A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL : CHAPTER 21 – 30
TRAPPED
“I’ll catch up with you later, Liam,” I called after him, watching as he walked away. He turned and waved, not thinking much of it.
It was still lying on my drawer, exactly where I’d left it, though something felt different now. My stomach churned with unease as I picked it up again, my fingers brushing against the strange object inside. The moment my skin touched it, the whispers started. Low, hissing sounds, like a breeze slipping through a crack in the wall. But the words… they seemed familiar.
At first, I couldn’t make them out. Just a faint mumbling that danced at the edge of my thoughts. But the longer I held the object, the clearer they became.
“Selene…”
I froze. That was my name. It wasn’t just the sound of air; it was calling to me.
“Selene, you’re not alone…”
The voice was soft, almost comforting, but there was something chilling about it. Something that made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.
“Come to me… you know where I am…” she sound just like my mother, who is dead.
My pulse quickened. The whispers weren’t just random; they were specific, intentional. They spoke to me like an old friend, like someone who had known me all my life.
Suddenly, I couldn’t bear to hold the object any longer. The whispers were too much, too familiar, and yet too foreign. I shot up from the bed and marched toward the window. With all my strength, I flung the object outside, watching it disappear into the bushes below.
But when I turned around, my breath caught in my throat. The box was there, sitting on the bed, untouched. Like it had never left.
My heart pounded in my chest as fear wrapped its icy fingers around my mind. Before I could make sense of what was happening, my aunt’s shrill voice rang from downstairs.
“Selene!”
I jumped, startled out of my confusion. Without thinking, I quickly glanced at the box one last time and rushed downstairs. The moment I stepped into the kitchen, the atmosphere shifted. My aunt stood there, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, eyes glaring at me like I was the dirt beneath her shoes. Beside her, my cousin leaned against the counter with a smug smile on her face, clearly enjoying the show.
“Where were you?” my aunt snapped, her voice as sharp as broken glass.
“I… I was in my room” I mumbled, trying to keep my tone neutral. There was no point in arguing. There never was.
“your room?” She scoffed, taking a step toward me. “your room? You think you can bring me to my house, turning my house to a harlot meeting place?”
I clenched my fists at my sides, willing myself to stay calm. I had heard this all before. Over and over again.
“I was going to—”
“Don’t talk back to me!” she interrupted, her voice rising. “You’re lucky you even have a roof over your head. After everything I’ve done for you, this is how you repay me? By sneaking boys in like some spoiled brat?”
Her words stung, as they always did. But this time, something inside me snapped. I couldn’t take it anymore. The whispers from the box, the strange things I’d seen—everything was pushing me to my breaking point.
“I didn’t ask to be here,” I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper.
“What did you say?” Her eyes narrowed, and I could see the fury building behind them.
“I said I didn’t ask to be here!” I repeated, louder this time. “You think I wanted this? You think I wanted to live with someone who hates me? Who blames me for things that aren’t my fault?”
My aunt’s face turned red with anger, her hands shaking as she pointed a finger at me. “How dare you! After everything I’ve done for you, this is how you repay me? You ungrateful little—”
“I never asked for your help,” I cut her off, the words spilling out before I could stop them. “I never asked you to take me in. I never asked you to treat me like I’m invisible in this house. You’ve done nothing but remind me every day how much you hate me, so don’t pretend like you’re doing me some kind of favor!”
The room went silent. My aunt stared at me, her mouth opening and closing like she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Even my cousin’s smirk had vanished, replaced with wide-eyed shock.
For the first time in my life, I had spoken back. And it felt… liberating.
Without waiting for her response, I turned on my heel and stormed upstairs, my heart racing from the confrontation. As soon as I reached my room, I slammed the door shut and leaned against it, breathing heavily. My hands were trembling, but I felt a strange sense of satisfaction.
I had stood up for myself.
But the feeling was short-lived. The whispers from the box still echoed in my mind, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that something bigger was at play. I needed answers.
Without thinking, I grabbed the box from the bed and shoved it into my bag. Whatever this thing was, it had come from the mansion. And that was where I needed to go. I wasn’t going to sit here and wait for more strange things to happen. I was going to find out what was going on.
I rushed to the bathroom, splashing water on my face as I tried to calm myself down. After a quick shower, I changed into a shirt and shorts, pulled my hair into a messy bun, and slipped on my glasses. Grabbing my bag, I slung it over my shoulder and opened the window.
I couldn’t go through the front door—not after that fight with my aunt. So, without hesitation, I climbed out the window and jumped down into the yard. My feet hit the ground with a soft thud, and I quickly darted toward the street, my heart pounding with anticipation.
I had to go back to the mansion. I didn’t know why, but something inside me told me that was where I’d find the answers I needed.
The streets were quiet as I walked, the air cool against my skin. My mind raced with thoughts of the box, the whispers, and the strange man I had seen in my dream. None of it made sense, but I couldn’t ignore the feeling that I was connected to all of it in some way.
When I finally reached the gates of the mansion, I froze.
There was someone standing there.
He was tall, with broad shoulders and white hair that seemed to shimmer in the fading light. His back was turned to me, but even from a distance, I could sense something… off about him. Something strange.
As if he could feel my presence, the man turned around slowly. And when our eyes met.
He was striking, good looking but not in an angelic way, not like the man in my dreams. His eyes were solid black, absorbing the light around him, and his features were sharp and defined, giving him an almost otherworldly presence. There was an air of confidence about him, like he knew exactly how powerful he was.
For a moment, I couldn’t move. I just stood there, rooted to the spot, staring at him. My mind screamed at me to run, to get away from him, but my body refused to obey.
“Hello there,” he said, his voice low and smooth, without any hint of an ethereal quality. “You live here?” I shook my head, my voice refusing to come out. What was wrong with me?
He moved closer, studying me intently. “Red hair,” he mused, a smile curling at the corners of his lips. “he will like that. You’re beautiful.”
A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL : CHAPTER 21 – 30
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