CHAPTER 2
1059 Words
~Venus~
I stood in a dark alleyway, shivering to the freezing cold of the night.
I leaned against a wall, my hands wrapped around my body.
I stole occasional glances from left to right.
“Venus Diaz.” I heard a soft voice, light as a whisper.
I turned to the direction of the voice, and was taken aback by the figure standing across me. He stood about 6 feet tall.
He was dressed in an all black tuxedo. He had his hair curled back, his cold eyes gave a piercing stare. He wore a hideous smirk on his face.
He held a black bag, on his right hand, and on his other was a contract.
“A-re y-ou the loan shark?” I struggled to find the words.
It was as though, I was standing across the devil himself.
“Please, call me.. Ludwig.” his voice was laced with a certain menace, that sent chills down my spine.
At that moment, I was beginning to second guess myself.
Nothing good can ever come from doing business with this type of person. But…right now, I really don't have a choice, do I?
“In this bag, is $20,000 as you requested, although in still wondering how you plan to pay me?”
He said, his voice almost casual, but there was something underneath.
“I will. I just need to know when your pay is due.”
I said, my voice a bit more firm and sure.
“Two weeks max, honey. And with a $2000 interest.”
What? My eyes widened in shock.
“NO way!”
“Well… I guess you wasted both of our time.” he chuckled lightly under his breath.
He then slowly disappeared into the darkness.
Suddenly, Granny's picture flashed in my head.
Her hospital bills, who was going to pay them?
“Wait!!” I yelled out to the darkness. “I'll take it.”
After some seconds, Ludwig stepped out to the light, his hand extended with the contract in his hand.
I took it, glancing through the words, I finally signed it, then took the bag of money from his other hand.
"Here’s the deal, sweetheart," he said, exhaling a curl of smoke that drifted between us. "I don’t care about your sob story. I work for very dangerous people. People who could end your life in a second and won't break a sweat.
You’ve got two weeks to come up with what you owe me. No extensions, no excuses. And if you don’t..."
He trailed off, his smile widening, but it wasn’t kind.
*******
I walked out of the school environment with my head down.
I used the length of my hair to wrap my face, I was barely recognizable to anyone.
Then I saw him, Alberto. He was leaning casually against the fence at the edge of the school yard, his hands shoved into the pockets of his worn leather jacket.
My heart skipped, a smile grew on my lips as I quickened my pace. He spotted me and threw a wave to my direction.
"Hey, beautiful," he called out, straightening as I approached.
I rolled my eyes at the nickname, but I couldn’t stop smiling.
“Hey.” I stopped just infront of him.
Without another word, he pulled me in, his hand warm against my back as he pressed a soft, lingering kiss to my lips.
He pulled back slightly, his forehead resting against mine. "I missed you," he murmured, his voice low enough that only I could hear.
"It’s been, like, six hours," I teased. I love Alberto, but I'm not the cheesy love type, who likes to flirt.
“Too long for me.” He said, his voice soft and tender.
I sighed deeply.
“Alberto, I've gotta go. I have something to take care of.”
“Alright. But text me later, OK?”
"Always," I promised, turning to leave but pausing to glance back at him, before walking out of his site.
I dragged my feet to my door from school, my heart heavy. Today was the day!
Two weeks since the night, I visited the loan shark.
I've worked enough at the store to earn $1500, but I had to handle Granny's bills, so my money was still short.
I was just praying to myself, that Ludwig perhaps forgot or might give me a few more days to get his money.
I walked to the kitchen to grab my lunch. Suddenly, my door burst open, making a deafening noise.
I was shook by the noise, the plate in my hand crashed to the floor, pieces of ceramics scattering across the floor.
Ludwig stepped in first, and then two of his men flanked either side of him.
"Evening, sweetheart," Ludwig said, his voice low and mockingly polite.
His sharp eyes swept over the room, landing on me like a predator locking onto its target. "Miss me?”
“ I-I have your money.” I stammered, struggling to process his sudden appearance. I stumbled to my dinning table, where a large envelope sat.
My hands were literally shaking as I picked up the envelope and handed it to him.
He peeled it open, and carefully counted the bills inside.
His brows lifted as he finished. “This isn't enough” his tone was soft yet lethal.
“I'll pay you once I have it, I swear.” I instinctively took a couple of steps away from Ludwig.
“Honey, that's not how it works, I'm afraid!”
One of his men stepped foward, carefully approaching me.
“Please!! I'll pay, please don't do this.. “ I pleaded as best I could.
Tears escaped from my eyes.
The man, grabbed my left arm, but I continued to struggle, but it was no use.
"Let go of me!" I shouted, kicking and twisting, but the other man grabbed my other arm, pinning me between them.
"Don’t worry, sweetheart," he said, his voice chillingly calm.
"You’ll work off your debt another way. Consider it... a career change.” Ludwig whispered to my ear, his voice was laced with delivish intent.
Tears blurred my vision, as I dragged me out from my house and hauled me into one of two black SUV’s parked outside my house.
They ignited their engines and drove off into the night.
- Writer
