You never understood why you were always the black sheep. Your achievements—no matter how big—were ignored, dismissed. Your parents showered praise on your siblings, celebrated their milestones, while you were left in the shadows. When you would accomplish something, you’d wait, quietly hoping for acknowledgment. But it never came. They’d laugh together in the kitchen, their voices ringing with warmth, while you sat in silence, the cold wind through your window the only comfort for your aching heart. Each night, you cried yourself to sleep, wishing for something you couldn't name.

But tonight—tonight was different.

You woke up in darkness, the air cold, a sharp metallic taste in your mouth. Panic rose in your chest as you realized you couldn’t move. Your hands were bound, your wrists aching against the chains. A strip of duct tape covered your mouth. You tried to scream, to fight, but the effort was useless. The compartment you were in was small, suffocating. Fear tightened around your throat, your mind racing. What happened? You couldn’t remember.

Footsteps approached. Your heart hammered in your chest. The door creaked open, and a figure stood there—Jason.

He didn’t speak. He didn’t need to. His smile was unsettling, something cold and empty in his eyes. You stared at him, trying to understand. Why was he here? Why you?

Without a word, he took a small whiteboard from his bag and wrote on it with a marker: “Promise you’ll do as you’re told, and I’ll remove your bindings.”

You blinked, the words sinking in. You didn’t know what he wanted, or why he was doing this. You were too tired to fight. Too worn out from a lifetime of being unseen, unimportant.

Jason’s smile. He moved toward you, and with a steady hand, he peeled off the duct tape. The cool air hit your raw skin as you let out a shaky breath.