Three.

ISHTAR.

We held each other's gaze for a brief moment. The unusually handsome man had a look in his eyes that I couldn't understand. His chiseled jaw clenched, and he balled his fist without tearing his gaze away from me.

"Is this your way of hitting on young girls, you cunt? Get out of my way!" I yelled again. He didn't seem present even though he was looking me in the eye. The next thing he did was to lunge his arms at me hurriedly. I froze.

"Don't fucking touch me!" I yelled as I slapped his hand away. "What are you doing!?"

His brown eyes had lost focus, and he aggressively muttered something under his breath. I got terrified by the second, and he didn't seem to back down.

He reached out again, aiming for my neck, this time with bloodshot eyes. I'd never seen a person look so scary. The veins in his head popped out as his thick brows furrowed.

The store's ventilation did a number on his brown shoulder-length hair, swaying it. If he didn't look like he was bent on murdering me, I'd have taken a minute to admire his features.

But no. This one looked almost thirsty for blood. Why are there so many madmen roaming in the streets these days?

I tried to brush past him. His hand pulled me back and pushed me against the compartment. Some of the products fell and clattered. There was determination in the intimidating gaze he held and my heart began to pound in my chest.

"How dare you appear here, Minerva!? Did you follow me here!" He barked, snarling. I hadn't believed that was possible until this moment.

I tried to wriggle my way out of his grip, but he held on too tight, almost bruising my arm. "I don't know what you're talking about. Let me go!"

He doesn't respond. I was still trapped in the compartment, and he observed me with critical eyes, with various emotions displayed on his face, but the most obvious was confusion.

"I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, BUT I'M NOT MINERVA, I SWEAR. MY NAME IS CAROLINE!" I yelled again, hoping the stupid store owner would hear and help me. The old hag was barely functioning at this rate.

He held me up with one arm and the other wrapped around my neck tightly, pulling me up to my feet. It wouldn't be the first time I'd be in this position with rogues, but there was something about this one that incited more fear in me.

With those looks in his eyes, it seemed as though he wouldn't think twice before snapping my neck. For the first time in a long while, I didn't want to die.

"I-m n-not her…." I croaked, slapping his hand. "L-let me go…." The air was thick and tense, which made inhalation a problem. Emotions swirled within me, a turbulent mix of fear and desperation.

His hand tightened around my neck more, and tears spilled from my eyes involuntarily. Beads of sweat formed on my forehead, and with every breath I tried to take, my lungs struggled to find solace.

It felt as though the atmosphere had conspired against me. His hand clawed around my throat, stealing my voice and rendering me silent. My thoughts blurred, consumed by a desperate desire to survive.

I was a step away from death. A few more minutes and I'd be gone.

What a sad way to end a tragic life.

"Hey! What the fuck are y'all doing in my store! This ain't the right place for BDSM, goddammit!" The owner finally came through. He had a bat in his hands as he walked closer.

BDSM? I echoed in my mind as my consciousness waned. Was that all he saw?

"H-help me…" I managed to repeat it. My voice was barely audible. The store owners heard me but gave no response yet.

Till he finally said, "Aren't you that rude bitch from earlier today!? Cause I know damn well this gentleman can do no wrong. I saw him on the TV!"

Fuck-

The stranger finally released his tough grip around my neck, and I crashed to the floor, wheezing. I hadn't realized I'd been caught midair till he let go of me.

I coughed and gasped for air; my throat seemed to be glued together at the moment. "Fuck!" I exclaimed, panting and fighting to regain my breath.

"Do you know this creature?" The man asked the store owner like I wasn't on the ground next to me, trying not to die.

"Yes, she's one of the wild ones who grew up on the fucking streets. This bitch's mouth has no control!"

"She grew up here," the man echoed like he tried to fish out an answer from the store owner's response.

I held my bag tighter, summoning enough courage for my next course of action. I grabbed a bottle of jam from the row of displayed goods.

"You sick fuck!" I yelled as I hit the strange man's head with it. "Treat women right!" At the same time, I slipped my hand into his breast pocket and took his wallet.

I didn't wait for a reaction, and I sprinted out of the store immediately.

"Who's gonna pay for the goods you took, you thieving thot!" I heard the store owner yell as I ran out. He seemed to run after me, so I increased my pace.

It was dark everywhere, which made it easier to conceal myself. I got food for two days, possibly enough money to survive on for a week, and finally got to hit a man in months— a taste of his own medicine. Talk about a fulfilling day.

The happiness ended quickly when I spotted a patrolling police car in the parking lot where I was. I looked around and spotted another. This street was a hive for crime, which could be the reason for their patrol.

"Act cool," I muttered to myself, covering my head with the hood and slipping the heavy wallet inside my pocket. "They won't stop you."

"Young man?" I heard one of them call out from the car.

Fuck— they did stop me. At the same time, I heard the store's door close, which could mean that the owner was out looking for me. I clutched my bag tighter and pulled the hood forward to conceal my face more.

"Stop there, young man!" I heard the same voice again, angrier this time. I was fucked if I got caught. Not only for theft but also for assault. I might as well rot in their cells.

I increased my pace and started walking between the cars, hurriedly checking to see if any were open so I could hide for a few minutes before finding my way out.

"Stop right there!" And so the race began. The parking lot was a maze, and almost all the cars were locked. I panted as I ran through, hitting several vehicles, till I saw a jeep with blinking headlights.

It could mean the owner was near and it was open. I hurriedly pulled the handle loose and sank into the backseat, crouching low enough to avoid the windows.

This was one of the craziest gambles I've had in years. My heart thudded in my chest like a band of drums and the consequences I'd face if I got caught sent shivers running down my spine.

The driver seat door opened seconds after I got in, and my breath hitched. The resounding bang of it shutting close scrubbed goosebumps up my arms, and I heard shuffles of someone getting properly seated before igniting the engine.

There was a tap on the window, and the next thing I heard was the voice of the policeman who had tried to stop me.

"Seen any hooded guy around here?" He asked briskly.

"I told you it's a girl, not a guy. She stole from me and assaulted this customer!" The store owner added. "The fuck did you drink man?"

Assault "this" customer?? Could it be-?!

"I said I was fine. Get your hands off the window, or I might have to rip it off your joints," threatened the strange man from earlier.

I felt another round of shivers racing down my backbone when the realization dawned on me that I was in the car of the man I'd hit.

I began to hyperventilate. The space was cramped up and tight, and the fear of what'd happen to me if I got caught flashed in my mind, driving me to madness.

"Asshole," the policeman retorted before walking away.

"Wait, what about the girl?" I heard the store owner yell then his voice became distant. A good indicator that they were far from the car.

Now, I could try sneaking out, or—

—or not. The car had begun to move at an insane speed. I clutched the nearest seat belt I could with my heart in my mouth.

He drove like he had a death sentence, slipping past other cars with preternatural speed while yelling and banging the horn. This man was crazy.

And I was in the fucking car. Oh, fuck! He took another wild, sharp turn that sent me hitting my head on the door panel, hard.

I placed my hand over my mouth to muffle my cry so he doesn't notice. Finally, he slowed down as if he'd arrived at his destination.

Peeping through the window, I realized that we'd arrived at a mansion— an unnecessarily huge building that I took to be his mouth. The vehicle followed through the gate after he seemingly opened it with a remote, then meandered through meticulously landscaped gardens.

There wasn't anyone else in sight, not even security which explained how fucked I was. He parked the car in the middle of the compound and got out.

I did the same, as discreetly as possible, before he locked it. Imagine suffocating to death in a stranger's car.

I watched him head inside the house. Soon, he was out of earshot, and I was the only person in sight. I inhaled deeply, taking in my surroundings.

My eyes widened in awe as I stood before the building— its imposing facade, a beautiful display of architectural splendor. It was tall and magnificent— the best building I'd ever seen in person.

I smiled as I turned around, basking in the grace of the goodness structured before me. I tiptoed back to tall, silver gates. As expected, it had been locked.

So I made it a side quest to tour the building, possibly the interior, too, to see if there were things he'd left carelessly. The floor-to-ceiling windows made that easy. I removed my hairpin and walked to it.

A sane person would be trying to find their way out, but I wasn't sane. Was I?