Chapter Two [Not That Easy]
1100 Words
Not That Easy
Amara felt the world shake under her feet.
“You shouldn’t be alive right now.”
The words settled heavily between them, colder than the night air.
Her throat went dry, but somehow, she found her voice.
“Okay…” she said slowly, her lips barely moving. “But I am.”
Silence.
Wrong answer.
She saw it immediately in his eyes even know what was happening until it already happened.”
No response.
Rain dripped steadily from the edge of the building, tapping softly against the ground.
“I don’t know you,” she continued quickly. “I don’t know anything about you. I don’t even know what I saw properly.”
Another lie A weak one.
But she held onto it.
He stepped closer.
Just one step.
It was enough.
Amara’s back pressed harder against the wall.
Her heart pounded so loudly she was sure everyone could hear it.
“You saw enough,” he said.
Her fingers tightened around the edge of her coat.
“I won’t talk,” she said immediately. “I swear.”
His gaze stayed on hers.Unmoving.
Unconvinced.
Behind him, one of the men shifted slightly.
“Boss,” he said quietly. “We can’t take chances.”
Amara’s stomach dropped.
Take chances??!!!!!
She didn’t like the sound of that.
“I’m not a chance,” she said quickly. “I’m nobody. I literally have seven dollars to my name. I’m not a threat to anybody.”
The words spilled out before she could stop them.
Silence followed.
Then His eyes flicked over her again.
Slower this time Taking in everything.
Her cheap coat Her worn heels.
The slight tremble in her hands.
“You’re not from here,” he said.
It wasn’t a question.
Amara hesitated.
“No.”
“Why are you here?”
“Modeling,” she answered.
A pause then, quietly
“Struggling,” she added.
Something in his expression shifted.
Barely noticeable.
But it was there.
Behind him, another man spoke, more urgent this time.
“He wasn’t just anyone,” he said. “If this leaks”
“I know who he was,” the man in front of her cut in calmly.
The alley fell silent again.
Amara’s eyes flickered between them.
Her curiosity pushed forward before her fear could stop it.
“Who was he?” she asked.
The moment the question left her mouth, she regretted it a whole lot.
Every head turned towards her.
The air tightened a lot.
“You ask too many questions,” he said.
Amara nodded quickly. “Right. Sorry. I’ll stop.”
She pressed her lips together.
Seconds passed.
Then “He was important,” he said that was all.
But it was enough Amara’s chest tightened Important meant power.
Power meant consequences.
This wasn’t just some random crime.
This was something bigger.
Much bigger.She exhaled slowly.
“Okay,” she murmured. “That’s… not good.”
Another pause.
Then she looked back at him.
Her voice dropped slightly.
“You’re not going to let me go, are you?”
He didn’t answer.
But he didn’t deny it either.
Amara closed her eyes briefly.
Think.Think.Think dummy.
When she opened them again, there was still fear there but something else had slipped in.
Clarity.
“If you wanted me dead,” she said slowly, “I’d already be dead.”
A small risk??? not it's a big one.
His gaze sharpened slightly.
“True.”
Amara nodded once.
“Which means you’re still deciding.”
Silence.
She held his gaze, even though every instinct told her to look away.
“I’m more useful alive than dead,” another gamble but still she continued carefully. “Dead people cause noise. Problems. Investigations and unnecessary dramas”
One of the men behind him scoffed quietly.
“She thinks she understands”
“She doesn’t,” another muttered.
Amara ignored them.
Her eyes stayed on him.
“You let me walk away,” she said. “Nothing happens. I disappear. I go back to being nobody.”
A beat.
“Or,” she added, “you kill me, and now you’ve got two problems instead of one.”
The alley went quiet.
Even the rain seemed to soften.
He looked at her for a long moment.
Long enough that her confidence started to crack.
Maybe she pushed too far.
He took a step back.The shift was small.
But it changed everything.
Amara felt it immediately.
The pressure eased just slightly.
He turned his head.
“Clean it,” he said.The order was sharp.
Final.
Two of the men moved instantly, heading back toward the street.
Amara blinked.
That was it?He looked back at her.
“Walk out of this alley,” he said.
Her heart skipped.
“Don’t run.”She nodded quickly.“Don’t look back.”
Another nod.
Amara pushed herself off the wall slowly.
Her legs felt weak, but they moved.
One step.Then another,She passed him carefully, aware of how close he still was.
Aware of everything.
She reached the end of the alley.
Freedom was right there.
She stepped out onto the street
And stopped.Everything was gone.
The car.The men.The body.
Nothing remained, everywhere was super clean and crime free.
The street looked normal.
Like nothing had ever happened.
Amara let out a slow breath.
“Okay,” she whispered. “Okay…”
She turned slightly“Don’t.”
His voice came from behind her.
She froze instantly.
“Right,” she said quickly, facing forward again.
She started walking.Slow at first.
Then faster. Then faster.
Her heart pounded as she turned the corner.
Then another.Then another.
Only when she was sure she was far enough did she finally break into a run.
She didn’t stop until she reached her building.
Her hands shook as she fumbled with her keys.
“Come on… come on…”
The door opened.
She rushed inside and locked it behind her, pressing her back against it.
Silence filled the room.
Too quiet.
Amara slid down slowly until she was sitting on the floor.
Her chest rose and fell rapidly.
“I’m alive,” she whispered.
The words didn’t feel real.
Her gaze dropped to her hands.
Still trembling. Still holding the handkerchief he gave her.She stared at it.
Then laughed softly.
A shaky, disbelieving sound.
“I almost died tonight.”
The laughter faded.
Her expression shifted.
Serious now.
Heavy.
She leaned her head back against the door.
“This isn’t over,” she murmured.
And deep down
She knew she was right. The escape was just too easy
- Writer
