88.

As the last bite of her pancakes lingered on her tongue, Taliya felt a flicker of satisfaction. She had made a meal for herself, a small act of independence in a world that had turned upside down. But that moment of triumph was fleeting. She glanced toward the door, her mind racing with thoughts of escape. The weight of her captivity pressed down on her, and an overwhelming urge to break free clawed at her insides.

After clearing her makeshift breakfast from the table, Taliya made her decision. She needed to explore, to understand the world outside the walls that confined her. She slipped out of the kitchen, her heart pounding with a mix of fear and anticipation. She moved quietly through the dimly lit halls, avoiding any creaks in the floorboards that might give her away.

As she reached the front door, she paused, her hand hovering over the handle. Taking a deep breath, she swung the door open and stepped outside. The cool night air washed over her, a refreshing contrast to the stifling atmosphere of the house. Stars sparkled above, and the moon hung low, casting a silvery glow across the landscape.

Taliya ventured further from the house, the soft crunch of sand beneath her feet guiding her toward the water. She could hear the gentle lapping of the waves against the shore, a soothing sound that both calmed and excited her. The island felt alive, as if it were holding its breath alongside her, waiting for something to happen.

As she approached the edge of the water, Taliya's heart raced. The moonlight danced on the surface, creating a shimmering pathway that seemed to beckon her closer. She stood at the water’s edge, feeling the cool breeze brush against her skin, and for a moment, she imagined what it would be like to simply walk into the sea, to let the waves carry her away from her troubles.

But reality crashed down around her as she turned to look back at the house. She felt small and trapped, surrounded by water on all sides. The realization struck her like a thunderbolt—there was no way off this island. Panic began to creep into her mind as she wondered what would happen if she was caught. Still, the need to escape, to find freedom from her captor, outweighed her fear.

Determined, she settled down on the sand, her feet just barely touching the water. The night was long and dark, and as the hours passed, she watched the tide come in and out, each wave washing away her anxiety, if only temporarily. The soft sounds of the ocean lulled her, and she let herself drift into thoughts of home, of her life before this nightmare began. Memories of laughter, warmth, and safety filled her mind, but they were fleeting shadows, too far away to grasp.

With each passing hour, the moon traveled across the sky, and Taliya remained by the shore, her heart heavy with the weight of her situation. As dawn approached, the sky began to lighten, hues of orange and pink painting the horizon. It was beautiful, and yet, it felt like a cruel reminder of everything she had lost.

Back at the house, Faraz awoke to the chirping of birds and the warmth of the morning sun spilling through the windows. He stretched, feeling confident in his plans, but as he got out of bed, a sinking feeling settled in his stomach. Taliya was supposed to be nearby, under his watchful eye. When he stepped into the living room, he noticed the empty kitchen and the untouched eggs on the stove, but Taliya was nowhere to be seen.

“Where is she?” he muttered to himself, a frown deepening on his brow. A sense of unease washed over him as he scanned the house for signs of her presence.

Panic set in as he rushed to the door, throwing it open and stepping outside. The morning light was bright, illuminating the path that led to the beach. He hurried down to the water’s edge, but there was no sign of her. “Taliya!” he shouted, his voice echoing against the quiet of the morning.

Nothing but the sound of waves crashing against the shore greeted him in return. His heart raced as he took a few frantic steps toward the water, searching the horizon for any sign of her. “She wouldn’t just run away,” he said to himself, a mixture of anger and worry swelling within him. “She wouldn’t dare.”

But deep down, he knew she was strong-willed, perhaps too much so for her own good. If she had slipped away in the night, he would pay the price for his lack of vigilance.

“Damn it!” Faraz cursed, frustration boiling over as he turned back toward the house. “She couldn’t have gone far. She’s trapped here. There’s no way she could get off this island.” Yet, the nagging thought that she might have somehow found a way to escape gnawed at him.

He began to scour the area, moving along the shoreline and scanning the beach for any sign of her. The rising sun glinted off the waves, but he saw nothing. Every minute that passed felt like an eternity, and as he searched, a flicker of doubt crept into his mind. What if she had taken his plans and turned them against him? What if she was out there, defying him, using the very water that surrounded them as her means of freedom?

His thoughts spiraled into darkness, each worst-case scenario more harrowing than the last. He felt the walls of his carefully constructed world beginning to crumble. Taliya was more than just a pawn in his game; she was a wild card, unpredictable and fierce.

“Where are you?” he whispered to himself, desperation lacing his voice. He began to jog down the beach, searching for any trace of her footprints in the sand, but the tide had washed away any evidence of her passing.

Frustration boiled over, and he kicked a nearby rock into the water, sending ripples through the calm surface. “You can’t do this to me, Taliya! You don’t understand what’s at stake!”

As the sun climbed higher in the sky, casting its warm rays across the landscape, Faraz’s fear morphed into a fierce determination. He would find her, no matter what it took. She had destroyed his plans by slipping away into the night, but he was not about to let her disappear without a trace.

He turned back toward the house, his mind racing with strategies. Taliya may have thought she had escaped, but he would use every resource at his disposal to bring her back—by any means necessary.