Prologue Everything around me is cold. The air, the stone floor, my skin. I can feel my cheeks losing color, my lips turning blue, and see my breath condensing in the air. “Close your eyes, think of the warm things, the things that bring you joy. That’s what helps me when life gets me down.” Trying to imagine myself anywhere else, I think of my mother’s words. They are both comforting and painful to think about the memories of her. Aching at the thought of her voice, I try thinking of campfires, thick blankets, the hugs I used to receive from my friends and family. But nothing happens. I’m still trapped in this cold, dark dungeon in the middle of nowhere. I knew I shouldn’t have come here. I should have listened to what they were saying. But I never listen when my mind’s set on something. I don’t know how long I’ve been in here. It could have been minutes, hours, or days, and I couldn’t tell the difference. The silence was deafening. I can’t tell if my thoughts were echoing in my head or in the room. My breathing started to get out of control. The walls seemed to get closer and closer to me. Please come find me, guys. I need you. As if thinking about them would make them appear out of the blue. A shadow-like figure opens the door to my holding cell; somehow, their presence makes it even colder in here than it was before. “No one is coming for you, child. They can’t hear your plea for help.” His deep voice vibrates in the room, shaking me down to my bones. I forgot he’s a telepath. “You are and will always be mine.” Lightly sliding the back of his gloved fingers down my cheek. I jolt my head away from him. “I’ll never work for you. I’ll never do anything you say. I will never be yours!” My voice rises in volume as I spit the harsh but true words into his face. He wipes the spit off his face. “I’ll let you think that, my dear.” He stands up to them kick me in the stomach, so hard that I can’t breathe for a minute. He lets out a slight chuckle and turns to walk out. Air wasn’t entering or escaping my lungs as easily as it should. Everything felt on fire. Pain surged through my entire body. I look up to see him walk away. His identity has always remained a mystery to me. A light grey mask covered his entire head, obscuring anything that could help me reveal who he was. That uncertainty had been gnawing at me forever until curiosity finally made the words slip out of my lips, with coughs in between. “Who are you?” He stopped in his tracks, turning so I can only see the side of his mask. “What a peculiar question to ask. The answer, to your surprise, is something that you have always known. For your entire life.” “What are you talking about? There was no one with me my whole life.” I began to contemplate all the people I knew. My mother and friends are too kind to commit all the horrific acts that have happened to me over the past few months. The townspeople, as far as I knew, wouldn’t either. Then it hit me like a bullet in the back of my head. “No. I-it can’t... be.” He walks over and grabs my face. “Yes. It can. I was there for all of it. Even when you didn’t notice.” Before I can respond, he shoves a cloth to my mouth, attempting to knock me out with chloroform. I resist, but he holds my body in place with both of his arms. One around my neck, the other around my chest. As the darkness continues to envelope me, he releases me and starts to remove his mask. Familiar black wisps of hair escape from the front. I can barely make out the words he says as I begin to slip away. “Don’t worry. This is for your own good. I’m sorry.” All was darkness after that.
THIS IS WHAT I HAVE SO FAR!! ill update it when i have more but also for some history, i wrote the first draft like a year or more ago (february 19, 2025) and completely forgot about it. now im rewriting it with my better writing skills. but like i said, no plot, no characters, just vibes :p also, in google docs, its always been a hibiscus flower, so thats how it will stay!!
