It felt like Franklin was taking hours to return. I feared, for a moment, that he had abandoned me in the hospital. It would give him the perfect opportunity to pack up my things and throw me out on the street.

Just then, I heard heavy footsteps coming down the hall. I sighed in relief, thinking it was him.

It wasn’t.

A strange man walked into my room. He stood in the doorway and looked at me, his features sharp and menacing. The corners of his lips twitched as his eyes wandered over my body like a hungry vulture.

Something was wrong. Very wrong. This man was not supposed to be here.

Quickly, I reached for the call button, but in an instant, his hand wrapped around my wrist, squeezing hard.

I was about to scream when his other hand clasped around my mouth. I tried to struggle with all my might, but it was no use.

Suddenly, there was a sharp pain in the side of my neck.

Everything faded to black.

* * *

When I woke up, it felt like someone had taken a sledgehammer to the side of my head. I felt like I was going to throw up.

I tried to open my eyes, but no matter what I did, I was still surrounded by darkness. It was only after a few panic-stricken minutes that I realized my eyes were open. I had been blindfolded!

Dread settled in my bones. The image of that ghastly figure appeared in my mind. Who was he? What did he want with me? What had he injected into the side of my neck?

Slowly, I assessed my situation. It was bleak. Very bleak.

My mouth was gagged. I was tied to some sort of chair in such a fashion that I could barely move. I could wiggle my fingers, but that was the extent of my mobility.

Trying to remain calm, I took deep breaths through my nose. It didn’t help. I could feel the panic bubbling inside of me. It threatened to consume me.

My panic led to a desperate attempt to escape, but it was futile. There was nothing I could do. No one to help me. No way to scream.

Eventually, I wore myself out and fell into troubled slumber.

* * *

In my dreams, I was holding my baby in my arms. He was suckling at my breast as I sat on a park bench. He was covered with a blanket.

A few joggers ran past us, chatting happily with one another. An elderly couple held hands as they power-walked. They were wearing matching jumpers. I watched them, a smile on my face, wondering if I would ever find a partner who would love me enough to grow old with me.

Then, across the field, I noticed Franklin. He was walking right toward me, holding something in his hands. I couldn’t quite make out what it was, but it was bright red.

As he got closer, it came into focus. Roses. A lot of them.

When he approached, he held them out to me, a smile on his face.

“Franklin…” I whispered, staring at them in disbelief. I couldn’t believe that they were actually meant for me. It didn’t make sense. Why would he get me flowers?

“I want you to have this.”

“But why?”

“Because I want us to raise this baby together. I can’t live with myself, knowing that you’re struggling to provide for my son. Come back home with me. We can start a family together. We don’t have to be alone anymore. We have each other.” He reached out and took my hand in his, bringing it to his chest. I could feel the beating of his heart, strong and powerful.

Our eyes locked, making my heart skip a beat. Slowly, he leaned down, his lips approaching mine. I felt like I had been waiting for this moment my entire life. Everything had led up to this. Preparing myself for the sweet taste of his lips, I closed my eyes.

But then, the moment never came.

I opened my eyes to find Franklin staring at me. There was a blank expression on his face. His lips were parted slightly, a line of blood running down his chin. I gasped in horror, scrambling from my seat, my baby still in hand.

The second I did, he collapsed like a mannequin that had been tipped over at the store. A pool of blood gathered underneath him, growing larger and larger with every second.

Looming over him was the strange man. He cackled with amusement before he stepped forward, snatching the baby out of my arms.

There was a sinister look on his face as he looked at my son. His eyes shone with pure evil.

In that moment, I knew we were all dead.