7. Kali

7

KALI

A lice sleeps soundly on the hay bale. I don't understand how she can sleep. I sit nearby, knees curled to my chest, unable to rest despite the late hour.

Soft footsteps draw my attention, and I look up to find Luna staring at me. "Can't sleep?" she asks.

I shake my head. "No, you?"

She shakes her head, glancing enviously at Alice. Gently, she sits down beside me, silence filling the space between us.

"What does Matias do to you?" She asks, breaking the silence.

I tense at Luna's question, a knot forming in my stomach. How could she know about Matias taking me? I always assumed they were asleep when he came for me in the dead of night.

"What do you mean?" I ask, feigning ignorance.

Luna studies me carefully. "You know what I'm talking about, Kali. The nights he comes and takes you away."

My cheeks flush with shame and anger. So they did know. They just never said anything. The thought of confiding the degrading things Matias does to me makes me feel sick, even though I love being with him.

What is wrong with me?

"I don't want to talk about it," I mutter, staring at the ground.

Luna gently touches my arm. "Kali, I'm here for you, no matter what. You can tell me."

I swallow hard, fighting back the tears that threaten to spill over. How can I put into words the humiliation, the violation, the twisted sense of desire he stirs in me against my will? Just the thought of saying it out loud fills me with dread.

"It's nothing," I murmur, avoiding her probing stare. "Just... training."

Luna places her hand on mine, steadying my trembling fingers. "You don't have to protect me, Kali. You can talk about it with me."

Luna's soft voice pierces the silence, gently probing. I know she senses my unease, the turmoil beneath my outward calm. With a sigh, I decide to confide in her. After all, we're in this nightmare together.

"He started off by touching me, kissing me. But last night, it was different." I swallow hard, remembering how it felt while I ran through the woods. "Matias told me he'd free me, but there was a condition. "

Luna's eyes widen. "What condition?" she asks, leaning closer.

"I had to escape him. Run away. But it was a game, Luna. A twisted game." I bite my lip, recalling the thrill of the chase, the heady mix of fear and excitement. "He's so much faster than me. I knew I couldn't outrun him, but I tried. I ran through the woods, my heart pounding. I was sure he'd catch me and?—"

"And?" Luna prompts, her breath hitching.

"And he did. But instead of..." I trail off, my cheeks burning with shame. "He brought me back here instead of doing what I expected."

Luna's eyes search mine, her expression a mix of confusion and worry. "What did you expect him to do, Kali?"

I shake my head, unable to meet her gaze. "Nothing. It doesn't matter. The point is, he didn't hurt me. He wanted to play this sick game." I pause, my voice dropping to a whisper. "He gets off on the chase, Luna. The thrill of the hunt."

Luna's hand finds mine again, squeezing. "That son of a bitch. We'll get out of here, Kali. We'll escape him and never look back."

Her words only highlight the twisted reality of my situation. Escape Matias? Even the thought fills me with a strange and empty sadness. There's an undeniable truth beneath the fear and manipulation—I no longer want to run from him.

I stare at Luna, my heart pounding in my chest. " Luna..." I begin, my voice trembling. "I don't think I want to escape him anymore."

The words hang heavy while shock registers on Luna's face. She opens her mouth, then closes it again, at a loss for words.

"Kali, what are you saying?" she asks, her brow furrowed with concern.

I chew on the inside of my cheek. "The game we played last night, the chase through the woods, awakened something in me."

Luna's eyes widen, and I see the realization dawning on her. "You enjoyed it," she whispers.

My cheeks flush with shame. "At first, I was terrified. The thought of Matias catching me, of what he might do..." I shudder, remembering the adrenaline coursing through my veins. "But then, as I ran, something shifted. The fear became exhilarating."

Luna shakes her head, her expression one of disbelief. "Kali, you can't be serious. He's our captor and pretty fucking unhinged one."

"I know," I say, my voice barely audible. "But there's something about Matias that draws me in despite everything."

I think back to the moments before he let me go, the intensity in his eyes, the way his touch sent shivers down my spine. "When he caught me, I expected the worst. But instead, he made me feel better than any man has ever made me feel. And I didn't want to run anymore."

Luna's hand finds mine. "Kali, this is Stockholm Syndrome. He's manipulating you, twisting your mind. "

I shake my head, tears stinging my eyes. "Maybe. But maybe it's something more. Maybe this is what I need, Luna. The thrill, the danger, the chase."

Luna's expression softens, and she pulls me into a tight embrace. "Oh, Kali," she murmurs. "I don't understand it, but I'm here for you. We'll get through this together, no matter what."

As I cling to her, I know she's right. No matter what twisted desires I harbor or how much I crave Matias's attention, my friends are my lifeline. Together, we'll navigate this nightmare, one twisted game at a time.