Episode 11.3

In this night, I dream of last summer. Of our last family vacation and a romantic walk on the beach.

How I protested, cursed, and said I hate my parents before the vacation? While they wanted to go on a family vacation with me, I had made plans with a friend to take a trip to the USA alone, without parents.

But no, my parents didn't want that, and I had to go, despite my protest.

At first, I sabotaged the trip until I was distracted by a nice boy named Pacey. And from then on, the vacation was quite nice.

On that day at the beach, which I relive in my dream, my parents seemed so happy and almost like a newly in love couple. Pacey was also there, at least they allowed me that.

We sat on the beach in the evening with a picnic basket in the warm setting sun. My parents talked, cuddled, and held hands. On the other hand, I devoted all my attention to Pacey. We chatted with each other, at least near my parents. Later that night, they went out to party, and Pacey and I went for a walk on the beach.

A walk that I remember in my dream.

The gentle waves caress our bare feet, and the moon stands high in the cloudless sky. A light, cool breeze makes me shiver. His hand moves over my arms, onto my waist, and he pulls my body close to his to warm me.

My head rests on his chest. It's just beautiful.

Slowly, Pacey's hand moves under my chin. With slight pressure, he signals me to look at him. Something I'm happy to do.

I look into his beautifully gray eyes, my hand runs through his short brown hair. His head lowers slowly, and our lips touch.

I close my eyes, enjoying the kiss. But from here, the dream is very different from how the day unfolded in my memory.

When I open my eyes, Pacey is no longer in front of me. I'm now looking into two brown eyes, a few strands of his raven-black hair fall messily into his face. My nice holiday fling has turned into Mak, whose hand gently strokes my cheek.

I even enjoy his touches and his kisses.

Until the dream turns into a nightmare.

Some figures approach us. Men, whose faces I can only see a malicious grin on.

Mak stands ready to fight in front of me, and I hide behind his back. At first, he fights for me, but then he simply disappears into nothingness.

Now I stand alone facing these men, who slowly approach me.

I feel so lonely and alone, coupled with my helplessness. An attempt to escape is futile.

Panicked, my gaze shifts left and right, but everywhere are these men, getting closer and closer to me, with a malicious grin on their lips.

Suddenly, a rope tightens around my neck, choking me. In front of me stands a man with a satisfied look. I can't make out what he looks like; it's much too dark for that.

My hand moves to the rope.

But this is no longer a dream, it dawns on me suddenly.

I'm still lying in bed in the infirmary. Standing over me is a man, his hands tightly gripping the rope with which he strangles me.

I realize this before I even open my eyes and stare into utter darkness, which only lets me discern his silhouette. My hand tries to remove the rope from my neck. I scream in pain, but only a stifled sound comes from my throat as he tightens the rope even more.

It cuts painfully into my skin.

Panic rises in me, making me forget the pain of the rope around my neck and that of my ribs.

Again, I try to grab it, again I fail. I can't even scream.

Even more panic rises in me. I kick my feet, wildly lash out. With my hands, I try to hit him, to scratch him. But none of it works. He's simply not impressed. It even seems like the rope tightens around my neck more and more as I try to resist.

Damn it, why is this happening to me of all people? What have I done to deserve this? Tears well up in my eyes and roll down my cheeks.

This must be how Mak felt when he was being strangled by Moriphos.

The air becomes increasingly scarce. It's just terrible. I see no way to free myself.

My punches and kicks become weaker and weaker until my hands sink onto the bed, and I lie motionless. My eyes close. I give up.

I notice the door to my room being opened as little as I notice the young woman entering.

But my attacker notices her.

His gaze on her is filled with panic. His hands let go of the rope, then he jumps off the bed and rushes towards her.

The woman, still standing in the doorway, seems confused at first. The man's attack and his punch in the stomach come completely unexpected to her. She groans and doubles over. Something the man immediately takes advantage of.

Another blow hits her in the neck.

She goes to her knees, her hands resting on the floor as the man seizes his chance and runs out of the room.

I try to gasp for air, but the rope still prevents me. It's just too tight around my neck.

My hands try to grab the rope, but I just can't do it anymore; I'm much too weak.

Please help me!, I silently beg.

The woman stands up, confused and wobbly on her legs, she looks at my bed. As soon as she understands what's going on, she rushes to me and frees my neck from the rope.

Finally, I can breathe again and immediately start gasping for air.

"Janine!" she calls out worriedly as her delicate hand glides over the red welt left by the rope. "What's going on here?"

I ask myself the same question. What have I done to deserve this? As if those four captives weren't enough for one day? And most importantly, who wants my death?

But at the moment, I don't want to think about it.

I'm so glad Kaia saved me and is with me now.

But then she says something I'd like to prevent her from saying.

"Wait here, I'll get help first."

I want to scream and tell her to stay here, but I don't have the strength to draw attention to myself.

From the corner of my eye, I see her quickly leaving the room.

An immense fear rises in me immediately. I start trembling. Tears run down my cheeks. What if the guy comes back? I think to myself. What do I do then?

With fear widened eyes, I stare at the door, but the man doesn't come back, instead Kaia returns, accompanied by a woman.

The woman stays next to the door, but Kaia rushes to me.

"Oh Janine," her lips whisper. Her hand gently strokes my cheeks to wipe away my tears. "You must have gotten a terrible impression of our station."

My body still aches from the struggle to get the man off me, even the trembling hasn't disappeared yet.

Even though Kaia is here, I'm still afraid.

Who is the guy, and what does he want from me?

Kaia leans down to me, gently wrapping her arms around me. She rests her head on mine.

"I promise you, from now on, I'll watch over you!"

***

Why can't my life be as normal as it used to be? When I dreamed of a career on the world's runways.

My only problem was the question of the perfect outfit.

Here, on the other hand, I've stared death in the face so many times. I always narrowly escaped.

Mak, who saved me in the shower; Gasard, who kept me from the prisoners; now Kaia here in the infirmary.

Will it continue like this?