Noah"Hello, thanks for agreeing to meet with us," Raymond said warmly. I heard them exchange a kiss on the cheek. The woman bent down to greet me in the same way."Hi, Cassandra. It's nice to meet you," I said, my voice trembling slightly. Her long, silken hair brushed my cheek. Even her perfume smelled alluring.I thought being here with Raymond would help ease my jealousy, but as they discussed the plans in hushed tones, I felt even more like an outsider.I sipped my cappuccino and took a bite out of my croissant, trying to look busy. My mind drifted elsewhere as I half-listened to their conversation.Images came to my mind. A stunning woman in a shimmering gown. Her and Raymond, both wearing masks, da
NoahI stood in the bathroom, held by a strange woman with a familiar voice. Her grip was iron. Her nails were digging into my skin.“What a pleasure to ‘see’ you again, Noah,” the woman said with a madness in her tone. The worst thing was that I recognized her voice. It was Josie, the woman who had become my worst nightmare. The realization struck me like a bolt of lightning.“Surprised? My-Dear-Old-Friend!” she sneered, yanking my hair back so hard it felt like my scalp might tear away. I winced. The pain was sharp and immediate.Her ghostly voice sent chills down my spine. The voice that had once been so familiar now felt like a deadly weapon, cutting through the remnants of our shattered friendship.
NoahThe sudden voice outside the door made both of us freeze. I could feel Josie’s heart pounding through the hand she had clamped over my mouth. It was Cassandra! My last hope.But Josie seemed to sense my thoughts. She tightened her grip, her fingers digging painfully into my skin.“Don’t say a word,” she hissed, her voice low and menacing. “You wouldn’t want her to die too, would you?”We stood there in silence, waiting. The knock at the door faded away, and the silence felt suffocating. Maybe it was for the best that Cassandra didn’t come in. At least she was safe. As for me, I was growing dizzy from the blood loss and Josie’s grip around my throat. If my death could protect everyone else, maybe it was w
NoahDuring the long drive, my anxiety grew with every passing minute. I tried to break the silence to ease my nerves.“Is it much farther?” I asked, my voice trembling with worry.Raymond reached over, taking my hand in his for comfort. “Not too far. The navigation says about 15 kilometers. Why don’t you take a break? I’ll wake you up when we get there.”“Getting there soon,” Cassandra’s voice came through the intercom.“Got it,” Raymond replied, his tone soothing.Despite their reassurances, I couldn’t shake the unease. I had placed my trust in a woman I had just met. A woman we all doubted whether
NoahI stumbled back into the bedroom. My heart was heavy with the weight of what I had overheard. Throwing myself onto the bed, I felt the tears come slowly. I tried to convince myself that I should trust him. But doubts gnawed at me. What if he gave me the worst answer? What if everything was about to fall apart?I admitted, I was timid in love sometimes. I was not confident enough. Especially when it came to Raymond. Maybe it was because of the scars left by a bad marriage, or I was not as young anymore. I kept telling myself that there had to be a misunderstanding, that I just needed to calm down and ask him directly. Yes, I could face this.“Noah? Are you awake?” Raymond knocked on the door. “Wait a minute,” I called out, quickly sitting up and wiping away the tears. I couldn’t let him see how shaken I was. “Okay, come in, honey.”Raymond walked into the room. “Are you okay? Your eyes…”“Oh, my eyes are just a little dry,” I said, rubbing them to make my words more convincing.“L
Noah"What’s happening?” I asked, my voice trembling as panic rose in my chest. The fear was overwhelming. Holding Raymond tightly, I braced myself for whatever came next. I knew that as long as we were together, we could face anything.The suburb’s tranquil silence was shattered by the sound of approaching cars. The tension in the air was palpable. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. Raymond and Cassandra guided me into the living room. A series of security screens displayed live footage from around the property.Raymond’s arm was around my shoulders. I could feel his body tense as he watched the screen. “There's multiple cars,” he said, his voice low and cautious. “They’re stopping just outside the gate. A man with a hat and glasses is getting out. Can’t see his face. ”My heart raced. I hid my face in Raymond’s chest. He wrapped his big arms around me protectively. We waited in suspense as the man approached the front gate. His movements were deliberate and confident. He
NoahNone of us realized that the killer wasn’t dead. The shot rang out before anyone could react. Owen had thrown himself in front of me, and now he lay in my arms, bleeding. The world around me blurred. I couldn’t believe this was happening.“Owen, stay with me, please,” I whispered, my voice trembling with fear. Tears streamed down my face as I held him. How could this be happening? Just moments ago, we had been fighting for our lives. Now, Owen, who had protected me, was dying. The realization that he might not survive sent a wave of despair crashing over me.He started moving slightly. I turned my gaze towards his face, trying to make out his features. But all I could see was a very faint contour of his head. “Noah… I’m so sorry,” he gasped, his voice weak. “I regret everything… the way I treated you… I was so wrong.”“Don’t talk like that,” I pleaded, trying to keep my voice steady, but the panic was overwhelming. “You’re going to be fine. You have to be fine. Just stay with me,
NoahThe darkness of my dreams was suffocating. One by one, I watched as my family was taken from me. Their screams echoed through my mind. No matter how desperately I tried to save them, the outcome was always the same. My world crumbled, piece by piece. Until I was left alone, drowning in a sea of despair.I couldn’t breathe. The weight of the nightmare pressed down on my chest. I was suffocating. Just as I thought I would be lost to the darkness forever, I jolted awake, gasping for air.“Noah, are you okay?” Raymond’s voice broke through the fog of panic that clouded my mind. I blinked and tried to focus on him. But I was still trapped in the nightmare’s grip. His face was filled with concern. His hand reached out to touch mine.I couldn’t speak. The horror of what I had just witnessed in my sleep was still too fresh, too real. Raymond’s eyes searched mine. Fear creeped into his voice as he called my name again. “Noah, please… talk to me.”Finally, I found my voice. But all I could