A nightmare jolted Qira awake, her eyes shot open and discovered that she was covered in sweat, she panted softly and surveyed her surroundings.
The cold sweat was still clinging to her when consciousness finally penetrated the fog of sleep. Her heart was pounding rapidly, each thump echoing in her ears like a warning. She stared at the clock, the numbers seeming to blur and distort before her eyes.
7:30Am. Late. Terribly late. She started to freak out a little, the clock was ticking away, she had no idea what will happen next, a chill ran down her spine as a cold feeling started to creep in, it felt like her brain was getting fogged up, and she couldn't think
She swung her legs over the bed, the floor cold against her feet. Her mind raced calculating the impossible equation of shower, dress and commute time against the unforgiving clock.
And then, a tiny doubt popped into her head, like a bug fling into a window it was quick and unexpected but it made her wonder if she was doing the right thing. Something didn't feel right. She looked at the clock again, this time with a clearer head, Saturday!. The word registered slowly, like a puzzle piece finally finding its place, it all just clicked everything was beginning to make sense like a light bulb turning on.
Relief washed over her in waves, as sudden and unexpected as the panic that had came before.. The sense of urgency that had been so strong a moment ago was now fading away like a cloud disappearing in the morning sun. It was like a breath of fresh air, Easing the tension that had been building up inside her.
Just when she was about laying back to sleep a loud banging on the door caught her attention, she sat up and listened, who the heck could that be at this hour? Qira said to herself, and scrambled out of bed, she walked quietly to the door, feeling a bit scared. The loud banging had disrupted her and she didn't know who it was.
The knock came again before she could get to the door more forceful this time. "coming" she called out, assuming it was a delivery, her voice softened by the door, as she turned the knob her world tilted on its axis
A large imposing figure filled the door way, his face obscured with a black hood. Before she could register the shock, a cloth was clamped over her mouth. A sharp chemical sting filled her sense as she struggled against the overwhelming force pinning her arms.
The last thing she saw was the cold, hard glint in the intruder's eyes before darkness enveloped her
Qira came to with a pounding headache that felt like it was going to spilt her skull in two and a dry mouth. The pain was so intense that she couldn't help but groan in agony. She tried to move her head, but the slightest movement sent a sharp pain shooting through her skull, panic surged through her as she realized she was blindfolded and found Her heart was beating really fast.
Were was she? What happened? Qira Wondered.
A low murmurs of voices drifted to her ears, punctuated by the occasional clink of metal. Fear gnawed at her insides.
The door slowly opened with a squeaky sound followed by some footstep . A hand roughly yanked her to her feet, she was stumbled forward, her ankles aching. The stench of stale cigarette smoke and cheap cologne filled her nostrils. she was pushed into a car, the engine roaring to life. Her captors were rough, their handling of her bordering on brutal.
Terror was her constant companion, she tried to remember the last few hours, searching for a clue, a detail that might explain this nightmare. But her mind was blank, she was a ghost in her own life stripped of identity and control.
"Wake up, doll face". The cloth was pulled off her head bidding her to harsh light. She couldn't see anything for some seconds. When her vision adjusted, she saw a grimy warehouse filled with shadows and the low hum of machinery. A group of men, their faces hard and expression stood around her.
The world was a blur of grace and everything seems to be moving so fast.when Qira regained consciousness fully. Her wrist were bound, a cold metal was pressing against her skin, and it felt really uncomfortable, it was a sharp pain, but it was also a strange numb feeling. She tried to move away but it was stuck to her. Panic surged through her, but forced herself to calm down. She needed to think.
She had been kidnapped, her mind raced trying to piece together the fragments of memory, her thought turned to practical matters. What if the they demanded a ransom, where would she get the money to pay? Her meager salary barely covered her living expenses she was the sole breadwinner of her younger brother, Anslo, who was still in college.
Panic began to set in,". Qira's thoughts turned to her boyfriend, Raleigh. a ping of bitterness shot through her. He was always promising the moon, but his action spoke louder than his words, the constant lies, the unexplained absences, the lack of care. It was a toxic relationship she'd been clinging to out of fear of loneliness. But now, in this terrify isolation, the realization hit her with brutal clarity. He wouldn't lift a finger to help her.
She was feeling really stressed and worried. Desperation was eating away at her . Who would pay a ransom for a struggling young woman with no real assets? The weight of her insignificance crushed her spirit.
Two men entered, their faces hidden in shadows. One was tall and broad, the other shorter, with a menacing glint in his eyes, Qira heart pounded in her chest. A sense of familiarity washed over her as the shorter man stepped into the light. Her blood ran cold.
It was him. The man who had haunted her nightmares since she was a child. The mafia boss, Marion Callisto, the man responsible for her parents murder.
Qira's mind reeled, how could this be happening? How had he found her?
"You know who I am, don't you, Qira?" Marion asked, his voice a laced with contempt, "your Father's little girl, all grown up and so naive to think she could escape my reach".
A weave of nausea swept over Qira. She forced herself to meet his gaze, her voice steady despite the turmoil within.
"What do you want from me, Marion?".
A cruel smile spread across his face. " your father stole from me, Qira, a lot. And I want it back". His eyes gleamed with malice. " and I want it with interest ".
He paused, his gaze lingering on her, " and I want your house ".
Qira felt a surge of anger, a fierce determination to fight back. This man had taken everything from her. But now, faced with him, she realized she had to be stronger than fear. She had to survive for herself and for the memory of her parents.
She couldn't comprehend it. The man who controlled the city. Whose empire stretched far beyond its borders, was fixated on a dilapidated house on the outskirts of town. A house that held no monetary value, no strategic advantage. It was now a puzzle with no pieces
"Why" she whispered to the air, the question hanging in the air like a wind.