EPISODE THREE
1064 Words
The tall man stood behind her completely unfazed despite the rain.
How had he caught up so fast?
Panic exploded inside her chest as she struggled violently to get out of his grip.
“I said let go of me!”
“It's in your best interest not to try and run.” His voice remained calm. And honestly, that calmness terrified her more than shouting would have.
“I'm not going anywhere with you!”
Another one of the men appeared besides them suddenly.
God.
They had surrounded her.
People nearby glanced briefly at the scene before quickly looking away. Nobody wanted involvement.
Nobody ever did when it came to her.
Lira's breathing became frantic. “I have to get home.” She said desperately, “My parents are probably up waiting for me.”
“You can contact them later.”
“No!”
The sharpness in her house startled even herself.
Rain clung heavily to her lashes as she looked between them desperately. “You don't understand,” she continued quickly. “They'll worry if I don't come home.”
Still nothing.
No sympathy.
No hesitation.
The man's grip tightened slightly as she attempted to pull away again.
“Miss Vale”
“I'm not responsible for a debt I didn't make.”
The words cracked painfully from her throat. For the first time, genuine emotions crossed her face.
Fear.
Anger.
Exhaustion.
“I was a child when my parents died,” she continued shakily. “ I didn't even know that they owed money!”
The rain swallowed the silence afterward.
The tall man finally spoke. “That changes nothing.”
Her chest tightened.
Nothing.
Of course, it changed nothing.
People like these men didn't care about fairness.
To them, a debt was a debt. And poor people always paid somehow.
Lira looked around her wildly, watching the car pass and people hurrying away beneath umbrellas.
Nobody stopped.
Nobody cared.
The city has seen too many desperate people already.” What exactly do you want from me?” She whispered, almost brokenly.
“Like we said earlier; our boss requested your presence.”
“Why?”
Another silence which seemed to frighten her more than any answer.
The second man suddenly stepped closer.” You should cooperate.”
Lira laughed bitterly despite the tears threading from her eyes.
“Or what?”
Neither man answered. Yet somehow
That was answer enough.
Fear slid ice-cold down her spine. They wouldn't hurt her publicly.
But privately?
Who knew what they were capable of doing to her.
Lira slowly stopped resisting. Not because she trusted them, but because exhaustion was finally crushing through her bones.
Her body hurt.
Her mind hurt.
Everything hurt.
The tall man loosened his grip slightly once she stopped fighting.
“Good.”
She hated that word immediately. Like she was some disobedient animal finally behaving properly.
Rainwater dripped from her hair down her face as she stood there trembling.
“I just need to tell my parents first,” she said quietly.
The man studied her briefly before pulling a phone from his pocket.
“You'll call them in the car.”
Lira swallowed hard.
This was really happening.
One of the black vehicles parked nearby pulled forward smoothly.
Lira stared at it numbly. Her instincts screamed at her to run again.
But what was the point?
They'd catch her.
And if people this powerful found her once, they could probably find her again.
Maybe next time, they wouldn't be this patient.
The realization hollowed her stomach.
The car door opened for her and Lira hesitated at first before she slowly climbed inside.
The leather seats smelled expensive. Everything about the vehicle felt painfully out of place compared to her life. The tall man entered besides her while the others took the front seat.
Nobody alone as the car pulled away from the curb. Almost as if it was normal to abduct innocent girls at this time of the night.
Lira stared out the window silently while rain blurred the city lights outside.
Her reflection looked pale.
Terrified.
Small.
After several minutes, the man besides her handed over his phone.
“Call.”
Lira hesitated before taking it. Her fingers trembled slightly when she dialed home.
Mrs. Rowan answered quickly.
“Hello?”
Relief nearly broke her apart.
“Mama”
“Lira honey, it's you.” She could hear the clear relief in her mother's tone. “You're late, are you alright?”
Lira glanced briefly towards the silent men surrounding her.
Lie.
She needed to lie.
“Yes,” She said carefully. “Something came up at work.”
The older woman immediately sounded worried.
“You haven't eaten, have you?”
Lira almost cried right there.
Even now
Even with everything happening
Her mother's first concern was whether she had eaten.
“I'm fine,” Lira whispered.
“When are you coming home?”
The question shattered something inside her chest. Because honestly, she didn't know.
“I…might be late.”
“How late?”
Lira looked down at her lap silently. The man besides her watched without expression.
“I'm not sure yet.”
A pause followed.
Then Mrs Rowan sighed softly. “Alright. Just be careful.”
Careful.
That word again.
Lira closed her eyes briefly.
“I will.”
“Call me when you're coming home.”
“... Okay.”
The call ended.
Silence immediately returned to the car. Lira slowly handed the phone back while her throat burned painfully.
She hated this.
Hated how powerless she suddenly felt.
The city outside gradually changed as they drove farther away from the crowded poorer districts.
The roads became cleaner.
The buildings are larger.
More expensive.
Lira noticed the change immediately.
How people like her rarely entered these areas unless they worked there.
Eventually, the car slowed near massive black gates guarded by security.
Lira's heartbeat quickened again in her chest.
No.
No way.
The gates slowly entered. And beyond them
A massive estate appeared beneath the rain covered by darkness.
Lira stared in disbelief.
Her entire neighborhood probably couldn't equal the cost of this place.
The car moved forward smoothly as fear settled deeper into her chest with every second.
Who exactly had her parents borrowed from?
And more importantly
What kind of man would come looking for a debt thirteen years later?
- Writer
