Fear and Desperation

Ashley's eyes widened in terror as the man took another step closer, the gun still trained on her. She started to cry, her body shaking with fear. "Don't hurt me, please," she begged, her voice trembling. The man's expression didn't change, but he did seem to notice her tears. He held the gun to her throat, his cold metal pressing against her skin. Ashley felt a wave of panic wash over her as she realized she might not make it through this. But then, the man's eyes dropped to her stomach, and he noticed the bump. His expression changed, and for a moment, he seemed to hesitate. "Oh, you're pregnant," he said, his voice a little softer. "How far along are you?" He reached out and rubbed her stomach, his touch making Ashley's skin crawl. She didn't respond, her eyes fixed on the gun still pressed to her throat. The man's eyes snapped back to hers, and his expression hardened again. "Where's your partner?" he growled. "Is he dead?" Ashley cried, her body shaking with sobs. "Please," she begged. "Don't hurt me." But the man didn't seem to care. He hit Ashley on the head, his fist connecting with a sickening crunch. Ashley felt a wave of pain wash over her, and her vision started to blur. She stumbled backwards, her hands reaching out to grab something to hold onto. As she fell to the ground, Ashley's last thought was of her unborn baby, and she prayed that she could protect it from the man who was now standing over her, his eyes cold and hard.