Bittersweet Obsession

Tamara didn't expect to see such a long stretch of empty road in front of her, but there were no cars to be seen. It became clear as she went further that she was the only person walking on this empty stretch of highway. The street lights were on but everything looked dark and shadowy.

On her way out from her aunt's house earlier, she called the taxi service, hoping to catch a ride back home. The voice on the other end informed her that the taxi would be running a bit late.

"We have another passenger in that area," the dispatcher explained. "We need to leave on time to accommodate them. But don't worry; we'll send another taxi for you. It should arrive in about thirty minutes."

Tamara sighed, knowing that this was all her fault. She should have gone home earlier. "Alright, thank you for letting me know," she finally said, "Thirty minutes it is. But if you can manage to get here sooner, please do."

With that, she continued to wait by the roadside, watching for any sign of the approaching taxi. The need to stay on time made sense to her and she couldn't blame the car service for that. Still, the thought of having to wait another thirty minutes on this lonely, empty road made her give up.

As she continued to wait, it became increasingly evident that the delay wasn't due to congestion but rather the deserted road itself. She glanced at her watch and realized that every minute felt like an eternity.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

The promised thirty minutes had already passed when she stood by the side of the empty road. She looked at her watch, getting more and more irritated by the second. The street remained eerily empty, and there was no sign of the taxi she had been told to expect.

With a furrowed brow, she realized that the situation had taken longer than anticipated. She muttered under her breath, "Thirty minutes have come and gone. There's no way I'm waiting any longer."

The sense of unease she had felt earlier began to intensify as she wondered why the taxi hadn't arrived as promised. She had waited long enough, and she was determined to find an alternative solution to get herself home. Now she was alone by the road. There was no one else in sight.

After all, Tamara found herself wandering through the quiet road. The night was so quiet that she could almost feel it, and every step she took resounded in the silence. The faint light from the streetlights cast her shade along the path, and the occasional sound of rustling leaves in the light breeze gave the place an eerie feeling.

As she walked home in the quiet of the night, it was a peaceful but a bit scary walk.

Concerned for her mother and unable to simply stand around without any clue about Aaron's whereabouts, her frustration and worry continued to grow.

What on earth could have happened to him?

She had tried many times to get in touch with him, but nothing worked. The fact that he could seem to leave her in the middle of the night broke her heart.

As she strolled along, her thoughts ran through her head like a herd of wild horses. Worry and doubt followed her around like a ghost, making her feel uneasy with every step she took.

Finally, she reached a crossroads where she had to deal with a crucial decision, feeling torn between two options.

She thought the well-lit, winding road would be safer since the dim streetlights would help her find her way. But this way would make it twice as long to get to her place. Even though it was bright outside, Tamara couldn't get rid of the unsettling thought that someone with evil intentions might be following her. Feeling uneasy made her wary of being so out in the open.

On the other hand, she could take the forest path instead. Without a doubt, it was the fastest way to get home, but there were big risks involved. What little light there was came from her phone's flashlight. The forest was completely dark. It was clear to her that going through the woods would be dangerous since she might trip over tree roots or meet wild animals. But her urgent need to get to her mother quickly made her think about this choice.

As she considered her choices, she remembered how she had been familiar with the forest. She had spent her early years exploring its depths and getting to know all of its twisting paths and hidden secrets. After taking a deep breath, Tamara took a step onto the road that led into the bush. That thick cover above made it very dark, and the only sound that broke the quiet was the wind moving the leaves. The soft sound of her steps drifted through the forest, and she used the dim light from her phone's flashlight to guide her way. With every step, she felt a rush of both courage and caution. She knew she had to reach her mother, no matter what lay ahead in that dark forest. Even though the forest was very dark, she was determined to keep going on her journey. The road she was on looked smaller than the one she remembered from childhood. The thick underbrush scratched at her legs, and the unsettling sounds of the animals that lived in the forest at night made her feel even scarier.

Suddenly, a twig snapped underfoot, sending a shiver down her spine. She jerked her head and swung the flashlight toward the source of the noise, revealing nothing but the swaying branches of the trees. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she quickened her pace, reminding herself that she had faced the unknown here before and came out unharmed.

As she continued walking along the winding forest path, seconds turned into what seemed like hours. She recalled her joyful childhood explorations as she saw glimpses of familiar spots in the flashlight's faint beam.

Then, she heard it a distant howl echoing through the forest. Fear gripped her once more as she imagined wild animals. She knew she had to keep moving; stopping was not an option. Her mom needed her, and she couldn't afford to be paralyzed by fear.

As she kept going, the eerie silence was broken now and then by unseen creatures. The trees seemed to close in on her, and it was pitch dark. But she didn't stop. Step by step, she got closer to where she needed to be.

Feelings of regret followed her through the dark forest, and with each step she took, she blamed herself. Being in the dark and hearing the scary sounds of the night made her feel bad about the choice she thought was ridiculous. She cursed herself under her breath for making that choice.

"Why did I even think this shortcut was a good idea?" she grumbled softly to herself. The winding tracks through the forest seemed to taunt her as she wasn't used to them. They were very different from the easy trails she had known so well as a child. The weak light from her cell phone barely cut through the thick darkness around her.

As she walked through the woods, her inner voice, which was always criticizing her decisions, got louder. She told herself she needed to think things through more carefully. Her stomach churned at the thought of meeting something scary in the dark forest.

Tamara had only moved forward about ten yards when she became aware of a faint sound behind her, like the hushed footsteps of someone approaching. Her instincts kicked in, and she began to turn her head to catch a glimpse of who or what might be behind her.

Before she could figure out who it was, a big, bulky hand appeared out of nowhere and put a damp cloth over her mouth and nose.

As Tamara fought against her sudden attacker, the world began to blur and spin out of control. She desperately tried to kick him away, but her movements became sluggish, and she couldn't land a solid hit.

Dizziness overwhelmed her, and she found herself collapsing to the ground when he released her. She tried to crawl away, but her limbs wouldn't cooperate, and she fell helplessly. The world continued to whirl, and she felt herself losing control over her own body.

In a state of growing panic, she lost strength and her efforts seemed pointless. The man suddenly let go of her, and she fell to the ground in a heap. She tried to crawl away, but her body gave out on her. Her hands and knees were shaking from the effort. She fell down again, completely helpless.

With terror seizing her, she watched the man looming over her. In his hand, he held a syringe, a chilling sight that sent shivers down her spine. She desperately tried to scream, but her voice failed her. Without hesitation, the man jabbed the needle into her thigh, injecting an unknown substance into her trembling body.

He threw the needle away, bent down, picked her up, and threw her over his shoulder. She tried to scream again but failed. Right after that, she quickly passed out.