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PROLOGUE
Sheryl's headthrobbed, a dull ache pulsating behind her eyes. She tried to lift her arm tomassage her temples, only to find that she couldn't move it, and a strange painradiated through her face. Panic surged through her veins like liquid fire,momentarily overriding the fog of drowsiness that weighed down her mind. Hersurroundings swam into focus: white walls, sterile equipment, and an unsettlingsmell of antiseptic. A clinic?
How had she endedup here?
She blinkedagainst the flickering fluorescent lights above her, their harsh glare blindingher. Her breaths came in shallow gasps, and she fought the urge tohyperventilate. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong.
"Ah, you'reawake," said a man's voice, laced with a sinister tone that made her bloodrun cold. He approached from the shadows, his face obscured by darkness."I must say, your contribution has been invaluable."
"Who areyou?" Sheryl croaked, struggling to keep her voice steady. "What doyou want with me?"
"Want?"The man chuckled, a sound devoid of warmth. "I have already taken what Iwanted. You've given me back years, my dear. I look and feel so much youngernow, all thanks to you."
Her heartthundered in her chest as she strained against her restraints, but they heldfirm. How had this happened? The last thing she recalled, she'd been at homealone. Her daughter, Amelia, had gone out with her friends for the night, andSheryl had stayed home, spending a nice, cozy night in.
That was the lastthing she remembered.
This had to be anightmare. It had to be.
"Let mego," she demanded, trying to muster as much courage as possible.
"Alas."The man sighed, feigning disappointment. "That's not possible. You see,our little arrangement isn't quite finished yet."
"Whatarrangement?" Sheryl asked, her voice trembling despite herself. A coldsweat broke out on her forehead, and she braced herself for whatever horrorsthis man had in store. The darkness still hid his face, but she could feel theweight of his gaze upon her.
"Patience,my dear," he said. "All will be revealed soon enough."
Sheryl's heartraced, but she knew she couldn't afford to panic. She needed to stay calm, tofind a way out of this nightmare.
"Patience,"he whispered, his voice like the scraping of rusted metal. He leaned in closerto Sheryl, but his face was covered by a surgical mask. Still, the sight of hiscold, dead eyes was enough to make bile rise in her throat, and the smell—itwas awful, penetrating her senses. Like disinfectant mixed with decaying flesh.
"Please,"she choked out, trying to recoil from his grotesque face. But the constraintsheld her firmly in place, immobile and vulnerable.
"Ah, I seeyou don't appreciate my new youthfulness," he sneered, a cruel mockery ofhurt in his voice. "I thought you'd be pleased to know your sacrifice hasnot been in vain. That’s okay, though—I’m still recovering. This is certainlynot the final product…”
"Wh-what?"Sheryl stammered, her confusion mingling with the terror gnawing at herinsides.
"Your face,my dear," he said, taking a step back and allowing the shadows to swallowhim once more. "It's given me a new lease on life. Quite literally."His laughter, a hoarse cackle, echoed through the room, sending shivers downher spine.
"Please...let me go," she begged, her eyes darting around, searching for an escaperoute, a weakness in her restraints – anything to free her from this nightmare.
"You don'tlike what you see?" the man said, his eyebrows pulling into a scowl. Hiseerie voice took on a more hardened edge. "Well, that can't be helped now.You've already fulfilled your purpose. But don't worry; I won't let yoursacrifice go to waste. Your old life is no more, but I'll make sure your newone is... fulfilling." He slowly stepped towards her again, his handreaching out to touch her cheek. But she realized then that her face wascompletely numb, and she felt nothing.
Still, Sherylrecoiled as far as she could, her heart pounding against her chest. Shesqueezed her eyes shut, hoping that this was all just a terrible nightmare thatshe'd soon wake up from.
But when sheopened them again, the man was still there, his cold eyes leering at her.
"Here, letme show you," he said.
Sheryl wasparalyzed as the man stepped out of her line of sight. He picked something upand returned moments later holding a hand mirror.
"All youever wanted was to be young and beautiful," he said. "We're the same,aren't we? Always chasing that memory..."
"No!"Sheryl had no idea what he was talking about. "Please, just let mego."
He laughed onceas he raised the mirror in front of Sheryl's face. She didn't want to look. Shewas terrified of what she might see.
But she had nochoice.
