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HURRY!
Squeezing my eyes shut, I press my feet flat to the mattress, and slide them up, as close to my butt as I can get.
My lungs are crying.
My neck feels like it’s breaking.
My soul is screaming.
“It’ll be over in a second,” the voice whispers into the dark.
But I won’t accept that.
Not now when I have everything I’ve ever wanted.
Not now that I have King.
With all my might, I push up with my thighs, using all of my strength.
My lower body lifts, and I twist, rolling toward the edge of the bed.
My weight pushes against the man’s knees and he’s forced to let go of my neck to windmill his arms. But it’s not enough to stop what I’ve started.
My vision is fighting to come back as we both topple over the edge of the bed.
He lands first, on his back, and I fall, half on top of him.
Nausea fills me, from the lack of oxygen and from being this close to his body, but I don’t have time to feel sick.
I don’t have time for anything.
Shoving myself up, I elbow him, as hard as I can, in his stomach. It might not be the most effective body part to hit, but it’s right there.
He grunts, and I buy myself a split second to roll away from him.
But my legs are tangled in the blanket.
“Fucking bitch,” he hisses, and I feel the blanket being pulled back towards him, dragging me with.
I want to scream, but I’m still struggling to breathe.
My throat feels like it’s full of broken glass.
My palms find purchase on the hard floor, and as he tugs harder on the blanket, trying to draw me closer, he unwittingly frees me.
Hands on the floor, I scramble until I can get my feet underneath me.
Then I’m running.
I’m running as fast as I can out of my bedroom. Using memory to guide me through the dark house.
I can hear Duke outside.
Why is Duke outside?
Heavy footsteps land in the hallway behind me.
Sadness swamps me.