Boom!
The ground beneath her seemed to tremble, but Aria couldn't tell where the explosion had come from. Her heart pounded furiously, her breath labored as she staggered forward. Is someone close by? The thought sparked a shred of hope. With what little strength she had, she cried out, "Help! Help! Somebody!"
Her voice cracked, the words clawing painfully at her throat. "Father, help me," she whispered, her lips trembling as her gaze turned skyward, tears spilling down her cheeks. The sheer weight of fear pressed on her like a suffocating web, her legs trembling as though they might give way any second.
Boom!
This time the noise was louder, closer. It reverberated through the air, igniting her panic further. Aria's mind began to drift, her focus splitting between the path ahead and the ominous sounds behind her. She involuntarily looked behind her against her will.
Her foot snagged on a vine, and she stumbled forward, crashing into the thorn-laden undergrowth. Sharp pain exploded across her skin as the thorns pierced through her arms and legs. She hissed through clenched teeth, she was sure it was going to leave ugly scars,but who cares when there were more important thing to worry about.
Another thunderous sound tore through the air,the source a lot more closer causing she and her chasers who stopped abruptly to look towards the source but the path was heavily fogged. They all had visible frowns on their faces as it had been the road they had been on,none of them could make out what was happening or where the fog came from. The fog stretched before them like a foreboding curtain, and they exchanged uneasy glances.
"You, you, you! Go check what happen!" The lanky one barked, his choppy English emphasized by exaggerated hand gestures. "Me stay here. Me take vely good care of her. She no escape, ah!"
The others hesitated, clearly wary of the fog and what might lie within it. But after a tense moment of muttered deliberation, they relented. Casting distrustful glances over their shoulders, they trudged toward the hazy unknown, leaving Aria who was still on the ground in pain with the lanky one. Her present condition would make it easier for the lanky one to tackle her without much difficulty,so she wouldn't escape easily.
As soon as they were out of sight, the man turned to her, a malicious grin spreading across his face,his junior bulging out as he let out a low moan. His eyes roved over her in a way that made her stomach churn. "Me no want to do this, but madam wanted me," he murmured, his tone feigning innocence as he took a step closer.
Aria's eyes darted around, searching desperately for anything she could use as a weapon. But her surroundings were barren, offering no salvation.
"Ha, ha, ha! Me don't want you running—no fun. Don't you agree?" His laugh was guttural, almost animalistic, and it sent a shiver crawling up her spine. He tugged at his waistband, his pants falling to his ankles with a heavy thud. She felt absolutely disgusted with the view in front of her.
"Me show you this. You surprise." He said as he moved to his shorts undoing it, sticking his tongue out with eyes fixated between his shorts and on Aria,he looked like he was ready to jump on Aria any minute.
"There must be something. Anything." She whispered, panic clawing at her throat. "What should I do?" Her weak body refused to cooperate as she frantically scanned her surroundings again. But just as she looked up, "Ahhhhhhhhh!" She let out a shrill deafening scream. His last bit of decency glided down his calf, with his junior shamelessly standing, lifting up his shirt.
"Hahaha, me told you be surprise. Me will take it easy on you," he chuckled darkly, his strides growing bolder.
He grabbed her shoulder, yanking her upright. The motion sent a fresh wave of pain through her thorn-pierced limbs, and she winced.
But then, desperation kicked in. With every ounce of strength left in her, Aria lifted her knee and drove it into his groin.
"AHHHHHHH!" The man howled, doubling over as he clutched himself, his face contorted in agony. He released her, and she stumbled backward, landing on the ground but wasting no time. He had been too focused on what he wanted,forgetting what he could get.
She scrambled to her feet and ran, her legs burning and the thorns embedded in her flesh tearing at her every step. Pain seared through her body, but she pushed forward, refusing to look back for fear of losing precious seconds.
Her lungs screamed for air, her heart thundering in her ears, but she didn't stop. The man's groans faded into the distance behind her, and she silently thanked whatever strength had allowed her to kick him hard enough to buy herself this moment.
Then, through the blur of her tears and exhaustion, she saw a glimmer of hope – a building. It appeared unremarkable, its plain exterior almost mocking in its normalcy.
Without hesitation, she stumbled toward it, her pace slowing as fatigue began to weigh her down. The closer she got, the larger the structure loomed, and an uneasy feeling settled in her chest.
The building was far more labyrinthine than it had seemed at first glance. Every hallway looked the same, the oppressive silence broken only by her ragged breathing. Aria felt as though she were running in circles, the walls mocking her with their endless, identical twists and turns.
Her thoughts turned to the farm owner who had strictly forbidden them from venturing deeper into the property. He had given no clear reason, and no one had dared to question him. Now, trapped in this maze-like nightmare, she cursed her naivety.
Why did she come here alone? The thought was fleeting as her survival instincts kicked in once more. She couldn't afford regret right now.
"Help!" she called out, her voice hoarse. Even as doubt crept in, she clung to the sliver of hope that someone—anyone—might hear her.
Then she saw it—the way out. Her heart soared with relief as she staggered toward the exit. Her persistence was not in vain.
"Hel—"
The word caught in her throat as she froze in her tracks.
Ahead, just beyond the doorway, stood the three men who had been sent into the fog. Their backs were to her, but the mere sight of them sent cold dread pooling in her stomach.
She was caught,already?!
Her blood ran cold as she realized she'd stumbled straight into the lion's den. For a fleeting second, she considered retreating, but her body was too weak, her mind too frazzled.
She stood rooted to the spot as the three men made a swift turn towards her.