I need to get out of here.
NOW!!!
The bearded man lunges, his thick, calloused hand sweeping toward my face like a claw.
Something snaps inside me. Pure instinct takes over.
Faster than I should be able to. My body twists hard, almost without my permission, ducking low and darting to the side. His fingers scrape through my hair, just missing my scalp by inches.
I hear the swish of air. Hear the snap of his frustrated growl.
Hands grab at nothing. Empty air.
My heart slams into my ribs like it's trying to escape.
Run.
Run.
RUN!!!
I run as fast as I can.
"HEY! GET BACK HERE!"
A guttural roar behind me, shaking the walls.
"GRAB HER!"
Another slurred snarl, too close.
Their boots thunder against the wooden floor, heavy, relentless. Their ragged, wheezing breaths chase me down the narrow hallway, thick with the stench of sweat and alcohol.
Don't look back.
Don't look back!!!
I reach my door.
I throw myself inside.
The door slams shut behind me, and I scramble for the lock, my hands shaking so violently that I almost miss it.
Click.
BAM!
BAM! BAM!
The entire door shudders under the force of their fists.
"OPEN UP, YOU LITTLE BITCH!" one of them howls, his voice raw with rage.
"COME ON! WE JUST WANNA HAVE SOME FUN!"
BAM! BAM! BAM!
The pounding is unrelenting, every hit rattling the hinges, shaking the walls.
I press my back against the door, my breath coming in shallow gasps, my heart slamming against my ribs like a trapped bird. Tears blur my vision, but I can't let them in.
If the door breaks, I'm done.
I will be a dead cat.
But then—
"HEY! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!"
A new voice, rough and commanding.
It cuts through the chaos like a blade.
The pounding stops all of the sudden.
And then… silence.
For a single, suffocating moment, the only sound is my ragged breathing.
"Tsk…" one of the men mutters. Irritation drips from his voice like spit on the floor. "Fucking old man…"
"We weren't doin' nothin'," slurs the other. His tone has shifted to less aggressive now, trying to sound casual and innocent. "Just wanted to introduce ourselves to our new Furren neighbor, that's all…"
"She doesn't want to meet you," the older man growls. His voice is hard like cold steel. "And you sure as hell won't be bothering her again!"
A pause.
I don't dare breathe.
"Now get the hell out of my inn before I throw both of you out myself!"
Another pause.
This one longer.
Then—
"Chill out, old man," the taller one sneers, voice sour. "No need to get so worked up."
Their heavy footsteps shuffle away, fading down the hall.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the door, I don't move.
I can't move.
I remain frozen, pressed against the door, gasping for air as my entire body trembles with leftover fear. My knees threaten to buckle. My muscles ache with tension.
Then—
Knock. Knock.
I jolt, my heart slamming into my throat.
But… it's just the old man.
"Hey girl, are you okay in there?" His voice, though still rough, is calmer now. "Sorry for the trouble. Those bastards are gone."
I swallow hard, my throat dry.
"I… I'm okay," I manage, though the words barely make it out.
"Good. Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on them. You're safe now."
Safe.
I want to believe him. I desperately want to believe him.
"Th-thank you," I whisper, my voice small.
"Get some rest, kid."
His footsteps retreat.
And yet—I stay where I am.
My hands remain pressed against the wood. My chest rises and falls in uneven gasps. My mind won't stop racing.
The fear clings to me like a second skin.
At least… I'm safe.
For now.
I think I'll stay right here.
————————————-
Fuck…
Needless to say, that was utterly terrifying.
Now, curled up on the floor, hugging my knees to my chest, I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to calm myself down.
But…
I can't.
Because if I had been just a little slower…
If they had caught me…
Then—
What would be happening to me right now?
The thought coils around my mind like choking vines, tightening, suffocating. My body trembles uncontrollably, tears roll down my cheeks before I even realize it.
SLAP! SLAP!
I smack my own cheeks, trying to snap myself out of it, to push away the gnawing fear.
Man…
Why couldn't I have woken up in a luxurious mansion? With a catgirl maid at my side, fawning over me? That would've been nice!
Instead, I'm stuck in this crooked, filthy inn, with no idea what to do next—
And I almost got myself raped by those disgusting bastards…
A violent shudder racks my spine. I squeeze my arms tighter around myself.
God… I need something. A sign. A tutorial. A goddamn weapon!
Yeah… just something to make this feel less like a nightmare and more like the isekai fantasy it should be…
Then, suddenly—
I remember.
Oh yeah!
That reminds me!
"STATUS!!!" I shout, my voice echoing through the tiny room.
"STATUS! OPEN!"
"SYSTEM, ACTIVATE!!!"
Normally, every isekai main protagonist will get a system, a screen, something!
…
But then… Nothing.
Nothing.
Yup.
"Nyaaahhh… I'm so fucked!!!"
With a groan, I lean back against the wall and let out a deep, exhausted sigh.
Then—
Click.
My breath catches.
The door.
It's unlocking.
From the outside.
With a key.
FUCKKK!!!!
Is it them? Did they get another key?!
My heart slams against my ribs as panic seizes me, raw and overwhelming.
I don't think. I react immediately.
I lunge for the nearest object—the chair—and scramble to the furthest corner of the room. My hands tighten around the wooden frame, my pulse thundering in my ears, my entire body trembling.
The door creaks open.
A figure steps inside.
And—
I freeze.
------------------
Catgirls fun fact #2:
Catgirls have really good reflexes. They can react and easily dodge incoming arrows.