Chapter 7
1044 Words
Simon lifted his eyes and looked at Elaine coldly.
"Apologize," he said emotionlessly.
Elaine stared at him in disbelief.
"What?"
Simon slowly set down his wine glass and rose to his feet, walking toward her step by step.
"Fine," he said coolly. "If you don't want to apologize, that's okay too."
Then, he turned toward Suzy with a faint smile.
"Suzy, haven't you been learning archery lately? Elaine here happens to be an expert. Why don't we let her teach you a little?"
Before Elaine could react, several male students grabbed her from behind and dragged her deep into the private room, toward an indoor archery range.
They tightly bound her arms and legs, fastening her to a wooden post like a human target.
The rough rope dug harshly into her slender wrists. Old wounds split open again, stinging sharply as blood slowly seeped out.
"Simon! What are you doing? Let me go! Simon!" Elaine screamed desperately.
But Simon acted as though he heard nothing at all.
He casually picked up a bow and handed it to Suzy.
Then, standing behind her, he gently taught her how to hold the bow, position the arrow, and pull back the string.
The sight of them together was so intimate it stabbed straight into Elaine's eyes.
Simon drew back the bow.
But the target he aimed at was the apple placed above Elaine's head.
Whoosh!
The arrow flew cleanly through the air and struck the apple dead center. It dropped instantly onto the floor.
Elaine's heart nearly leaped into her throat.
Back then, she had been the one who personally taught Simon archery.
He used to beg her to demonstrate over and over again. He used to grin and tell her, "One day, I'll become even better than you so I can protect you."
But now, she had become nothing more than a target for him to entertain another woman.
After several rounds, Suzy excitedly clapped her hands.
"Simon, let me try by myself!" she said eagerly.
She picked up the bow again and narrowed her eyes at Elaine.
"Elaine, I'm aiming at you now," she said sweetly with a smile. "Do you think this angle's okay? Or should I move a little more to the left?"
She adjusted the bow casually, her face innocent and playful.
But in her eyes, Elaine caught a vicious cruelty that nobody else could see.
That angle was aimed directly at her heart.
If the arrow flew, she would die.
Elaine shook her head frantically.
"Get away from me! Let me go!" she screamed hoarsely.
Suzy slowly pulled back the bowstring. A smile lingered on her lips as her fingers loosened.
The moment the arrow shot forward, panic finally flashed through Simon's eyes.
He suddenly lunged and struck the arrow midair with his hand.
The arrow veered off course, but it still tore past Elaine's shoulder with a terrifying whistle.
Elaine let out a muffled cry as searing pain exploded through her shoulder.
The moment Simon saw the blood, his pupils shrank violently. Instinctively, he stepped forward as if to rush toward her.
But in the very next second, Suzy cried out pitifully,
"Simon, my hand! My hand hurts so much!"
Holding up the finger scratched by the bowstring, she threw herself into Simon's arms with teary eyes, crying as though the sky had fallen.
Simon stopped in his tracks.
He looked down at the trembling woman in his arms, then glanced toward Elaine, who was covered in blood not far away.
Only for a second.
Then, he coldly withdrew his gaze.
Stretching out his arms, he picked Suzy up bridal style and rushed toward the door without looking back once.
Bang!
The private room door slammed shut heavily behind them.
Elaine was left behind like a discarded rag doll.
Blood dripped onto the floor one drop at a time.
Dragging her battered body forward inch by inch, she struggled desperately toward the door.
But it had been tightly locked from the outside. No matter how hard she pulled, it would not open.
Then, suddenly, a strong smell of gasoline seeped through the cracks beneath the door, flooding violently into her nose.
A terrible sense of dread instantly gripped her heart.
Elaine slammed desperately against the door, screaming until her voice turned hoarse.
"Is anyone there? Help me! Please save me!"
No one answered.
The smell of gasoline was gradually replaced by the smell of smoke and fire.
Thick black smoke drifted through the cracks in the door, choking her until she could barely open her eyes. Violent coughing wracked her body.
Outside, chaotic footsteps and terrified screams echoed through the hallway.
People were running for their lives.
But no matter how hard Elaine banged on the door or screamed for help, nobody came to open it.
Flames flickered wildly outside. The smoke thickened more and more, while the temperature inside the room rose sharply.
Despair completely swallowed Elaine whole.
Then, her eyes suddenly landed on the window at the far end of the room.
This was the third floor, over ten meters above the ground.
If she jumped, even if she survived, she would probably be crippled for life.
But the thick smoke was rapidly devouring the entire room. If she stayed any longer, she would suffocate to death.
Clenching her teeth hard, Elaine grabbed the rope that had tied her up earlier. Using every ounce of strength left in her body, she swung it toward the large support pillar in the middle of the room.
The rope wrapped tightly around the pillar. She gripped both ends firmly in her hands.
Taking one deep breath, she closed her eyes and jumped.
Bang!
Elaine crashed heavily onto the ground below. It felt as though every bone and organ inside her body had shattered apart.
And at the exact moment she hit the ground, the private room she had just escaped from exploded violently behind her.
Flames shot high into the sky as thick black smoke swallowed half the night.
Using the very last bit of strength she had left, Elaine dragged her broken body inch by inch toward the roadside.
Finally, she managed to stop a passing taxi.
"Airport," she gasped weakly to the driver. "Please... take me to the airport."
- Writer
