Juliet

I blink, but nothing seems to register.

My body moves, but I’m not initiating the action. I’m not the one in charge.

I can barely keep my eyes open, but I persist anyway, needing to know what happened. In front of me, a large fire rages, and the sky glows red. The scent of smoke and burning metal fills my nostrils … and another scent I can’t place, but it makes me want to puke.

However, something pulling on my arms keeps the bile down.

Not just something … a person.

My muscles are too weak to resist as he drags me along the rough terrain away from the fire. The stranger props me against a tree and leaves me there, running back into the fire.

I try to scream, but my lungs lack the oxygen, and it hurts so bad. I cough and heave as the smoke that entered my lungs has coated them with soot.

I don’t know what’s happening. I just know I need to stay alive. Nothing’s stronger than the will to survive.

And I realize that the moment the man turns and walks back toward me.

Because the face I see doesn’t look human.

A beastly, almost bear-like person marches toward me. His whole face and body covered in black mud … and he’s holding a weapon.

For a split second, I’m frightened.

Is he going to kill me?

I’ve never had this thought, this urge to run. But I do now, more than anything. I want to run.

Maybe it’s the blurry vision causing me to see things, or maybe I’m hallucinating, but my body is telling me to flee.

So I do.

I crawl up from the floor with the last bit of strength I have and force my legs to move.

Despite the pain in my knees and the blood running down my arms, I bolt as fast as I can.

Through the thick jungle in front of me and past the branches that cut into my face.

I can’t see more than five feet in front of me.

Can’t hear more than the sound of my own heartbeat drumming in my chest.

Can’t do anything but feel my way through the jungle, hoping I can find a path.

Hoping to get away from this … monster.

Because that’s exactly what he looks like.

The monster from my childhood nightmares.

However, the farther I run, the more exhausted I get. My legs can’t keep up the pace. I’m counting breaths, listening to the rhythm of my own heart practically beat out of my chest. Everything around me begins to spin. I’m nauseous.

My body collapses to the ground.

The last thing I hear is his approaching footsteps as I fade out of this world.

* * *

I don’t know how much time has passed before I wake up again.

All I know is that my head hurts … badly.

I open my eyes and blink a couple of times, but my vision is still blurry.

Groaning, I reach for my scalp, rubbing the sore spots. It doesn’t feel like I have a gash, but I can’t know for sure until I look in a mirror. When I bring my hand back down to my face, I don’t see blood … just dirt.

It’s everywhere. Around me. Below me.

I’m in a pit.

Looking up, I’m momentarily blinded by the sun, and I block the brightness with my hand. That’s when I notice the bars on top of the pit.

It’s a cage.

My eyes widen, and I quickly pull myself off the ground, backing my body against the wall made of earth.

Where am I? Why am I here? … And who put me here?

When I try to think about it, all I feel is pain.

Nothing comes to mind.

My memories feel lost. Vanished in a thick fog I can’t seem to wade through.

All I remember is him … that beast of a man.

Just thinking about it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand.

Why do I feel this way?

My whole body is shivering.

I touch the earth around me, but it doesn’t make me feel grounded. Not anymore.

I look up at the sky, wishing I knew where I was, wishing I remembered what I came here to do. And what that man has to do with it.

Because I’m almost certain he was the one who put me here.

Inside this … cage.

Because that’s what it is.

A pit to keep something from fleeing.

And that something is me.

But why? Why would he do this? Why would he keep me here?

And why does my body feel like it’s been flung around like a sack of sand?

Did he hurt me?

All my muscles tense up from the insecurity of not knowing. I wish I could remember, but all I have are bits and pieces … of horror.

My brain immediately forces them to leave.

Like it’s protecting me from reliving everything all over again.

I stare up at the sky and narrow my eyes, focusing on the bars until I can see clearly again. I can’t find out where I am or why I’m even here if I stay cooped up in this pit. There must be a way out of here.

I jump a few times, which hurts, but I push on. However, it’s no use. I’m not nearly tall enough to reach the bars, let alone the edge of the pit.

So I resort to using my voice instead.

“Help!” I yell, my voice still hoarse and croaky.

I wait a few seconds before screaming again. “Anyone? Please, help!”

The longer I wait, the more my nerves take over.

I jump up again, trying to reach the ledge, with no such luck.

Right then, two feet appear on the ground right above my hands.

My eyes follow slowly, panicked. Lips quivering. Limbs frozen.

It’s him.

That same man I saw before. Eyes as bright as snow. Skin marked with glistening mud. A bristly beard and matching dark brown hair …

And a scowl that could make predators flee.

I almost tumble backward but manage to recapture my footing just in time. Because he was in the middle of bending over. He stops and narrows his eyes at me, but I can’t help but notice the spear in his hand.

What the hell?

I can’t just stand here and stare, so I force myself to speak. “Help me.”

He stares back at me.

That’s all he does … just stands there and stares back at me.

So I add, “Please.” My voice weakens under his rigid gaze. I sound like a damn mouse.

His lip twitches, and he arches his back, towering over the pit like some kind of prison guard.

Why won’t he help me?

“Let me out,” I say.

Still, no response. All I get is that same stare …

I swallow it down like a tough pill.

If he won’t help me, then I’m sure he’s the one who put me here.

“Who are you?” I ask, my voice still barely audible. I’m finding it very hard to even open my mouth with that … man staring at me. His mere presence gives me the chills.

He cocks his head slowly, but still no response.

Why won’t he answer me?

What’s his problem?

I need to get out of here, and he’s looking at me like he doesn’t even know whether I’m human. Like he … doesn’t want me out.

I swallow away the lump in my throat and ask, “Did you put me in here?”

The stern look on his face speaks volumes, and I back away slowly, huddling close to the other side of the pit. As far away as I possibly can from him.

* * *

Lock

Her eyes bore into mine with equal ferocity. I wonder what she thinks when she sees me… if she’s afraid.

She should be.

I’m not here to be the nice guy.

I’m protecting my land.

Who is this woman, and why did she come here?

I have so many questions, but when I open my mouth, I stop myself. I don’t want to give her the idea that I’m going to be gentle. I’m anything but gentle.

She came into my jungle with fire and destruction, and I don’t trust her one bit.

Judging from the way she’s huddled in the corner of the pit, that feeling is mutual.

Good.

I want her to be scared.

For now, at least.

I don’t know what I’m going to do with her yet.

If I should let her go, or if I should kill her.

Kill …

Normally, it comes so easily to me. However, her eyes make me question my own judgment. I wouldn’t bat an eye at killing a man. Not a single second spent on regret.

But a woman? I’ve never killed a woman.

And I’ve definitely never thought of killing one as pretty as she is.

“Answer me,” she says out of nowhere.

Right … she’s asked me a few questions, but I have no intention of answering. Not until I decide what to do with her.

Especially not if she’s already forgotten why she’s here in the first place.

“Why did you put me in here?” she growls from her corner. “Where am I?”

I love the sound of her voice.

It’s very … innocent. But raw too. I can sense the insecurity. Smell the fear.

It makes my blood rush.

Does she even know what she did?

Did she forget how she ran away and then attacked me out of the blue? I still have the scratch marks on my face and chest.

From the looks of it, she probably doesn’t even remember.

Maybe she was in shock. Or maybe she really is dangerous.

She doesn’t look like it, though.

In fact, she looks very appetizing with those plump, red lips, short, wavy, dark blond hair, and that sweet, round face.

But what if she brings more destruction and ruins my only home? More … people?

I shake my head and look away. It’s hard to make decisions when she’s gawking at me like that. This is the first time in a long while I’ve been faced with something, and I don’t know how to proceed.

Guess I’ll take some time to think.