“Does my father know where you are taking me?” Kimberly asked, her small voice trembling as she studied her uncle’s face, searching for any clue to his intentions.
Augustus Theo’s smile wavered. “Are you afraid of a little adventure?”
The farther they drove into the woods, the more the journey felt ominous. The towering trees formed a canopy that swallowed the sunlight, and the sound of the city faded into an eerie silence.
“Do you think my father will be happy to learn you’ve brought his daughter to the woods?” Kimberly asked, her voice cracking with a mix of fear and defiance.
Augustus glanced at her, his tone shifting into something colder. “Your father wouldn’t know unless you tell him. And you wouldn’t dare, would you?”
The implied threat made Kimberly’s breath catch. She stared at him, stunned into silence. Augustus, noticing her reaction, smirked.
He thought about how extraordinary Kimberly was for her age. “Her beauty matches her intelligence, her inquisitive nature, and her stubbornness,” he mused to himself.
Then his phone rang, breaking the tense silence. Augustus answered, his expression darkening. “Yes, I have her… Don’t worry, we’ll be at the mansion soon.”
Kimberly’s heart pounded as she whispered, “Uncle Augustus, who was that?”
His demeanor instantly softened, though it felt forced. “Just a business call, sweetie. Nothing for you to worry about.”
But Kimberly’s instincts screamed otherwise.
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The forest grew thicker, the shadows deeper. Her anxiety mounted with every mile. “Uncle Augustus, I want to go home,” she pleaded, her voice shaking.
“Soon, Kimberly. We’re almost there,” he replied, gripping the steering wheel tightly.
“Where is ‘there’?” Kimberly asked, her fear giving way to frustration.
“You’ll see,” Augustus said with a chilling smile.
The car veered onto a hidden path, shrouded by dense foliage. Kimberly pressed her face to the window, desperate for any sign of familiarity or safety.
“Uncle Augustus, please…” she begged, her voice barely audible.
Augustus let out a low, unsettling laugh. The path opened up to reveal a sprawling mansion. It stood like an ancient sentinel, its grandeur tarnished by an air of foreboding.
Kimberly’s awe was quickly overtaken by unease. “Uncle Augustus, what is this place?”
His eyes gleamed as he answered, “Welcome to your treat, Kimberly.”
At home, Camilla paced the living room, her trembling hands clutching her phone. She dialed Augustus’ number again, only to be met with voicemail. “Augustus, please answer! We need to know Kimberly is safe!”
James sat stiffly, his face a storm of anger and worry. “We should have stopped him, Camilla. I should’ve trusted my gut.”
Camilla’s voice cracked as tears streamed down her face. “We thought he loved her, James. We thought he meant no harm.”
James clenched his fists. “Love? This isn’t love. I think he’s trying to hurt her.”
“Should we call the police?” Camilla asked through her sobs.
“Not yet,” James said decisively. “We need more information.”
Every car horn outside made Camilla rush to the window, hoping against hope it was Kimberly.
In the woods, the mansion loomed like a ghostly relic of another time. Its exterior was lit with warm lights, but the windows revealed only darkness within. The air was heavy, and an unsettling stillness surrounded them.
Augustus reached into the car and retrieved a flashlight. Without a word, he thrust it into Kimberly’s hands. “Here. Lead the way.”
Kimberly hesitated, her small hands clutching the flashlight as she stared at her uncle’s blank expression. For a moment, she froze, unsure of what to do.
“Go on,” Augustus said impatiently, motioning for her to step out of the car.
Kimberly took a deep breath, her fear morphing into a quiet determination. She stepped out of the car, her tiny figure illuminated by the flashlight beam. She squared her shoulders and took a step forward, ready to face whatever awaited her in the mansion.