Deception and Desire

Chapter 1

20 YEARS AGO….

“How was school darling?” My mom asked as we made our way home to meet my dad.

“It was fun, everyone liked the locket you gave me” I beamed like a little girl, gently stroking the locket that was sitting perfectly fine around my neck.

“Who wouldn't, it looks so pretty, pretty for a beautiful girl like you,” she said, patting my head.

We made our way home, while I ranted along the way till we got home. On getting home, as we approached the front door to my apartment, Mom realized the door was left unlocked which got her angry because Dad had a thing for always leaving the door unlocked anytime he was drunk during the day and he was out to make bets he always ended up losing.

“Careful honey, there are broken glasses around the couch,” she said as she made her way to the kitchen.

“Okay Mommy” I replied, locking the door afterward and kicking my school shoes off.

A loud bang interrupted the silence in the house, causing my heart to race as I dropped my bag in haste, making my way to the kitchen where I thought the noise came from. I hadn't taken more than a few steps before being hit in the head and losing consciousness.

Groggily, I woke up to loud mumbling around me. My sight was a bit hazy as I tried to blink while simultaneously rubbing my throbbing head. I tried a couple more times to clear my vision but was only welcomed with blurred images.

“ella está despierta jefe, ¿qué debemos hacer con ella?”A man in black said (She's awake boss, what should we do with her?)

“ella sólo tiene 5 años, qué daño puede hacer con su pequeño puño.” The man dressed in a fitted suit said and laughed out loud (she is only 5, what harm can she do with her little fist.)

My vision finally cleared up, the first thing I took note of was my mom struggling a bit in her chair trying to free herself but the ropes wouldn't budge.

“There's no use.” Another man said from behind her, hitting her shoulders with his hands.

“Leave my mommy alone!” I found myself yelling at the guy. I found strength and ran up to his legs, kicking him so hard but he didn't budge after all, I was only a little girl, what harm could I cause but I didn't stop, I couldn't. I kicked him multiple times till he grabbed me by my hands and placed me on a chair holding me down.

“Don't you dare touch her!” My mother yelled, earning a grin from the big guy who held me down.

“We are already going beyond the reason we are here”

“What do you want?” My dad begged tears at the brim of his eyes.

“Your dead body.”

“No. Please-” my mom stutters, so much fear audible in her voice, she probably never imagined this kind of conversation even I never did.

“Who are you?” She asked yet again, I could feel her fear, her voice shaky and sweat beads forming on her and my dad's foreheads.

“Your nightmare and to me, the best thing that could ever happen to you.”

“You see, it's such a shame you don't know the things your husband gets himself into, which is such a pity,” the guy in a suit says walking around putting on gloves.

“He owes me so much money, and I've suddenly run out of patience, he left a contract on how he would like to pay back half of his debts-” he suddenly paused, walking up to me and stroking me by my cheeks gently.

“Nooo!” My mother yelled and my dad's face fell in disappointment and regret. I didn't understand what was going on, I was told I was too smart for my age but that didn't play a role right now in helping me understand what was going on.

“As I was saying, the other half of his debts was supposed to have been covered up but someone kept on delaying, he tried to trick me by fleeing from the country,” the man says, bringing out a passport with my dad's face on it.

“What did I do?” my mom asked, fully in tears already causing me to cry as well.

“Leave my mommy!!” I yelled continuously but no one was paying attention to me, the man held me down so hard I couldn't wiggle out of his grip.

“I'd do anything to keep my life, anything!” my dad yelled.

“That’s the thing, nothing can be done”

“Torenzo” he called out and a little boy I believe must be older than me, walked out of the corners of my house to stand beside the man that just called him.

“Take,” the man says, handing the boy his gun.

“Make me proud”

“The boy collected the gun with trembling hands and a wobbling lip as he turned towards my dad, looking up at the man once more who only nodded at the little boy urging him to go on.

“Nooooo” I yelled and jolted off the chair to my mom, shaking viciously as we both wept.

“Please set yourself free Mommy, we could go away together, promise them to give them back what they want, I don't have to go to school Mommy” I cried.

“Everything is going to be fine, '' she said, trying to assure me as she cried as well.

And then she whispered for me to run, that I should run as fast as I could to my aunt's house, that I shouldn't turn my back till I had safely gotten there.

“No, I don't want to go without you. '' I cried, shaking my head vigorously, I was interrupted by the sound of the gunshot, I turned around swiftly, in fear, and gasped at my dad's lifeless body slumped on the chair.

The young boy had shot him without mercy. How could they be so cruel?

“It's time to return the favor, Grace,” the man says, collecting the gun from the little boy and praising him for the good job he had done.

I ran, I ran out through the back door

“She's getting away,” a man yelled.

“Let her be…we'll always find her”

I ran to the kitchen window since they weren't coming after me to see if they'd let my mom go since I already ran. I quietly stayed by the window and looked at my mom locking eyes with her once more before she closed her eyes looking away from me. The man shot her almost immediately she closed her eyes and looked out the window in my direction before waving at me.

So I did what I knew how to do best…

I RAN.