The air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of pine as you wandered cautiously down the unfamiliar street. Your chest tightened with every step, paranoia nipping at the edges of your mind. You had managed to leave the house undetected, the brief window of his absence feeling like salvation. But freedom was fleeting.

A voice, low and mocking, cut through the stillness. “Very nice. You disobeyed my orders.”

Your heart stopped. Slowly, you turned to see Matthias leaning casually against a lamppost, his piercing grey eyes fixed on you with a mixture of amusement and menace. His lips curled into a sardonic smile, but the storm brewing behind his gaze told you this was no joke.

“Matthias, please, I wasn’t—” you stammered, words fumbling as panic clawed at your throat.

He straightened, taking a deliberate step toward you, his expression hardening into the cold, calculated look you dreaded. “Run.”

Your instincts roared to life. Without hesitation, you bolted, feet pounding against the pavement. The sound of his rapid footsteps followed, the tension of his voice cutting through the air.

“If I catch you, you’re dead!”

Terror gripped you as you pushed yourself faster, the world a blur of shadows and fear, his presence looming dangerously close behind.