3. A PITIFUL DEATH

ZEUS

The last thing I wanted to hear after threatening my kidnapper was a casual, “Sounds good.” Those two words sent a chill through me, a clear hint that things were only going to get worse. I could feel the warmth of his chest retreating as he pulled me from the tree. My twisted arm was released, but before I could even lower it to my side, he was dragging me forward again. I was caught off guard. 

“Where are you taking me?!” I demanded, struggling to keep up as the feeling slowly returned to my legs. “Stop dragging me! Let me go!” I twisted, using every ounce of strength I had to break free from his iron gasp, but it was like he was deaf, or just didn’t care. He’d already declared me his prisoner, his “slave,” and my protests seemed to mean nothing to him.“Let go!” I snarled through my teeth, looking around frantically. 

The trees were dense and twisted, looming over us like silent giants. The air smelled foreign, damp and earthy, and the distant calls of strange birds echoed in the quiet. The ground beneath me was rough, a mix of dirt and mud. This wasn’t just some backyard. It was a forest, deep and desolate, a place people avoided for good reason. And here I was, being dragged right into it by this silent man who could not wait to have my life in his hands. The remaining slivers of hope that I clung to were quickly dissolving, swallowed by a gnawing dread.

I focused on the man’s back, tall and broad, a few inches taller than me. “Where are you taking me?” I asked again, trying to sound braver than I felt. But again, he didn’t answer or even look back. I clenched my fists, heart pounding as a horrible realization settled over me. He was going to kill me out here, bury me where no one would ever find me. I refused to accept that, though, and fought with everything I had, planting my feet and struggling to pull my arm free. “Let me go! I’m not going with you!” I yelled, my voice cracking as I thrashed, ready to dig my fingers into the ground if that’s what it took to stop him.

And then, to my surprise, he let go.

I stumbled forward, unprepared for the release, barely catching myself before I fell. Not wasting a second, I turned to run. But before I could even take a full step, he grabbed me by both arms and slammed me back against a tall, sturdy tree. 

Pain shot through my shoulders as my back collided with the rough bark. “Shit! That hurts, are you crazy?!” I snapped, gasping as I found myself trapped, his powerful frame looming over me, both hands planted on either side of my head, caging me in. I could feel his breath, see every detail of his intense expression, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that sent my heart racing.

Without warning, his hand shot out and tightly gripped my jaw, forcing my head up so that our faces were mere inches apart. “Shout one more time,” he murmured, voice deadly calm, “and see what I gag that audacious little mouth of yours with.” The intensity in his eyes told me he wasn’t bluffing; he’d make sure I regretted it if I pushed him further. Feeling his strength so far, I didn’t want to test him further and wanted to keep all my teeth safe. There were too many rocks, wood, and even mud. Who knew what this crazy man could shove in my mouth. It was definitely not a good thing. 

“And as for your little ‘let me go, I’m not coming with you’ mantra…” His hand shifted to my neck, his fingers spreading across my throat, and I was suddenly very aware of how large his hand was, how easily he could choke the life out of me. He leaned in close, his voice a low, venomous whisper. “Even if I have to break every bone of your body, pack you in plastic, or carry you in a bottle, you’re coming with me. The choice is yours. How do you want to be transported?”

A shiver ran down my spine as his threat hung in the air between us. I swallowed hard, my throat pressing against his fingers, my mind scrambling for any way out of this nightmare. For the first time, I realized that fighting wasn’t going to work. Not against someone like him who was beyond strange to my imagination. Almost inhuman.

Reluctantly, I let him drag me along, swallowing my protests and forcing myself into a silence I wasn’t sure I could maintain. Right now, I was in no shape to resist. My body was a mess, aching from bruises, every step sending a fresh throb through the wound on my forehead. My limbs felt as unsteady as my thoughts. Any attempt at fighting back would’ve been worse than foolish. it would’ve been suicide.

After what felt like hours, we came to a small clearing. I blinked in disbelief at what I saw. Dense greenery surrounded a dark, weathered hut in the center, an ominous shape that seemed to absorb the little light filtering through the trees. It was the kind of place that reeked of a dead end, the kind of place people entered and were never seen again. My stomach twisted at the sight.

“Why have you brought me here?” I blurted out, my words tinged with the panic I couldn’t suppress. But before I could step back, he shoved me closer to the decaying structure.

“From now on,” he announced, his tone devoid of emotion, “that’s your home.”

I froze, feeling the words slam into me like a wrecking ball. This place? He couldn’t be serious. I felt the ground shift under me as I sank, hoping somehow I’d misheard him. But the look in his eyes made it painfully clear. This was real.

“You must be joking!” I snapped, fury bubbling up from somewhere deep and desperate inside me.

“If it’s a joke to you…,” he replied coldly, stepping closer and gripping my jaw in one strong hand, “then consider this: from now on, your whole life is going to become one.”

Anger surged through me as I wrenched my jaw out of his grasp. “First, you kidnap me, then accuse me of murder, and now you’re forcing me to live in that shack? Look at it! I can barely stand up in there!”

“THEN CRAWL!” he yelled, his eyes red in anger. “Crawl in or slide yourself in! Find your own way. Make yourself at home quickly for your own good since you will be rotting here for the rest of your life!”

“That’s crazy,” I clenched my fists on my sides, “Don’t push this too far!” 

The man’s expression darkened in a flash, “After pushing Lynn to her death, you dare to feel wronged when you go through the same?!” he roughly grabbed my arm and hatefully glared, “This is only the start. Wait and see what it feels like living hell!” growling, he pushed me away again. I stumbled while he ordered, “Go in!” 

I took an angry breath, “NO! There is no way I am living there. I’m not some animal. I’m a human being!”

His face twisted in rage, his eyes sharp like blades, “A human?” he sounded low and grating. “Then why the hell didn’t you treat her like one?”

I clenched my teeth, “Who have I treated as less than human? Lynn? I don’t fucking know her!” I bit out, my voice was bitter. “You’re the one who has no awareness of your own insanity! You’re a psychopath!”

But his smirk only deepened, a shadow of a smile that made my heart slam against my ribs. He moved closer, bending down until he was at eye level. The cold satisfaction in his gaze sent a spike of dread through me, but I met it with defiance, refusing to look away.

“It’s good that you know,” he murmured, his voice low and almost amused. “Because every wrong move you make will awaken the beast inside me. A beast that wants nothing more than to give you a very painful death.”