CAUGHT IN THE DARK

CHAPTER 3: 

The door handle moved. It moved slowly. It moved deliberately. My heart was beating hard; it felt like it was going to burst out of my chest.

For a moment I could not move. I could not breathe. I could not think. Then my body took over. I let go of the door. Stumbled backward. My eyes were fixed on the handle as it turned from the outside.

No. This could not be happening. He was not supposed to come. Not this fast. Not now. The door creaked open. Just a little. Enough for the cold night air to slip in. Enough for me to feel that shift in the atmosphere. Danger.

I felt danger. "Amara?" His voice was low. It was calm. It was too calm. My stomach dropped. He sounded controlled.. That was worse. Much worse. Because Kieran was not loud when he was truly angry. He was quiet. Deadly quiet.

My body reacted before my mind could catch up. I. Ran. Not toward the door.. Deeper into the house. My bare feet slapped softly against the floor as I rushed past the staircase. My breath was coming in bursts.

I had to think. Where could I go? The back door. The thought hit me like lightning. Kitchen. Back exit. I could still make it. I had to. Behind me the front door opened wider. Then it shut. The soft click echoed through the house. He was inside. Again.

"Amara, " he called. His voice drifted through the silence. "Why is the door open?" I did not answer. I could not. If I made a sound if he knew where I was it would be over. I reached the kitchen. My hands were shaking as I grabbed the edge of the counter to steady myself.

The back door was a few steps away. So close. I rushed toward it. My fingers were already reaching for the handle. "Going somewhere?" I froze. The voice was not behind me. It was beside me. My head snapped to the side.. There he was.

He was leaning casually against the kitchen doorway. Watching me. Waiting. My heart dropped into my stomach. How did he get there fast? For a moment neither of us moved. The air between us felt thick. Heavy. Like it was pressing down on my lungs.

"I..." My voice came out weak. Broken. "I was just—" "Running?" he finished for me. His lips curved into something that was not quite a smile. My throat closed. He pushed himself off the doorframe. Stepped into the kitchen slowly. Not rushing. Not angry. Just certain.

Like he already knew how this would end. "You were going to leave, " he said. His tone was almost thoughtful. "In the middle of the night." I shook my head quickly. Even though we both knew it was useless. "I wasn’t—" "Don’t lie." The words cut through me instantly. Sharp. Cold. Final.

Silence followed. I could hear my heartbeat. Loud. Wild. Terrified. "I just needed air " I tried again. My voice was above a whisper. His eyes darkened. "You needed air, " he repeated slowly. As if tasting the words. Then he took another step closer.. Another.

Until there was barely any space left between us. "You had your bag packed." My breath caught. I had not even realized he saw it. Of course he did. He always noticed everything. "I..." I started.. Nothing came out. Because there was nothing left to say.

The truth was already standing between us. Bare. Exposed. Ugly. "You were leaving me, " he said. Not a question. A statement. Something inside me trembled.. Something else refused to break this time. "Yes." The word slipped out before I could stop it. Soft.. Undeniable.

For a second I thought I imagined it. The way his expression changed. Not anger. Not immediately. Something else. Something darker. Hurt.. It twisted quickly into something far more dangerous. "You don’t get to leave me, " he said quietly. My heart pounded harder.

"I have to, " I whispered. My voice was shaking. "Kieran... I can’t stay here anymore." His jaw tightened. "And why is that?" he asked. His tone was suddenly sharp. I stared at him. Really looked at him. At the man I once thought I knew. The man I once loved.

For the first time I did not feel confused.. Guilty.. Unsure. I felt clear. "Because I’m scared of you." The words hung in the air. Heavy. Unavoidable. Something snapped. I saw it in his eyes. Felt it in the way the room seemed to shift around us.

"Scared of me?" he repeated. His voice was dangerously low. I nodded. My chest was tightening. "Yes." A bitter laugh escaped him. "You’re scared of the man who gave you everything?" "No, " I said. Surprising myself with how steady my voice sounded. "I’m scared of the man who thinks that gives him the right to hurt me."

Silence. Thick. Tense. Explosive. For a moment I thought maybe he would hear me. Maybe something would change.. Then he stepped closer. Too close. His hand shot out gripping my arm. Hard. Pain shot through me.. I did not cry out. Not this time.

"You don’t get to twist things, " he said. His voice was rising slightly. "You don’t get to turn me into the villain." "I’m not turning you into anything, " I said. My heart was racing. "You’re doing that yourself." The second the words left my mouth I knew I had pushed far.

His grip tightened. Dangerously. "You think you’re brave now?" he asked. His eyes were burning into mine. "No, " I whispered. "I think I’m done." That did it. Whatever line he had been holding onto it snapped. Completely.

In one motion he pulled me toward him. My body collided with his. The force knocked the air out of my lungs. "You’re not done until I say you’re done " he growled. Panic surged through me. This was it. This was where it got worse. Much worse.

My eyes darted around desperately. Think. The counter. The knife. Too far. The door. Blocked. My heart was racing faster. My breathing was uneven as fear clawed its way up my throat. "Kieran... Please " I said. My voice was breaking despite my effort to stay calm.

"Please what?" he snapped. "Please let you walk out like none of this matters?" "It matters!" I cried. ". I matter too!" The words hit something. I saw it. I felt it. A flicker of hesitation. Just enough. Long enough.

I acted. With all the strength I had left I shoved him. Hard. He stumbled back a step. Just one.. It was enough. I. Ran. This time I did not hesitate. Did not think. Did not look back.

I grabbed the back door handle. Yanked it open. I ran out into the night. Cold air hit my face. Freedom. Real. Terrifying. Freedom. I did not stop. Did not slow down. I ran across the dark yard. My feet were slipping slightly against the ground. My breath was coming in bursts.

Behind me "AMARA!" His voice exploded into the night. Rage. Pure rage. My heart nearly stopped.. I kept running. Faster. Harder. I reached the gate. My hands were shaking as I fumbled with the latch. Come on. Come on! It stuck. Of course it did.

Panic surged again. My vision was blurring as I struggled with it. Behind me the sound of the door slamming open echoed loudly. He was coming. Closer. Faster. I could hear his footsteps now. Heavy. Relentless. "Stop running!" he shouted. I yanked the gate harder. It finally gave way.

I stumbled out onto the street. Nearly falling as my foot hit the pavement.

I caught myself doing that.

I just kept moving

There were lights

Cars were passing by.

People were around me.

I was thinking about safety.

I just needed to get enough away from everything.

I told myself to go a little further.

Then I saw headlights.

They suddenly blinded me.

A car came speeding toward me out of nowhere.

It was going fast.

It was too close to me.

I froze in place.

My body would not move because fear had taken over.

Every muscle in my body was locked in place because o

f fear.

The sound of the car brakes screeching filled the air.

Then everything went dark.