The Scream
926 Words
There, partially hidden by the dense trees, stood Jerome.
He was with a woman—a pack female she vaguely recognized—her body pressed against a tree, her hands gripping the rough bark for support.
The woman's bare chest glistened in the sunlight, her moans mingling with the harsh rustle of leaves. Jerome moved against her with unrestrained vigor, his broad shoulders flexing, damp with sweat.
Katie’s breath caught in her throat. The sight twisted something deep inside her, a strange mix of pain, disbelief, and something she couldn't quite name.
She should have looked away—should have walked away but her eyes betrayed her, lingering on the scene longer than they should have.
Jerome's head lifted suddenly, his piercing gaze cutting through the distance and landing squarely on her.
Katie’s stomach flipped, and she felt an icy chill crawl up her spine. For a moment, neither moved, their eyes locked as though the world had paused.
His expression was unreadable—part surprise, part something darker—but it struck her like a blow to the chest.
Her hand instinctively flew up, gripping the fabric above her heart as though she could contain the ache spreading through her.
Her breath hitched, and her pulse pounded so loudly she barely registered the approaching footsteps behind her.
"Katie? Are you alright?" James’s voice broke the spell, startling her.
She blinked, forcing herself to look away from Jerome and toward James. Her voice trembled as she replied, "I... I'm fine. Just... lost in thought."
James tilted his head, his brow furrowed with concern. "You sure? You look like you've seen a ghost."
Katie managed a weak smile, shaking her head. "Really, I’m fine. Just tired, I guess."
James hesitated for a moment longer before nodding. "Alright."
As James made to say something again she did not wait to hear him before she quickly turned and walked away her movements jerky as she tried to put as much distance as possible between herself and Jerome.
Her hands trembled as she gripped the broom tighter while walking, her mind a chaotic swirl of emotions she couldn’t untangle.
"You shouldn’t care," she muttered under her breath, her voice quivering.
"He can be with anyone he wants. It’s none of your business."
The words felt hollow, a weak attempt to convince herself. But the tightening in her chest betrayed her.
The image of Jerome’s dark eyes staring into hers was burned into her mind, making it impossible to ignore the sharp pang of jealousy and pain gnawing at her.
Her hurried steps led her back toward the packhouse, but before she could reach the door, a sharp voice stopped her in her tracks.
"Katie!"
She turned, startled, to see Rihanna, arms crossed and a smug smirk plastered across her face.
"Where do you think you're sneaking off to?" Rihanna sneered. "Slacking off already, are we?"
Katie opened her mouth to respond but found her words caught in her throat.
The humiliation from earlier still clung to her, and Rihanna’s cutting tone only added to the weight pressing on her chest.
"I wasn’t slacking," Katie finally managed, her voice soft but steady.
"I was heading back to see if there was anything else that needed to be done."
Rihanna let out a laugh, her tone dripping with mockery.
"Oh, really? Heading back, were you? Because it sure looked like you were wandering aimlessly."
Katie clenched her jaw, swallowing the retort that threatened to escape. She knew better than to argue—it would only escalate things.
Instead, she nodded quietly and followed Rihanna toward the storehouse, her shoulders heavy with defeat.
Inside, the dimly lit room smelled faintly of dust and dried herbs. Shelves lined the walls, packed with jars, sacks, and boxes.
Rihanna stopped in the middle of the room, turning to Katie with an air of superiority.
"Start with these shelves," Rihanna ordered, gesturing lazily.
"Take everything down, clean the shelves, and check the dates on each item. If something’s expired, toss it. Got it?"
Katie nodded, though her exhaustion was beginning to creep into her bones.
She set to work without complaint, her hands busy even as her mind wandered back to the scene from earlier.
Two hours passed in strained silence.
Rihanna lounged in a corner, occasionally inspecting her nails, but never offering to help.
Katie’s muscles ached, and sweat clung to her skin as she scrubbed and organized.
The monotony was broken by the sharp creak of the storehouse door.
Madam Ellen stepped inside, her gaze immediately zeroing in on Rihanna.
"Rihanna," she said sharply, her tone brooking no argument.
"Why are you just sitting while Katie does all the work?"
Immediately Rihanna bolted upright, a fake smile plastered on her face.
"Oh, Madam Ellen, I was just taking a quick break after finishing my section. See? I’ve already done half the room."
Madam Ellen’s eyes narrowed, turning to Katie. "Is that true? Did Rihanna do all this?" she asked gesturing towards the cleaned shelves.
Katie hesitated, her stomach knotting under the weight of the question.
She felt Rihanna’s gaze boring into her, a silent warning not to speak out of line.
Before she could answer, a piercing scream tore through the air.
The sound was chilling, raw with terror.
Both girls froze, their eyes wide with alarm.
"What was that?" Katie whispered, her voice barely audible.
Rihanna’s face drained of color. "I... I don’t know," she stammered.
The storehouse fell into a tense silence, the air thick with unease.
Something was wrong—terribly wrong.
- Writer
