Page 67 of Echoes of Obsession
The pain intensifies, and I feel myself drifting further away, the darkness closing in around me. I see my daughter’s young face one last time, her bright eyes filled with hope and love.
“I love you, Mommy,” she says, her voice like a sweet melody. “Be strong.”
I hold on to those words, letting them wrap around my heart like a protective shield. The nightmare continues, but I refuse to let it break me completely. I have to survive. For Ghost. For my daughter. For the future we still have together.
With every ounce of strength left in me, I focus on that love, letting it be my anchor in this sea of despair. I won’t give up. I won’t let him win.
As the darkness threatens to consume me, I hold onto that small spark of hope, praying that it will be enough to guide me back to the light.
But my body betrays me, and I feel myself slipping further away. The seizures, the lack of medication, the relentless torment—it’s all too much. My vision blurs and the edges of my consciousness begin to fade.
“Mommy, don’t go,” my daughter’s voice echoes softly, a plea from a place beyond my reach.
“I’m trying, baby,” I whisper back, my voice choked with tears. “I’m trying so hard.”
The last thing I see before the darkness takes over completely is her smile, her beautiful, innocent smile, and the love thatradiates from it. It’s the only thing keeping me tethered to this world.
“I’ll come back to you,” I promise her silently. “I’ll fight with everything I have.”
As the world goes black, I cling to that promise. I cling to the love of my family. It’s all I have left.
I reach for consciousness one last time. One more attempt to keep my unspoken promise to my daughter, but I can’t reach it. Just before I fall back into the darkness, a roar unlike any I’ve ever heard before follows me.
He came for me.
But he’s too late.
I’m already gone.
***Ghost***
I burst into the room, fury pulsing through every fiber of my being as I see Hunter molesting Snow, her nearly lifeless form sprawled on the ground. Without a second thought, I rip Hunter away from her, the sound of my own growl filling the air.
“You’re dead, Hunter,” I snarl, my hands trembling with rage.
“G-Ghost, it’s not what it looks like,” Hunter stammers, blood trickling down his face.
I advance on him, my vision red with fury, grabbing him by the collar and slamming him against the wall. His feeble protests only fuel my anger.
“Not what it looks like?” I spit out, my grip tightening around his throat. “You sick bastard. You’ll pay for this.”
Hunter struggles, but I overpower him, throwing him to the ground and knocking over a tripod. “WERE YOU RECORDING THIS?” I move forward to kill the bastard, but a small voice stops me.
“Ghost,” Snow whimpers.
I turn, her bruised and broken body lying before me, and my heart breaks.
“Snow,” I whisper, my voice thick with anguish as I kneel beside her. “I’m here, baby. I’ve got you.”
She manages another weak response, “Ghost…”
“I’ve got you,” I repeat, gently cradling her in my arms. “You’re safe now. I’m so sorry, Snow.”
Tears blur my vision as I hold her close, the weight of guilt crushing me. I should have protected her. I should have found her sooner.
Behind us, Hunter runs up the steps, probably thinking he’s going to escape before he’s tossed right back down them.
“Surprise,” Reynolds smiles. “My friend is on his way down here. You’ve heard of him. His name is King. He really wants you to check out his chambers.”