Past Shadows

A Dead End

On seeing him, Anna and Casa flinched a bit at first, but after recalling what Prisca had told them, they regained their cool and even stared at him somewhat disdainfully.

“ You two. This wasn't what was agreed. You told me she was an easy prey to catch, and I wouldn't have to stress much. But she turned out to be such a savage person. I even got slapped five times. FIVE TIMES! When last have I, Jake being through such humiliation? Yet, I still couldn't get the girl, neither could I get the money. How do you plan to compensate me for this? “ James ranted angrily.

Hearing his words, the disdain in the girls eyes intensified. You messed up the job and still want compensation. Seriously?

“ You… Aren’t you too much. You were given a job and you messed up. Yet, you still have the guts to demand compensation. How shameless can you be? “ Casa rebuked in anger.

“ Casa! Stop… “ Anna spoke up in a low pitch after hearing her words. No matter what, she hadn't forgotten the dread Jake attracted whenever he was present. But she was paused in her track by a violent draw of Casa’s hair by Jake.

“ You b***h! Who do you think you are talking to that way? Have you lost your sense of fear? “ Jake grasped her hair and pulled it harshly as he yelled at her face. His saliva splashed continually in little drop on her face.

“ AHHHHHHH! “ Casa screamed in pain. “ I am sorry! Please, I am sorry. I won't try it ever again. ANNA, WHY ARE YOU JUST STARING? QUICKLY PLEAD FOR ME. “ She yelled while still immersed in the pain.

Ignoring her plea, Anna stepped back in fright. What plead for you? So I would have to suffer with you. What should I do now? Should I run?

She wasn't foolish enough plead with someone like Jake. Especially not for the likes of Casa. They’ve been friends for a long while, even before Prisca came into the picture. Thus, she knew this friend of hers too well. In fact, they knew themselves too well. Neither of them were worthy of taking a bullet for.

While Casa was still wallowing in pain and Anna still took constant steps back, searching for an opportunity to escape, just in case. A sound resounded somewhere down the road.

Considering the distance, it should have been impossible for the sound to travel as far as to their vicinity. However, the road was dark and desolate, thence; it happened.

“ Who’s there? “ They all yelled in sync.

As soon as their yell resounded, a dark figure rushed out from a table beside the area the sound originated from.

“ Who’s that? “ Jake asked again. But the figure ignored Jake and ran in an opposite direction, breezing off like a storm.

It was at this point that Anna and Casa got a clear view of the figure’s back stature. First thing they noticed was it was a female. Then; “ Isn’t that Prisca! “ They both exclaimed.

“ No no no! Quickly chase after her. Send your boys to bring her down. If she escapes and spills the beans to her mom, then we are all doomed. Trust me. You have no idea who she is. “ Casa yelled at Jake in haste. Even the pain of her hair being drawn seemed to go oblivious to her at the moment.

“ Wait what! What’s her identity? I can’t remember you girls telling me anything about that. “ Jake replied in confusion.

“ Don’t worry about that, we will explain it to you later. Just don’t let her escape. “ It was Anna who spoke this time.

“ You two… I will deal with you girls later. What are you waiting for boys; Chase! “ Jake exclaimed to his boys and took the lead in the chase.

[ Prisca POV ]

“ Ahhhhh. “ Prisca stumbled after mistakenly colliding her leg against a stone. ‘ The road is too dark. ‘ She thought.

Just as she was approaching the junction of the street, she recalled her friends transport money while coming was paid by her. Hence, she wasn’t sure they had any cash with them that they could use in boarding a bus when returning home. Plus she knew their house was quite far off from this place. Thus, she made up her mind to return and give them a little cash.

“ What! Why are they together? “ Prisca muttered in confusion due to the unbelievable sight before her eyes. Her harasser Jake and his minions, plus her two friends.

“ Wait! Does he want to harass them. Could it be he saw them conversing with me, hence he felt he could as well take his revenge on them.

Furious, Prisca was about to walk forward and teach him a lesson when she heard something that paused her in her steps.

“ You two. This wasn't what was agreed. You told me she was an easy prey to catch, and I wouldn't have to stress much. But she turned out to be such a savage person. I even got slapped five times. FIVE TIMES! When last have I, Jake being through such humiliation? Yet, I still couldn't get the girl. How do you plan to compensate me for this? “

“ … “

‘ WHAT! ‘ She screamed in agony inwardly. ‘ I don’t understand. How? Why? ‘

‘ Could it be a lie? ‘ She assumed. But the next words she heard made waste the assumption. “ You… Aren’t you too much. You were given a job and you messed up. Yet, you still have the guts to demand compensation. How shameless can you be? “. It was from Casa. CASA. One of her only two friends. Also the one she had tried her best to help the most whenever she was in need of money.

Only she and they knew countless times she had had to ask her mom for money for them. Something she hardly ever did for herself as she believed the wealth was the root of her problems.

Yet, they did this. She couldn't believe it still. Or maybe the pain from believing it was just too much.

‘ What should I do? Confront them, or just leave quietly. If I do confront them, they might resolve into doing something not so good to me to cover up their scheme. I can only leave quietly and ask the two why they did this later on. ‘ She pondered while suppressing the agony in her heart.

Taking a U-turn, she tipped toed her way to some distance after going a bit sideways so that the shops and equipment there can help shade her figure. While tip toeing, she could still hear the words being spilled by the three villains. Words that served to increase the agony she was already suffering. But she choose to ignore.

At some point, she heard the screams of Casa and thought about returning to help her. But she decided against it on a second thought. The one who needed saving the most was her. Whether it was emotionally or physically, as she had a hunch things wouldn't go simply if Jake caught her. For the first time since her friendship with the girls began, she was going to be selfish.

Alas, as she was tip toeing; she unintentionally bumped into an object. ‘ Oh no. ‘ She quickly tried to grasp the object before it landed on the ground, but it evade her hands.

Knowing her cover would be blown, she sprang up into a run, sprinting as fast as her body could take her. Thankfully she was on a pair of cover shoes today, not hills; Hence it was a lot easier for her to sprint at her full speed.

“ You two… I will deal with you girls later. What are you waiting for boys; Chase! “

Hearing this, she increased her pace.

Like the wind, she breezed through the streets. Even she was a lot surprise at the speed she ran. After all, this was a first for her. Being chased was something shh he e had never experienced.

At some point, she even had to take a detour due to the closing up distance between her and the hooligans. After all, they were males; inherently stronger, and she wasn’t among the likes that trained on her physique regularly.

The chase continued for a while as Prisca failed to find an environment where people were around since it was nighttime. Thus, she could only put up with the strain and keep on pushing.

Alas, she soon ran into a route with an immediate dead end; a short road with no other route.

‘ I have to return. ‘ Her thoughts processed quickly, and her response was even quicker. But it was too late. Standing before her was Jake and his boys.

Frightened, she scanned around for possible options, but there wasn’t any.

This was a dead end.