Unseen Bonds

Lena's body trembled from the chill of the ship, but it wasn't just the cold that made her shiver. It was the silence that had settled in like a suffocating fog. The weight of it clung to her, thick and heavy, while her eyes remained fixed on the dark corridor in front of her. The low hum of the spacecraft was the only sound, like the heartbeat of something alive.

A sudden voice, deep and commanding, broke through the stillness, making her freeze.

"Move."

Her pulse shot through her chest, a cold sweat breaking out on her neck. The voice wasn't loud, but it held power. It echoed in the empty space, vibrating against the walls, filling her entire being with an undeniable presence.

"Who are you?" she demanded, though her voice trembled despite her efforts to sound strong. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction of knowing how much she was rattled.

There was no immediate answer, only the rhythmic hum of the ship's systems, and then the voice returned.

"Walk."

The single command rang through her mind, clear and unyielding. Lena clenched her fists, a mixture of anger and fear swirling in her chest. Why was she listening? Why couldn't she stop herself?

"Make me," she muttered, almost to herself. She wasn't going to give in. Not without a fight.

The silence dragged on, thick and uncomfortable. But then… the voice spoke again, softer this time, with an edge of something that sent a shiver down her spine.

"You think you have a choice?"

Lena's eyes darted around the sterile metal walls of the corridor, looking for any sign of a way out, but there was nothing. Nothing but the endless stretch of hallway, the pulsating glow of the lights. She swallowed, trying to steady her breath.

"I'm not listening to you," she said, her voice stronger now, despite the unease gnawing at her. "You can't control me."

"Can't I?" The voice was almost a whisper now, but it carried such weight that it felt as if it were pressing against her skin.

"Shut up," she snapped, refusing to acknowledge the way her heart sped up. She didn't want to admit it, but the voice—it wasn't just a command. There was something magnetic about it, something dark and dangerous. And yet, she couldn't tear herself away.

Her feet moved before she even realized it. One step. Then another. She clenched her teeth, cursing herself for giving in. She wasn't supposed to be doing this. She wasn't supposed to be walking down this eerie, deserted hallway like a puppet on strings. But she couldn't stop. Her feet betrayed her, moving with a mind of their own.

"Good girl," the voice murmured, the words like poison in her veins.

She froze mid-step. Did he just—? She shook her head, furious with herself. But she couldn't stop. Not now. Not when the tension between them crackled like static electricity.

Lena's body was at war with her mind. Her legs continued to carry her down the hall, despite her defiance. She clenched her fists so tight her nails dug into her palms. Every fiber of her being screamed to stop, to refuse, but it was like the voice had some hold over her, something invisible, yet undeniable.

"Where are we going?" she finally asked, the words escaping before she could stop them. She hated herself for sounding weak. For sounding uncertain.

"You'll see soon enough," he answered, his tone casual, as if he didn't care about her questions. As if he didn't care about her at all.

But that was the thing. She could feel it. His indifference. And yet… his presence still lingered in the air like a shadow. She couldn't escape it.

The longer she walked, the more it felt like a trap. She was being led, like prey, into something she couldn't even understand. She didn't trust him. She didn't even know who he was. But she knew one thing—she had no choice but to follow. Not if she wanted to survive.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps behind her, the faint echo growing louder. Her muscles tensed, and she tried to turn, but something stopped her. The voice, once again.

"Don't turn around."

She didn't listen.

She spun around, her heart pounding in her chest. But there was no one. The hallway remained empty, stretching out before her in an endless, sterile maze. It was as if the darkness itself had swallowed any trace of life.

"Did you really think I'd let you out of my sight?" The voice was colder now, sharp with a tone of warning.

Lena's breath caught in her throat. It felt like he was everywhere, watching her from every corner. She swallowed hard, her mind racing with questions, but none of them made sense.

"Who are you?" she finally demanded, her voice raw with frustration. "Why are you doing this?"

The pause that followed was thick with silence. For a moment, Lena thought he might not answer. Then his voice returned, distant, as though he were somewhere far, far away.

"I am where I need to be. And you… you are exactly where you need to be, Lena."

The way he said her name made her heart skip a beat. There was something in his voice—something that made her feel like he knew her in ways she couldn't even comprehend. And it unsettled her. Terrified her.

The ship hummed louder, the walls vibrating with an energy she couldn't place. Suddenly, the lights flickered, casting eerie shadows across the narrow passage. Lena stumbled, nearly falling, but she caught herself. Her legs were shaking now, the adrenaline wearing off, leaving only exhaustion behind.

"Keep walking," the voice commanded, though there was no anger in it, just a quiet assurance.

She opened her mouth to refuse, but something stopped her. She didn't want to admit it. She didn't want to acknowledge it, but she had to. She was afraid.

"Lena's heart pounded as she scanned the shadows. She could feel the weight of something dangerous lurking just beyond her vision. 'What are they?' she whispered, voice trembling. 'What are those creatures?' She had no words to describe them, just a deep, gnawing instinct that told her they weren't anything she should be near."

"They're called Varish."

Lena froze. Her fingers gripped the edge of the metal wall as she leaned against it, hearing the low growl in the distance. Her stomach twisted in both unease and an odd sense of relief. The creatures now had a name, but that only made them more real, more terrifying.

"Varish?" Lena whispered, repeating the word to herself. "What are they?"

"Dangerous," The voice answered, distant but clear, as if he were standing right next to her. "They hunt by scent. You don't want to be their prey."

Her hands tightened into fists at her sides. The cold metal beneath her palms felt like an anchor, but it didn't offer the comfort she needed. Hunt by scent? How was she supposed to escape something like that? How could she survive?

She bit her lip, her mind racing. Why the hell didn't I know about these things?

Her voice trembled slightly as she asked, "How do you know all this? Have you been here before?"

A beat of silence followed her question, and for a moment, she thought he wasn't going to respond. But then he spoke, his tone colder than before.

"I know more than you think."

Lena's brows furrowed in frustration. "I don't need riddles right now. I need answers. You've been here before, haven't you? You know where we are."

"Does it matter?" His voice dropped to a low growl, like a predator warning its prey. "We're both stuck here. Focus on surviving, not on the past."

His words hit harder than she expected. The sting of them left her lips parted, but no sound escaped. She couldn't understand why, but his words affected her more than she cared to admit. His tone wasn't cold, exactly. It was something else—something layered beneath the surface. There was more to him than he was willing to let on.

But as much as she wanted to push for answers, she knew better than to press. He's not going to give me anything.

Lena swallowed the lump in her throat and shifted, trying to quiet her breathing, but every inch of her body screamed to run. She clenched her jaw, holding back the panic.

Focus. Survive.

It was the only mantra she could repeat in her head. If she was going to get through this, she couldn't let herself get distracted. Not now. Not when the very air around her was thick with danger.

She peeked around the corner, her eyes straining to see. But the darkness swallowed everything beyond the narrow beam of light ahead.

She hated it. She hated not knowing where the creatures were, what they were capable of. Her mind raced through every possible escape, but it always came back to the same reality: there was no way out, at least not without help.

The voice in her head shifted again, the calm, controlled tone cutting through her chaotic thoughts.

"Lena," The voice was as sharp as a blade. "Move. Now."

Before she could process the order, her body moved without thinking. Her feet carried her down the narrow corridor, the walls closing in around her as the sounds of the Varish grew louder. The hiss of their breath filled the air like a silent countdown, and Lena felt the pressure on her chest building with every second.

Just keep running.

Her heart thudded in her ears, matching the frantic rhythm of her feet. The only thing that kept her from panicking was that voice—steady, commanding. He was the only thing that tethered her to this reality.

"Turn left at the next junction," he directed.

She didn't question it. She couldn't afford to. The moment she hesitated, she knew it would be too late.

As she turned the corner, she nearly collided with the smooth, curved wall. The metal was slick under her fingertips, and she slid to a stop just before the next turn. She pressed her back against the cold surface, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

"Keep going. You're close," the voice was almost a whisper now, but it was enough to keep her grounded.

Lena's eyes darted over her shoulder. Her instincts screamed that the Varish were closing in, but there was nothing there. She was alone—at least, it seemed that way for now. But how long would that last?

Her eyes met the narrow passage ahead. The walls felt like they were closing in on her. It was too quiet. Too still.

And then—

A sound. It was faint at first, a scrape. And then another.

The Varish were close. Closer than she thought.

Lena's breath caught. Her pulse quickened as the realization struck her: She wasn't just being hunted. She was being cornered.

"Do you hear that?" she whispered, her voice shaking. She wasn't sure if it was the creatures' presence she could feel, or just the anxiety eating her up from the inside.

The voice answered, low and calm, like a shadow settling over her thoughts. "Don't look back. Just keep moving."

But Lena couldn't help it. She twisted, just for a second, just long enough to catch a glimpse.

They were there. Watching her from the shadows.

Her heart skipped a beat.

The Varish. Their eyes glinted in the darkness, two small pinpricks of light that locked onto her with terrifying accuracy. She could almost hear their breath, hot and ragged, like they were waiting for the right moment to strike.

Lena turned back quickly, her body tensing with dread. But she didn't stop. She couldn't.

She kept running.

Her feet carried her faster than she thought possible, her breath ragged, as though the very air around her was thicker than before. The Varish weren't far behind. They were close. Too close.

And then—

The voice rang out, louder now, the command clear.

"Left again! Now!"

She didn't think. She just moved. Her feet found the turn, and she skidded down another corridor, breath catching in her throat. Every step felt like it might be her last.

Her chest tightened, and her throat went dry. What was she supposed to do? How was she supposed to outrun something that could smell her fear? How was she supposed to survive in a place like this?

She didn't have the answers.

But there was one thing she knew for sure.

She couldn't do it alone.

"Stay with me," The voice rang out again, and for some reason, it was the only thing that kept her from losing it. She couldn't see him. She couldn't even hear him in person. But his voice kept her going, like an anchor in the midst of a storm.

She didn't understand it. Didn't understand why she felt this pull, this desperate need for him to be there. For him to help her.

But she couldn't let herself think too much about it.

She had to survive.

She turned yet another corner and was met with a narrow opening. There was no turning back now.

No more choices left.

She reached the end of the passage, breathing heavily, feeling the burn in her legs, her body telling her to stop, but she couldn't. Not now. Not yet.

There was no time to waste.

And then, just as she thought she couldn't go on, she heard it—That voice, soft and urgent.

"Stop."

Lena didn't question it. She froze immediately, her back against the wall, muscles taut as she tried to control her breath.

"Listen carefully," he murmured. "Don't move a muscle."

Her heart skipped. She could barely hear him over the pounding of her pulse in her ears, but the warning was enough. Whatever was coming, she couldn't afford to make a sound.

In the silence that followed, Lena barely breathed.

It was all she could do.

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