Episode 11: The Lies That Bind Us
646 Words
Claire Wakes Up—But The World Feels Wrong
The first thing Claire felt was Ethan’s presence.
He was watching her.
Sitting in the chair across from her bed, his hands folded in his lap.
His expression was calm.
Too calm.
"Bad dream?" he asked softly.
Claire’s pulse raced.
The dream.
No, not a dream—a memory.
She had been standing in a hospital room. Watching Ethan sleep in a coma.
But that Ethan had been older.
How was that possible?
And Ryan—
Ryan had been there.
But not like the Ryan she knew now.
Something wasn’t right.
And Ethan knew it.
Claire slowly sat up, watching him carefully.
“What’s happening to me?” she whispered.
Ethan tilted his head, studying her.
"You’re just tired," he murmured. "Your mind is… adjusting."
Claire’s fingers tightened around the sheets.
Adjusting?
To what?
Claire’s Parents Try to Take Her Away—Ethan Won’t Allow It
"Claire, you need to leave. Now."
Her mother’s voice was urgent, desperate.
Claire gripped the phone, her heart pounding.
"But—"
"Pack your bags. We’re waiting outside."
Claire’s chest tightened.
She wanted to go.
She needed to go.
But then—
A hand closed over her wrist.
She spun around—
Ethan.
Standing too close.
His fingers tightening just enough to make her still.
"Who’s on the phone?" he asked, his voice too soft.
Claire’s throat dried.
"Let go," she whispered.
Ethan didn’t move.
His fingers trailed up her arm. Slow. Gentle. Threatening.
"Tell me who it is."
Claire’s pulse skipped.
She should lie.
She should run.
But she couldn’t move.
Couldn’t breathe.
Couldn’t fight him.
Ethan leaned in, his breath warm against her skin.
"You don’t want to leave," he murmured.
Claire shivered.
Because the terrifying part?
Somewhere, deep down—
He was right.
A Twisted Road Trip—And a Forced Escape
Ethan’s fingers slid around her waist.
Holding her too tightly.
"You’re mine, Claire," he whispered against her ear.
And then—
The sound of a car honking outside.
Her parents.
Waiting for her.
She had to run.
Claire yanked away.
And for the first time—Ethan let her.
She bolted for the door.
Ripped it open.
And there—
Were her parents.
And Ryan.
Her breath caught.
He was alive.
But his eyes—
They were wrong.
He looked at her, his expression unreadable.
"You’re in danger," Ryan said.
Claire’s stomach twisted.
She turned—
And saw Ethan standing in the doorway.
His face was calm.
But his eyes were dark.
"I told you," he murmured.
And then—everything changed.
Reality Shatters—The World Was Never Real
The ground shook.
The sky flickered.
And suddenly, Claire wasn’t standing on campus anymore.
She was back in the hospital room.
The one from her dreams.
But this time—
She wasn’t watching.
She was in the bed.
Strapped down.
Her heart stopped.
What is this?
Panic surged through her.
And then—Ethan’s voice.
"Shhh, Claire."
She turned—
And saw him.
Older. The real Ethan.
Standing by her bedside.
Looking down at her with gentle, terrifying devotion.
"You were never supposed to wake up," he murmured.
Claire screamed.
The Truth—And The Ultimate Betrayal
The world fractured.
Flashes of memories bombarded her.
She and Ethan, married.
The accident.
The coma.
Ethan whispering to her sleeping body, telling her he wouldn’t let her leave him.
And then—
A new memory.
Ethan, standing over her hospital bed.
Wiping away Ryan’s existence.
Erasing reality itself.
Claire’s blood ran cold.
He had rewritten the world.
Trapped her in a life where she would only belong to him.
And Ryan?
Ryan had been trying to save her all along.
Her eyes snapped open.
And she finally understood.
This wasn’t love.
This was a prison.
And Ethan?
Ethan was the one holding the key.
(To Be Continued…)
- Writer
