~☾

He was chained to a chair because they knew he could get out of rope and handcuffs. On the opposite side of the room, his assistant had broken in to rescue him, but behind him stood 10 gunmen.

The look she gave him was unbearably apologetic. The guns started going off.

Max started awake, running a hand through his hair and trying to control his breathing. He was alone in his bedroom. Fumbling in the dark, he grabs for his cellphone, hovering over Cecilia’s speed dial… No. Nothing was wrong. No one knew. They were safe.

He sets the phone back down and sits on the side of the bed, staring into the dark. The only light comes from his digital clock and a tiny vial of luminescent purple. 3:00 am and he wasn’t getting back to sleep any time soon.

He slips into his gym for a late-night work out, leaving his room completely black.