"That's the spirit.", the Man in Black thought when he turned to see Red Feline as she struggled to reach her anxiously desired destination. Amused by the futility of her efforts, as amused as a cat after trapping its prey, he began to toy with her a bit, walking slowly behind her, giving her the false sense of gaining on him. "You have to give her credit for trying.", he thought as he smiled to himself. He loved to see her try. He knew she was suffering. Her body was so lovely, squirming like a worm.

It was Red Feline herself who was reading his mind. She had such an access to the moment, that it was then, when his words were so clear in her head, that she believed it was a dream, that still she had the control, she believed that she was putting the words in his mind, she believed that he didn't have a mind at all, that he was her creation.

But at the very moment she became aware of her body, the moment the pain made its presence felt with ferocity, her feelings changed.

She didn't know if she had moved a few feet or a few inches. Her struggle made her feel like she had gone for miles, and maybe hours.

The draft was stronger on her face now, and she felt she had reached the door. It was there, almost in front of her, she could push it open simply by extending her arm, then the light would come into the place and break the atmosphere, it would probably stop the nightmare.

She hesitated. "This is where I should wake up.", she thought.

Red Feline felt the hands of the Man in Black forcefully grabbing her ankles. She felt her legs suddenly lifted up and her body dragged back to where she had started.

She felt like begging for mercy, while, at the same, time she didn't want to give him the satisfaction. A feeling of anguish filled her heart and mind while a sense of resignation was also invading her. The process was beginning all over again, the future was clear, more suffering was in store for her and her one and last chance to escape was gone forever.

Her strength, was also gone, the little strength she had been able to muster, dissipated.

Red Feline's body was dragged over the short territory she had gained so painfully. It was so short, that she realized that she was weaker than she thought. In a few seconds she was back where she started.

She reached out as if trying to grab something that should exist, as if trying to reach out for help, or maybe for sanity.She wanted to be back home, she regretted the moment she walked into the old house, she regretted being what she was.

She no longer anticipated what was to come, her hesitation, at the moment when she saw the edge of the door in front of her, was costing her dearly.

"What if I had tried to push the door open?", she wondered, as her belly was raked with splinters from the floor.

She saw her body inert, not moving, just lying there, on the floor, a bit of fresh blood streamed down her back, some of her wounds had opened again. She had given up. There was no longer any wish to flee, there was no way she could avoid what was coming, there was no defense, no hiding place, no way out. She let the dark take over.