ELIZABETH:The night air was electric with anticipation as I slipped into my costume, a stunning batwoman outfit that hugged my curves just right. I couldn’t help but admire myself in the mirror, the way the black fabric shimmered under the dim light, making me feel both fierce and glamorous. Beside me, my best friend Cheryl was putting the final touches on her Cleopatra costume. The golden accents of her outfit sparkled like sunlight, and her dramatic eye makeup only added to the regal vibe she radiated.“Are you ready for this?” I asked, smoothing the fabric down as I turned to her.“Born ready,” she replied with a smirk, adjusting her headdress. “Just wait until everyone sees us.”As much as I loved the excitement of dressing up, I was even more thrilled about the birthday girl, Alex. She had no idea what we had planned for her costume party, and that made it all the more special. I wanted this night to be perfect for her, and I was determined to do my part. “Okay, I’ll go get the
ELIZABETH:Today was Saturday, and after the craziness of last night’s party, it was a relief to know I’d be spending the day with just Alex and Cheryl. No boys, no costumes, just a relaxing day filled with ice cream, gossip, and the kind of easy laughter that always seemed to flow effortlessly between us.I slipped into a casual outfit—denim shorts and a loose white top—before tying my hair up in a messy bun. The house was quiet this morning, the only sound of the soft hum of my mother in the kitchen. I could already smell the coffee she was brewing, and for a second, I debated running downstairs for a quick cup.Just as I was finishing up, my phone buzzed with a message from Alex. *"On my way! Be there in five :)"* I smiled to myself, excitement bubbling up as I thought about spending the day with my two best friends. Last night had been amazing—seeing Alex’s reaction to her surprise party, the laughter, the dancing—but it had also been chaotic, with the boys there and everyone in
ADAM:Three weeks had passed since my cast came off. The freedom I felt was intoxicating. It was as though I could finally breathe again, move again, and live again. And the first thing I wanted to do was take Elizabeth on the date I had been planning since the day I got injured. We had talked about it before, but life had a way of delaying plans. This time, however, there would be no delays. No accidents. Just us.That morning, I woke up feeling a mix of nerves and excitement. I knew this date was going to be different from anything we’d done before. It wasn’t going to be a typical movie night or dinner at a fancy restaurant. I had something more special in mind—something more personal. Something that reflected how I felt about her.By the time the afternoon rolled around, I had everything ready. Flowers—check. The picnic basket I had packed with all of her favorite foods—check. And the secret location? Well, that was the most important part. I had spent days planning it, and with th
ELIZABETH:The world was blurry when I first opened my eyes. My head throbbed like someone had taken a hammer to it, and a deep, dull ache settled in the base of my skull. I blinked rapidly, trying to force clarity back into my vision. It felt as though the air was thick, suffocating, and the room I was in was dimly lit, with shadows creeping up the walls. My arms felt strangely heavy, and it wasn't until I tried to move them that I realized they were bound. Panic surged through me like ice water in my veins.I was tied to a chair.My wrists were bound tightly with rope, cutting into my skin, and the more I tried to shift, the more I felt the rough fibers biting into my flesh. The same was true for my ankles, which were tied to the legs of the chair. My movements were futile, restricted to small jerks as I struggled to comprehend what was happening. My mind raced, trying to recall where I was last, how I got here, and why."Elizabeth?" a voice croaked beside me. I turned my head shar
ELIZABETH:I woke up screaming. My heart pounded in my chest, and my hands trembled as the remnants of that nightmare lingered in my mind. It was the same one again. The same horrifying memory, like a bad movie I was forced to watch over and over. Radena and I, running through the dark, our feet stumbling over broken branches and jagged rocks as we fled from him. My father’s voice echoed behind us, filled with rage and cold determination. The crack of the gunshot always felt too real, the scream that followed piercing the night and making my heart stop every time. Radena fell beside me, her body crumpling to the ground in a way that still haunted me even after all these years. And no matter how much I ran, no matter how fast I tried to get away, I couldn’t save her. I couldn’t escape.“Elizabeth!” Adam’s voice cut through the haze of fear. His hand shook my shoulder gently but urgently. “Elizabeth, wake up! You’re having a nightmare"I blinked, trying to shake off the darkness and th
ELIZABETH:The room was spinning, and I could barely keep my eyes open. Everything hurt. My ribs felt bruised, my head pounded, and I hadn’t eaten in days. I could feel the bruises forming under my skin, the sharp sting of every breath a reminder of how long we’d been trapped in this hell. Three days. Three long, agonizing days since my father had taken us, since he’d dragged me and Adam into this nightmare. I tried to move, but my body wouldn’t cooperate. My muscles screamed in protest, and I had to bite back the cry that threatened to spill from my lips. I didn’t want Adam to see how weak I was. Not now, when he needed me to be strong. I couldn’t let him see me like this. “Stay with me, Elizabeth,” Adam whispered beside me, his voice barely audible in the stale air of the basement. I could hear the desperation in his tone, could feel it in the way his hand brushed against mine, even though we were both tied to the chairs. “Just keep breathing, okay? We’re going to get out of here.
ELIZABETH:When I finally opened my eyes, everything around me felt unfamiliar, as though I had been transported to a different world. The room was too bright, too sterile. The soft beeping of a machine beside me was the first sound I registered, a slow and steady rhythm that matched my own heartbeat. My body felt heavy, as if it wasn’t really mine, and a dull, persistent ache in my chest reminded me of what had happened. I blinked, trying to make sense of where I was, why I was here, and then it all came crashing back.The basement. The gunshot. Adam’s face as I threw myself in front of him. The explosion of pain when the bullet hit.I was alive. Somehow, I had survived.It took a moment for the rest of my senses to catch up. My throat was dry, and my mouth tasted like metal. Slowly, I became aware of the soft weight of a hand clutching mine, squeezing it tightly, as if afraid I might disappear again. I turned my head, wincing at the pain, and saw my mother sitting beside the bed. He
ELIZABETH:It felt strange to be back at school, like stepping into a world that had moved on without me. The familiar sounds of chatter in the hallways, the rustling of papers, the ring of the bell—it all seemed so normal, yet I felt completely out of place. I walked through the halls, my head down, avoiding the stares and whispers that followed me. Everyone knew what had happened. They knew my father had been arrested. They knew about the kidnapping, the beatings, and the gunshot that had nearly killed me. And yet, despite the weight of it all, life around me continued as if nothing had changed.I wasn’t sure if I was ready for any of it.As I made my way to my first class, I spotted Alex standing by the lockers, waiting for me. She caught my eye and gave me a small, sympathetic smile before rushing over to me, her arms outstretched.“Betty, hey!” she greeted me, pulling me into a tight hug. “I’m so glad you’re back. How are you feeling?”I didn’t know how to answer that. I hadn’t