"Don't do anything stupid, Nora!" She hissed in anger.
"I saw the opportunity why not, Naomi?" Nora replied with no remorse. She casually hoisted the stained uniform from the floor. The name embroidered on it had turned dirty dark brown. "I only need to take this with me."
"NO!!!" Naomi seized it, clutching it tightly to her chest.
"Oh Naomi, you don't expect me to be harsh to you, right? Give it to me while I'm being nice." She ordered in her rather restrained demeanor.
"Get out!" Instead, Naomi decides to chase her sister out of the house.
"Unless you hand to me that blazer." Nora forfeited, she trances to get it herself.
"No!!" Naomi holds it more tightly to her, dropping herself into a defensive stance.
A bitter frown creeping all over her face, the evidence is the main subject to her plan, she had to have it no ma
Arrays of shades with tints of red, yellow, and orange adorned the sky, and the sun began to disappear under the horizon. With the contrast streaks of colors between the skyline and the sea, it appears as if there are two worlds apart. The gentle waves washed ashore, and the crisp breeze induced an illusion of saltness sensation emergence from the borderless mighty ocean. Nelson inhaled the scentofthe sea he always loves, the girl he loves is farther ahead by the barbeque fire pit left by visiting campers. Naomi had insisted he stay where he parked his metallic greensuperbike, he very much doubted whether Naomi is hinting for a night under the sky full of stars. New norms of spending leisure time living in a tent, especially by the seaside is a popular activity these days. Someday, he told hims
At the end corner of the hilly side village, a house with the red chipped paint wall loomed. From far, it is the perfect illusion of an old building with grief history under the dim light at night. Indeed, it is... Naomi could replay the little girl version of her running around what had been her playground when she was little. Then years after, the place she called home embarking into her battleground, she was in despair. Since that day the law enforcement takes her father away from their house for murder charges, their life had been a misery with minimum financial support and the glare of the people around them as if they are criminals, life as a child had never been normal. One day, while expecting their father's homecoming, instead they only got to hold his urn of ash instead of himself. They said her father was killed in a fight in the cell. With his death, the case closed, a
That day was the longest night for Naomi, eyes were puffy, the nose was blocked and somehow sleeping was impossible. She lay curled on the floor, knees closer to her chest, do not bother to wipe away the tears from her cheeks, until the dripping salty water makes a visible dark spot on the hardwood floor. Her mother had dismissed herself to reside in her own room, and she too does not bother to further the conversation. Naomi loses count of staring blankly onto the wall, and when she realized it was yet another day as the sun shone through the curtains. She blinked a few times to cast away her groggy mind from the poor state of sleep. After all, sleeping on the floor is not a good idea, her aching body had her struggle to get up from the floor. "I need to get ready for school!" she mentally reminded herself. In her sluggish disoriented movement, she alerted that by this time her mother had prepared breakfast and she should be in her uniform already. Steadying
Nora's footsteps echoed on the floor that once had been a polished parquet. The abandoned house stood well over the years, beneath the flakes and dirt of years, the red brick walls and window frames still intact and still. A little spring cleaning is all they need to provide temporary shelter for them. The grand abandoned house is too luxurious for them, the spacious living area is more than enough for them to fit in a studio-type apartment. A single bed that held their hostage, a dining table at the center of the room, and by the doorway where they arranged the old fine upholstery leather couch and a coffee table. Halting to the man sitting on the couch who is packing the clear chunky crystals into a small plastic packet. With arms across her chest, she asked, "She mistakes me for Naomi, how much did you give her, Edward? It is almost ten hours ago and she is still asleep?" Edward looked up and stood up to face Nora, putting his business aside. His full stature draws attention to N
Beginning from a series of distorted ideas, a precise recognition of the condition I'm in becomes clear. I'm mentally wrestled to reset my coordination. I was finally able to flick open my eyelids only to find myself in unfamiliar surroundings. I shut them again. But the scene won't change. It is real, I was taken. The first thing I realized is the pain and tenderness in my nostril. It is usually triggered by allergies or dry weather. As my eyes grew accustomed to my surroundings, I noticed dust particles reflecting from the sunlight that had managed to get past the curtain seams. I also realised that the air circulation in the room is terrible and that the windows ought to be left open wide to let in fresh air because the large space appeared to have been abandoned for a very long time. I hissed to a sudden throbbing in my temples only to realize my wrist was tied. Now that I regret to cause such alertness to my abductor, a man indeed is in the room with me and he is rushed to c
A man and a woman's sudden coming blocking the doorway had me almost screamed to the top of my lungs.The woman is clearly, Nora.Judging by their droopy eyes, they are probably high on drugs again.Nora had a past case of drugs abuse, it must be it, I assumed.I pushed them away at ease, anytime soon the man locked in the washroom will get his way out, every second is counted.The white minivan is my only motivation.In an instant I push the door lock button once I was inside. Insecurity and exhaustion messed me up for a while before I shake them away.Adjusting the seat, my trembling hand put the key to the ignition, luckily its starts in one kick. Manual transmission isn't my best, and my driving practice is only from the few session with Samuel.No valid driving license and it is even illegal to drive on the road
When I opened my eyes again, the warmness radiated by Samuel is gone. I was left with another thud of headache and cold air. I remember being on and off, a few people with faces I couldn't figure out who and whose come to me, with the softest of their tones, trying to ask me questions. I heard them, but my lips seal shut, and heavy. Barely even thinks of words to answer them. Until they stop bothering me, allowing me to drift back into a deep oblivion sleep. The significant sterilant smell alerted me at once, an I.V attached to my vein throbs in my attempts to move my hand. From my murky view, the voices of chattering attract my attention, sitting on the sofa at the corner of the room, according to what I saw. I immediately recognize the two figures at once. They were, mom and Grandpa... Grandpa is rarely presented among us, and when he is there, something s
"Please forgive me for bringing you into this world only to see you suffer." "Please forgive me, Naomi..." Naomi's ears are filled with the dreadful whisper of her mother's final words. A teardrop has fallen and is glistening on her cheek, which she hastily wipes away with the back of her hand. Her mother's funeral took place a week ago. Naomi had to force herself to return to school today since staring at blank walls was no longer a viable option. Nelson longed for Naomi to be happy once more is futile. Naomi has few reasons to smile again. After all, she had predicted her ending from the moment Nelson showed up at her side. Nora had been missing for a few days, and she is the last family member she will have, but she was gone again. Nelson was the one who supported her. But what is the significance of this, given Nelson's knowledge of her deeds? He'll never look at her the same way again. Nelson will take her into his family, pay for her studies, and live happily ever after,
The haze lifted slowly, my mind wading through the fog and my body was leaden, limbs weighed down by some invisible force. My throat was parched, and my head throbbed with a dull ache.The muted light of the room seemed to pulse against the drawn curtains, pressing in with an almost suffocating weight. As I stirred, the room felt different. Stale yet eerily pristine. My eyes landed on the bedside clock. The time was familiar, but the date... it didn't make sense.Had I really been out that long?My chest tightened as fragments of the last time I was awake flitted through my mind. Nelson.How will he save me?I shifted carefully, every muscle screaming in protest as I pushed myself upright. The effort made me dizzy, but I was desperate to move, to feel alive again. My eyes fell on my arms, wrapped tightly in bandages. A shower.I needed to scrub away the staleness clinging to my skin, the invisible grime that made my skin crawl.But the bandages...Slowly, I swung my legs over the ed
The room was bathed in muted warmth, the golden light of day now replaced by the dim glow of a table lamp perched on the nightstand. Its soft illumination cast elongated, wavering shadows across the walls, lending an air of quiet unease. The curtains were drawn tight, but the faint hum of the city beyond told me it was night.The first thing I noticed was the weight pressing down on my body. My limbs felt heavy, like they were pinned under invisible chains. The rest of the room was cloaked in shadows, silent and still.I remained motionless, my breathing slow and steady, feigning the deep, tranquil slumber Jason expected. Though the sedative dulled my senses, it hadn’t completely robbed me of awareness. Jerry hadn’t administered a full dose—just enough to stave off another panic attack without entirely obliterating my consciousness.I stayed perfectly still, my breathing slow and shallow, feigning the deep slumber Jason expected. The sedative dulled my senses, but not completely. Jerr
Nelson gripped the handlebars of his motorcycle tighter, his knuckles turning white, its powerful engine thrumming beneath him like a restless beast. It roared through the night streets of Sillas City as he weaved through traffic, the engine’s deep growl echoing off the narrow alleys. Lana's trembling voice replayed in his head, each word etched into his mind.“Crescent Towers… tenth floor—uh, number… 358, I think. … you’re my only hope. You have to help me.”He had hesitated at first, and for a fleeting moment, he wondered if this was a prank. But as the silence stretched after the call ended, guilt and worry gnawed at him.What if Lana truly needed help? The thought left a bitter taste in Nelson's mouth."Damn it," he muttered under his breath, twisting the throttle. The 650cc engine roared to life, propelling him forward with a surge of adrenaline.He couldn’t ignore her, not after hearing the desperation in her voice.Nelson eased his bike into the parking lot, the sound of the ru
The room felt heavy with unspoken tension, the kind that seeped into the walls and lingered like a storm waiting to break. Jason stood near the window, his hands clasped tightly behind his back, gazing out at the city skyline. The glittering lights mocked him, a chaotic reflection of the battle raging inside. His jaw tightened as he exhaled slowly, the sound barely audible over the hum of the air conditioning.Behind him, Jerry sat at the table, methodically sorting through his medical bag. The precise clink of glass vials against one another was the only sound, a steady rhythm in the charged silence.“Jerry,” Jason began, his voice low, almost a growl. “I need your help.”He didn’t look up immediately, but Jason noticed the subtle stiffening of his shoulders. When Jerry finally met his gaze, his expression was guarded, his movements deliberate as he closed the bag.“I’m already helping you, Jason,” Jerry said coldly. “More than I should.”Jason turned, his expression dark. “We’re not
I lay motionless, every inch of my body weighed down by exhaustion. Outside the bedroom door, I could hear them.Jason and Jerry, discussing my condition in hushed tones.I strained to catch snippets of their conversation, words like "dosage" and "observing" drifting through the crack. They sounded calm and steady, but to me, it felt more like they were plotting my imprisonment.Then I noticed it.Jason's phone rested on the seat where he usually sat while keeping watch over me. The screen glowed, a recent message half-typed, abandoned in his haste to follow Jerry. My heart thundered in my chest, adrenaline surging through my veins.This was my chance.Ignoring the throbbing pain in my stitched hand, I dragged myself to the edge of the bed, fingers outstretched toward the phone. I trembled, fighting to steady my breath.My mind raced as I navigated to the contacts list.Nelson.He was my only hope. After the heated argument with Jason days ago, I clung to the belief that Nelson would n
For the next two days, the walls seemed to close in, inch by inch, and despair began to creep into my bones. I had hoped that playing the part, feigning obedience, would give me some space—maybe a chance. But Jason didn't leave the apartment.Still, he stayed, his presence shadowing me with its quiet, unnerving calm.Most meals arrived at the door, delivered with barely a sound, a silent reminder that I was cut off from the outside world. Jason set up his laptop on the counter, working without a word. Though he gave me the freedom to roam the living room, even watch TV, it felt orchestrated. As if he wanted me to feel relaxed enough to drop my guard.I tried to distract myself with the television, flipping through channels for anything that could pull me from this claustrophobic existence, but nothing caught my interest. Every laugh track, every news anchor's voice felt hollow, echoing against the surrounding silence.There was no way out. Every door locked from the inside, every windo
Jason stepped out of the shower, his movements relaxed as he wrapped a towel around his waist, droplets of water clinging to his skin. He noticed immediately that Lana was not in her room, but it only deepened his calm. He knew that there was no possible way for her to get out.He had seen to it. She was safely contained, her every means of connection to the outside world secured or removed. He'd thought through each scenario, each potential escape, and he knew with certainty that the only way she was leaving was with him, to Granata.As he dried his hair in his room across from Lana's, Jason glanced at the clock on the living room wall. The time was nearly up. He needed to change her bandage. He draped the towel around his shoulders, with a steady breath, he padded toward the kitchen, a small smile curving as he found her there, sipping a glass of water. She turned at the sound of his approach, her expression calm but distant, masking the tension he knew was hiding underneath."I hope
My arm throbbed lightly, a raw, stinging reminder of the wound left from yesterday. I winced, testing the movement, but relief washed over me when I realized it wasn't deep enough to slow me down.I needed to move fast, to be quiet. The shower hissed from behind the closed bathroom door, the only sound in the apartment. I took a quick, steadying breath.If there was ever a time to get out, it was now.I padded across the living room, feeling every muscle tense with purpose. When I reached the front door, my fingers went to the lock.I froze.That unyielding panel of numbers stared back at me, unmovable and impassive. I punched in the only codes I thought might work. Birthdays, common combinations, even random sequences. But each attempt ended with a sharp, unforgiving beep. My heart hammered in my chest. He had activated the security locked down system, blinking red with each failed entry.With growing dread, I tore my eyes from the door and cast a frantic glance around the apartment.
I blinked awake, my eyes adjusting to the dim light as I took in the soft shadows of the room. My hand throbbed slightly, wrapped in a fresh bandage.The antiseptic smell lingered, a reminder of how closely Jason had hovered over me. It felt like a weight pressing on my chest, this feeling of being caged. I needed to get away, away from his grip that seemed to tighten with every passing day.I shifted on the bed, letting out a quiet sigh. A warm hand squeezed my shoulder, gentle yet firm. Jason's voice reached me through the haze, soft and careful. "Hey, you’re waking up. I’m here.”Blinking, I opened my eyes, struggling to bring the world around me into focus. My mind felt heavy, muddled, and it took a moment to recognize where I was. Jason’s face hovered over me, a faint, reassuring smile on his face.The sunlight seeped through the blinds, casting soft, crisscrossed shadows over the room, grounding me slightly in its warmth. As I looked around, my eyes caught on the IV bag, nearly d