He kept coming closer, kept shrinking the world around her. The walls would close in behind him, and they would be crushed if they didn't suffocate first. NO! I won't succumb to this! But it was already too late. She couldn't move to bring herself back to the moment. At his question her eyes widened. He knows... "NO!" she cried, shaking harder. She couldn't let him see this, couldn't let him realize what it was that was making her lose her grip on reality. No one was going to have that power over her again. No one. I won't be his next puzzle. "The only thing wrong is that I'm stuck here with you," she hissed, but even her voice was shaking now, and one of the knives clattered to the floor as she lost her grip on it. I need to do something. Now. From somewhere she dredged up the remains of her determination, her need not to give this power to anyone. She tightened her grip on the other knife and forced her arm to move so that she could press it into her other arm. Pain. Only pain will keep me here.