The sound of movement stirs me awake, immediately making me aware of the throbbing in my head and stinging of my eyes from crying myself to sleep. I slowly force my eyes open, only for them to widen in terror when I see a dark figure standing over me – eyes glinting in the darkness through the slits of a ski mask.
I open my mouth to scream when a gloved hand clasps over my mouth. Ily’s hisses fill my ears as I scream from my throat, hoping it makes a difference. I kick and punch, doing everything in my power to get away from my attacker. They pin me down, crushing me with their body weight as I try in vain to fight them off. Their hand slips slightly from my mouth in the struggle, and I take the opportunity to bite down hard. The stranger lets out a groan of pain and in response, backhan
