One Hundred and Three

CHAPTER 103

The atmosphere of Amanda's house made Alicia shake a little. This house had been abandoned by Amanda, since she was last convicted of the murder of her schoolmates. She was later released on condition, after Ace was found guilty of a serial death.

But since her release, Amanda had run away and was never seen anywhere. Alicia doesn't care at first, but the death of her parents reminds her of Amanda. All the grudges Amanda had, could have made the girl hate Alicia and the possibility of Amanda wanting to kill Alicia's family was quite high.

"We should go to the forest to check the map, Nic," Alicia suggested, she was already hopeless because of the death of her parents.

"It's been a few years since Amanda came to this house." Nicholas raised his voice, wanting to make his anxiety clear in case Alicia made a reckless decision. "That's a route we don't know about. I'll call Noel and check with him. You'd better go home, I'll drive you."

But Alicia's hand moved quickly to restrain Nicholas. "I can't just stay like this. I have to find Amanda, I have to know if she killed my parents or not."

Alicia's determination clashed with Nicholas' worry, a friction born of fear and an urgent need for answers. The weight of loss hung heavy in the air, suppressing their resolve.

Nicholas sighed, realizing the futility of dissuading Alicia. "All right, but we do this together. We'll find the answers, but we'll be careful."

Alicia nodded in agreement and looked at Nicholas with a thank-you-for-trusting-me expression.

The map Amanda had made did indeed lead to the forest. The forest was not far from Amanda's house. There were still many empty gardens in Amanda's neighborhood, and that made it difficult for Alicia and Nicholas to ask neighbors or people in the neighborhood. Finally, the car Nicholas was driving arrived at a forest that looked the same as the one Amanda had drawn on the old map.

The forest loomed ahead, the shadows painted by the fading light. The branches stretched out like fingers, and the whisper of leaves moved by the wind echoed eerily. Alicia hesitated, her resolve wavering as the reality of the ominous atmosphere set in. The sky had already begun to darken, and Alicia hated the atmosphere.

"Alicia, are you sure about all this?"

"Of course," Alicia replied, then looked at Nicholas confidently.

As they went deeper, every step seemed to echo with a tense heartbeat. Alicia gripped the map tightly, her knuckles turning white. "This way," she murmured, her voice barely audible over the rustling leaves.

"We're starting to lose light," Nicholas said, then turned on the flashlight coming from his cell phone. He had forgotten to bring a flashlight, so an idea popped into his head. "I'm going back to the car to check if I brought a flashlight. Can you wait for me here?"

"Okay, Nic."

"Don't go anywhere until I get back. Understood?"

"Sure."

Their path twisted and turned, an enigmatic puzzle unraveling before them. The crowing of a crow in the distance sent chills down their spine. Alicia looked around warily, her senses heightened by the eerie silence that enveloped them.

Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows, silhouetted against the fading sunlight. The presence of the mysterious figure left Alicia rooted to the spot, a mixture of fear and questions flooding her mind.

"Amanda?"

BRUG!

Alicia's consciousness was lost instantly.

Until the second after, Alicia was able to open her eyes slowly. The faint sound of someone's voice could be heard. It was a hoarse male voice, like a mouth covered by a mask. And with difficulty, Alicia tried to wake up from her sleep.

But when she tried to stand up from the rough ground, Alicia realized that her body was bound by a strong rope. Alicia's blue eyes rounded in panic. She looked around and couldn't find Nicholas.

"Nicholas? Help!"

Alicia thrashed against the ropes, her heart racing as she searched for any sign of Nicholas. Her surroundings were unclear, shrouded in darkness, the only flickering source of light coming from a distant torch. And there was the sound of approaching feet.

The hoarse voice he heard earlier, now speaking again, this time closer, sent chills down his spine. "There is no point in calling Nicholas. He won't hear you."

Alicia's gaze flicked in the direction of the voice, her eyes adjusting to the dim light. A figure emerged from the shadows, cloaked and masked, exhaling an ominous aura of authority. Fear throbbed in her veins.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Her voice trembled as she struggled to maintain composure. "You cowardly bastard!"

The figure was silent for a moment, savoring her fear. "I've been waiting for you, Alicia," he finally replied, his words feeling chilling. "You hold the key to something far greater than you realize."

In this situation, Alicia tried to identify the figure as precisely as possible. He had a tall build, shoulders that were quite broad when covered by the cloak, and a face that wore a mask. He must be a man, Alicia thought. Of all the men she knew, who was involved in Michelle and Edward's deaths?

"What do you want, asshole?! Let me go! I'll kill you!"

"What did you say?" The man's laughter boomed, filling the dark and lonely silence of the forest. He seemed completely satisfied with Alicia who couldn't do anything. "Kill me? Let's see who dies first. Me, or you..."

Alicia's mind raced, trying to make sense of the cryptic message. Before she could answer, a sudden commotion echoed from a nearby room. Nicholas surfaced, his eyes wide with worry as he took in the scene.

"I won't let you hurt her!" Nicholas lunged forward, only to be held back by an invisible force, held back by an invisible barrier.

The figure turned towards Nicholas, a crooked smile playing at the edge of the mask. "Ah, Nicholas. Always the hero. But you cannot protect her from what is already in motion."

"Bastard!" Nicholas was about to run, chasing after the masked man. But gunshots rang out and Alicia couldn't help herself after seeing the scene before her.

"Nicholas!"

As the tension rose, Alicia understood that her journey had just begun.

"Nicholas, wake up! Help! Someone help us!"