'Running almost barefoot would be better'!Celina thought in distress, her breath turning to uncontrollable pants with each race through the unpaved bushes.
She couldn't believe her guts of running away from these thugs, what was she thinking? that she could outrun them and find an escape in this dense place.
The environment was serene from the sounds of the birds and gentle waves of leaves aligning to the breeze. Nature was so oblivious to her problems, ever since her foot stumped on this land. This place scared the hell out of her, she could have ran to the other side of the road.
But it was too risky and it would have been so easy to find her, before she made three steps away. Running towards unknown darkness into the bushes, unpaved paths where one wouldn't know what's lurking behind seems like the last option.
What made her heart gnaw in fear more was that it seems to be a private place because she felt there was walls around, leading to a gate.
Was she trapped ?
No matter how hard Celina tried to shake the feeling out. It refused to budge out of her mind. The thought remained there unfazed. But if it was a private place why was it unkept, the paths were not well-tarred, bushes overgrown to the extent it looks like a wild, dense Forest.
She had to look for the tail end of this place even though her feet was getting swollen, even though she is unable to catch her breath, even when the thugs decide to start shooting.
'Escape' is her motto and by all means, she had to survive to see her father again even if it takes her forever.
As coldness seeped through Celina thumping heart and the men swearing at her trying to match her fast pace and surround her.
Celina felt her determination to escape hanging by a thread, they would soon get to her. Instead of her willpower to be more activated yet her energy was drained with each passing moment.
Maybe it was because her swollen foot couldn't bear it anymore or was it her legs getting whips from the wild bushes and some little stings from the impact.
For sometime..In between her racing heart, her stepmom repeated words rang in her head 'You are just chubby and disgusting" tears clogged in Celina's eyes daring to fall.
For once.. with just a silver lining of hope she wished someone could help her..anyone! In this hopless reality.
One thing was sure, if these men get to her she would be tortured without any remorsefulness by whoever commanded them to harm her and for attempting to escape.
Afterall, a whole bunch of huge men were at her back trying to meet up, adding to the 'Torture list' the strength they are wasting just to achieve their aim of recapturing her.
'Their prey'. It felt like a bile in her throat, clogging, threatening, almost taking the breath out of her.
If she was a little bit curvy like most women and not this chubby then she wouldn't have slimmer chances like now. It was damn unbelievable that she got the strength to run like this.
Blame it on athletics back in school, it sounded like torture then when high schoolers were forced to engage in school sports but it was what redeemed her today.
Her body ached from her head down to her foot, the fluffy hoodie gown couldn't warm her anymore. What she only felt was ardeline flowing through her veins turning her movements into running and tripping on her toes almost every moment.
From the hard sounds of thumping boots and yells behind it made her breath catch in her throat and eyes brimming with unshed tears.
It was too much to bear on her weightless shoulders. More than a woman could take.
Before her eyes blinked twice. Her voice echoed loudly, full of fear and uncertainty.
'I am doomed' How did they get to her so fast!
she stood in the center like a little prey, 'her escape plan' hanging by a whisp, drained of all her energy, legs shaking, torrents of blood flowing in her veins out of relief from no more running.
Because her body couldn't withold it anymore.
From panting heavily to the hard beats of her racing heart as each of the thugs revealed how fully armed they were with their different kinds of guns, One held a long, heavy chain in his hand, smiling with his blackned teeths and shapely knives became visible to her eyes not exactly same sizes etc..daring her not to try something stupid that may cost her life.
She was surrounded by dangerous armed men whose faces held devious smiles. They would toture her without remorsefulness now she was caught in their nest.
Tears slid down her cheeks soaking the hoodie covering her face. Looking down her boots were covered in particles of wet sands and grass, few scratches on her legs with dots of dried blood.
Her observations were cut short from, A tall bulky man with a wide smile named Akash, who was grinning from cheek to cheek muttered, "Ohh I really enjoyed playing a little tag with u darling." then his grin speared over his face, sending chills down Celina's spine.
Flexing his muscles as if preparing for a fight, had a dark expression on his face. Then, almost immediately "But I doubt it was fun for us...right men?."
As his face half- glaring at her and angled almost in a side view to his men, as they all agreed each wearing a grin over their faces.
Akash then moved four hurried steps but there was still a gap between them, noticing fear in Celina movements, taking a step back, trying to pull a brave front made him laugh.
"Sweetie we won't hurt u...we just want to have a little bit of fun" Akash reassured her ironically
as the rest laughed mockingly.
"I can't wait to feel her on me...it would be explosive" Another added, which earned a laugh from the rest again, their gazes lingering on their prey lustfully, thinking how pleasurable it would feel to have her.
"Don't you think so m'lady. " Akash pureed, licking his lips why staring at her body lustfully "You can make a crestfallen soul, happy by just looking at your curves and pretty face."
From the corner of his eyes, He saw the beautiful lady making an attempt to fold her arms over herself, her legs shaking out of fear.
"No need to shake darling, daddy would take care of you," His eyes blinked. "Don't you think so to". Noticing how the fear crawled up from her legs to body into a noticeable shaking.
He liked that very much, whether it was fear! He didn't give a damm. Nothing pleasure him more than when girls turn feeble in this kind of circumstances, tossing out every shred of their bravado.
It made things more easier to corner them and heightened a familiar feeling that he was in total control and the victim could do anything he purely wishes without struggles.
Akash features turned fiery, as she removed her hoodie, seeing the angry glint in the lady's eyes and took steps backwards, accessing the place to run.
"Now I'm being nice" One of the thugs ordered.
"Come here else what we would do next won't be funny" Akash thundered, the smug smile wiped off his face.
Celina's teeth shutters, body shivering and dried tears visible on her face, yet took a step back slowly.
They walked towards her in a measured pace. Deadly. As she made move to run but tripped on a stone and fell the hoodie covering her face once more, which earned laughter from them as they fully surrounded her, watching their prey with amusement in their eyes.
Tears continued to stream down her face. It was hopeless but what made her situation more unredeemable is they could hold her captive but instead they surrounded her, enjoying her failed attempts.
Celina knew without doubts it was the end!!
No one to run to.
Nowhere to escape.
No shred of hope to hold onto..Just fully surrounded by them like a prey.
But instead of shrinking back, not allowing fear to cloud her more. Thoughts of What could she do now? Swamped through her mind.
SHE couldn't FATHOM their next move. Still on the ground, she dragged her body backwards...pace by pace. Instead of the thugs acting, she heared comments/calls of 'Such a sexy bitch'. 'It seems we caught a firey one, unwilling to give up'. 'Purley not a dumb mate in bed' as their laughter spilled in echoes heightening her fear.
In a twinkle of an eye she stood up when their guards were down by laughing.
Their expressions were in total disbelief wondering when she stood up so fast as they walked towards her dangerously before she could run and reenact the determination back in full swing.
Not seeing her paths clearly, she tripped on a stone again and fell, laughing at her final failed attempts to run from them and walked closer threatening her with their presence.
"I thought I told you,,you can't run from me. No one can save you now" Laughter spilled from their mouths, the echoes shook her entire body.
Their moods turned ugly instantly, tears burned in her eyes, expecting the worst. This was it....No more running!
"We are done being nice Beauri". As she felt unkept fingers gripped her right arm, power exuding his hold on her. The force made her kneel before them. Another made move to grab her dainty wrist, the force irregulating the normal blood flow in her veins and Another thug holding a big stick, a deep sneer playing on his lips.
"Now now easy dear.,". One of the thugs paused, grinning at the end of his lips.
He questioned "Do u know why I like fragile girls". Then a brief silence when the prey didn't muster any word of reply. His fingers rubbed her dark curl's humming at the silkness of it.
Then, sinking his fingers in the mass of her hair, as the fiery lass adamantly shook her head sideways, finding it difficult for him to hold. Swiftly, he grabbed her hair, tightly.
Celina being adamant, gritted her teeth in helplessness. As he grabbed her hair hard again, the sharp sting from the roots of her hair, tore a scream from her lips.
"Believe it or not." The thug muttered, as his fingertips trailed to her neck and enclosed over it, making her choke, struggling for breath.
"Do you know why I like feeble girls". Gripping her neck harder as she choked, coughing, hitching for breath, red marks were begining to show on her neck.
"Be a good girl and answer me".
He commanded as she coughed harder her breath coming in shorts "Else you die before we even start with you". Their gaze met as his keen eyes watched her reddened ones. Her life was on the end yet she still struggled, trying to get away from his grip, It stunned him beyond measure.
This fiery lass was a hell out stubborn!!
"Do you" The thug yelled. The impact dragged off the hoodie from her face.
Finally, he saw tears spill down her cheeks, bursts of spits out of her mouth, dripping on his hands as she nodded her head relentlessly in negative to his question, fear displayed in her emotions.
With both of her arms being held by the other thugs, she couldn't tap on his hands enclosed on her neck...'To let go of her '.
The thug smiled mischievously and reduced his grip,while she coughed out loud, exhaling in relief and shaking her head sideways, to get his hands off her.
She bit her lips hard when the grip of the other thugs holding her, heightened pain to her bones. It seemed the thug holding her neck noticed cos he raised his eyebrows to the others as they let go of her and walked backwards.
A deep sound of relief left her mouth, while her shaky fingers rubbed her right arm.
The thug then tightened his grip a little on her neck again. His mocking voice lowered, "Just a little bit of pain you almost died, if we start with you, I'm a hundred percent sure, you won't last for more than thirty minutes ". Celina face straightened in defiance yet a drop of tear slid down her cheeks.
The thug answered his previous question "Because they can't be fighting for their life, when their life is on the end...so stop trying to put on a brave front and succumb to me".
She knee-deep the thug hard on his groin as his hands slid from her neck.The thug winced in pain. Celina breathed fast about to run but unfortunately, huge hands gripped her firmly.
Her whole body trembled beneath her, the cool night air prickling her skin like a thousand needles.
Tears streaked down her cheeks, drying into salty trails that stung her skin. The thugs menacing laughter echoed through the darkness, making her heart racing.
She stepped back slowly, her eyes fixed on the thugs, but her mind screamed..Escape. run. Survive!
A shrill sound rose from her throat, tears slid down her cheeks as one of the thugs wielding a stick raised it over her head. While, the other thug held her tightly, so tight that it was difficult to shake him off.
The stick came down slowly, Celina shut her eyes abruptly, torn between shutting off her vision before they struck and fighting to break loose of their hold.
Calloused strong palms covered her mouth, her spit covered his palms, turning her screams into muffled gasps, the thug didn't relent. Instead, the one welding a stick dropped it lower almost in close contact to her head.
Her vision became blurry, waiting for the sharp pain....all she heard was muffled breathing, a rush of air as though something had been pushed away from her, the weight around her body was light compared to seconds ago, like there was no sense of threat.
Minutes later, what her ears could pick were sounds of someone screaming in pain. Someone? No. It was like mixed voices of different people yelling, groans. It was real not a figment of her imagination.
She could feel pain, not see it but could even follow it, it filled her ears like bells ringing from afar.
But in this circumstance, no bell, no sounds just a simple girl trying to get away from her complex family, didn't have the chance to hold her father palms once more.
And, she found herself in a dangerous woods with huge armed men chasing her at every turn. Now, she could hear different sounds around her and unwilling to blink her eyes open.
What the hell is happening? Moments ago she could have lost consciousness, yet.
Yet! A tiny voice rang in her mind, she didn't feel pain, no blankness.
Absolutely nothing!!
To the extent it made her feel pain. Hits like a force being subjected to another force, going against each other.
Her eyes fluttered open and for the first time, she gasped like she was in awe of something mesmerizing and then dumbstruck for a long moment.
Celina's eyes fluttered open, and she gasped. Before her stood a towering figure, his strong thighs and athletic legs radiating power. Moonlight danced across his chiseled chest, exposed by the undone buttons of his shirt. Each stride exuded confidence as he overpowered the thugs.
His eyes locked onto hers, piercing and silvery blue. Celina's breath caught. Golden hair curled slightly at the nape of his neck, inviting her touch. A hint of beard framed his sharp jawline, accentuating his beauty.
She felt lost in his gaze.
Their eyes met, and Celina's cheeks flushed. She quickly lowered her eyes, her hoodie shielding most of her face, except for her jaw.
Her brain stooped functioning from the moment her gaze locked on him, completely left in awe by the sight, she saw from his strong thighs supported by his athletic legs.
He was too tall and broad, his chisled chest was glistening under the moonlight, like a Sexy Greek God
His strides as he overpowered the thugs were graceful then she noticed his eyes were fixed as if targeting every move of the thugs, and knowing the exact moment to strike.... followed by him punching, kicking and then striking one in the elbow, jawline and body.
When he turned towards her again, Her lips parted in a wide 'o' and quicky masked her sounds by covering her mouth with her palms.
Theos!! He was not of this world, He was dazzling at every little movements made.
His structured face wasn't handsome, He was not beautiful but FUCKING BEAUTIFUL. His dark hair that was a little curly full and wet, Celina imagined running her hands from the down, scratching and pulling at the ends.
His eyes glistned. Dark eyes. like I could get lost in there, his clear cut jawline with a hint of beard. He was the most beautiful man she'd ever laid eyes on.
Their eyes met by chance,for the third time and their gazes collided, and a rush of warmth swept across her face. She flushed, her cheeks burning with a shy intensity, as if caught off guard by the unexpected connection.
For a fleeting instant, time stood still, and the world around them melted away, leaving only the two pairs of locked gazes.
The air vibrated with unspoken tension.
Then, suddenly, she looked away, her lashes fluttering downward like butterfly wings, breaking the spell.
Her hoodie covering most part of her jaw, leaving a lingering sense of connection ready to be entwined again.