Escaping her husband from a remote village, she stumbled into a bear trap and thought it was the end, slipping into unconsciousness…
Waking in an unfamiliar room, Emily groaned softly. Her head spun as if shed been struck, her memory a blank slateshe couldnt recall how shed gotten there. Every muscle ached as though shed lain still for days, her limbs stiff and uncooperative. When she tried to sit up, horror seized herher wrists and ankles were tightly bound. Panic set in, and she writhed on the creaking bed.
“Finally awake,” came a cold voice. “Dont worry. Youll stay a little longer. Once you understand your mistake, Ill let you go. Then well return home.”
Then it all came back. Shed agreed to divorce her husband, William. Hed seemed willinguntil the blow came. Hed never intended to let her leave. “Youre mine,” hed said. “If you dont realise that, Ill teach you.” But Emily couldnt endure his infidelity any longer. Shed forgiven the first affair, given him a chance. The second? No. Love had long faded, replaced by fear and disgust for their toxic marriagehis obsession, her loneliness.
“Let me go,” she whispered, trembling. “This changes nothing. You cant force love. Will, please…”
“Youll accept it. Right now, youre in denial, but youll see were meant to be. Youll give me another chance. And youve nowhere to run. Remember the abandoned village I told you about? No one comes here. No one can help you. And dont anger meyou know what that leads to.”
Emily shuddered. The madness in Williams eyes terrified her most.
Ten daysor more?she spent in that house. William freed her only for a few hours each day, watching her like a predator. She knew he wasnt just cruelhe was ill, needing psychiatric help. But she played along, feigning submission, pretending hope for reconciliation just to return to civilisation. No one at work would miss herher boss had wanted her gone since catching her with his wife. Her parents were gone; friends dismissed her disappearances”jealous husband,” theyd sigh, never probing deeper.
One day, when William was distracted, she struck him with a heavy figurine. He collapsed, unconscious but breathing. She had no time to check if hed wake. If he did, shed have no chance. Hed said theyd stay there indefinitely, and she couldnt live with a man whose rage was a ticking bomb.
She threw on whatever clothes she found and fled into the freezing cold. The air burned her lungs, but she ran. Roads, carsall too distant. She feared William would track her footsteps, but she had to escape. The woods, the howling wolvesterrifying, but better than being a madmans prisoner.
Her strength waned. She didnt know how long shed run or where she was going. The thought of freezing or getting lost gnawed at her. Thensharp pain, a scream. Her leg caught in a bear trap. Blood stained the snow. She fell, struggling to free herself, but the iron jaws held fast. The pain was unbearable. Darkness crept in.
Thena voice:
“Dont give up now, lass…”
She woke again in an unfamiliar place. The air smelled of herbal teasomeone had been forcing sips past her lips whenever she faded.
“Where am I?” she whispered, sitting up.
“Awake at last?” A man stood in the doorwaycalm, kind-eyed, wearing a knitted jumper and warm trousers.
“Did you save me?”
“You saved yourself. Fought hard. I just helped.”
He introduced himselfThomas. Hed found her in the trap, carried her home, treated her wounds, given antibiotics. Shed been delirious for days. The trap hadnt broken bone, but the injuries were severe. “You survived. Thats what matters,” he said.
He lived in his grandfathers foresters cottage, retreating here to escape the city and clear poachers traps.
“Good thing I turned that man away when he came looking,” he added. “A day after I brought you in. He was like a wild animalsearching for someone. Dont worry. If he returns, I wont let him near you.”
Emily trembled. William had been close. But here, she felt safe.
Days passed. She told Thomas everythingthe marriage, the affairs, the escape. He listened silently. Shed expected to fear all men now, but with him, she felt calm. At ease. He never pushed, never demanded. Just stayed by her side.
Ten days later, she could walkthough with a slight limp. Thomas went to the woods, and she decided to cook dinnera small thanks for his kindness.
When he returned, he frowned. “I told you to rest,” he said, brushing snow off his coat.
“Sorry… I wanted to help. I feel useless otherwise.”
His expression softened. “Alright. If you insist. Whats next?”
Over the meal, he shared something personaltwo years ago, hed lost his fiancée in a crash. Every year, he came here to grieve alone.
“Im so sorry,” Emily murmured. “But life goes on. Im sure shed want you happy. After what my husband did, I couldve feared all men. But youre not him. We cant hide forever in fear. We have to move forward.”
Thomas nodded, and they finished their simple supperstewed potatoes and a bottle of red wine. Later, she asked how he got supplies in such a remote place.
“My assistant delivers them every fortnight,” he replied. “The roads are blocked now, but hell come tomorrow. Youll go back with himreturn to the city.”
Her heart clenched. Home. Where her pastand a confrontation with Williamawaited. The thought of facing him chilled her. But with Thomas, she felt shielded. Still, she knewrunning wasnt the answer. She had to finish this.
“Dont be afraid,” Thomas said, taking her hand. “Youll be fine. That bastard cant hurt you anymore.”
She smiled weakly. His confidence warmed her, but doubt lingered. And sadnesstheir brief, tender time together was ending. She knew it was right. But parting ached.
The next day, his assistant, James, arrivedyoung, calm, kind. Emily fought back tears. Staying here, with Thomas, was tempting… But she couldnt start anew without closing the past. At goodbye, she hugged him tightly, memorising his warmth, the scent of his jumper, his heartbeat. Thomas froze, then slowly hugged back, his hands trembling.
“Thank you… Ill miss you,” she whispered.
“Youll be alright,” he said firmly, though sadness flickered in his eyes.
She got in the car. Through the rearview mirror, she saw Thomas watching from the porch. Clenching her hands, she fought the urge to ask James to stop. She wanted to run back, confess she cared… But no. First, she had to face her past. Only then could she look ahead.
James took her straight to the police, as Thomas had asked. She filed a report, told them everything. Then he drove her home. Thomas had arranged for supplies”until things settle.” She didnt ask who James was or how he knew Thomas. She just accepted the help.
Her flat still felt like Williamshis scent, his shadow. She gathered his things and tossed them onto the balcony, desperate to erase him. That evening, staring out the window, she thought of Thomas. Regretted not taking his number. But hed saidno signal in the woods.
The next day, a call came. William had been arrestedresisted, and a bullet found his heart. He was dead. Emily didnt cry. Didnt feel guilt. Only relief. Hed never stalk or hurt anyone again.
When James returned, she told him.
“Good riddance,” he nodded. “Yesterday, he was here. But the lads Thomas assigned kept him out.”
“Lads?” she asked.
“He ordered protection until it was over. Dont mourn. Men like that dont deserve life. The earth took care of him.”
Emily nodded, swallowing hard. Then she asked:
“Take me to Thomas. Next time you deliver suppliesbring me along.”
“Two weeks,” James smiled. “Before New Years. I was wondering when youd ask.”
Her soul yearned for it, even if her mind hesitated. She didnt attend Williams funeral. His mother had enabled himno justice there.
For two weeks, she prepared. Sold Williams gifts to survive the holidays. Searched for a new joba fresh start.
When the day came, James picked her up.
“What if he turns you away?” he frowned. “Should I wait nearby?”
“No,” she said. “He wont.”
She packed a sports bag with essentials and a