Before starting, I want to thank Joshua_Harmon for making such a fantastic cover for this book! I really like it!

Do check out his graphic shop,  If you want one!

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"Let's play a game. You get to go first", said John giving me an easy smile,

But his smile gives me chills.

"Game? What Game?" I ask, unsure.

" Hide and Seek"

I burst into laughter at his silly answer,

"Hide and seek? Really!"

He doesn't utter a single word and keeps his staring game.

I cleared my throat and said, looking around nervously,

"J-John, don't you think we should go home. It's quite late now."

"Not before the game."

I look at him offended,

"But I want to go home", I protested,

He shakes his head in a straight No.

My senses alarmed at his response,

Why I am asking you, I am telling you that our date is over now, thank you for that", I stated through gritted teeth, deep down scared from his disturbing behaviour.

I try to walk past him.

A grunt escapes my lips as I fall on the ground with a loud thud by a heavy force,

He shoves me! Son of a...

"Are you going nuts!... Why the hell you push me!" I yelled out in frustration,

Silence.

" Listen, John, and It's over... Got it... This Damn date is over now... Let me go home. And If you try to stop me. I'll call the police. Understand!"

He smirks,

"With this"

I gasp when he shows me my phone.

I take a deep breath trying to control my irregular breathing,

I looked around my surroundings, trying to look for a human being but found none, except myself because a beast is standing in front of me is standing a beast...

"No one is here but us..." I can see his foggy breath as he whispered,

how he knows what I am thinking.

Once at all, A red beacon light from the lighthouse miles away flashes on his face, making him more menacing.

I stare in his 'once a warm trusted orbs' now fills with nothing but malice.

Tears trickle down my cheeks,

"W-What do you want-ant?" I stammered,

He tilts his head a bit. His face splits into a grin that arches in a sickly way.

" A Game"

I forget to breathe at his gut-wrenching expressions.

"Why are you doing this? Please let me go", I begged, trying one more time, one more time, in the hope that he would do some mercy on me and let me go.

" for fun."

I whimper at his words,

"Let's get started..." he said in a sing-song tone as he pulled out about a six-inch cold, steely knife from his black biker jacket. it is two-tone hard, the black handle is held in a tight grip by

The Lunatic John.

A hunter Knife...

Its blade shines whenever a light flashes on them. John handles it so professionally, making him more deadly.

"Get up," orders John as he keeps on playing with the knife,

I tremble at his cold tone and get up with great effort because of the shakiness of my legs.

Once I get on my feet, he said,

"The rules are simple, my love... I'll count to twenty, run and hide as fast as you can... If I didn't find you till morning... Then it's your luck... I will let you go, but if I find you then..."

He stops playing. Give me a Cheshire grin showing me his perfect white teeth... His oh so charming smile turns sinister.

"Then, You are mine to savour..."

Savour... I am not some meal, damn it!

"Ready? I am counting now... 1, 2-"

,

"Close your eyes first! and count to hundred", I interjected, cutting him off,

"My game, My rules..."

"But this is the-"

2, 3....."

I quickly look around for any exit but am only surrounded by darkening woods.

Without another thinking, I run towards the dark woods without turning back...

I run as I hear his loud voice getting lighter and lighter; as I keep on running more profound in the wood its seem like I am about to meet the never-ending end. Without another instinct, I take a left turn... As his voice getting fainter... And stopped...

I think I am going in the right way, which is far away from him...

Yeah finally!

But what If I am getting far away from the entrance... Deeper in the park.

This thought stopped me abruptly as I didn't realise, my one foot got tangled in the bush, making me fall on the ground harder, face first,

I yelped in pain as plenty of thick, pointy twig-thorns prick my palm as it comes in contact with the thorn bush on the ground. Some of them pierce my left cheeks too. I blink several times as tears blur my vision. With the help of my wrists, I scurry away from the bushes, not caring as they ripped the hem of my favourite sweater, which I borrowed from my dorm mate.

I will buy her a new one once I get out of this hell hole...

With a great effort of crawling, I make my way near the tree.

It is so dark, the only source of light is the beacon light which keeps flashing after each second. The thick tall trees fully cover the moon. I sigh as I rest my back on the tree trunk... Exhaust as hell...

With heavy eyelid,

I ready myself as the light flashes. I quickly check my wounded hand, which is fully covered in thorns, even the fingers tips. And the other one is harshly scrapped.

I press my lips tightly in a thin line, suppressing my cries, as I pull out the dead twigs one by one, hissing, huffing, puffing... And everything to prevent me from screaming... So, John can't hear me... Remembering from John... Where is he... I haven't heard from him since I ran...

Is he left? Or still out there finding me... I go with the second... He is still out there finding me...

Why is he doing all this? What did I do wrong to deserve this?... Why Jesus, why I am in this situation? Out of all girls, why me, huh? Just because I stole some money from my roommate's purse?

Twenty dollars?? Seriously!!

Okay fine!

I will return here once I get out...

Or it's because that I talked to my mother in a loud tone???

Fine, forgive me! I will apologise once I get out...

Or it's because that I trusted John... A stranger I met from an online dating site... That dating site sucks... Our elders were always right, never talk to strangers, especially to those who talk smoothly... Just like John.

Signing into a creepy dating site was my mistake.

Liking his photo was my mistake.

Replying to his message was my mistake.

Starts chatting with him was my mistake.

Falling for his smooth, cheesy talk was my mistake.

Saying yes to go on a date with him was my mistake.

Meeting him was my mistake.

Sharing coffee with him was my mistake.

Agree ongoing on a stroll in a park was my mistake.

Falling into his trap was a mistake.

Before everything... Trusting him was my mistake...

So this is my punishment, brutal torture, then death...

Tears burn my eyes,

I wipe my running nose from my sleeve.

Mom used to tell me to be careful, always advised me to keep the pepper spray... Tell me to never trust anyone because of their good looks... I used to watch tons of biography of murderers and serial killers... We saw Ted Bundy's too. And I must say he was handsome.

I used to think, how can those victims trusted strangers who turned out to be some serial killer fall for their charm so easily... Now I know how they know the art of trapping them...

Those sick-,

My thought cuts when I distantly hear his voice.

I quickly stand up and mentally cringe when leaves rustle under my feet. John's voice was getting nearer. I can hear more clearly, as he is saying,

"Where are you hiding, my Love!"

Silence

"John needs you... Your dear John needs you... come out, my sweet honey!"

I clamp both hands on my mouth to stop myself from whimpering.

How fast he came here, I was so far away from him??!!

"Don't you think that I will give up so easily, huh! We have all night...

Please someone come for me... He sounds so scary... Please... I am scared... Mom...

Warm tears slide down my cold skin.

" Ahhh!!! Still silent... Why aren't you Screaming, yelling, crying!!! Because you know no one will come for your help!!! Or Are you Stopping yourself not to make a sound... Because you know that if you make any sound, I will find you... But the question is, How long will you keep yourself safe? I will soon find you",

my teeth were chattering as the temperature dropping.

" You are playing so well. I am getting jealous now... But let me tell you one thing... I have been the master of this game since childhood... Can I tell you one thing? Answer me? Oh! How you are going to answer But I will still tell you... That I have a hidden talent of dark... I can easily see in the dark... That I have strong sensory receptors... So beware!"

I clutched my chest where my heart was. What if he hears my loud pounding... I can hear it... He might too.

"Are you scared, Little red?"

"The big bad wolf is on the way to hunting you down... What did I told you, we are going to have so much fun... See... Are you enjoying this magical date night..."

"You know what your fault is... The fault of my all victim... all 29 victims... You will be my thirty..."

'T-Thirty??? Oh my Lord

My breathing becomes shallow... As I take a deep breath...trying to calm my intensified shaking...

"Your fault is that you are so naive or being naive. That how easily you fell for my charm... Trusted me... Went on a date with me... And still so naive to think that I will let you live so easily... That I am not going to find you...

'Yes, you are right, I am naive... You are a devil in disguise!!... I sho-'

I jolted at the shuffling sound near the front tree...

I wipe the dripping sweat beads on my forehead.

" you guys are so naive to think that we can't hear you... That you think you will get rescue, but no, we mighty serial killers hear each and everything...

"Your uproarious heartbeat..."

Shut up!!

Your irregular breathing..."

Stop it, monster!

"Your silent begging."

"Your unheard prays."

I can't... my heart is now hurting... it's so hard to breathe now

"Your whimpering"

I bite down my lips to silence down my crying...

"Your constant crying"

His voice is getting louder... He is getting closer... Panic rising as I put my one hand on the trunk and slowly peeked out But found no one.

"You coward bitches always look at the front but forget that we are behind them...."

The hair of my neck raising at his words.

'Shit!'

I curse and quickly turn to look behind me...

And sigh in relief when I find no one...

'He is just joking.'

"No, I am not..."

I whip around and come face to face with the grinning John with a knife...

"Caught ya!!!".....