Page 15 of Stranded
But I have this sense of certainty that this is the beginning of an unforgettable journey. Despite the bizarre circumstances, I can’t help but anticipate our next encounter with eagerness. And I can't help but think that this Christmas, though far from traditional, could be the best one yet.
IVY
Iwake and notice it’s barely light outside. After Maddox stepped over the line of voyeurism two days ago, I haven’t even seen him. He’s been locked away in his cabin, driving me crazy. It’s Christmas Eve, and I’m determined to draw him out.
All I want to unwrap on Christmas morning is Maddox.
Ever since he fucked me with the gun, I’ve felt different. Changed, somehow. I can still feel the ghost of his touch on my skin, the phantom sensation of the gun inside me. I feel alive.
For a moment, I question my sanity. What sane person would enjoy such fucked up pleasure? But then again, sanity is overrated. My ex was sane, and look where that got me.
I giggle, wrapping the sheets tighter around my body, knowing Maddox could be watching me on his cameras right now. Despite not showing his face for two days, I’m sure he’s watching. And I have no idea where exactly they are in the cabin, as he’s concealed them well.
He doesn’t like it when I defy him, and I’m feeling oddly defiant right now. It’s the only way I can think of to draw him out. So, I get up and head for the shower, planning to stroll through the woods, even though he told me not to. I wonder what he’ll do to me when I defy him.
Once showered, I dress in my thermals and warmest clothes, slipping my parka on and my thick sheepskin gloves and hat.
“Time to explore,” I murmur to myself.
I push open the cabin door, an immediate rush of frosty air nipping at my face. The snow crunches under my boots as I enter the vast, white wilderness. There’s a lustrous beauty to this untouched, pristine forest that’s both serene and inviting.
I don’t look back, but I get the sense that Maddox is watching me. A smile twists my lips. If I encounter any danger, I know he’ll be behind me. It’s comforting. As I plunge deeper, the isolation of this place feels empowering rather than intimidating.
I trek further, following a narrow animal trail that carries me across a frozen stream. The ice is thick, shimmering under the soft glows of the winter sun, mirroring the naked tree limbs that hang over it. I pause, looking down at the opaque surface, wondering what lives beneath it in the unseen, cold darkness.
Deeper into the woods, I come to a chilling halt when two men, looking like they’ve been ripped straight from a hillbilly horror flick, emerge from behind a clump of snow-dusted pines. Their uneven teeth flash in harsh smiles, broad bellies pushing against the constraints of their ragged shirts.
“What do we have here, Kevin?” one of them asks, leering at me.
I swallow hard. Maddox mentioned we weren’t the only people here in this area. And I didn’t even consider I’d run into anyone.
“A pretty little thing lost in the woods, Ian,” replies Kevin, a sickly sweet grin spreading across his face. His voice sends a chill down my spine.
“A lovely early Christmas gift delivered right to us on Christmas Eve,” Ian says.
My heart thunders, but I refuse to let them see my fear. “I’m not lost,” I snap back, my tone laced with defiance. “And I’d advise you to keep your distance.”
They both laugh, a sound that reeks of bad intentions as they advance toward me.
“I mean it!” I glare at them, wondering whether to bolt. If I run, I’ll never find my way back. As I have a terrible sense of direction when I’m panicked. And while I’d hoped that Maddox was following me, I’m not so sure right now.
Was it all in my mind?
It’s as if the cold has frozen me to the spot. And my mind is no longer functioning.
“Grab her, Ian,” Kevin instructs.
Ian touches my wrist, and I hear a roar behind me. A rustling noise echoes from the thicket behind me, followed by Maddox’s deep voice, cold as the winter air, “Get your filthy hands off her.” I glance at him to see he’s wearing a Balaclava.
The looks on both of their faces when they see Maddox are priceless. They barely have a second to react before Maddox is on them, his actions swift and lethal. It’s horrifying, yet mesmerizing, witnessing his raw power.
In a flash, Maddox lunges at Kevin, his clenched fist connecting with Kevin’s jaw with a sickening crunch. Immediately, Kevin crumples onto the snow-covered ground, his eyes rolling back in his head. Without skipping a beat, Maddox spins around to face Ian, his hand whipping to grasp Ian’s wrist. The one that’s still on mine. He twists it in a rough, brutal motion, causing Ian to yelp out in pain.
His grip on me loosens, and I pull my arm away. The next sound is a knee meeting Ian’s gut and the thud of a body collapsing onto the forest floor. As swiftly as it began, it’s over. The only sound in the silent woods are the harsh breaths from Maddox’s chest and the quiet whimpers of the two men sprawled on the ground.
And then my heart stops beating when he pulls a knife from his jacket, the metal glinting in the pale sunlight breaking through the trees.
“Maddox, what are you—”