Hunted

Alisha raised her head, her doe-sized eyes filled with terror and innocence simultaneously, met his gaze.

Shock etched on her face as she struggled to decipher his words, aware they carried more weight than they seemed.

“I said stand up, sweetheart. Did you hear me?” Alice commanded, one eyebrow raised, jaw clenched.

Too weak from standing too long, Alisha felt immobilised.

It wasn't just fatigue, but fear rendering her unable to move; the metallic tang of blood assaulting her senses, the dampness on her neck and feet screaming of the dire situation.

Summoning all her strength, she rose, keeping her gaze fixed on him, knowing any shift would only provoke him further.

“You know what you've done wrong?” Alice's voice, cold as ice, pierced the silence.

That's exactly how he sounded—cold and dangerous.

Wrong? Alisha replayed the scene in her mind, struggling to identify her error.

She couldn't recall any misstep; it was him twisting her words, unfairly blaming her and growing increasingly irate.

“Are you going to take business hours to answer my questions? I don't have endless patience, and your delay is testing it,” Alice's annoyance tinged his voice as he glowered at her.

“I won't,” Alisha replied.

“What, you're not an angel?” He sneered, blood still trickling from his injured hand.

“I mean, I won't take hours,” she clarified.

“Then I'm still waiting for an answer,” Alice mocked, settling into his chair.

His eyes fixed on Alisha like a predator eyeing its prey—hungry, ready to consume her without her even realising.

Alisha swallowed hard, feeling the weight of his gaze bearing down on her. She knew she had to tread carefully, every word measured, every movement calculated.

"I'm trying to understand," she began, her voice shaky but resolute. "But I need clarity. What exactly do you want from me?"

Alice's expression hardened, though the tension in the room remained palpable.

"I want honesty," he replied, his tone less icy but still laced with authority. "You have ten seconds.”

Alisha nodded, her heart pounding in her chest. She knew she had to play along, at least for now, until she could find a way out of this nightmare.

"I'll do my best," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Good," Alice said, leaning back in his chair. "Because trust me, you don't want to see what happens when I run out of patience."

Alisha shuddered at the implied threat, her mind racing with possibilities.

The consequences looming over her if she failed to provide the desired response were daunting. Truth be told, she wasn't even sure what he wanted; he hurled words and anger, and she was left to gather them up.

It felt like his game, his rules, and here she was, attempting to decipher the game he was playing.

"Time's up, Angel. Ten seconds should have been enough to snap you out of it. Now, answer," he demanded.

"I know my mistake. I shouldn't be looking at anyone with pity," Alisha blurted out, processing his words in her head.

"That's only part of it, Angel. You shouldn't look at anyone with any emotion in your eyes except for me. Pity, care, anything—you reserve them all for me," Alice asserted possessively.

Alisha felt a chill run down her spine at his possessive tone. It was as if he believed he owned not just her actions, but her very emotions.

"But why?" she dared to question, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Because I said so," he replied sharply, his eyes narrowing.

Alisha bit her lip, suppressing the urge to argue further. She knew it was futile.

With a heavy heart, she resigned herself to the fact that her only choice was to obey his every command, no matter how irrational or oppressive they seemed.

"So, what do we do when someone makes a mistake, Angel?"

"If they apologise, we give them another chance," Alisha responded, her voice trembling slightly.

"What other chance, sweetheart? What if we don't want to accept the apology? Then what should we do with people who've done something wrong?" Alice's voice was stern, his eyes piercing into hers.

"I... I don't know," Alisha replied, her uncertainty evident. She knew exactly what he wanted to hear, but she couldn't bring herself to say it.

How could she advocate for her punishment, he thinks she did? It was unthinkable.

Alisha's heart pounded in her chest as she struggled to maintain her composure under his intense eyes.

Alice's lips curled into a menacing smile, sensing her hesitation.

"You don't know?" he repeated, his tone dripping with disdain. "Seems like someone needs a lesson in obedience."

Alisha clenched her fists, willing herself to remain strong. She couldn't let him see how much his words rattled her.

"I'll... I'll try to do better," she stammered, her voice barely audible.

Alice's smile widened, a predatory glint in his eyes.

"Oh, you will," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "Believe me, you will.”

Alisha felt a surge of dread, fearing the worst if she didn't comply with his demands.

“You said you'll do better, right? Well, let me tell you what I do with those who make mistakes. Personally, I like to kill them,” Alice's expression remained devoid of emotion as he spoke.

Alisha's legs trembled, her eyes widening in shock as her heart raced uncontrollably.

She struggled to steady herself, a whirlwind of thoughts racing through her mind at the ease with which he uttered those chilling words.

‘Kill? Is he going to kill me?’ Alisha's thoughts raced, her mind consumed by fear.

Alisha's breath caught in her throat as the reality of her situation sank in. She had always known Alice was capable of cruelty, but the casualness with which he spoke of taking a life sent shivers down her spine.

She fought to maintain her composure, but inside, panic threatened to overwhelm her. Every instinct screamed at her to run, to find a way out of this nightmare before it was too late.

But where could she go? Alice held all the power, and she was trapped.

As she stood there, frozen in fear, Alice's eyes bore into her with an intensity that made her feel like prey being hunted by a predator. And in that moment, Alisha realised just how truly dangerous he was.

She had always found him intimidating, but today she had to admit, he was more than just scary—he was downright terrifying.