Chapter 6: A Prison of Betrayal

A Life in Hiding

The single house perched at the boundary of a black forest, the windows black and ominous. Sarah propped herself against the sink in the kitchen, her gaze upon the trees, her fingers gripping the edge of the sink. The silence was overwhelming, only sometimes broken by the groan of the floorboards or the distant voice of Vitro as he complained to himself in the other room.

Since their twisted reunion, Sarah had been confined to the role of Vitro's dutiful wife. He had become more controlling, more paranoid. He drank excessively, his rage flaring at the smallest insult. The man she thought that she loved no longer existed, overshadowed by a volatile stranger who monitored every move.

Sarah spent her days confined in a monotonous cycle of cooking, cleaning, and avoiding Vitro's wrath. She was cut off from the world, having no phone, car, or way of flight. The isolation was making her crazy, but it was tension that ground her down. Every word, every gesture, seemed to be existing on the edge of a knife.

One evening, Sarah was preparing to set up the dinner table when Vitro ran into the dining room, eyes red-rimmed, reeking of liquor. "Where's my whiskey?" he yelled, voice astringent.

"I left it in the cupboard," replied Sarah softly.

Vitro slung his palm down hard upon the dinner table, where it joggled plates about. "I told you to place it on the countertop!" roared Vitro.

Sarah flinched but did not utter a word. She had learned early on that arguing was never the way. She poured over the whiskey and placed it in front of him, her hands trembling. Vitro glared at her for a moment before he poured himself a glass, his rage fading as quickly as it had come up.

As Sarah settled down to eat, she could feel the familiar pair of eyes on her. Aleksa stood in the doorway, arms crossed on her chest, and a scowl smeared across her face. "You're learning," she spat at her, voice full of contempt. "You're almost here.".

Sarah avoided her, head bent, eating, but the taunt stung. She knew Aleksa enjoyed seeing her miserable and it was only a question of time before taunts turned violent.

Aleksa's Meanness

Aleksa used to dislike Sarah because she was Vitro's second wife, but now it had turned malignant. Aleksa enjoyed making her miserable and was on the lookout for opportunities to sabotage her at every turn.

One afternoon, Sarah was hanging clothes outside when Aleksa appeared, leaning against the railing of the porch. "You know," she said matter-of-factly, "Vitro keeps you around only because he thinks that he can control you. When he gets tired of you, however, you'll be like Mary."

Sarah's fingers froze on the line. She glared at Aleksa, her heart pounding. "What are you saying?" she demanded, even though she already knew the answer.

Aleksa's smirk widened. "Mary thought she was special too. But when she stopped being useful, Vitro got rid of her. Just like he'll get rid of you."

Sarah's stomach churned, but she forced herself to stay calm. "I'm not Mary," she said, her voice steady.

Aleksa laughed, a cold, humorless sound. "No, you're not. Mary at least had some fight in her. You're just a scared little girl playing house."

The words cut deep, but Sarah refused to let Aleksa see her pain. She finished hanging the laundry in silence, her mind racing. She's right, Sarah thought. I'm not Mary. But I'm not going to end up like her either.

Mary's Ghost

Sarah lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. The house was quiet, but the silence was suffocating, crushing. She closed her eyes, trying to sleep, but the image of Mary's corpse flashed before her eyes.

Suddenly, she heard a whisper.

"Sarah…"

Her eyes sprang open. The room was dark, but she could have sworn she heard Mary's voice. She sat up, her heart pounding, and looked around. There was no one in the room.

Shaking, Sarah tossed off the covers and got out of bed and made her way to the bathroom. She splashed water on her face, trying to calm down, but when she looked in the mirror, she stood stock still.

Mary's dead eyes glared back at her.

Sarah stumbled back, her breath coming in short gasps. She blinked, and the image was gone, but the fear remained. She leaned against the wall, her legs trembling.

"You're losing it," she muttered to herself. But deep down, she knew the truth. Mary's ghost wasn't just in her head—it was a reminder of what awaited her if she didn't fight back.

The Breaking Point

The next evening, Sarah was at the kitchen counter, chopping vegetables for supper, when Aleksa appeared. She rested against the counter, staring at Sarah with a sly hunter's sheen in her eye.

"You know," Aleksa said, "watch yourself. Accidents happen. Just ask Mary."

Sarah's hand froze over the chopping board. She turned to stare at Aleksa, her grip on the knife tightening. "What did you say?"

Aleksa's smile infuriated her. "You heard me. One wrong move, and you might end up like her. Or worse."

Something inside Sarah broke. The fear that had ruled her for so long withered away, replaced by icy, burning anger. She took a step closer to Aleksa, the knife still in her hand.

"You think I'm afraid of you?" Sarah said, her voice low and menacing. "You think I'm just going to sit here and let you kill me?"

Aleksa's smile faltered, but didn't recede. "What are you going to do, Sarah? You don't have Vitro without it."

Sarah's lips twisted into a snarling smile. "We'll see about that."

For the first time, Aleksa looked uneasy. She straightened up, her eyes narrowing. "You're making a mistake," she said, but there was a flicker of fear in her voice.

Sarah didn't respond. She turned back to the counter, her mind racing. The fear was gone, replaced by a fierce determination. She knew what she had to do.

The Hunter Awakened

That night, Sarah lay in bed, her mind clear and focused. She was done running. Done being a victim. If she was going to survive, she would have to fight—not just for her liberty, but for her life.

She began plotting her escape, thinking through each and every detail. She would have to be clever, waiting and ruthless. Vitro and Aleksa had thought too long that she was the one they needed to manipulate and control. Now it was time to inform them of what she was capable of.

With pale moonlight pouring through the window, Sarah's mouth curled up into a harsh, hard smile. The fear was done with. The hunter had awakened.