TOUCH THE SOUL

The dark street had no beginning and no end. The thick rope wrapped around her body shriveled so much that even walking was a success. There was nobody in front of her, but the rope lay in endless darkness and moved as if someone were holding it. She yelled and screamed, but her mouth could not be opened. It hurt as she tried to open it, and she noticed with horror that tight threads were being pulled through her pierced lips and her mouth was stitched up. Her bleeding mouth was tearing, leaving drops of blood on the ground. She tried to get rid of the rope. The more she kicked, the more painful the rope was, the more it hurt, but out of the recklessness of fear, she moved without thinking and wanted to rip out the things that hurt her. No matter what she thought, she should be saved no matter what. Even if she's going to die.

She forced herself to stop, but she couldn't. Her body was not listening to her, she was acting on her own. She noticed that the rope was stretched. Her terrified gaze shifted into the darkness, and her eyes widened by her heart pounding to see the person holding the rope.

Slow but loud footsteps began to be heard, and every step was like a bullet in her head, making it heavy. The stench of the limply rotten foot sore her nose post. Intestines dangling from the wound that appeared, shaking with every movement. Blood was everywhere, but the smell of bruised skin and flesh was more unbearable. She wanted to block her nose, close her ears, and rip out her eyes. Her instinct told her to at least close her eyes briefly so that fear would not take over, but she couldn't do any of that. Her eye sockets and nostrils were wide open and she saw him.

Red heart beating through an open broken bone. It was the part of the devastated body that stood the most vibrant and red compared to other parts. She could not take her eyes from his heart, and she did not look at the face that came all the way to the bottom, now only a few inches of rope between them. But she told her to raise the curious glances that she didn't prevent.

The face had no skin. The redness of the muscles was scorched, and the charred piece of meat lifted her stomach. Eye sockets were obvious and the eye sockets were empty. Although it was empty, she knew they were standing on her. With this face, he seemed to wear the smile of brutality. Now she was in the form of the child, looking at him further down the ground made the creature gigantic. He raised his rotten and missing-fingered hand even higher as if trying to strike. She started screaming. Her mouth did not open, but her lips, torn by the widening of the holes made her writhing in pain and shouting more. It seemed to be in an endless cycle.

From the opening mouth of the beast, a gruesome cry broke out and thousands of insects began to come out of his mouth and cover his body. Tears began to pour out of her eyes, shouting more for the end of this torture. The rope tightened more and began to bend at a different angle as if the arms were broken, and a different face appeared before her. This time it was a bony hand holding her. The horror was dressed as a nun this time. The eyeballs were still empty, but the two bright spots inside were bright as if trapping the souls of her victims, and the tormented screams of the dead could be heard. The jet-black mouth that opened in the middle of its white cracked face blew a dark smoke into the air. The girl started to kick and her heart was beating so fast that it would kill her. The bony hand went to her mouth and put her finger over her mouth to silence. The nun smiled and whispered.

"My Treasure"

Scarlet woke up screaming. Her whole body was aching from sweating and spasm. Her eyes were wide open with fear, and her frequent breaths were not enough. Then she felt the two hands holding her. She began to kick and beg her to let go. She calmed down a bit as she pulled over the hands. Her burning eyes, pitying as if they had never been cropped, stopped on the twisted silhouette.

Adrian stared at her with anxious eyes. She did what he would understand much later and regret, but now she needed so much and threw herself into Adrian's open arms. She pressed her hands to the hard back. She leaned firmly on his chest and could not stop the tears from flowing.

She felt his hands winding around her back unsteadily and, after a certain period of time, wrapped tightly and pulled. Being in safe arms was something she had never tasted. She had always been on her own and soothed herself. She cried when she was alone and healed her wounds when she was alone. However, he thought how free it felt to have someone hug her like that. All of the emotions she had been tied up until now appeared as if waiting for the nightmare, and each dropped in drops onto the trust's chest. She cried as if she would never do it again as if this was the last time. His arms never let her go, more embraced as if they wanted to hold her forever.

Adrian grabbed the girl tighter, shaken by sobs in his arms. After he laid Scarlet to bed, her screams had brought him back here, and her writhing in pain meant she was having nightmares. He tried to awaken her, but she struggled even more. He let her go and watched the Scarlet rise in fear and eyes darkening in pain gaze at him. He was surprised at what he was going through with the sudden weight he felt in his lap. That powerful admirable woman was crying with pain in his chest. He hugged her. He caressed her hair as if it were passed. He seemed to know that the words meant little to her, and he showed it through his gestures. He pulled her to himself as she cried. Adrian's heart was also aching because she was in such pain, and it was not something he was used to. He wanted to destroy what hurt her so much, to break it down and to protect it.

The minutes were gone when Scarlet realized what she was doing, and when she recovered, she quickly freed herself from the arms. Adrian's worried and sad eyes stared at her, his arms hovering as if to pull her into his lap again. Scarlet averted her eyes in embarrassment and pulled herself out of his domain and leaned against the headboard of the bed.

"I am so sorry sir. I didn't want to do such a thing. It will not happen again. "Her expressionless voice, cracked with crying, had well-kept her willingness to return to those safe arms. While his heart beating with her heart and the passing of fear and loneliness was as comforting as the hot summer evening it was a dream and the truth was as harsh as winter.

"No need to apologize. It was obvious that you had a pretty bad dream. It's over now, you're safe. " he smiled. He wanted to use more consolation words, but only these came from his lips.

Scarlet's eyes looked at those that felt the calmness of blue waves. He didn't need to say anything. His complex emotions were plain to see through his eyes. Adrian stood up.

"I'll send a maid here. You want to wash your face, maybe I'll tell her to bring some suitable clothes for you. You've been in that armor for hours. Then we will leave immediately, the sun is about to rise and my men are about to come. I'm going now with your permission. " He turned and strode to the door.

"Sir" after a short pause, "thank you"

Adrian turned away and smiled reassuringly.

The special engagement gown Madame Elizabeth sewed for her was finally brought and took her place in her room. Scarlet touched the soft fabric with admiration and dressed with Lydia's help. She climbed onto the platform placed in front of the mirror.

"My lady, you look beautiful." Lydia's admiring gaze was on her.

Scarlet just smiled and admired the soft texture of the dress once again, its radiance.

"You look very nice, my lady. As far as I can see, it has no place to be repaired, it fits your body perfectly and it reveals its eye-catcher."

"Thanks, Lucy, you can come out and please give my thanks to Madam Elizabeth"

Scarlet sat down on her bed with the relief of removing the heavy dress and decided to stay in the room until dinner. In fact, she wanted to wander around the garden or go to the library and look for new books, but the thought of meeting Adrian anywhere flushed her with embarrassment. After that embarrassing thing she had done, she did think he would never look at his face again. Her hands hit her face.

"Come on, Scarlet. Act normal. Remember, the first rule is to stay in control even while you sleep. Never let such a thing happen again. " Her harsh voice helped her revive herself a little. She lay down on her bed again and closed her eyes.