CHAPTER 078
CHAPTER 078
«TRISTAN'S POINT OF VIEW»
Snap, snap, snap!
The sharp sound of snapping fingers pulled me from the depths of unconsciousness. My eyes fluttered open, but everything in front of me was nothing more than a blur of shapes and colors. I shook my head, trying to get rid of the haze clouding my vision, but before I could properly focus, a cold liquid was suddenly splashed across my face.
Instantly, I jerked and shivered violently as the freezing water stung my skin and seeped into my eyes. My vision became even more obscured until a cloth was dragged across my face, wiping away the water.
Slowly, my sight cleared to find a woman in front of me. My eyes widened as her pale lips curled into a smirk and her blue orbs glimmered with amusement.
“Hello, Jarvis’s friend.” She waved cheerfully at me, and horror finally struck me to the core.
“How come you’re here?” The words left my mouth in disbelief, my voice hoarse and unsteady. Before she could answer, a strong breeze swept across my skin, sending another violent shiver through my body. The cold water soaking my clothes clung uncomfortably to me, and it was only then that I noticed my surroundings.
Towering trees stretched overhead, their branches swaying gently in the wind. Dry leaves littered the forest floor, mixed with patches of green undergrowth. Behind me, I could hear the relentless rush of a stream, its current crashing against rocks. Then I realized why I couldn’t move.
My hands and legs had been tied to the thick branches of a tree.
“Hope you’re alright. I asked a doctor to check up on you.” She ignored my question entirely and reached out to brush the strands of hair sticking to my forehead behind my ear.
“You nearly died, poor thing.” Her fingers lingered as she absentmindedly patted and stroked my hair, as though we were old friends instead of whatever this was.
What was going on? How had I gotten here? And why was this woman from LA standing in front of me? I thought she had been arrested. Had she escaped again? And more importantly, what did she want from me?
“I’m glad that you still remember me. How’s Jarvis? Levi?” She grinned widely, too widely, as the smile reached her eyes, making the glint in them even more unsettling. Fear tightened its grip around my chest, and I struggled against the ropes, ignoring the way the rough fibers dug into my skin and cut through my flesh.
“You’ll get hurt. She said not to hurt you yet.” She tilted her head, pouting slightly. “Though I would have loved torturing your little mind.”
I stared at her as she bounced excitedly on her feet, clapping her hands together, her eyes suddenly bright and cheerful. The contrast between her words and her expression made my stomach twist.
“What do you want from me? Let me go!” I yanked at the ropes again, but it quickly became obvious that it was a complete waste of time.
“That question isn’t for me. I’m just following her stupid orders.” Her expression darkened almost immediately. Walking over to a fallen branch, she sat down and crossed her legs with a dramatic sigh. “Are you hungry? I could get you some food.”
I averted my gaze, my mind suddenly overflowing with questions as everything came rushing back to me. The force of the memories made my body jerk, and the biting cold only worsened the pounding in my head while the sticky fabric of my drenched clothes clung to my skin, freezing me to the bone, and I realized that my teeth were beginning to chatter uncontrollably.
Did my stepmom do this? What happened after I passed out?
I shook my head. I shouldn’t be thinking too much. It wasn’t good for me, and I couldn’t afford to lose consciousness again. Not now. I had to stay awake. I had to figure out what was happening and solve the mystery before it was too late.
Slowly, I let my head drop and closed my eyes for a brief moment, allowing the cold to do whatever it wanted to my exhausted body. This wasn’t where I was finally going to die, was I? Why did this have to happen to me?
~~
Hours passed with no sign of anyone. The crazy woman had walked off long ago, murmuring something about finding food, leaving me alone in the dark forest with nothing but the irritating chirping of crickets and the rushing sound of the stream behind me.
Why was this happening to me all of a sudden? What was going on?
I felt worn out and exhausted, barely able to keep my eyes open. At that point, I was only standing because of the ropes digging into my wrists and ankles, holding me upright against the tree. Every muscle in my body ached from the cold and the strain, and the dampness of my clothes only made it worse. Slowly, my head drooped forward.
The darkness around me grew heavier, swallowing the sounds of the forest one by one until, eventually, I let myself slip into unconsciousness, leaving my fate to the night and whatever creatures lurked in the woods.
«FLASHBACK»
“Someone call an ambulance!”
My dad's voice rang over my head while I continued to stare at the horrifying scene before me: the limp body of my half-brother lying in his mother's arms.
I watched as Sean immediately dropped to his knees, pressing two fingers against Dean's neck, but everything that happened next became a blur. The voices around me faded into meaningless noise as my gaze drifted downward.
My hands. They were covered in blood; Dean's blood.
Suddenly, my chest tightened painfully as panic gripped me.
I killed Dean. I killed my brother.
Suddenly, I heard voices; Sean, Dad, Mrs. Benita. They were all shouting over one another, their words crashing into my head.
Murderer. The accusation echoed inside me again and again until I could barely breathe. And Panic exploded in my chest, and my breaths came out short and uneven.
“Tristan, look at me.”
I lifted my head and found Sean staring down at me, concern etched across his face.
“I killed him.”
“No, you didn't. Calm down!” He placed a hand on my chest, but I shoved him away and bolted down the stairs.
“TRISTAN!”
I heard his voice and the sound of his footsteps racing after me, but by then, I had already burst through the front door. Without thinking, I jumped into the first car I saw. By some miracle, the keys were still inside. My trembling hands twisted the ignition, and the engine roared to life.
With one violent turn of the wheel, I sped out through the wide-open gate, narrowly missing the guard. My vision burned red as I tore onto the road, instantly greeted by angry horns and shouts from passing drivers.
But I didn't care. I drove faster.
“WHAT THE FUCK?!”
My scream filled the car as I slammed my fists against the steering wheel, frustration and terror clawing at my insides while my vision blurred with unshed tears.
I clamped my hand over my mouth, desperately trying to suppress the sob threatening to escape, while my other hand remained locked around the wheel.
What had I done? What had I done?!
I killed Dean. I killed Dean. I was a murderer.
The thoughts consumed me one after another. I lowered my head and slammed it against the steering wheel repeatedly, gripping it so tightly that my knuckles turned white.
Without warning, I jerked the car into a sharp turn, but when I finally looked up, my heart nearly stopped.
Ahead of me stood a stop sign and a group of construction workers, all screaming and waving their arms, desperately trying to get me to stop. My foot immediately shot toward the brake pedal, but there was nothing there. My eyes widened in horror as I looked down: no brakes. What the fuck?!
Panic ripped through me as I yanked the wheel to the side, narrowly missing the workers. The tires screeched against the road, but before I could regain control, the car slammed straight into a massive truck.
The impact killed the engine instantly. My head crashed against the steering wheel, and warm blood began to trickle down my forehead. Dazed, I lifted my head just in time to hear a deafening groan of metal.
Then I saw it. The truck was tipping over. And just like that, time seemed to slow as the enormous vehicle came crashing down on top of me, crushing the car and forcing me deeper into my seat. An unbearable pain exploded through my chest while fear swallowed me whole.
My screams mixed with the distant cries of other people, their voices echoing around me as darkness slowly crept into the corners of my vision.
And then, one by one, the sounds faded away, everything disappeared, and I was left with nothing but darkness.
I deserved it.