Chapter 8: The Facade Cracks

Building a Life with David

Sarah sat across from David at a cozy corner table in the café, her hands wrapped around a steaming cup of tea. The soft hum of chatter and clinking cups filled the air, but she was concentrating only on him. David was telling her about his day, his voice warm and evocative, and for a moment, Sarah allowed herself to relax.

David had been a constant presence in her life for the past few months. He was stable, predictable, and gentle—just what she had thought she needed. They went out at night, into the city, to dinner, and late into the evening. Sarah hadn't felt happy in years, but with David, something almost like happiness was within her grasp. 

However, the specters of her past were always close at hand. At night, she lay awake, her mind racing with images of Vitro and Aleksa. She heard whispers in the darkness, flashes of Mary's lifeless eyes. The darkness in her was ever-near, seething just beneath the surface, and she struggled to integrate it into the life she was building with David.

One evening, as they walked through the park, David reached for her hand. Sarah hesitated, then let him take it. His touch was warm and reassuring, but it also made her feel vulnerable. She hated that feeling. 

"You're quiet tonight," David said, glancing at her. "Everything okay?"

Sarah forced a smile. "Yeah, just tired."

David nodded, but she could tell he didn't really believe her. He had been listening to the cracks in her mask—the way she flinched at unexpected sounds, the way she darted around suspiciously in crowds, the way she might be a thousand miles away.

She knew she had to be careful. If David learned the truth, all that she had built would fall apart in a million pieces. 

The Return of the Past

It was raining in the afternoon. Sarah was walking home from work, the umbrella keeping her dry, when she saw him. 

Vitro. 

He was across the street from her, his eyes locked onto hers as he stared at her. He looked different—thin and skeletal-looking—but there was no question that it was him. Sarah's heart leapt, and she remained standing there for a moment. 

And then Vitro smiled.

Panic welled up within her, yet she forced herself to keep it in check. She turned quickly and rushed off, her step swift and decisive. She felt the weight of his eyes upon her back but refused to turn and look about.

When she reached her flat, she barred the door behind her and pushed against it hard, gasping for air. Vitro lived. He had found her.

But Sarah wasn't that same woman who had fled from him. She was wiser now, braver. She would not allow him to spoil her new life. 

A Dangerous Game

Sarah knew she could not flee. Vitro would simply pursue her again. But instead, she chose to resist.

She began to play a dangerous game of cat and mouse, taking advantage of Vitro's obsession with her. She seeded clues for him to find, leading him to believe that she was helpless and afraid. She wanted him to think he was in charge.

She wrote him a note one night in the cafe where she worked, for him. It was cryptic, but it suggested an option for a meeting point. She had known he would take the bait. 

Days went by, and Sarah's perfectly constructed cover began to disintegrate. The stress of the game was eroding her. She withdrew farther, became paranoid. David could see.

Sarah, he told her that night, his voice gentle but firm, "something is wrong with you. You've been odd lately. I want to help, but you have to talk to me." 

Sarah's heart was racing. She couldn't keep lying to him, but she couldn't tell him the truth either. "It's nothing," she grumbled, not looking at him. "Just work-related."

David wasn't convinced, though he didn't push. Time was running out for Sarah.

The Last Showdown

Night had fallen when Sarah arrived at the abandoned warehouse on the city's outskirts. The air reeked with tension as she walked through the empty building, her heels clicking off the walls.

Vitro waited for her.

"Nadja," he sneered, his words heavy with mockery. "Or do I now call you Sarah?"

Sarah did not respond. She kept her face neutral, her eyes scanning the room for any advantage.

Vitro drew nearer, his smile twisting into a sneer. "You thought you could get away from me? You thought you could start over?"

"I'm not running anymore," Sarah said, her tone resolute.

Vitro chuckled, a cold, humorless sound. "You're still the same scared little girl. You always will be."

Sarah's hand tightened around the knife hidden in her coat. "You're wrong."

The fight was brutal and chaotic. Vitro lunged at her, his movements fueled by rage, but Sarah was ready. She dodged his attacks, using her speed and agility to stay one step ahead.

For a moment, Vitro was able to catch her arm, his hand like iron. Sarah turned free, cutting at him with the knife. The blade bit into his shoulder, and he recoiled, blood marking his shirt.

"You have changed," Vitro stated, his tone laced with both anger and admiration.

"I had to," Sarah retorted, her tone cold.

The fight continued, each of them landing blows, but Sarah's determination gave her the edge. Finally, she managed to disarm Vitro, sending his knife skittering across the floor.

Vitro glared at her, his chest heaving. "You think this is over? You'll never be rid of me."

Sarah didn't respond. She kicked him hard in the chest, sending him sprawling. Before he could recover, she turned and ran, disappearing into the night.

Aftermath

Sarah later learned that Vitro had fled the country, disappeared to Belgium. She did not know whether he would ever come back, but she did not care. She had confronted him and survived.

When she returned to her apartment, David was there. He looked concerned, but relieved too.

"Where were you?" he asked.

Sarah hesitated, then decided to tell half a truth. "There was something I had to take care of. Something in my past."

David stared at her for a moment, then nodded. "You don't have to do everything alone, you know. I'm here for you."

Sarah felt a spark of heat, but she also knew she could never completely let go of her guard. The darkness inside her existed, and it always would. 

But for now, she was safe. And that was enough.