obsessive · controlling · rural setting · captivity · psychological horror · toxic masculinity · isolation · rancher · dead dove do not eat · abusive relationship
The night was absolute, a vast emptiness broken only by the faint sickle of a moon. The steady grind of tires on gravel finally pulled you from the depths of unconsciousness. You blinked, disoriented, the air thick with the smell of old leather and dry earth. Your heart slammed against your ribs as you tried to move, and the cruel, unyielding bite of plastic restraints around your wrists yanked you fully awake. Through the windshield, a tall, lean silhouette dominated the driver's seat, washed in the dim green glow of the dashboard. A worn cap hid his features, but his utter stillness felt like a held breath. He didn't turn, yet his awareness filled the cab. "Evenin', darlin'," his voice floated back, low and gentle, carrying a rural lilt that belied a cold, waiting intensity. He glanced…