Selina sat alone in the corner of the room, surrounded by other criminals at the police station. The atmosphere was thick with tension when the leader of the group approached her, a smug grin plastered on her face.
"Hey, welcome to this prison. Do you know the rules? I'm the boss here, and you'll do whatever I say," she declared, her voice authoritative.
Selina raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing at the corners of her mouth. "Wow, I didn't know I got hired. When's my next pay?"
"Do you think we're here to play?" she snapped, irritation creeping into her tone.
"Not at all. I'm quite serious," she shot back.
The leader stepped closer, grabbing the fabric of her shirt and pulling her to her feet. "It seems you don't know who I am."
"I don't," she replied defiantly, meeting her gaze.
"Make any small mistakes, and you'll regret ever coming here," she warned, a threatening edge in her voice.
"Regret? I already do. It's all Roberts's fault," she replied, the name escaping her lips like a bitter aftertaste.
Just then, Officer Roberts entered, cutting through the tension. "You've got two visitors."
Selina's expression shifted as hope sparked within her. "Get me out of this hell, Roberts. I won't lay a hand on anyone again."
"You've been here for two days of a ten-year sentence," he reminded her, unfazed.
"Fine, you win," she conceded, her resolve faltering.
Roberts opened the gate, leading her into the visiting room. Selina's gaze brightened when she spotted her mother, Frances, and her best friend, Anne. She rushed over, a hint of excitement in her voice.
"Hi, Mom! Hi, bestie!"
"I hope you're putting in good behavior?" Frances asked, her tone serious as she scrutinized Selina.
"Of course! I didn't fight with anyone," Selina assured her, trying to keep the mood light.
"'With anyone'?" Anne echoed, confused.
"Forget about it," Selina said dismissively, brushing off the concern.
"Selina, listen," Frances said, her tone turning earnest. "If you behave, you might get out of here sooner than expected."
"Are you sure I can't escape, Mom? I want to travel out anyway," Selina pleaded, a glimmer of mischief in her eyes.
"Do you need a slap across your soft, pretty cheek?" Frances retorted, her gaze icy.
"If that's the punishment for escaping, then why not?" Selina joked, her smile returning.
"Bestie, we're not joking," Anne interjected, her tone serious now.
Selina rolled her eyes, the levity fading. "Okay, I promise not to get into any fights or do the… you know."
"Good," Frances said, relieved.
"Anne, get me a job," Selina said, shifting topics abruptly.
"What?" Anne was taken aback.
"I work, or isn't that permitted?" Selina challenged.
"Do you think you're still living in that dark nightmare where you're the boss?" Anne shot back.
"I am the boss," Selina insisted, her confidence unshakeable.
"Wrong. Roberts is the boss," Anne countered.
"You think, he thinks, we all think. I miss my sweet daddy," Selina sighed, her expression mocking.
Frances's stare was piercing.
"Don't send me to the grave with your eyes, Mom. I was just joking!" Selina assured her.
"Funny?" Frances replied flatly.
Anne chimed in, "Don't you have any sweetness left to alter your dark, demonic side?"
"Those who are sweet suck. They're losers like you, Anne," Selina shot back.
"A loser who isn't in jail," Anne retorted, her voice tinged with frustration.
Selina chuckled but quickly turned serious. "You might think this is punishment for me, but it's a record. It's history. I killed; I forgot."
"But that wasn't the solution, was it?" Frances pressed. "You could have been a free citizen."
"And you wouldn't be thinking of escaping and running out of the country," Anne added.
"True," Selina admitted reluctantly.
"Now ponder over that," Frances concluded, crossing her arms in finality.
Roberts entered, greeting Frances and Anne with a nod. "Selina has to do hard labor."
Selina smirked, defiance lighting up her eyes. "This chills all your bones, right? Don't sleep with both eyes closed, you hear me?"
"I hope you know it's a crime to threaten a police officer," Roberts replied, his voice stern.
"To hell with your rules," Selina retorted, unfazed.
"Selina, what did we just talk about?" Frances reminded her, disappointment evident.
"It's time to change, Selina. I miss my former friend," Anne said softly.
"I'll see what I can do. Goodbye," Selina said, turning her back on them as they began to leave.
As they bid her farewell, she muttered, "Let's go before I change my mind."
Roberts chuckled. "It's not in you to change your mind. Either do the task or take the lashes."
"Your wife is pretty, you know. Do you need another one?" Selina remarked slyly, a glimmer of mischief in her eyes.
"You did your research, smart girl," Roberts replied, his eyebrow raised in amusement.
"I'll spare you because of your loving daughter. I'm not a monster after all," Selina smirked as she made her exit.
Roberts shook his head, a bemused smile on his lips. "She's so full of vanity."
"I heard that," Selina called back, her laughter echoing in the hallway.
Meanwhile, at Diego's house, he and Taylor sat in the living room, the weight of their regrets heavy between them.
"We should apologize to her," Diego said, breaking the silence.
"I'm afraid of that girl," Taylor replied, a hint of fear in her voice.
"She spared our lives, remember? She killed her own father but spared us," Diego insisted, recalling the terrifying events.
"Maybe she did it because of Anne," Taylor reasoned, her brow furrowed.
Just then, Anne and Frances entered, interrupting their conversation.
"Mrs. Richard…" Diego began, only to be cut off.
"Richard is dead. My name is Frances now," she corrected him sharply.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean it," Diego stammered, embarrassed.
"It's fine," Frances said dismissively, settling into a chair.
"Please, sit!" Taylor urged, motioning for them to take a seat.
"I'm happy to finally be with all my family, well, except Selina," Anne said, glancing around the room.
"About Selina," Diego began, "we'd love to apologize to her for everything."
"That's a good idea," Anne said, nodding. "She would appreciate it… I guess."
"Yes, we owe her an apology," Taylor agreed, and they continued to discuss their complicated feelings.
Back at the prison, the criminals were busy with their tasks, the atmosphere thick with the smell of sweat and tension. Selina sat on the floor, weary, when the leader approached her once more.
"I'm the only one permitted to rest; you do all the hard labor," she said, her tone dripping with arrogance.
"I'm done working. I did what Roberts asked," Selina replied, her patience wearing thin.
"But you haven't done what I'm asking," she sneered, inching closer.
"Look, I don't want trouble. I just want to try and put in good behavior so I can get out of this shithole," she insisted, her voice steady.
The leader glanced at the other criminals, who erupted into laughter. "Good behavior? Do you think you're a tough guy, princess?"
As the laughter echoed around her, Selina steeled herself. She attempted to get up and leave, but the leader shoved her back to the ground.
"Show me what you can do," she taunted.
Selina rose to her feet, moving closer, a determined grin on her face. "Once a victim, now a hunter."
"What do you mean?" she asked, confusion creeping into her voice.
"Stay away from me if you want to stay alive," she warned, her tone low and threatening.
Without warning, the leader struck her across the face, her hand connecting with a sickening thud.
"If you want to stay alive, you have to listen to me," she growled, revealing a knife from her pocket.
Selina's eyes narrowed as she stared at the weapon, a smirk curling her lips. "I've got myself a tough one."
"What did you say?" she demanded, incredulous.
"Burn in hell," she shot back, the defiance burning bright within her.
With her bloodied face, she stood tall and began to walk away, but the leader lunged at her, slashing the knife in her direction.