I pressed on, ignoring the sting. The alley began to narrow, the walls closing in on me like a vice and my vision began to blur with tears as I quickly realized my mistake.
I had run into a wall.
"No," I whispered, my voice barely audible over my ragged breathing as I spun around, desperation surging through me, but it was too late now. Timothy was standing there blocking the only way out. His grin stretched wide predatory and scary as he stepped closer.
"Natalie," he called out with a sickening sweet voice, shaking his head as if scolding a wayward child. "Running from me? You're breaking my heart, sweetheart."